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 - Candied Almonds

Candied Almonds - Oh She Glows

Nuts are my number one snack food. I love them even more when they satisfy my sweet tooth craving, and even more still when that sweetness comes from a natural, unprocessed source. This vegan recipe delivered all of those things. All it takes is five ingredients and a large pot! The recipe comes from a popular and now VegNews award-winning blog, called Oh She Glows (you can read it here). 

Fun Facts:

• I made this during the holidays to serve at a party, hence the Christmas lights bordering the photograph above :)
• Turbinado sugar is raw cane sugar that holds more moisture than white sugar, but with fewer calories. It resembles brown sugar, but with larger crystals.

Ingredients for Candied Almonds

4 cups raw almonds

2 cups Turbinado sugar (available at Trader Joe's)

1 cup water

Sea salt

1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine

Combine and heat almonds, sugar, water, and margarine in a large pot over medium heat. To ensure the sauce coats the almonds, stir frequently with a large spoon. The sauce will start to thicken, and after about 10-15 minutes the almonds will begin to dry up. Continue cooking on low heat until sauce is fully evaporated. Remove from heat. 

Sprinkle with sea salt. Cool completely before serving or storing so the almonds get that nice crunch. These will last for a while if stored in an airtight container. 

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?

Embracing Change

Hi All! With the start of a new year comes some exciting changes, or at least I'd like to think so :) I recently updated the name of my blog to Veega and even acquired the domain www.veega.co. As much as I appreciated the concept of Vegocracy, I wanted something simpler and easier to pronounce, that now matches the actual pronounciation of the word "vegan". 

Thank you for your support! Stay tuned for more...

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 Out in Boston - Fiore's Bakery

Fiore's Bakery in Jamaica Plain, MA

Vegan Sandwich Menu at Fiore's Bakery

I finally got to try Fiore's Bakery in Jamaica Plain and I am so glad I did! I had an outstanding meal, including one of my pre-vegan faves - sandwiches. This place has been in the back of my mind for a while now, knowing that it offers up a wider variety of vegan options compared to most Boston-area restaurants, including breakfast and lunch sandwiches and baked goods. They also have a regular menu for non-vegans, which worked out well for my boyfriend who enjoyed a turkey sandwich called The Monument. It's earned great Yelp reviews, too.

I went on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded, but the supply of baked goods had gotten low. I ordered the Italian Maki, don't let the name fool you, we're not talking sushi here. It's a panini sandwich with fried breaded eggplant, caramelized onions, sprouts, avocado, pesto, and spicy veganaise. I was in food heaven while eating it. All the flavors worked so well together. The toasted bread and eggplant had a nice crunch. The avocado and veganaise, which was very mild, were a smooth, creamy complement. 

Italian Maki - Fiore's Bakery

Ginger Molasses Cookie - Fiore's Bakery 

Since Fiore's is a bakery after all I had to order something for dessert. I went for a Ginger Molasses Cookie based on the staff's recommendation. It was chewy, spicy, and yummy, though not fresh out of the oven. A meal for two, with coffee and a dessert came to $20. I cannot wait to go back!

Vegan Cupcakes, Maybe Next Time..

Fiore's Bakery
55 South Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Unfortunately no website! 

Check out their Facebook Page

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.

Dining In - Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

Chocolate chip cookies good enough for a vegan to enjoy! I was in the mood for something sweet so of course I decided to make an entire batch of cookies to satisfy my craving. I found this recipe online by searching for highly rated vegan chocolate chip cookie recipes. These could fool a non-vegan with the sought after chewy consistency and generous helping of chocolate bits. The secret ingredient is flaxseed, which when mixed with water makes a good egg replacer. The brown sugar also adds to the chewiness. They are best served warm! 

Find the full recipe on SuperVegan.

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance margarine
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, mixed with 4-5 tablespoons warm water (allow to sit for 2 minutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl mix together brown sugar, sugar, margarine, flaxseed mixture, and vanilla. 

Pour dry mixture into wet. Stir until combined, but don't overmix. Add in chocolate chips, stir until evenly distributed. 

Using wet hands form 1-2 tablespoon-sized balls. Place on baking sheet with some space between each cookie, and flatten a little. Bake in oven for 20-23 minutes. Allow to cool, if you can wait that long :)

"The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever. Seriously."
SuperVegan

Dining Out in New Hampshire - Waterville Valley Resort

Say It Ain't So, Joe - Waterville Valley Resort

Winter is upon us. It's off to a promising start with more snow than last year, which means time to hit the slopes! I got back into snowboarding recently after a long hiatus and have had the opportunity to stay at a beautiful lakehouse in New Hampshire during the winter. My boyfriend and I enjoy spending a few weekends each winter there, visiting the nearby ski resorts. We try to keep our trips to the mountain simple and easy - no packed bags, no lockers, only one break in the lodge for lunch. Becoming vegan and still trying to avoid a packed lunch was sure to be a challenge. 

I Spotted a Vegan Option!

Our first time through I got lucky. We visited Waterville Valley Resort in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. It was a great day of snowboarding with lots of fresh snow. We took a lunch break at the Base Area Restaurant called T-Bars. The menu had an indicator for veggie-friendly options and I quickly spotted one without dairy, the Say It Ain't So, Joe Sloppy Joe. I double checked with the kitchen on this, just to be sure. It's made with lentils, onions, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, a little chipotle pepper served on a bun with sliced red onion, tomatoes, and pickles, and comes with a side of broccoli salad and fries. I was happy with my meal, which stayed true to its name - sloppy. I felt like I was getting a filling, satisfying meal that was still very healthy, and for those who are used to seeing the typical ski resort cafeterias filled with chicken fingers, pizza, and fries (okay, guilty on this one) you know this isn't easy to come by. Kudos to Waterville Valley for offering up choices for vegetarians and vegans!

Veggie-Friendly Menu at T-Bars Restaurant

T-Bars Restaurant (Base Area)

Waterville Valley Resort

Rt. 49 to Resort Village

Waterville Valley, NH 03215

Waterville Valley Resort Website

Dining In - Vanilla Cupcakes

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

Eureka! I found the best vanilla cupcake recipe, including all the non-vegan recipes I've tried in the past. The winning characteristic of these is the moistness of the cake, something that even famous vegan bakeries in NYC (ahem, Babycakes) struggle with. Key ingredients in these vegan cupcakes include apple cider vinegar, lots of almond milk, and coconut oil to give it a unique, delicious flavor. I've shared them with friends and family and they were a huge hit. In the past I've paired them with a sweet Raspberry Frosting. Be mindful of the fact that these are not healthy (sorry to be a party pooper), but are still a yummy treat for special occasions. I stumbled upon this recipe on AllRecipes.com, you can find it here. 

Vegan Vanilla Cupcake Topped with Raspberry Frosting

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups almond milk
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil*, melted
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two 12-cupcake pans with liners (grease not needed if you allow the cupcakes to sit a while as oil will separate them from paper, otherwise lightly grease cupcake liners).  

In a liquid measuring cup, pour in apple cider vinegar and almond milk together. Allow to sit until curdled, about 5 minutes. 

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt. In a separate medium bowl mix together melted coconut oil, mixture of vinegar and almond milk, and vanilla, stirring slowly to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture, but don't over-blend. 

Pour batter into 18 cupcake liners, until about 2/3 full. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes and check with toothpick to see if fully baked. Remove from oven and let cool before frosting. 

*Coconut oil is a great staple to have in the kitchen, however it can be expensive! I had luck finding some at my local Trader Joe's for much less than the grocery store. You can melt it in the microwave as you would margarine, medium power for about 20 seconds.