Sweet and Hot Stirfry

When I am pressed for time I usually reach for my wok. This time I thought I would stir fry without the oil to try and cut the fat. I also used plain tofu (instead of crispy tofu, which I usually do) to make the dish a little more healthy. Plus, I think I was trying to compensate for the fact that I also made a second dish with coconut milk (which I will post tomorrow).

INGREDIENTS

- 100g rice vermicelli (aka cellophane noodles)

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/2 head of broccoli, cut into small florets

- 6 white mushrooms, sliced

- 1 carrot, sliced ultra thin with a vegetable peeler

- 1/2 pkg firm tofu, cut into strips

- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- juice of 1 lime

- 2-4 tbsp soy sauce

METHOD

1. Put vermicelli in a bowl and cover with boiling hot water. Let sit for 3-4 mins, until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Bring the 1/4 cup of water to boiling in a wok. Add in broccoli and stir fry for 2 mins. Add in mushrooms and cook another 2 mins, or until mushrooms begin to soften. Add in carrots and cook another 2 mins. Watch the water level--if it gets to dry add another tbsp or two.

3. Add in tofu, vermicelli, and all sauces and lime juice. Mix well. Adjust sauces to taste (I made it fairly mild for the kids). Ideally, the dish will have some bite from the chili garlic sauce that is tempered by the sweetness of the hoisin sauce and sugar. Bring sauce to bubbling and let absorb into the noodles a bit. Serve

Cheesy Creamy Casserole

You may have noticed a few new things on the blog. I have put in a video bar that links to PETA's "Meet Your Meat," and to Morgan Spurlock's "Supersize Me." Actually, watching "Supersize Me" is what started me on the road to veganism. After seeing the film I started reading the books of the people he interviewed: John Robbins' Diet For a New America; Marion Nestle's Food Politics; Eric Scholsser's Fast Food Nation. There was no turning back from there. In the spirit of "Supersize Me," I also have started posting fast food "nutritional" info (although I know I will largely be preaching to the choir). It always blows my mind that vegans are seen as dietary weirdos, but eating a burger with 55 grams of fat is considered normal.

Tonight's meal was an attempt to use up the broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge in a way the boys would like. They loved it.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- large handful baby spinach

Sauce

- 1 pkg firm tofu

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1 clove of garlic, minced

- 1/3 cup raw cashews

- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper (I used bottled peppers)

- 1-2 tsp salt

- freshly ground pepper

- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast

- 1/2 tsp tumeric

- 1 tsp mustard

- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder

- 3 cups soy milk

Topping

- 1/2 cup bread crumbs

- 1/3 cup ground almonds

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Steam broccoli and cauliflower for 5-6 mins, until softened but still firm.

2. While veggies are steaming, make the sauce. Place sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to bubbling, whisking constantly.

3. Mix together steamed veggies, chickpeas, and spinach with sauce and pour into a large casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and almonds. Bake for 40 mins, until bubbling and top is browned.

BBQ Meatballs and Herb Roasted Potatoes

Sorry, no pic tonight. I used up all my battery power this holiday weekend and did not have time to recharge after the drive home and before I finished dinner. Ahhh . . there is nothing like a long drive home and then having to come up with a meal with a next to empty fridge. The first dish was BBQ meatballs. I took 2 packs of Yves frozen meatballs and simmered them on the stovetop in BBQ sauce (your choice) thinned down with a little water. Next was herb roasted potatoes: chunks of yukon gold potatoes tossed in olive oil, sea salt, basil, parsley, and marjoram. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 mins, or until golden brown. Add in a few sides of veggies and you have dinner. Actually, the meal was a huge hit with the kids, and Son#1 had thirds.

Banana Split Cupcakes, Elvis Style

One thing my whole extended family can agree on: these cupcakes rock! If you have not done so already, go buy Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. We celebrated my nephew and brother in law's birthday today with these. Huzzah for cupcakes!

Pasta with Peppers and Spicy Sausage

What better way to wow your omni family than with vegan sausage? While my brother-in-law was not fooled into thinking he was actually eating meat, he did say it was "good" and was "way up there" in relation to other fake meats he had tried. Hey, good enough for me! This recipe fed four adults and 6 kids (yes, it is crazy here), so you may want to make half a recipe.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, cut in half and sliced

- 1 red pepper, sliced

- 1 yellow pepper, sliced

- 1 orange pepper, sliced

- spicy vegan sausage, sliced

- 1 jar pasta sauce

- 10-12 large cherry tomatoes, quartered

- 700g (or so) pasta, cooked

METHOD

1. Get your pasta cooking in a large pot.

2. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Saute onions and pepper for 5 mins. Then add sausage slices and cook for 5 mins more, until sausage browns a bit.

3. Drain cooked pasta and put back in pot. Stir in pasta sauce. Then toss on onion/pepper/sausage mixture and mix well. Finally, toss tomatoes in and serve at once.