Mock Tuna Lettuce Wraps

Ever wondered what to do with your almond meal after making nut milk? I have. Every week, I optimistically save my grounds in a little container, promising myself that I will use it as a crust on some delicious dessert. Then, two weeks later, it finally finds its way into the trash can.

Never again. With a little pickle juice and vegenaise (make your own soy-free mayo here), I have a scrumdidliumptious Mock Tuna spread. My mum also adds onion and celery to hers for consistency's sake. Throw it on some bread or a leaf and add a few veggies, and wa-pow, you've got a deliciously satisfying raw vegan meal.

Bon appetit!

Dear Reader...

Hey, this is just a heads-up that I'll be out of town Monday and away from internet access, so look for this week's post on Tuesday evening.

See you soon!

Review: Trader Joe's Soy Creamy

While Minnesota is still trying to figure out which season it is, I've decided it's time for summer. Sure, there's a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, but we did reach a high of 44. Optimism triumphs.

Alright, so I avoid soy and even scoff at vegans who simply replace every animal product in the world with a soy alternative, but I can't stand coconut, and Trader Joe's Cherry Chocolate Chip "Soy Creamy" is slightly more economical than many other non-dairy frozen desserts (and definitely worth the indulgence). It's smooth and a sophisticated level of sweet, and the cherries actually taste like cherries instead of candy. General consensus: the only possible improvement would be a little swirl of fudge.

*I've also tried Tempt (hemp-based frozen dessert). Tasty, but not quite as good as this. I'd recommend both, depending on availability.

Guacadillas and Tacos

Mm. Hispanic food.

Okay seriously, I've been to Central America twice, and my aunt is from Mexico. Their idea of hispanic food is very different from ours. But hey, if it tastes good, eat it, right?

I used to scoff at the idea of a vegan quesadilla. Oxymoron much? Then I caved and made my very first guacamole-stuffed corn tortilla, and that was that. This baby was packed with flavour and great nutrition. I threw in a few black (turtle) beans and some chopped veggies to give it a bit more substance.

Of course, if you're going to cook beans, you might as well cook a lot. Since I had a full pack of corn tortillas to eat through, I could think of no better way than to make "turtle" tacos. I reheated the beans in a saucepan with some tomato and zucchini, then through in a few spices (cumin, marjoram, garlic powder, and chili powder, to be exact). Scrumptious!

Want to know how to make your own hard-shell tacos? Click here.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Oops! It's Tuesday. I didn't exactly forget; I just procrastinated all day... and then I forgot. Forgive me?

Well, today's spotlight is the young and beautiful Bell Pepper, the only member of the capsicum family without capsaicin (which is what gives peppers their heat):

This recipe takes a bit of time, but it's pretty simple: rice and beans (both pre-cooked), tomato paste, nutritional yeast, and cumin. Add other veggies if you want (zucchini, perhaps...).

Want to know the key to choosing the best pepper for stuffing?

First of all, there's something you should know about the colour. Red peppers are sweeter and higher in vitamins than green ones.

Second, "sex" your pepper. Four-footed peppers are female (that is, they have more seeds), a little wider at the top (to facilitate stuffing), and less likely to fall over in the oven.

P.S. Also pictured above is a handful of romaine topped with macadamia ranch dressing made by Mother. Super tasty! I still need to ask her for that recipe, but I'll let you know when I do. Bon appetit!

Coffee Cake

What do ice cream cones, silly putty, the Leaning Tower of Pisa have in common?

They were all accidental successes. Like this gluten-free coffee cake:

...... It was supposed to be a pan of cinnamon rolls, but for whatever reason, the "dough" ended up more like batter. Definitely not conducive to rolling. I still have no idea what happened. But the original recipe didn't specify which GF all-purpose flour to use. This one was made with Bob's Red Mill.

Fresh from the oven, the insides were on the gummy side... but in a good way. Each day, it got a little firmer, but be careful it doesn't dry out too much! Next time, I'll actually mix the cinnamon-sugar topping/filling into the cake and possibly even increase the amount of sugar.

No complaints here. I've been downright desperate for a decent baked good lately, and I was grateful to find such a simple solution :)

*Nut allergies? Substitute almond milk for rice or soy variety, and you're set!

Eggplant Pizza Bites

*This post is labeled as raw because the original recipe is raw. However, I baked mine. (400 for 20 min, I think... I need to learn to write these things down!) It can also be made nut-free if you use a different cheese!

Pizza's the hardest. The hardest to give up. The hardest to resist. The most tedious to find an alternative. I've tinkered with homemade gluten-free crusts, indulged in the store-bought versions, and hunted madly for various methods to make America's favourite meal more accessible.

After all my research, I've concluded that vegans are some of the most creative people on the planet. It seems like they make pizza out of almost anything. There's quinoa crust, cauliflower crust, almond-flax crust (which I wrote about in September), and countless others. (These three happen to all be raw/dehydrated, but cooked versions like this quinoa or this sweet potato do exist.) Then there are the pizza-stuffed veggies such as the portobello (which I wrote about in January) and the potato.

Overwhelmed yet? Sorry about that.

But by far, the "Practical Choice" award goes to the Eggplant. It's cheap, healthy, simple, and satisfying. While I can easily devour 1-1/2 fully-loaded pizzas on an Udi's crust, six or eight 3" rounds of eggplant left my belly feeling snug as a bug. The only down-side is that cooked eggplant is a little soft to be eating with your hands, but hey, there are worse things. Like living without pizza.

Bon appetit!

PS: My roommate just made the most amazing, mind-blowing beverage EVER: cranberry juice, grapefruit, hibiscus, Twinings' Orange Cinnamon Spice tea, and ice. Not too tart, not too sweet. Kind of reminds me of a mullet: "business in the front, party in the back."