Nog Off: Earth Balance vs. So Delicious

EDIT: I just discovered the "chunks" were mold!  I'm dyiiing.  Omigod, I've never been so disgusted in my life.  Not sure why the other "chunks" didn't have mold in them.  Bah!  Gonna contact Earth Balance and the store I got it from.  Gross.

Awww yeah, boyee!  Early Christmas™ has crept its way into the calendar even earlier this year.  I swear, I saw Christmas lights before Halloween was even here.  About the only thing I love about Early Christmas™ is that I get to get drunk off nog for about 5 months straight.  Hallelujah, holla back!

2 will enter.  I will win!

The whole nog off idea kinda started as a joke when Jordan and Mike (of PPK fame) were talking about So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog.  While doing my Thanksvegan shopping, I also stumbled upon Earth Balance Soy Nog.  Now, you know it was on!

earth balance soy nog

First up was the Earth Balance nog.  What I basically did was taste it straight up...then drowned in alcohol.  The nog was creamy and on the medium side of thick.  The consistency was great for drinking straight up, but watered down easily when made alcoholic and served on the rocks.  There was a nice amount of spice, and I'm pretty sure I like this better than Silk Nog (or at least as much).  However, there was one large problem.  There were chunks in it, as in something went horribly wrong with the thickening.  I'm hoping it was just an anomaly because those chunks ruined an otherwise lovely drink.

so delicious coconut nog

The So Delicious nog was super creamy and ultra thick.  Not quite as thick as dairy nog, but the closest vegan version I've tasted.  I'm a fan of thinner nogs for drinking straight up, but this is perfect as a mixer.  Plus, the first thing I noticed were the huge flakes of nutmeg.  This does have a coconut essence, but it works super well with the overall nog.

Nog Off Results

Creaminess: So Delicious

Thickness: So Delicious

Spice: So Delicious

Price: So Delicious was $3.19, and Earth Balance was $3.89

Spiced Caucasian Pwnage: So Delicious

Overall Nog Factor: Tie

Clearly, So Delicious is the winner!  The Earth Balance nog is fantastic, but the chunks are worrisome and it just got slaughtered in a side-by-side tasting.  I'd still buy both, though, depending on my mood.

Now, I'll leave you with my favorite holiday dranky drank.  Enjoy, dudes!

Spiced Caucasian
ice
lowball glass
1 oz coffee liqueur (Kahlua, etc.)
1 oz espresso vodka (Seagram's, Smirnoff, etc.)
vegan nog
nutmeg, optional

Fill the glass with ice. Top with liqueur and vodka. Fill will nog. Stir. Top with nutmeg, if so desired. For a truly caffeinated version, try Mocha Kahlua!

Cookbook Challenge 2: Week 6 Caribbean Vegan

I realize I'm doing this out of order but I am super excited about everything I cooked this week!  It was the 6th week and we could cook out of VCTOTW or use it as a freebie.  Well, right before I went home for the holidays, I received a review copy of Caribbean Vegan.  So, I decided to cook from it.  The book had been on my wishlist for awhile so I jumped at a chance to do a review.  I've been steadily making my way through the book and made a lot of recipes this week so I could give a very fair opinion.

Saint Lucian Bake, grapefruit, Everyday Vegan Ham, scramble

There are over 100 authentic recipes, with tons of tips throughout.  I was pretty surprised by everything I learned by reading through this book.  First of all, I never knew the Caribbean had such a strong Indian influence.  This book has a ton of delicious curries, stews, and rotis.  I immediately gravitated towards those because I have a major love for Indian cuisine.

Herbed Sada Roti and Eggplant Choka

The book is divided into 9 chapters: condiments and sauces, breakfast dishes, appetizers, soups and stews, entrees, side dishes, Caribbean tea party, desserts, and drinks and cocktails.  The easiest way for me to cook through this book was to head straight for the condiment section.  There are plenty of recipes that require condiments or sauces from this section.  My suggestion is to start with the: Bajan Seasoning, Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, and Bajan Pepper Sauce.  These are the three that seem to be used most often.  I totally fell in love with the pepper sauce.  It's this vibrant yellow color with a kick of mustard and spice.  So good!

Dal Puri Roti w/ Sauteed Spinach

Dal Puri Roti w/ Curried TVP Stew

This book really opened me up to a new kind of cuisine and different methods of cooking I never knew about.  Also, this is pretty cheap cooking.  A majority of the ingredients are found in the produce section for less than a dollar.  There are a few specialty items that may require a Caribbean or Latin market: banana leaves, ackee, breadfruit, and yams.  These aren't in too many of the recipes, though.

Chickpea Curry and Spinach Rice

There were plenty of dishes that I fell in love with.  First and foremost, every baked good I tried was absolutely divine.  My favorites were the banana bread, herbed sada roti, and dal puri roti.  I also gained a new respect for chickpeas.  The way that Taymer handles them in this book has resulted in some of the tenderest and most flavorful chickpeas I've ever had in my life.  I feel like that's a bold statement for a vegan to make, but I stand by it.  I also fell in love with the doubles (especially the chickpea stew), the chickpea curry, Creole sauce, ham, and eggplant choka.

Coconut Flan

THOUGHTS
1. Bajan Seasoning: Super easy to make and adds so much flavor to the dishes.  It makes a lot and lasts up to a year in the fridge.  Love this stuff!
2. Bajan Pepper Sauce: Bright yellow and seriously flavorful.  This is spicy and great.  Another recipe that is used a lot in the book to flavor dishes.
3. Green Mango Chutney: Unlike the mango chutney I'm used to, this is not sweet.  It's salty and garlicky, a pleasant surprise!
4. Creole Sauce: I'd like to bathe in this...or at least drink it from a cup.  It's this wonderful tomato based sauce filled with slivered onions.  So good over the tofish and cou-cou.
5. Saint Lucian Bakes: This was my first time ever seeing a recipe that used baking powder call for a dough rise.  It really makes a fluffy, chewy, crusty combo that just cannot be beat.
6. Herbed Sada Roti: These take about 3 hours to make, but they are so damn worth it.  The edges get pillowy and delicious.
7. Eggplant Choka: Simple, spicy, and undeniably delicious.  This is a classic breakfast dish in the Caribbean and I can see why!
8. Curried TVP Stew: This is rich and has so much depth of flavor!  It calls for Marmite or Vegemite, which adds a nice beefy undertone.
9. Chickpea Curry: I fell in love with this!  The eyes-roll-back-in-your-head kinda love.  So flavorful and delicious.  Very simple to make as well.
10. Everyday Vegan Ham: This ham really reminded me of the stuff I used to eat at Christmas.  Spiced beautifully with a great smoky flavor.
11. Trinidadian Doubles: Streamline this process by making the chutney and filling while the bara rises.  This is really an epic meal.  Perfect for a Sunday afternoon so you can take doubles for lunch all week.  Drool.
12. Cou-Cou and Tofish: Amazing!  Anything with okra is automatically awesome in my book.  I really like the tofish marinade.  Just delicious!
13. Spinach Rice: A super simple side, but really satisfying.
14. Dal Puri Roti: Just wrap me up in this stuff.  Flaky roti filled with dal.  Nuff said.
15. Sauteed Spinach: The dish seems really simple, but it is mighty flavorful.  Spicy and delicious!
16. Banana Bread: Dense, moist, delicious.  Not too sweet.  The first banana bread I didn't feel the need to smear with Earth Balance.  Fantastic straight out of the fridge!
17. Coconut Flan: This is creamy and delicious.  Really easy to make.  Not overly sweet.  The pineapple and cherry addition makes it super purty.

So, hopefully, I've done this book justice.  I absolutely adore it!  I love getting excited about new cookbooks and this one has so many things to "Squeeee" about!

First Full Day in SA and The Monterrey

Era and I made great time during our drive to Texas.  We left California on Thursday night at 8 PM (two hours behind schedule).  The dogs were whining like crazy for the first couple of hours.  I drove us all the way to Deming, NM and we were only an hour behind schedule.

By the time we left for Texas on Friday morning, we were right on schedule.  Friday night I spent inside watching Psych with my sister.  Correction: I fell asleep about 15 minutes in because I was exhausted.

Saturday was our first full day in San Antonio, and it was packed with things to do.  We woke up and went to the Farmers Market at the Pearl Brewery.  So much fun!  After we bought some things, we walked around the extended Riverwalk.  It's awesome on that side (no tourists).  It was a crisp morning so we stuck around to eat some food from a local cart.

Era resting on a bench, a gorgeous view of the Riverwalk, the entrance to The Grotto, and fish suspended over the Riverwalk

After our trip to the market, we visited my in-laws.  It was great to see them!  I love them so very much.  Mrs. C. was making us food and tortillas before we even sat down.  We talked for a bit and saw Era's sister, niece, and nephew.

Then, we headed to The Monterrey.  Our friend, Albert, is head chef over there.  When everything was still in the planning stages he was telling me how varied the menu is and that there was a good mix of vegan food.  The Monterrey is basically San Antonio's answer to a gastropub.  It's a truly gorgeous setup.  There's a back patio with tons of tables and a real comfortable vibe.  Just ignore the online menu because it changes all the time.  There is guaranteed to be something substantial and vegan/veganizable on the menu, though.

This was our first trip, and Albert treated us right.  First, he sent out the Housemade Pickles and French Fries.  When ordering the pickles, be sure to mention you are vegan and do not want the kimchi.  The fries come with anchovy mayo.  Simply ask for ketchup, but you totally won't need it!  They are coated in this DELICIOUS seasoning.  Some of the best fries I've ever had.

pickled radish, daikon, carrots, and shiitake and maitake mushrooms

seasoned to perfection and perfectly crispy outside with a tender inside

Next, he sent out the Smoked Root Vegetables and Celery Jam.  Seriously.  This was insanely good.  I was scared because I am always finicky around smoked veggies.  However, this was amazing!  It was smoked striped beets, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, and turnips.  So damn delicious!  I must make smoked striped beets sometime soon!  Gah.  The celery jam paired beautifully with this.  The pictures from this point on do not do the food justice. Trust me.  It was magic!

smoked root vegetables with celery jam

The final dish that he sent out, as we grabbed our bellies in full and happy delight, was Brussels Sprouts with Sweet Chili Sauce and Peanuts.  Whoa.  Best sprouts of all times!!!!  So tasty!  The peanuts were finely chopped and created this peanut sauce taste.  The Brussels sprouts were flash fried so they had a crispy outside and were the perfect vehicle for the sauce.  I wanted to live in this magical sprout land!  We started digging in before I realized we needed pics.

delightful!  splendid!  magical!  awesome!

We enjoyed our meal with a limited edition Dogfish Head Squall.  Tasty as hell!  This place is perfect.  Great atmosphere, fantastic food, and a wide range of beer and wine.  Plus, there's a wide range of pricing.  We're planning on heading back there with family and friends before we go back to California.

After the Monterrey, we went to Limelight because Era had a gig there.  My sister, brother-in-law, and brother showed up.  We danced the night away and got to burn off some food calories.  Haha.  It was a truly exciting and exhausting first full day home!

Appetite for Reduction Lurve

I'm still reeling from MoFo.  I've spent the last 10 days chilling out, baking, and getting ready for our Texas trip.  I felt compelled to post today because I opened up Appetite for Reduction, and had the Caesar Salad with Eggplant Bacon.  Basically, I'd like to have Isa's babies.  That ish is AMAZING!  It's so good.  Plus, 1 serving is only 100 calories.  I had 2 because the salad was that good!

don't trust the simplicity, this thing is loaded with flavor

And some other stuff from when I tested.  I didn't take nearly enough pictures, though.  I think this curry was my first tester.  It was so damn good.  And I love love love the jerk asparagus!

Caribbean curried black-eyed peas w/ plantains and jerk asparagus

The Goddess Niçoise was probably my favorite tester.  It was so colorful and seriously delicious.  This is what I love about Appetite for Reduction...the salads are so frickin' delicious and filling.

just a gorgeous plate of awesome

This is the Pineapple Collards with what I'm pretty sure is the Red Lentil and Root Veggie Dal.  It was delish.

pineapple collards and dal

I've already mapped out our New Year's meal and it will be this plate of awesome.  Prolly even some cornbread.  Mmm.

hottie black-eyed peas & greens and ginger mashed sweet potatoes & apples

I also loved the Surefire Seitan so very much.  Ooh!  And the Tempeh Helper...and the Basic Baked Tofu!  I can't wait to make more from this book because I only tested around 15 recipes or so.  Bad tester!

This blog is probably going to be pretty quiet until January, but I just bought some books (Vegan Soul Kitchen and Yellow Rose Recipes) and received a copy of Caribbean Vegan.  I'll be cooking up a storm and giving reviews and all that.

Ooh, and I'm hoping to film and put up an ultra nerdy Festivus episode while in San Antonio.  I hope everybody is enjoying December!  I'm still catching up on blogs, and it feels like I'll never be done.

Happy Friday!

VeganMoFo IV: Vegetarian Plus Whole Vegan Turkey Review

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!  I'm drinking cider laced with Jameson and watching Buffy right now.  I thought I'd share my experiences with the Vegetarian Plus Whole Vegan Turkey.  That way, it's here for anybody else looking for reviews.

The entire thing comes with one turkey shaped roast, stuffing, and gravy.  It's a huge box and the price is around $40 (but it is 4 times the size of a Tofurky).

photo from Vegetarian Plus website

Roast: It's just cooked in foil and no basting necessary.  It was pretty moist coming out of the oven.  It's also ginormous.  4 lbs.  I was incredibly weirded out stuffing it, though.  It split on one side and I said to Era, "Hold this so I can stuff the cavity."  I never want to say that again.  Ever.

Stuffing: I had to add sage, salt, and pepper.  It was okay before it went into the oven, but sorta gummy after being baked.  Plus, there was way too much to fill the roast.

Gravy: When it thawed, it was weird.  The starch completely separated from the broth.  When I cooked it, it had the consistency of pudding.  Pudding!  I don't know what starch they use, but I didn't like how fast and fiercely it thickened.  The flavor was pretty okay.  Nice and peppery.

Pros
4 lbs
moist out of oven
no basting
comes unstuffed so you can put what you want in it
texture looks freakily turkey-like

Cons
gummy stuffing
gravy pudding
comes unstuffed so you have to stick your hand in a cavity...brr
though the texture looks great, it's not Gardein chick'n scallopini great

Basically, if you are crazy enough to spend 40 bucks on a Thanksgiving main just buy 4 Tofurkys.  I think I just want to make my roast from now on.

I'll update with the full meal tomorrow.  Hope everybody is enjoying their day.

I Had a Flame, But She Had a Fire

Cool points to those of you who get my title reference without using Senor Google!  Anyway.  Hello all!  I'm really trying to get back into the blogging spirit with summer just around the corner.  Remember when I told you that we left our bbq grill in Texas?  Well, we finally got one after a year and a half in the desert.  We've been grilling up a storm lately so there are plenty pics to come.

Quick Red Posole w/ Beans (pg. 136) garnished with Pickled Red Onions (pg. 43)

But first...I'm sure you've heard of a little cookbook by the name of Viva Vegan!  Trust me when I say that you need this in your life!  SO good.  I was fortunate enough to test for Terry, and the entire process really changed the way I viewed Latin cuisine.  I'm from South Texas, so I really thought I knew a lot about cooking some food...but this book really has a bunch of different cultures in it.  I felt like I was taking a trip to North, Central, or South America just reading a description of the food.

Yellow Rice w/ Garlic (pg. 96)

My favorite thing about testing was how inexpensive the ingredients were.  If you live in a Mexican-American neighborhood or have access to a Mexican grocer, a lot of this stuff will cost you less than a couple of bucks.  The most I paid for any single ingredient was probably 5 bucks...and the aji paste is still in my fridge.

Pupusas Stuffed w/ Black Beans and Plantains (pg. 162), Simple Latin Tomato Sauce (pg. 46), Swiss Chard w/ Raisins and Capers (pg. 123)

For people with special dietary needs, there are a lot of gluten free and soy free options.  I would also say that a huge majority of the food is based on whole foods.  I think almost every recipe that calls for prepackaged vegan cheese lists it as optional.  Plus, there is a huge condiment section that can really spice up your taco night!

Cashew Crema (pg. 51)

The dessert section is pretty epic for me.  As a San Antonian, I have dreamt about things like vegan churros and tres leches for years.  I can tell you that both of those recipes are worth the price of the book alone.  I'm pretty sure the day I first made the churros, that was all I consumed all day!  Haha.  There's also a drink section with some really badass alcoholic and non-alcoholic recipes.  Plus a shopping list and a bunch of menus! 

Coconut Tres Leches Cake (pg. 230)

I think the best possible thing I could say about Viva Vegan is that it completely makes me never want to go to a restaurant again.  Why go pay 10 bucks for a plate of food when I can make an entire meal for four?  Plus...super moist and delectable vegan tres leches!

I tested about 40 recipes, so I'll leave you with my personal favorites:

Annatto-Infused Oil (pg. 31) will change your life...and probably stain your chucks.

Chorizo Seitan Sausages (pg. 36) are amazing if you use half ancho and have chipotle for the chili powder.

So Good, So Green Dipping Sauce (pg. 43)

Cubano Vegano Sandwich (pg. 66)

Home-Style Refried Beans (pg. 86)

Yellow Rice w/ Garlic (pg. 96)

Latin Shredded Seitan (pg. 106)

Yuca w/ Cuban Garlic-Lime-Mojo Sauce (pg. 127)

Arroz Con Seitan (pg. 145)

Arepas (pg. 177)

Churros (pg. 223)

Coconut Tres Leches Cake (pg. 230)

Well, I have some marinating to do.  I'll be talking about Mexican hot dogs in my next entry because I was just introduced to them.  Weight loss is still going.  I didn't gain or lose any last month (because I just stopped working out), but this month I've lost a couple of pounds so far.  I'm hoping to push through by the end of the month and meet my next goal soon.  Happy Sunday all!

Who Likes to Rock the Party?

So, how's it goin?  It's been a while.  I've been holding off on blogging because I don't have any complete thoughts right now.  I do have a bunch of small thoughts, which I will gladly share with you in listy format...sorta.

Last weekend we had some people over and I have something else to add to the vegan tested, omni approved category: that raw cashew cheese au poivre I've talked about fanatically (again, I used water instead of rejuvelac)!  It was the talk of the night.  They barely even touched the dairy cheese, but demolished the vegan stuff.  I don't think I'm gonna purchase dairy cheese for parties anymore.  Even though Era's a pescatarian, he rarely eats cheese and a party is completely possible without it.  The past several parties have proven that omnis seem to like my vegan cheese ballz and spreads better anyway.  Hee hee.

Last night we went to a party/fundraiser for the school Era teaches at.  Two cool party ideas I picked up: place food in multiple parts of the house and decorate with wine bottles.  I usually just throw some chips in the living room and keep the rest of the stuff in the kitchen, but they did a good job of putting a bit of everything in all the conversational hot zones.  It was very welcoming.  And because they were having a wine and beer type atmosphere, wine bottles were placed on shelves and tables throughout the house because they didn't have a bar.  If you wanted to open a new bottle, you just brought it to the kitchen and opened it.  Love that idea!

I recently bought a Pro Bar on a whim while at the grocery store.  It's a meal replacement bar.  I managed to devour the cherry pretzel one.  SO effing good.  My latest mission is to see if I could somehow recreate it at home.  I just can't justify three bucks for a bar that I could make at home.  But this was good...a bunch of seeds and nuts, dried cherries, chocolate chunks, pretzels, peanut butter, etc.  Mmm.

In completely asstastic news, I shopped while hungry (I know) and finally picked up these herb dijon breasts by Gardein.  I'd been eyeing them for awhile.  Unfortunately, they were so freaking horrible that I don't know if I could buy anything from them again.  The texture was great.  The flavor was vile!  It tasted nothing like mustard...just saucy and bitter.  Blech.  Era tried the bbq one and said it was horrible too.  Boo to that.

That's all for now.  I have a ton of new cookbooks that I haven't talked about yet.  I just bought 500 Vegan Recipes and Authentic Chinese Cuisine for the Contemporary Kitchen.  So excited about these!  My tester copy of VCIYCJ came in a few weeks ago so I'll talk about that sometime this week.  Also this week, I'm gonna be talking about holiday plans and party stuff.  Cuz I like to rock the party!  One more week until winter break.  Hell yes.

Vegan MoFo III: A Gathering of Sorts

Today was horrible and that's putting it lightly.  It started with a phone call that completely made me sad/angry and continued to get progressively worse.  This was a day that I should have just stayed in bed and shut my phone off.  I did have a good three hours of positivity, though.  My husband and I decided to scrap the idea of inviting our friend over because of today's craptasticness.

Instead we had a lovely cheese and wine filled evening in our backyard.  When I was running through ideas for MoFo this year, one of you suggested that I do a vegan cheese tasting.  I don't remember who, but THANK YOU.  This was super fun and put me in a brighter mood until it was once again deflated.  But I'm living in the good right now!

I have a special fondness for wine and cheese.  Not because I'm particularly familiar with either.  My favorite wine is pinot grigio, I think...?  I hate dry wines and am not a huge fan of reds.  Sweet dessert wines are the devil and my favorite pregan cheese was pesto jack.  But the first Festivus my husband and I had was born out of a small social gathering that was meant to be a wine and cheese type thing.  The only problem was that my husband had invited a gazillion people and forgot to tell them it was a small thing and the huge party we planned was going to be the following week.  So here's to traditions being born and my San Anto fam!

There were 7 (!) types of cheeses.  4 were homemade and three were Sheese.  I gotta tell ya: the homemade won!  In the above picture, the tray at the bottom left contains a raw Cashew Cheese Au Poivre.  I never use rejuvelac because that takes too much work.  It's still cheesy, peppery greatness!  On that little tray, I also have fresh bread.  (Sidenote: that tray is a pea pod and I got it for a quarter at the thrift store.  HOLLER!).

This tray has a lot going on.  Starting from the top and moving clockwise: Port Wine Uncheese from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, garlic and herb multi-grain crackers, Bleu Sheese, multi-grain crisp bread, Smoked Cheddar Sheese, more crackers, Sharp Cheddar Sheese, and more crisp bread.  The middle is a raw cashew Herb Cheeze.  I always salt this to taste because it doesn't call for much at all.

In the middle of this tray is the White Bean Boursin from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook.  Also included: Spice-Roasted Almonds, red grapes, olives, dark chocolate and dark chocolate w/ crystallized ginger, pickled okra, and figs.  I bought the chocolate from Fresh and Easy.  They have this GIANT 1 lb, 1.64 oz chocolate bar.  I had to get it.  The ginger was calling my name too.  Ginger is my favorite!  The pickled okra is just because.  I don't think it goes well with wine, but the brand was Taste O' Texas or something hilarious like that so I bought it.  They were a little spicy.  And soooo good.

Basically, Era and I just sat outside drinking and talking for hours.  It was fun and something we don't do nearly as much as we should.  I highly recommend doing a cheese tasting.  It's so much fun to make your own and a hell of a lot cheaper.  So I'll get to the good stuff.  Here's my countdown to the number one cheese I had tonight.

7. Port Wine Uncheese-Blech.  This was so disgusting.  Granted, I hate red wine.  However, I usually don't mind if red wine is in something.  However, all the flavor combos made for a slightly sweetish red wine beany spread.  Roll that around in your mind.

6. Bleu Sheese-No.  I don't like it because it kinda reminds me of what I imagine plastic would taste like.

5. Sharp Cheddar Sheese-Not bad.  Not the greatest thing though.  I'm going to try it melted.  Wait.  Does Sheese melt?

4. Herb Cheeze-This is really good.  Super smooth and creamy.  Really good on the crisp bread.

3. Smoked Cheddar Sheese-I honestly had trouble telling the difference between this and the sharp cheddar.  I've had this one before and remember it being much smokier than it was.  Still good.  Love it on crackers or by itself.

2. Cashew Cheeze Au Poivre-This stuff is seriously amazing.  It is so cheezy AND raw.  I love it.  Plus the pepper adds a really good punch.

1. White Bean Boursin-Absolutely no contest.  It's the umeboshi paste that does it.  Such a salty tang (hee hee).  I love this stuff on bread.

Well, folks, there you have it!  So ends holiday week.  Tomorrow begins food memories.  Yay!

Vegan MoFo III: Tof-u, Tof-migas

In an effort to use up some of the leftovers from this week, I am pushing back the snack action until tomorrow.  Okay.  Truthfully, it's also because I'm a huge procrastinator.  I planned to make stuff all week so all I'd have to do is upload photos, but the day is here and I have nothing to show for it.  Boo to that.

Instead I made tofu migas with ingredients I had on hand.  Ain't no party like a pantry raid party, cuz a pantry raid party don't stop!  Also...brinner!  I had potatoes from Sunday's brunch, beans from last night's dinner, and corn tortillas that I bought...honestly, I don't know how long ago.  Migas are pretty much a throw all the leftovers into one pot and make with the eating type of thing.  In Texas we traditionally have corn tortilla strips, jalapeno, onion, tomato, cilantro, and eggs.  Sometimes there's pico de gallo in place of the tomatoes and cilantro.  You can put whatever veggies you want in there, though.

For my tofu, I sauteed onion and corn tortilla strips in some oil.  When the tortillas were starting to brown and crisp, I threw in the tofu.  Then added garlic, black salt, sea salt, pepper, and cumin.  Finally, I put the tomatoes in to heat through and mixed in the cilantro.

I've never seen migas served alone.  Anytime I see them on a menu the plate usually contains refried beans, potatoes, and flour tortillas.  I am Texan to the core and I love me some flour tortillas!  Corn and whole wheat are all good and fine, but give me the unbleached AP flour kind.  Mmm.  Tortillas.  Sorry, I'm getting off topic.  So I made Eddie G's veganized version of his grandma's tortillas because I love those things.

My plate starting at 12 o'clock: tofu migas, flour tortillas, potatoes with ketchup and hot sauce (didn't have Tapatio so Crystal's had to do), refried beans with teese, and mashed avocado.

This was free because I had everything on hand.  If you had to purchase all the ingredients, it wouldn't be a big deal.  So this is definitely cheap eats!

Now it's SUPER HAPPY REVIEW TIME*!

World Market Chili and Lime Dark Chocolate Bar-For once, the lime flavor doesn't overwhelm.  It kinda underwhelms.  I could barely taste it.  It was subtle enough to make the bar taste a little like plastic.  I can't explain it.  The only way I'd be able to eat this is in a cookie and only if the flavor was deeply masked.
World Market Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar-I had my doubts, but this was so good!  The salt isn't just in the background.  It works equally with the chocolate.  It's like eating a chocolate covered pretzel...but without all that pretzel action getting in the way.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.
So Delicious Coconut Milk Original Flavor-It's super creamy, but it tastes...gummy...to me.  It's also so thick that it reminds me of real milk so I don't really like it.  I think it would make amazing ice cream and be great in place of cream, but I can't justify paying over 4 dollars for something that I couldn't just drink.
Whole Soy & Co Frozen Yogurt Vanilla Bean Flavor-I just happened upon this in the store the other day.  They make my favorite yogurt so I was very intrigued when I saw the ice cream.  It wasn't until I got it home that I realized it was frozen yogurt.  My initial impression was that it tasted too much like soy, but it grew on me.  It was like crack!  I blame the vanilla beans.  It doesn't firm up too much in the freezer either.  I'd definitely try it again with another flavor to see if I like it.

*Disclaimer: All reviewed items were purchased by myself with my own money.

Well, that's all I have.  I'm going to bed.  So tired.

Vegan Brunch: A Review

Okay, I've had this book for about a week now and I am in love. I've been cooking and baking and freezing all week. My two favorites are the Puttanesca Scramble and East Coast Coffee Cake (apricot and cardamom version). But everything in the book is so inspired it's amazing. I have not run into a recipe I didn't love. I finally posted a review on Amazon today:

Vegan Brunch has changed the face of breakfast, lunch, brunch, and brinner for vegans everywhere. How many times have you been at a brunch picking over hashbrowns and fruit because those were the only vegan options? Well, fear no more! The most dreaded meal of the day has transformed into the most exciting.

With her latest book, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, upped her game completely. The book design is crisp and fresh with plenty of pictures throughout. Let's face it: we all eat with our eyes first. If just looking at this book doesn't have you salivating, then it's entirely possibly you are a cyborg incapable of human emotion. In fact, you might want to check yourself for a "shutdown" button.

All of the recipes are incredibly easy to read and many are as complicated as watching ingredients saute. There is a great balance between sweet and savory dishes with a range from normal brunch fare to international updates of classic dishes (such as the Samosa Mashed Potato Pancakes).

Recipes I highly recommend:

Tofu Omelet-It has an incredibly delicate texture with a well rounded flavor. The stuffing possibilities are endless; however, I highly recommend the roasted tomatoes, ricotta and basil variation.

Puttanesca Scramble-Eat this and pretend to be sitting in an Italian cafe. Tasty garlic, spicy crushed red pepper, fresh herbs,and piquant olives and capers blend together for an absolute explosion of flavor. All with your morning coffee.

Mushroom, Leek, and White Bean Pie-Ever wonder what Thanksgiving tastes like? Make this pie and get your answer. This is completely soy free (depending on your pie crust) and has an amazing depth of flavor from the mushrooms, thyme, and leeks.

East Coast Coffee Cake-This will change your life. The cake is super moist with an incredible crunch from the cinnamon and nutmeg topping. There are several variations, and I highly recommend the apricot cardamom version!

This book has and will continue to transform vegan cooking into a culinary force to be reckoned with. So order this thing already and get inspired! In fact, go ahead and make yourself a Bloody Moskowitz while you wait for those potatoes to roast.

Finally vegans have a food related reason to get up in the morning!

Not Your Average 'Fu

This could just as easily be called Vegan Brunch: Preview Review or How I Became a Foodie. I want to take a little time to introduce my self: my name is Monique. It's pronounced with an umpty. No, wait. That doesn't quite work.

So my mother just finally started reading my blog. I know! No love. Anyway, we were talking the other day about how I absolutely loathed cooking as a child. My sister would always be right up under my mom and dad in the kitchen. Cooking bored me and I didn't understand it. In fact, I didn't start cooking until I began the process of going vegetarian. That involved mostly salads, processed foods, and the occasional veggie paella. Even when I went vegan, I stuck to the simpler cookbooks. Books that only required me to open some cans and add some prepackaged soy product. The first time I thought vegan cooking could be incredibly inspired was when I got Vegan with a Vengeance.

I picked it up at the bookstore because everybody was talking about it. I wanted to know what the fuss was about. After my squee settled down to a quiet calm, I panicked. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to pull any of it off. The recipes were simple enough, but would I be able to turn the omnis in my life into believers? I mean, as much as I don't care what omnis think about veganism...I want them to like my food. I want to place it on a table, hear their reaction, then see their eyes widen in disbelief that something so good could taste better than the best udder pus injected food. Yum!

And it worked. I did the menu for my wedding's rehearsal brunch three years ago. We cooked most of the food at home and brought it to my friend's house (who conveniently lived down the street from the venue). I don't remember most of the menu, but I do remember my friend turning to me and saying that the VWAV pancakes were "Hot fire!"

That, my friends, is when I became a foodie. This is the reason I will continue to purchase anything with Isa and/or Terry's name on it. The recipes they create have the ability to turn omnis into believers.

Last night I made it about halfway through Vegan Brunch. I basically read everything except the actual directions for the recipes. There's definitely some funny in there and tons of really good tips. I did manage to make one recipe, though. The Beer Battered Tofu (pictured above) is super simple and very tasty. It is fantastically crunchy. I plan to batter many, many things in my future. My batter isn't incredibly dark because I had a medium colored beer. I hit the poor, battered tofu with a splash of lime and topped everything with a simplified version of the corn salsa I talked about two posts down.

Simplified Corn and Pepper Salsa
1 cup fresh frozen corn, thawed
1 roma tomato, diced
1 smedium* orange bell pepper, diced (any color will do, but orange makes it purty)
1 green onion, thinly sliced
small fist full of cilantro, minced (1/4 to 1/3 cup depending on your fists)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt to taste

Place everything into a bowl or container and stir/shake to your hearts content. This is super good when ice cold. Also, I forgot the jalapeno and garlic this time...and it was still good.

My husband and I should go shopping sometime this weekend so a big review is coming. And maybe even a photo blog.

*smedium is a term coined by a friend of mine for when something says medium but is kinda small. go for a smallish medium pepper...or not.

More Cheeze Please

Ever bought something and gone "Are you serious?" I recently did a huge order from Pangea. I purchased Dr. Cow's Cashew Cheese, Mozzarella Cheezly, and Cheddar Teese. Dr. Cow's was around 7 dollars. Imagine my shock when I opened my package and saw this:

Just so you know, many people have told me I have freakishly small hands. That 3 oz piece of cheeze didn't even cover my entire palm. I find it to be ridiculously overpriced and will be making my own raw cheese from now on.

The flavor was creamy and tangy. There was a slightly sour aftertaste, which really made it taste like cheese. I was never a connoisseur of cheese, but it was slightly funky like walking past the cheese section in Central Market. The product description compares it to good artisanal cheese.

In conclusion, Dr. Cow's is incredibly expensive but tastes damn fine on Triscuits.

Another thing my husband and I fell in love with over thanksgiving break: Lachesis' alfredo stroganoff. By far THE best alfredo sauce I've had. So good. Super creamy and thick. Great flavor.

I'll leave you with a picture of the pepper jack I made from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. It has a nice, delicate shred and melts beautifully. It tastes awesome in potato and bacn tacos. I don't recommend eating it alone because the mustard and onion flavor is pretty powerful.

Get Ya Nog On

Holiday time in the Martin household went like this: deliver Christmas lists to the parents, watch as my sister and mom baked ridiculous amounts of cookies, Christmas light viewing...and the search for the ultimate eggnog ice cream. Seeing as how I am moving to California in about three weeks and I still don't have a working standard fridge (rockin a mini right now)...I'll settle for the ultimate vegan nog.

The debate to end all debates: Silk Nog vs. Vitasoy's Holly Nog. I really wanted to do a side by side comparison because I felt I didn't give the Holly Nog a fair chance to begin with. I judged each nog in five categories: egg nog flavor, creaminess, thickness, spices, and overall flavor. I scored them on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being awesome. And because I wanted to be all professional, I made sure to cleanse my palate. By "cleanse my palate" I mean "I ate cinnamon rolls and white cheddar Cheezly standing up in my kitchen between each taste." It was very Carrie Bradshawesque.

Vitasoy Holly Nog
Egg Nog Flavor: 3
Creaminess: 3
Thickness: 3.5
Spices: 4
Overall Flavor: 3

Silk Nog
Egg Nog Flavor: 3.5
Creaminess: 3
Thickness: 4
Spices: 3
Overall Flavor: 3.5

And the numbers are: Holly Nog-16.5 and Silk Nog-17 with Silk Nog as the winner. Vitasoy's version had a great creaminess and thickness to it, but the spices I found to be a tad overwhelming. With Silk Nog, there was still a creamy thickness AND a better balance of flavor.

I will admit, however, that Holly Nog tastes better in a white Russian. Especially if you use the espresso vodka I mentioned in my last post. I think the extra spices work well when it's added to something because it doesn't disappear in the background.

Inept Couriers and Easy Cheezy

It's that time of year again when almost every package I order gets lost. My local post office is filled with idiots who constantly deliver mail to the wrong house. I have lost numerous comic books this way. The latest thing is: a cd I ordered has gone missing. Then a netflix dvd disappeared. And all I got was this cellophane bag with my torn netflix sleeve in it. Now UPS let me down. Good thing my neighbor from a street over delivered it to me. It was filled with Vitasoy Chocolate Peppermint Soymilk, Papa Tofu and Vegan De Guadalupe. HOLLA!


The first thing I created was a veganized version of the Onion, Pepper, and Spinach Quiche Bites from Vegetarian Times (Nov/Dec 08,pg 38). I don't have a finalized recipe and probably won't until Thanksgiving. Changes I made: FYH monterrey jack for the gruyere, 1/2 cup blended silken tofu plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot for the eggs, and soy creamer for the milk. I also baked it for an hour because it took that long to brown. The result was good, but kinda sweet. Because the peppers and onions have natural sweetness, I plan to use unsweetened almond milk next time. Also, I will most likely be using Cheezly because people rave about it. I suggest letting these cool in a fridge completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature or hot.

Next up, I made some stuff from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Joanne Stepaniak. Pictured below is the White Bean Boursin. I've never had boursin so I don't know how close it is. This was good though. Herby goodness, creamy, and salty. The umeboshi paste adds a tangy and salty punch. It couples with the creaminess of the white beans and really has a cheesy taste. I advise pairing this with unsalted things. It works great with baguettes and cucumbers.

I also made the Gruyere from the book. Never had gruyere before so I don't know if it compares. What I can say is that it was noochy, bitter from the tahini, and zingy from the lemon. It was good if you like nutritional yeast. It was pretty great in the French onion soup I made. And look how gooey:

Finally, I adapted Crystal's queso recipe and made chili con queso. I omitted the Rotel, added a bit more liquid and added crumbled chipotle sausage. I like this version more with a spicy Italian sausage because it reminds me of the stuff my mom used to make.

I'm getting back into food blog mode. There will be much commenting tomorrow. Also, I will be making pepper jack. Expect to see an original pesto jack recipe in the near future.

VeganMoFo: All the Leaves Are Brown

Not really. But since the tree in my front yard is shedding and the temperature is dropping, I decided to make the Fall Fruit Salad from Vegan Italiano by Donna Klein.


A few things about this fruit salad. First of all, I highly encourage you to get incredibly contrasting colors. I thought I was doing this...black grapes, pink apples (I can't remember what kind) and I believe those are bosc pears. However, once everything came together it looked pretty boring.

There are two issues I have with this fruit salad. First of all, there's not a whole lot going on texturally. Yes, the grapes and walnuts offer pop and crunch. But if you use ripe pears and ripe banana (as the recipe calls for it) then it's pretty mushy. Not in a bad way...but I think I really would have preferred crisp pears.

Secondly, it's a fruit salad with sugar. Granted, it's only a tablespoon...but that just irks me. I don't think there was nearly enough lemon juice to warrant sugar.

Overall, I felt it left something to be desired. It's nothing more than a mediocre bowl of fruit with walnuts in it. This is the only "meh" recipe I've had from this book so I still urge you to get it.

I also posted in Lone Star Plate about a food memory from my high school days. You can check it out here. And I'll leave with a pic to entice you over to the Texas blog.

Senora Pritts' Easy Black Beans served with fried plantains

31 Days Later...

My first phase of the raw journey is complete. One month at 99% is done! I did my happy dance already. I've lost 11.4 pounds and am completely stoked. I'm going to get in gear with the exercise tomorrow. I'm hoping to get Wii Fit in the next few weeks.

Anyway. I tried a few things the past couple of days. I have experienced sprouting, which used to be a foreign concept. Actually, it still is. But in a few days I shall have delicious raw pumpernickel.

The other day I felt compelled to make oatmeal. I slightly altered Ani Phyo's Banana and Raisin Oatmeal recipe by adding some cardamom and drizzling with agave. So frickin good. The texture is right on. I felt it was even better in the dehydrator. There is no way I can eat oatmeal (raw or not) if it's cold. I can definitely see myself playing around with this recipe and eating raw oatmeal from now on.

Next, I decided to make a soup from The Artful Vegan. I made a raw version of the Chilled Avocado, Tomatillo, and Cucumber Soup with Saffron-Lime Ice. It was tasty. I had to subsitute lemon juice for the lime, so I imagine it would taste even better next time. I didn't seed my jalapeno all the way and it left a nice spice to it. Basically, this soup reminds me of a tomatillo sauce. It would probably make a damn good topping to enchiladas. The saffron-lime ice was especially fancy. It melts into the soup and creates these gorgeous orange swirls. I love when my food has movement and purpose.


Today was my first day eating cooked food in a while. As I said before, I'm dropping down to 75% raw. Surprisingly, I didn't go all crazy on the cooked goods. I had been thinking about KMouse's "tuna" melt for days and decided to make my own. The rice singles I used didn't get all melty though. But it was awesome. Below is the recipe for my own version of Chickpea "Tuna" Salad.


Chickpea “Tuna” Salad
15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup raw almonds
¼ cup Vegenaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp kelp powder
1 Tbsp dill relish*
Up to ½ cup veggies of your choice, small dice **
Salt and pepper to taste

Process the chickpeas and almonds in a food processor until everything is good and chopped. Add the Vegenaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard and kelp powder. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary. Place chickpea mixture in a medium bowl. Stir in dill relish and diced vegetables.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

* For the love of all things holy, put DOWN the sweet relish. It is an abomination to all things good.

** I usually add celery and carrot, as I’m not a fan of onion in my “tuna.” If I’m feeling saucy, I add red bell pepper.

I served the "tuna" melt with Mattye's Mustard "Potato" Salad from Frugal Raw. This was awesome. Kalamata olives, onion, dill relish! Nice. Jicama replaced the potatoes, which worried me at first. But there really is a lovely flavor going on. Plus her raw mayo is super smooth. A little trick saved me a bunch of time. The recipe calls for soaking cashews over night. Instead, I placed them in a coffee grinder and put them in a blender with the liquid ingredients. I let it sit for about ten minutes.

That is all I have for now. One day soon I will make a recipe for that raw miso soup I promised. Until next time...