Let go (of dairy parm) for this vegan pesto!

VEGAN PESTO...

Well, I love pesto.  It originated in Italy and traditionally it is not a vegan sauce because it is made with Parmesan cheese.  The other traditionally prominent ingredient is basil.  In truth, I love basil; I actually eat the raw leaves.  In the past, I have made pesto with cilantro, kale, spinach, and other green leafy plants.  Hands down, I love my basil the best!

For years, I had been making pesto with vegan Parmesan, but I am a bit over paying the $4.99 price for this processed product.  I began to look for a vegan pesto recipe that is just as good or better and I've found it.  Now, I love to share what I love with others.  So, if you've been looking for a great vegan substitute for dairy pesto sauce, look no further!

Before I get to the recipe, I want to tell you a bit about basil.  Basil is anti-inflammatory and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.  Basil has vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E. and Vitamin K) and minerals (Calcium, Copper,  Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Zinc).  It is also a source of protein and fiber.  Besides being known to have a wonderful unique aroma, basil is also known to have compounds that fight and prevent diseases.  Please google this herb for more information.

First harvest of my basil plant!  I'm developing
quite the green thumb! Yay!!!

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Like basil, pine nuts are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Pine nuts contain an enzyme called superoxide demutase, which help the body resist infections and fight free radicals.  Pine nuts are harvested from pine trees and are super-expensive.  Generally, an eight-ounce bag can cost about $16.00; and consequently, it's cheaper to buy pine nuts in bulk.  Raw pine nuts, or nuts of any kind, are better for you than boiled, fried, or roasted nuts because heating any nut lessens its chemical composition and destroys the protective nutrients. Google this information to learn more.

I secured the original recipe from Allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-vegan-pesto-classico/).  It's vegan and if you want to stick with that recipe, then go ahead.  However, I like to change things up a bit when I cook and so I'm posting my version, which is a bit different and I hope you like it as well.

VEGAN PESTO (My way)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup pine nuts, raw
• 1/4 cup cashews (or almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 -3/4 teaspoon liquid aminos, depending upon taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Monk's pepper

Instructions:

1. Pulse the pine nuts and cashews until crumbly in a food processor.
2. Add nutritional yeast and pulse.  
3. Add minced garlic and basil, then pulse until combined.
4. Add lemon juice, liquid aminos, and olive oil and process until smooth. 
5. Add salt and pepper and pulse until combined.

Vegan pesto ready for today's pasta!

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This pesto is very creamy.  Today I'm using it to season a pasta dish, but it makes a good dip or spread for sandwiches.  

If you love this version of vegan pesto, let me know.  I always appreciate hearing from you!  I also thank you for your comments thus far!

Hello! It's vegan jello!!!

VEGAN JELLO...

When I first introduced agar-agar in this blog, I was making vegan gummy bears. Though that recipe was somewhat of a success, it tried my patience, but I'm not going to give up on my vegan gummy bears.  Agar-agar usually tries my patience.  It makes me work for the results I want.  The other day, I had some fruit left over and decided to make a raspberry jello mold, but it was a major fail.  It had much too much agar in it.  The texture was more like plastic. Then, I found another recipe, using only 1/2 teaspoon of agar powder.  The recipe came out well, but a bit too runny for my liking.  I increased the agar in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon but wasn't sold on the finished product until I doubled the agar powder in the original recipe and finally I think it is "gelatin"-like.  Yay!    

Now, for those of you who don't remember why vegans should not eat gelatin, here's a refresher.   Gelatin simply is not a vegetarian or vegan product. Gelatin is traditionally made by boiling the bones, cartilage, and skins of animals or fish.  Agar, derived from red seaweed, is a popular vegan/vegetarian substitute, however, if you've never used it in a recipe before do some experimentation to get the texture just right.  There are agar flakes and agar powder.  For every tablespoon of agar flakes, use one teaspoon of agar powder.  I like using the powder over the flakes mainly because I can buy it cheaper.  I buy it for .99¢ from the local Asian market.  One ounce of agar flakes may start at about $8.00.  So, I'll stick to the powder for now.

Ingredients for vegan jello sans the water.

I especially love jello in the summer.  It's light and it provides that refreshing dessert that I need.  Admittedly, I am a bit odd and I experiment with almost everything.  I'll make tea jello, juice jello, and flavor water jello.  If you are weird like me and love to experiment, then I urge you to try these as well.  Only don't be so disappointed if they don't turn out the way you want it to at first.  Each disappointment is a long-term lesson in making the jello you'll love to eat the future.  Only, don't give up.  With this, practice makes perfect and I practice a great deal.  Oh! You may not want to serve your failed experiments to others because they may incorrectly judge what vegan jello could be.  Instead, I took the hard road and ate all of my failed experiments.  Yeah, poor me!  If you try this, you'll see this really is an awesome treat!  Below is the basic recipe using fruit juice.

VEGAN FRUIT JELLO 

About 4 servings of  jello.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon agar-agar powder
• 1 cup fruit juice (be sure it's 100% fruit juice of choice)
• 1/4 cup cane sugar

Instructions:

1. Mix agar-agar powder in water to dissolve.  
2. Then pour into saucepan combine with juice and cane sugar.
3. Bring it to boil over medium heat, which takes about 10 minutes.
4. Once at a boil, let boil for about 2 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to mix. 



One White Grape Peach Jello ready to eat!





5. Remove from the heat pour into individual cups or molds, or in a small glass tray. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. I usually make it the night before and eat it the next day.

Tip: Be sure to pour into mold while mixture is hot so it will not begin setting in the pot.  Do not leave out the water as it provides the correct texture to the jello.  Also, orange juice is tricky and only fresh-squeezed orange juice works with this recipe.

Enjoying a refreshing treat!

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If you liked this recipe, let me know.  It is a warm time to enjoy some refreshing jello.

Yes, she said sushi!

VEGAN SUSHI...

I love vegan sushi. There's really no limit to the veggie combination of these rolls.  You may even add tofu.  My favorite sushi rolls are California sushi rolls without the seafood.  They consist of raw cucumbers, avocado, and carrots.  I make sushi a meal because it really is one.  Once you eat six or twelve of these babies, there's little else you'll feel like consuming.  They are indeed a meal if you chew them properly, you'll be full in the 20 minutes it takes your brain to realize that it has eaten and is satisfied.

Freshly made vegan California Sushi Rolls.

Sushi typically consist of a raw seafood (fish, crab, lobster, etc) with some raw veggies and rice surrounded by seaweed or nori sheets.  Now, sometimes the rice appears on the outside of the roll and sometimes the rice can be contained in the roll.  Typically sesame seeds are also sprinkled on sushi.  I typically leave these off of mine because I don't need them and often I don't have sesame seeds on hand.

Believe it or not, there are about 10,000 kinds of seaweeds in the world.  They are both fresh and saltwater varieties. There are green, brown, and red seaweeds, and not all seaweeds are ediable, but most seaweeds and algae make up the food source for many underwater organisms as well as human beings.  The most common edible seaweeds for humans are arame, nori, kelp. kombu, and wakame, which you should google for yourself! 

Nori seaweed is the most nutritious among seaweeds.  It has as much protein as soybeans and an array of vitamins (12 kinds of vitamins, including Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C) and minerals (iron and calcium) as well as EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), glutamate acid, inosinic acid, guanil acid, and fiber, which are beneficial to good health.   Nori has rich flavor and one-third of a sheet of nori provides enough daily fiber to aid in the prevention of colon cancer. 

Nori sheet with rice and veggies spread on it and ready to be rolled.

Brown rice is a great substitute for the usual white sushi rice because it is a whole grain with a low glycemic index.  Brown rice also has minerals (selenium and manganese), B-Complex vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, naturally occurring oils.  It also helps in eliminating candida from the body as well as aiding the body in losing weight.

Now, if you've ever googled how to make sushi, you found that you need at least a rolling mat.  I'd say that a rolling mat is only essential if you want the rice on the outside of the roll.  Over the years I bought a bamboo rolling mat, but I find I can make my sushi without it because I contain my ingredients. Without further ado... here's my basic recipe.  

VEGAN CALIFORNIA ROLLS
Makes approximately 3 Rolls (about 18 pieces)

For the rice:
2 cups short-grain brown rice, cooked (I use leftover rice)1/8 cup plain rice vinegar
1 tablespoons raw agave
1/2 tsp salt (optional...I never use it because it would be too salty for me when dipped in liquid aminos)

For the filling:
3 toasted nori sheets (I use organic Pacific sushi nori, Emerald Cove brand)
1 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 organic cucumber, seeds scraped out and cut into long spears
1 carrots, peeled and cut into strips

Cooked, cut, and ready for sushi making!

Instructions:
Cook rice the way you normally would or according to instructions on package (Since I start with leftover rice, I place in a saucepan with boiling water for about one of two minutes).  Add the vinegar, agave and salt (if you want it) in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Cut up raw veggies and set aside.

Place the hot rice into a shallow, ceramic bowl.  Lay one nori sheet onto the rolling mat. Using wet hands, evenly spread a portion of the rice over the nori sheet, leaving 3/4 inch visible at the end furthest away from you. Place the cucumber, carrot and avocado on the sheet closest to you. At the base of the mat, start to roll over the ingredients, pressing firmly as you go. Once you have formed a log shape, lift up mat and apply gentle pressure back and forth to ensure the roll is firmly molded. Using a very sharp, wet knife, cut and discard (or eat) the ends of the roll and cut into thick slices. 

Dividing the roll into bite sizes.

Repeat process with the remaining nori sheets and ingredients. Serve with liquid aminos (or soy sauce).  You may also want to add pickled ginger and wasabi, but I usually enjoy mine without these.

Finished sushi rolls with liquid aminos.

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Do you love vegan sushi?  What rolls do you like?  There are a variety of vegan ways to make these.  Tell me your favorites.

I speak Greek ... Salad!

GREEK SALAD...

If you sometimes you like to pucker when you eat salad like I do, the Greek salad is for you!  I absolutely love this salad with its taste of salty and tangy.  In fact, if you've been reading this blog, you know that I actually like/love most Mediterranean foods.  

The Greek salad is fresh, tasty, and colorful. Basic Greek salad is made up of olives, feta, romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions.  With the array of ingredients, the nutritional benefits of this salad include vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants  and omega-3 fatty acids.  The fatty acids comes from the olives and olive oil, which are usually part of Mediterranean dishes.  

Olives are very nutritious, providing both Vitamin A and Vitamin E to the diet.  Olives also provide monounsaturated fats, which help relieve rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.  Kalamata olives originated in Greece and are usually marinated olive oil, which increases its fat content, or in vinegar.  The intense flavor of kalamata olives means that a little goes a long way.  I usually dice about 8-10 olives in one family-sized salads and that is usually enough.  Now, olive oil (remember cold-pressed extra virgin) is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats, which are good for you.  Though I usually tell you to google the benefits, I wanted to share one informational site on olive oil with you (see: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/olive-oil-nutrition-facts.htm).  I use olive oil in/on almost everything.

If you're thinking, "Greek salad has feta cheese!"  Well, yesterday, I provided the recipe for a tofu vegan version of feta that you'll also have to make in advanced.  I call it "fake feta!"  Please make this a day or two before you need it so that the flavorings will soak into the tofu.  

To make my Greek salad, I use:

• Romaine lettuce 
• Grape tomatoes (or whole tomatoes chopped)
• English cucumber (or any cucumber)
• Red onion
• Pitted kalamata olives
• Pepperocini peppers (optional)
• Fake feta (recipe posted on May 23, 2013)
• Greek salad dressing

Remember to buy organic whenever possible to avoid endocrine resistors from pesticides.  If you're like me and make about three or four servings of salad at one time, then remember to only put dressing on the salad that you are going to eat.  Otherwise, the oil will cause your salad to wilt.  The following Greek salad dressing recipe serves ten.  

GREEK SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Monk's pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup organic red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions: 

In a container, mix together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, onion powder, and Dijon-style mustard. Mix vinegars and lemon juice separately and then pour in the other ingredients and shake vigorously until well blended. If you are not as picky as me, you can put everything in a jar and shake it once you finish putting in the ingredients. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Note: If you're all about refrigeration, then remember to take the salad dressing out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before using to allow the oil to liquefy. 

The colorful medley of Greek salad ingredients.

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Enjoy it!  I know I do!!! :)  If you do, let me know or share how you made it better.

Vegan (or fake) feta makes salads betta!

FETA CHEESE...

Feta cheese was originally made from sheep's milk.  I've also seen goat feta and now in most grocery stores you can buy cow feta.  For whatever reason, the sheep and goat feta is known to be more nutritious than cow feta; though cow feta is lower in fat.  If you're vegetarian, you may google this!  However, vegans desire to stay away from any animal by-product.

Tofu is one way to make vegan feta.  There are also nut milk versions, which require more work, but using tofu is the no-bake easy way to make vegan feta.  Tofu is bland and has the ability to soak up the flavors of whatever you put with it.  It is also very nutritious.  A half cup of raw tofu has a bit more than 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat (mostly mono- and polyunsaturated).  It also has folate and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium (which allows your body to absorb the calcium), iron, and other trace minerals.

If you've ever eaten feta cheese, you know that just a little goes a long way.  It has an intense tangy flavor and is pretty salty.  Mostly, you've eaten it on salads if you've ever had it before.  It's not something that you're going to eat out of the tub, unless you're a "REAL" feta cheese lover.

I only need feta in small doses and I love a little on my Greek salads mostly.  Like the animal version, the fake feta not only gives that tang that
my Greek (or even my garbanzo) salad craves, but also the look.  It has been a hit with my family.

Here is my recipe for vegan substitute for feta cheese.  Some recipes use more ingredients such as miso, oil, and even nutritional yeast.  I don’t find those necessary for my salad feta recipe.  I would use the nutritional yeast if I were making the fake feta for another dish, maybe a vegan spanakopita.  Otherwise, I love the recipe below.  In fact, I started making my feta a few days ago because I wanted to have it in my garbanzo salad (see picture). 

Chopping my tofu into feta-y bites.

FAKE FETA (VEGAN)

Makes 1½ cups

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup water (I like using alkaline water)
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon Monk's pepper
• 1 pound extra firm tofu, cubed

Instructions:

Press every drop of water out of the tofu that you can , so that it can absorb the marinade.  Once this is done, place everything but the tofu in the bowl and whisk together. Add tofu, stir, and let sit for at least 12-48 hours (the longer, the better).  Drain. Use in your salad. 

Tip: You can put the tofu in a colander and cover it with a saucer.  Place a 5lb dumbbell on top of the saucer.  Also put a plate to catch the liquid on the bottom, but first gently squeeze the tofu to remove all the liquid you can.  I have never been able to get all of the liquid out yet, but this method helps me get a good portion out.  If you have other tips to do squeeze the tofu dry, I would love to hear them!

Fake feta drained after 48 hours.

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Let me know what you think!  I'd love more tips and tricks as well.  

I gobble garbanzo....salad!

GARBANZO BEANS...

Well, I love garbanzo (chickpeas) beans!  These beans are a huge part of Mediterranean cuisine.    Did I mention I love Mediterranean food?  Falafels, pitas, hummus, grape leaves, Moroccan salad, tabouli, tahini sauce, babaganoush, and lots more are loves of mine.  I love the Mediterranean salad that's the topic of this blog.  It is fresh, light, and filling, but it was originally made with yogurt.  So, I decided to veganize it.

Now, let me tell you a bit about garbanzo beans.  They are high in protein, fiber, iron, folate, and manganese.  The taste of garbanzo beans are great.  Vegans often use them in patties, cheeses, dressings, etc.  I usually stock up on the dried chickpeas more than I do any other bean, even though I do not discriminate with my beans. I'm generally an equal opportunity bean lover, but I use garbanzo more than any other bean.

So, how do I make these babies?  I make them in my pressure cooker in a snap (about 10 minutes) after picking through them and soaking them overnight. For those of you who have pressure cookers, I've included a YouTube video regarding how it's done. I actually have a pressure cooker similar to the one used in the video.  Tip: If you don't have time (20 minutes) to wait for the pressure to drop, try moving it to the sink directly off of the burner and running cold water over the pot until the pressure button goes down.

Pressure cooker video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN08K52uoDM

So, without further ado, let me give you the recipe to what I'm having tonight.  I've included the inspiration (nonvegan) recipe for all of you who want to try it the vegetarian way.  It is important to say that I've made my "fake feta" in advanced and from leftover tofu.  It takes about 24-48 hours to make fake feta due to the tofu having to soak up the flavoring.  I've included a picture of my fake feta below.

Close up of the fake feta (tofu).

MEDITERRANEAN GARBANZO SALAD
Original recipe: http://dashingdish.com/recipe/mediterranean-chickpea-salad/

Salad:

• 2 cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1/8 cup parsley (flat leaf), chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper (red or green), chopped
• 1/2 cup roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 Tbs   vegan feta cheese crumbles (recipe coming tomorrow!)
• 1/8 cup red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

Dressing

• 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar (or apple cider)
• 1/4 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs plain Coconut Greek-style yogurt or soy cream cheese
• 1 pinch salt and Monk's pepper (or to taste)
• 1 pinch of cane sugar/drizzle of honey

Instructions:

Cook garbanzo beans, let cool to room temperature, and set aside. Place in a medium bowl. Wash and dice vegetables to small bite size pieces (This is best done with an onion dicer). Add to the bowl with the garbanzo beans. Crumble vegan feta and add to bowl along with the sliced kalamata olives. 

In a bottle with a lid, add the ingredients for the dressing, and shake and/or stir to mix. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat with dressing. Chill in fridge for about an hour to chill or enjoy immediately! 

Fresh garbanzo salad for dinner!  I'm in Mediterranean bliss!

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Enjoy!  Let me know if you like it! 

I begged his pardon and got me a garden!

THIS YEAR'S GARDEN...

I didn't think I'd get a garden this year.  Last year's garden was pretty much nonexistent due to lifestyle challenges.  I don't know how to till the soil and I do not have a tiller.  I think I'd need a strong man for that!  So, what's a girl to do?  Buy some containers!  

Though my husband promised to do a nice sized traditional garden in my backyard in March, by May, I insisted on a container garden.  We planted a few staples, such as squash, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes along with herbs such as basil, mint, and peppermint.  My oregano plant that I had for about three years now refuses to let me kill it, and so that is also going strong.  I also have a monster rosemary bush in the backyard.  So, I am pretty much presently content.  I would have loved to have an array of hot peppers, snap peas, eggplant, corn, and carrots.  Because I'm not a veteran gardener, I am now taking baby steps.

Well, I'll be updating you all on the progress of my garden, but if you don't have at least a container garden yet, get one. It will save you tons of money on produce in the summertime.  Use organic soil and remember to fertilize, which is an important step (I as a novice gardener did not fertilize).  I used to think only sun and water did the trick, but fertilizer feeds the plants.  Now, I feel as if I have at least developed into a better gardener than I was.  For me, it was trial and error and connecting with very knowledgeable friends and family. 

I decided to do today's post on gardens because if you have ever felt like I used to feel, I wanted to encourage you to "let go" of the fear and jump into gardening, even if your crops fail the first three years.  You'll be sure to learn a thing or two along the way.  Right now, I am happy with the progress of my garden.  Though there's no sign of "fruit" yet, my garden still looks very healthy  almost three weeks after planting.  See for yourself, I've included pictures!  

Container garden planted May 5, 2013 has blossomed.
Trying out a container tomato garden too. Perhaps the abundant rainy days has helped them grow! 

You folks who live in apartments, I've seen some beautiful apartment container gardens.  Even if you live in a home with limited backyard space, there may be free or rental community sites where you can plant a garden.  My parents utilized a community plot when we used to live in the city years ago.

If you are new to gardening, please google tips and tricks to gardening or container gardening.  Any time you put in to developing your gardening skills will pay off abundantly, I know it did for me!

What are you planting in your garden this year!  Please share!