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.