What to do with omni-cookbooks

I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma here. After going vegan nearly 2 years ago, I was ready to clean up my cookbook shelf. I gave away a lot of vegetarian (but not vegan) cookbooks to vegetarian friends.  I had even contemplated throwing out some odd omni-cookbooks I had acquired despite being a vegetarian.  In the end, I wasn't able to throw everything I didn't want out for one reason or another.

The main reason I hang onto these cooking relics of my past is because they are a handy guide for veganizing food.  Others, such as a family-created cookbook hold sentimental value.  Other cookbooks were received as gifts, and I would have felt bad pitching them.  But probably the weirdest one is a grilling cookbook that came with my electric grill...not sure I'll ever use it, though.  To make myself feel better, I went through it with a pen and marked any already vegan recipes with a "V" and easily veganizable ones with "*V".

My problem isn't with keeping these cookbooks I already own...but would I ever dare to buy an omni-cookbook?  Is a used one ok?  I love to buy vegan cookbooks, but there are some cookbooks that exist in the omni-world that aren't yet on the vegan shelf (ex. a casseroles cookbook).  It's all about where your money is going.  I think for now, if I want an omni-recipe as a reference, I'll just use a book I already have or find one online.

What to do with omni-cookbooks

Salads Simplified

After lots of reading on nutrition and healthy eating, including Eat to Live, Mr. V and I decided to try and incorporate more leafy greens into our diets. Even though we eat plenty of naughty vegan foods (cookies, muffins, donuts...I'm noticing a baked goodies trend here...), we're always excited to have a big, delicious and healthy salad.

At first, Mr. V would buy salad from the salad bar at work, but that was really a bad deal for a few reasons:
1. Salad bars aren't cheap.
2. Salad bars aren't organic (usually).
3. Salad bars limit your salad toppings.

In the end, we came up with our own system that simplified making salads in the morning. We don't like waking up early, so anytime we can do work ahead of time, it's awesome!  Here's how we do it:


1. On the weekend, go shopping for salad greens, salad topping ingredients and some kind of dressing (could include hummus or baba ganouj, etc.).
2. Chop all the vegetables except the salad greens and store in a container in the fridge.
3. Each morning, wash and chop lettuce.  Put the lettuce in a to-go container, add vegetable mix and dressing.  Another option is to keep the dressing separate in a small to-go container and add it to the salad later.

With a little planning and prep work, it's easy to have a tasty salad every day as long as you don't mind eating the same type of salad all week!  We usually have enough variety by changing the salad each week.  Sometimes we'll do vegan Caesar salad, a roasted vegetable-topped salad, or just a mix of random veggies from our co-op. (Pictured: Red leaf lettuce; a veggie mix of roasted red peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, tomatoes and cremini mushrooms; garlic hummus)

One complaint some people have is that a salad "isn't enough" for lunch. Mr. V hears that complaint all the time when someone finds out he only eats salad for lunch. The solution is simple: eat a really freaking big salad!  Mr. V's salad container is 3L, but the salad does compact down to fit in about 1/4 of that container once the ingredients are all mixed.  For salads at home, I use a really big bowl (see below).

Our next step: add more greens to dinner!

Salads Simplified

The Secret to Flaky Vegan Pie Crust

My holiday gift to you: The Secret to Flaky Vegan Pie Crust.  Forget the butter...forget the shortening...the easiest way to get a great flaky pie crust every time is simplify.  When I asked my grandma what she does to make such yummy, flaky pie crust, she simply said, "It's an oil crust."  So here's the recipe I use at home whenever I want to make a pie crust...whether it's for a quiche or a fruit pie.  I like my pie crust a little bit salty, because it tastes great with a sweeter pie filling, but feel free to reduce the salt.

Basic Oil Pie Crust
Makes one 9" pie shell


Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use iodized sea salt)
1/3 cup canola oil, or other vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cold water, divided

Directions:
Mix flour and salt in a mixing bowl.  Use a fork to blend the oil into the flour.  (It should be a crumbly mixture.)  Blend in the cold water one tablespoon at a time.  Squish the mixture with your hands into a ball.  If it doesn't hold, add small amounts of cold water as needed.  Knead the dough a couple times, then roll it out with a rolling pin between sheets of waxed paper.

To place crust in pie plate, peel off the top later of waxed paper and flip rolled dough over onto the pie plate using the bottom layer of waxed paper.  Peel off the other sheet of waxed paper.  Trim the extra dough from the sides of the pie plate and use to patch the crust as needed.  Make pie according to the pie recipe you're using.

The Secret to Flaky Vegan Pie Crust

Don't Fear the Pizza: A Vegan Pizza Guide

People always seem surprised that many vegans still eat pizza.  Is it really that weird to get a pizza without cheese?  The Italians don't think so.  Personally, pizza is one of my top 3 go-to options for eating vegan on the road.  Seems like anywhere you go in the US, you're sure to find at least one of the following: Subway, Taco Bell, or a vegan-friendly pizza place such as Little Caesar's or Papa John's (by vegan-friendly, I mean that that the restaurant has vegan sauce and vegan pizza dough).  If you're lucky, you may even be able to get vegan cheese on your pizza (Waldo Pizza in the KC area).  Many websites have conflicting information on what's actually vegan in chain restaurants...so the best policy is to always ask questions before ordering.

But nothing beats fresh homemade pizza!  I always make my own pizza crust using a recipe I've adapted from 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes.  This was actually my first cookbook, which I decided to pick up after going vegetarian at age 15.  I've experimented with this dough a lot over the years...and here's my favorite combination:

Wheat Beer Pizza
Makes one 12" pizza

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon vegan sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup wheat beer, heated to 120°F  (careful if using microwave to heat beer...it heats faster than water)

Directions:
Combine all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and sea salt in a medium or large bowl.  Add hot beer, stirring the mixture until smooth.  Gradually mix in enough whole wheat flour to make a soft dough.  Knead dough on a floured surface, adding more flour if it gets too sticky, until dough is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes. (I like to knead mine inside the large mixing bowl so that I don't have to dirty my counter-top.)  Cover dough (a clean dish towel works nicely) and let rise 15 minutes.  While the dough is rising, I preheat the oven to 425°F.

Spread dough into desired shape on a cookie sheet.  (I've made traditional round pizzas, heart-shaped pizzas, rectangular pizzas, oblong pizzas....get creative if you want!)  Spread on the sauce and add pizza toppings.  Bake pizza 10 to 15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and vegan cheese (if using) is melted.


Notes:

• Not sure which beers are vegan?  Check out Barnivore's Beer List.
  
• This pizza works just as well with water instead of beer, but I like the flavor beer adds to the crust.
• Another baking option is to dust a pizza peel with cornmeal and spread out the pizza on the peel.  After adding sauce and toppings, slide the pizza onto a pizza stone that has been preheated in the oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes.
• This dough also is great for calzones (one batch of dough makes two calzones).  Divide the dough in half and spread out each half into a circle.  Put sauce, vegan cheese and toppings onto half the pizza, being careful not to put too many toppings.  Pull the plain dough over the top of the side with toppings and pinch in the dough at the edges to close the calzone.  Bake the same way as the pizza, until lightly browned on top.
  

Pizza doesn't need to get boring...there's plenty of sauce and topping options to keep things interesting! (Pictured above: pineapple and jalapeno pizza with a bit of vegan cheese)

Sauce ideas:
classic red sauce
vegan pesto
vegan barbecue sauce
hot sauce
salsa
hummus
baba ganoush
mazza or tapenade (olive-based spreads) 
Tofutti better than cream cheese
olive oil mixed with herbs
flavor-infused oils such as garlic or hot pepper
thai peanut sauce

Topping ideas:
basil
spinach
mushrooms
avocado
olives
bell pepper
roasted red peppers
jalapeno slices
banana peppers
sauerkraut
tomatoes
sun-dried tomatoes
broccoli
zucchini
onions
shallots
minced garlic, fresh or roasted
artichoke
capers
eggplant
corn
beans
tempeh
baked tofu
faux meats (I don't much care for it...but some people like it)
pineapple
mango

...and I'm sure there's more!  I just can't think of anything else right now...  Have fun!

Don't Fear the Pizza: A Vegan Pizza Guide

The Joys of Veganizing

Veganizing an old favorite can be challenging yet extremely rewarding if your recipe turns out right.  We've all got a little bit of nostalgia for our non-vegan pastimes, but my husband is especially guilty of this.  More often than not, his ideas for recipes involve recreating some of his childhood favorites.  This always makes me nervous because of course, my food is never going to be quite the same as "the way mom makes it".  He never actually says this, but I know he's always comparing my vegan-versions to the original.  Luckily, he's pretty easy to please, and we've created a lot of interesting dishes together by veganizing old favorites.

Here are my tips for veganizing:

1. Take a deep breath....veganizing a recipe isn't as scary as you might think!

2. Look at a recipe or even multiple recipes to get an idea what ingredients are normally in the dish and figure out what parts of the dish need a vegan makeover (ex. creamy sauce, requires faux meat, etc.)  Here's a helpful list of vegan substitutes.

3. Decide which foods will give your dish the right flavors.  It might even be something that sounds a little unusual.  For example, my hubby once made a "cheesy crab dip" that used curry cashews and faux-bacon, and despite the odd ingredients, it turned out great!  He even fooled some omni's at a party...hehe.

4. Play around with different milks, and in general, use unsweetened or plain milks when creating anything that's not a dessert.  Hemp milk is a great choice if you don't like "soy taste" in your food, but personally, I don't mind a little soy ;-)

5. Nut butters are great for creating creaminess and "cheesy" type flavors, and nutritional yeast is a favorite ingredient for creating a "cheesy" flavor.

6. Veganizing baked goods takes a little more effort.  The PPK has a handy guide.

7. Don't worry if your dish doesn't come out quite right! In many cases, you'll need to adjust and refine a recipe before it turns out the way you like it.

8. If you make something really tasty, send me the recipe...lol....only if you want to!

Leave a comment if you have veganizing tips to share!

The Joys of Veganizing

Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad

Sometime when I was about 4 years old, I remember trying a strange, new macaroni that I was expecting to taste like mac 'n' cheese.  It was delightfully tangy and creamy, and ever since, I've been in search of the perfect macaroni salad.  This search has become especially difficult since going vegan nearly 2 years ago!

Here's a tasty gluten-free version of macaroni salad that I came up with today.  The hubby and I loved it and devoured it alongside our veggie riblet sandwiches (take that, McDonald's!).  Most macaroni salad recipes call for twice as much stuff, so feel free to double if you want more.  I prefer to cook smaller batches of stuff because the hubby and I get tired of eating the same leftovers day after day...

Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad
Ingredients:
6 oz. quinoa elbow macaroni (we like the taste and it's gluten-free!)
1/2 cup vegan mayo (we love vegenaise!)
2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vegan sugar
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles + 1 tablespoon pickle juice or 1/4 cup dill pickle relish
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (any color you like)
1/4 cup chopped celery
pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a 1 qt. or larger bowl, mix mayo, vinegar, sugar, pepper and pickle juice (if using) until smooth.  Stir in pickles (or relish, if using), red onion, bell pepper and chopped celery.  Drain the macaroni when done and add to the bowl, stirring until noodles are evenly coated.  Chill before serving.

Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad

Magic Gringo Guac

I have always LOVED guacamole!  Over the years, I've been experimenting with different variations of guac, and a year or two ago I made this fantastic combo.  I like to keep my guacamole fairly simple so you can enjoy the rich, delicious flavor of the avocado.  If you like more veggies in your guac, you might consider adding some of the following: chopped tomato, cilantro, lime juice, garlic.

As for the title, I call it "gringo" because this guacamole is not authentic at all whatsoever (but it's totally delicious!!!)

Magic Gringo Guac
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
2-3 tablespoons chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
A few drops of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Slice avocado in half around the pit.  To remove the pit, sharply stick a chef's knife into the pit.  Twist and lift the knife to remove the pit.  Scoop out the avocado flesh and mash it in a bowl (small to medium in size).  Then use a fork to beat the mashed avocado until light and fluffy in texture...that's the real secret to how I like my guac ;)  Stir in the onion, jalapeno and hot sauce.

Magic Gringo Guac

Mellow Miso & Bok Choy Soup

I've had a mixed relationship with miso over the years.  The first time I tried it was when my boyfriend (now husband) made instant miso soup for me when I was recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed.  Lemme say...I thought it was pretty nasty.  Eventually, I gave miso another shot as a seasoning for other foods like cashew-based "cheese" sauce or salad dressings....yum!  So then I thought I'd give miso soup another shot.  I tried following a recipe, but it turned out watery and pink (apparently red chard makes miso soup turn pink...)  Finally, I tried again earlier this week with my own miso soup creation...it was irresistibly delicious!  I couldn't believe it!  Here's the magic combo:

Mellow Miso & Bok Choy Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mellow white miso
8 cups broth (I used 8 cups water plus 4 cubes not-chick'n bouillon)
6 oz. firm tofu, cut into small strips
4 large heads of baby bok choy, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Place miso in a small mixing bowl.  Bring broth to a boil in a stock pot and spoon out about half a cup of broth into the miso bowl.  Add tofu and bok choy to the pot and simmer a few minutes until bok choy stalks are tender but still have a bit of crunch.  Meanwhile, thoroughly mix miso and broth (this makes it easier to stir the miso into the soup).  When the bok choy is ready, remove the soup from heat and stir in the miso mixture.  Once the miso has dissolved, serve!

Notes:
For the gluten-free crowd:  Be sure to check the gluten-free status of the miso you use.  Some white misos (rice-based) do not list barley as an ingredient, but the cultures are started on barley.  This discussion at celiac.com might be helpful.

Mellow Miso & Bok Choy Soup