Dining In - Veggie Pot Pie

Veggie Pot Pie - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

I was skeptical about this recipe. Based on the ingredients list I thought this would turn out bland. There are no extra seasonings besides salt and pepper. I was wrong. Without a doubt this was the best pot pie I have ever had! It all came together so well. The sauteed vegetables made for a simple, yet delicious creamy filling with subtle sweetness from the almond milk. The flaky crust was buttery and salty, perfectly complimenting the filling. My boyfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed this for dinner, nodding in approval the whole time and eating way too much of this six-serving pie. Oh and did I forget to mention, still vegan? As if it wasn't obvious. But what may not be so obvious at first glance - it's soy-free! This is going on my "Make Again...and Again!" list. You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.


Shopping note: I bought all of the ingredients for this recipe at Trader Joe's, with the exception of the vegetable shortening.

Finished Product - Veggie Pot Pie

Pie Filling
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup broccoli florets (used frozen, thawed)
1 cup sweet peas (used frozen, thawed)
1/2 stick or 1/4 cup Earth Balance margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups plain almond milk

Pie Crust
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
~1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/8 cold water
3-4 tablespoons ice cold water


Start by making the pie crust in case you need to chill it, which I recommend. This pie crust recipe was included in the back of the cookbook for an apple pie recipe, but for this you simply halve it, which is why some portions aren't exact. 

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. In a liquid measuring cup add 1/8 cup cold water then add vegetable shortening to equal 1/2 cup line. Pack down the shortening with a spoon to remove air bubbles. Then scoop out shortening and add to flour mixture, discarding of the extra water (this part was confusing to me, but I tried it nonetheless). 

Using pastry cutter (or your hands if you have nothing else) quickly cut shortening into flour until you form small, crumbly dough balls. Add 3-4 tablespoons of ice cold water and mix with a spoon after each one is added. Chill the dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator. Set aside for later use. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees before starting on the filling. 

Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add in broccoli and peas. Continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Onions, Carrots, Celery, Broccoli & Peas - Veggie Pot Pie Filling

Veggie Pot Pie Cream Sauce

Heat margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the flour slowly and stir together. Continue cooking, while stirring for about 3 minutes. Add in almond milk and stir constantly. Simmer for about 3 minutes, sauce will thicken. 

Add cooked vegetables to the sauce and stir carefully. Once combined spoon mixture into a 9-inch glass pie pan (I only had a metal one to use, as you can see from photos, but it still worked out fine). Roll dough into a ball and then flatten out into a circle a bit wider than pie pan. Lay out dough over pie. Pinch edges and use knife to slice holes into top before cooking.

Bake pie for 35-40 minutes. Serve hot. 

Veggie Pot Pie Before Adding the Pie Crust Dough

Pre-Cooked Veggie Pot Pie

Dining In - Strawberry Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

A fun spin on your traditional cupcake - these vegan cupcakes are super moist and have a lovely subtle strawberry flavor from real strawberries in the batter. The batter is a pretty pink color but they do look a little brownish when done. You can cover that up with some white frosting and then garnish with chopped strawberries. The Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook suggests a buttercream frosting recipe found within the book, but this did not work well for me. It was more like an icing and quickly started melting off the cupcakes. Though great tasting, I wouldn't make it again and I recommend a thicker buttercream frosting recipe, one that I've posted about before. You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.

2 cups flour

Trader Joe's Silken Tofu

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/3 cup silken tofu, drained (new product now available at Trader Joe's!)
1 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, chopped

Buttercream Frosting Recipe


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners, lightly grease. 

In large bowl mix flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. In separate medium bowl mix oil, milk, sugar, and two extracts. 

Blend Strawberries & Tofu

In a blender combine tofu and strawberries until combined and smooth. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients.

Dig a small pit in the dry ingredients and pour in wet mixture. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. 

Allow to cool before frosting with your favorite vanilla frosting (the one included in this cookbook and suggested for this recipe was really an icing and did not work well on these). 

Vegan Strawberry Cupcake Batter - Ready for the Oven!

Dining In - Peanut Pasta Salad with Fried Tempeh Bits

Peanut Pasta Salad with Fried Tempeh Bits - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

I wasn't quite sure how to categorize this dish - was it pasta salad, like you'd serve at a cookout, or a pasta dinner you'd serve warm? Either way it could work. I had it for dinner right after preparing it, so it was still warm. This recipe involved a cooking technique I'd never tried before, blanching! Nicely described in the cookbook, it involves boiling water, tossing in your fresh veggies, giving them about 30 seconds to "cook" and then quickly rinsing them with cold water. The end result was a seasoned pasta and vegetable medley with added protein from crumbled tempeh. I'm a fan of peanut butter and sesame flavoring so this worked for me. You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.

I would apply one change for next time, and that's steaming the tempeh. For those you have cooked tempeh before you know if you leave this step out it can have a bitter taste, so I was surprised the chef didn't note this. 

3 tablespoons sesame oil, plus 1 for later use

8 oz. block of tempeh (available at Trader Joe's)

1 large carrot, julienned (or 1/2 cup shredded carrots)

3 cups broccoli florets, chopped slightly

1 red pepper, julienned

8 oz. brown rice fusilier pasta

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon agave syrup

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Sesame seeds, for garnishing

This first step was not included in the original recipe - Break up tempeh into large chunks. Fill a pot with just enough water to reach the level of a steaming basket. Steam tempeh for about 20 min.

Heat 3 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large skillet, add crumbled tempeh and sauté for about 10 minutes, until browned. Boil water in a large pot. Gently add carrots. Let cook for 30 seconds, remove carrots. Rinse under cold water. Repeat this blanching process with the broccoli and red pepper. 

Cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta, rinse, and set aside. 

In a small bowl combine peanut butter, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, water, soy sauce, agave, vinegar, and ginger. 

In a large serving bowl toss the tempeh, pasta, veggies, and sauce together until mixed well. Garnish with sesame seeds. 

Dining In - Eggless Brown Fried Rice with Garlic Infusion

Eggless Brown Fried Rice with Garlic Infusion -
Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

For a simple, healthy Chinese take-out alternative try this fried rice recipe from Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. The egg is replaced with crumbled tofu, adding some extra protein to make it meal-quality. I enjoyed the flavor of the sesame oil and the fresh ginger. I was also happy to test out one of my Christmas gifts, a fancy garlic mincer (available at Williams-Sonoma) despite mediocre reviews, it worked great for me! Besides chopping up a couple veggies, this was one of the quickest dinner recipes I've made. Added bonus - fewer dirty dishes when it's complete! You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.

2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup firm tofu, rinsed, crumbled
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (original recipe calls for snow peas, cut in half)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 cups cooked brown rice
Salt, for seasoning
Ground black pepper, for seasoning
Sesame seeds, for topping
Teriyaki or soy sauce, for topping

Start by heating sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add garlic and tofu. Cook for a minute, stirring. Add in green onions, corn, peas, and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring. Add the brown rice, cook for 5 more minutes, still stirring to avoid overcooking and sticking to the pan.

Quick & Easy Vegan Fried Rice

Remove from pan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with sesame seeds and sauce of your choice for topping. See, wasn't that easy?

Dining In - Curried Chickpea Cakes

Curried Chickpea Cakes - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

This is the second time I've made this recipe, this time as an official owner of the cookbook it comes from, Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. It's a tasty, unique spin on the usual chickpea fritter, otherwise known as a falafel. With a few ingredients you might find in a dessert recipe: sugar, cinnamon, coconut milk and nutmeg, it successfully combines savory and sweet. The Curried Chickpea Cakes are fairly quick and easy to prepare. I like making a meal out of them by having them over salad with some hummus and a drizzle of the leftover coconut milk. You can find this recipe and others in Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.


1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup sliced green onions (both green and white parts are fine)

1/3 cup light coconut milk (I used Trader Joe's Light Coconut Milk in a can)

2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup dairy-free breadcrumbs (plus 1/4 cup for coating)*

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

*I never ended up needing or using the extra breadcrumbs

Blended Chickpeas & Green Onions

Start by using a food processor to blend together the chickpeas and green onions.

Once combined move into a large bowl, add coconut milk, sugar, 2/3 cup breadcrumbs, curry powder, cumin, and nutmeg. Stir together with a wooden spoon. Add and combine brown rice and salt.

Using hands make 10 mini patties and put on a plate.

Almost Done! Curried Chickpea Cakes (Uncooked)

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium. Gently place patties in oil and cook for a few minutes until golden brown on one side, then flip. Continue cooking full batch, adding more oil if needed.

Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Serve as desired!

Finished! Curried Chickpea Cakes

Dining In - Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook
by Kim Barnouin

My vegan cookbook collection grew this holiday season with the addition of Skinny Bitch - Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin. Despite the name this is an exquisite and rather gourmet hardcover cookbook. The first seventy pages are devoted to education on the vegan diet, how to prep your kitchen, and cooking techniques. I tried a couple recipes prior to adding this to my gift list and thoroughly enjoyed them so I can't wait to cook my way through (most of) the 150-plus recipes.

If you're not familiar with the Skinny Bitch series, it started as out as a diet book by a former agent for a modeling agency, Rory Freedman, and a former model, Kim Barnouin, that hit the New York Times Bestseller List in 2007. I recall friends reading it and thought nothing of it, having no idea its message was about the benefits of veganism. Based on the success, the authors continued writing and created a whole collection of books - Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven, Skinny Bitchin', Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, Skinny Bastard. This cookbook comes from just one of the authors, but still holds the famed title. 

Stay tuned for more posts about my experimentation with these recipes!

Pick up your own copy of Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook here.