November 13, 2007

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.

November 4, 2007

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.