Tater Tot Casserole

                                

There are certain things in life that are absolute staples, most of my recipes revolve around mine, potatoes are one of them.  This recipe uses the ever so awesome tater tot form of this delectable tuber and almost no nutritional value.  In the winter who cares about nutrition anyway?  I have seen many a people pile on the buttery, creamy, and salt filled treats of the holiday season as if their life depended on it.  Lucky for you this recipe does not have butter or cream so at least we have that going for us.  And now for the recipe that we've all been waiting for:

Tater Tot Casserole

3 Cups Soy Milk (any non dairy milk will do)

1 Cup Vegetable Broth

1 Tbsp Sambal

32 oz. Tater Tots

3 14.5 oz. Cans Green Beans Rinsed

Package of meatless crumbles

1 Pkg. Onion Mushroom soup mix (make sure to read the label

2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder

2 Tsp. Braggs (you can also use soy sauce)

Bag of Daiya Cheddar Cheese 

A Thickener of Choice

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.Take out a large bowl and dump the tater tots, rinsed green beans and minced garlic into it.

3. Pull out a pot and put 2 cups of soy milk and 1 cup of vegetable broth in and let simmer.

4. Add garlic powder, soup mix, braggs and sambal to the mix.  Taste for your preference.

5. Add thickener, I prefer cornstarch for this, to the pot.  Mix quickly until it looks more like a cream soup.  Add the meatless crumbles and let warm a bit.

6. Add to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well.

7. Oil a casserole dish and place mixture in add the additional cup of soy milk, at this time, if it seems dry.

8. Cover with foil and place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the tater tots are softened and not cold.

9. Pull out of the oven and add Daiya shreds to the top.  I think that a half bag works better than a whole bag but the preference is yours.

10. Place back in the oven uncovered and bake for another 20-30 minutes.

11. Eat

I hope that you enjoy this recipe it is a fairly simple one to make and takes no prep time.  It also makes eight servings that you can eat then or also freeze if you need to.  Enjoy.

Kale Soup for the Vegan Soul

I am not a person that does well in the cold, as a matter of fact I hate when the weather gets to the point where I can't leave my house without my nose freezing off.  When the weather does become unbearable and I no longer have a nose but instead a cold full of runny nose and sneezing sitting on my face, I turn to soup to make it all better.  I don't think this is an unusual reaction, however, the most typical soup you find to calm a cold is chicken noodle.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy a great faux chicken noodle soup but I like to get a little bit more creative and a lot more garlicky with my soup.  From that thought the Kale of soups is born.

On top of this soup being one of my favorite soups to make for nutritional value, kale is also on my top five foods I could never live without.  So without further ado: the soup that will change your cold ridden face forever.

Kale Soup for the Soul


1/2 Block Extra Firm Tofu

1 Bunch of Kale
6 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 White Onion
2 Cups of Veggie Broth
2 Tbsp White Miso Paste

1 Cup Quinoa
2 Tbsp Braggs or Soy Sauce
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
Dash of Cayenne (you may add more depending on your pain tolerance)
Water
1 Tsp Olive Oil 


1. Place stock pot on the stove and turn up to medium/medium high heat.  When pot is slightly warm add oil and coat the bottom of the pot.
2. Add diced up white onion to the pan and saute until onion starts to go clear then add the garlic, minced.
3. When the garlic starts to turn a bright yellow color add the vegetable broth.
4. Add quinoa and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Chop the kale removing the stems.  Add to the soup.  Add garlic powder, cayenne, and Braggs as well.
6. Take a half cup of hot water and add the miso paste to the mix and blend until it is thoroughly dissolved in the water mixture.
7. Add the miso mixture to the soup.
8. Cut tofu into small cubes and add to the soup.
9. At this point it should look a little more like a stew and the flavor should be pretty intense.  Check on the quinoa and if it is still a little hard add about 2 cups of water then cover and let simmer for about 10 more minutes.
10. Check the soup flavor and add more cayenne if need be.  Serve and Enjoy.


This soup serves 4 people and works great with sourdough bread.  It's also great for leftovers if you don't want to share and it freezes well.

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Pie

This is probably one of the easiest and one of my favorite desserts to eat and make.  Caution: you will want to eat the whole thing in one sitting.

Chocolate Cream Pie with Raspberries

1 1/2 packages Silken Tofu
1 1/2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips (you can also use Semi-sweet)
1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Tsp Vanilla 
1 Cup of Raspberries (other berries work as well but this is what I prefer)

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust which you can either make or purchase.  I usually use the Oreo crust.


1.  Blend Tofu until smooth.
2. Blend in vanilla and raspberries.
3.Melt chocolate chips either using a double boiler or a microwave.  Blend with the tofu mixture.
4. Whip the mousse, it will make it more fluffy, slowly add maple syrup until it is the sweetness you prefer.
5. Pour mousse into shell and refrigerate 1-2 hours.




This is probably one of my favorite things to make when people exclaim that they don't like tofu because it is too bland.  Unless they don't appreciate chocolate or are allergic to soy they will surely devour this tasty treat. 

A special thanks goes to Travis for the great photography!

Party Potato Salad

This is one of my favorite potato salad recipes to bring to a get together. I hope you enjoy.


Party Potato Salad
9 Large Red Potatoes
1 English Cucumber (grated)
1/2 Large Red Onion
1 Cup Vegenaise
1/8 Cup Mustard
2 Stalks Celery (chopped)
Dill pickle juice added to your liking
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cut and quarter the potatoes. Place in water just covering the top and boil until soft.
2. Drain potatoes and let cool.
3. Grate the cucumber and then wrap in cheese cloth to drain any excess liquid.
4. Add the potatoes, celery, and cucumber together.
5. Mix the remaining ingredients together and then add to the potato mixture.
6. Chill until you are ready to eat it up. 

Share this with all your friends and family at a Barbecue and they won't even know they're eating vegan. 
You can also eat it with a delicious vegan bratwurst in the comfort of your own home...Yumm!

Taco Pizza

When I think of tacos it makes me immediately salivate, pizza also has the same effect, so why not combine forces and make an all time favorite of mine: TACO PIZZA.  If you have never tasted taco pizza you are missing out an experience that is quite possibly unmatched by any other combination of foods.
  Imagine all the great flavor possibilities atop a perfectly golden crust: a pizza that tastes great with salsa, a taco where the ingredients do not fall out while eating, and a shell that doesn't get soggy and start to wear thin.  This is the greatness that is taco pizza.
  This recipe, unlike others, takes a little bit more time and preparation to make.  The reason for this is that I am a fan of making my own dough but it doesn't mean that you are not welcome to go buy pre-made dough yourself, I just have a preference.
  You will want to set about 2 1/2 to 3 hours aside depending on your experience in the dough making area. Usually when I make dough I make a triple to quadruple batch and portion the rest out and freeze it.  Whatever is most convenient for you is probably the best way to go.  Also, I use dry black beans so I let them soak all day without salt because the salt is really unnecessary to the soaking process.
The rest of the recipe is simple and a lot less time consuming.

Pizza Dough

1 Cup Warm Water
1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar (make sure it is unbleached)
1 (1/4 ounce Package) Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 Tspn Salt
DO NOT USE RAPID RISE YEAST

1. Combine water, sugar and oil.  Add yeast let sit until you see the yeast foam.
2. Add flour and salt and mix together.  I prefer to mix with my hands but if you have a nice stand mixer go ahead and use that.
3. When ingredients are well combined lightly flour the counter top and knead dough until dough is smooth and slightly pliable.  Roll into a ball.

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4. Take a little olive oil and lightly cover the dough and place in large bowl covered with a cloth.
5. Let rise for about 45 minutes to an hour until it is doubled in size.  I like to stick my dough in the sun to rise because it helps speed up the process.
  (This is when I usually start the beans by boiling them on the stove with about double the water)
6. After dough is risen lightly flour counter again and place dough on counter and push out extra air.  Let sit for another 10-15 minutes.
7. Preheat overn to 500 degrees
 
Black Bean Pizza Sauce

1 Cup Black Beans
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
Water
Tapatio
Sea Salt and Pepper

1. Boil beans until soft and combine all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.  Use water to thin out the sauce if needed.
When beans are finished roll out dough and place either on a pizza stone or cookie sheet, make
sure to oil pan lightly. 

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Spread out black bean sauce evenly.  I like to then saute up some soy chorizo with 1/2 a white onion
and place on top.  Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes until crust is lightly brown.  Right after I pull it out of the oven I sprinkle vegan cheese (Daiya cheddar) over the top.  I then add all my favorite ingredients: chopped up white onions, jalapenos, chopped up lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, and avocado.  You can also add crushed up tortilla chips if you like.
                       Invite your friends and family over and enjoy this delectable treat.

Chunky Vegetable Marinara

I am a lover of pasta and all things carbohydrate.  I think that it's a natural state for many people to feel drawn to items they can put sauce on  and dip items into.  While on my quest to make healthy dishes I have to watch the amount of bread like items I put in my body, not because I'm a calorie counter,  because I love balanced meals and nutrition.  On this most virtuous adventure I make a lot of items with more than enough vegetables to cancel out the amount of carbs, here is one of my favorite of those recipes.



Chunky Vegetable Marinara


1 Zucchini
1/2 White Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic
24 Ounces Stewed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Oregano
1-2 Tsp Garlic Powder
Dash of Cayenne
1 Tbsp Olive Oil (Preferably Cold Pressed)
1/4 Package Gimme Lean ( you can use any fake meat or none if you like)
Noodles of your choice
Vegan Parmesan (I use Parm which is a raw food mix of nutritional yeast, walnuts and sea salt ground up together)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

1.Place water on stove to boil the noodles and cook noodles for approximately 11 minutes.  Place olive oil in saute pan on medium heat.
2.Chop zucchini, bell pepper and onion and place in a pan to lightly  brown.
3. While vegetables are browning add Gimme Lean by breaking up and placing it around the pan.  Let brown.
4.Add garlic stir lightly until you see the garlic turn a nice bright yellow add red wine vinegar and let cook off.
5. Add tomatoes and spices and let simmer until extra water is cooked, it should seem almost stew like.
6. Place on Noodles and add vegan parmesan and enjoy.


I also enjoy using eggplant, spinach, squash and any assortment of vegetables in this dish.

Donnie Mac's Helps Make a Vegan Friendly Boise Possible

Sometimes I dream about a restaurant and finding something off of the menu that I don't have to modify; Donnie Mac's is that restaurant.  They are not completely vegan but they definitely serve up some fantastic vegan fare that is not all salads and portabello sandwiches.  Don't get me wrong, I do love both those items and what they encompass but I also love looking at a menu or speaking to waitstaff to pleasantly find out what other great options that I have available right at my fingertips.
  This is what occurred on Monday, what I would like to call my Re-experience of Donnie Mac's.
   We sat down with my family and soon to be relations for a birthday dinner for myself.  I would usually order the Taco Salad with no chicken or cheese and I found vegan Corn Dogs and a vegan BLT present, neither of those you could really pass up .
   The Corn Dogs came out perfectly golden with a side of  fries.  They had that perfect crispy outside and a nice soft inside.  If you didn't know they were vegan you would decidedly agree that they taste amazingly like the corn dogs you remember when you were young.  The next item that we tried was the BLT made with marinated tofu, a perfectly sliced piece of tomato, Vegenaise and iceburg lettuce.  I chose to add avocado to the sandwich because it is one of my favorite foods but it would taste awesome without as well.  The marinade of the tofu makes you second guess the origin of the "meat" on the sandwich in the best way possible.  All in all I am incredibly surprised at what items Donnie Mac's has been adding to the menu to help support the more alternative eating styles.

  Also on their menu available for vegans is the Worst Burger (Remember to order without Cheese), Chili, and many other items that can be made vegan.  I definitely recommend Donnie Mac's as a wonderful eating experience with a dish for everyone in the family.

Pizza Burgers

When I was growing up I ate a lot of interesting things but one off the more "American" type dishes that I tried was a dish by my Step-mom, Dawn, they were called pizza burgers. I am not the type to look for a recipe on the internet to sooth me through my craving for nostalgia so I created this new recipe myself. Enjoy!


Pizza Burgers

1 1/2 Cup TVP
1 Can Olives
Marinara Sauce
1/2 White Onion
1 Clove Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Vegan Cheddar Cheese (I prefer Daiya)
Bread of Your Choice
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat Oven to 375

1. Hydrate TVP by running it under cold water until somewhat moist.
2.Add Olive Oil to the pan let heat for a moment and add onion. When onion is slightly translucent add garlic. When you see the garlic get a little yellow and smell really sharp add tvp and saute until browned.
3.Add Marinara sauce until tvp seems well hydrated, almost squishy.
4.Dice half the can of olives and place in with tvp mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spray baking sheet with olive oil and place bread on it. Put TVP mixture on top of bread. Add vegan cheese to the top and sliced olives.
6.Bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Thank you for trying this recipe and please leave feedback whenever you like.