Post #100, Christmas came early part 2, and oh the fire we set

Yay! For our 100th post! It only took forever considering the long period of blogging nothingness there was for almost a year.

Anyways I would just like to briefly note that I have received my Vegan Care Package from Bianca and will be posting a photo and more details tonight or tomorrow.

I also will be posting some photos of the Almond Toffee and Smokey Cheeze Ball I made for my work pot luck holiday party tomorrow. By the way the toffee (my first attempt ever) was fun to make however surprisingly dangerous however considering I almost set the kitchen on fire not once, not twice, but three times as bits of sugar fell to my burner causing a small fire (scary). Luckily my wonderful husband was there to help me juggle the hot sugary mixture and put the fire out with only a small fatality (the toffee burned a little but not all of it.)

BITE ME

The other night Neil and I decided to go to dinner and after discuss about a million places that we might go we decided on pizza. There is this new pizza joint off Howard Street downtown called Bite Me. It is a localvore and organic pizza place that is super small but has great pizza. Along with this they have specically vegan pizzas that is labled on the menu you can also create your own vegan pizza. We decided to get the vegan pizza which was called "The Vermont Intervale Ghosts- it had marinated tofu, roasted eggplant, baby spinach, squash, roasted red peppers, red beets, caramlized onions, yellow and red tomatoes and lemon oil drizzle for $20. The price might seem high but this pizza is huge and worth the costs.

Other vegan toppings include:
basil, thai basil, baby arugula, baby spinach, callions, cilantro, sprouts, sunflower seeds, apples, walnuts, pears, grapes, pineapple, okra, broccoli, crimini mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, tomaotes, onion, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, squash, roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted eggplant, marinated tofu, carrots, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, red beets, olives, kim-chee, and shitake mushrooms with your choice of tomato sauce or spicy red sauce...they have a pesto but i am not sure if it is vegan and the richard's bbq sauce is not vegan there is worcestershire sauce in the bbq sauce.


i would definitly reccommed this place and can't wait to try their kimchi pizza

faux sausage and mac &cheeze

Last night I made faux sausage for the first time from Everyday Dish TV and they were great. I also tried Vegan Dad's Creamy mac and Cheeze which is soooo yummy.

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages
Makes 8 links

2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp Bills Best Chik’Nish Seasoning (if using another brand which is salty, or saltier than Bill’s Best, you’ll want to greatly reduce the amount you use)
2 tbsp granulated onion
1 to 2 tbsp fennel seed, optional
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, preferably freshly ground
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
1 tsp ground smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 1/4 cups cool water*
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the water, garlic, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.
2. Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. After cooling, the sausages may feel a bit dry on

Veganmofo- Favorite Chili

I was just lurking some blogs as I waste the last 45 min at work and I came across this recipe for Tempeh Chili and I made this about 2 or 3 months ago and it was amazing. So thick and yummy and I want to make sure the rest of the world knows how great it is.


Tempeh Chili
(from 28 Cooks)

1 (8 oz) pkg tempeh

Marinade
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Lousiana-style hot sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp oil
4 cloves garlic
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1/2 c water

In large ziploc bag, combine all marinade ingredients. Add tempeh, seal bag, and refrigerate for 1-8 hours (or longer). Grate tempeh with large grater and place into medium bowl with remaining marinade. Heat olive oil over medium-high in large pot. Add garlic and onion, and saute until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, mustard, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and stir for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, beans, tempeh, and water. Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 30-45 minutes, until chili is thickened. Serve and enjoy!

Care Package Swap

I am glad to see that there has been a good amount of interest that has sparked from the idea of doing a vegan care package exchange. Now I would like to move on to the next step which would be getting this all going. If you are really interested in doing this please send me a an e-mail at cookingforaveganlover@gmail.com by October 31st, 2008. I will then let you know within a week who your partners are and you are expected to send your packages within a month of receiving this information.


Please just send me a note with an e-mail address that you would like to be contacted by and whether you are willing to exchange internationally or not. Please do not send me your address I will then match you up with someone and give each of you each others e-mail contacts and it is up to you to exchange mailing addresses. As well please expect to spend around $20 on goods, if you would like to spend more than do so however do not be disappointed if your partner does not do the same. As well this is all based on trust that whoever is participating in this exchange will actually follow through on the exchange, BE AWARE that someone may default and that there is nothing that I can do regulate whether your partner will follow through or not you have to trust that both of you really want to participate. If you don't feel like you will be able to participate to the full extent please do not respond to this.

I look forward to seeing how many people are interested in participating. Please encourage other vegan bloggers to participate as well.

Vegan November Care Package Swap

So I was drawn to the PPK forum because of this idea of vegan care package exchange which I think is a great idea and would love to participate in. However there are two problems:
1. it's over on the PPK
2. (this is the big one) I have not been posting on the PPK for 6mos. nor do I have 1000 posts so apparently I couldn't even participate if I wanted to....it is said that those who do not fulfill one of the two requirements are statistically more apt to default on the exchange.


So now is where I propose an exchange with someone. I have no idea how many people acutally read this blog but I would really like to put the idea of an exchange out there. I am willing to send anywhere.

So comment below if you are interested and we can get this started.

Apple Crumble Pie

We had some apples that needed to be used so I decided to make an apple crumble pie.



i used a premade graham cracker crust, about 6-8 small apples and topped it with a mix of margarine, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and a pinch of salt.

Pita Pizza's

Saturday afternoon we had friends over for lunch. We had some leftover falafel and pita. We decided to make pizza from it.



we brushed the pita with oilve oil and salt and pepper and toasted them in the oven.



while this was cooking we made hummus and sauted up mushrooms, onions, and peppers and pan fried the falafel.



once the pita was toasted we spread the hummus on the pita and topped it with a variety of toppings from green onions to roasted red peppers, the sauted mix of vegetables, the falafel and tomatoes.

Indian Fusion Rice

One afternoon decided that we wanted to make some fried rice. We decided to have lentil burgers with our fried rice.



First we made a cup of brown rice in our rice cooker. While the rice was cooking I heated up the wok and fried up some mushrooms and green onions in a little bit of oil. Once rice is finished I added the rice. To give the rice an Indian flavour to go with the lentil burger I added 2 tablespoons of Garam Masala and then a tablespoon of tamari to balance the flavours.

A Single Pebble

Delicious family style REAL CHINESE resturant in Burlington, Vermont. Has a variety of vegan options!

Menu Options

small plates:

Vegetable Red Oil Dumplings

Six house made steamed dumplings filled with spinach, shiitake mushrooms, & seasoned bean curd, topped with red oil sauce.
8.25

Potsticker Style Dumplings

Five traditional hand formed dumplings served with a ginger vinegar sauce.
V

Cha Tzu Style Eggplant

Japanese eggplant dipped in tempura batter with a ginger hoisin sauce.
8.75egetable 5.95

Mock Eel

Braised shiitake mushrooms in a ginger sauce. a delightful, crispy flavor and texture.
8.95 (my favorite item)

Double Garlic Broccoli

Wok-fried Broccli in House Garlic sauce with cashew nuts.
9.25



Noodles and Rice

Cold Sesame Noodle

Lo mein style noodles with famous house sesame sauce.
Classic 7.95

Chow Fun Noodle

Fresh wide rice noodle.
Vegetable 16.95

Fried Rice

An exceptional version of the traditional dish.
Vegetable 8.75

Beijing Street Noodle

Wheat noodles tossed with fresh garlic, chinkiang vinegar, & soy. everyday chinese cuisine.
7.95

Capital Vegetable Noodle

Fresh and seasoned pressed tofu with diced chinese vegetables in a peking sauce over lo mein.
11.25

Copper Well Noodle

A very flavorful garlic, sesame seed, & chili sauce topping a lo mein style noodle.
7.95

Lo Mein Hong Kong Style

The ingredients in Hong Kong lo mein are layered rather than wok tossed. Traditional lo mein.
Crispy bean curd 14.25

Lo Mein

Mushroom 10.95



Vegetable Dishes:

Salt & Pepper Tofu Wok seared batons of tofu, tossed with red chili peppers, scallions, ginger, & garlic. 15.25

Many Mushroom Tofu Crispy tofu with straw, shiitake, & fresh mushrooms with chinese vegetables in a black bean sauce. 15.25

Orange Taste Bean Cake Crispy bean cake, chinese greens, & vegetables with orange peel in a pungent garlic sauce. 15.25

Buddha’s Sesame Beef Crispy seitan served with mixed vegetables in a sesame garlic sauce. A house favorite. 15.95

General Chou’s Mock Chicken Seitan showered in a red chili sauce, framed with broccoli crowns. 15.25

Sweet & Pungent Walnuts Battered walnuts, red peppers, onions, & bean cake glazed in a sweet and pungent sauce. 13.25

Double Garlic Eggplant Tender japanese eggplant braised with a special garlic sauce. 9.25

Chinese Greens Quick poached choys, then wok tossed to retain crispness and flavor. 7.75

Chinese Broccoli Poached with shiitake mushroom sauce. seasonal availability and price.

Yu Choy A very flavorful bright green chinese vegetable that complements all single pebble dishes. 10.25/td>

Hearts of Baby Bok Choy Served with braised shiitake mushroom. 9.25

C

Fresh Nappa A crispy cabbage tossed in a cilantro & rice wine vinegar dressing. 6.95

Sichuan Spicy Cucumber showered with a garlic, chili, & rice vinegar dressing. 6.95

amazin food try it!

Patati Patata

located in Montreal-
Cute little place not much sitting room but great food. For just $2 you can get a grilled hummus sandwich with hummus. for just $2 more you can get a salad and fries with it. great food. great prices. great atmosphere.

The Blue Door

The Blue Door is a resturant in Fredericton, NB, Canada and is one of my boyfriend and mine's favorite date spots. Amazing martini's and delicious food!

Appetizer:
Veggie Spring Rolls with hosin dipping sauce
Green Salad
the roll and garlic margarine

Dinner:
Pad thai w/ tofu- minus the egg and fish sauce
eat your veggies stir fry w/tofu
wok chicken w/tofu- minus the chicken

Five Spice

The Best Asian Resturant in Vermont- according to Lindsay


This amazing Asian resturant includes a variety of vegan options such as:

• Sesame-Peanut Noodles or Spicy Hunan Black Bean Noodles Lo mein (egg noodles) served cold. The Sesame-Peanut Noodles made our Sesame-Peanut Sauce To Go a huge seller! Our Hunan Noodles are within the great Hunan tradition. 4.99
• Sampler of Noodles Cold Hunan and Sesame-Peanut Noodles plus Spicy Cucumbers. 5.99
• Spicy Cucumbers Crisp, spicy, a refreshing pause between mild or hot dishes. 4.75

Vegetarian Siu Mai Cup - shaped steamed dumplings filled with Thai red rice and white sticky rice, mushrooms and “Secret Spices.” SPECIFY VEGETARIAN WHEN ORDERING. 6.25

• Vegetarian Sampler Tofu with Sesame-Peanut Sauce, Vegetarian Siu Mai, Sesame-Peanut and Hunan Noodles, and Spicy Cucumbers. (Spicy and mild items.) 11.99
• Dim Sum Sampler For a hint how wonderful our Dim Sum brunch is, try our Chef’s selection of eight savory dumplings (four kinds), plus Cold Hunan or Sesame-Peanut Noodles and Spicy Cucumbers. SPECIFY VEGETARIAN OR MIXED. 10.99

• Evil Jungle Princess with Tofu Our vegetarian version of the popular Evil Jungle Prince. With lots of mixed vegetables, tofu, lemon grass, chilies, Keffir lime leaves, and coconut milk. Lunch 8.99 Dinner 16.99
• Indonesian-Style Mock Duck - The seitan tastes like real duck. So feast on a shower of vegetables in a rich delicious sesame-peanut sauce. Even better with a touch of heat. SPECIFY HOT OR MILD. Lunch 8.99 Dinner 16.99
• Vegetarian Kung Pao An all-vegetarian version of a classic Chinese-menu staple. Delectable crispy chunks of seitan (wheat gluten) stir fried with cabbage, hot peppers, and peanuts in tangy sauce. SPECIFY VEGETARIAN WHEN ORDERING Lunch 8.99 Dinner 16.99
• Indonesian Vegetables Vegetables stir fried in our interpretation of what may be the world’s best hot sauce. Its complexity fills the mouth with flavor. We wish we had invented it! (We do sell the sauce.) Lunch 8.50 Dinner 15.50

• Thai Mock Beef in Red Curry In a fabulous sauce of red curry, coconut, lemon grass, and soy sauce, with fresh vegetables and basil. Served on rice noodles. Lunch 8.50 Dinner 15.50

Amazing food and most vegetarian/vegan dishes can be made with seitan,tempeh or tofu!

this place is incredible!!!!

Zabby and Elf's Stone Soup

Stone Soup is located in Burlington, Vermont and is a vegan friendly resturant. Their menu includes items such as:

A Vegan Club that has marinated tofu and tempeh on it for $6.95
Hummus and vegetable sandwiches for $6.95
there is also a hot bar which has many vegan items and a salad bar and soups

on saturday's there is brunch from 9am-1pm and it inculdes a seitan hash, home fries and tofu scramble, along with salad bar and fruit

I also would reccommend trying one of the ice teas my favorite being Iced Duality- a blend of assam and ceylon tea with lemonade and mint.

Make sure to try the many vegan treats (muffins, cookies, cakes, and pies) that are also offered!

The Sea Dog Microbrewery

This past weekend we went to Bangor, Maine. While doing some pre-weekend research I came across the Sea Dog Microbrewery and was skimming over the menu to see if there were any food options for my boyfriend and myself. We ended up finding a few things that are vegan friendly.




We found:

Chilled Hummus Plate Smooth hummus served with long-cut vegetables and lots of pita wedges. $7.95

Vegetarian ChickenVegan grilled chicken on a deli roll with radish sprouts, cucumbers and a pesto mayonnaise and fries or chips. $7.95 we subsituted the mayo for gucamole and salsa for a $1 extra

we washed these down with one of their many microbrews. Everything was delicious and the atmosphere was lively yet relaxing and fun good for a date or just going out with friends.

there were also some pasta dishes that could be made vegan and a veggie burger that may have been vegan but we did not check to see.