The Vegan Kitchen

Dr.'s Remedy Valentine Delight: Vegan-friendly Nail Polish

2012-02-04T23:05:00.001-05:00

This is actually my first not-food-related post on here! Vegan-friendly nail polish brand Dr.'s Remedy has asked me to share with you their Valentines Day nail polish picks and I think they are pretty shades (can you guess which on is my favorite?)!

The colors are described as:

REVIVE Ruby Red: "A shimmer-infused, Wizard of Oz-inspired shade of crimson"

RESOLUTION Red Glitter: "A red-meets-copper spin that's sequin-look-alike laden with high-shine and sparkle"

RESCUE Red: "A classic fire engine red REVIVE Ruby Red: A shimmer-infused, Wizard of Oz-inspired shade of crimson"

These shades and other Dr.'s Remedy Shades are available at for $17 per bottle at www.remedynails.com.

In addition to being vegan, Dr.'s Remedy polishes are free of harmful ingredients like formaldehyde and enriched with beneficial ones like tea tree oil. You can read more about their formula here.

Just a little more info about Dr.'s Remedy:

"Dr.'s REMEDY is a line of doctor-inspired cosmetics that is dedicated to using clean, hypoallergenic ingredients. The brain-child of two New York-based podiatrists, Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel, Dr.'s REMEDY proves quintessentially-perfect for any person looking to better the condition of her skin and nails. Dr.'s REMEDY is sold exclusively at www.remedynails.com or by calling 877-323-NAIL."

Will you be painting your nails with vegan nail polish this Valentines Day?

Banana Nut Muffins

2012-02-03T22:01:00.000-05:00

I already have a Banana Bread recipe posted here but this recipe for banana nut muffins is a bit different. It is lighter, fluffier, and is soy-free (the other recipe uses tofu). I don't actually like eating raw bananas but I love them in bread/muffin form, especially with walnuts and chocolate chips! My favorite way to eat these muffins is warm, cut in half and spread with some soy-free vegan margarine or coconut spread.

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
6 TBSP safflower oil (or other vegetable oil)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup So Delicious coconut milk yogurt (I use plain but vanilla would work also)
1 TBSP vinegar
2 ripe bananas, mashed (equal to 1 cup or slightly under)
1 cup walnuts (optional)
2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional), try Enjoy Life to keep this recipe soy-free

Combine sugar, vanilla, yogurt, oil, and vinegar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on a low speed until well combined. In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour and baking soda and then add this to the wet ingredients. Mix starting at low and increasing to medium speed, periodically scraping the sides and bottom with a spoon until the batter is free of lumps. Add the mashed bananas and mix, then the walnuts and chocolate chips. The batter will be thick but stir-able. Scoop into lined muffin tins and bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Makes 18 to 20 muffins if both walnuts and chocolate chips are included.

Hazelnut Coffee Cookies

2011-12-16T11:04:00.002-05:00

1 1/2 cups vegan margarine, softened (I use Earth Balance soy free)
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
large-ish pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBSP instant coffee (regular or decaf)
1 cup ground hazelnuts (finely ground but not enough to become a paste)
extra margarine or nonstick cooking spray

Beat margarine on medium high with a mixer until it looks whipped. Add powdered sugar and salt and beat again until well combined and fluffy-looking (like a very light frosting). Add flour and start the mixer on a low speed, gradually increasing the speed until it is thoroughly mixed. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the vanilla and instant coffee and stir until dissolved. Add the hazelnuts and vanilla-coffee solution to the dough and mix. The dough should turn a light coffee color evenly throughout. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets lightly with margarine or nonstick spray. Roll balls of dough about 1" wide and place 2-3" apart on cookie sheet. Mash the balls down to about 1/4" thick. Bake for about 15 minutes and allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to brown paper* to finish cooling.

*The reason for cooling the cookies on brown paper is that the paper absorbs some of the excess oil and when laid completely flat puts less stress on delicate cookies than a wire rack does. Paper grocery bags cut into flat sections work perfectly for this!

Restaurant Review: Cassia Grill in Port Murray, NJ

2011-09-07T16:04:00.001-04:00

I do not go out to eat very often. However, when I find a restaurant I like I tend to get pretty excited about it. I've decided to add restaurant reviews here in the hopes that other vegans will find them useful and perhaps discover a new place to enjoy a meal. This is the first one!

In June I spent some time in the Eastern part of Pennsylvania because my sister and her husband were expecting their first baby. Of course, as babies are wont to do, my niece decided not to make her appearance until 5 days after her due date. In addition to prolonging my sister's almost-done-being-pregnant misery (any mom can tell you about how unpleasant those last few days, or weeks, can be) it gave me time to enjoy the area. During a little trip into NJ with my mom and my son I stopped at a Turkish restaurant called Cassia Grill for a late lunch.

I had found Cassia Grill's website online prior to heading out for the day and if not for that I would never have known it was there. It is located in the middle of nowhere and not very eye-catching on the outside so we drove right past, almost missing it, and had to turn around further down the road. The inside is pretty much the opposite of the outside: beautifully decorated and very inviting. The color scheme and decorations match well with the food and the music was very pleasant. The server was very polite and helpful and made it easy for me to order. While Cassia Grill not a vegan restaurant, there are things on the menu that are either vegan by chance or can be easily altered to be vegan. I cannot access the menu online at this time so I will only be able to relate what I can recall on my own. Collectively my family ordered 2 salads, a dish with roasted eggplant, and a hummus plate, my favorite being the hummus. The salads were both good and definitely different from salads I make at home. One was a "gypsy salad" and another had white beans and onion; both were vinegary, the gypsy salad more so. The eggplant dish was spicy but mostly from garlic and had a nice, smokey flavor. As I mentioned, the hummus was my favorite. It may very well be the best hummus I have ever tasted and was different from most hummus; it was less lemony and was smooth in texture with a surprisingly prominent parsley flavor. Normally the hummus comes with bread but upon my request they served it with cut veggies instead; I do not know if any of the breads or baked goods there are vegan because I never asked. Overall, I would say that Cassia Grill has good service, a nice atmosphere, and delicious food. If you are ever in the area this restaurant is definitely worth trying!

Information

Address: 1280 State Route 57, Port Murray, NJ 07865

Phone: (908) 223-7555

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cassia-Grill/160207227342393

NOTE: Cassia Grill's website currently seems to be down. When I am aware of it being accessible again I will add a link to it and also info about hours.

Peanut Butter Pasta Shells *

2011-04-02T17:24:00.008-04:00

I love vegan mac & "cheese" but I try not to eat it too often because it doesn't have very much protein. Anyone who has looked through the rest of my recipes will know that I also like peanut butter with pasta. This recipe, unlike my previous recipes combining peanut and pasta, is more of a comfort food with the smooth, creamy texture of the peanut butter sauce, the slightly salty flavor, and the pleasant chewiness of shell pasta. For me it is the next best thing to eating a big bowl of vegan mac & "cheese" while being much more nutritious (see note below). This recipe is gluten and soy free.

8 ounce box gluten free corn/quinoa pasta shells, cooked and drained
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt (use the 1/4 if your peanut butter is not salted)
1/4 tsp garam masala

Combine all ingredients except the pasta in a pot as large enough to hold the pasta. Whisk together over medium-low heat until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and warm. Add the shells and stir together until they are coated evenly and there isn't too much extra sauce left at the bottom. Serve immediately. My family likes this paired with peas or beets.

NOTES: If you do not need to be gluten free you can substitute wheat pasta shells. The 1/4 tsp of garam masala makes a mild sauce so you may wish to add more; I am serving this to a 5 year old to whom anything beyond very mild seasoning is "too spicy" and so I keep it to a minimum. If you want to be adventurous, try adding some soaked raisins, currents, or sweetened dried cranberries. This dish is best right after it is made so if you will not being able to use it all at one meal you may want to consider cutting the recipe in half.

Nutritional Note: I calculated the nutrition in this dish with an online recipe calculator and, assuming 4 servings, there is about 14 grams of protein per serving. Obviously, if you use different ingredients the protein content may be different and it was just an online calculator not a lab analysis or anything.

Split Pea Soup *

2011-03-31T13:27:00.010-04:00

This split pea soup is gluten free and soy free (so long as the ingredients you choose do not contain either).

1 lb bag dry green split peas
½ gallon water plus more as needed
3 vegan “chicken” or vegetable bouillon cubes (I use Edward & Sons)
2/3 cup potato flakes (I used Edward & Sons homestyle mashed potatoes)
½ tsp ground black pepper, more or less to taste
¼ tsp liquid smoke flavoring
½ cup carrots, chopped to ¼” pieces
3 large or 4 medium stalks celery, chopped to ¼” pieces

Combine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then cover. Cook over medium-low until the peas are soft and fall apart, stirring occasionally. When finished cooking the soup should be thick and smooth, except for the carrot and celery bits which should be quite soft. Serve hot alongside toasted crusty bread or warm cornbread. Leftover soup may need to have a little water added to it when reheated because it thickens in the refrigerator.

NOTE: If you are concerned about sodium intake be sure to use low-sodium bouillon cubes because the regular ones can be quite salty; this will alter the flavor, though, so if sodium is not an issue for you I do not recommend doing it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake *

2011-03-30T21:50:00.005-04:00

This recipe is gluten-free and optionally soy-free.

1/2 cup chocolate vegan ice cream *
3 TBSP smooth peanut butter (or more if you want a creamier shake)
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla agave **
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Place the ingredients in your blender - the cocoa should not go in first or last - and blend until smooth according to the directions for your blender. If you do not have directions try pulsing a few times, blending on low for 15 seconds, and then medium until it looks smooth and creamy.

* I use So Delicious coconut milk chocolate ice cream to make mine soy-free. You could use any kind you like but if it is very sweet you may want to omit some or all of the agave.

** The vanilla agave I used is Wholesome Sweeteners brand. If you cannot find vanilla agave regular agave, or another sweetener of your choice, will be fine but you may wish to add a few drops of (gluten-free) vanilla extract.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting *

2011-02-22T18:32:00.007-05:00

I wanted to make a cake that my Grandfather, a big fan of peanut butter cups, would enjoy so I whipped up some chocolate peanut butter frosting. This recipe only makes just enough to spread on the top of an 8x8" cake so if you want to frost the sides or are making a larger cake you will want to at least double it. Because of the peanut butter this won't be as light in texture or get as stiff on the outside as most frosting.

3 TBSP smooth style peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar *
3 TBSP vanilla or plain almond milk
1 TBSP cocoa powder

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and cream together with a fork or spoon. It may help to add 1/2 the sugar and stir it in before adding the second half. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixed instead if you like.

* If you are concerned about finding powdered sugar that was definitely not processed with bone char you can order it on Amazon or try a natural foods shop or Whole Foods.

NOTE: I use gluten free/alcohol free vanilla and smooth "natural" peanut butter with a tiny bit of palm oil in it. I don't know if using alcohol-based vanilla or true natural peanut butter (ie peanuts & salt) will alter the texture or flavor of the frosting.

Peach Sorbet *

2011-02-18T18:34:00.007-05:00

It was so nice out today that the sun and the warmth made me want peaches. Unfortunately, it is quite a while until peach season is here and any "fresh" peaches the rest of the year are always unripe and unpleasant. Luckily I have this recipe for peach sorbet and it uses frozen peaches, not fresh!

16 oz bag frozen peaches
2 TBSP agave
1/2 cup + 2 TBSP So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Beverage

Combine the peaches, agave, and about half of the coconut milk in a food processor (use the metal blade for this). Puree the mixture until smooth, periodically stopping to add more of the coconut milk and stir with a spoon. It is best to serve the sorbet right away but it does alright when saved in the freezer for a few hours. If it happens to be too soft putting it in the freezer for a bit will fix that but try not to let it freeze solid or you'll have a large peach pop instead of sorbet.

Vegan Junk Food Giveaway

2010-12-08T20:42:00.009-05:00

I've recently exceeded 2,000 followers on Twitter and I'm really pleased that so many people have decided to follow me. As a way of saying thank you I decided to give away some vegan junk food. You may or may not know it, but I live in the area of Pennsylvania that is home to several snack food companies (Utz, Snyders of Hanover, Wege). Some of their snacks just happen to be vegan so it seems only right that I choose local snacks to give away. One reader will win all the goodies shown above.

From Utz in Hanover, PA: potato chips, sweet potato chips, snack size corn chips, snack size pretzel wheels, snack size kettle classic chips, and snack size natural gourmet medley chips.

From Hempzels in Lancaster, PA: pumpernickel & onion sourdough hemp pretzels.

From Hollabaugh Brosthers, Inc. Fruit Farm & Market in Biglerville, PA: apple chips.

To enter you must follow me (@thevegankitchen) on Twitter, tweet a link to this giveaway, and leave a comment here letting me know you did both those things.

You can get one extra entry for doing each of the following and leaving a comment for each here to let me know you what you did:

1) Like The Vegan Kitchen on Facebook and a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page (include your name in the comment here)

2) Subscribe/Follow this blog (you should be able to do this with google on the main page, left side partway down)

Be sure to include your Twitter handle and/or email address with each entry comment. Entries need to be completed and posted here by Monday 12/13/10. I will choose a random winner (drawn from a hat... or basket or something) on Tuesday 12/14/10 and announce the winner on Twitter via a tweet and a DM. If you win you will need to reply by Wednesday 12/15/10 with your mailing address so I can send the snacks to you.

Good luck, and THANK YOU!

UPDATE: The winner has been announced. Congratulations to Amber Shea - @AlmostVeganBlog on Twitter! Thank you for entering and as always thank you for your interest in my recipes and for following me on Twitter, Facebook, and here!

Sweet Potato Soup *

2010-11-11T10:50:00.005-05:00

2 – 2 ½ lbs sweet potato, cooked and skin removed
2 cups plain or unsweetened soymilk or other non-dairy milk
3 cups So Delicious Original Coconut Milk Beverage
1 ¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp salt
2 TBSP grade B maple syrup or agave

In a large pot mash the sweet potato thoroughly with a potato masher. If you want a smooth soup be sure not to leave any lumps. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat the soup over medium (or medium-high and pay close attention to avoid burning). Serve hot.

My seasoning in relatively mild since I have to accommodate the taste buds of a 4-year-old. You may wish to add more garam masala to taste, but keep in mind that this soup will taste spicier as leftovers than the day you make it.

Apple Salad *

2010-09-28T11:58:00.007-04:00

When making fruit salad, I prefer to use only fruit that is in season and in fall that means apples. If you have fresh, ripe, local apples which taste delicious on their own it may seem silly to add a dressing. The dressing for this salad is important, however, because it keeps the apples from turning brown after being cut up.

1 very large or 2 medium red delicious apples
1 very large or 2 medium golden delicious apples (or other mild, sweet, gold colored apple)
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 English walnut meats, broken into pieces
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (roughly one lemon worth)
1/4 cup agave
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Wash, core, and cut the apples into 1/2" pieces. Place the apples, raisins, and walnuts into a bowl. Combine the lemon juice and agave in a separate container and whisk or stir until well blended. Pour the lemon/agave dressing over the salad and stir to be sure all the apple chunks are well coated. Sprinkle on the cinnamon and stir again to distribute it through the salad. Anything that will not be eaten the same day should be refrigerated in a sealed container.

This recipe is a part of the September 2010 SOS Kitchen Challenge hosted by Diet, Dessert, and Dogs and Affairs of Living

Product Review Blog: Vegan Ice Cream

2010-08-11T20:04:00.006-04:00

Between the oppressively hot days this summer and the availability of a greater variety of vegan ice creams, I’ve been eating more of the frozen dessert than I normally would. That is why I’ve decided to dedicate the first ever review entry to this blog entirely to vegan ice creams and all that goes with them.

First up is Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss. While I was camping (in a cabin) in early July I found Luna and Larry’s Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge on sale at Kimberton Whole Foods (Douglassville, Pa). This was not the first coconut milk ice cream I tried but it was the first one where I didn’t feel the coconut flavor overpowered everything else. It was light, airy ice cream with a richly chocolate flavor and large pieces of hazelnut mixed through. The coconut flavor was present but not in a way that detracted from the chocolate and hazelnut. http://coconutbliss.com/coconut-bliss-products/chocolate-hazelnut-fudge

The next product is not an ice cream but a sorbet: Ciao Bella Dark Chocolate Sorbet. Normally I dismiss store-bought sorbets as not worth trying, because they always seem excessively sweet. This one looked so good on the carton that I was tempted enough to buy a pint. I am very glad I did. Ciao Bella is not lying when they call it “dark chocolate”; this sorbet is extremely chocolate (like the equivalent of eating a bar of chocolate with a cocoa content above 70%) and not overly sweet. A peek at the nutrition panel reveals that it does in fact contain plenty of sugar (19g per ½ cup) but the sweetness doesn’t seem too much when combined with the strong chocolate flavor. http://www.ciaobellagelato.com/#/products/158

I first tried So Delicious Purely Decadent vegan ice creams a while ago when all that was available was soy-based. Out of those, my favorite was (and still is) the Peanut Butter Zig-Zag with salty peanut butter swirled through creamy chocolate. When the coconut-milk-based pints first appeared in my local grocery store the options were Vanilla and Cookie Dough (which happens to be gluten-free!). The first time I tasted the Cookie Dough I didn’t love it; the cookie dough bits were perfect but the coconut flavor was strong and (not that I don’t love coconut) I wasn’t sure I wanted cookie dough ice cream to taste that much of coconut. I might not have bought it again had my 4-year-old not decided he liked it very much. On vacation at the beach recently, I found a pint of Purely Decadent German Chocolate coconut milk ice cream in Green Street Market (Rio Grande, NJ) and decided to try it based on the logic that coconut is an important flavor in German chocolate cake, so what harm could the coconut milk do to it? This time not only did the coconut milk not detract from the flavor of the ice cream, it enhanced it. The chocolate was creamy but strong, the caramel was sweet and smooth, the bits of coconut and pecan added texture without too much crunchiness. It is now my favorite of all the vegan ice creams I’ve ever tried. Unfortunately, since coming home from the beach I haven’t found it anywhere; even a trip to Whole Foods didn’t produce any pints of German Chocolate. I did find two other delicious coconut-milk-based flavors there. The first was Pomegranate Chip, which I was skeptical of (pomegranate with chocolate?) until I actually tried it; the coconut flavor was pretty much hidden by the pomegranate and it actually reminded me of black raspberry soft serve I had at a park-and-eat restaurant (Tropical Treat in Hanover, Pa) as a kid, but with chocolate chips thrown in. My 4-year-old, who called it “the purple kind”, thought it was wonderful and between the two of us we managed to finish it off in just two days. The second kind was Cherry Amaretto. The cherry-vanilla flavor doesn’t have much almond to it, despite being called amaretto. It has a coconut aftertaste but it’s so light and airy, yet very creamy, that the coconut isn’t enough to keep me from thoroughly enjoying it. There aren’t as many cherry halves in it as I would choose to put in, and I wish there were chocolate chips, but it is still delicious. http://www.purelydecadent.com/products/purely_decadent_Coconut_Milk.html
(Unfortunately most of the flavors I mentioned aren’t listed at Turtle Mountain’s website yet but I promise they do exist.)

With the popularity of bite-size chocolate covered ice cream bits it is almost surprising that a vegan version didn’t appear sooner, but finally there are Almond Dream Bites. In the past I had tried Rice Dream and Soy Dream and was not impressed but the chocolate covered almond-based vanilla ice cream bites looked too good to pass up. The chocolate is smooth and melts nicely if you don’t bite into the “bite”, slowly revealing the sweet vanilla ice cream inside. There is a slight almond flavor but not as much as I expected. I could easily eat a whole pint of these bites in one sitting if not careful. There are also pints of Almond Dream not in “bite” form. The Chocolate is good, with a flavor similar to hot cocoa. The Cappuccino Swirl is similar in flavor to So Delicious Mocha Fudge, coffee with chocolate fudge swirled through; I think I prefer the Almond Dream version slightly to the soy-based So Delicious. I am not really a fan of praline as a rule, so I was surprised to find how much I liked Almond Dream Praline Crunch; I would recommend it to any vegans who miss butter pecan ice cream because if my memory of it is correct this is about the same flavor. The Almond Dream ice creams are not as rich as coconut-based, but I perceived them to be sweeter; they’re creamier than soy-based varieties but seem to be pretty equal with them in terms of sweetness.
http://www.tastethedream.com/products/index.php (Again, the products I mention don’t seem to be listed on the company’s website yet.)

All the vegan ice cream cones I’m going to include here also happen to be gluten-free. The first brand I stumbled across in a store was Edward & Sons Let’s Do Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones. The ones I’m referring to are the “cake cup” style cones, not sugar cones. Besides being a little more fragile they’re basically a vegan, gluten-free equivalent to wheat flour “cake cup” style cones. They’re crunchy (be sure to store in a sealed container with as little air as possible to avoid getting stale) and have very little flavor just like the cones you may remember getting at ice cream parlors. http://www.edwardandsons.com/ld_shop_sprinkelz.itml

The second brand, Goldbaum’s, I found in a local health food store (Sonnewald in Spring Grove, Pa) and a week later in a not particularly vegan-friendly grocery store (Martin’s Country Market in Morgantown, Pa) which was a pleasant surprise. This time the cones were my favorite type: sugar cones. The first box I got was the standard sugar cone flavor but the ones I found in Morgantown were chocolate sugar cones which, paired with chocolate ice cream, could please any chocolate addict. Goldbaum’s sugar cones are gluten-free and I actually prefer them to the wheat-based cones I remember eating because they have the flavor I remember enjoying so much but the texture is lighter, crunchier, and I have yet to find one getting at all soggy from the ice cream inside. They’re so good I’ve munched on one like a cookie without any ice cream inside on more than one occasion. If you look at the Goldbaum’s website (which is not very elaborate and difficult to read, sadly) it appears that they also offer “cake cup” style cones, waffle bowls, and “jumbo” cones; I haven’t seen any in a store yet but I’ll be watching for them. http://www.goldbaums.com/

The last product I’m going to include here is Soyatoo! Rice Whip. I tried the Soy Whip some time ago and while it was nice to have a vegan whipped cream there was something about the flavor I didn’t particularly like. My 4-year-old, however, thought it was wonderful, probably because it was so novel to him. More recently I was in Whole Foods looking for a can of the Soy Whip and while it was out of stock they did have Rice Whip, which I had not seen before. It wouldn’t matter to my son whether it was soy or rice so I bought a can of it. He was pleased with it and I decided to taste it too. This time Soyatoo! got vegan whipped cream right! Their Rice Whip is fluffy, creamy, just a little sweet, and is superior in flavor to the Soy Whip. I will seek out Rice Whip in the future and not Soy Whip. http://www.soyatoo.de/en/our-products/

Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes *

2010-04-21T10:18:00.005-04:00

These are just like my original banana pancakes except that they're safe for vegans who cannot eat wheat or gluten. Actually, there is a second difference: unlike with wheat pancakes, you can put chocolate chips directly into this batter and not end up with pancakes that stick to the pan. Even if you don't avoid gluten you may want to give these delicious pancakes a try!

1 cup white rice flour or King Arthur gluten free multipurpose flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 TBSP tapioca flour/starch
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups soymilk (or other nondairy milk)
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup vegan gluten-free chocolate chips (optional)
margarine or oil for frying

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients and stir. Add the vanilla and soymilk, stirring until any lumps are gone. Add the mashed banana (and chocolate chips if using) and stir, then allow the batter to sit for a few minutes. Place a bit of margarine or oil to your frying pan over medium-low heat; you may need to add about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp between each batch of cakes to avoid sticking so keep it nearby. Pour the pancake batter into the pan to form 3-4" diameter pancakes. These pancakes WILL NOT BUBBLE so you need to pay close attention and flip them when they are getting firm around the edges and the bottom is a very light golden brown (too dark and they will be crispy). These do not take long to cook so don't leave them unattended. Cook on the second side for about half as long as on the first & then enjoy!

NOTE: If you are not using salted margarine for frying you will want to add a pinch of salt to the batter. If making chocolate chip pancakes, I recommend using Enjoy Life chocolate chips because they are the size of mini chips and that way you get some in most bites.

Banana Pancakes

2010-04-21T09:56:00.005-04:00

These are light, fluffy pancakes I developed after my sister requested banana pancakes to spread with peanut butter and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (King Arthur white whole wheat is great for this!)
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup agave
1 1/2 - 2 cups soymilk
2 very ripe mashed bananas
margarine or oil for frying

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir. Add the agave and 1 1/2 cups soymilk, stir until the lumps are gone, and then stir in the banana. Add the extra soymilk if necessary to reach pancake batter consistency (you will need to add some but not necessarily all so do this slowly, stirring in a spoonful or two at a time). Add a little bit of oil or margarine to a frying pan at slightly below medium heat. Pour the pancake batter into the pan to form 3-4" cakes. Flip the cakes when a few bubbles form on top and the bottom is light golden brown. Cook on the second side for just a moment and then enjoy!

NOTE: If you use oil instead of margarine for frying you will want to add a pinch of salt to the batter.

Leek & Potato Soup *

2010-04-13T12:00:00.004-04:00

2 large or 3 regular-size leeks
1/4 to 1/3 cup dairy-free margarine (more = creamier soup)
1 quart vegetable broth
1 stalk celery, finely chopped.
5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup soymilk or other non-dairy milk, plain or unsweetened (plus extra if needed)

Selecting just the white & VERY light green portions of the leeks, wash and finely chop them to about 1/8" by 1/2" pieces. Discard the dark green portion or save it for another use. In a large pot, melt the margarine over medium and then sautee the leeks for a few minutes until they start to look translucent. Add the vegetable broth, celery, and potatoes, bring to a boil, and then simmer over low uncovered for 25 minutes. If the potatoes are not thoroughly cooked, cover and simmer until they are soft. Using a lid or other means, pour as much of the broth as possible into a bowl or measuring cup. Thoroughly mash the potato mixture with a potato masher, return the broth to the pot, add the soymilk, and stir. Add more soymilk if you would like a thinner soup.

Note: If you use a margarine that is not salty you will want to add salt to taste.

Sesame Tofu *

2010-02-23T17:39:00.004-05:00

After missing out on going to my favorite Chinese restaurant for some vegan sesame "chicken", I decided to find out how to make my own. Instead of using fake meat, however, I went with tofu and skipped the breading. It works well served with rice & steamed broccoli or some string beans stir-fried with garlic.

Ingredients:
1 package firm or extra firm tofu (not Japanese style)
safflower or other vegetable oil for pan-frying
4 1/2 TBSP agave
3 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP Ketchup
1 1/2 TBSP distilled white vinegar
sesame seeds

Drain and press the tofu, then cut it into 1" chunks. In a large frying pan, cook with the oil over medium heat until the outside gets golden brown or becomes slightly crispy. Place the tofu on paper towels to soak up some of the oil while preparing the sauce. Remove any crumbled tofu bits from the frying pan, then combine the agave, sugar, ketchup, and vinegar in it. Stirring frequently, heat this mixture of medium until it boils, then reduce heat and cook until it begins to thicken. Remove the pan from heat and replace the tofu, stirring to coat it with the sauce. Once the tofu is on plates or a serving dish, sprinkle it with sesame seeds. There should be some sauce leftover in the pan which can be drizzled on top of veggies if desired.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2009-12-20T16:57:00.003-05:00

With only 6 ingredients, these cookies are extremely easy to make. They're a bit fragile until completely cooled but after that it is safe to drizzle them with vegan chocolate.

Peanut Butter Cookies

¼ cup soy margarine, softened
1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup agave nectar
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

Cream together the margarine and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar and agave until . In a measuring cup or small bowl, blend together the baking soda and flour. Add the flour mixture to the large bowl and mix thoroughly. Place TBSP size balls of dough 1 ½ inches apart on a cookie sheet sprayed lightly with nonstick spray (or lightly greased). Use a fork to flatten them to just under ½ an inch thick and leave a criss-cross pattern on top. Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for about 11 - 13 minutes; they should look like cookies instead of dough but not be browned and will be still soft to the touch. Allow the cookies to sit on the tray for a moment to firm up before moving them to a cooling rack.

Want My Cookies?

2009-12-18T14:46:00.002-05:00

I give family and friends some of my homemade cookies every year during the holiday season. This year, I'm going to give some to one of you!

As much as I'd love to send cookies to every one of my twitter followers, I'm an unpaid intern and well, ingredients and postage cost money. So, the best I can do is to randomly choose one person to receive some of my homemade vegan cookies. If you want a chance to be that person, here's what I'd like you to do:

1. Pick any one of the recipes on my blog to try making yourself.

2. Post a comment about that recipe; was it easy? did you like it? what did you serve with it? INCLUDE YOUR TWITTER HANDLE.

3. Tweet @thevegankitchen with a link to the recipe on which you commented.

4. Make sure you've done all those things on or before Wednesday 12/23/09. I'll put the twitter handles of all participants in a hat (or maybe a mixing bowl) and have my 3 year old randomly choose one; he can't read yet, so that's as random as it gets. I'll then notify the lucky person who will receive the cookies via twitter on 12/24. I will not be mailing the cookies until after Christmas so they won't arrive right away, possibly in time for New Years?

5. Please Note: These cookies will be made in my little kitchen at home so it's just like getting cookies from a friend. They are not from a commercial kitchen and will probably be made with the help of a 3 year old.

Happy Holidays!

Brownies

2009-12-10T15:17:00.004-05:00

It took me a long time to figure out a vegan recipe that would give me extremely chocolate, fudge-like brownies without any odd ingredients or an overly-gooey texture. Finally, I can make brownies just the way I like them anytime the craving strikes! If you like chopped walnuts or chocolate chunks just add a little to the batter, or, if you like Mexican chocolate try adding a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.

½ cup margarine, melted OR 1/2 cup safflower oil*
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup warm water mixed with 1 TBSP enerG egg replacer
1 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt* (* if using oil instead of Earth Balance, use 1/4 tsp salt)

Combine and mix margarine/oil, sugar, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Add enerG and stir. In a measuring cup, blend flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir thoroughly. Prepare a 9x9” metal pan with nonstick spray then spread the brownie dough evenly into the pan. Bake it at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes or until done. Allow to cool before cutting.

Banana Bread

2009-12-01T17:20:00.007-05:00

When I was little I always looked forward to bananas getting past their prime because that meant my mother would make banana bread. I still love the way it smells when it bakes and the way it tastes when still warm from the oven; this is a comfort food! Although I couldn't find her recipe to adapt, I did manage to create one of my own and the resulting banana bread is possibly the best I've ever had.

1 cup Earth Balance or other dairy-free margarine
2 cups sugar (can be partly brown sugar)
1 package firm Japanese style silken tofu (Mori Nu)
4 cups flour (1 can be whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
5 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 10-oz package of dairy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life work well)
2 cups chopped walnuts
cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar. Mash the tofu then mix thoroughly into the creamed mixture. In another bowl of a measuring cup, stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; add this to the large bowl and mix until lumps are gone. Stir in the bananas (you may have to use a hand to do this) and then the chocolate chips followed by the walnuts. Distribute this batter into 2 glass loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray or greased with margarine. If you prefer, bake as muffins in lined muffin pans. Bake at 325 degrees until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked, about 1 hour to 75 minutes.

Vanilla Pumpkin Custard Pie **

2009-11-23T09:50:00.005-05:00

For the pie crust you can use any type of 9" pie crust you like. Make one from scratch, buy a graham cracker crust, or buy a frozen pie shell; as long as the pie shell is baked before you make the filling it will be fine! Unless you have a very large pie shell there will probably be some extra filling which can be cooled in a dish and eaten like pudding.

Vanilla Pumpkin Custard Pie

½ cup corn starch
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground clove
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups plain soymilk
1 cup pumpkin
9” pie crust, pre-baked

Combine in a large saucepan the corn starch, sugar, and spices. Whisk in the soymilk and vanilla. Continue whisking gently over medium heat until it begins to thicken and then add the pumpkin. Whisk thoroughly to mix in the pumpkin, remove from heat, and quickly pour into the pie crust. Allow to cool then refrigerate until set.

Lentil Stew *

2009-10-07T17:59:00.005-04:00

This stew is mild but flavorful and goes well with homemade mashed potatoes, rice, or slices of sourdough bread.

Lentil Stew

3/4 cup dry lentils
2 cups water
3 sundried tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp nutritional yeast
A pinch of salt

Rinse the lentils and chop the tomatoes. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, and then turn down heat and cover. Simmer the stew covered for 30 minutes then uncovered 15. The stew is ready when the lentils are tender.

Creamy Peanut Sauce *

2009-10-06T18:36:00.006-04:00

Unlike the sesame peanut pasta which I make in large batches to use as leftovers, this sauce should be made in small enough amounts to be used right away. It has a more delicate texture and flavor that goes very well with rice noodles.

Ingredients:
2 TBSP sesame oil
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup plain soymilk
¼ tsp ginger

Put the sesame oil in the bottom of a small saucepan and add the peanut butter and soymilk. Heat the mixture over medium low while whisking the ingredients together with a small whisk. Once the sauce reaches a smooth, creamy consistency add the ginger and stir well with whisk.

Makes enough sauce for 2 – 3 cups cooked rice noodles. To keep the noodles from sticking together, toss with a tsp of sesame oil before adding the peanut sauce.

Lazy Stuffed Peppers

2009-10-05T15:12:00.004-04:00

Although the words "stuffed peppers" bring to mind an endless list of possible stuffings, this recipe is the lazy version and contains only 5 ingredients (including water used during cooking). It doesn't even require the use of an oven or stove because all the cooking happens in the microwave. The recipe makes just enough for two if served with some sides.

Ingredients:

1 large bell pepper
2 to 3 button mushrooms
about 3/4 cup of vegan soy "meatballs"
vegan grated topping (soy Parmesan)***
water

Thaw the "meatballs" & crumble them into a bowl; chop mushrooms & add to the bowl. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise & remove seeds. Place pepper halves in glass baking dish and stuff with mixture from bowl then top generously with soy Parmesan. Pour 1/4 inch water into baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, & microwave until pepper is cooked (about 8 minutes in mine).

*** I like Galaxy Foods vegan grated topping best

Raspberry Sauce *

2009-10-02T18:06:00.005-04:00

I remember when I was little making a cake with raspberry sauce at a friend's house. She gave me the recipe but I managed to lose it and when I wanted to make the sauce again (years later) I had to recreate the sauce through trial and error and finally got it just right. It's a delicious topping for any number of desserts, including chocolate cake, but should either be made just before it will be used or distributed onto the dessert almost immediately after being made even if it will not be served until later.

Raspberry Sauce

½ c. sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch or tapioca starch
1 bag frozen raspberries
Water

Thaw raspberries and drain juice into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1 cup. In medium saucepan, stir together sugar and corn starch, then whisk in the liquid and add the berries. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and begins to look translucent instead of cloudy. Strain to remove seeds and pulp.

Basic Vegetable Soup **

2009-09-29T18:40:00.006-04:00

I like to make many different kinds of soup, especially during the cooler months, and this recipe is for a basic vegetable soup. It's nothing fancy, but most of the ingredients can be stored for a long time and pulled out when you don't know what else to make or didn't make it to the grocery store. You'll need a really large pot to make this soup and several large containers for leftovers (as well as refrigerator space).

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
3 or 4 cartons of vegetable broth *
1/2 cup pearled barley***
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 can of beans (other than chickpeas)
1 bag frozen lima beans **
1 can diced tomatoes
dried dill weed to taste (I like to use a lot)
dried parsley to taste (plenty of this also)

Combine the onion, broth, and barley in a very large pot over high heat. Add the vegetables, beans, limas, and tomatoes. When it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to medium or medium-low. Add the dill and parsley and stir. The soup will need to be stirred periodically; putting a lid on will retain more liquid. Once the barley is soft (but still a bit chewy) the soup is ready.

* If you like a lot of broth, use 4 cartons. If you like less broth, use only 3. If you want to make the soup cheaper, you can substitute water for part of the broth; each carton is 32 oz so just replace a carton of broth with 32 oz of water.

** I like lot's of lima beans in my soup but if you do not, just use a second can of beans instead.

*** For gluten-free soup, skip the barley and use one or two large potatoes cut into 1" pieces.

Pineapple Black Bean Rice *

2009-08-21T20:47:00.005-04:00

This dish is very easy and relatively quick to make; it also requires only 7 ingredients so it won't add half a page to your grocery list. Using a fresh pineapple that you cut up right before using makes all the difference in this dish; try to avoid canned and pre-cut pineapples for the best results. With pineapple and cinnamon adding much of the flavor, it's almost like having dessert for dinner!

¾ cup of white rice
Water
14 to 16 oz pineapple, chopped with juice conserved in separate container
1 cup of red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp vegan margarine
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp Cinnamon

Pour the pineapple juice into a measuring cup and use water to fill it to ¾ cup. Cook the rice according to box directions using the juice/water mixture. Melt the margarine in a large frying pan and cook the pepper over medium heat until it gets slightly soft. Add the black beans and the chopped pineapple and cinnamon to taste, cooking until all ingredients are hot. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 more minutes, add more cinnamon if desired, and serve. Alternately, you can serve the pineapple mixture atop a layer of rice instead of stirring it in.

* For a sweeter rice, use canned pineapple juice for the whole ¾ cup of liquid

Sesame Peanut Pasta **

2009-05-29T18:09:00.010-04:00

As much as I love to cook and bake, sometimes I just need a to make something simple that will be quick, easy, and give me plenty of leftovers for days when I have no time. Of course, it also has to be delicious and nutritious! This recipe for Sesame Peanut Pasta is one that meets all those needs.

You'll need a small frying pan, a saucepan, and a VERY large pot for this!

Ingredients:
1 lb of pasta (spaghetti or bowtie or macaroni)
Water to cook the pasta
1 to 2 cups of frozen peas
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped scallions
4 tsp sesame oil
1 jar chunky peanut butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
Cooking spray or oil

In your large pot, begin cooking the pasta according to the box directions. Coat the bottom of your frying pan with oil or nonstick spray and sautee the scallions until just slightly cooked. When the pasta is almost cooked, turn the heat up and add the peas to thaw them(a minute should do); don't overcook the pasta to avoid having it fall apart once the peanut sauce is added. Take the pasta off the stove and drain it with a colander as soon as it is done.
Using a small bowl or custard cup, combine the ginger and garlic. Put the sesame oil in the saucepan and stir in the garlic/ginger mixture; a small whisk will work best but if you don't have one just use a spoon. Add all of the peanut butter and place on the stove. Heat it over medium-low, stirring with a spoon, until the peanut butter melts. Return the pasta and peas to the large pot and add the scallions. Pour the peanut sauce over the pasta and stir it through quickly to coat the pasta before it thickens. Finally, stir in the sesame seeds.

This dish can be served hot or cold, though I prefer hot. It goes well with sauteed red bell peppers. To add extra nutrition, use 2 cups of peas and try whole wheat pasta. For more protein, stir-fry tofu and add it to the noodles before stirring in the peanut sauce.

*** If you have only un-toasted sesame seeds, try toasting them in the frying pan before cooking the scallions or placing them on some foil in a toaster oven (watching carefully to be sure they don't burn).

Easy Rolls: baking with yeast

2009-05-28T14:29:00.008-04:00

Baking bread/rolls from scratch may sound intimidating, but it's actually pretty easy. Aside from being fun and making your kitchen smell wonderful, baking your own rolls allows you to avoid all the bad ingredients in store-bought rolls: preservative chemicals, dough conditioners, high fructose corn syrup, and, of course, animal-derived ingredients. Rolls you bake yourself will be fresher and taste better, anyway. While it doesn't take much work, this recipe will take several hours to complete due to the dough requiring time to rise twice. I adapted it from a recipe found in an old copy of Fannie Farmer; I have found that cookbook more useful than any other for finding classic recipes to adapt.

Ingredients:

1 packet of active dry yeast
1 cup of soymilk
1/3 cup of melted soy margarine (Earth Balance)
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

Plus:
extra flour to reach consistency and for kneading
enough margarine to grease a cookie sheet
1 to 2 tablespoons melted margarine (for brushing tops)
cooking spray

Make the soymilk slightly warm, but not hot, and pour into the bowl of a stationary electric mixer. Add the yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir, then add the 1/3 cup of melted margarine, the sugar, and the salt. Set the mixer on a low speed and gradually add the 2 1/2 cups of flour. Let it mix for several minutes. If necessary, add just enough more flour to make the dough thick enough to handle; it is okay if it's a bit sticky because it will obtain more flour during the next step.

Now it is time to knead the dough. If you have a surface designed for this, such as a wooden board, use it. If not, just lay a pastry cloth flat on your table. Sprinkle flour upon your board or cloth and keep an extra scoop of flour to the side in case you need more. Transfer your dough. It helps to coat your hands with a little margerine or cooking spray. In a nutshell, kneading is using your hands to press the dough down, then fold it back on top of itself, then repeat, until it is easy to handle and rather elastic. If you would like to see kneading to obtain a better understanding, try looking it up on youtube. This http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWj8oHMPFm0 video is short and shows decent kneading technique.

After kneading, spray the bowl with nonstick cooking spray and place the ball of dough back in the bowl. Cover it with a clean dish towel and place it somewhere warm. Allow it to rise for about an hour, at which time the dough should be about doubled in size.

Either spray your cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray or grease it lightly with soy margarine (I prefer the latter). Punch down the dough (releasing air bubbles and shrinking it back to previous size), kneading for just a moment if necessary. Although you can make any number of shapes, the easiest shape to make your rolls is round; just take a lump of dough the size of 2/3 of your fist and roll it between your hands. Place the shaped dough on the cookie sheet, evenly spaced. Cover with the dish towel and place in a warm spot to rise for about an hour.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and bake the rolls until just slightly browned on top, roughly 12 to 20 minutes. Makes 9 to 12 rolls, depending on how big each roll is.

Dough after kneading:

Three rolls, fresh from my oven:

Lentil Soup *

2009-05-28T10:03:00.008-04:00

On a chilly (or sick) day, there is nothing I like better than a bowl of homemade soup accompanied by a warm piece of bread. Soup is easy to make, usually inexpensive, can use up veggies left in your fridge from making salad, and is made in large enough batches to have leftover soup for lunch several times. This recipe for lentil soup is lightly seasoned, so be sure to add your own favorite herbs or spices to taste!

Ingredients:
1 tsp oil (olive or any vegetable oil)
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced OR 1 cup shredded carrot
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cup dried lentils
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
dash of salt
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 cups water
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, washed and torn up

First, use the oil to sautee the onions in a large pot until the onions are clear (about 4 or 5 minutes). Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Rinse your lentils in cold water, then add to the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat, simmering until the lentils are soft and the potatoes are cooked (roughly 45 minutes to an hour). Remove the bay leaves. Add your own herbs or spices to taste; I like mine simple and often just add a little more salt and black pepper. Lentils will absorb more water as the soup sits, so when using it as leftovers you will need to add some water (probably each time you heat a bowlful).

Welcome to The Vegan Kitchen!

2009-05-28T09:41:00.002-04:00

Whether you've been vegan for years or are just starting to experiment with vegan cooking, it's always fun to try new recipes. That is the type of experience I plan to share here. I hope you have as much fun in your kitchen as I have in mine!