Veganmofo: Lunches!

Lunch is an often neglected when it comes to the food enthusiest. Dinner is the main show, brunch has it's fans, breafkast can be impressive and lunch is mandatory.

Well I figured it might be neat to have some lunch worth braggin about.

Today's Lunch is brought to you by YRR and the ever fantastic lunch buddy leftovers!

A few years ago I began toying with the idea of Cooking my way through a cookbook, the book I choose was Yellow Rose Recipes by the Lovely Joanna Vaught. After all it was a kick ass book, with good old fashion belly pleasers. As always life got in the way, and a year later I'm still working on it.

 So here is YRR's Delightful Cajun tofu in bento format

This one was pretty simple, wild rice in the rice cooker, produce box veggies in the steamer and leftover YRR Cajun Tofu.

For storage sakes and added flavour, I went with BBQ dipping sauce kicked up with Blair's Hot sauce (review to come). Simple and Tasty

Veganmofo: product review: Zapp's chips

Another gift from Vodoo, these new Orleans Zapp's Potato Chips: Spicy Cajun Crawtators

Kettle chips man, these are what I always expect BBQ chips to be like. Slight zing with a hint of spicy kick.

I don't usually like BBQ because they are rarely what I'm looking for, but Zapp's delivers. Smooth, smokey, spicy, with a bit of zing. Perfection.

The kinda chips that look like sliced potatoes, super coated in flavour and crispiness.

Definitely worth grabbing if you see them near you, plus the bag is super cute.

Veganmofo: Lazy work days

You know whats awesome? Leftover Pizza.

Earlier this week I went over to my Friend Vodoo's place and we made some fucking pizza. It was grand, better still she wrapped some leftovers for me to take home.

Her and Mr. Vodoo went to the states and brought back all kinds of vegan jems, like that creepy lobster we still haven't eaten. And a mother fucking Ham Tube.

So we made Hawaiian Pizza. We also made some kick ass Salsa (another post)

Which ironically all three of us disliked pre-vegan days, but the vegan version was smashing.

• Pizza Dough Recipe: HIAV by Sara Kramer made in the kitchen aid
• Can of pizza sauce
• 2 Fucking bags of moza Daiya
• 1 Fucking Ham Tube
• 1/2 Pineapple, diced
• Fresh Basil/Thyme from the window sill
• Bonus pizza topping: Sliced Shitake Mushrooms, Red Peppers and maybe some onions

Basically we sliced the veggies, cubed the pineapple and ham while the dough rose. Vodoo placed the dough on the pizza pans pricked it with a fork the layered on the sauce and herb. Tossed one pizza with as much pineapple and ham tube as we physically could, then emptied a bag on Daiya on top.

HAMMM TUUBBBEEE!!

Mr. Vodoo topped the second pizza with sauce, herb, leftover ham tube, pineapple, the peppers, onions and mushroom followed by yet another bag of Daiya.

Pizza's were baked at 400 for 30ish mins and delicious.

Three days later I ate my leftovers at work on an awesome skull plate.

Veganmofo: Staples 3! Spiced Peanuts

Another shared recipe from friends of the family, this one has earned a place in the time honoured Zodiac Cook Book my mother's had longer than I've been alive.

Remember those talent friends? Well there are actually two sets of them, each with their own talents and trade secrets. One of which I'm about to share.

Carol's Spiced Peanuts

Insert Nuts Joke Here

These tasty little numbers are busted out every craps game or social gathering. Think of them like a tastier version of bar nuts. The kind of thing you can always expect to walk away with a jar of whenever you visit.

They make great snacks, to pick you up when you are helping someone move and they make adorable house warming presents.

Late night snacks or any other occasion.

Roast up a batch and pour them into an empty glass jar they'll be ready to go anywhere you go. I'm not sure exactly how long they keep, sealed I've had them for a few weeks but they don't usually last past that before my roommate eats them all. I like to up the salt, but honestly they don't need it.

So simple, you'll wonder why you never made them before.

Veganmofo: Staples: Zuchini pickles

We're back with another Vegan Mofo Staples edition.

This one comes from a family friend who is always pickling, canning and generally whipping up a home cooked storm. These are those friends who always seem to put you to shame, the ones who whip out homemade dips and crackers for every card game and always seem to eat waffles for breakfast.

Yup, they're those kinda friends. But recently some of their good cheer has rubbed off and they gifted my mother (who in turn bestowed upon me) this simply brilliant insight.

Pickled Zuchini.

These are no Ordinary Pickles.

You know those plants that just keep growing and no matter what you do there is always more zucchini then any one person could ever hope to consume. Well their garden overflowed as usual, so they took those suckers and pickled them like cucumbers, the result is a slightly softer yet still crisp pickle. Pretty smart no?

These particular pickles were a cross over between bread and butter with a kick of dill. We served them with thanksgiving dinner, but they'd be good all over.

Veganmofo: Thaksgiving post

As promised, here is the complete unhealthy vegan thanksgiving spread. There will be a follow up leftover's post which will provide some more details and recipes on the dishes.

Here we go!

Thanksgiving Tofurkey Platter:

Featuring roasted garden onions, garlic bulbs, celery and carrots. Basting mixture of soy sauce and OJ with poultry seasoning, fresh pepper and a bit of sugar.

Next up Butternut Squash pre-baking:

Squash was cut with fresh garlic, brown sugar, crushed rosemary, pepper, sea salt, ginger and sage.

Roasted at 400 for over an hour

Yellow Rose Recipes Sweet Potatoes, Candied with ginger

 Final Platter with tofurkeys, roasted veggies and the squash medallions

 Double Tofurkey roasting in the oven, 2 hours

 Green Bean casserole, man this stuff is good. Simple roux, nooch and vegetable broth sauce. Seasoning with garlic, onion, and oregano poured over beans baked for 30 mins then topped with fried onions.

 Gratuitous plate shot, sorry about the flash it was dark by the time we ate. Left to right: YRR sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, tofurkey slices, mom's bread stuffing, and roasted squash. Not featured second plate: Roasted garlic asparagus, steamed garden carrots, steam snap peas, apple crisps and more.

Family bonus picture, my mother peeling potatoes on her back deck. Happy Mofo everyone!

Veganmofo: Spotlight on Burritos

Burritos are gods food. Seriously, you take some hearty soulful full bodied fully flavoured foods and stick them together in a wrap that you toast to perfection?

More please.

Recently in our little city a place open and stayed open late called Burrito Jax. Tasty tasty stuff which has become a fan favourite. They offer a pretty fab spread and have inspired a few burrito party's in my kitchen.

So here's a laydown to the simple fixings to assemble a burrito of your own

Keys:

• Wraps
• Salsa/sauce
• veggies
• beans
• rice
• flare: like sweet potato, pickled jalapenos, lime, crispy onions, cranberry anything that adds texture/flavour and makes this burrito different from the last

So here a few easy examples from the list.

Step 1: Rice

Now a rice cooker makes this part easy but any rice you enjoy can work as a filling. Plain fluffy rice is nice, adds texture, grasps flavour and helps make each wrap fullfilling. But they key to a good burrito goes beyond the fluffy nutty texture of simple brown rice, zest it up with flavour.

Roast garlic rice or zest a lime into the cooker with the rice, finish with a fresh squeeze maybe some cilantro. Or add some mexican pilaf punched up with flavour.

Step2: Bean/Protein or Both!

Seitan is a great filler, fried tofu, cooked black bean/pintos, refried beans. Any combo as long as she's got flavour. Cook your beans  with garlic and spices, toasted cumin and if you go with non-bean protein fry them in spice. Use a flavour marinade or seitan then crust in with toasted cumin. You really want the flavour to pop.

Black beans or chili beans, with onions and spice. Mashed with onion, garlic and cumin or from a can. Refried beans are a burrito classic but home cooked black beans provide some killer texture and are a nice addition.

Step 3: Veggies
Fried/roasted onions. All onions all the time. Crips lettuce, green onions, chilis, peppers anything crisp, chrunch and wet. Helps cut the heat and add texture, give your mouth a break.

  

I like raw veggies in my burrito, but slow sauteed peppers curl around your tastebuds in pleasing ways. Lettuce is great in wraps, but for true authenticity try thinly sliced cabbage with lime or lemon juice. Allow it to wilt a bit, and you get the best slaw. Crisp and refreshing surrounded in warm spicy beans and sweet potato

 Sweet potato is a burrito favourite, roasted cubes with lime and cumin. Or mashed with cilantro and a pat of butter. It provides a great warm accompaniment to any wrap.

4. Sauces.Salsa
Cranberry, tomatillo, canned, fresh, homemade. There are many schools of thought, mole works wonders. A fresh pico de gallo is nice crisp tomato and onion with herb and citrus. Or the smoke chipotle sauces or sweet sting of vinegar based hot sauce or canned burrito sauce. Smooth or Chunky, I find a mixture of sauces gives you the best.

5. Flare

Cranberry salsa, dried fruit, previously mentioned sweet potato or carmilized onions. Hot peppers. This is where you make the burrito yours. Smoked peppers or grilled pineapple, slices of mango? Go drastic, and really break up the flavours.

What are your favourite combos? Best burrito memories?

Do you all build up a stack of different home cooked fillings and set up family style where everyone chooses there own?