Joyfully Vegan Coconut Chocolate Almond Bars!

October 24, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 4 Comments

More homemade, vegan Halloween candy bars! I was inspired to veganize another bar when I read the many comments you guys left on my Peanut Butter Cups post/giveaway. I asked you all what your fave candy bar was on Halloween (pre-vegan memories for most of us). The answers: lots of Snickers, Reeses, Almond Joy, Sour Patch Kids and more.

So for your Halloween enjoyment, here's my veganized take on "Almond Joy" bars. I call them my "Joyfully Vegan" Chocolate Coconut Almond Bars. I was very impressed by these bars. Chewy, sweet, buttery, toasted coconut filling, crunchy almonds and a swirled coating of vegan chocolate. Dive into this joyful bar!..

Thick layer of chewy toasted coconut, silky vegan chocolate, almonds...

Coconut almond layer..

Chocolate on top..

Slice..

Serve..

Joyfully Vegan Chocolate Coconut Almond Bars
vegan, makes 5-6 large bars or 25 mini bites

chocolate:
1 ½ cups vegan chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)
1 teaspoon coconut milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup
pinch salt

coconut filling:
1 ¼ cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
2-3 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup coconut milk
¼ cup vegan buttery spread

⅓ cup roasted/salted almonds

To Make:

1. In a saute pan, add the coconut to dry pan. Toast and stir around over high heat for a minute.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add in maple syrup, sugar, vegan butter. Stir around to melt butter.
3. Add in the coconut milk and continue stirring until coconut browns a bit and absorbs all the liquid. Do a taste test and add another splash of maple syrup if you like a sweeter filling. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. Line a baking pan with wax paper. I used a dish about 4" x 8".
5. Add all chocolate ingredients to mug. Microwave for 25 seconds. Remove mug and stir briskly until all the chips melt. Heat for another few seconds if needed. You acn also use a double broiler if you'd prefer.
6. Spread a very thin layer of chocolate on bottom of wax paper. Add add the coconut over that and spread to about a ¾" thick layer. Dot in the almonds. Spread a thicker layer of chocolate - carefully fo you do not disturb the coconut. Swirl to smooth.
7. Spray a butter knife with oil and slice the filling into bars - this will make them easier to slice out of the freezer.
8. Freeze for about 20-30 minutes - or overnight.

9. Thaw for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Slice into smaller bites for bite-size candy.

Happy Joyful Halloween!

ps, don't forget to enter my Halloween Candy Treat Bag giveaway here.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 10/24

October 24, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: Plump Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes, Vegan Halloween Candy Recipe Round-Up, giveaways, Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Muffins, Pizza Pull-Apart Breadsticks - and more! All meatless, all vegan. Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Side note: Halloween is a week away! Costume? Not yet. Party? Still deciding. Ideas for fall-inspired, pumpkin-everything, spooky eats & treats? I've got that one covered thanx to FindingVegan's #HALLOWEEN tag!

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 10/24

* Treats: Veganized Halloween Candy Round-Up - 16 recipes!!
Halloween is just a week away and I'm super excited about this 16 recipe round-up I've put together with a little help from a few other bloggers. 16 of your fave, classic (non-vegan) candy bars have been veganized for your delight! Everything from vegan Twix, Snickers, Junior Mints, Whatchamacallits, Crunch bars, Reeses, Caramels and more! This is a must see slideshow for anyone who loves candy - but only the vegan kind!

* Breakfast: Banana Pecan Chocolate Muffins
I whipped up these banana muffins over the weekend and loved them. Tiny allergy-friendly chocolate chips dot the tops of a few. If you have a bunch of ripe bananas on your counter top - this recipe is for you!

* Dessert: Plump Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes
Vanilla pumpkin pecan cupcakes meet vanilla bean frosting swirled on top. festive "pumpkin" sugar accents. These plump little pumpkins are perfect for your Halloween festivities!

* Side: Easy Cheezy Pull-Apart Breadsticks, Garlic & Sun-Dried Tomato
Fluffy, vegan buttery pull-apart breadsticks are warm and chewy and on your table in a flash! Toppings are up to you - I used sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, garlic and daiya Mozzarella cheese.

* Side Salad: Cilantro Jicama Salad
I added this crunchy Mexican-inspired salad to my vegan tacos last week. I love this salad because it pairs jicama and cilantro together - the pair wonderfully!

* Giveaways: Candle 79 Giveaway
My Candle 79 Cookbook giveaway ends on 10/25 - so enter by the end of the day and you'll be included in the drawing - I will pick a winner on Wednesday the 26th.

Also, be sure to enter my vegan treat bag giveaway - also ends this week. Details.

* Treat: Vegan Peanut Butter Twix
This recipe is included in my Vegan Treats round-up. One of my favorite childhood Halloween candy bars veganized.

* Halloween History Fun Facts!
Don't miss these "History of Halloween" fun facts and impress all your friends as you recall the origins of Halloween! Because everyone loves a history buff at a party to shower us with fun facts 🙂 Facts like this and more: “..the tradition of carving pumpkins into spooky jack-o’-lanterns derives from the Celtic practice of carving faces into hollowed turnips.”

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli chezzy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Homemade Halloween Treats: Chocolate Candy "Bar"

October 19, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Presents on Christmas. Flowers on your wedding day. Fireworks on the Fourth of July. Hot Cocoa on a snowy day. Candy on Halloween. Some traditions were meant to be embraced.

I'll show you how to embrace your cravings for chocolate Halloween treats - but this time, try your treats homemade and vegan. Create a candy-making "bar" featuring do-it-yourself treats like peanut butter cups and more.

So gather your girls and ghoul-friends together for a vegan candy making party this Halloween season....

Mountains upon mountains of bagged candy clutters stores shelves this time of year. Crinkly golden, blue and bright orange wrappers all begging to be plucked and tossed into treat bags. I find myself walking down the "Halloween candy aisle" at a drug store and suddenly memories of peanut butter cups, Snickers bars and peanut butter Twix waft through my head. But most of those famous Halloween treats are not vegan.

The answer: wallow in sorrow? Feel left out? No way. I love to veganize childhood faves - and that includes a few Halloween treats! Traditions don't have to go away - they can simply evolve and change into something new. Tofurky on Thanksgiving. Vegan candy on Halloween.

This year I'm making my own Halloween treats via my Vegan Chocolate Candy Bar Bar. Making your own candy is easy, fun and the end result is delicious! You'll feel like the vegan version of Willy Wonka.

Today I'm featuring peanut butter cups and peanut butter cookie bars, aka Twix.

The secret to good candy at home is to start with a spread of high quality, delicious ingredients and use your creativity to dream up some creative confections.

...Now back to the candy "bar"...

Vegan Chocolate can be tricky. There are three chocolate chips that I like a lot. Enjoy Life's mini chips are very allergy-friendly and vegan. I also like Whole Foods 365 brand "vegan chocolate chips" and then lastly, I can usually find a few brands of dark mainstream chocolate that is dairy-free - although usually "produced in a factory that uses dairy." Either option will work. And if you can not find chips, look for vegan chocolate bars and melt those down.

Peanut Butter Cup Bar

toppings:
raw coconut shreds
mini vegan chocolate chips
slated peanuts
chopped pecans
peanut butter
vegan shortbread cookies or vegan grahams
sweetened peanut butter filling (recipe below)

other ideas: pretzels, vegan caramel sauce, other nuts, dried fruit, vegan sprinkles, vegan marshmallows, vegan chocolate spread, spices like cinnamon, cayenne or vanilla

Sweet Peanut Butter Cup Filling

⅓ cup chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon vegan butter or virgin coconut oil (if using coconut oil, add a pinch of salt)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
a few drops vanilla extract
to make: melt and stir well

Melted Chocolate Base (you will need to triple this recipe to create all the goodies I made)

1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil , or olive oil (or other veggie oil)
pinch salt
1 teaspoon maple or agave syrup

Mini baking cups (or regular sized) are a must for peanut butter cups - you'll get those lovely crimped edges.

To Make: For the peanut butter cups..

1. Melt down the chocolate base via a double broiler. Do not burn chocolate. Also melt and stir the peanut butter base. A simple 30 seconds in the microwave should melt the pb ingredients together.

pb filling, melted:

2. Add a dollop of chocolate base to each baking cup.
3. Add a dollop of peanut butter filling - it will be water, but that's OK.
4. Add any additional fillings, press into the pb/chocolate cups.
5. Add a final small dollop of chocolate. You can swirl it into the pb or simply plop on top. Get creative and don't worry if it looks messy now - it will firm up in the freezer nicely.
6. Add any final toppings.
7. Place in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes. The chocolate will be nice and firm by then. When ready to serve allow just 1-2 minutes to thaw to room temp. Serve! Store in the freezer. These cups will keep weeks in the freezer, however the pb filling does tend to dry out and fade in color a bit after a few days.

Vegan Twix..

"bar" and "Twix"

Need a spot to store your Halloween goodies?..

Smarty-Ghosty-Tomato Lunchbox Bunch canvas Halloween treat bag..

Pumpkin-Pecan Cinnamon Rolls, Ginger Cream Cheese Glaze

October 17, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 17 Comments

Ooey gooey, sticky sweet, moist and magical recipe to share. If you are in the mood for something decadent, a super special, indulgent morning (or after dinner dessert) treat, these vegan Pumpkin pecan Cinnamon Rolls with a Ginger Cream Cheese Glaze are for you. My vegan recipe ahead..

I want to dive into these vegan Cinnamon Rolls. Fork first. Fluffy swirls of pumpkin buns infused with thick cinnamon sugar pecan filling. Those moist, flaky swirls slathered in a vegan cream cheese ginger glaze. A steaming hot Pumpkin Spice Latte on the side. Someone to share this special AM treat with too. Mornings can't really get any better, can they? Dive into cinnamon rolls with me...

I haven't made cinnamon rolls in a while. So when a craving for pumpkin cinnamon rolls hit I knew I had to whip some up. There are so many gorgeous fall-inspired pumpkin cinnamon rolls around the blogosphere right now .. but most of them not so vegan. So vegan rolls it is!..

Or keep the rolls as is. 🙂

Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Rolls, Ginger Cream Cheese Glaze
vegan, makes 7-8 rolls in a 9" inch cake pan

Pumpkin Cinnamon Dough
½ cup pumpkin puree, canned/unsweetened
2 ½ cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ¼ cups warm water
1 packet yeast
½ cup vegan shortening, melted
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
*extra white flour as needed to handle, knead and roll out dough

Pecan Cinnamon Sugar Filling
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup pecans, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla bean granules - or extract
½ cup vegan butter, melted

Ginger Cream Cheese Glaze
1 ½ teaspoon ginger powder
1 cup vegan cream cheese
½ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup vegan butter, melted
½ cup soy creamer
2-4 tablespoon powdered sugar to thicken as desired (add last, by hand with sifter)

Note on "decadence" - you can certainly alter the amount of "fat" you put into these rolls. If you'd like to cut back a tad on the vegan butter and/or shortening - go for it. The texture will dry out a tad, but they will still be tasty. A few fat replacer ideas:
* in the frosting, sub out some of the vegan butter for some vegan soy yogurt or more vegan cream cheese.
* in the dough, sub out some of the vegan shortening for more pumpkin puree or soy yogurt.

Vegan butter vs vegan shortening. My recipe calls for both. I found that the shortening makes for a 'lighter' roll texture. However, if you'd like to only use vegan butter you can (just omit the added salt). I found this nice explanation on "butter vs. shortening" in baking here (same idea applies to vegan ingredients as she describes).

Directions:

1. Start on the dough about 3 hours before you want to eat your rolls. Combine the warm water with the yeast. Stir well to dissolve. Add to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the melted shortening. Add in 1 cup of flour, sugar, pumpkin and salt. Using a hand mixer, beat on low until smooth. Fold in the remaining flour with a spoon - until it is barely sticky to touch. Roll into a ball - knead gently for a minute. Place the dough in a floured mixing bowl. Cover with a clean towel and place in a high warm spot. Let rise for about 2 hours.

2. Prepare the cinnamon pecan filling. Combing the sugar with the vegan butter. Stir in the pecans and spices. Mixture should be thick yet spreadable. If too thick, add in more vegan butter - or a splash of oil. Set aside.

*preheat oven to 400 degrees*

3. After the dough has risen for 2 hours, roll it out onto a clean well-floured surface with a rolling pin. Roll out very thin - about ⅓" thick. Spread the pecan mixture over the entire area of the dough. I had a nice 20" x 10" area (roughly). See my photos..

4. Roll the dough tightly and slice into 1 ½ inch thick rolls. Place the rolls about ⅛" apart in a 9" cake pan - greased. Optional: add a few dots of vegan butter for extra moist roll tops.

5. Bake at 400 for 25-35 minutes - or until a toothpick comes out clean from center bun. Do not overcook. Allow rolls to cool and continue setting in the pan for at least 20 minutes before applying glaze.

6. To make glaze, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth with a hand mixer. Using a sifter, hand fold in the powdered sugar until you reach a thickness that you like. I added about 2 tablespoon powdered sugar. You can also add in another sprinkle of ginger for a more intense glaze. Pour over rolls. Chill leftovers.

Serve and enjoy!!

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 10/17

October 17, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: Papaya bowl, dinner and a movie with my cheezy garlic broomsticks and witches brew broccoli soup, cream pie round-up, 15 ways to prepare tofu and some spooky spiderweb brownies for Halloween - and more! All meatless, all vegan. Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 10/17

* Dessert: Spooky Spiderweb Brownie Bites
This simple technique will have you turning your favorite brownie recipe into a Halloween treat infused with some spooky spiderweb fun. Sweet maple-cream cheese webs top each fluffy brownie bite. Use my vegan/gf recipe or your own!

* Entree: Tofu Cashew Broccoli Bowl
Seared siLky sweet tofu triangles top luscious whole wheat couscous. Accents of candied cashews and savory braised broccoli. This bowl is a delicious one-bowl meal for any day of the week!

* Entree: 15 Ways to Prepare Tofu!
From a savory tofu scramble to a sweet silky tofu pudding - here are 15 of my most creative ways to try tofu! Get inspired to dream up your own inventive ways to use this healthy, protein-rich, versatile ingredient.

* Dinner and a Movie: Hocus Pocus Witches Brew Soup with Cheezy Broccoli Broom-Breadsticks
For this edition of dinner and a movie, I used one of my favorite Halloween movies as inspiration: Hocus Pocus! This broccoli cheddar soup paired with these awesome garlic-cheddar breadsticks, er broomsticks are perfect yummy fun for the whole family on a chilly fall night. Cozy up to this soup and a spooky movie! And yes, the "cheddar" is vegan - Daiya brand!

* Dessert: 7 Vegan Cream Pies
Here is my yummy round-up of seven different vegan cream pies! From Minty Grasshopper to classic Chocolate Cream, you are sure to find a cream pie to try! I love these easy, delicious cream pie desserts!

* Breakfast: Papaya Bowl
I've chatted about my papaya bowl love before - but here's a reminder to how easy this tropical delight is. You are three ingredients away from a blissful morning. Crashing waves, seagulls, beachy breeze - or if not .. at least you can have this juicy sweet papaya bowl for a tropical escape.

* 30 Vegan Recipes for Fall!
This recipe-packed slideshow shares some of my all time favorite vegan recipes for fall. From my Acorn Squash Alfredo to my 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie - browse these recipes and get inspired! And hungry.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Easy Tofu Crunch Salad!

October 14, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 4 Comments

My vegan Easy Tofu Crunch Salad gives "chicken salad" a run for its money.

Tofu Crunch Salad. I start with a creamy white cube of firm tofu. I squish it dry. Then steam it. I lift the lid of my double broiler, a waft of hot steam on my face (instant steam facial is a nice perk). Tofu steamed, I can now get started on its transformation...

..I add in some fresh, crunchy chopped celery. Fold in my creamy Dijon-lemon herb sauce. It's infused with my favorite blend of "tofu salad" spices. Easy prep, chill for a bit and enjoy as lunch or a snack. Nibble this stuff all day long if you are a grazer.

Serve on top of a green salad, munch with some rice crackers or roll it into a wrap.

Tofu is my favorite protein-rich sponge. It is a sponge you know. It sucks up sauces, spices and flavors incredibly well. It starts out bland, but can become anything you'd like really. Salty, spicy, sweet or tangy. If you can crave it, tofu can do it. In fact, I just did a slideshow of 15 ways to prepare tofu.

My best tip for preparing tofu deliciously is to begin by gently squeezing out as much excess "tofu water" as you can. The more moisture you can get out, the more flavor can be absorbed in.

..You don't need a fancy tofu press though. I handful of sturdy paper towels and a bit of muscle power will suffice. This "drying" the tofu step is also very important if you are going to saute, sear or fry your tofu. Less surface liquid - better crispy edges when you lay into a hot oiled saute pan. Back to today's recipe..

Protein Craving. My inspiration for making this? I was craving a protein-rich lunch that I could whip together in a few minutes. Tofu crunch salad is versatile. Slather it on some crackers, press it between two slices of bread, roll it into a wrap or pile it on top of a greens salad. Flavor, complex texture and protein in every zing-crunchy bite..

Easy Crunchy Tofu Salad
vegan, makes 5 cups

1 lb firm tofu, drained
1 ¼ cups celery, chopped
¾ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (or sub in any herb - dill, basil, cilantro, tarragon..)
4-5 tablespoon Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
pinch lemon zest
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional to sweeten up a bit more - apple is also another nice sweet accent)
dressing spices:
¼ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon garlic granules
¼ teaspoon fine black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
a few dashes mustard powder
(you can get creative with the spices you'd like to try)

optional fold-in's:
¼ cup sweet onion, diced
½ green apple, finely diced

for more saltiness add in a splash of tamari (or salt to taste if needed)

Directions:

1. Squeeze your tofu dry with a paper towel and slice into large cubes. Steam for about 5 minutes. Let cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients and whisk into a creamy sauce. Fold in the tofu and begin breaking into smaller bits with a fork. Fold well until all the tofu is coated.
3. Fold in the parsley and celery.
4. Adjust salt and spices as desired.
5. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve - allow at least an hour for the tofu to chill and the flavors to marinate.

Serve with a variety of crisps, crackers and toasts. Enjoy!

Ginger Sage Butternut Squash Pumpkin Soup.

October 10, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 9 Comments

My favorite thing about autumn squash soup is that it requires very little fussing about. Really, squash soup packs such a wallop of flavor and satisfaction for the amount of effort you put into it. One spoonful of this velvety concoction usually results in swoons of "oohs and aahs" from the hungry guests at your table.

Silky, creamy, sweet and slightly savory. Always rustic. And totally healthy. Packed with vitamins A, C and K - fiber, potassium and low in fat. Last year I made a Rustic Triple Squash Soup that I loved, but this week I made this Ginger Sage Butternut Squash Pumpkin Soup that blew my mind. And this recipe is SO easy! You can literally be enjoying soup in under 30 minutes - boom, it's there. Get my recipe and make it this weekend!..

Fall Soup Bliss. The ginger-sage combo accents the soft squash and pumpkin perfectly. And that golden color? Gorgeous for a dinner party or cozy dinner at home.

I totally fell in love with this soup. Love at first spoonful. I made this stuff around breakfast time and couldn't stop eating my taste-test spoonful. Twas squash soup for breakfast and lunch (and with dinner) that day.

And unlike lat year's triple squash soup (roasted preparation), this one was even easier to make because I skipped the roasting process and boiled the squash. I wasn't sure if I'd get the same flavor from doing this. But the texture was so amazing - that the flavor could be picked up so clearly in each spoonful - so it worked. Make sure your squash is fresh and a rich orange golden color for optimal flavor. I will be making this again for sure!

Ginger Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup
vegan, makes about 6 cups

1 cup canned organic pumpkin (or use fresh roasted if you have on hand)
4 cups butternut squash cubes
1 tablespoon ginger powder
⅓ cup grade B maple syrup
2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread (add more for a richer, more buttery soup)
½ teaspoon pink sea salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 leaves fresh sage, torn
½ cup+ plain soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)

To Make:

1. Add 4 cups of water to a large pot. Bring to boil. Add in butternut squash cubes and a pinch of salt. Boil until squash is tender - but not falling apart.

2. Drain the squash and add to a Vitamix or high speed blender. Add in the pumpkin, spices, and all the remaining ingredients. For the soy, start with ½ cup and keep adding until your soup reaches your desired thickness.

3. Blend. Serve immediately - warm. Or you can simmer on the stove until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 10/10

October 10, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com: Peanut Butter Banana Pudding, Pumpkin Pizza, Homemade BBQ Baked Beans, Carrot Juice, My Fruity Faces giveaway, Double Swirled Pumpkin Cream Pie, Fall Pasta, Chocolate Dipped Ghost Candy and more! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 10/10

* Dessert: Peanut Butter Banana Pudding
This five ingredient pudding is a tasty treat that you can whip up in a flash! Healthy too! Maple, cinnamon, peanut and banana flavors.

* Entree: Fall Pasta: Garlic, Shiitake, Butternut, Sage
This is one of my favorite pasta combos for fall. Creamy roasted garlic meets sweet buttery butternut squash cubes and savory shiitake mushrooms. Sage and pepper accents. Perfect for a cozy fall dinner.

* Entree: Pumpkin Pizza
This dinner and a movie post is inspired by Charlie Brown for the "Great Pumpkin Pizza." This pie is topped with roasted pumpkin or squash and a few more fall toppings. I love to add lemon slices to my pizza - they become roasted and sweet/sour in the oven. Try this fall pizza on your next pizza night!

* Side Dish: Easy BBQ Baked Beans and Lentils
I usually use soaked beans in soup. But this time I baked them in the oven for some super easy, super delicious homemade baked beans! Lentils and barley too. You'll never want to buy canned baked beans again once you see how easy this recipe is.

* Beverage: Carrot Juice for Steve Jobs
My tribute to Steve Jobs - via his favorite health tonic: carrot juice! And a fun quip on Steve's way to celebrate Halloween.

* Treat: Chocolate Dipped Knobby Nosed Ghosts
This homemade chocolate treat is a fun way to satisfy your vegan candy craving this October. Kids will love these little ghost faces too.

* Dessert:

Sticky Blackened Tempeh, Cider Vinegar Chard Lunch.

October 10, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

I'm always looking for a few good recipes to pull out around lunchtime when I'm hungry, busy and craving something delicious. This Sticky Sweet Blackened Tempeh with Apple Cider Vinegar Chard, slivered almonds, charred artichoke hearts and accented with raw hemp seeds, fits my needs for a healthy lunch that makes me happy.

There is something energizing about munching on some zingy greens in the middle of the day. Paired with the protein rich tempeh - this plate is one to crave. Try it for yourself..

Lunch. Do you skip it? Do you love it? Do you ever treat yourself to a "hot lunch" or is it always something cold? Lunch is one of those meals that takes finesse to master. It's not so hard to take a lunch break and eat your meal, but it's everything that leads up to that moment of "lunch" that takes some planning..

If lunchtime rolls around and you don't have a plan, you are likely to grab whatever seems fast, easy and somewhat yummy. But if you can find a way to squeeze some truly good for you foods in at lunchtime (like greens, legumes, whole grains, fruit and more veggies) your body and energy levels for the rest of the workday will thank you.

For this lunchtime platter, I was craving three things: greens, protein and apple cider vinegar. I use Eden or Braggs brand of raw, unpasteurized cider vinegar.

For the greens (nutrient powerhouse), I lightly steamed them in a very small splash of olive oil - for literally a minute. And yes, that small pile of lightly wilted greens is one whole bunch of organic rainbow chard! Hooray to that. Then I left my pan on and quickly sauteed my tempeh cubes and gave my artichoke hearts a quick charring as well on the still-hot pan.

Greens Nutrients (in one bunch, about 6 leaves): rich in fiber, vitamin A, C, B6 and K. Good source of iron, potassium, folate, magnesium. One leaf of chard contains 498% RDA for vitamin K!

This meal has a salty, zingy, sweet and warm appeal to it. That sticky sweet tempeh with a slightly appealingly bitter taste pairs perfectly with the oft sweet and zingy chard. The hemp seeds are an excellent way to squeeze in more protein an nutrients. Those crunchy slivered almonds add texture to the greens dish - as well as nutrients like vitamin E. The artichoke hearts were just a nice accent bite to have - balancing out the sweetness of the rainbow chard greens. Have you tasted raw chard lately? It's quite sweet!

What do you squeeze in (or savor) for lunch? Hot or cold? Healthy or rushed? Any lunchtime rituals you would like to share? I'd love to hear them!

Note: for the recipe below, I use one whole package of tempeh - which gives you about 6 logs. You will have leftovers. You can chill in fridge for a yummy tempeh wrap later - or share with a fried - or eat them all if you are hungry for them!

Sticky Blackened Tempeh, Apple Cider Chard
makes one plate

Chard Greens:
1 medium bunch of rainbow chard, organic - chopped (rough end stems removed)
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar
sprinkle of hemp seeds

Temeph: (makes 6 logs)
6 thick logs of tempeh, any variety - from one package tempeh
1 ½ tablespoon safflower oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon tamari
½ teaspoon liquid smoke (helps to de-glaze the pan too)
fine pepper to taste
(watch my make tempeh cubes here: video)

4 whole artichoke hearts, packed in water

To make:

1. Turn a skillet to medium. Add the olive oil. Add in the chard and a teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar. Cover with lid. Let cook for about 1 minute. Quickly lift lid and stir greens around, wilting them with the steam and hot pan. Remove them. They will continue to wilt a bit after you remove them. Toss them with the remaining apple cider vinegar. Place on your plate. Top with a sprinkle of hemp seeds and almonds. Note: I toss the greens with the vinegar after cooking so that the cider vinegar stays raw and uncooked - in its pure state. Also note that if you want to keep the chard 100% raw and just chop and toss (no wilting) - go for it!

2. Turn your pan to high and add in the safflower oil. When hot, add in the tempeh logs and splash them with maple syrup and tamari. Cover with lid as the tempeh sizzles and steams for about 30 seconds. Remove lid. Flip tempeh. Allow all sides to get a black char from the heated maple and tamari mixture. When tempeh seems just about ready, add the liquid smoke evenly. Lastly, with the pan still hot, add in the artichoke hearts. Allow the leaves to lightly char for about 30 seconds. Turn off pan heat. Remove the tempeh from the pan and place on plate. Top with hemp seeds. Lastly, remove the still warm artichoke hearts and place on plate.

Serve!

More lunch inspiration! Tofu, broccoli, cashews and couscous (photo below) would make an awesome re-heat/leftovers from dinner lunch bowl - Get the recipe here!..

Mini BBQ Pizzas, Vegan.

October 5, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

These Mini BBQ Veggie Vegan Pizzas are oh-so-retro, at least to me that is. One tender-toasty bite and flashbacks of after-school snacking come rushing back. But I gave my 1990's recipe a very vegan upgrade.

Light Bite. Satisfy a growling tummy with these steaming hot, bubbly-cheese, veggie-topped pizzas! Indulge the hungry teenager inside of you..

Tasty Simplicity a la Pizza. When you bite into each handheld pizza you will first be hit by the toasty crunch of the browned rims of the muffin, edges of the bubbly cheese and savory roasted veggies. The infused spicy sweet BBQ aroma will begin to liven your taste buds and suddenly the toasty bite will turn to velvet - as you crunch into the BBQ sauce slathered, vegan cheese filled nooks and crannies of the moist English muffin. Totally yummy.

Flashback to the early 90's. I'm in Jr high. Home from school, I pop in the kitchen and troll through the cupboards for some munchies...

Hmm, Garfield fruit snacks? A bowl of Pops cereal? A classic PB&J? A fizzy Calistoga fruit juice bottled bevie and avocado, sprouts and mustard on California sourdough sandwich? Tropicana and some Pringles? A grilled cheddar cheese sandwich? Chex Mix?

Or maybe my fave: an easy English muffin mini pizza. I always made sure we kept the ingredients on hand. Easy prep. Easy clean-up. And oodles of toasty-delicious flavor - paired with my Algebra homework and maybe a few episodes of Growing Pains or Saved by the Bell. Anyone else having flashbacks now?

The bad part about this snack story is that while the whole grain English muffin wasn't so bad - the sugary pizza sauce, and dairy-filled cheese I'd use for my mini pizzas won't cut it today. Vegan upgrade..

Instead of pizza sauce, I decided to use a small swirl of hot and spicy BBQ sauce on the muffin and stick to whole tomatoes on top. I love that spicy sweet kick from the BBQ sauce. I also sprinkle a few red pepper flakes on top to deepen the kick of heat.

For the veggies, I just speckled on a few florets of broccoli, tomatoes and bits of basil. I'd actually serve these bites with a hefty side salad if this was a lunchtime snack. Because really, the more veggies with pizza the better.

You can use whatever toppings you'd like. But give my BBQ sauce change-up a try and see what you think. I recently found a brand at Whole Foods that I adore. It's called Outta the Park. Their 'hot and spicy' version is vegan. Or if you are ambitious, make your own BBQ sauce - very tasty.

A few other toppings that would infuse some health into each bite..
* hemp seeds
* spinach
* fresh pineapple
* mushrooms
* vegan "pepperoni" or grain "sausage"
..I'm sure you can think of many more toppings .. what are your faves?

Oh, and I paired this lunch snack with a Watermelon Frosty

Mini BBQ Veggie Vegan Pizzas

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 10/05/2011
Easy and fast, these mini pizzas using BBQ sauce as the pizza sauce base are a light bite that your whole family will love. Vegan cheese on top.

Ingredients

2 English muffins, halved into 4 pieces
2-4 tablespoon BBQ sauce
4 tablespoon vegan shredded cheese
handful of veggies for toppings (broccoli, tomatoes used)
pinch of red pepper flakes
4 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
garnish with fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Turn your oven to broil (this can also be done in a toaster oven).
Slice your muffins in half. Lay on a baking sheet.
Add the BBQ sauce in a thin even layer to each muffin - open faced. Add a pinch of Mozzarella and cheddar cheese to each muffin. You can add some fresh basil hidden beneath the cheese layer if you'd like. Add the veggies - tomatoes, broccoli. Pinch of red pepper flakes. Splash of EVOO on each muffin.
Place on the top rack of the oven for about 5-10 minutes - or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown. Cool a few minutes before serving to allow cheese to set.

Yield: 4 mini pizzasPrep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Total time: 20 mins. Tags: pizza,vegan,kids,easy,entree

pin it for later..

Hubbard Pumpkin Pie!

October 4, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 3 Comments

My favorite thing about fall/winter squash is the variety! It is almost impossible to get squash fatigue. Butternut, acorn, buttercup, sugar pumpkin, hubbard and more. But today, it's all about the hubbard..

Hubbard squash in my possession, I knew I had to make pie. This sweet Hubbard Pumpkin Pie contains minimalist ingredients, which allows you to experience the unique flavor and texture of this incredibly dense and silky squash variety. And the color from this squash is a brilliant golden amber with undertones of green and caramel. So pretty before and after you bake it.

I love how a bumpy green, knobby skinned squash can turn into an elegant, cozy dessert. Hubbard squash a la pie, coming up..

Hubbard squash and pie filling before baking..

I love the glossy amber color of this baked pie..

Will the real "canned pumpkin" please stand up. I heard a rumor a few years back, when I was researching pumpkin varieties for making pie, that much of what we know as "pumpkin" in canned pumpkin is actually a mixture of squash varieties - most notably, hubbard squash. So when I spotted a mossy green hubbard squash at Whole Foods I snatched it up and roasted it to creamy tender perfection with a little maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt.

"the flesh of a hubbard tends to be consistently more dense than the flesh of most pumpkins" - wisegeek.com, hubbard facts

My one squash contributed to : this pie, a soup and an entree (more of those recipes in an upcoming post).

Like all pumpkin - hubbard is rich in vitamins A,K and C - fiber, potassium, iron, and more. Healthy desserts make me happy. Actually this is more than "dessert" - have a chilled slice for breakfast. I love that.

You will notice that this pie is very dense. And silky. The flavor pure and rustic. If you want a pie that is less dense, try adding some Ener-G egg replacer to the blend and see if it fluffs up a bit during the baking process.

Hubbard Pumpkin Pie
vegan, makes 1 pie

4 cups maple-roasted hubbard squash, skin removed (loosely packed)
1 cup butternut squash (or sub with easy canned pumpkin or more hubbard)
1 cup soy milk, plain
3-4 gingersnap cookies
2 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon vegan buttery spread, softened
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoon ginger powder
½ teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 gingersnap or graham cookie crumb crust (or traditional flour crust)

To Make:

1. Slice and de-seed your squash. Set in a water-filled roasting bath with flesh exposed at top. I drizzle maple syrup and a bit of olive oil over top the squash. Sea salt too. Roast at 350-400 degrees until tender and creamy. The roasted squash should easily come free from the skin with a spoon.

2. Prepare your crust.

3. In a blender or food processor, add all the pie filling ingredients and blend until silky smooth.

4. Pour into the crust.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Cool before serving or place in fridge to chill.

Serve with a swirl of coconut milk whip on top! Dash of cinnamon.

Vegan Pumpkin Pudding! Five Ingredients, Five Mins.

October 4, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 12 Comments

This sweet treat of Pumpkin Pudding is a creamy blend of fall spices, maple syrup and cozy pumpkin. Pumpkin pie flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger are swirled into each spoonful.

This is my go-to dessert recipe for fall because it is so simple to prepare in a flash. As easy to make as a smoothie. Yet elegant enough to serve at a fall dinner party. And even better, it's totally good for you! Healthy enough to eat any time of the day - from a quick breakfast to a midnight snack. 5 ingredients, 5 minutes no-cooking required. Blend, chill, serve. Grab my go-to dessert recipe for fall..

Craving something sweet? This time of year makes it easy to have a sweet tooth. Holidays from Halloween and on make it easy to have sweet treats on the brain. And the added stress of a busy fall season make a cool bowl of cozy, creamy Pumpkin Pudding even more inviting. You don't need to gobble up a sinful dessert to feel satisfied.

Healthy Pudding! Just like my chocolate silken tofu based pudding recipe - this is a sweet treat that is good for you - and even breakfast approved! This pudding is rich in protein, vitamin A, vitamin K, iron, potassium, free of refined sugar - and it even contains some fiber from the canned pumpkin.

1 Cup Canned Pumpkin contains:
83 calories
1g fat
7g fiber
3g protein
763% RDA vitamin A
19% RDA iron
17% RDA vitamin C
49% RDA vitamin K
14% RDA potassium

As I tweeted: "Fall Nutrition! 1 cup canned pumpkin: 83 calories, 8g fiber, 2g protein, 763% RDA VitaA, 49% RDA VitaK, 19% RDA iron, 17% RDA VitaC & more!" - share this tweet via a Stumble for this post and share the fall pumpkin love 🙂

You can blend up this pudding in under five minutes and be enjoying it in about twenty minutes (about 20 minutes for the chill time).

Add-on's. A cool swirl of my coconut whip seen here (beater whipping method) and here (dispenser method) is a perfect touch.

And if you want your pudding a bit more firmed and rich - add in the coconut oil as shown below in the recipe.

5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pudding
vegan, makes about 3 cups

1 lb silken tofu (I used one pack of Nasoya silken tofu)
½ teaspoon salt (I used a pink salt)
⅔ cup maple syrup
1 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

optional add-in: ½ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted slowly

topping: vanilla bean coconut milk whip

To Make:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend on low -> high until smooth and creamy. The mixture will be watery at this point, but placing it back in the fridge or freezer will firm it up a bit.
3. If you are adding the coconut oil, melt it in the microwave (don't let it get too hot though - just softened - you can also do this on your stove top). Then very slowly pour into the pudding mixture while blending on low. You don't want the coconut oil to chill too quickly and turn into little beads - a slow smooth blend is ideal.
4. For quick chill: pour pudding into tiny serving cups and place in the freezer for 15 minutes - then move to fridge until ready to serve.

-> Another yummy 5-Ingredeint pumpkin dessert recipe for fall: vegan 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie

A swirl of coconut milk whip - vanilla bean flavor is the perfect topping!!

Happy pumpkin season! What's your favorite pumpkin treat - or your fave got-to dessert recipe this time of year??

Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich

October 3, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 7 Comments

It's been a while since I grilled up a vegan breakfast sandwich and my fall inspired mood was the perfect excuse to create a new recipe!

My Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich is stacked tall with savory sweet flavors throughout. Sweet maple pumpkin butter is slathered on each grilled whole wheat English muffin. A thick patty of vegan breakfast sausage is grilled with an accent of black pepper and olive oil. Some earthy grilled mushrooms are piled on top of the oozing vegan Monterey Jack cheese. A pile of crisp, spicy arugula completes the stack.

Serve with a pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin spice chai and your fall morning is pretty darn desirable. You'll be sure to skip out the door with a big Jack-o-lantern smile on your face..

Pumpkin Maple Quickie Butter:

Guy Approved. Vegan breakfast sandwiches are my husband's fave AM treat. So ladies, if you are making this for your guy - even if they aren't vegan - I can pretty much guarantee that they will love it. But go easy on the pumpkin butter at first (serve more on the side) - unless they love the savory-sweet flavor of pumpkin butter. I like to add a teaspoon of hot sauce to my husband's sandwich since he likes them on the spicy side.

Happy Fall Mornings!..

Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 10/03/2011
This savory and sweet fall breakfast sandwich has a secret ingredient: maple pumpkin butter! Homemade, by you, in a flash.

Ingredients

Maple Pumpkin Butter:
½ cup pumpkin puree, unsweetened
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
pinch of pumpkin pie spice (or just use cinnamon)
Sandwich:
1 English muffin, toasted
⅓ cup vegan sausage patty* (formed by hand or a pre-formed variety)
½ cup sliced mushrooms
1 slice vegan cheese, pepper jack or similar white cheese
small handful arugula or spinach greens
⅛ teaspoon hot sauce or pinch of cayenne (optional)
extra virgin olive oil + black pepper as needed
*GimmeLean vegan sausage used

Instructions

Pumpkin butter: Whisk together the ingredients in a small mug. Place in the microwave, heat for thirty seconds to a minute, just to warm. Set aside. Note, you will have leftover pumpkin butter that you can use the next day or use for other recipes.
Toast your English muffin.
In a small skillet, warm about ½ teaspoon olive oil. Place the sausage in the pan, right in the oil. You can flip the patty a few times at first to coat the patty in oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side - you want the edges to be golden brown.
Add the mushrooms to the pan about midway through the patty-cooking process. Allow them to soak up some of the oil to help the cook faster. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper.
When the patty and mushrooms are just about cooked (this should only take 2-3 minutes), place the cheese over top the patty. Place one small ice cube in the pan, cover pan with a lid, reduce heat to low and allow the steam to melt the cheese. When steam has slowed, lift lid and place the greens in the pan. Turn off heat. Press the greens into the pan a bit. Allow the dull heat from the pan to slightly wilt and soften the greens - only slightly though - you do not want them soggy.
Spread the pumpkin butter on the English muffin halves. Then layer in the patty, mushrooms and greens. Add black pepper and optional hot sauce or cayenne sprinkle. Close top of sandwich and serve warm!

Yield: 1 sandwichPrep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 07 mins. Total time: 12 mins.

Nutrition

Calories: 300
Protein: 13

Tags: breakfast,vegan,sausage,plant based,breakfast sandwich,pumpkin,pumpkin butter,fall,seasonal,easy,

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 10/3

October 3, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Naughty & Nice Desserts, Squash Recipes to "fall" for, Tips for Peeling Garlic, Soy Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte and more! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 10/3

* Vegan Pumpkin Spice Soy Latte
All the coziness of a pumpkin spice latte in a coffee-free version! Spicy chai tea is the perfect accent to pumpkin spice flavors. Take that Starbucks! 🙂

* Creamy Pumpkin Roasted Potato Salad
I've taken a creamy-delicious summer potato salad and infused it with the flavors of fall! Pumpkin and crunchy sweet onion in each bite. Roasted tiny potatoes have crisp skins and tender flesh - perfect pairing with my creamy pumpkin sauce.

* Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Start your fall morning off right with this pumpkin pie oatmeal. Healthy and delicious with a swirl of coconut milk cream on top!

* 20 Naughty & Nice Dessert Recipes
Sometimes it is nice to take the guilt out of "dessert hour" by adding a little "nice" in your "naughty" dessert. These recipes inspire naughty/nice treats like Strawberries and Coconut Cream - and a chocolate molten cake that is nicer than it sinfully looks! Slideshow.

* Pumpkin Cider Shake
I love this light version of a Pumpkin Pie Shake. The addition of fresh fall apple cider is the perfect touch to pumpkin spice flavors.

* Ten Squash Recipes to "Fall" For
Why should pumpkin get all the glory? These ten squash recipes will leave you "falling" for squash - butternut, acorn and more! I love my Acorn Alfredo pasta..

* A Look at Lyfe Kitchen's New Vegan-Friendly Menu
Tal Ronnen and Art Smith craft a chef-approved, vegan-friendly menu for this casual dining/fast-food chain launching in Northern California this month. Plans to open 250 locations in the next 5 years means this menu may be coming to you!

* Raw Chocolate Shake
Go healthy and raw with this chocolate shake. Makes a delicious afternoon pick-me-up or breakfast sip! So rich and delicious that it's worthy for dessert too. Raw cacao is rich in antioxidants.

* Tips on How-to Peel Garlic
A few fun kitchen tips on how to peel those pesky cloves of garlic..

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

Coconut Whippuccino: would you like espresso with that whip?

September 28, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 4 Comments

Apparently today is National Coffee Day. Seems timely for me since I just recently reignited my espresso habit. And it's all thanks to this drink: The Coconut Whippuccino.

I call it my "Would You Like Espresso with that Whip?" special. You must cheers with me on this one..

Mountain of vanilla-bean whip. Some espresso hiding under there too. A fuzzy foam of caramel colored coconut-espresso-foam gathers between the layers..

Hello Caffeine. I usually drink chai lattes. Really, I do. I had finally (and proudly) squashed my "too-many-espresso-bevies-a-day" habit a few years back. Since then, I happily limit myself to one large soy latte a week. Sunday brunch. Usually at Le Pain Quotidien, they make a super soy latte.

Yup, I was totally happy ditching coffee during the week. Until now. Until my discovery of the most perfect coffee-thing ever. Vanilla Bean-specked Coconut Milk Whip. Swirled. Aerated. From a can. But still homemade. Creamy. Full fat coconut milk. Sweet. Frothy. And totally vegan.

It's my new habit. Swirling this stuff on top of tea, chai, smoothies, pudding, pie - and espresso. A nice shot of espresso doused with a pile of coconut whip. That's what has brought me back to mid-week espresso jitters, coffee cravings, bulging eyeballs. Maybe the bulging eyeball thing only happens in comic books. But you get the point.

Yup, it's 8am and I'm darting for my Nespresso machine to slurp down some coconut whip coated espresso. Just two button pushes away from "bliss". Push one: Nespresso. Push two: iSi whip can. Slurp.

Shoot. Am I really back to coffee?

OK honestly, I don't think this coffee-kick will last. My "kicks" never do. I usually play them out until I get sick of them. And I'm sure I'll be craving my "chai habit" very soon. Especially when the fall weather kicks in. Blustery breeze. Spicy chai. I'm feeling snuggly (and less jittery) already. Yes, I could just as easily make this a chaippuccini with whip. Right?

So for all you proud espresso fiends (and once-a-week coffee drinkers) out there: cheers to this...

Hmm..how much coconut whip to add? Answer: a lot.

Well for now, get your own fill of my favorite bevie of right now:

The Name. Hmm, I'll call it the, "Would You Like Espresso with that Whip?" Coconut Cappuccino. I can call it a cappuccino, right? Maybe a whippuccino. Yes, I like that better 🙂

Coconut Whippuccino
makes one

1 shot espresso
As much coconut whip* as you'd like. A lot is best for this one 🙂
*see below for recipe/info

-> Espresso shot. Top with whip. Serve. Crave another.

How-To: Coconut Vanilla Bean Whip. I talk about it in this post. But it's pretty simple to explain quickly. I bought this at-home whipped cream frothier by iSi. It's made for dairy cream - but yes, it totally works with full fat coconut milk.

Coconut Whip Recipe: Chill a can of coconut milk. Scoop the top ⅔ of the can out - add to whipped cream can. I add a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar, a pinch of my vanilla bean specks, follow instructions for aerating and shake.

Don't own an iSi frother? Make some whip the old-school way OR..

Buy one here: iSi Easy Whip - Cream Whipper

(I noticed that 5 people have already bought them based on my link .. smart people. This thing is awesome. Especially for dairy-free folks who still want to satisfy their whipped cream cravings. There is a professional version too for you hard core coconut whipped cream groupies out there.)

iSi Whipped Cream Frother - I use it for vegan cream! The Vanilla Bean Specks from Williams/Sonoma are a super yummy add-in..

More yum...

Pumpkin Apple Harvest Rice

September 27, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 15 Comments

This Pumpkin Apple Walnut Harvest Rice is a warm and cozy bowl brimming with fall flavors. Sweet tart honeycrisp apples, soothing spices like cinnamon, chewy sweet raisins, zesty onion, nutty rustic walnuts, golden fall pumpkin and a drizzle of sticky sweet maple syrup. Add some warmed chickpeas for a well-rounded healthy meal. This easy recipe is your ticket to an autumn harvest meal!..

Crisp fall apples add a sweet tart crunch to this warm pumpkin rice..

Make it a meal - add chickpeas..

First my Harvest Rice recipe.

Pumpkin Apple Walnut Harvest Rice
vegan, makes 6 cups

1 ¾ cups cooked brown rice
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 small honeycrisp apple, diced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoon organic raisins (golden or purple)
½ cup walnuts, unsalted
1-3 tablespoon maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
optional: 1 cup warmed chickpeas over top

To Make:

1. Prepare brown rice - set aside in large mixing bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin, maple syrup, cider vinegar, spices. Warm in microwave. Mix well. Add this mixture to the warm brown rice. Fold until well distributed.
3. Prep your apples and onions by dicing.
4. Fold into the rice mixture: raisins, apples, onions, walnuts, olive oil, parsley flakes and salt to taste. Top with optional warmed chickpeas.

Serve warm or keep in warm oven until ready to serve. But do not over-heat. You want the apples and onions to still have a crispness to them when you serve.

Other optional add-in's: nutritional yeast, truffle oil, cayenne, cubes of butternut squash or sweet potato..

Post recipe discussion..

Bob's Red Mill. Their products rock my world. Many of them are sitting in my kitchen right now. And I frequently suggest them to my readers. But I am feeling a bit uninspired to continue to promote Bob's products on my blog ever since the controversy regarding a $25 million dollar donation to OHSU - a research institute that tests on animals in its labs.

Bob's official statement on the matter is that absolutely none of Bob's $25 million donation will go towards animal testing. Fair enough. But I don't think that statement addresses the reasons why animal lovers are upset.

Why not donate the $25 million to an organization that is by policy against animal testing. Or as ChloeJo commented on Bob's blog, fund a healthy school lunch program instead.

To Bob's defense, I will say that some of the headlines are unjust. Headlining that Bob's is "donating to fund animal testing" is a distortion of the truth.

I personally don't know where I stand. I want to know more. Maybe that's too much to ask, but then again, maybe not. I'm not so sure that Bob's could retract their gift at this point, but couldn't they at least give a reason for funding this specific organization? Are they the best at what they do? Are they doing research that is unique and trailblazing? Maybe it's none of my business, but as a passionate animal lover, it does unsettle me to promote Bob's products on my blog. What do you guys think??

note: updated - Bob's said no comments were deleted, lapse in approval time - I apologize for that errored claim on my part this AM!

Roasted Cauliflower Pumpkin Swirl Dip.

September 26, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 3 Comments

September winds down and fall blooms. The leaves are turning golden and gathering in piles along the sidewalks, apple picking and pumpkin patches are sprouting up and Whole Foods has finally stocked towering shelves of organic canned pumpkin. I bought four cans.

Pumpkin Recipes. I suspect that in a few months we will all be totally pumpkined-out. Done. At least for me, it happens every year. But for right now I'm in pumpkin euphoria, dreaming up all sorts of new pumpkin recipes. First up, this dreamy Roasted Cauliflower Pumpkin Swirl Dip.

Pumpkin Dip. This savory, slightly sweet dip is infused with flavors of fall: maple, sweet caramelized onion, rich golden organic pumpkin, garlic, cinnamon, pepper and a hint of truffle salt (optional). Served warm, chilled or baked - this dip is a winning welcome-to-fall dish..

This is a soothing dish to make. Mostly because it includes the simple process of roasting veggies - one of my favorite things to do. "Roasting veggies" goes in the same category as simmering soup - for both, the entire house fills with an aroma of cozy.

How to Serve? My plan was to slow bake this dip until the top layer became crusty and the center soft, melty and velvety. But alas, I finished photographing the dip and simply had to dive into the unbaked, still warm mixture - as is shown. Yum! Soft and thick like a creamy hummus.

After I pulled myself away from my taste-testing - I stuck the dish in the oven for a slow baking. The baked version was also lovely. More spreadable for crostini or crackers - since the unbaked dip was really just that - dippable. Baked, it becomes less moist. More like a cashew cheese bake.

And then I tried it chilled. Also nice. You'll have to decide what you prefer.

The best part about this recipe is that it is pretty fast and easy - even though it looks quite gourmet. Time break-down: 20-25 minutes roasting and another 5-10 minutes getting the puree and swirl presentation just right. Easily served in 30 minutes from start to finish (unless you choose to bake or chill the dip to serve).

What are your favorite pumpkin-infused fall recipes??

Roasted Cauliflower Pumpkin Swirl Dip

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 09/26/2011
This delicious pumpkin and cauliflower dip with savory-sweet fall flavors is divine as a party dip or snack! Served warm from the oven.

Ingredients

Roasted Veggies:
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pumpkin Swirl:
¾ cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
3 tablespoon maple syrup (for a more savory profile, reduce this a bit)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
White Puree:
Roasted veggies (onion and cauliflower)
3-6 tablespoon unsweetened non-dairy milk, as needed to blend
pinch of salt and pepper
Garnish: leave out a few roasted cauliflower florets and onions for topping
optional: truffle oil over top to serve

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash and chop cauliflower. Chop onion. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with the EVOO. Transfer to one large or two medium rimmed baking sheets. Roast veggies 25-30 minutes, or until tender and caramelized edges. Remove cauliflower pans from oven and turn oven down to 350 degrees, for later.
Pumpkin: blend all pumpkin swirl ingredients in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a side bowl. Rinse blender.
White puree: Add the roasted veggies to the blender along with the non-dairy milk. Blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the white puree to your oven-friendly serving dish. Then pour the pumpkin on top and swirl the two mixtures together, just a bit to make it look pretty. Top with optional garnish. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, or just until the entire mixture warms through. Serve with bread, crackers or veggie sticks. Drizzle truffle oil over top for an extra luxurious aroma!

Yield: 6-7 cupsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 25 mins. Total time: 45 mins. Tags: cauliflower, pumpkin,onion,fall,dip,appetizer,maple,cinnamon,holiday

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 9/26

September 26, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com: Food Truck Eats at Home, Ghost Whip, Almost Tiramisu, Maple Garlic Cauliflower Soup, Pomegranate Lime Cocktail, 30 vegan recipes for fall and more! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 9/26

* Sweet Maple Garlic Cauliflower Soup
Sweet roasted garlic and cozy maple syrup bring a head of white cauliflower alive for this comfort food soup - perfect for fall.

* Food Truck Eats: Veggie Gyros
If you are craving food truck style eats at home - for a fun twist on dinner or lunch - here are my 10 tips! Plus my easy recipe for veggie gyros.

* Chili Bean Soup
Healthy, hearty and delicious. This chili bean soup is packed with good stuff - truly a meal in a bowl. Plus, find out how antioxidant-infused red kidney beans really are - hint: they rank right below antioxidant-rich wild blueberries!

* Ginger Cookies
I bring back one of my favorite fall cookie recipes. These chewy ginger cookies are flavored with ginger, spice and rich molasses.

* Almost Tiramisu Dessert
I put my coconut whipped topping to use with this classy, creamy, espresso-infused "Almost Tiramisu" pie.

* Pomegranate Lime Fizzy Cocktail
Pomegranates are back in stock at Whole Foods - so I'm excited to make my favorite seasonal cocktail - pomegranate, lime and a nice splash of prosecco or champagne! Plus my trick for "fresh-pressed" pom juice.

* SpOOky GhOst Whip TOpping
Sometimes it's the simple ideas that make you smile - so here's a cute idea to make your cocoa cute and a little spOOky for this Halloween season. And I include a cocoa recipe too.

selections from my 30 vegan recipes post (link above)

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

How to Make Coconut Whip

September 23, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 165 Comments

This recipe for coconut whip is one of my most popular recipes for good reason! It is super easy and versatile - and totally decadent and delicious. You can dollop it on fresh berries, pie, ice cream, chocolate pudding and more.

This dairy-free whipped cream can be used on a variety of dessert and beverage recipes and is the perfect dairy-free substitution for regular whipped cream. Learn how to make this recipe once, and you will be able to make it again and again in a flash!

Coconut Whip 101.

You're only two ingredients away from homemade vegan whip. Some tips:

Chilled. Make sure your can of coconut milk (or cream) is fully chilled before cracking it open. Your cream needs to be hardened and buttery in order to whip together.
Sugar. Start with 2-3 tablespoon of powdered sugar, but if you need/want a bit more, you can add more for texture and sweetness.
The Bowl. The bowl you use is super important! You do not want your bowl to be too large because whipping in air for fluffiness will be more challenging. Use a small to medium sized bowl - one preferably with high sides for less messiness.
Mixer. Same as above, a stand mixer with a giant bowl may NOT be your best choice for whipping. If you do use a stand mixer or a large bowl, I would suggest doubling this recipe.
Make ahead? This recipe is best made and served same day, but you can make it up to a day ahead of time if necessary. Just cover it well and store in the fridge.
Flavor it. One of my favorite ways to flavor this whip is to add real vanilla bean powder to it. You can also play with cinnamon or ginger.

Chilled can of coconut milk - the top layer of opaque "cream" - this is what you want to whip.

Some Recipes Using Coconut Whip:

Strawberries and coconut whipped cream
Banana French Toast with whip
Banana Cream Pudding Parfaits
Strawberry Pie with whip on top
Whippuccino
Perfect for dolloping on top of chocolate pudding
Chocolate Cream Pie with coconut whip on top

Print Recipe

4.88 from 79 votes

Coconut Whip

This easy, vegan, dairy-free whipped cream is made using coconut milk. This coconut whip is fluffy and rich, perfect for adding to cream pies, pudding, drinks, ice cream and more!

Prep Time1

Cook Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coconut milk, vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 102kcal

Author: Kathy Patalsky

Cost: $3

Equipment

beater or stand mixer
medium bowl

Ingredients

1 can coconut whip chilled in the fridge overnight - 13-14 oz. can
2-3 tablespoon powdered sugar organic

Instructions

Open the can. Carefully spoon out the top layer of opaque white stuff that has gathered at the top of the can. Spoon into a mixing bowl. You will be left with about ½ cup of white syrup-y looking translucent liquid. Leave this in the can.
Add 2-3 tablespoon of powdered confectioners sugar to the white stuff, aka coconut cream.
Grab a hand beater - or use your stand mixer. Note: If I use a stand mixer, I will always double this recipe because the large bowl doesn't whip as well with a small quantity. A hand beater and medium bowl actually works best when making one batch of whip.
Whip the coconut cream. Start on low and move to a higher speed, move the beater in an up and down motion to infuse the mixture with as much air as possible. If for any reason your whip seems too stiff or dry, you can add a few teaspoons of the leftover coconut liquid or non-dairy milk. If your whip seems too soft or watery, you can add another tablespoon of sugar OR stick your mixture back in the fridge - it may need to firm up again.
Serve! You can spoon on top of ice cream, for cream pies, into coffee latte mugs, or eat with a spoon - I guarantee you'll be licking those beaters. If you have leftovers, you can store in the fridge, covered for up to one day.

Video

Notes

The number one tip is to have your coconut milk fully chilled before starting this recipe. Shopping tip: You can also buy cans of just the "coconut cream" instead of coconut milk.

Nutrition

How-to Make Whipped Coconut Milk Cream in 6 Steps:

Buy a can of full fat coconut milk.
Place it in the fridge, let it chill overnight.
Open the can.
Carefully spoon out the top layer of opaque white stuff that has gathered at the top of the can. Spoon into a mixing bowl.
Add 2-3 tablespoon of powdered confectioners sugar to the coconut cream. Optional: add cinnamon, vanilla bean - any small amount of flavor you'd like.
Grab a hand beater and medium bowl. Whip the coconut milk. Start on low and move to a higher speed, move the beater in an up and down motion to infuse as much air as possible. Serve!

vegan french toast — Top french toast or pancakes with coconut whip!

Coconut cream is best eaten right after it is whipped as it will lose some fluffiness if you stick it in the fridge to chill. But it actually holds up better than I expected!

pin-it for later!

Share the coconut whip love.. If you enjoyed this how-to, share it with your friends!

Guaca-Mango Bagel

September 22, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

I made this simple Guaca-Mango Bagel for a quick lunch yesterday and had to share it with you. A simple, fresh recipe is a delicious way to give your busy day a healthy boost.

Guaca-Mango. I'm a big fan of the combo of mango and avocado. The sweet and juicy, bright and zesty mango pairs perfectly with a rich, creamy avocado. I add in some spices and flavor accents for a fast and easy plate full of fresh flavors. Try it..

Juicy champagne mango over rich tofu cream cheese..

When I first started my blog, one of my most popular recipes was the Fuyu Cream Crusty. I took a crusty fruit and nut roll (beautiful rolls found at Essex Market, LES/NYC) sliced it in half, slathered it with tofu cream cheese, then stuffed it with sliced sweet fuyu persimmons. I love fuyus because they are sweet, silky and healthy - they are very high in fiber - 6 grams per fruit! I made this recipe a lot that fall and winter. And I still love my cream crusty sandwiches when I can get them...

The Cream Crusty. Basically, I combine whatever sweet, juicy, ripe fruit I have on hand with vegan cream cheese and a toasted bit of crusty bread. Maybe a bit of something savory as well like a sweet onion, crunchy greens, sprouts or creamy avocado. For the bread: a roll, bagel or loaf works well. Or you can even use straight up and simple toast. Here are my vintage cream crusty recipes:

Mango Cream Crusty:

Fuyu Cream Crusty:

Healthy Spread Substitute! If I had some on hand, I would've loved to sub the tofu cream cheese in this recipe for some healthy, whole food baked cashew cheese. Next time I'll plan on that! Cashew cheese recipe. You could also sub with some hummus for a more savory approach to this recipe.

And today's recipe..

Guaca-Mango Bagel
vegan, makes one bagel

1 bagel, sliced and toasted (the more grains the better)

½ avocado, diced
½ lemon, squeezed
3-5 dashes cayenne
3-5 dashes fine black pepper
pinch of truffle salt (or basic fine salt)
1 teaspoon grape seed, avocado or olive oil (optional)

1 small champagne mango, diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1-2 tablespoon vegan tofu cream cheese (*or try some cashew cheese for a healthier whole food substitute!)
fine pepper/salt to taste

garnish, remaining lemon half - sliced

To Make:

1. Slice the avocado and mango. Add the avocado to a small bowl with the pepper, cayenne, squeezed lemon juice, oil and salt. Toss and slightly mash with fork. Optional add-in's could include diced jalapeno or chopped cilantro for even more "guacamole" flavor. In a separate small bowl, toss the mango in a bit of maple syrup and salt/pepper as desired. Set both aside.

2. Slice and toast you bagel - or bread - any bread item will work, but I prefer something hearty to hold up to the heavy avocado and plentiful mango cubes. Slather the cream cheese on one side of the bagel. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. I like to slightly salt my cream cheese since I find the tofu cream cheese can be slightly under-salted for my tastes - especially when I pair it with something as sweet as fruit.

3. Next, slather the avocado on the naked side of bagel. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over top both sides. Add another drizzle of your favorite healthy oil if you'd like (I find this help to soften the bagel up a bit when combined with the acid of the lemon. Serve with fresh lemon slices!

For a mid-morning bite, this bagel pairs nicely with my Poor Man's Fire Chai or my Coconut Vanilla Latte.

Or maybe even a Pumpkin Spice Latte..

Vegan Banana Cream Pie! And a story..

September 20, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 9 Comments

So glad you all are loving my "vegan cream pie" recipes! You've already seen Chocolate Cream, Grasshopper Mint Cream and Peanut Butter Cream. Well many of you requested a Banana Cream Pie. So here it is!..

This vegan Banana Cream Pie really blew me away in terms of its authenticity. I am again reminded of my stance that just about anything you love to eat can have a vegan version that satisfies.

This pie is topped with a velvety vanilla-bean layer of vegan whip. The rich banana pudding is creamy delicious. Homestyle. Comfy. Cozy. Fluffy as a banana cloud, if those existed. Sweet, silky, fresh banana slices are hidden between the soft layers of pastel yellow and cloud white.

Ahead, I share my recipe and a story. A vegan life lesson really. I explain why I'm trying to ditch the phrase "I don't eat that." and replace it with something a bit more open-ended and positive. Pie and a story in today's post!..

To top it off, a swirl of my homemade coconut "whipped cream" - described in this post

Banana Cream Pie was always my favorite "pie" as a kid. I'd beg my mom to pick one up at the supermarket. Each slice was creamy and sweet, layers of thinly sliced bananas swimming in silky banana pudding, topped with fluffy cream topping. Slivers of fresh banana on top. My spoon would swim through the oozing yellow pudding searching for hidden banana slices coated in cream and fluff.

For the longest time I put my banana cream pie love in the corner. Thinking that a dairy-free pie could never come close to recreating the bliss I found from the dairy-infused original. I was so very wrong.

My vegan version pie not only meets the mark, but exceeds it! Velvety vanilla cream topping with tiny specks of vanilla bean. Silky yellow, real banana pudding pie - flavored not by artificial flavorings, but real bananas. Actually there are a total of 3 ripe bananas in this pie. Not just a few slivers as garnish.

Healthy Top - the white stuff. Many of you will have trouble finding the "Healthy Top" topping I use in the recipe below. It seriously rocks. Seek it out if you want to re-create this pie exactly.

Alternative white cream topping: Whipped Coconut Cream from Coconut Milk, How-to!

More about Mimiccreme Healthy Top here. Whole Foods might sell it - but your best bet is online. Buy Healthy Top - Amazon.com

Vegan Banana Cream Pie
vegan, make 1 pie

White Whipped Top:
1 box Mimiccreme Healthy Top
1 teaspoon crushed vanilla bean
1 small ripe banana
tools: hand mixer/beater

Banana Pudding:
1 tablespoon agar agar (optional)
¾ cup maple syrup
¾ cup coconut milk (full fat)
2-3 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
13 ounce silken tofu
½ teaspoon salt (to taste - start out with ¼ tsp)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana
tools: pie dish, blender (Vitamix), sauce pot/stove

garnish/filling:
1 banana thinly sliced

crust:
crushed vanilla or graham cookies (or pre-made vanilla crust)

To Make:

1. The agar agar (vegan gelling agent) is optional, but if you are using it, you will need to heat it in a small sauce pan with the coconut milk and maple syrup - high heat for about 3 minutes - or until the agar beads have dissolved. Stir constantly. If not using agar, still heat the maple/coconut to reduce the liquid a bit. Immediately after turning off the heat (with or without using agar) add in the 2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil. Allow to slowly dissolve in the still-hot liquid.

2. In a high speed blender (or food processor), add the silken tofu, banana, vanilla extract, salt and the hot maple/coconut mixture. (If using agar, strain hot liquid through a mesh strainer so that any leftover clumps of agar stay out of the pie). Blend on low -> medium -> high until the mixture is silky. Taste test. Add more salt if needed.

3. Prep your crust in a pie pan. Add about ½ cup of banana slices to the crust. Pour the pudding mixture over top. Add a few more banana slices over top the filling and around the edges. Place in fridge. Chill until firmed. A few hours.

*note, using the agar agar will significantly firm up your pudding pie - without the agar it will be more of a soft-set pudding (yummy either way)

4. When ready to serve pie - you can pull your Healthy Top box out of the fridge (it needs to chill at least an hour before whipping). Add the contents, a ripe banana, vanilla specks to a large mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy and creamy. Make sure the banana has been smoothed into the whip.

5. Smooth the whip over top the chilled banana pie. Add fresh banana slices as garnish.

6. Serve right away or chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Chilling will allow the white whip layer to firm up a bit. Enjoy!!

Now here's a story to go with your pie.. Since there are two things I hope you walk away from with this post:

1) an awesome banana cream pie recipe
2) the inspiration to change your language as a vegan (or vegetarian - or even gluten free, any special diet really). To pause before saying "I don't" or "I can't" when responding to food offerings that contain animal products.

"I don't eat that." Throw this phrase out. Ditch it. Ban it. I'm trying to. Here's why..

I always learn stuff from kids. The other day I was riding home from mini golf with my sister, husband and her two cutie pie kids. My five year-old nephew was energetically munching on some cheese-crusted crunchy pea snacks, as happy as a cow munching grass. He reached into the bag, pulled out a gritty green pea crisp - white frosted from the cheese - and pointed it at my mouth.

"Here!" He said in a sweet way, his arm firmly outstretched towards my face. He was sharing his snack with me, ah, that's sweet. But with my mouth tightly closed, dooming that a rambunctious five yr-old would just love to stuff the crisp right inside my mouth if given the chance, I carefully muttered out, "I can't eat that."

He looked confused. "I don't eat that since it has dairy." I continued. He looked sad. And even a little annoyed. There was a silence in the car. He brushed it off once he remembered that I don't eat the way he does. He loves to discuss how "Aunt Kathy is an herbivore instead of an omnivore." Ha.

But instead of communicating to him that my "special diet" involves restriction, I should be showing the positive loveliness of being vegan. I love crunchy snacks! But mine are simply animal product free. It takes a while to get to this place, this feeling, but I can proudly say that I don't feel restricted or deprived as a vegan at all. I didn't always feel that way.

Anyways, the moral of the story is that I felt simply sick to tell a young kid that I "can't" eat something. Or I "don't" get to eat certain things. That's so not the point of veganism!

As I've learned over the past ten "veg" years of my life, there are so many things I can eat. You can "veganize" just about anything. OK, souffle, haven't cracked that code yet. But if you want a "vegan version" of anything in the food world - it can be done.

So here is how we wipe out our "I don't" and "I can't" responses..

Instead of saying "I can't eat that." to my nephew, I should've said.

"I prefer to eat crunchy snacks made from just veggies or with some yummy nutritional yeast on top! Tings, Soy Crisps, Kale Chips and Veggie Booty are yummy!"

A few more examples (And I guarantee these will come in handy this holiday season when the main topic of any party is the menu and holiday food!)

Instead of "I don't" or "I can't eat that." say this..

Pumpkin Pie: " I only eat pumpkin pie that is plant-based, I have this killer recipe for one made with soaked cashews and tofu cream cheese. It is SO good!" recipe

Mainstream Halloween Candy: "I only eat plant-based candy. Like dark chocolate made from real cacao and these amazing plant-based ginger chews. They even have a vegan candy bar filled with coconut, almonds and chocolate. Mahalo. And one that taste better than a Snickers bar. The company is called GoMaxFoods - amazing."

Meat: "I only eat plant-based, cruelty free proteins like tempeh, seitan, tofu, yummy whole food beans, lentils and these amazing products called Gardein which actually mimic meat (If you like that sort of thing). And did you know that really, most fruits, veggies and grains have protein in them anyways."

Buttery Mashed Potatoes: "I only eat mashed potatoes made from Earth Balance - it's like dairy-free butter, but tastes just like it. And potatoes whipped with plant-based milks - I add some nutritional yeast, garlic and hemp seeds to mine and they have this incredible savory, cheezy flavor that is amazing!" recipe

Hot Cocoa or latte with Dairy Milk and Whip: "I only drink soy or coconut based hot cocoa or lattes. Actually, I make this amazing whipped topping made from 100% coconut milk. It tastes even better than whipped cream!" recipe

...get the idea? Instead of saying "I can't" eat something. I am changing it up to say how I can eat whatever they are eating - only my version is vegan and plant-based (which is usually healthier and cruelty free).

Don't be afraid to speak up. I find most people are actually very interested to learn about vegan versions of their favorite mainstream foods. So even if they aren't vegan, don't be afraid to peak their interest. Get a conversation started - it feels so much better than stuffing yourself in a conversation corner with the dreaded, conversation killing phrase, "I don't eat that!"

Share it: quick reminder, if you like this post, please share it by using the StumbleUpon button at top. StumbleUpon.com is such an awesome way to find new websites that pinpoint your interests - they even have a vegetarian category where I love to review others recipes. Stumbling is a great way to spread the word about yummy vegan recipes and photos! Big thank you in advance if you "thumbs up" this post.

..I'll finish this post with more pie photos 🙂

Chipotle Tofu Sandwich!

September 20, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 8 Comments

This Spicy Chipotle Tofu Sandwich is everything I crave a sandwich to be..

This Vegan Sandwich is stacked tall with colorful layers of freshly sliced, crisp veggies - tomatoes, sweet onions and crispy lettuce. It's leaking a drizzle of delicious spicy, savory, bold chipotle "secret sauce" - and there is a thick slice of tender, seasoned tofu to complete the tall tower of deliciousness. Toss a few sliced pickles on the side, maybe some crunchy Tings and a lemon iced tea and your healthy, vegan lunch is served.

If you've never stashed a stack of sauteed tofu in a sandwich, this is your calling to do so. And that creamy, spicy-sweet chipotle sauce makes everything cravable. Get the recipes..

Sandwich Love: The Bread. Good sandwich bread can make or break a sandwich. But it shouldn't be the star - it definitely plays a supporting role. Literally.

I'm not into wimpy sandwiches. So I need my bread to hold up. I like to cram as many toppings between those two slices of bread as I can. I need a hearty, sturdy bread - fluffy white stuff won't cut it. Plus, I like heartier grains for nutritional reasons as well.

I love a freshly baked spelt bread from the bakery (Le Pain Quotidien makes a killer spelt). Or a simple multi grain vegan pre-sliced bread from the store (as I used here). The bread doesn't have to be fancy.

I like to lightly toast my bread so it brings out the nutty grain flavor and tones the texture of the outer crust. Not too toasty though. Overly crispy bread can make for a uncomfortable bite.

Baguettes and thicker varieties of bread are delicious, but call too much attention to the bread, in my opinion. So my perfect slice for a sandwich is hearty enough to hold, but thin enough to get out of the way of all my toppings. If I am using a thick, crusty baguette or such as the bread I like to slather it with a heavy spread - like a homemade hummus. That can moisten the hearty bread and balance it out a bit. Enough about me, how about your bread selection?

..what other "sandwich musts" do you have. Bread? Toppings? Condiments? I love sharing sandwich secrets!

Spicy Smoky Chipotle Dressing
makes ½ cup (store in fridge, covered if some leftover)

¼ cup Vegenaise
1 chipotle pepper, carefully chipped (from a can of chipotle in adobo sauce)
2 teaspoon adobo sauce from chipotle can
1 tablespoon maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke (a few drops)
dash of pepper

Spicy Chipotle Tofu Sandwich
makes 1

2 slices multi grain sandwich bread
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 tablespoon Spicy Chipotle Dressing
2-4 planks of maple-tamari tofu (recipe here)
2 thick tomato slices
2 large sweet onion slices
hefty handful of crisp lettuce (romaine or iceberg)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar/1 teaspoon olive oil
optional: avocado slices (I forgot to add mine!)

side: a few sliced pickles
toothpicks to secure sandwich while slicing.

To Make:

1. Saute your tofu as described in this Tamari-Maple Tofu recipe. Set aside. You can use 2-4 slices per sandwich - I used two for the photos, but later crammed another two into the sandwich when eaten and loved the quad of tofu.

2. Whip up your spicy chipotle sauce and place in fridge for at least ten minutes to chill. Be careful when handling the chipotle peppers. I actually try not to touch the pepper at all since they can be quite spicy. Pull one medium sized pepper from the can , slice/mash it and add the the sauce mixture. Cover can of remaining peppers and store in fridge.

3. Prep your veggies. I like to gently toss my veggie slices in vinegar and olive oil - 1 teaspoon each as shown in recipe.

4. Start assembling your sandwich! Dijon on one slice of bread, then a heavy handed slathering of the chipotle sauce on both slices of bread - a few strips of chipotle pepper in the sauce. Then add the veggies and tofu. Add top slice of bread - secure layers with a few toothpicks and slice. Remove toothpicks before serving.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 9/19

September 19, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com: Grasshopper Dessert Parfait, Sumac Citrus Tomato Salad, Go-To Seared Tofu, Vanilla Coconut Latte with real coconut whipped topping, Apple Jack Flapjacks, Grumpy Gator Green Smoothie and more! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 9/19

* Vanilla Coconut Cream Latte
I was in heaven when I realized that vegan coconut whipped "cream" is really possible. And this coconut vanilla "spooky" ghost latte is perfect for it. Rich espresso, vanilla specks and coconut milk - yum!

* Sumac Citrus Avocado Tomato Salad
This lovely raw platter salad is the perfect recipe to taste-test sumac. Last week I used sumac in my ginger-sumac tofu, and this time you can taste it raw - zesty and vibrant!

* Easy Maple-Tamari Seared Tofu
This is my go-to recipe for easy seared tofu. Savory-sweet flavors of maple and tamari. Perfect for use in my Chipotle Tofu Sandwich with secret sauce.

--> Dinner Inspiration! Add this seared tofu to a hearty Fully Loaded Kale Salad, a small cozy soup on the side and maybe some crusty bread. Or perhaps some hemp garlicky mashed potatoes? Dinner is served.

* Grasshopper Fluff Parfait Dessert
A spin on my Minty Grasshopper Pie - make it a fluffy pudding parfait!

* Grumpy Gator Green Smoothie
This tropical-flavored green smoothie will turn your from a grumpy gator into a gleeful green smoothie guzzler!

* Apple Jack Flapjacks
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes inspired by that classic kids cereal - only these flapjacks are vegan and filled with healthy ingredients - even little bits of spinach!

* Football Season Snacks Gone Vegan
I'm not much of a football watcher myself. But I know many of you have men (and women) in your lives that get simply giddy over football season. And all the football snacking that goes with it. Well give them some totally football-approved snacks that are happily, healthfully vegan. Jalapeno poppers and cheezy nachos anyone?

* Apple Juice and Arsenic? Discuss!
DrOz certainly knows how to make headlines. Now it's your turn to weigh in on the "apple juice" controversy. What do you think? Or is it simply better to serve your kids whole apples anyways?? I think you know how I'd answer that.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

Sumac Ginger Tofu, Quinoa, Broccoli, Mushrooms.

September 13, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 8 Comments

Today I'm infusing some creative flavors into a basic plate of quinoa, tofu and veggies. I add the spicy sweet flavors of sumac, ginger, coconut, maple and tamari. Red quinoa is the perfect nutty grain to accent this sublime plate.

I love this plate as a sturdy lunch. Or to accent a hefty dinner salad. Serve with some sumac-speckled hummus dip and lemon olive oil grilled pita bread for a complete, cravable meal. But any way you serve it, this vegan plate is sure to give your taste buds a yum-filled jolt. And you can impress all your foodie friends by telling them you have tried sumac...

The tricky part of any meal is figuring out how to flavor the main ingredients. Tofu, quinoa and veggies would be quite bland on their own. So I needed to infuse some flavor into these healthy foods. And I was feeling adventurous with a brand new tub of "sumac" I just picked up at the store...

Sumac!
What?
Sumac!!
Isn't that poisonous? Like poison sumac?
No!
Oh.
It's awesome!! I think. I hope. Lets find out..

I have been hearing about "sumac" from the foodie scene blogs for a while now. But I first really connected with the idea of using sumac when I read about it in the Dirt Candy blog, from one of my fave veggie chefs (and Dirt Candy owner) Amanda Cohen. Love her blog btw. Hilarious. Informative. Inspiring. Amanda wrote in her 'spices' post:

"Sumac is a berry that’s dried and ground into a powder and it’s got a really interesting bright, acidic, tart citrus taste."

To me, sumac is odd because it looks like a thick chili powder but tastes incredibly zesty and bright. I asked my twitter followers if they had tried it and many folks raved about it! I didn't know sumac had so many fans. So I was excited to give it a whirl.

**Sumac UPDATE: So last night I tried sumac raw, sprinkled right over top my kale and heirloom tomato salad - a little EVOO, olives, mandarins, maple syrup, pepper and shaved sweet onion. SO good. Loved how it dissolved into tiny red droplets on the sweet juicy tomatoes. Give this a try guys! Sumac is yum raw or cooked.**

Red Quinoa. My husband has a thing for red quinoa. The al dente texture, slight chewiness and rustic earthy flavor in each fluffy, nutty bite. Fine by me! There are a few reasons why I don't mind indulging his red quinoa obsession. For one, quinoa is incredibly healthy. This perky ancient grain is gluten-free, rich in protein/amino acids, iron and fiber. Plus it is low in fat and is a lovely change from traditional grains like rice - or wheat products like couscous.

The second thing I love about quinoa is that just like pasta or rice, you can really build your meal around it. For this plate I decided to add some sticky-sweet-spiced tofu planks, oyster mushrooms and broccoli.

Dinner Salad? Make this plate into a bowl .. a hefty dinner salad bowl: pile handfuls of raw greens into a bowl - a drizzle of your fave sweetish salad dressing (maybe a sweet Dijon mustard dressing, or tangy sweet pomegranate) - add a sprinkle of zesty sumac - top salad with scoops of the red quinoa, tofu, broccoli and oyster mushrooms. Maybe some mandarin oranges too. Dinner salad served.

A few things I'd add to this meal - it would be a bean hummus style dip or sauce to accent. Something like my lemon thyme hummus. Just to bind the quinoa to the tofu and veggies .. and some warm grilled pita bread. Yes! Now your meal is totally complete..

Sumac Ginger Tofu with Coconut Ginger Red Quinoa, Broccoli, Oyster Mushrooms
serves 2

2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups oyster mushrooms
2-4 tablespoon safflower oil for pan-saute
7 one-inch rectangle planks of firm tofu, pressed and patted dry

Tofu Marinade:
2 tablespoon sumac
3 tablespoon tamari
3 tablespoon minced ginger - paste product (I used Ginger People brand)
½ teaspoon fine black pepper
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoon maple syrup

added salt/pepper to taste
additional sumac for finishing veggies

Coconut Ginger Red Quinoa:
2 cups cooked red quinoa (how-to cook quinoa here)
2 tablespoon coconut milk
3 tablespoon inced ginger paste
½ cup golden raisins
salt to taste

garnish: 1 small orange, sliced

To make:

1. Press and dry your tofu. Slice into planks.
2. Mix together your tofu marinade. Soak your tofu in the marinade for at least 30 minutes.
3. Turn your stove to high heat and add a few tablespoons of safflower oil to pan. Add your tofu. Allow to cook for a few minutes - then flip. You may want to add some of the leftover marinade to keep the saute pan moist.
4. As the tofu cooks, you can add in the broccoli. The broccoli will begin to absorb the leftover marinade so that the tofu can firm up a bit and finish cooking. Lastly, add in the oyster shrooms. You don't want to over cook the veggies - just let them char and steam in the leftover tofu marinade sauce. You should eventually use up all the marinade.
5. When the tofu and veggies are cooked to your desired preferences, remove and set aside. I sprinkle over a few pinches of sumac right on top of the tofu.
6. Toss the red quinoa with the coconut milk, golden raisins and ginger - salt to taste.
7. Plate the red quinoa with the tofu and veggies however you'd like. Add garnish of fresh orange slices to play up the zestiness of the plate.

Serve with: hummus and pita bread if you'd like.

Minty Grasshopper Pie!

September 13, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Still on my vegan cream pie kick, I was inspired by a mint-chocolate classic: Minty Grasshopper Pie with a rich mint-chocolate drizzle. Spoon-dive into this luscious bite..

Minty Cloud Pie. Layers of green soy-based mint-vanilla pudding mingle with a chocolate cookie crumble crust and minty white, whipped fluff on top. All vegan. And that mint green color with tiny mint-colored specks is 100% natural. It was achieved by blending in a pinch of baby spinach (but don't worry, you can't taste it). This silky, creamy, cloud-like pie will refresh your palate and make all your mint chocolate dreams come true!..

Cream Pie. So I have bought up all the "Healthy Top" at my local Whole Foods. I think I've gone through 3 boxes of the stuff in the past week with all my cream pie experiments (and I still have one left in the fridge). My pies so far..

Chocolate Cream Pie. And now this minty pie. I think I will have to do at least one more cream pie before my obsession is done. Hmm. Banana Cream Pie? Oh shoot, maybe Coconut Cream Pie too. And Lemon Cream Pie. And my childhood fave, Boston Cream Pie. But that's it. Really.

Anyways, lets stick to today's mint-chocolate deliciousness: Grasshopper Cream Pie.

And if you don't have the "Healthy Top" by Mimiccreme (info in this post) to give you that fluffy white whipped topping - you can do another layer of tofu pudding. Or simply have a one layer pudding pie. Or if you are really savvy, make your own coconut cream topping. Or use some store-bought Soy or Rice Whip. But no matter what "fluff" you use, the green pudding part is so yummy it won't really matter.

With my leftover pudding - I had just enough for one pudding parfait. (My Grasshopper Pudding Parfait recipe below.)

Custard-Firm or Pudding-Soft Pie? If you want to use the agar agar (step 1) go for it - the agar firms up the texture of the pie so it "slices" rather than "scoops" when you serve it. I used a bit of agar - but only about 1 teaspoon. I'd suggest using about 1-3 teaspoons for a slice-able pie.

Alternative green cream topping: Whipped Coconut Cream from Coconut Milk, How-to!

Minty Grasshopper Pie
vegan, makes 1 pie

1 vegan chocolate cookie pie crust (or make your own by crushing chocolate cookies)
*if making your own, I'd add 1-3 tablespoon of vegan butter, fold together, bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees to crisp up a bit

Fluffy White Topping:
1 box vegan whipped topping – chilled in fridge (Healthy Top by Mimiccreme)
*or use Alternative white cream topping: coconut cream
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Green Grasshopper Pudding:
19 ounces silken tofu
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup agave syrup
⅓ cup coconut milk or light coconut milk
½ cup soy milk
1-3 teaspoon agar agar (optional)
3 tablespoon coconut oil – softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
small handful or baby spinach – or splash spinach juice (for color)
optional: add 1 heaping spoonful of the Healthy Top for extra “fluff” in pudding

extra mint chocolate or chocolate sandwich cookies (vegan)

chocolate drizzle: ½ a dark mint chocolate bar (vegan)

To Make:

1. Heat the soy milk and coconut milk over high heat with the agar agar. Stir until agar is dissolved. Turn off heat. Add in coconut oil - allow to soften in warm mixture.
2. In a high speed blender, add your pudding ingredients, plus the agar mixture (I like to strain the agar mixture into the blender just in case a few agar beads remain). Blend until smooth. Taste test. Adjust sweetener or salt if needed.
3. Crush your cookies - for garnish - prepare your cookie crust if not using store bought.
4. Start assembling your pie - pour the green pudding into crust. Place in fridge to chill for at least an hour.
5. When pie has chilled and firmed up - at least an hour or so - whip your white topping. With a hand mixer, whip your "Healthy Top" whipped topping – with the peppermint. Add in an even layer to the pie - over top the green layer. Place back in fridge to chill for at least a half hour.
6. Lastly, melt your vegan dark mint chocolate with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Allow the melted chocolate to cool for a bit - to the point where is isn't steaming hot, but still drizzle-able. Drizzle over top chilled pie - splattered design. Place pie back in fridge for at least a half hour before serving.

OR parfait it..

Grasshopper Fluff Pudding Parfait
vegan, makes 4 tall parfaits

Cookie Crumbles:
8-10 vegan chocolate cream cookies, roughly crushed

Fluffy White Topping:
1 box vegan whipped topping – chilled in fridge (Healthy Top by Mimiccreme)
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Grasshopper Pudding:
19 ounces silken tofu
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup agave syrup
1 cup coconut milk or light coconut milk
3 tablespoon coconut oil – softened
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
small handful or baby spinach – or splash spinach juice (for color)
optional: add 1 heaping spoonful of the Healthy Top for extra “fluff” in pudding

To Make:

1. In a high speed blender, add your pudding ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste test. Adjust sweetener or salt if needed.
2. Crush your cookies.
3. With a hand mixer, whip your Healthy Top whipped topping – with the peppermint.
4. Start assembling your parfaits – cookies, pudding, whipped topping (repeat).
5. Top with cookie crumbles.
6. Chill in fridge for at least an hour so that pudding can firm up and chill.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 9/12

September 12, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com. Peanut Butter Cream Pie, an easy weekday hot lunch, banana bread-inspired recipes, veganizing Chili, a zingy frosty citrus ginger drink and more! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 9/12

* Peanut Butter Cream Pie
I'm continuing on my "vegan cream pie" blitz with this double layered peanut butter-infused cream pie. Tofu-based. Oh so yummy.

* Dessert for Breakfast!
If you love enjoying dessert at all hours of the day - then these "healthy" vegan breakfast ideas will get you quite giddy. Be a kid and eat dessert first! First thing in the morning..

* Peanut Butter Fruit Stacked Sandwiches
This kids-approved after-school snack takes all the fun of a peanut butter sandwich and adds layers of fun fave fruit! It's like peanut butter toast with a side of fruit - thinly sliced apples and banana here. Maple and cinnamon too.

* Sweet Coconut Corn Rice with Veggie Wontons
This is an easy weekday hot lunch. Creamy coconut rice is the perfect accent to pan-fried veggie wontons. Add some sweet and sour dipping sauce on the side.

* Ginger Grapefruit Zinger
Give your immune system a boost with this citrus frosty - infused with the spicy sweet flavors of ginger and grapefruit. Plenty of vitamin C!

* How-to Veganize Your Chili Recipe
You may already have a vegan chili recipe up your sleeve - but this post is great to pass on to a friend who may be curious about vegan cooking - and also love chili! A few simple substitutions and you can veganize pretty much any chili recipe!

* Farmer's Markets Around the World
Fun post highlighting some super cool markets around the world. For all the worldly Farmer's Market fans out there. Paris, Hawaii and more..

* Banana- Bread Inspired Recipes for Fall
Banana Bread (and pumpkins) remind me of a cozy fall morning. So here are a few recipes that are banana bread inspired. From waffles and quinoa cereal to muffins and shakes - get your banana bread fix a few creative ways.

* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

Fully Loaded Kale Salad

September 6, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 11 Comments

Zesty-sweet tahini dressing gently coats the perky, curly shreds of fresh, raw, dark green kale leaves. Each tender fluffy forkful is clustered with complex flavors and kale textures. Salty-sweet with a hint of bitter. The kale is tender yet chewy - even a tad crunchy. Flavor-infused leaves. So happy to share with you my Fully Loaded Kale Salad - it is one of my favorite go-to recipes.

But I lied. The salad shown is not really fully loaded. At least by my twisted standards. Yes, it contains a nice range of colorful toppings, but by "Kathy Salad" terms - this one is barely even loaded...

To attain "fully loaded" status I would really need to add the following..

Smoky maple tempeh cubes, black olives, sliced roasted peppers, shredded carrots, raw or sauteed mushrooms, chopped spinach blended in, a dollop of mashed cheezy-garlicky-hemp potatoes or maple sweet potatoes, perhaps a few homemade croutons and maybe an extra drizzle of buttery macadamia nut oil..

..Oh and nuts. Maybe a few nuts sprinkled over top. Sliced almonds. Or pecans. Or maybe just some pepitas. And a layer of seasonal fruit. Mangoes. Peaches. More citrus. Or perhaps some sliced pear. But pears go well with walnuts, so I'll need to change the nut component. Sprinkle of nutritional yeast for the walnuts. Vegenaise. I need some sprouted grain toast with a slathering of Vegenaise on the side. Or maybe just more seeds for crunch. Hmm.

Hello my name is Kathy, and I'm an "as many salad toppings as possible" addict.

OK, OK.. toppings are fun. But this salad is really all about that healthy, tender, glorious kale. Lets continue..

Raw Kale Salads have become quite trendy the past year. Actually kale in general has stepped into the limelight. But over are the days when "kale" meant you were serving up steamed or wilted dark leaves doused in olive oil, lemon, cider vinegar and chopped garlic (although that is quite tasty as well). But we like is raw now. Raw leaves, lots of chew, crunch, texture.

Kale is seductive. With its shifty curled leaves and sturdy green stalks, it can hold its own to other spotlight greens like spinach, chard and arugula. Kale has one thing that those wilty greens don't have: body.

oh-so-trendy, full-bodied, charismatic kale..

And in the texture sense, kale is a lot like cabbage. A robust green with a longer in-bowl life than most. However, kale is much more nutrient-dense than most cabbages simply because of those dark leafy green leaves.

Healthy Kale. Kale is rich in fiber and potassium. It is prized for its nutrients: calcium, vitamins C, K & A, iron, manganese and more.

The Toppings. Yes, it is possible to make a kale salad delicious with only a few toppings. Actually, just the kale and the dressing would make this quite cravable. Raw crunchy, tender kale tossed in a homemade tahini dressing. I love this dressing because it has few ingredients. The seasoned rice vinegar adds really all the sweetness you will need. Each dark green leaf of kale coated in bitter-sweet dressing zestiness. And then come the toppings. Here's my (sort've) fully loaded Kale Salad.

And ps my husband loves this raw kale tahini salad - or any raw kale salad really. Shocking to me. But he loves them. Loves them. Totally picky eater (and picky husband) approved..

I hope I've sold you on raw kale (if you aren't already a fan). And if you can add a few kale salads a week to your family's diet - good for you! This beautiful, flavorful salad is your ticket to kale bliss.

Kathy's Fully Loaded Kale Salad
vegan, served 2-3 entree portions

1 large bunch of kale (any variety) - remove thick stems/shred leaves by hand

Toppings (as shown - but you can add your faves):
2-3 tablespoon hemp seeds
2-3 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
½ cup apple, sliced
½ avocado, diced/tossed in lemon juice
handful of cherry tomatoes, diced
½ cup juice-packed mandarin oranges
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
fine black pepper

Dressing:
2 ½ tablespoon tahini
3 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoon healthy oil (I used macadamia nut oil - grape seed oil also nice)
1 teaspoon grade B maple syrup (optional - if you need extra sweetness to balance the bitterness of tahini)

To make:

1.Wash your kale, dry well. Pull tender leaves from thick lower stems. Shred leaves by hand. Add to large mixing bowl. Discard thick stems.
2. Briskly mix together the dressing ingredients. Do a taste test and adjust as desired for your tastes. You can always add in more maple syrup if your tahini is too bitter. I also like to add in an extra splash of apple cider vinegar when I'm craving a very zesty salad.
3. Toss your kale salad in your dressing. I use salad tongs instead of my hands (some will massage the kale) I actually like my kale a tad al dente (not overly marinated with dressing) so I simply toss with tongs until the dressing is evenly distributed.
4. Fold in the hemp seeds and sunflower seeds.
5. Add the remaining toppings in a lovely pattern on top.
Serve!

This salad will also do well in the fridge for a few hours - or even set out at a party or potluck. If not eating right away I'd use a tad less dressing - or add another ½ bunch of kale.

Labor Day Southern Menu. Meatless Monday Style!

September 5, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Happy Labor Day! And since it's a Meatless Monday, why not celebrate your Labor Day with a vegan feast. And instead of the traditional veggie burgers and fries style meal, I'm turning up the southern charm with a southern-style feast. My favorite country-style recipes are all here: sweet potato biscuits, cole slaw, potato salad, country-fried seitan, white gravy and more. Dessert options include a caramel apple pie or easy no-bake peanut butter bars. All vegan. So lay out a blue gingham tablecloth, set a whit daisy bouquet on the table and embrace the end-of-summer heat for a totally southern Labor Day. This countrified menu is calling you!..

My Eclectic Southern-Style Vegan Menu (photos after the links):

* Country-Fried Seitan Cutlets (aka, vegan version of "chicken-fried steak")
* Sweet Potato Biscuits
* Vegan Secret-Ingredient White Gravy
* Thick and Creamy Cole Slaw
* "The Vegan Cobb" Salad
* Mashed "Potato Salad" with dill, nutritional yeast and crunchy celery
* Creamy Potato Salads: Cilantro or Dill
* Hemp-Seed Garlicky Mashed Potatoes
* Mac/Cheez
* Veggie Burgers - recipe/photo slide show
* 20 Vegan Slaw Salad Recipes - recipe/photo slide show
* Sticky Sweet BBQ Sauce from scratch (for tempeh, tofu and more)
* Watermelon Frosty
* Triple citrus Lemonade - citrus sips
* Vegan Ranch Dressing/Dip - for an easy tossed salad
* Scoopable Sweet Corn Bread
* BBQ Portobello Burger
* Vegan Chili - for faster version, don't soak beans, used canned
* dessert: No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Bars
* dessert shake: peanut butter banana
dessert: Caramel Apple Pie
* dessert: from scratch peach Lattice Crust Pie - with how-to video
* Summer Sorbets

* And I have to throw in my chia seed links from the past week, since they are my latest ingredient obsession: Magical Chia Seed Pudding and Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl and 101

Country-Fried Seitan bites:

seitan cutlets with my vegan "white gravy"..

white gravy..

Desserts!..

Previous Babble.com Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And more of my fave, the "Country-Fried" Seitan Cutlets..

My VegNews Cover Photo

August 30, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 5 Comments

Oh yea, I'm so excited to finally hold in my hands the Sep+Oct Food Issue of VegNews Magazine - with my Pumpkin Carrot Cake photo on the cover. Take a look inside the issue and toast with me! I'm cheers-ing with a tall, frosty Peanut Butter Banana Shake. Recipe and more mag pics ahead!..

The Hunt. All last week I had been strolling into Barnes and Noble checking and waiting for the Sep/Oct issue of VegNews Magazine to be stocked. Nope. Nuthin. Funny how their cafe had pulled out the Halloween themed ghost and pumpkin shaped cookies (already!) - but the September issue of VegNews? Nope. One of my friends in NYC told me she spotted it in Moo Shoes. And another friend had it delivered to her mailbox days before. But I had yet to find my very first cover photo mag. The hunt continued..

Then finally, on a super stormy pre-Irene day, I wandered into Whole Foods. I was reaching for a fuzzy peach in the produce section and spotted my photo on the new VegNews issue, stocked right above Food and Wine Magazine. I squealed. speechless, I grabbed my husband and pointed to the magazine rack. He looked at me confused. What? Peaches? It took him a moment to realize what I was pointing at. Then he joined me in speechless delight. I grabbed a copy. What a thrill.

When I got home, I blended up this Banana Peanut Butter Shake and flipped through the magazine.

Banana PB Shake Cheers!..

Thumbs Up VegNews. As I chatted about in this post, I'm so incredibly proud of VegNews for stepping up their photo game and showcasing vegan food photos - controversy officially resolved in my opinion. So for those who have wondered or whispered on comment threads, yes the cover photo is 100% vegan - and totally delicious might I add. You can find my cake recipe in the interior of the issue.

A look inside the issue (my shake recipe ahead too)..

You can also see two of my photos in the Vegan Food Truck/Cart section! My fave NYC vegan cart - the dosa guy..

Want to subscribe to VN? Go for it -> VegNews (I get the tree-free edition, it comes to my inbox, love it.)

RECIPE: Shake it.

Shake-spiration: Really good peanut butter..

Banana PB Shake. I've been making this shake a lot lately. I love it because it is so easy (very few ingredients) and it totally tastes like an ice cream shake. OK, so it's infused with heaping spoonfuls of high-fat peanut butter, but "nut fats" are oh so much healthier than traditional shake saturated fat from dairy. so indulge your shake craving. The secret "frosty" texture ingredient is the frozen extra-ripe banana slices.

Banana Peanut Butter Shake
serves 1-2

1 ½ cups frozen banana slices, very ripe banana (black spotted)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
⅓ cup good peanut butter, room temperature - it should be soft and spoonable - (fresh ground is even better)
¼ cup+ soy creamer (you can also use soy milk, almond milk or another non-dairy milk)
optional: cinnamon
swirl in: 1 tablespoon peanut butter when pouring

tip: if you are having trouble blending the frozen bananas, add in ½ fresh banana to loosen the blend.

To Make:

1. Add you frozen bananas, maple syrup, peanut butter and ¼ cup liquid into a high speed blender - my Vitamix (..free shipping with my link if you are interested in buying a Vitamix!) blended this shake perfectly.
2. Blend on low until the bananas are chopped into smaller bits. Then turn blender to a higher speed - adding extra liquid (as needed or desired) until creamy.
3. Pour into glass and add the extra tablespoon of peanut butter in layers as you pour - swirl effect at top.

That's it! Easy.

shameless Nelly shot..

Easy Cheezy Ballpark Nachos. Melty Cheez. Plant-Based Snack for Everyone!

August 29, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Last week was a Mac/Cheez kind of week for me. And I had quite a few little tubs of leftover vegan cheese sauce. There are a few yummy recipes to use up leftover cheez sauce. But my favorite is to make these Easy Cheezy Ballpark Nachos...

Fun, easy, delicious - this red basket of nachos really looks similar to that creamy, fluorescent orange sauce-coated snack you find when you order nachos at a ballpark or any sporting/stadium event really.

The only difference is that this sauce is healthy and vegan! Instead of processed dairy and preservatives - this sauce is filled with good for you fiber, protein, vitamins. Bold cheezy flavor. You'll find this bean and potato-based sauce is light, silky and creamy - perfect for drizzling and dipping.

Each silky rich spoonful of sauce hugs the round golden corn tortilla chips and oozes over the crevices of fresh chopped Mex veggies. Grab a chip and enjoy!..

silky, creamy, rich, cheezy orange sauce..

The neatest thing about this sauce is that there is actually no "cheese" - not even vegan cheese - in the recipe. The sauce is really a whole food sauce created from a flavorful mixture of beans, potato, nutritional yeast, cider vinegar, spices, olive oil - and more. Very little soy as well. The creaminess and lightness is due to those white cannellini beans and the starchy potato. All that cheezy flavor is from the addictive nutritional yeast.

Nut-based vs Bean/Potato-based. I've tried a few cashew-based cheez sauces. And in comparison, while they have fab flavor, they are much heavier than this sauce.

So ballpark-believable that my husband starting shouting out ballpark ref calls as he happily munched away 🙂 Love the enthusiasm.

Easy Cheezy Ballpark Nachos
vegan, serves 2 (it's fun to share!)

1 cup round tortilla chips - I like the mini sized chips
1 cup leftover vegan cheese sauce (recipe here)
½ avocado, diced (tossed in fresh lime juice)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 cherry tomatoes, diced
½ jalapeno, sliced
1 lime, sliced
fine black pepper

other optional add-ins:
sliced olives
chopped onions
hot sauce

To make your cheez sauce "spicy" - simply add a few dashes of cayenne or teaspoons of hot sauce - stir into the sauce before pouring over chips. The chopped jalapenos will also add a nice heat - especially if you leave the seeds on.

To Make:

1. Re-heat your cheese sauce. I warm mine in the microwave for about a minute.
2. Drizzle warm sauce over top round tortilla chips.
3. Add garnishes. Serve!

Fake-Out Mac 'n Cheese!

August 29, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 74 Comments

Bowls and bowls of vegan Mac 'n Cheese have been tumbling out of my kitchen the past few days. I've been seduced, yet again, by those fluffy golden curls of pasta. I've already posted quite a few vegan Mac/Cheez recipes, but this time I was craving a classic bowl. I wanted to put that "blue box" Mac to shame. So this is my fake-out version of what vegans like me may remember Mac 'n Cheese to look, feel, taste and sound like. Yes, sound like too..

Sounds Like Mac. When I fold my fake-out cheese sauce into the steaming, warm, pillow-y macaroni pasta I hear the sound of Mac 'n Cheese. It's a sloshing, gurgling, wet and bubbly sound as the thick sauce oozes between the tubes of macaroni and coats the silky curves in a delicate way.

I actually hadn't heard that sound in a very long time. Maybe back in early college, still a vegetarian, in a desperation move I whipped up a "blue box" Mac. The strangely silky cheese sauce coated each piece of pasta in a dramatic slithering way. Slapping against the side of the bowl as the electric orange powder transformed magically into "sauce." But the taste of "blue box" Mac never trumped the crazy color of the sauce.

But really, this recipe is s much better than my "blue box" memories. It's really a play on what my mom used to make. Rich, thick, creamy pasta that oozed with each spoonful bite. Comfort Mac. Yup, I can veganize that..

Inspired Again by a Memory. So yet another food memory of mine turned itself into my recipe inspiration. Do we see a pattern here folks?

I guess I'm trying to re-create my childhood (or actually, veganize my childhood) one dish at a time.

Fake-Out Mac 'n Cheese
makes 5-6 cups

3 cups fake-out cheese sauce (see below)
6 cups cooked macaroni pasta
2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
¼ cup nutritional yeast
⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

To prepare: Cook Pasta. Drain. Toss with nutritional yeast and parsley (opt'l tomatoes). Fold in prepared cheese sauce. Serve warm or keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Tossing Process:

Fake-Out Cheese Sauce Recipe Below

Stretch Your Cheese Sauce - 5 uses
here.
Find five more uses for my Fake-out Cheese Sauce (think cheesy nachos and vegan 'special sauce').

Fake-Out Cheese Sauce - updated 11/12
vegan, makes 5 cups

1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 can cannellini beans, drained (about 1 ½ cups)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or add to taste)
¼ teaspoon fine pepper + salt to taste
1 cup mashed sweet potato
⅓ cup vegan butter (Earth Balance) softened
1 tablespoon tahini (optional - adds a tang to the sauce – just as real cheese would)
add a few dashes cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat!

Last step: thin out to desired thickness with PLAIN soy milk, soy creamer or water

To Make:

1. Bake your sweet potato – if using that method.
2. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. I used my Vitamix. Blend on low and increase gradually until mixture becomes smooth.
3. You can do a taste test and adjust spices, sweetness. Lastly, thin out the sauce to your desired thickness using soy milk, soy creamer or water. I added in a splash of soy creamer.
4. If serving with pasta, add directly to hot, just drained pasta and the pasta will heat the sauce. Otherwise, you can simmer the sauce on your stove top until ready to be served or used in a recipe. Simmering the sauce is great if using for a cheesy dip or fondue.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 8/29

August 29, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com! Inspiration for today and the week ahead...

VOTING ENDS WEDNESDAY! Only a few more days to vote in the VegNews Veggie Awards! Healthy. Happy. Life. is up for Favorite Blog. Fill out the quick survey and you'll be entered to win some fab prizes. I'd really appreciate your vote! And to all those who have been voting: thank you!

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 8/29

* Silly Green Pesto Alphabet Pasta
Though I planned this to be a fun way to get kids to eat their green stuff (via fun whole wheat alphabet pasta), I actually fell in love with this quickie recipe. These pesto pasta bites are studded with sun-dried tomatoes and plenty of wilted spinach. And a few scoops of nutritional yeast folded in makes this pasta extra savory-delicious. A must try for any pasta-loving kid at heart.

* Sweet Potato Biscuits
I've posted a few Sweet potato biscuits already, but I love this one for its simplicity and flaky, buttery biscuit bliss. These sweet soft biscuits are perfect for pairing with savory veggie bean soup (as I did last week amidst all the rainstorms). Plus, I love that these biscuits are extra large compared to the normal size I make - and a handful of vegan cheese adds bonus flavor. Easy recipe for almost any dinner feast! Bake a batch and feel like a vegan Martha Stewart.

* 25 Back to School Sandwiches
If you can only dream up one or two vegan sandwiches to make for your kids (or your) lunch box, or if pb&j is being played out way to often - here are some recipes to boost your creativity and inspire healthy, happy, vegan lunches! These are 25 of my fave kid-friendly sandwiches for this busy back to school season. And coming soon: back to school two part series! Later this week.

* 350 calorie Banana Split
Last Thursday was National Banana Split Day and Tastespotting held a nice lil party of their page. Dole Bananas asked folks to come up with "healthier" banana splits that had less than 350 calories. I love a challenge - so I whipped up this tall, dreamy, vegan dessert. All under 350 calories with the help of my "banana booster" secret. From creamy scoop to sweet red cherry, every bite is real sundae bliss.

* 5 Uses for "Cheese" Sauce
You've probably noticed how cheesy I've been this past week! Vegan cheesy of course. Cheezy Kale Chips. Mac/Cheez. Cheezy Nachos. Well if you have extra cheese sauce lying around, here are 5 yummy uses for it.

* Pre-teen Girls Dieting Book?
I heard about this diet book last week and was pretty appalled. So I did a post on it. My soapbox for why girls ages 7-12 need anything and everything (love, good food, praise) - everything EXCEPT a diet book..

* Lemon Veggie pasta Salad for the week!
Busy people listen up! This is my fave go-to recipe to make early on in the week. You'll see how it makes life a lot easier. This one recipe can save you all week long!

* And happy first day of the US Open. I love tennis. So I just may celebrate by making these Lemon Lime Tennis Ball Cupcakes again.

And just for fun, my "drink of the summer" (get it while summer is still here!!)
* Watermelon Frosty..this sip goes with any Meatless dinner feast! 🙂

Previous Babble.com Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Daiya Sandwiches

August 23, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

I climb into my kitchen, turn the oven to 400 degrees and start roasting some veggies for a perfect pairing that I have been craving all week: Tomato Soup with Grilled "Cheese" - fresh leaves of basil stuffed between the fluffy toasted sandwich bread. My homemade tomato soup has a velvety texture infused with flavors of sweet tomato, sweet onion, rustic Italian spice and plenty of silky, buttery olive oil. Each steamy spoonful leaves me feeling cozy as can be. Even cozier than snuggling on say, a pile of sweaters. (I'll explain.)

..And if you've never made tomato soup from scratch, from fresh tomatoes, it's a must try! This recipe will come in handy on the next cold and rainy night that pops up..

The inspiration..

..and even more sheets of veggies to roast..

August weather in DC is a roller coaster. Friday night I found myself stranded under the Whole Foods awning for a half hour, two heavy bags hanging from my shoulders, while an angry thunderstorm washed over the neighborhood for a good while. Gushing water plunging from the Whole Foods rooftop. Mucky puddles at my flip-flop wearing feet. No umbrella. It was sunny and only a bit blustery when I had left. But clear skies can vanish and appear in a matter of minutes this time of year.

Sunday was a classic crazy weather day as well. The cloudy, faded blue sky quickly closed up into a cluster of puffy grey drifting clouds, soon melting into a hazy darkness of doom just waiting to explode. Then suddenly, it's raining. It's pouring.

Thunderstorm. I grew up in Cali where the 'storms' rarely get this bipolar, wild and weird, scary and exciting. The cracking thunder and flashes of lightning usually send my kitty darting into the the hall closet, right on top of the cluster of winter sweaters, all snuggly and warm. I wish I had a cozy cove to climb into. A pile of sweaters would be nice right about now. But instead I climb into my kitchen, turn the oven to 400 degrees and start roasting some veggies.

..Today it was tomatoes, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, onions and garlic. But the tomatoes were my muse. I didn't have a plan for the other veggies, but the tomatoes were for my grilled cheese/tomato soup craving.

Nelly rolling in a temperamental August sunbeam..

Those roasted, caramelized onions blended into the soup act as a natural thickener - plus they compliment the bright acidic tomato flavor nicely. I like to add a few as garnish..

Grilled Cheese Pairing. Here are a few recipes that pair nicely with this soup. I made a basic Daiya Pepperjack Panini.

* Pepperjack Basil Panini
* Fire and Ice Panini
* Black and White Panini
* Classic Vegan Grilled Cheese - 101
* Apple Cheese on Cinna-Raisin Bread

Before Roasting:

After roasting:

Easy Roasted Tomato Soup
makes 6 cups

For roasting veggies:
2 lbs vine tomatoes
1 sweet onion, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt + ¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2-6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Add-in to blending step:
1 tablespoon agave syrup (to taste)
2 tablespoon vegan butter (Earth Balance)
1 teaspoon garlic paste or 4 cloves roasted garlic (roast cloves with the onions)
a few dashes of cayenne
salt/pepper to taste

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add tomatoes to a roasting pan. Remove most stems. You can leave a few on for tomato on stem garnishes as seen in my photos. Also chop and add onions to pan.

3. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, Italian seasoning, fresh thyme sprigs, optional garlic cloves and sea salt to the tomatoes and onions. I like to brush some of the lemon/oil onto the tomatoes to evenly distribute. Add in the fresh thyme. You will remove the thyme stems after roasting. The liquid should form a shallow pool for the veggies to soak in as they roast. You can use more or less olive oil depending on how rich you want your soup - as the excess liquid will be poured into your soup blend.

4. You onions should be caramelized and nicely roasted in about 20 minutes or so. You can remove them and let them rest while the tomatoes roast for another 10-20 minutes - you want them to burst and become slightly shriveled and the edges browned - but not burnt. Remove fresh thyme stems.

5. The last step is to blend the soup. Add the de-stemmed tomatoes, roasted onions and the 2 tablespoon vegan butter to a high speed blender like a Vitamix. Blend on the lowest setting possible for a good 2-3 minutes. Do a few seconds, up to a minute on high speed. Turn off. Do a taste test. You can adjust salt/pepper/oil as you'd like. You can even add in other ingredients like cayenne, fresh basil, other dried spices and more. Note: the high speed setting will not only break up any tomato skin clumps or onion skins, but it will also heat the soup even more. But use with extreme caution as hot liquids can explode in a blender setting.

6. Serve warm - no need to reheat! The soup will be perfectly warm and ready to serve. Or you can place over low heat on the stove (in a soup pot) until ready to be served.

Serve with some warm grilled cheese sandwiches for ultimate coziness. (sandwich recipes above)

Earthquake? Frosty!

August 23, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Strolling outside, just about to swing by Whole Foods, I felt a familiar sensation. Rumbling. Rolling. Then out of the corner of my eye, streams of screaming people came swimming out of a hair salon - wet hair and all. Building cave in? Giant mouse? Bad highlights? Nope...

The rumbling became stronger. Louder. More permanent. Yup, it's an earthquake. I shrugged my shoulders. Watched the DC folks scramble and gush from local office buildings and felt a tad confused. What's all the fuss. That was nothing! I know, I'm another annoying Californian - but this girl has seen much worse quakes. Actually, I think quakes can be fun. Really annoying right? Let me explain..

I guess when I lived through a 7.1 and saw so much tragedy evolve from quakes and the emotional aftermath, I had to deal with them some way. I decided to just never fear them. There's really nothing I can do about preventing them, so just go with the shakiness and take them for what they are. I pray that no one gets hurt, but for anyone out there who is scared right now, just take a deep breath and breathe. You're OK. And that's good. Don't let fear take over you. Or at least try not to let it.

So dear DC, you hit me with a quake, and I say, it's Watermelon Frosty Time! The earth shakes, I sip...

Oh, and go hug your pets. They feel it worse than us! My kitty darted under the bed. Her fur on end. Shaky and scared. I scooped her up, gave her a hug and she was fine. I of course had rushed home to see if she was OK. Pressed past the people standing outside my building and ran up the stairs to see her.

Once I was settled, I needed something to chill out my nerves. Watermelon frosty please. SO glad I had some frozen watermelon in the freezer.

Classic Watermelon Frosty Recipe

or see today's below..

And don't forget tonight's VegNews Twitter Chat!!

VegNews TwitterChat! Join me and a few of my favorite vegan peeps for the next VegNews TwitterChat! The Topic: Blog to Business

When: Tuesday, August 23 @ 6pm PT/9 pm ET

Special Guests: Susan Voisin (@susanffvk), Carolyn Scott-Hamilton (@HealthyVoyager), Laura Beck (@mrpenguino), Kathy Patalsky (@lunchboxbunch), Allyson Kramer (@ManifestVegan), Ayinde Howell (@AYINDE), and Chloé Jo Davis (@GirlieGirlArmy). (LOVE all these vegans!)

And if you follow me and want to MUTE me during this hour-long chat, you can go to Muuter.com

Shaky Quaky Watermelon Frosty

2 cups frozen watermelon cubes
2 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
4 limes, squeezed
4 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon cayenne (shaky kick!)
1 extra large ripe banana

Blend in your vitamix. Serve. Chill. Smile.

Hope everyone is safe and sound in the DC area and beyond!!!!!

Cheezy Spicy Kale Chips!

August 22, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 19 Comments

It's been a whirlwind of Kale Chip test kitchening for me the past few days. It feels like I've been making (and nibbling) kale chips of all sorts nonstop. With a little help from my husband who gobbles up a generous bowl of them in ten seconds flat.

Oven or Dehydrator. Nope, I don't have a food dehydrator, so these are technically not raw kale chips. I'm winging it with my oven on a low 200-250 degrees. But I'm loving the results! So if you crave crunchy, spicy (optional), cheezy snacks - make my Cheezy Spicy Kale Chips this weekend!..

Oh kale chips, you are so cute and fun. Each kale chip is different. They remind me of tropical fish, deep sea coral or strange sea monsters. Do you see it?..

Sauce coated kale about to go in the oven..

Kale Chips. They have become super trendy over the past few years. But when you look at the price of them in stores you may get sticker shock. $8 for a tub of kale chips that I will most likely inhale in one afternoon? Yup. Well, I will admit that a few brands of kale chips are ah-mazing. But I was so thrilled about how these lovely chippies turned out, I will probably just make my own from now on .. with a few impulse grocery store kale chip buys here and there.

Football Challenge for Fall. I think we all know a few football fans. The ones with the bowls and bowls of chips. Side of beer. Challenge the lovable, chip-munching football fan in your life to answer my kale chip call. I'm calling my Cheezy Spicy Vegan Kale Chips the official "snack o' fall." Perfect timing as we head into the season where we all get cozy on our couches for TV shows, sports and snuggling.

And I am pretty confidant that even the burliest of burly football men would devour a bowl of these neon orange chips. Just place a shiny bowl of my kale chips, right in between the Cheetos and cool ranch tortilla chips if you must, and watch how they magically disappear! If I can get a few of the chip-crunchers to swap out potato chips for kale chips, my job here is done 🙂

Side Note: VegNews Cover News. It's official! It's been a super exciting week for me not just because of the kale chip success. Although, that is quite exciting. It's exciting because I found out that my photo is going to be on the cover of the Sep +Oct issue, aka the "food issue" of my fave magazine on the planet: VegNews. You can read all about why I'm so thrilled here. On news stands soon!

And now for the kale chips. A few things I learned when making these..

Kale Chip Lessons:

* Variety - use a variety of kale! Dinosaur kale, purple kale, traditional green kale - it's fun to change up your chips by using different textures and colors of kale.

* Heat - You can add heat to your chips via a jalapeno, cayenne powder, red pepper flakes other varieties of chilies or mix spices. And if the baked chips aren't spicy enough for you (some jalapenos and chilies can vary in spiciness) you can always toss the chips in dry spices after they bake - a few dashes of chili powder or cayenne will heat things up.

* Cheezy - Seriously, I don't think there is such a thing as "too much nutritional yeast" especially on kale chips. I will add it to the sauce - then sprinkle it over top throughout the cooking process and even right before serving sometimes. That cheezy flavor is what makes these chips special.

* Practice Makes Perfect - It may take you a few batches to get your chips up to par. The technique comes in figuring out how to get that light crispy texture and clumpy coated cheeziness, without overclumping. And using an oven requires even more patience since you have to balance between not letting your kale wilt and roast vs not over-baking to a black burnt crisp. If your first batch turns out less than perfect, try again!

This was the first batch I made yesterday. Turned out very well but I knew I could improve on the sauce a bit the second time around.

Then my second batch from today (recipe is below)..

* Thin Layer on Baking Sheet - Be sure to spread your chips evenly across a baking sheet. Kale that is too layered will get clumpy and not light and crispy. Although, I will admit, sometimes clumpy kale chips can be yummy too..

* Bake Low - If you have a food dehydrator, good for you, your chips will be light, RAW and just about perfect. If you are winging it with an oven like me, I found that keeping it on 200 degrees (max 275) will produce delicious caramelized, yet crispy, cheezy kale chips. They won't be exactly the same as dehydrator chips - but still totally addictive and yummy.

* Nutty Mix - For the base mixture I tried accenting with a variety of nuts and seeds in my test kitchen. Raw soaked cashews are most common. But I tried walnuts, sunflower seeds and more. All produced good flavor. However, I do admit the raw cashew-infused chips were my fave (that recipe is below).

* Other Veggies? - In an attempt to be creative, I tried making eggplant cheezy chips alongside my kale. The end result was actually incredibly delicious, but not really "chippy" since the crispness was very hard to achieve. Plus the eggplant took hours to roast on such a low temp. I imagine a skilled dehydrator user - or crafty oven user - could make carrot, eggplant, zucchini and more chips. But really, kale is just perfect for chippage-ing. All those wavy curly leaves that grab onto the thick cheezy coating. Perfection.

* Raw vs. Baked? - My kale chips are not raw. Sadly. To be confirmed 'raw' you would need a food dehydrator which would allow the temperature to below 115 degrees. Raw kale chips will also be brighter green and slightly lighter and more crisp than baked kale chips. However, both versions are delicious as can be.

Do you have any kale chip tips to share? Leave them in the comments!

Cheezy Spicy Kale Chips
vegan, makes about 4-5 cups baked chips
note: this sauce recipe is enough for 2 bunches of kale - but if you only want to make one bunch, you can halve recipe or store sauce in fridge to use later

2 bunches of organic kale, shredded, thick stems removed

1 large bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 whole jalapeno with seeds, remove stem
1 serrano pepper, remove stem
¾ cup nutritional yeast + extra for dusting
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon garlic granules
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 ½ tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
1 cup soaked raw cashews (water drained)
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
a few dashes of pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt (I used pink salt) - always salt carefully and to taste
optional: ¼ cup veg oil (any variety oil will work - olive, grape seed or macadamia nut)

To make:

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Lay a piece of foil on a baking sheet and lightly grease. Set aside.

2. Prep your kale by washing and drying very well. Remove thick stems and shred into pieces. The kale will shrink significantly in the oven so your kale pieces should be a few inches in width at least.

3. Add all the sauce ingredients to a Vitamix or high speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add more salt/seasoning/heat as needed.

4. There are a few ways to coat your kale. I like to place it in a bowl and pour the sauce over top. Then lightly toss and transfer to baking sheet. Don't coat the kale too heavily with sauce - the thinner the sauce, the lighter and crispier your chips will be. I think the perfect chips are super thin and light in some spots and heavily cheezy in others. Find the technique that works for you - this may take a few batches of chips! (They will all be yummy though).

My kale coating bowl. I do it in small batches. You can see how thick, creamy and vibrant redish-orange the sauce is...

5. Place kale baking sheet in oven. Turn heat down to 200. My max heat for chips is 250. Baking time for 250 is about an hour. While 200 take 1-2 hours. Maybe longer depending on how you coated your chips with sauce.

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing. Some chips may be perfect and some may need a few more minutes in the oven. I usually remove the "done" chips then return the still soggy ones to the oven. Or I'll simply eat them war and soggy because they just that tasty.

Happy Kale Chip Making!!

clumpy can be yummy..

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 8/22

August 22, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com! Inspiration for today and the week ahead. And info about the VegNews TwitterChat I will be participating in this Tues Aug 23rd!..

VegNews TwitterChat! Join me and a few of my favorite vegan peeps for the next VegNews TwitterChat! The Topic: Blog to Business

When: Tuesday, August 23 @ 6pm PT/9 pm ET

And if you follow me and want to MUTE me during this hour-long chat, you can go to Muuter.com

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 8/22

* 2-Ingredient Island Shake
Just two easy ingredients separate you from the island oasis sip. Perfect as a morning sip or as an afternoon pick-me-up-and-take-me-away. I had this for breakfast today, delish!! And easy. Thick and creamy like a shake.

* 5 Ways to LOVE Your Green Juice!
Still trying to love green juice? Here are five easy tips that may help you get the green glow - and love it! Recipe too.

* Cheezy Easy Pasta
This easy, nutritional yeast cheezy pasta bowl is totally kid friendly - but adults will love it too! Super easy. Fill a bowl with these warm cheezy rounds of pasta and peas, grab a spoon and comfort food is served. Protein, fiber and flavor too..

* Sunny Mushroom Nuggets (or Veggie Burgers)
*plus vitamin D-infused mushroom powder from Dole
This is my fave recipe of the week! I call them my "sunny" mushroom bites because they are infused with loads of vegan vitamin D thanks to whole food mushrooms - and a new whole food powder I found from Dole Nutrition (buy online - see linked post). If you want to get 150% RDA vitamin D in one teaspoon, you have to check this stuff out. But even without the shroom powder, these nugget bites (or veggie burgers) are packed with protein, flavor and fun. Husband approved too!

* Have you heard? Bill Clinton is Vegan.
Bill Clinton is loving his veggie burgers since he has officially declared himself as a proud vegan! Although he cites health reasons for his vegan path, I'm hoping we will hear more from him in the future about how veganism is not only good for your body, but good for the planet and animals who call it home. This post also contains links to plenty of vegan recipes.

* Picky Eaters and the foods they Love!
I'm really proud of this slide show. It contains quotes from moms, wives and more about vegan foods that they were shocked to learn the picky eaters in their life loved. kids who rave about brussel sprouts, husbands who gobble up tofu and quinoa and even a little girl who will drink just about anything if it came from a Vitamix. My kind of girl! 🙂 This post includes recipe links too!

* Sticky Banana Bread Topping
You probably saw my Banana Bread Quinoa breakfast bowl from last week - well this was the ooey gooey, warm and sweet topping that made my quinoa sing. And my kitchen smell like banana bread heaven.

And just for fun, my "drink of the summer" (get it while summer is still here!!)
* Watermelon Frosty..this sip goes with any Meatless dinner feast! 🙂

Previous Babble.com Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

PS Only a few more days to vote in the VegNews Veggie Awards! Healthy Happy Life is up for Favorite Blog. Fill out the quick survey and you'll be entered to win some fab prizes!

Sticky Banana Bread Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

August 18, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Up early, pulled out of bed by a merrow-ing kitty cat, I decided to enjoy the rising sun and whip up something warm and cozy for breakfast. So I whipped up this steamy bowl of warm quinoa, vanilla soy milk, cinnamon, almond butter and a the secret ingredient: my freshly made Sticky Banana Bread Topping.

Upon creating this concoction, I quickly found that filling the house with banana bread aromas is an easy way to coax my husband out of bed (his groggy face aglow with visions of banana bread). I giggled thinking about those cartoons where they smell something yummy and are zombie-like, walking in a blissful trance towards the swirling steam of something delicious. And, the cozy banana walnut smells even sent my kitty off to her sunbeam to curl up in a quiet ball of fluff.

And the best part about this healthy, delicious vegan breakfast is that the feeling of calm lingers through the entire morning. And what's better than walking out the door to start your day in a fuzz of banana bread aroma bliss…

good morning to yummy smells swirling about..

My Banana Bread Cereal topping is perfect for spooning onto hot cereal like oatmeal, quinoa or cream of wheat or rice. You can even add this stuff to cold cereal, pancakes, toaster waffles, a bowl of soy yogurt or even spread it on a piece of peanut or almond butter slathered toast or bagel.

Warm, sticky banana bread topping:

No Bananas? I received a comment about a banana allergy. No worries! If you can't do bananas, you could easily change the fruit up. Try blueberries, cherries, peaches, apples, mango, apricot and more. It's really that fruit and nut - warm sticky combo that makes this dish special. Actually, warm apples would create an "apple pie" taste. Yum as well!

Sticky Banana Bread Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
makes two bowls + leftover topping

3 cups fluffy quinoa (quinoa cooking instructions here)
*unflavored, cooked in salted water
1 cup vanilla soy milk
warm spices of your choosing (cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne)
almond butter
Bowl of my Sticky Banana Bread Cereal Topping - recipe below

To Make:

1. Spoon your fluffy quinoa into serving bowls. Add however much vanilla soy milk you would like. Add more for a thinner bowl and less for a thick bowl. Heat in microwave on high for about 1-2 minutes just to warm and thicken the creamy quinoa (the same way you would for oatmeal - only the quinoa is fully cooked already).

2. Prepare your Sticky Banana Bread Topping on your stove top. this should take about 6 minutes. Very easy. And this is what makes the entire house smell like warm banana bread. Recipe here.

3. Add an optional dollop of almond butter to your quinoa, some cinnamon, and then a few scoops of the warm topping. Enjoy!

Topping:

Sticky Banana Bread Cereal Topping
vegan, makes about 3 cups

1 ¼ cups raw walnuts, roughly chopped/some left whole
2 bananas, diced into chunky cubes
2-3 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract (opt’l)
1 tablespoon vegan butter (Earth Balance)
optional: dash of cayenne for those who like it with some heat!

To Make:

1. Warm up a nonstick skillet. And prep your fruit and nuts.
2. Add the oil or butter – wait until sizzling hot.
3. Toss your bananas and walnuts with the sweetener, spices and vanilla. Add to hot skillet.
4. Allow to saute for about 5 minutes over med-high heat. Stir a bit so that the nuts don’t burn.
5. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add to cereal or store in the fridge until ready to be used. The mixture will become sticky in the fridge.

The Topping:

Cover of VegNews Magazine Sep+Oct Issue!

August 17, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Imagine you've had an exhausting week. Then imagine all the sudden you are given some amazing news that leaves you floating in the clouds as happy as a bird with a french fry? Well that's what happened to me today when I found out whose cake photo "might" be on the cover of the upcoming VegNews Magazine Sep+Oct Food Issue.

Me! Yes, that Pumpkin Carrot Cake you see at right (cover #2) is my photo and recipe! So yes, it's vegan made, vegan photographed. Hooray and yippee to that!..

UPDATE: It's official! My photo is the cover!

I'll gush. I can't help it. Having one of my photos on the cover of VegNews is one of those "dreams do come true" moments for me.

I remember being sprawled out on my bedroom floor in high school flipping through pages of VegNews and being inspired by this mysterious thing called veganism. I was already well on my way to claiming my full fledged vegetarian status, and so VegNews was really the only place for me to turn in the magazine section (or really any entertainment media) for a little inspiration. I perused veg products, articles, reviews of places I wanted to go someday, books, stories of animal rights and activism and more. To say that VegNews helped inspire me to go vegan is an understatement. So to be on the cover would be a dreamy.

Plus, I am pretty proud of my photo of that Pumpkin Carrot Cake. Don't worry, the recipe will be in that issue of VegNews - Sep+Oct. My recipe will be in an article featuring "five vegan bloggers and their must-make pumpkin recipes."

And I must say how incredibly impressed I have been with VegNews for reaching out to vegan photographers and bloggers these last few months. I noticed one comment in the thread asked if the cake was really vegan. Yes! It's 100% vegan! I know because I made, shot and devoured it 🙂 Bravo VegNews.

If you are excited to see my photo on the cover you can vote for "#2" - my cake pic - on this comment thread -> VegNews Food Issue Details and Cover Photo

Thank you VegNews for making me smile!!!

And don't forget to vote for Healthy Happy Life in VegNews's Veggie Awards. You could win some awesome prizes for yourself like a cruise, Vitamix or treats from Coconut Bliss! Enter/Vote here. Voting ends at the end of August.

The Wynn's Bartolotta! Vegan in Vegas Part 2

August 17, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Bartolotta. At The Wynn in Vegas. Here's part two (part 1 here) of my "Vegan in Vegas" review. No grilled veggie plate here folks..

Thank You Steve Wynn. I sat there aglow in warm candlelight, in my cushy seat at a lush outdoor table at The Wynn's Bartolotta Restaurant. Twinkling lights all around me, a hum of music in the distance, gold and bronze striped cabanas rounding the Koi pool. Turquoise at me feet, dotted with shiny sliver globes and swimming rainbow-colored fish swirling about. Normally, this is where my fists would tighten, my brow furrow and my heart sink as I open the 'fine dining' menu to see nothing but non-vegan offerings. But not this time.

"Hi! I'm vegan." Pause. It's always exciting to see what comes next from the waiter, right?..

Well, I guess when the "big boss" in charge is vegan, the employees better learn to embrace it as well. And they did so graciously, sincerely and with enthusiasm. I was proudly handed my own personal VEGAN Menu. No awkward pause. No fidgeting from the waiter. No "So, can you eat fish?" The word vegan was welcomed with a genuine smile.

I accepted the vegan menu and was dazzled by the contents. I could just picture Steve Wynn lounging in a cabana across the pond, giving my vegan menu request a thumbs up and flashing me a smile. We'd toss back our carefree heads and laugh, take a sip of wine and wink at each other as we simultaneously dove fork-first into our plate of farro risotto, porcini mushrooms and savory kale. It's true! Vegan in Vegas is possible. Thanks to The Wynn, you can experience luxurious, over-the-top "Vegas-style" dining - and it's all.. *choir sings* .. vegan.

..so that was, in essence, what the night (my Anniversary dinner) was like at Bartolotta. As you can see from my cell phone header photos, this post doesn't contain any pics of the food at Bartolotta. And while I'm sad about that, that does say a lot about the meal!...

Fact: You know the food and dining experience is amazing if a food blogger wants to, but somehow doesn't whip out their camera! I just cell snapped the menu and I was off duty.

Really, I just wanted to absorb the moment. The smells, sounds and fabulous company.

About the Menu. I was expecting one vegan option for each course. So I was thrilled when my waiter brought out my very own vegan menu - filled with vegan (left side) and vegetarian (right side) options.

I decided on these four courses:

* Farinata alla Lingure - chickpea cake, arugula, fennel, fried capers

review: I love anything with arugula and fennel - totally fresh and flavorful greens. The chickpea cakes were fried bites of heaven. Moist and tender - flattened like pancakes. The fried capers were a very nice touch - and something new I've never tried - salty yum accent.

* Insalatina di Carciofi, porcini, ruchetta - artichoke salad, porcini mushrooms, arugula

review: porcini mushrooms were earthy and tender, oozing with rustic flavors. Again, very rustic and fresh veggies - marinated with intense flavors. Amazing.

*Farrotto di Funghi e cavojo nero - Farro risotto, imported porcini mushrooms, Tuscan kale

review: a warm shallow bowl of steaming hot mushroom, kale and farro bliss. Total comfort food too. I almost forgot about my skinny black dress, made up face and high heel shoes.

* Dessert - 6 different sorbettos and granita that our waiter insisted we try. I wasn't sure if I could consume dessert, but I actually put a sturdy dent into the dish of frozen delights. Oh, and we also had two soy cappuccinos - our waiter drizzled some hazelnut liquor in it as well.

See more at Bartolotta at The Wynn

Photo Sesh. To add to the fun, right before dinner we had a fun photo session scheduled with Vegas photographer Lesley Brown. We wanted to get some professional photos to commemorate our 5th anniv trip, and really, I was not lugging out my tripod in the middle of the Vegas strip. So we hired Lesley based on a recommendation from a friend. She was awesome! We limo-hopped all around Vegas snapping fun shots in some very random and classic Vegas spots. If you've never been to Circus Circus and love indoor classic carnival games - head over.

I was able to check "skeeball in a little black dress and super tall heels" off my life list of things to do. 🙂

If you ever need a Vegas photographer, Lesley is your girl. Her work is creative, beautiful and inspired. Her Pet Photography website is awesome! links:

Lesley Brown Photography

Lesley Brown Pet Photography - Facebook

And when in Vegas, head over to Steve's place on the strip. He'll take care of you 😉

Garden Veggie Vegan Sloppy Joes + Cole Slaw

August 15, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 11 Comments

Here I am, as carefree as a summer beach bunny, and now it seems that fall is creeping up so quickly. And that means, Back to School is in the air. And that leaves me inspired to give a few ideas for all the busy veggie families out there. So here's one of my fave comfort food back to school dinners: Sloppy Joes and Cole Slaw.

Veggie Joes. My "sloppy joes" are 100% vegan. And packed with healthy garden veggies, spices, tomato flavor and satisfying TVP as the base. Oh, and I call mine Sloppy Nellys based on the sloppiest eater in our household, our kitty Nelly. You can fondly name your Sloppy Joes after the messiest eater in your family. Get my recipes!..

Back to School Vegan Eats. I'm at a stage in my life where "Back to School" doesn't really mean a whole lot to me personally. I don't have kids to shuttle off to class, and my college days are over. But I do get a warm fuzzy (yes, warm and fuzzy) feeling in the fall - from my memories of back to school. To me, there was always something thrilling, exciting and hopeful about starting off a fresh, shiny new school year.

..And as a kid, shopping with my mom and curating my own brown bag school lunch was one of my fave parts about back to school. I'd stuff my bag to the brim with sandwich creations and my favorite must-have school snacks. Garfield Fruit Snacks anyone? Ah, memories.

Video update. Gena and I were so pleased with the feedback from our first duo video post (over 3100 views on YouTube!) that we are teaming up to do another. The theme? Back to School! I hope it can inspire some easy, yummy, vegan (and raw vegan) dishes for the school season.

And FYI, B2S inspiration is really for everyone. "Back 2 School" can also mean "Back 2 Work." Fall is the perfect time for anyone to start new healthy habits.

TVP. I recently did a post on Family Kitchen about TVP. Textured vegetable Protein. I recently rediscovered this ingredient and have totally fallen for it. You can read more about TVP here.

These Vegan Sloppy Joes, aka Sloppy Nellys are pretty fabulous. I couldn't believe the amount of robust flavor in each bite. These Joes are not just for kids! And talk about easy. Simply make a big stove top skillet of this mix and stuff it right into warm burger buns. Add a scoop of my Creamy Vegan Cole Slaw and voila! Perfect B2S dinner..

Perfect pairing...

Garden Veggie Sloppy Joes, aka Sloppy Nellys
vegan, makes 6-8 burgers

vegan burger buns, warmed in oven

Sloppy Filling:
1 ½ cups TVP
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoon maple or agave syrup
14 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes, crushed
14 ounces water
6 ounces tomato paste
¾ cup onion, diced
1 ¼ cups green bell pepper, diced
¾ cup mushrooms, chopped
½ jalapeno, diced (use seeds for spicier flavor)
2 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
1 tablespoon safflower oil (or olive oil)
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional - adds smokiness)
3 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast (optional - adds savory flavor)
salt/pepper to taste (I like a heavy hand of fine pepper)

TVP Substitution: If you are not a TVP fan, you can easily sub with cooked lentils or even fork-mashed chickpeas. Note that you may need to use a bit less water since lentils/beans will be cooked + hydrated.

To Make:

1. Turn oven to low and warm buns while you start on your skillet of mix.

2. Add the vegan butter and oil to a med-high x-large nonstick skillet.

3. Add onions, bell pepper, mushrooms to pan. Saute for about 5 minutes - or until onions turn translucent.

4. Add in the tomato paste, water and TVP. Stir until TVP absorbs liquid and thins paste. Now you can add in the remaining ingredients.

5. Turn heat to medium and saute for about 5 minutes until the ingredients become flavorful and the mixture thickens well. Add nutritional yeast and liquid smoke as desired. Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Fill buns with sloppy mix - I also like to put a slather of vegenaise on the buns - and maybe a few leaves of fresh spinach or romaine for extra green flavor. Serve hot!

yup, it's vegan-licious!..

super stuffed:

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 8/15

August 15, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com! Inspiration for today and the week ahead..

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 8/15

* Vegan Jello! with Agar Agar
Learn how to use agar agar to make your fave classic "jello" recipe like a vegan jello mold or custard pie - or vegan jello shot fruit slices!

* TVP for Sloppy Joes
I'm super proud of my super-stuffed Garden Veggie Sloppy Nellys - recipe posted last night. But if you need a bit more info on TVP - check out this post!

* 20 Dairy-Free (vegan) Slaw Recipes - slideshow
I've fallen for slaw the past few months - and there's no problem achieving super creamy slaw salads - without the dairy - and a few of my recipes are even 100% vegan mayo free (and still creamy). Peruse this crunchy slideshow and make a slaw salad tonight!

* Lime Basil Soft-Serve Sorbet
This is my technique for making soft-serve sorbet in a matter of minutes. No machine or overnight freezing needed! Lime Basil base is light and refreshing.

* "Straight A" Smoothie
Peaches, oranges, banana and more. This peachy fresh smoothie will start you and your family off on the right foot on a busy morning. Packed with antioxidants like A and C. Plus potassium and fiber.

* Cozy Apricot Crumble Pie
Try a new flavor of pie this summer: cozy apricot. Sticky sweet and gooey apricots bake up with a sweet tart flavor. Eat this pie with a spoon! In a cozy bowl. Walnut spice crumble on top.

* Lemon Sunflower Pesto Pasta
Pine nuts can be expensive! So I've become crafty by making my pesto sauce with alternatives like walnuts - and now these rustic sunflower seeds. Love this one pot wonder dinner recipe.

And just for fun, my "drink of the summer" (get it while summer is still here!!)
* Watermelon Frosty..this sip goes with any Meatless dinner feast! 🙂

Previous Babble.com Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

Peanut Butter Cookies. For Mikey and Jennie.

August 12, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

If you've browsed a few food blogs today, you may have noticed peanut butter pie desserts popping up all over the place - there is a poignant reason why. The inspiration for this virtual dessert smorgasbord is a celebration of life, love and the reminder to love now. All inspired by food blogger, Jennie Perillo's story of love. And sudden loss.

So today I'm participating in what is quickly becoming known as "Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey" Friday. I made cookies instead of pie. Get my recipe and thoughts on Jennie's story...

Jennie Perillo is a food blogger. She lives in Brooklyn. I have great respect for the down to earth and creative stories and recipes she shares on her blog In Jennie's Kitchen, so when I heard the fast-spreading news of what happened to her family, I was left speechless. (Gluten Free Girl writes a moving piece on her friend Jennie and what happened.)

Jennie's husband, and loving father to their two girls, died suddenly of a heart attack earlier this week.

Though I have not met Jennie personally, many of my food blogger friends have raved to me about her kindness and fabulousness. And being a food blogger myself, I can't help but feel a bit shaken by her story. Sad things happen every day. Everywhere. It's easy to read statistics about heart attacks and cancer and such and feel numb. Numbness may keep you safe from pain, but it also keeps you safe from feeling. And aching, and healing, and breathing and living. Sometimes, it's alright to lose yourself in someone else's story of loss. To feel their pain.

And learn from it.

Jennie's story has reminded me to value the love in my life and be grateful for the joy all around me. Jennie's story can remind all of us to feel gratitude for the people in our lives - while we have them in front of us.

From reading Jennie's moving blog post you can see that she desperately wants to inspire us. To love. Love while you live. Love now. Love hard. Love before anything. Jennie writes,

"Time has suddenly stood still, though, and I'm waiting to wake up and learn to live a new kind of normal. For those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."

Hug and Bake. I'm doing that today. For Jennie. And for me.

I joined in by baking up some vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Although, I do have a vegan pb pie recipe here...

You can find Jennie's Peanut Butter Pie recipe (veganizable) on her website. My peanut butter cookie recipe is below..

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (for someone you love)
vegan, makes a dozen cookies

dry:
1 cup white flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

wet:
¼ cup water
⅓ cup soy milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
¼ cup grade b maple syrup
½ cup vegan butter, melted
¾ cup salted creamy peanut butter, room temperature

fold-in:
½ cup vegan chocolate chips
2 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer + 2 tablespoon water to activate*
*optional - for fluffier cookies use Ener-G - for chewier cookies, leave out. I actually didn't use the Ener-G for the cookies in the photos. You can still add in the 2 tablespoon water to sub the liquid part.

sugar for rolling cookies

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together dry ingredients. Fold in the wet ingredients. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips and the optional egg replacer. Note: you can omit the egg replacer if needed - sub with another splash of soy milk if needed. Adjust with a few pinches more sugar/flour if the dough is too sticky to hand roll into balls. Otherwise, you can chill dough in fridge or freezer for easier handling. Roll dough in sugar and pat with fork for pb cookie design.
3. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.