Bagel Bites for Fishless Friday

Cashew Cream Cheese and Smoked Phish Bagel Bites

Let's call this part 2 in a 2-part series on fantastic fishless recipes.  First I gave you my Two Nut Phish Salad (yum), and today, on a Friday that still has lots of people around the world eating something from the sea, I bring you Cashew Cream Cheese and Smoked Phish Bagel Bites.

Another of my pre-vegan aspiring favorite things to eat was classic bagels and lox.  Removing the lox actually doesn't significantly change the deliciousness of that stack of savory delights - fresh bagel, Persian cucumber, Roma tomato, red onion, capers-if-handy, and cream cheese (I've been eating Tofutti brand and love it).

However, a while back I took a class with Miyoko Schinner, artisan vegan cheese maker, and she showed us how to make "lox" and "cream cheese" starring cashew nuts and nori.  First you make a cashew based creamy cheese, then mix in roasted red peppers, liquid smoke, nori, and sea salt to taste, and voila, you have a spread that any bagel would be proud to be schmeared with.

For Fishless Friday or Sunday Brunch, Cashew Cream Cheese and Smoked Phish Bagel Bites will definitely satisfy your craving for something-from-the-sea.  Enjoy! 

Two Nut Phish Salad (Vegan)

This month's food blogger group meetup theme was Vegetarian Brunch, which you know had me jumping for plant-based joy.  And what's brunch without a nice cold phish platter, right?

So I took my Two Nut Salad recipe, shaped it like an actual tuna, surrounded it with slices of a savory wheat/rye with mixed seeds bread, and headed for Judy and Joel's lovely Brentwood home.

Tunas Love Two Nut Phish Salad!

Here's the recipe:

Two Nut Phish Salad
2 cups garbanzo beans, canned or Melissa's steamed
1/2 cup hazelnuts, ground
1/2 cup almonds, ground
1/3 cup carrots, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup pickle relish
1/2 cup Vegenaise (mayo)
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tablespoons dehydrated sea vegetables or crushed nori (optional)

Pulse the garbanzo beans in a processor until slightly mashed and flakey - do not take them into hummous territory!

In a large bowl, combine the g-beans with the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.  Season with s&p, add more of any ingredient you like, or for that matter you can leave something out and put something else you like in.  More Vegenaise probably wouldn't hurt either.  (The optional "sea" ingredient is for those who like their salad extra phishy.)

Form the salad into a fish shape, embellish with cucumber and scallion fins/tails, pluck in a hazelnut eyeball, surround with your favorite bread, crackers, and/or chips, and enjoy.  Maybe try and save some for a two nut phish salad sandwich for lunch tomorrow?

Holiday Shortcuts

You don't have to bake from scratch to be a star at the holiday cookie exchange.

These silver & blue hued beauties consist of Betty Crocker Shortbread Cookie Mix, Earth Balance "Butter" sticks for the dough, blueberry jam imported from Italy via the 99 Cents Only Store for the filling, powdered sugar with almond milk and limoncello for the icing, and silver and blue sprinkles for the big finish.

And you don't have to cook from scratch to create a savory standout for the potluck party.  There were a 1/2 dozen recipe requests for my Pesto Antipasto Appetizer (sorry, no picture) that is a simple assemblage of delicious prepared products from Melissa's:

Melissa's Steamed Artichoke Hearts (chopped)
Melissa's Steamed Fava Beans (rinsed)
Melissa's Roasted Red Bell Peppers (chopped)
Melissa's Pine Nuts (lightly toasted)
Melissa's Basil Pesto (or make your own)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Arianna Trading Co.)
Preserved Lemon or lemon juice
Fresh or Dried Basil and Oregano
Salt and Pepper

Use about equal amounts of each of the first 5 items, to end up with the quantity you need based on the number of people you're serving.  Add the olive oil, lemon, and pesto to coat, then season to taste with the herbs, salt and pepper.  Put the mixture in a serving bowl and surround with roasted garlic bagel chips, crackers, chips, and/or any crostini base you like.

So channel a little Sandra Lee, use great products from Melissa's, mix in a dash of your own creativity and flavor preferences, and do something dazzling in your kitchen!

Pimento Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches + Mosaic Garden Art

Pimento-Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches (Dairy-Free Version)
(photo by Judy Lyness)

Our recent Los Angeles Food Bloggers' potluck theme was "picnic", and I turned to a recipe that I wrote for Melissa's The Great Pepper Book for inspiration.  Actually more like imitation, because I pretty much recreated it ingredient for ingredient, with one slight variation.  I took the dairy ingredients and replaced them with non-dairy, plant-based  equivalents, and not that I make a habit of fooling people, but the bloggers were smacking their lips, totally surprised, when I came clean.

So whether you need to go dairy-free for health reasons, or want to try dairy-free out of culinary curiosity, you'll find that with a little creativity, ingenuity, experimentation, and all those other reasons why you like to cook in the first place, there isn't anything you can't recreate.  I'm not saying that the new version will taste exactly like the old version, but I will say that it will taste good, very good.

Buy This Book!

Here's the original recipe from Melissa's The Great Pepper Book, with substitutions in parentheses.  These little one-handed sandwiches would be perfect on paper plates at any picnic, or on a silver platter at your next potluck.

Pimento-Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches
1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough (dairy-free biscuit dough)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened - about 1 cup (Tofutti cream-cheese)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese - about 2 ounces (Follow Your Heart Vegan Shredded Cheddar)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (Follow Your Heart Vegenaise)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 fresh cherry bell chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, finely diced - about 1/3 cup (or sub red Fresno chiles)
1 large shallot, finely diced - about 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup watercress or arugula (I used arugula)
Fresh cherry bell chile peppers, thinly sliced (optional)
Smoked paprika to taste (new ingredient)

1.  Bake biscuits according to package directions; cool to room temperature.
2.  Place cheeses and next 5 ingredients, through shallots, in a food processor or blender; pulse to combine.
3.  Add smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, pulse to combine, and add more if desired.
4.  Cut biscuits in half.  Top biscuit bottoms evenly with cheese mixture and watercress or arugula, and sliced chiles, if desired.  Top with biscuit tops.  Serve on a silver platter or paper plate - whatever.



                                                        GARDEN ART   

On an arts & crafts note, I've been making garden mosaics using cement pavers

with broken china and tiles.  Here's the latest one, plus a few others from my succulent growing front yard.

Little Free Library, Melissa's and More

Melissa's Sugar Cane Swizzle Stix Giveway at Camp Blogaway

I'm baaaaaaaack!  Yes, another lost-my-will-to-blog episode has come to an end.  Thanks Camp Blogaway and all my fellow bloggers for inspiring me to write on.

Lemongrass-Ginger Cooler and Vegetarian Bahn Mi

While I still plan to write about food on this blog, I'm happy to announce that I am going to be a featured blogger on Melissa's website.  As you know I've been a member of the culinary team at Melissa's for several years and now I'm going to be able to reach so many more people with my plant-based eating message.  Please check out this month's feature at Plant-Based 411, including 2 great recipes from Melissa's "The Great Pepper Cookbook".  If you already have the book - thanks so much!  If you don't, please buy one asap.








 

Sweet as HONEY!

Another exciting announcement is much more personal.  I have a new BFF, her name is Honey, and she's sweet as honey.  It's been 4 years since I lost my Poochie, and I'm so glad I waited for Honey to come into my life.  I hope you all have sweet friends too.

Little Free Library Grand Opening

Last Saturday I was honored to cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Little Free Library in my front yard.  Neighbors brought books and enjoyed cookies, extra crunchy peanut butter and guava marmalade sandwiches, and limeade.  For those of you who haven't heard about LFL's, they are smallish structures, often built from recycled materials, that house books for you and your neighbors to share on a take-a-book, leave-a-book honor system.





I built mine with a lot of help from Transition Mar Vista, plus a repurposed picture frame/glass door, old paint, broken china mosaic tiles, and a little hardware help from a couple of nice handymen.

LFL in process (those are cutting boards for shelves)

Camp Blogaway was about supporting your fellow bloggers .  Plant-Based 411 is about sharing recipes and tips on how to eat in a more healthy, endlessly creative, produce centric way.  A Little Free Library is about

reading, sharing, and feeling more "howdy neighbor" than a lot of us do.  And a new BFF, like my Honey, is all about compassion, companionship, cuddling, and making sweet memories to always remember.

Makin Fakin Bakin for Meatless Monday

It's Meatless Monday so I thought I'd offer up a recipe to magnificently mimic one of meat eater's most favorite meats - bacon.  Sometimes I invent recipes.  Other times I "borrow" and tweak.  This time I just pretty much took the recipe for Coconut Bacon from The Simple Veganista and made it as-is.  The only thing I really changed was cutting the recipe in half because I used Melissa's Coconut Chips which come in a 3 ounce package instead of the 7 ounces called for in the recipe.

Bakin' Before Bakin'

Be sure to take note of The Simple V's recipe suggestions at the bottom of her post - they all look amazing.  As you can see, my "bakin" came out like Julie's, and as soon as the avocados I just bought are ripe I'll be making a Cobb-ish salad, some split pea soup, and maybe some maple bakin cupcakes.  I hope you'll stay tuned  .....

Bakin' After Bakin'

LOVE

Chocolate Crispy Hearts (vegan)

Whether it's love for one another, love for you-fill-in-the-blank with your favorite thing, love for animals and the less fortunate, and/or love for yourself, feeling it, sharing it, receiving it, and being grateful for it is what V-Day means to me.  You?

I'm also grateful for the growing (pun) interest in eating a plant-based diet.  Whether it's for the animals, for your health, for the environment, or for whatever reason, this movement is going in the righteous direction.

In order to feel part of today's love fest I had this idea to make something chocolaty that was also vegan and that was also something I haven't eaten in forever because conventional marshmallows are made using gelatin, and gelatin is derived from animal by-products.  So I'm sending out some love to Chicago Vegan Foods for creating Dandie's vegan and air-puffed marshmallows!

For your Valentine's Day plant-based eating pleasure I present my Vegan Chocolate Crispy Hearts.  Love, sweet love - it's the only thing that there's just too little of.

Chocolate Crispy Hearts (vegan)
3 Tbsp. Earth Balance buttery sticks
1 pkg. (10 oz.) Dandie's marshmallows
5 cups Three Sisters Cocoa-Snapz (or another chocolate crispy cereal)
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 Tbsp. grape seed oil
1 box Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate squares, melted

Combine the cereal and pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.

In a large stock pot, melt the butter on low heat, add the marshmallows, and stir, stir, stir for about 4-5 minutes until the marshmallows are completely melted.  Add in the water and oil and stir, stir, stir until the mixture is creamy smooth.  Turn off the heat, pour the cereal/pecan mixture into the marshmallow cream a cup or so at a time and stir to incorporate.  Be sure to get everything well mixed or it won't hold together.

Transfer the mixture to the baking pan, spread out to about 1/2-3/4" thick, using a wooden spoon to press down.  Set aside to cool.  When cool, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make individual crispy hearts and set aside.  (Sorry, but you'll just have to scarf down the trimmings like I did.)

Melt the chocolate squares in the microwave according to package directions.   Spread melted chocolate over the top of each heart, and set aside to dry/harden.  When one side is completely dry, turn the hearts over, remelt the chocolate, and spread chocolate on side 2 and set aside until hardened.  If you need to store the hearts, carefully place between parchment paper in a sealed container.

XOXO

Chinese New Year Part 2

CNY Slaw

Our Food Bloggers Los Angeles group gathered last weekend to celebrate all things chocolate and champagne.  Since I'd heard through the bloggervine that there would be plenty of both, I decided to give another shout out to Chinese New Year 2014.






At the TechMunch blogger conference last week I met some people from the Beyond Meat Company, and since I'm way beyond meat I decided to incorporate one of their great items in a CNY Slaw.  

CNY Slaw Assemblage

Basically it's shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, julienne cut red bell peppers, snow peas, celery, and green onion, raw almonds, chow mein noodles, and stir-fried Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken-Free Strips.  A dressing made up of equal amounts of sesame oil and  seasoned rice vinegar, plus 2 tablespoons each of teriyaki sauce and sweet chile sauce bring all the classic flavors together.  And instead of a recipe you can call it an assemblage.

Fantastic FBLA Spread with my little CNY slaw in the bottom left corner
Photo stolen from Shockingly Delicious' Dorothy Reinhold

Hopefully I haven't missed the boat on getting this post added to the "blog-hop" for the FBLA group event. (Here's where I could probably use some of that Chinese New Year good fortune.)


Click HERE for all the chocolate recipes and champagne recommendations from my great FBLA friends!  

This Bao's for You

Jackfruit Bao

The Chinese Lunar New Year begins Friday, January 31, honoring the Year of the Horse.  The 15-day holiday period includes parades, special meals, gifts to ensure future riches, and symbolic decor  based on both ancient Chinese culture and modern, regional traditions.  To honor my Jewish-Chinese-food-loving

ancestors and my vegan aspirations, I've produced these Jackfruit Bao to kick-off my plant-based CNY party.

Traditional, steamed, pillowy buns filled with bbq p--k are must-haves at dim sum lunches from San Gabriel to Singapore.  At 28+ years as a vegetarian (and going strong), I've discovered a fantastic vegan, even more delicious version.  This recipe is easier to make than I expected, extremely easy, and tast too,  not only suiting my personal eating style perfectly but for anyone else who wants to eat in a healthier way.

Canned Green Jackfruit in water (available at Asian and Indian markets) is the unbelievable replacement for the filling, not to mention that the jackfruit on its own is fat free and a whopping 120 calories for the entire can.   When cooked it produces a shredded meat-like texture and it's neutral flavor absorbs the sauces and seasonings in a beautiful, tasty way. The buns can be purchased already made at an Asian market, but they were really easy to make at home.

Whether you create a banquet, order take-out, see a parade, or exchange gifts for prosperity, I hope you'll find your own way to celebrate Chinese New Year.  Wishing you, your family, and friends a year filled with good fortune and great plant-based food!

Bao
I used this bao/steamed bun recipe:  http://www.theaimlesscook.com/?s=steamed+buns.  Easy, great video, just cut the sugar in 1/2)

Jackfruit Filling
I used this filling recipe:  http://thejollyfox.com/2013/10/31/jackfruit-char-siu-vegan-manapua/, cutting it in half down the line, replacing brown sugar for the white sugar, and adapting the other ingredients based on what I had on hand.

Both recipes combine to make 16 Jackfruit Bao.

Game Day Nachos

Delicious dairy-free, meat-free, wheat-free nachos

The Super Bowl is coming up soon and while some of you really care about who's in it and who wins it, I'm on team Super Bowl Snacks, which win every time.  I'm a big fan of tortilla chips, and an even bigger fan of dousing said chips with tasty Mexican condiments.  Condiment doused tortilla chips a la nachos feature ooey gooey cheesy sauce, and since I'm trying to veganize recipes where I can, I've replaced the cheese with this healthier, tastier "Low-Fat Chipotle Nacho Sauce" from Miyoko Schinner, author of Artisan Vegan Cheese.

My go-to chips are the white corn, all natural ones that you can find at the supermarket for $1-$2/bag.   Place a handful or two of these on a  dinner plate or platter.
Spoon some beans* over the chips.
Spoon some fresh cooked corn (off the cob + grapeseed oil, s&p) over the beans.

Sprinkle some diced, roasted fresh chiles (charred on the stovetop) over the beans, along with some salt and pepper.

Pour the hot, creamy nacho sauce over the beans and chips, like they do at your favorite restaurant.
Spoon fresh salsa (Roma tomatoes, scallions, garlic, lime juice, hot sauce, s&p) and diced avocado over the top of the sauce.

Garnish with fresh cilantro, unless you hate cilantro.
Grab your favorite big game beverage, lots of napkins, and start scooping. Score!!

*I used a mixture of black beans and blackeyed peas, cooked in water and fresh garlic.

-

Low-Fat Chipotle Nacho Cheese Sauce by Miyoko Schinner

Low-Fat Chipotle Nacho Cheese Sauce
(created by Miyoko Schinner)

1 cup cooked/mashed butternut squash (I used delicata)
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened (this is key) coconut or soy yogurt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown or white onion, quartered
5 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp. tapioca flour
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, divided in 1/2
1 tsp. salt or 1 Tbsp. miso paste

Combine the squash, yogurt, water, onion, nutritional yeast flakes, cashews, tapioca flour, 1/2 the chipotle pepper, and salt in a blender, and process until smooth and creamy.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thick and gooey.  Taste and add the remaining chipotle for more heat, and also additional salt if necessary.
-

Whisk until you get that great, thick but slightly runny, ooey, gooey nacho sauce consistency and then pour over the already assembled nacho ingredients.

(Note:  Leftover sauce made a delicious, quick mac 'n cheeze.)

Be sure to check out www.melissas.com for lots of delicious, healthy, game day ideas!

Blackeyed Peas = Happy New Year!

Traditions are an important part of holiday meals, and one Southern mainstay may be worth including in your own celebration.  On New Year's day (or thereabouts) it's the eating of the beans, more specifically blackeyed peas, that is a must-eat if you would like good fortune to shower you with coinage.

For an appetizer you could try a blackeyed pea salsa, and/or for a side dish you might want to go classic with Hoppin' John.  I went to my got-to-try-this-recipe-someday file and found a "burger" recipe, staring blackeyed peas, from the Chubby Vegetarian.  It almost looks to easy to be good, but don't let that fool you like it almost fooled me.  It's better than good.

Now I love my store-bought veggie burgers a lot, but I really enjoy (successfully) making recipes from scratch too.  You can see from the photo, these babies look like the real deal.  Note that whether you use Melissa's Steamed, Shelled, Ready-to-Eat BEP's http://www.melissas.com/Products/Products/Steamed-Blackeyed-Peas.aspx like I did, or Melissa's Blackeyed Peas in a tub, or dried blackeyed peas, or canned blackeyed peas, the key is to mash them until they're the consistency of refried beans.  When combined with the oats this will result in the right texture for binding and cooking.

One recipe makes 4 quarter pounders, or you can divvy it up for more portion controlled patties, or even smaller for sliders.  Whichever way you go, select a suitably delicious bun and your favorite condiments - I went with a little Dijon, bbq sauce, mixed greens, red onion, Roma tomato, and Vegenaise (it makes everything even more delicious).  This way to a good burger, and good fortune:

Good Fortune Blackeyed Pea Burgers (a la http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/)

1 pkg. Melissa's Ready-to-Eat BEPs or 1 1/2 cups cooked BEPs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (the 3-5 minute kind)
2 Tbsp. shallots, minced
3/4 cup portobello mushrooms, cooked and diced (optional)
1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. beet juice
2 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil for the pan
garnishes of your choice

In a medium sized bowl mash the peas until they're the consistency of refried beans.  Add in the dry oats and combine.  Add the shallots, mushrooms (optional), vegetable oil, beet juice, lite soy sauce, and liquid smoke, and stir together until you get a firm consistency.  Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.

With damp hands form the mixture into the size patties you desire.  Set them aside for at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.

Add a tablespoon of oil to a saute pan on medium-high heat.  When the oil begins to sizzle, add a "burger" to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side.  Repeat.  Then garnish like a fool and enjoy!


Get your New Year's party started with this amazing flashmob performance by The Black Eyed Peas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aSbKvm_mKA

Spumoni Shortbread Cookies

FBLA 2013 Cookie Exchange Recipes

• Chai Tea Cookies -- Cathy Arkle of She Paused 4 Thought (She also got tired of rolling the dough and refashioned the rest into Baby Hedgehog cookies.)
• Butter Pecan Fudge -- Dorothy Reinhold (me!) from Shockingly Delicious.
• Antioxidant Chocolate Bark -- Erika Kerekes (our hostess) of In Erika's Kitchen.
• Sweet Potato Marshmallow Bars with White Chocolate Chips -- Jennifer Richmond of Kitchy Cooking.
• Chocolate Chip and Apricot Walnut Rugelach and Vegan Chocolate Mini Cupcakes ("Naughty & Nice Cookies") -- Dana of Foodie Goes Healthy
• Vintage Sponge Drops with Double Fudge Filling -- Leslie Macchiarella of Bake This Cake.
• Sicilian Christmas cookies -- Judy Lyness of Two Broads Abroad.
• Cranberry Orange Walnut Sugar Cookies -- Patricia Rose of Fresh Food in a Flash.
• Brown Butter Praline Chocolate Chip Cookies -- Valentina Wein of Cooking On The Weekends.
• Mini Chocolate Nut Sandwich Cookies -- Kelly Page of Tasting Page.
• Rosemary Raisin Cocktail Shortbread -- Sharon Graves of Cheesy Pennies.
• Saketini Christmas Balls, Chocolate Macarons with Japanese Wine Cream Centers, and Matcha Green Tea Cookies with Chocolate Centers & Espresso Cookies with Caramel Fillings -- Kim Watkinson of Ninja Baking.
• Blueberry Coconut Mini Cupcakes, Rainbow Chocolate Bark, and Vegan Gingersnaps -- Judy Weintraub of Bumbleberry Breeze.
• Chocolate-Dipped Apricots with Pistachios -- Adair Seldon of Lentil Breakdown.
• Spumoni Shortbread -- Nancy Rose Eisman of Adventures with Nancy Rose.
• Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cardamom Gingersnap Cookies -- Alison Ashton of Nourish Network .
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oat Bars -- Alanna Waldron of Eats Real Food.
• Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies -- Tanaya Ghosh of Tanaya's Table. (Tanaya's Table, the blog, will launch in 2014.)
• Black and White Cookies -- Tina Kil. (Her blog isn’t up yet, but watch for her contributions in the future!)

Non-Cookie Items

• Chiang Mai Chicken in Endive Spears -- Cathy Arkle of She Paused 4 Thought.
• Seasonal salad -- Nancy Rose Eisman of Adventures with Nancy Rose.
• Barrel-Aged Sazerac -- Jennifer Richmond of Kitchy Cooking.

If Santa has a list that he checks twice to see if you've been a naughty or nice food blogger then he probably won't be stopping at my casa this year.  The nice bloggers actually post on a regular basis, while the naughty bloggers wait until the local food blogger group (FBLA) that is nice enough to let them be a member has an amazing annual cookie exchange (check) with related recipe round-up that everyone participates in (un-check).

So I'll try and remedy this by providing my recipe, and I use the term loosely, for the really cool looking and tasty Spumoni Shortbread cookies that I brought to the party:

1.  Make shortbread cookie dough or cheat like me and buy a package of Betty Crocker shortbread cookie mix.  Just add butter, or Earth Balance sticks like I did to make the cookies vegan.

2.  Divide the dough in 3 parts and flavor/color each one like so:
     A.  Maraschino cherries, juice, and red coloring (add almond extract if you have it - I didn't).
     B.  Pistachio nuts, green coloring, and the aforementioned almond extract.
     C.  Unprocessed cocoa powder and espresso syrup (or the like).

3.  Place one part at a time on a sheet of parchment paper and form into a narrow rectangle about 1/2" thick. Stack the other 2 parts on top.  Wrap and refrigerate several hours - over night is easiest.

4.  Unwrap dough, cut into 1/4" slices, place on a parchment lined baking sheet an inch or so apart, and bake according to package directions.

5.  Remove from oven, let cool on racks, and then spread melted dark chocolate (Valrohna that your friend Judy gave you if you're lucky, or another good quality chocolate) on the chocolate section and let the chocolate set about 30 minutes.

These cookies are nice to look at and nice to eat.  Santa, should I leave a few out for you?









Real, delicious recipes from the nice FBLA bloggers:

READ, EAT, REPEAT

I Just Love A Good Mystery

Who doesn't?  Although this month's Mystery Book Club selection, Patricia Cornwell's "The Front" was panned by everyone but me.  So for a recommendation of a book that everyone gave the thumbs up to, pick up a copy of "The Analyst" by John Katzenbach.  It's a psychological thriller reeking with suspense.   Other recent reads of mine include "The Last Suppers" by Diane Mott Davidson (a culinary/cozy genre mystery with recipes), and "The Private Patient" by P.D. James, who never disappoints (still reading this one).  What have you read lately?



Joy to the World

There's a new 99 Cents Only Store in El Segundo.  The grand opening was last week and 9 lucky campers (they qeued up outside the store for 3 days) went home with brand new 39" flat screen tv's for only 9 dollars.  While I didn't attempt to win one, I

http://www.99only.com/

was still super excited to shop at this brand spankin' new outlet of one of my favorite retailers.  Can I just say 1 pound containers of Earthbound Farms herb/spring mix for 99 cents!

What are your favorite retailers?




CREATE KARMA 2013 IS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!

Snack at Create Karma Planning Meeting

Dog lovers, get yourselves to Culver City this weekend for Create Karma 2013.  It's the annual fundraiser for Karma Rescue to help raise much needed money to save dogs from the pound.  It's going to be amazing - Southern California's best vegetarian and vegan eats, cocktails/mocktails, drag queen bingo, and plenty of shopping opportunities from the silent auction and BowWOWser boutique.  Come for the Dogs - Sit/Stay for the food!



October is Vegetarian Awareness Month

I'm a couple of days late for World Vegetarian Day but that's not a problem because Vegetarian Awareness is being celebrated all month long.  And in my world, every day is vegetarian awareness day, and everyday is "Meatless Monday".  So in honor of all of that, here's a recipe that is easy, healthy, delicious, and even has an international flair.  The recipe features Belgian Style Leeks and Sweet Red Kapia Peppers from Melissa's, and two kinds of French mustard provided by Maille.

Tofu Provencale'

Tofu Provencale'

3 Tbsp. grapeseed or olive oil
1 package fresh tofu, extra firm, patted dry and sliced into 1/4" thick squares
1 1/2 Melissa's Belgian Style Leeks, carefully cleaned and sliced into rings
3 Melissa's Sweet Red Kapia Peppers. sliced into rings
5 Dutch yellow potatoes, sliced
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 Tbsp. Maille Dijon Originale
2 Tbsp. Maille Honey Dijon 
juice of 2 large lemons
2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon
2 Tbsp. capers (optional)

Spread the oil over the bottom of a baking pan.
Place the leeks and peppers in the pan.  Top with the potatoes, tomatoes, and tofu.
Whisk together the lemon juice, mustards, and 2 tablespoons of white wine, until completely blended, then pour the mixture over the other ingredients.  
Generously season with salt and pepper, then top with the tarragon and capers. 
Place the pan in the oven at 325 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of wine, stir the mixture, and continue baking another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and leeks are tender.  Remove from the oven and serve.  More white wine anyone?

GIFTS/GARDENS/GARDEIN - I Live in a 3G World and It's Enough for Me

CREATE YOUR OWN ANYTHING YOU WANT OR NEED

To create is to cause to come into being something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes; to evolve from a person's own thought or imagination, as a work of art, an invention, etc.;  to cause to happen, bring about, arrange, as by intention or design; to do something creative or constructive.

Handmade Thank You Card

Being creative to me also means being productive, and even a little bit of productive artistic expression can wipe away some pesky cobwebs and offer a positive break from negativity.  Here's a little card I made to say thanks to Cousin Lee for the beautiful brooch necklace she sent for my recent b-day.  








What's Better Than Lunch 
in a Garden?

That would be lunch at Gardein, their Los Angeles Test Kitchen that is.  Since Gardein products are so delicious no need to mention the V word.  For anyone looking to eat healthier options of some of your favorite foods, or to celebrate Meatless Monday, or to make sure everyone (your V friends and family) gets something tasty and filling to eat, go immediately to your favorite supermarket, find Gardein in the freezer section, take the packages home, and surprise yourself with the deliciousness.  Thanks Gardein for the invite and great food!





                   Charity + Creativity = WIN, WIN

This past weekend I had the pleasure of creating the food for a special  "thank you" event attended by a group of Karma Rescue donors.  Held in the garden of a lovely home in Rustic Canyon, the opportunity to serve great vegetarian and vegan food, and having it really well received, added more good karma into the universe.  Here are pictures of some of the food, along with the blackboard menus (plywood, primer, blackboard paint, dog biscuits):

  

Two favorite vegan recipes are my Two-Nut Salad and my Lentil and Mushroom Pate', and I'm pleased to say that people were pretty amazed that there was no fish in the salad and no meat in the pate'.  The pate was served garnished with diced red onion and pickles, with multi-grain baguette slices.  It is also delicious as a sandwich spread, on pumpernickel or rye bread spread with Dijon mustard.  Here's the recipe:

Lentil and Mushroom Pate'

Lentil and Mushroom Pate'
1 pkg. Melissa's Steamed Lentils
2 shallots, diced
1 pkg. Melissa's Dried Porcini Mushrooms, rehydrated
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance
vegetable or grapeseed oil for sauteing
diced red onion and dill pickle for garnish

Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in hot water to cover for about 15 minutes.  

Saute the shallots in a pan for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.  

Reserving the mushroom liquid, add the rehydrated mushrooms to the shallots and stir to combine.  Continue cooking 2 minutes.

Place the lentils into a food processor, then add the sauteed shallots and mushrooms.
Add the Earth Balance and pulse until smooth.  Add a bit of mushroom liquid if necessary to reach the right consistence.  Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, or mound on a platter, garnish with diced red onion and pickles, and surround with baguette slices and/or crackers. 


I hope you found some inspiration in what I've been up to lately.  Let me know, ok? 

This and That

Up until now my posts have been primarily food oriented, in spite of the "Adventures" in the title. This will now change, because although I believe my recipes are good, there's so much more to share.  From today going forward I will offer a few interesting places, people, events, and food (of course) from the last week or so, and hopefully you'll get some ideas to inspire your own comings and goings.

DESTINATION TERRANEA

Terranea Resort - Palos Verdes, CA

Situated on bluffs above the Pacific 
Ocean in Palos Verdes, CA, this 5-diamond resort is a bit of heaven on earth.  

Compliments of Terranea

Catalina's Kitchen at Terranea Resort

Last week my mother and I enjoyed a most delightful birthday lunch on the patio of Catalina's Kitchen, one of the resorts many dining options.  The view, garden, setting, service, food, and weather were perfect, and a visit to Terranea is highly recommended.  

Gifts from the Garden

My friend Wendy is never too far from a garden or her kitchen, whipping up homemade breads, jams, and ice creams, often using fresh picked herbs and fruits.  As a b-day gift she cleverly took something from the kitchen and something from the garden to create this beautiful, unique planter.




And while we're in the garden, here's one of the small mosaic planters I recently made.  Broken tiles/china, glass beads, paint, and a terracotta pot -






Goodness Grapeness

When life hands you lots of sweet, juicy, seasonal Muscato Grapes (from Melissa's), you can whip up a tart or pie, or Parfait du Jour,  or my new favorite morning, noon, and bedtime snack - frozen grapes. 

Like little orbs of grape sorbet, a cupful will last a while and give you lots of grape goodness to enjoy. To freeze grapes, put a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and place grapes on the sheet in a single layer.  Place in the freezer until the grapes are solid and then transfer the grapes to a freezer bag.  What's really cool is that each color (green, red, black) freezes differently, and each has it's own flavor and sweetness.


Another Contest I Didn't Win But Enjoyed Anyway
                                                       

When my friend Valentina of Cooking on the Weekends

had her recent Share the Love Cooking Giveaway, one of her recipes that I prepared was the Meyer Lemon, Black Quinoa, Plum and Avocado Salad.  I swapped out the black quinoa with wheatberries, but otherwise it was as-is, incredibly delicious, and a big hit with my arts & crafts gal pals.

Until next time.....