My Lunch

It figures the day after Vegan MoFo is over, I get it together to start posting again. Oh well. Sigh.

I have been trying to be better about using the contents of my fridge and pantry when I am hungry. I'm not so great at it- I usually get inspired to make something I don't have ingredients for, and run out and get them. Not super cost effective, and as the weather gets colder I'm not as motivated to bundle up and walk to the store. Anyhoo, today I threw together a nice sandwich for lunch, if I do say so myself. It consisted of:

• Toasted whole wheat sprouted bread
• Fresh baby spinach
• Thin slices of pressed tofu sauteed in olive oil and drizzled with vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 4 sliced kalamata olives
• Vegan aioli (a tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise mixed with half a clove of pressed garlic)

I'm not sure what I would call this sandwich, other than Yummers. The olives are a must, they give it just enough of a kick to make all of the flavors come together. With some red grapes, it was the perfect lazy Sunday lunch.

Vegan MoFo: Pasta with Chickpeas and Roasted Broccoli

As per my mother's request, here is a peek at what I had for dinner tonight. I was really not in the mood to cook, and this was pretty easy to throw together.

I sauteed an onion, garlic and basil in some olive oil, the added a can of chickpeas. I boiled some pasta, roasted some broccoli in the oven, and threw the whole thing together and topped it with some fresh lemon juice. The only thing that would have made it better is whole wheat pasta, but this was a pretty easy meal with some quick protein I plan on making again.

Vegan MoFo: Perfect Pancakes

Cookbook: Vegan Brunch

Author: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Result: I messed with this recipe quite a bit, and by the time I was done I realized I had essentially made the pancake recipe from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch. Ah well.

I replaced the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour, replaced the maple syrup with agave nectar, and threw in some frozen blueberries and ground flax seeds for good measure. Why not.

They turned out pretty well, which is a small victory, considering I actually suck at making pancakes. For some reason they usually turn out gummy when I make them, and fall apart. Only the first two pancakes disintegrated today, and the texture was fine, so I will be using this recipe again for sure.

Vegan Mofo: Candle Cafe Pumpkin Pudding

Cookbook: The Candle Cafe Cookbook: More Than 150 Enlightened Recipes from New York's Renowned Vegan Restaurant
Author(s): Bart Potenza & Barbara Scott-Goodman

Result: I got this book for my birthday from my buddies at work, and there are so many fantastic recipes I had no idea where to start. The last night my Mom was here and we were cooking dinner, I decided to throw this together because I had most of the ingredients on hand, and if you have been reading this blog you know I can't resist anything involving pumpkins.


I replaced cornstarch for the arrowroot or powder or kuzu powder the recipe called for, so I am not sure if the taste was affected or not. All in all it was a fine desert, especially when topped with a little vanilla-coconut ice cream. It could have been a tad sweeter, so with a little more maple syrup added and maybe some straight up vanilla soy ice cream (minus the coconut which didn't pair so well) dusted with cinnamon I could see this being a lovely vegan holiday desert.

Vegan Mofo Day ?: Two Soups

I am done with saying which MoFo day it is, I have clearly not been true to the whole MoFo project.

We are still enjoying the benefits of having my Mom here this past week- especially the two soups that she left in the freezer! The first was The Barefoot Contessa's recipe for Lentil Vegetable Soup, and the second was Robin's famous Yukon Gold Potato Soup.

Both are naturally vegan, although we added fake-chicken bullion cubes to both to try them out. I'm so glad soup season is officially here!

Vegan MoFo Day 12: Breakfast for Ma- Banana French Toast

I know, I am cheating with the days... Whooops.

This is not a cookbook entry, but it is a recipe I have made before and posted on the blog. Here. Today I caramelized some bananas to top this French toast, which I made with a vegan "water" challah I smuggled from work... It was a great way to start a busy day.

(Robin's verdict: The breakfast was awesome!)

Vegan MoFo Day 11: Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux

I am waaaaaay behind on the MoFo-ing, so I am posting a bunch of stuff in one day- hopefully it will make up for my absence. I have a good excuse, though, my Mom is in town!!!!

Cookbook: Vegan Soul Kitchen
Author: Bryant Terry

Result: I have made this recipe before and talked about it here. It's a lovely and tasty way to prepare oh-so-good for you collard greens quickly but with a lot of flavor. Tofu cubes tossed in vegan Worcestershire sauce and sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, and onions were put in the oven to roast to complete this yummy fall meal.