Vegan MoFo: Comfort food

The air is chilly, it's been kind of a rough week, and my roommate and I are both on the edge of a cold. Clearly, comfort food is in order.

For me, comfort food spans a variety of tastes and eras. My mom's mashed potatoes (which are easily veganized), chocolate chip cookies and soymilk, miso soup with plenty of tofu, chana masala, and my grandpa's popcorn are the first always the first things I think of when I am craving warm fuzzies.

Last night I wanted something wholesome, nutritious, and mild that I could make in one dish. I had chickpeas on hand, so Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from VWAV was the clear choice. I adore panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), so I topped it with a blend of panko, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the last 15 minutes of baking.

Casserole served with tomatoes and chives:


Tell me about your (preferably vegan or veganizable) favorite comfort foods please.

Vegan MoFo and a sugar rush.

I'm a little late to VeganMoFo (Vegan Month of Food, wherein we write about food as much as possible), but I will make up for it by posting about one of my very favorite things.

Lately, I only remember to take my camera out for dessert, so it's a good thing it's always so pretty. Dessert is my favorite way to expose people to vegan food because it's such a crowd pleaser, and in general, it doesn't look different from non-vegan dessert, so it's not much of a stretch for those that are new to vegan cuisine.

We had a Halloween party this weekend (yes, we were late, but I like to drag holidays out because it gives me an excuse to cook and eat as much as I want), and the menu consisted of cookies and cream cuppers from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. Not surprisingly, they were a huge hit. How can you say no to something this sexy?


All ready for battle. Tragically, not one survived.


Also, I went to Portland a few weeks ago, and had some awesome vegan desserts that I didn't have to make myself. Here is banana nut vegan softserve from Blossoming Lotus. Zoinks.


And some vegan doughnuts from Voodoo Doughnut. They were fresh and awesome.


I love that I am increasingly able to find great vegan desserts while eating out. I'm seeing more and more sorbet, soy gelato, tofu cheesecake, and fruit and dark chocolate on restaurant menus. St. Pete hasn't quite caught up to Portland, but we're working on it. Help bring vegan decadence to your city by requesting vegan dessert alternatives at your favorite places to eat. Bakeries and chocolatiers are especially great candidates because so much is made on site.

To end this post, here are some of my favorite dessert recipes that can found on the inkernet:
Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cinnamon Apple Crisp
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemony Frosting
Peach Upside-Down Cake
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
Vegan Magic Cookie Bars

PS, it's vegan cookbook season. Get thee hands on Veganomicon and Yellow Rose Recipes as soon as possible.

Cupcakes!

Cappucino Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, topped with chocolate ganache and toasted coconut.



For the ganache, I combined 1/3 C soymilk with 6 oz. (or half a bag) of chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium heat, and spooned it on to the cupcakes hot. Toast the coconut in a skillet over medium heat, moving it constantly.

Fatal <3's vegan cupcakes.

Whoamigoodness lasagna.

I love lasgana. Love it. This is from FatFree Vegan Kitchen. I halved the amount of pasta sauce, omitted the olives and vegan parm, and added fresh basil. Here it is with a simple spinach salad:


You know who else loves lasagna? Turtles. Well, maybe not, but these guys hang out in a pond outside of the College of Marine Science, and they're too cute not to post.

Quick, easy, delicious.

I am trying to entice fall to arrive early by making all sorts of fall-type food. I'm not sure if it's working, but you can never have too many pumpkin-and-cinnamon baked goods around.

Here is a fresh-from-the-oven pumpkin muffin from Vegan With A Vengeance. These are so nice on a chilly morning. Or a hot and muggy morning. Whatever. They are quick to make and so good.


To offset all the baking I've been doing, I have been trying to make my meals uber healthy. This is a bean salad from Vegan Italiano by Donna Klein. So good, so good for you, and easy to make.

Pangea! The Super Continent!

Okay not really. Stephanie took me on a date tonight to Mangia (which does not ryhme with Pangea, FYI), and we had some lovely food, and some even lovlier sangria.

Mangia! They're across from the Beach Theater in St. Pete Beach, which shows Rocky Horror every Saturday, if you're interested. I think you even get to throw toast.


I had never had white sangria before, and I am here to tell you that it is delicious.


Steph thought so too.


These pictures didn't come out so hot (when you're hungry, there is no time for proper lighting), but they are worth posting because the food was so good. I had risotto with asparagus and fig glace over mashed sweet potatoes. It's hard to go wrong with risotto.


Steph had cashew stirfry with tofu. It was gingery and wonderful.


Bonus shot of Vinoy Harbor.


And some bellycans at Vinoy Harbor.

Oh my stars, I love Sunday dinner.

Since Veganomicon is coming out soon (squee!), I've been trying to make everything from Vegan With A Vengeance that I haven't made before. Tonight we had spinach salad, tofu wedges (marinated in mustard, soy sauce, and olive oil), and Maple-Mustard-Glazed Potatoes and String Beans from VWAV.



Sexy tofu close up.


Just-out-of-the-oven cookie cake (from VWAV cookie recipe) and vanilla soymilk for dessert.


I am so stuffed.

Hooray sorbet.

The new gelato place in town (Paciugo) has really great sorbet and occasionally soy gelato. It rained yesterday, so we celebrated with Raspberry, Chocolate, and Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar sorbet.

From left to right, Raspberry, Chocolate, Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar.


Close up.


Cone = scoop.

You don't eat what?

I am on a cruise to Alaska with my grandpa this week. The first three days were all steamed broccoli and dinner rolls, but then I asked if I could have what the crew was having, and I ended up with some incredible Indian food.

Chana Masala, jasmine rice, flatbread.


Gawgeous.


Mango tamarind sorbet.


The next night I got tofu and vegetables. The tofu was uncooked. Good thing I'm so hardcore.


In Juneau, everyone eats smoked tofu like it's a candy bar.


Rainbow Foods in Juneau. They love vegans in the last frontier.


Bonus glacier.

Purple potatoes!

Purple potatoes were on sale this week. Here's a lovely shot.

And another inside shot.

Here they mashed with garlic and Earth Balance, next to pizza with spinach and roasted garlic pesto, Basil Tofu Ricotta from Vegan with a Vengeance, and cremini mushrooms.

Close up.

First post = food porn

There was so little food in the house, and there is something about Sundays lately that makes me dread the idea of leaving the house. Lolo saved the day with her delicious tomato, basil, and Tofutti sandwich.





So so so good. Recipe is at VeganYumYum. Go now!