Creamy “Mac and Cheese” October 16, 2009

I was in a mac and cheese mood the other day and decided to try out a new recipe. The recipe had great reviews on vegweb.com, but some people commented about it being too salty and a few other things so I decided to make some changes and it turned out pretty well. Also, I added some peas to it to make it a little more nutritious. This mac and cheese isn’t like the real thing, but it is pretty good.

Ingredients:

1 cups of plain soy milk
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 of a block of firm tofu
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 frozen peas (optional)
1 lbs of pasta of your choice preferably macaroni
baking pan (9×9)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil water in a big pot and cook the pasta as directed. Mix all other ingredients in a blender. Spray baking pan with cooking spray. Drain pasta once it’s done and pour it in the baking pan. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir to coat evenly. (Optional: add frozen peas)
Bake until the top of the pasta looks slightly browned and crispy about 15 minutes.

Tortilla Soup October 15, 2009

I used to love tortilla soup before I went vegan, and the other day I realized that I could make a vegan version at home! I don’t know why it took me so long but I’m glad I figured it out. This recipe turned out fantastic and my (non-vegan) fiance loved it as much as I did! We ended up eating it in less than two days.

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Serrano pepper, minced
4 cups reduced sodium veggie broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 can corn
1/4 teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon chili pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado
tortillas chips(optional)
soy cheese (optional)

Sauté onion, garlic, and pepper on medium heat with olive oil. Add broth, tomatoes, and corn. Add pepper, salt, cumin, chili pepper, and paprika. Bring to boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in cilantro.
Serve with sliced avocado, tortilla chips and soy cheese.

Okra & Tomatoes October 14, 2009

I’ve always enjoyed fresh okra and tomatoes, and when my parents gave me some fresh okra I knew I had to make it! I have never made it on my own before and just jumped into it because I’ve had it so many times. It turned out delicious and I even had more for a late night snack!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 fresh Serrano pepper, minced
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 onion, chopped
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add onion, garlic and pepper and cook until the onion is soft. Add okra and stir, then add the can of tomatoes (liquid and all) and 1 cup water. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until okra is done. Feel free to add more water if it cooks down.

Tip: When buying okra, look for small okra – when okra get too long the end gets stringy and hard to eat.

Sesame Green Beans October 13, 2009

I recently visited my parents and their garden has been doing great lately so we went out and picked some fresh green beans. I love green beans so I made them right away. I found a variation of this recipe online and changed it to my tastes. My fiance really liked this how they turned out and went back for a second helping.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and let cook for a minute or two, then add fresh green beans. Cook, stirring, until the beans turn bright green.
Pour in vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until beans are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates.