Adventures of a veg*n.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Snack Time Cookies

I was inspired by the awesome cookies Jody sent me for the August cookie swap, so these sort of resemble hers. I can't say the specifics are the same, but it has the same main ingredients I think.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup quick oats

Preheat oven to 375º

First mix the flax meal and water in a little bowl, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the red ingredients. Add the flax mixture to this. In a medium bowl, combine the blue ingredients. Add the blue to the red and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and oats.

Bake for 10-12 minutes!

My roommate and friends said they're actually the best cookies I've made so far. Hmm.. what does that say about all the rest of my cookies?!
But they said these are the most like "real" cookies.
Not sure what that means.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Banana-Nut Muffins

Scrumptious Banana-Nut Bread Muffins
from La Dolce Vegan!


My friend Kristin lives across the hall, and I noticed some bananas in her room the other day. I told her if they got too ripe that she should give them to me. So yesterday she came in with a "present." Huzzah!

Time to put the new cookbook to good use! The only change I made was that I replaced all of the oil with more tofu, and I made muffins instead of bread because our kitchen doesn't have a loaf pan. They turned out excellent, and Kristin said it tastes like "real" banana bread! "A+" she said!

Monday, September 25, 2006

No Food Today..


Just a picture of me and my new book! I'm racking up quite a collection now.. and I have such a long list of things that I plan to make. I guess I better get cooking.. and baking! Haha.

Now I WOULD have food to post, because I baked some cookies for Nikkicita (the cookie swap!) but I think I'll wait to post them until she gets them.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Sax Party

I just got back from the party, it was awesome! I managed to snap some crappy pictures, here's the burritos just out of the oven! They were yummy! Not very exciting: seitan, corn, diced tomatoes and black beans with taco seasoning. And soy mozzarella on top.


And this is the sloppy cake I made last night, for some reason it wasn't really a hit. I dunno.


I also had a cake made of vanilla SO Delicious ice cream, chunks of the chocolate cupcakes from the other day, and swirls of peanut butter that everybody loved! I didn't even get to take a picture of it, but it looked like vomit anyway. It tasted great though.

A success!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Baking and TEV!

So I just got back from a looong time in the kitchen! First I made a cake for the party tomorrow night, but I'll save the pictures for afterwards.. for the.. "party entry" perhaps.

After that.. I figured nobody would mind having snack time after practice tomorrow even though we're having the party.. right? So I made raisin/walnut As-You-Like Muffins from... *drumroll please*.. The Everyday Vegan! Woohoo, it came in the mail today.


But note to self.. don't bake muffins in those little paper cups. They stuck!

I am SO ready for the party tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Seitan and Oat Bars

Last night I cooked up a batch of seitan for the sax party this Friday! I decided to make burritos. Everybody gave me good ideas and Melody emailed me some really great info on how to go about making this for a bunch of people. The dinner should be a success.

In other news, today I fell back on an old favorite, the Easy Pleasin' Oat Bars from Vive le Vegan, for sax snack time tomorrow.


I was in a bit of a hurry, but they look good!

Monday, September 18, 2006

Cookies and Swap

Here are some oatmeal cookies I made for Alto Sax Snack Time today.


AHA! Now that I have your attention with delicious cookies, you should really get over to Veggin' Out for the September cookie swap! In addition to getting cookies in the mail, you get to share your cookie goodness with others, and make awesome veg*n friends.. life is good! Don't miss out!

Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup silken tofu
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º

In a medium bowl, combine the blue and set aside.
Cream the red together until smooth. Add blue to red and mix well.
Stir in the oats and optional raisins or other dried fruit.

Spoon onto baking sheet and flatten slightly.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Yummy!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Chocolate Cupcakes

Man, I need to stop baking... eventually. Haha. I made (up) some cupcakes yesterday. I think this is the first time something I made up actually worked. They rose.. they cooked all the way through. What's happening to the world!?


Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp flax meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup silken tofu/soymilk/nayonaisse*

1/2 cup hot water (divided)

H'okay.. so! Preheat oven to 375º
Mix the red ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Cream the blue together, then stir in the green.
Add the red to this and mix.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, makes 12 cupcakes!

*This is hard to explain.. I had a liquidy mixture of firm silken tofu and soymilk leftover from the other night, and I just combined it with enough nayonaisse to make up 1/2 a cup..

Happy baking!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Cookies and Cookies!

First off, a classic: Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies from Vive le Vegan! For Alto Sax Snack Time tomorrow.


THEN.. my friends and I decided to make the Coconut-Lime Cookies from VLV, but with orange instead. Somewhere in the switch we did SOMETHING wrong.. and they ended up with a cupcake-like lightness and texture. We have named them..: Orange Snow-Blossom Nummy-Cakes!


I call it a success.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

A Daunting Task..

Hey guys, I need your help!

The saxes decided to have a get together in a week or two. We're just gonna hang out, maybe play some games, and have dinner. I said I would make them a deeelicious (vegan) meal. :-P

What should I make?! They said they don't want something that they'd normally eat and just happens to be vegan, like pasta or something. There are 18 in the section but I'm guessing everyone won't make it.. I'm probably looking to cook for about 12. Any ideas?

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Macadamia Blondies

Yes.. I made these again. They.. are.. yummy.

Hey.. I don't know if I told you guys, but I instated "Alto Saxophone Snack Time" in marching band. We have practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I'm taking (vegan) snacks to EVERY practice hehe (just for the altos of course.) My section loves it :-D This is the snack for tomorrow.


If you have VwaV.. I definitely suggest this recipe!!

Monday, September 11, 2006

Cookie Swap!

What's in the box?
...
I don't get care packages!


AHHH!!
It's cookies from Vegchic!
I love cookie swaps!



She didn't send along the recipe, so I'm trying to guess. Obviously they're chocolate chip, but I think I MIGHT be tasting some peanut butter? And I feel like there's a spice in there that isn't cinnamon.. but I can't put my finger on it. (Or my taste buds, rather.) My friend across the hall thinks there is also some kind of nut, she guessed macadamias. Man.. I'm going to feel so bad if we're wrong! But they are delicious!

And props for reusing the can!

Sunday, September 10, 2006

My Own Banana Muffins

Well I tweaked a recipe that I saw online somewhere, and came up with these awesome muffins.. they're almost healthy.. I swear! I added some big chunks of banana at the end.. not sure if you can see from the picture though.



Tania's Banana Muffins (hehe)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup mashed banana
1/3 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp flax meal
1/4 cup + 1/2 tbsp water
Extra banana chunks

Preheat oven to 400ºF

H'okay! So! In a little bowl mix the flax meal and water and put it aside.

In like.. a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

Then in a large bowl combine the banana, milk, vanilla and flax mixture. To this bowl add the dry ingredients but don't overmix, and fold in the banana chunks.

Bake for 22-25 minutes
Makes 12 muffins :-D

Friday, September 08, 2006

Fruit Gel Babies!

I saw these on Leslie's blog, she got them from Susan's. They looked awesome and.. I had some agar agar from when Mom made my birthday cake so.. what the heck!

These have the pears and peaches canned by my Mommy! And also a banana that I bought at the student union. They took no time at all!

This picture doesn't do them justice!


Oh yeah.. this Sunday at 9pm EST ( I think ) is Iron Chef battle tofu on the food channel! I'm excited! Maybe I'll get some new ideas!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

We Can Change the World!

Guys.. this is very important!!! I need to give you the background first:

The other day I had a salad made for me at the salad place in the caf. When I got back to my room there was some cheddar cheese mixed in that I had not asked for (for obvious reasons..) Out of sheer boredom.. I sent an email to the food services of my school to let them know they're getting their salad toppings mixed.

WELL, the woman replied, and instead of being rude she actually asked if I wanted to meet with her to discuss how they can improve the veg*n options here!!

This is great and all, my mom thinks I can really make some great changes but... I'm not exactly sure what to tell the lady! Any ideas? We have a great salad place (except for the cheese incident) and they have optional tofu for the salads, there are boca burgers at the Grille Works, they sell fruit and vegetable cups.. there's always a vegetarian meal option for lunch and dinner in the caf (it's not always vegan though.) Uhm.. there's no soy milk anywhere though.. hehe.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Lentil Soup

I bought a vegetable cup at the student union.. carrots, celery and peppers right into the pot! In went the lentils and a few spices.. an hour simmering on the stove and voila! SOUP!

Oh yeah.. the bowl was made by my sister.