FRONCH TOAST WITH PEANUT BUTTER

Today for BREAKFAST we had leftover FRONCH TOAST from VEGAN WITH A VENGEANCE.

Husband asked for peanut butter.

We've now discovered a new way to eat FRONCH TOAST.

PEANUT BUTTER FRENCH TOAST!!!

QUINOA CAKES

Today I Made:

QUINOA CAKE OVER SMOKY CALYPSO BEAN SAUCE, CURRIED SQUASH, AND MANGO-HABANERO-COCONUT SAUCE for DINNER.

Recipe from THE ARTFUL VEGAN by ERIC TUCKER.

Executive chef of Millenium Restaurant in San Francisco.

The book describes it as being  a Carribbean inspired dish with many layers of flavors.

This dish has so many ingredients and flavors that my head started to spin when I was preparing it.

I counted over 33 ingredients:

1. Habanero chile

2. Mango

3. Coconut Milk

4. Red Onions

5. Garlic

6. Sugar

7. Dried Thyme

8. Ground Allspice

9. Ground Cloves

10. Kidney Beans

11. Vegetable Stock

12. Ground Cumin

13. Fennel seeds

14. Curry Powder

15. Ground Nutmeg

16. Vegetable Oil

17. Yellow Onions

18. Garlic

19. Fresh Ginger

20. Butternut Squash

21. Juice of 1 Orange

22. Collard Greens

23. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

24. Juice of 1 Lemon

25. Celery

26. Carrot

27. Oregano

28. Corn

29. Pistachio nuts

30. Quinoa

31. Corn Masa

32. Salt

33. Pepper

There are 5 different components to this recipe.

1. Mango-Habanero-Coconut Sauce

2. Smoky-Calypso Bean Sauce

3. Curried Winter Squash

4. Collard Greens

5. Quinoa Cakes

To plate the dish, you first spoon the bean sauce into a large pasta bowl. 

Then you mound a small amount of the collard greens in the center of the plate.

The quinoa cake goes on top, then you spoon about 1/2 cup of the squash curry over the cake.

And finally, you drizzle a small amount of the mango sauce over the entire dish.

You can also add some toasted pistachios. 

Overall, it took me 3 hours to complete this dish.

So even though I was tired, it was all worth it when I heard my husband utter these words after taking his first bite, " THIS IS SO ****ING DELICIOUS!"

And I give myself a pat on the back for even trying to accomplish this dish.

If I can cook a gourmet dish, so can YOU!

BANANAS FOSTER CAKE

Today I Made:

BANANAS FOSTER CAKE  for DESSERT.

Recipe from MY SWEET VEGAN by HANNA KAMINSKY.

This cake is for the serious banana lover.

You have banana in the batter.

Banana in the middle of the two layers.

And caramelized banana slices as part of the topping.

I made a few changes to the original recipe:

-I didn't use rum as the recipe called for.

 Husband hates alcohol and any wet cake.

-I used regular butter cream frosting instead of the Caramel Frosting.

-I mashed more bananas and used it to glue the two layers together.

-I used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose.

I did encounter one problem with the frosting.

The recipe says to microwave 1/3cup brown sugar with 1 1/2teaspoons water for 30 to 60 seconds or until sugar dissolves.

Then you let it cool down and add it to the creamed Earth Balance and powdered sugar.

Well, I let the brown sugar mixture cool and it turned rock hard.

I microwaved it for a few seconds more to melt the sugar again.

I let it cool down for a minute then added it to the creamed EB and powdered sugar.

That was the worst thing I could have done.

The frosting turned into a huge mess.

It turned so runny, I had to dump it.

I decided to use a regular butter cream frosting instead.

Overall, the cake turned out great.

The mashed bananas in between the two layers was super creamy and it gave the cake the moisture it needed.

And the caramalized banana slices added a caramel-like flavor to the entire cake.

LINGUINE WITH SAGE AND WHITE BEAN SAUCE

HIS:
HERS:
Today I Made:

LINGUINE WITH SAGE AND WHITE BEAN SAUCE for DINNER.

Recipe from VEGAN PLANET.

Creamy cannellini bean and sage sauce served over whole wheat linguine.

I topped the HIS version with Tofurky Italian Sausage.

Another restaurant quality dish.

So easy to make, but so gourmet.

BAKED MILLET AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS

Today I Made:

BAKED MILLET AND SWEET POTATO BURGERS AND MIXED GREEN SALAD for DINNER.

Recipe from THE VEGAN GOURMET.

Flavorful millet, sweet potato, lime juice, chile powder, garlic and more spices.

Original recipe called for a spinach and cilantro sauce to be pour over the patties and served as is.

Once I tasted the sauce, I knew that it wasn't going to be our liking.

So, I turned the dish into a burger with Vegenaise, avocado, and salad.

It was THE best burger ever!!!

The patties were so flavorful and the color so rich.

Overall, the patties, along with the burger, was a total gourmet experience.

HOUSE POTATOES

Today I Made:

HOUSE POTATOES, TOFURKY BREAKFAST LINKS, PUMPKIN PANCAKES, AND COFFEE for BREAKFAST.

I tried to recreate the house potatoes served at HERBIVORE GRILL in SAN FRANCISCO.

I posted about this great vegan restaurant here.

They turned out exactly the same... delicious!!!

HOUSE POTATO recipe:

-Peel and wash potatoes.

-Boil them for about 15 minutes or until they are cooked but not falling apart.

You want them to keep their shape.

-Drain and let cool completely.

-Slice into thin slices, then cut each slice in half so you end up with half moon shapes.

-Heat a large skillet on meddium-high heat, then add Earth Balance and a small amount of     canola oil.

-When skillet is hot, but not smoking, add the potatoes and smash into a single layer.

Add salt and pepper to taste and cover for about 5 minutes, or until bottom layer turns lightly   brown.

-Turn potatoes and cover for another 5 minutes, or until lightly brown.

-Remove from skillet, sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and top with ketchup or salsa. 

Use any amount of potatoes, Earth Balance, salt and pepper.

It's all to taste.

The only thing that changes are the cooking times.

Serve with Tofurky Breakfast Links and Pumpkin pancakes for a complete breakfast.

This was our first time trying the links.

Actually, I dislike faux meats, so these were more for my husband.

He ended up not being to crazy about them.

He prefers the Tofurky Italian Sausages and Trader Joe's Soyrisso.

I don't remember where I found the recipe for the pancakes.

But when I do, I'll post the link.

Because, they are amazing.

HOMINY AND TOMATILLO STEW WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS

Today I Made:

HOMINY AND TOMATILLO STEW WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS for DINNER.

Recipe from THE VEGAN GOURMET.

Hominy in a rich and thick broth made out of pumpkin seeds, spinach, tomatillos,  serrano chiles, and spices.

The original recipe called for sorrel, but I used spinach instead.

I topped  the stew with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and lime juice.

This stew was sooooooooo goooooooood!!!

I thought my husband wasn't going to like it, because he doesn't care for tomatillos too much.

But, he took one spoonful and said, " THIS STEW IS GOOOD!!!!"

Then, he said, "THIS IS GOURMET QUALITY!"

You can bet, that I'm going to make this over and over and over again.

CORN AND POTATO CAKES WITH SOUTHWEST SEASONINGS

Today I Made:

CORN AND POTATO CAKES WITH SOUTHWEST SEASONINGS for BREAKFAST.

Frozen corn, potatoes, red bell pepper, cilantro, soy milk, and spices.

Topped with more Tofutti sour cream and chipotle sauce.

Recipe from THE VEGAN GOURMET by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay.

This recipe is so amazing. 

Just a few simple ingredients and you get a gourmet breakfast.

We loved these so much, we're having them for dinner.

*Sorry, no figures today.*

comment tag

Comment tag from previous post has been removed.

Don't know why.

So if you want to leave a post about last nights dinner, feel free to leave it here.

BROCCOLINI AND WHITE BEAN PIZZA

Today I Made:

BROCCOLINI AND WHITE BEAN PIZZA for DINNER.

Another recipe from Vegan Planet.

The original recipe called for broccoli rabe, but I couldn't get ahold of any.

No side salad needed with this pizza.

You have all the greens you need right on top plus protein from the beans.

We had an awesome Japanese persimmon, or KAKI, for a mid afternoon snack.

It was incredibly sweet and refreshing.

I LOVE persimmons!

Can't wait for the rest of the batch to ripen.

Today I Made:

POBLANOS STUFFED WITH CUMIN AND ORANGE-SCENTED RICE AND A MIXED GREEN SALAD for DINNER.

The poblano dish is another recipe from VEGAN PLANET.

Poblanos stuffed with brown rice, onions, carrots, oranges, orange zest, and spices.

I topped them with Tofutti sour cream and pomegranate seeds.

This dish was not as impressive as I thought it was going to be.

It sort of tasted a little bland.

I think the addition of the oranges and the fact that the rice blend was a little dry, didn't help it either.

Overall you could say that it is pretty forgettable.

On the upside, the salad was amazing.

I used a mixed green salad blend, julienned  jicama, red onion, pomegranate seeds, and our favorite, ASIAN MIRACLE DRESSING.

Those little pomegranate seeds made this salad special.

Wish they were around year round.

ROASTED CORN CHOWDER AND SKILLET CORNBREAD WITH SMOKED CHILES

Today I Made:

ROASTED CORN CHOWDER AND SKILLET CORNBREAD WITH SMOKED CHIPOTLE for DINNER.

Both recipes are from VEGAN PLANET by ROBIN ROBERTSON.

The chowder was both creamy and chunky.

Topped with diced tomatoes and green onions.

This was the BEST we have ever had.

Restaurant quality.

The cornbread turned out just slightly spicy.

If you zoom into the cornbread pics, you can see the chopped chioptle.

Both recipes are keepers and we can't wait to have leftovers tomorrow.

CURRY HOUSE

Today for LUNCH we ate at Curry House in Little TOKYO, in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

This restaurant specializes in Japanese curry,served over rice or spaghetti.

This restaurant used to be our favorite before we went vegan.

We used to eat here at least once every 2 weeks.

We even had our rehearsal dinner here 10 years ago.

That's how much we loved it.

We had to stop eating here because they only serve WHITE rice, which we don't eat.

But recently, our friends had dinner there and informed us that they recently added BROWN rice to the menu.

But, you have to pay $1.00 extra.

So, we decided to have lunch here today.

We both ordered the MILD VEGETABLE CURRY OVER BROWN RICE AND ICED GREEN TEA.

Potatoes, green beans, corn, and baby carrots in curry sauce and  topped with pickled radishes.

*When you order curry here, you asked if you want it mild, medium or hot.

I contacted Curry House recently and they informed me that the MILD is the only VEGAN option.

Over all, we thought the curry was good, but not great.

We prefer it spicier, but for obvious reasons, we have to stick with the mild curry.

But we love the fact that we can order brown rice now.

So, I guess you say that WE"RE BACK, CURRY HOUSE!!!!

STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

Today I Made:

STUFFED SWEET POTATOES for DINNER.

Baked sweet potatoes topped with TOFUTTI SOUR CREAM, CASA SANCHEZ FRESH ROASTED SALSA AND GUACAMOLE, and chives.

This was an improvised dinner that turned out to be a success.

Haven't gone grocery shopping since we've been back from San Francisco.

So, I've been using up what ever we have in the house.

I can't wait to have the left overs  for lunch tomorrow!!!

We also had CASA SANCHEZ  Organic chips, salsa, and guacamole along with dinner.

You can find these products at Whole Foods.

Don't know if they are sold out of state, but if you come across this brand, you MUST give them a try.

So, we all have a reason why we go vegan. 

Animal cruelty, health reasons, etc.

It turns out that my journey to veganism is a result of the death of my oldest brother.

He was the head of the family.

He was Mr. Charisma.

He was a joker.

He was a great business man.

He was a great father to 5 kids.

He was a great son and brother.

He was a great friend.

4 years ago, he was diagnosed with an extremely rare type of cancer.

He was diagnosed January 2004.

He died March 2004.

Because of him, my husband and I are vegan.

He followed the standard American Diet and no exercise.

The doctors don't know why he got sick.

But you'd have to live in another planet, not to make the connection between food and disease.

Out of all his siblings, wife, children, friends,parents, my husband and I are the only ones who have been given a gift from him.

Because of his cancer, we have completely changed our lives.

We exercise.

We don't drink or smoke.

And more importantly, we have become VEGAN!!!

We couldn't prolong your life, but you have prolonged ours.

Thank you big Brother!!!

Dried Tamarind

On a happier note, I remembered seeing these on someones blog a long time ago.

I finally found them at our local Trader Joe's.

They're sweet, sour, and spicy.

So delicious.

I do have one WARNING.

Please refrain yourselves from eating the entire bag or even half the bag in one sitting.

I ate 1/2 the bag one night and the rest the next night.

Both nights, I got severe gas pains.

So please be careful and don't over do it like I did.

You'll regret it and your poor husband will suffer for it, like mine did.

HUMMUS AND ARUGULA SALAD BURRITOS

Today I Made:

HUMMUS AND ARUGULA SALAD BURRITOS for DINNER.

Trader Joe's Hummus, arugula, cucumber rounds, diced tomatoes, Asian Miracle Dressing, and Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas.

Warm the tortilla.

Spread the hummus to the edges ( just like you would spread tomato sauce on a pizza ).

Then add the salad to the middle and fold the tortilla to form a burrito.

First time using the Ezekiel brand.

Not a fan, reminds me of a raw version of a tortilla.

Husband loved it so much he ate two burritos.This is a new find from Whole Foods, SPIRULINA CAPSULES.

Extremely high concentration of antioxidants and promotes immune health.

You take 6 tablets a day with water.

I previously bought the powdered form and mixed it into our smoothies, but I bought this by accident in San Francisco.

I actually prefer the capsule form, no after taste.

HUMMUS SANDWICHES AND NEW VEGAN COOKBOOKS

Today I Made:

HUMMUS AND TOFURKY HICKORY SMOKE DELI SLICES SANDWICHES for DINNER.

I used the Trader Joe's Hummus, Tofurky Hickory Smoke deli slices, thin slices of roma tomato, onions, arugula, avocado, and Vegenaise, on Milton's bread.

Simple meal for a busy day of running errands.

My husband bought me these 2 new books at the KINOKUNIYA book store in Japan Center, back in San Francisco.

THE ARTFUL VEGAN-FRESH FLAVORS FROM THE MILLENIUM KITCHEN by ERIC TUCKER and GREAT CHEFS COOK VEGAN by LINDA LONG.

They're both really gourmet, but the GREAT CHEFS COOK VEGAN is SUPER intense.

TOP CHEF quality.

Both are filled with recipes asking for an outrageous amount of ingredients.

Some called for more than 30.

It's going to be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to cooking a real gourmet quality meal in the near future.

CHILAQUILES

*The "J" is obviously backwards*
Today we ate at Mijita Cocina Mexicana at the Ferry Buiding for BREAKFAST.

We always order the CHILAQUILES (no eggs, sour cream or cheese ), pinto beans, and a side of guacamole.

This is the only place I've ever seen that adds roasted poblano chili strips to the chilaquiles.

This is what makes them special.

They then smother the tortilla chips and poblanoes with a tangy chili salsa.

I dream of these chilaquiles.

They make them better than my mom.

She hates it when I tell her that.

But it's true. 

Mijita's chilaquiles are the BEST I've ever eaten.

So we're home now.

But before we got home, we had to stop somewhere for dinner.

So since today is Sunday, and Sunday is VeggieGrill day, we made the drive to El Segundo.

Posted about this place here.

Unfortunately, our Chill Out Wings were very disappointing.

They were mushy.

They're usually super crispy.

We actually took them back and asked for a replacement.

But it was of no use.

Still mushy.

So we decided not to order them again.

I just have to say that this weekend was magical.

My husband went out of his way to drive 6 hours to San Francisco ( for the weekend ), just so I could spend my birthday and anniversary in the place that makes me the happiest.

He is so special to me.

We've been together for almost 19 years.

Been married 10 years.

But it feels like we just met and fell in love.

Can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring.