February Snell Isle Brunch (plus quiche)

Brunch shells (Get Sconed!), asparagus mushroom quiche, spinach sundried tomato quiche (recipes below).


Spanakopita (Vegan With A Vengeance) with Dill Tahini Sauce (Veganomicon), crepes (Veganomicon).

A pile of Fronch Toast (Vegan With A Vengeance).

Cherry sauce (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World), blueberry sauce (Vegan With A Vengeance), and maple syrup for crepes and fronch toast.

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World).







From Robb:








From Pam:





The next brunch will be on March 23rd at 1:30. Menu TBA.

Recipes for Asparagus Mushroom Quiche and Spinach Sundried Tomato Quiche, as promised:

1 vegan pie crust (I used frozen because I made so many, but there is an excellent recipe in Veganomicon)

Base:
2 packages firm silken vacuum packed tofu (like Mori-Nu), drained
1/4 C nutritional yeast
2 T corn starch
1 T tahini
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t turmeric
salt and fresh black pepper to taste

For Asparagus Mushroom:
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic (or more, if you love it), minced
1/2 lb asparagus, rough ends discarded, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 t fresh rosemary, minced

Preheat oven to 360. Combine all ingredients for base in a food processor or blender and pulse until completely smooth. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and rosemary, and saute until asparagus is bright green and just barely tender. Remove from heat and allow to sit until pan is cool to the touch. Add blended base to the pan, stir, and transfer to pie crust. Bake at 360 for 1 hour, check for firmness, and bake for another 10 minutes if necessary. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

For Spinach Sundried Tomato:
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic (or more, if you love it), minced
4 C (about 5 oz) fresh spinach, chopped coarsely
1/3 C sundried tomatoes, chopped coarsely
(I think fresh basil would be good too, but I haven't tried it)

Preheat oven to 360. Combine all ingredients for base in a food processor or blender and pulse until completely smooth. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add spinach and sundried tomatoes, and saute until spinach is bright green and just wilted. Remove from heat and allow to sit until pan is cool to the touch. Squeeze water from spinach mixture (I press it into a mesh strainer over the sink), return to pan, add blended base, and mix well. Transfer to pie crust and bake for 1 hour. Check for firmness, and bake for another 10 minutes if necessary. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

In all their vegan glory:


The base for this quiche is modified from the FatFree Vegan Kitchen Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches.

I can't post these recipes.

But you can find them in zines and cookbooks. And you totally should.

Asparagus Quiche with Tomatoes and Tarragon (Veganomicon)

I made this as a part of this month's quiche experimentation. It doesn't have the texture of traditional quiche (the base is beans), but I like the idea of changing food norms. And the flavors in this are amazing.

Artichoke Spinach Dip (Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk, Issue One)

I ate it with a spoon.

Breakfast is for the weak, brunch is for the wicked. Part Two.

I promised I would post more pictures from the last one. Here they are. You are welcome.

Is it tacky to post pictures of dirty dishes? We always forget to take pictures of the food before it goes out. So here is the aftermath. The January brunch menu was breakfast burritos with tofu scramble, Veggie Chorizo (Vegan With A Vengeance), fajita veggies, black beans, cilantro rice, Sour Cilantro Cream (Veganomicon), salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, fried plantains, brunchy potatoes, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World), fruit, juice, and coffee.











Some of these are from Corinne. Thanks Corinne!

PS, Patrick made a flyer for the next brunch. Thanks Patrick! Lookie:

Sunday dinner is how we do.

I went to the Saturday Morning Market a few weekends ago, and there was this neat new booth selling all sorts of neat pasta. I love when whatever I pick up at the market on Saturday inspires dinner for Sunday.

Le marche.


Lemon basil fettucini. So pretty.


Lemon basil fettucini with white wine garlic sauce.


Versions of this can be found all over the place- here is what I did:

1/2 lb fettucini (because the sauce is so light, flavored pastas work well)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic (or more, if you love it), thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 1/2 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C dry white wine
3 plum tomatoes, pulped and thickly sliced
Handful fresh sweet basil, coarsely chopped
salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add onions and mushrooms, saute for 3-4 minutes, or until mushrooms are nicely browned. Lower heat to medium low, add white wine, and simmer for another minute. Remove from heat, add tomatoes, basil, pasta, and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Broccoli and/or spinach would also be very good with this.

On the following Saturday, the corn was so lovely that I went looking for recipes that called for fresh corn.

Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad from Veganomicon. So pretty, so easy, so good.


I am experimenting with quiches lately. Last Sunday I adapted this one from the mini quiche recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen. It was delicious, but still needs some tweaking. Recipe up soon.

Breakfast is for the weak, brunch is for the wicked.

Pam and I are hosting our third monthly Snell Isle bike ride and vegan brunch on Sunday, February 3rd, at 1:30 in St. Petersburg. The menu will be French-ish, and will tentatively include Fronch Toast, quiche, and savory crepes. Suggested donation is $5, and proceeds go to Friends of Strays. For details, email me at abbie@spvegansociety.com.

The second brunch was hectic and lovely. I will post more pictures when things calm down a bit, but for now let me share with you my favorite:



I learned a lesson about not having too many dishes that need to be cooked on the stove in the 20 minutes before you feed 30 people. I think this picture of Steph and I is evidence of the value of that lesson.

Photo and blog post title credit to Patrick.

Vegan brunch, heck yeah.

So, on December 23rd, Pam and I hosted a Snell Isle bike ride and vegan brunch. Everyone had a great time, we raised some money for Friends of Strays, and hope to make it a monthly event. The next one will be on Sunday, January 13th 2008 in Snell Isle in St. Petersburg. The bike ride starts at Northshore Park at 12;30, and the brunch is at 1:30. All are invited; the suggested donation is $5, and proceeds will go to Farm Sanctuary. For details on where to meet (you can participate in the bike, brunch, or both), email me at abbie@spvegansociety.com. Vegan breakfast burritos with all the trimmings are on the menu for this month. PS, I am declaring this an official St. Petersburg Vegan Society event. This blog will serve as the SPVS events calendar until the website is up.

Look, photos from last month's brunch:

Steph skipped the ride and came over early to help me cook, because she rules.


Menu: Lemon Corn Waffles with Blueberry Sauce, Apple Pie Crumb Cake Muffins (both from VWAV), herb roasted potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, Mushroom Spinach Strata (from Veganomicon), brunch shells (from Get Sconed!), fruit, juice, and coffee.


We do it for the aminals.


Happy brunchers.





Lovely Pamela, bike ride and bloody mary coordinator.





Apron or bloody mary caddy?


Karen, Ged, Patrick, and Steph stayed to help clean up, because they rule.


Luke supervised.

Hooray for new vegetarians!

This post is dedicated to my friend Ged, who is, as of the new year, giving vegetarianism a shot. In honor of his decision, this is going to be a totally awesome post, which may include lolbunnies, my own brief guide to vegetarianism, and food porn from the new vegetarian hisownself. Ready? Here goes:

First:

Okay, I actually don't like saying that I can't have something, because it's not true. I can eat whatever I want, even cheezburgrz, I just choose not to because ethically, hassing cheezburgrz isn't cool. But I love bunnies and vegetarians, and Ged loves lolcats, so whatevs.

Second: Abbie's supershort handbook for new vegetarians and vegans:

Item One: Take it one day at a time. You will never last if you think things like "Omigod, I will never eat bacon again." Instead, think "I will not eat bacon today."

Item Two: Believe that it gets easier. You will find that as you find new favorite foods, you won't miss the old ones.

Item Three: Cook dammit. You will get bored and frustrated if you live on garden salads, hummus, and veggie burgers. Go get yourself one of the cookbooks I mention over and over on this blog, or check out the links to the right.

Item Four: Don't give up or beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. Changing the way you eat will be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do, but it may also be one of the most challenging. Reward yourself for your progress (For instance, treating yourself to your favorite vegetarian meal if you pass up your favorite meat dish) rather than get down on yourself for slipping up.

Item Five: Be a good ambassador. Don't whine about what you miss, or how hard it is making the switch. Also, be patient and polite with those that still eat meat, even if they are neither of those things with you. Making vegetarians seem like whiny, deprived jerks only hurts the cause. If you need to vent, go to a vegetarian/vegan forum, or hell, email me.

Item Six: Remember why you made the decision in the first place. Animal products are so prevalent in the world that it can sometimes be difficult to keep your reasons in the front of your mind. Films like Earthlings, a documentary about our relationships with animals for food, clothing, entertainment, medicine, and companionship, contain vivid imagery that can help you keep your arguments fresh.

Third: Food porn!

Ged borrowed my copy of Veganomicon, and made Rumnog Pecan Cookies, which he porned beautifully. Lookie:




Just gorgeous.

Happy belated holidays, ya'll.

When I go home for the holidays, I love to take advantage of my parents' awesome kitchen and more liberal grocery budget. I was home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, and cooked up a storm, but these are the only pictures I remembered to take. So merry everything to everyone. Here's some Veganomicon porn:

Penne Vodka


Apple Galettes, pre-bake.



Apple Galettes, post-bake.

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.