Picking up and moving

I'm moving this blog and giving it a fancy makeover and a kick in the pants.  I will be posting more, inspired by the more beautiful site and the already increasing page views.
Check it out at:
http://phatvegan.tumblr.com/

Mexican-Style Corn

One my favorite snacks from traveling in Mexico (or from just living in Houston) is the dressed up corn in a bowl or on the cob.  The vendor will smear on mayo, cheese, chili powder, salt and lime and folks gobble it up.  As a vegan, I had to opt for no mayo and no cheese.  So I took things into my own hands and made it at home.

Shuck the corn and peel off all the cornsilk.  Break the cobs into halves.  Put them into rolling boiling water for just a few minutes.  Corn doesn't need a bunch of time.  5 minutes should be plenty.

Now we're ready for the toppings.  Spread some Veganaise or your favorite vegan over the corn.  Sprinkle on some nutritional yeast (or vegan parm if you got it), chili power and salt.  Squeeze a little lime juice and grab a napkin.  This is going to get messy.

Easy Dumplings

Continuing with my theme of easier but less traditional ways to make Asian food, I present a simpler way to get your dumpling on.
Making dumplings from scratch can be fun and you could host a dumpling making party where you end up meeting the girl of your dreams, but you don't always have the time or energy for that.

For the wrapper, you can buy wonton wrappers (check the label).  I used the Banyan brand, a Texas company.

For the filling:
1/2 package of tofu, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
four or five white button mushrooms
soy sauce, four or five splashes
ginger, a dash
basil, a dash or two

Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl.  Spoon about a grape-sized amount of it onto a wrapper.  Fold the wrapper into a triangle.  Keep a little warm water handy as you can dip your finger into it and it'll help seal the wrapper.  Fry those puppies up!

Veggie Tempura

Tempura is Japanese for "that tastes awesome!"
I cheated when I made tempura this time, using a packaged batter mix like this one.  Actually that's the exact one I used and it turned out better than any scratch-made batter I've ever made so keep that in mind.
There are directions on the box that basically include whisking ice cold water into the batter, dipping the veggies into said batter and placing them in a pan with a lot of oil and frying them until crispy.  You may want to use a paper towel to get some of the oil out.  You may also want to serve this with a salad to balance things out.

Veggies used: Sweet potato, asparagus and onion.
Veggies you might to use in addition: green beans, eggplant, carrot

Vegan Sushi

I was inspired by my friend Roxy getting a fancy roll at a sushi restaurant.  Veggie options are usually boring. Cucumber roll, for example.  Meanwhile, my friends are getting the Shaggy Dog and the Rock and Roll and all this other more delicious looking stuff.

My version is not going to please a sushi traditionalist, but will likely please your palette.

Sushi time!

Sushi rice:
I didn't use the special sushi rice but opted instead for jasmine rice.  I cooked 2 cups of it in a rice cooker and then plopped it in a bowl once it was done.  Stir in 1/2 cup vinegar (you're supposed to use rice vinegar.  I used white and it came out tasty regardless), 1 tbl sugar, 1 tsp salt.

While the rice is cooking, you can chop your veggies.  You can't see the carrot in the pic, but I used carrot, avocado and cucumber.  You want long, thin slices.

Place a sheet of nori rough side up. (Note:  You are supposed to be placing this down on a bamboo rolly thing, but if you're like me you don't have one and probably won't be making enough sushi for it to be worth it.  It was a little sloppier but totally fine without it)  Spread the rice thinly across the nori sheet.  You should leave a little space around the edges, like the rice was the art and the nori is the picture frame.

Now place your veggies in a line on one side of the rice.  They should be bunched together pretty good.  Now you just have to roll it up.  This is where the bamboo roll makes the process easier and smoother, but without you just have to be firm and roll it up tight.

Grab your sharpest knife and slice some sushi pieces.  

The topping I have in the photo is french fried onions (not just for green bean casserole anymore!) and spicy vegan mayo.  Spicy vegan mayo is two parts veganaise and one part Sriacha hot sauce.  My wife said it was a bit hot like that so you can tone it down if you are a wussy like her.  Ha, ha, just kidding.  I love you Julie.

You're ready to impress.    

Crispy Tempeh Strips

Let's be real.  There is no replacing bacon.  Calling these tasty little breakfast strips bacon would be farcical.  But if you've decided not to have Babe dissected on your table, these are a nice compliment to a tofu scramble and morning potatoes.

You can buy tempeh in a package like this.  It's chock full of protein and iron and if done right is mighty delicious.

Slice your tempeh as thin as you can.  Let them soak in a marinade for at least thirty minutes, the longer the better.

Bacon style marinade:
3 tbl of soy sauce
dash of cayenne
2 tsp of liquid smoke
a healthy squirt of maple syrup

Once your tempeh is soaked.  Heat up some oil in a fan and fry them until dark and crispy.  Good morning to everyone.

Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

The eggplant is a bit intimidating.  It's an odd color (purple) and an odd shape (light bulb?) and if not cooked correctly can be a mushy mess.
This is a pretty straightforward recipe that produces a hearty dish.

What you need:
1/2 large eggplant (chopped)
2 tomatoes
can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
spoon on peanut butter
dashes of salt, pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, soy sauce
two cloves of garlic (minced)
olive oil

What you do:
Place eggplant bits on baking sheets in preheated oven (400) and cook for about 20-30 minutes.  The eggplant should darken.  Do the same with the chickpeas at the same time, but take them out after about 10 minutes.  Just give them a little roasted color.
Sautee garlic in olive oil.  Throw in the tomatoes, peanut butter and spices.  Simmer on low while the eggplant and chickpeas are cooking.  Toss everything together and cook for an additional five minutes to let the flavors socialize.

Goes well with couscous or quinoa.  For the non-hippies among us, rice is good.  Or as pictured above, go grainless and pair with stir-fried kale and mushrooms.

Vegan Queso

If you're not from Texas and know some Spanish, you may wonder what people are talking about when they ask for a bowl of queso.  You want a bowl of cheese?  In a way, yes.
Queso is a Tex-mex cheese dip which I have de-dairyed and kept delicious.


What you need:
3/4 cup almond milk (unsweet is best for this)
1 generous cup of nutritional yeast
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp of margarine
squirt of yellow mustard
squirt of soy sauce
Can of tomatoes and chilies (e.g. Rotel)

What you do:
Melt the margarine.
Whisk flour and milk in a bowl, add to pot with nut. yeast and stir well.
Reduce heat.  Throw in everything else.  Heat for just about 5 minutes while stirring.
More milk will make for a thinner version.  More of the nut. yeast will make it cheesier and thicker.  More of the margarine will make it fattier and creamier.

Grab some chips and dig in.

Pozole-Bastardized

Traditional Mexican pozole is usually all porked up, but after passing by a can of hominy in the story, I decided to try to improv a non-traditional version.
I sauteed about a half an onion and two cloves of garlic in some olive oil.  Tossed in a large can of hominy.  After letting that soak up all the flavor for a bit, I added a cup of veggie broth, a cup of tomato sauce, a can of black beans, a hearty splash of Valentina sauce and a dash or two of cumin.  I let it simmer on low for a good fifteen minutes and topped it with avocado slices and tortilla chips.
Mexican grandmas not withstanding, people are going to like this easy soup.

Toffee-Topped Bars

Big thanks to my momma for making me these wonderful treats.  As usual, she claimed that they were not perfect, but I couldn't hear what she was saying from all the lip-smacking and mmming I was doing.
Something to bring to a potluck and impress for sure.

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup vegan margarine
egg replacer equal to 1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soy or almond or other milk
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven at 350.  Lightly oil a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
Mix sugar and flour in big bowl.  Cut in the butter until it is all crumbly.  Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside.
Add baking powder, salt, vanilla, non-dairy milk and egg replacer into the stuff still inside the big bowl.  Beat until it confesses or it is smooth.  Pour batter into baking pan.
Sprinkle the crumbly stuff you set aside on top of the batter along the choc. chips and nuts.  You can spread the topping evenly with a spatula.
Bake for 35 minutes.  Let those puppies cool.  Cut them into 24 bars.

Indian Food; What is all this stuff? pt.1 Breads

Indian food for the unitiated can be intimidating.  The menu is full of unfamilar words and even the categories can be alien.  But it's too delicious a cuisine to just avoid.  Let's break it down.
Today, we tackle the different types of breads.

Chapati (pictured)
Somewhat similar to a tortilla, a chapati is round and flat.  It's texture is similar to a tortilla as well and is usually made of whole wheat flour.  It's perfect for tearing into pieces and picking up some veggie or potato dishes. 

Naan
You'll find naan at most Indian restaurants.  It's somewhat like a pita, but fluffier and sometimes greasier.  They come in different flavors like garlic or herbs.  Naan really soaks up curry and soups.  It is sometimes topped with butter, so be sure to ask. 

Puri (also spelled poori)  
Puri is deep fried, puffy goodness.  It can be an appetizer, dipped into sauces.  Goes well with main dishes as well, but go easy on it.  Probably the greasiest/fattiest Indian bread around.

Idli
These bad boys are small cake-like breads made of rice and lentils.  They are too dry to eat alone.  Chutneys and sauces are needed.  Mostly this is a snack or appetizer.  You'll likely see the white version, but there are other kinds with herbs and spices that make it look more golden.

Papadum
Super thin, crispy and tasty.  It often has a roasted flavor.  Papadum is sometimes loaded with spices that make it quite flavorful as well.  Great for dipping and as a snack.

Uttapam
At first glance, you'll think pizza and while it does have toppings like a pizza, it's not as crispy.  It's more like a savory pancake made of rice and lentils.  Great with tomatoes and chilies on top. 

Texas Caviar

Texas Caviar is not only far cheaper than the real deal, it's vegan!  It's a simple, flavorful side dish or appetizer you can eat with tortilla chips.  Have at it.


2 cans of black-eyed peas (drained)
2 small tomatoes, chopped
2 fresh medium jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 small onion, cut into small dice
1/2 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into small dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
dashes of dried oregano, garlic powder and ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 2 days.
You can add black beans as well. 

Stew Peas

On my most recent trip back home to the Cayman Islands, my stepmom showed me how to make Stew Peas.  It's originally a Jamaican dish, but Caymanian cuisine borrows heavily from their neighbor.  Jamaican refer to beans as peas so that's why the name of the dish might be confusing as they are no green peas in it. 
It usually has salted beef in it, but is great without it.  Hearty, flavorful, perfect with rice. Scotch bonnet is a really hot pepper so be careful when handling it, it can burn your skin just by touching it a little.  If that scares you or you can't find it, try a habanero which is less spicy.


2 green scallions, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 sprigs of thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
2 cups of red beans
1 can of coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of flour

Soak the beans overnight and cook them them in about two and a half cups of water.  This is the hardest part because it takes so long.  Saute the scallions, onions and garlic in a touch of oil.  When the beans are soft enough to eat, through those in with the beans along with the coconut milk and thyme.  The thyme is put in whole and then taken out before you serve. 
 
While that cooks, you'll make "spinners" with the flour.  They're basically worm-shaped dumplings.  Mix the flour with about one cup of water and knead and add water as needed until the dough is not wet and is malleable. 
 
Roll the spinners in your hand like you did when you made snakes out of clay.  Toss them into the soupy beans.  Sprinkle in some salt and pepper.  When the spinners are cooked, which should only take five minutes or so, you're ready to chow.