Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas Cookies, 1 of..?

So there are these cookies that I used to eat all the time, and I never knew what they were called or how to make them... well I was feeling a little adventurous tonight so I thought I'd try to make them, or something close.

Well, it's not 100% the same but they turned out pretty close and really yummy!


I didn't really know where to start... at all... but I had a leftover pie crust in the kitchen from turkey day... So I decided to start there.


All you need for this is 2 TBSP Cinnamon, 1 Cup Sugar, 1/2 Cup finely chopped walnuts, and the pie crust.

Unroll the pie crust.  Mix together the cinnamon, sugar in a bowl.  Sprinkle cinnamon/sugar and walnuts liberally over the pie crust.  Lightly press the sugar and nuts into the pie crust.  Add more cinnamon/sugar.  Slice into 16 wedges and roll like crescent rolls (long end to tip) Bake at 350 for about 15-20min... checking to make sure they don't burn.  they are ready when they are golden brown!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Pierogis

My friend introduced these Pierogi to me a few years ago when I was living in Florida.  His family has a tradition of making some Eastern European dishes during the Christmas season.  I got the opportunity to try them and immediately asked for the recipe!  They are pretty easy to make considering I've never made them before nor have I ever watched his mom make them.

First thing you have to do is make the filling.  For mine I make mashed potatoes, then finely dice up 1/2-1 whole yellow onion and saute in butter until clear.  Mix the onions into the mashed potatoes, add some salt, pepper, and a few shakes of paprika and stir to combine.  Set aside.

The dough is so easy!  It uses ingredients that can be found in any home and cut a different way, can be used to make noodles for noodles and cabbage!

4 cups flour
egg replacer of your choice for the equivalent of 2 eggs
1/2 cup mimicreme (mixed with 1/2 cup of water)
salt
mashed potatoes, flavored to your liking (I add onion or garlic)

Mix all the ingredients together until the dough forms, you may need to add a little more water to get all of the flour incorporated.  Roll out the dough to about 1/16 inch thin.  Boil a pot of water.  Use a glass to cut the dough into circles.  As you make a circle, fill with about 1 tsp of the mashed potato filling and fold over to make a half moon shape.  

If cooking immediately:  Drop into the pot and boil each pierogi for about 10 minutes or until it floats to the top.  Then fry in butter with some more diced onion.  Fry each side until they get lightly browned.  Then YUMMY TIME!

OR!!! You can freeze the pierogis after filling and folding.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, then put UNCOOKED pierogis on the baking sheet and into the freezer.  When you're ready to cook them.  Boil in water for 10 minute and fry as noted above! (Note: do not cook, freeze and re-boil.  Doing so results in an overcooked "noodle" shell and the filling will come out! sadface)

Enjoy!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Thanksgiving Meal with @gardein

Well my first completely Vegan Thanksgiving was AWESOME!!!! (just trying to figure out how to make a leftover turk'y sandwich with my @gardein stuffed turk'y.)

I ended up making mashed potatoes, gravy, peas and pearl onions, and stuffing.  Those are all my favorites and making them vegan wasn't hard at all!! The peas and pearl onions are already vegan and are super crazy easy! All you need is frozen peas and frozen pearl onions.  Steam them... and mix them together.  Just make sure the ratio of peas to pearl onions is about 2:1 or you'll have too many onions!

I love these because I love mixing them into my mashed potatoes :-)


Mashed potatoes are so easy too! Chop up the potatoes of your choice and put them in a pot.  Just barely cover with vegetable broth and boil until the potatoes are super soft.  Mash up the potatoes (don't pour out the broth) Add in cracked pepper, and some granulated garlic to your taste.  Add some vegan butter if desired.  (can make ahead... remember If creamy potatoes go into the fridge, they will come out as well!  Just heat them in the microwave with a little extra vegan butter)

**Confession, for my gravy I had 2 kinds... one came in a pouch with my gardein stuffed turk'y and the other was a brown gravy mix from simply organics...**

As for my stuffing... 

I used a bag of Whole Foods Brand Vegan Stuffing but dressed it up a bit.  I sauteed about 1/2 an onion (chopped), 1 stalk of celery (diced) and 1/2 a carrot (diced) in olive oil.  I followed the directions for the stuffing as noted on the bag but instead of using water I added in Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base mixed with the amount of water as directed on the package of stuffing.   I cooked the stuffing as printed on the bag and added a little bit of Onion powder and granulated garlic.  It was great!  Almost like my grandmothers... except without the meat and meat juice!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I'm thankful for all of my followers and anyone else who reads my blog.  The dance studio will be closed soon for the holidays so I should have a little more time to share my recipes!  Happy Holidays!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Thanksgiving Meal with @gardein

Thanksgiving is coming!!!!! I'm SO Excited!!! Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday!  This year will be my first full vegan Thanksgiving... But I'm really excited.
My "Normal" Thanksgiving dinner would consist of Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potato casserole, peas with pearl onions, ham, and biscuits.  (Stop laughing... no seriously I may be a ballet dancer but I love Thanksgiving food way to much to limit what goes on my plate.)
This year, will be different... I'm going to be eating gardein's stuffed turk'y for my "meat course" and I am definitely making vegan mashed potatoes, vegan stuffing, and a vegan pecan pie... (Those are my for sure foods... I may try to make some vegan biscuits or peas with pearl onions... maybe a vegan version of mom's sweet potato casserole.... but I know the BF's mom is making sweet potatoes... so we'll see)

Side note:  Last year the BF's birthday fell on Thanksgiving (lucky duck) so I made him a birthday cake... This year it falls on Black Friday and he has requested pecan pie instead of cake.


I need to apologize for not posting in a really long time... I've now got 7 jobs on top of dancing in the Community Nutcracker here in JAX FL so my time is very limited.  I do have some yummy things that I've made that I promise to share with you as soon as Nutcracker is over!  (Lots of soups and other yummy stuff!)

Stay tuned! (I'll try to post recipes for Thanksgiving stuff ahead of time so you can use it too!)

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Vegan Caesar Salad

This recipe is dedicated to my mom, dad, sister, and Alyssa.

Growing up in my parents house, Caesar Salad was always a go to meal.  We always had a bottle of Newman's Creamy Caesar salad dressing, a head (or 3) of romaine lettuce and boxes croutons on hand.  Sometimes mom would cook up some chicken breasts to go on top, and we'd sprinkle on some parmesan cheese and we'd have an incredibly quick and delicious salad.  How good was it? Find out

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Hot Cocoa

Who doesn't love hot cocoa?!  I'm pretty sure that it's something we all grow up drinking and then as we get older... due to society's ideals, we ween ourselves off the hot chocolatey goodness to drink more "adult" beverages.

Well as the temperatures start to drop, I'm sticking my tongue out to those ideals and hoping you'll do the same as I share a delicious Hot Cocoa recipe with you!  It's so easy and makes enough that you can share with someone else or... if you're a choco-holic like me... keep it all for yourself!

My secret ingredient?  Silk Coconut Milk.  (Original flavor) Of course if you are allergic change the milk to your choice of vegan milks.  But if you want to have a little extra (subtle) happiness in your mouth, try the coconut milk!

4 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa (Be sure to check the label to make sure they didn't add any milk!)
2 1/3 cups plain non-dairy (COCONUT... Or soy, almond, or rice) milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine sugar, cocoa and cinnamon (if using) in a small saucepan.
Gently stir in milk.
Warm over medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly, until hot. Do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. 
Pour into mugs and top off with vegan marshmallows or vegan whipped cream if you like!

**It's very important to remove from heat before you stir in the vanilla extract, as extracts are alcohol based and cooking it will cook out the flavor. 


YUM HAPPY FALL!!! Get ready for some more yummy fall treats coming soon to my blog! (Soups, Beverages, Breads, and other fall flavors!)

Monday, September 26, 2011

Vegan French Bread

I will never buy bread ever again... You really don't need too.  Sure it takes some time to rise but seriously it's so cheap and the outcome is warm delicious bread that makes the whole house smell amazing! I think that its a good stress reliever too.  Grab the recipe


Sunday, September 25, 2011

Veggie Fried Rice

Fried rice is always a favorite… but why spend the money to go out to a restaurant and buy it or to call and have it delivered, when you can make it at home!?  It’s easy and super cheap to make (less than $1.50 per serving)! So why not make it at home?  I call it “Fake-out” hehe.  Best part is you can use leftover rice and leftover veggies! Perfect way to clean out those veggies that are about to go bad too! I like to make a lot of fried rice so that I’m sure to have leftovers for lunch. 


Okay, time out… I've got a funny story to share with this recipe, Read it

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Mac N No Cheese!! AMAZING-NESS!!!

A while ago I tried a Mac-N-Cheeze recipe that had squash and a bunch of different soy cheeses in it.  Well I’m trying to slow down my soy intake so when I stumbled on this recipe, I had to try it out! There’s no soy, no fake cheese, and it’s got lots of B-12 in it thanks to the Nutritional Yeast (something that vegans tend to not ingest enough of).  I was a little worried about what the non-veg heads would think of it… Here's what they thought:







Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Vegan "Goat" Cheese

Okay so I know I haven't posted in a while but that's pretty much because I've been living off of pasta and fruit since dance has started up.  But, my mom is (FINALLY) coming to visit me since I moved out (a year ago), and she's amazed at some of the things I've been doing with raw cashews.  She had no idea that they could be turned into a consistency that could resemble cheese... That being said I will definitely be making some of this cheese for her visit this weekend!  It's a long process but "Good things come to those who wait!!"

WAIT NO MORE! Here's the recipe

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Veggie Burgers

A while ago, on my old blog, a reader asked me about veggie burgers.  They were disappointed with the quality of frozen burgers (the @gardein burgers hadn't come out yet) and they wanted to know if I knew of any recipes for a veggie burger that was "actually good". 

Well, yes actually!  I found this recipe from one of my favorite Food Network personalities.  It looked so good, I had to try it.  I ended up having to make a few changes to the recipe to make it vegan but still, a great patty and it's soy free!  Changes Made

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Szechuan Green Beans

Spicy, crunchy, saucy, YUMMY! Szechuan green beans were another thing I always ordered.  I just wish I knew if they were vegan or not... Well this time, instead of chancing it, I knew they were because I made them!! Granted this time they weren't 100000% right on like the take-out green beans I got but they were pretty darn close! :-)

How Close? Get the Recipe!



Friday, September 2, 2011

Mongolian Beef-less Tips

Crispy Beef, Sesame Beef, Mongolian Beef...  These three dishes can sometimes be interchanged for one another.  A restaurant my family orders from calls Crispy Beef what another calls Mongolian Beef, what ANOTHER restaurant calls Sesame Beef.  This became particularly confusing when we'd forget which dish went with which restaurant.  I thought I'd go for Mongolian Beef to see if it was like my dad used to order... Did I get it? Find out!

Delicious Chocolate Cake!

You know the scene in Matilda where The Trunchbull forces Little Brucey Bogtrotter to eat that huge chunk of chocolate cake?  This is it... Or Better! Seriously, Get the Recipe

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Cincinnati Chili Vegan friendly

Well, I’m not exactly from Cincy but it was my weekend getaway when I was at school in KY.  My senior year of school I was introduced to my first ever taste of Cincinnati Chili (aka Skyline)!  At skyline, there’s a certain way you have to order your food.  The meat based chili on top of spaghetti and you can get it 3-way, 4-way or 5-way.  Which means with cheese, with cheese and either diced onions OR red beans, and with cheese, onions, AND red beans. 


Well, what’s a vegan girl to do when she wants her some skyline... and no longer lives near a Skyline??  Find Out!

Holy guaca-Mole!! 2 Guacamole Recipes!!

Guacamole is one of the greatest, most versatile and simple things to make.  "Versatile" you're wondering... Yes, not only can you serve it as a chip/veggie dip at you're next tailgate but what about smearing it on a bun to top off your veggie burger, adding it to your next burrito bar, use it instead of mayonnaise on your lunch-time sandwich, or how about making a breakfast scramble and topping it off with some guac?!

See!? VERSATILITY!  Another great thing about guacamole is it is completely fresh and raw.  Raw foods are good for you because you don't cook out any of the nutrients.  (You know when you boil veggies like carrots, broccoli, or sweet potatoes, and the water changes color... HELLO THAT'S THE NUTRITION!)  

I've made lots of guacamole's in my time, and this post will highlight 2 of my favorite recipes.  One with the smaller, Haas variety and the other with the BIG, Florida variety.  There isn't much of a difference between the two recipes, but they end up as 2 very different guacamoles.

The first one I'll share with you is a recipe I worked on to mimic the guacamole at a large restaurant chain.  (Perhaps you've heard of it... Chipotle...?)  It features the smaller avocado.  In my experiences with guacamole, I've found that there is less moisture in the Haas variety.  The guacamole ends up being more chunky and less water-y because they contain less water than the Florida variety.


2 Hass Avocados

1/2 of a Jalapeno pepper, seeded, and minced (for more heat leave the seeds)

1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped

2 heaping Tablespoons of Cilantro, finely chopped

1/4 of a lime, juiced

1/4 of a lemon, juiced

1/4 teaspoon salt


Cut avocados in half, remove pit, scrape out the good stuff.

Mash avocados in large mixing bowl. You don’t have to get it to the final consistency yet, but it’s easier if they’re at least partially mashed at this point.

Add the other ingredients, and continue mashing until desired chunky-ness.

When you go to store it, put a layer of plastic wrap directly on the guac and squeeze the air out, then put another layer of plastic or tight fitting lid over whatever container you’re using. This keeps the guacamole from oxidizing and turning all brown. Depending on how long you keep it in the fridge, the top might turn brown anyway, so just skim off the top layer before serving.
Notice how you can see the chunks of avocado?  The "shine" over this guacamole is only due to the plastic wrap covering it.  When this is uncovered, there is less of a shine and more of a yummy green color, much like when you first slice open the avocado.

Now, here's the recipe I used with a Florida variety. 

1 Florida avocado (can use 2 Hass Avocados instead for a less water-y guac)
1 cup red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
2 TBSP lemon juice
Juice from 1 lime
Season with salt and pepper

Because there is more water in this avocado variety, it's best to just scoop it out of the shell, add all of the other ingredients and mix with a spoon, breaking up the avocado as you mix. 

See the difference in the water content?  It looks more like a avocado soup.  I used this tonight on my "Not So Fish Tacos". It was a great contrasting consistency to the crunchy shredded slaw that the tacos were topped with.

Make them both to see which you prefer.  I like them both for different reasons and for different purposes.  But, you're tastebuds may be different than mine... Which one did you like?


Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Not-Really Fish Tacos

Even before I became vegan, I'd never had a fish taco.  But while I don't know what they taste like or what makes a good one, I have a friend who has eaten his fair share!  The fish taco, or "tacos de pescados", originated in Baja California, Mexico.  Today the can be found at taco stands and burrito joints all over.

I had to recruit my friend to help me on this creation, and I think we came up with something pretty tasty! (Thanks for helping!)

So, what goes into a good fish taco?  Read More

Gardein Product Reviews

Becoming vegan, vegetarian, or even just cutting out meat once a week for "Meatless Mondays" can be tough if you don't know what to eat or where to start.  Think about it, there's a meat for every meal! How can you get away from it when it's all you used to?  Tofu is not the only answer, though if you ask any unknowing person, that's the only thing that vegetarians/vegans eat..that and salad!  WRONG!!! (see the recipes on this blog, I eat way more than that!)  There are some great products on the market that are easier to cook with, have better textures, and even better tastes than tofu! 

I first became aware of gardein products when I saw them featured on The Ellen DeGeneres show back in December.  The show featured gardein's Chick'n Scallopini, which by definition, scallopini (n) sauteed cutlets (usually veal or poultry) that have been pounded thin and coated with flour.  But gardein (garden + protein) has created their products to resemble meat while being made from soy, wheat, and pea proteins, grains, and vegetables.  Their scallopini is great for everything, from being coated in flour and sauteed (as stated in the definition) to an addition to pot pie, and even dredged in spices and cooked for a delicious chick'n fajita!

They've truly created endless possibilities for people who don't eat meat!  But they don't only have a chicken substitute...  Miss having a burger or even BBQ sandwiches during the summer?  They've got you covered with an AMAZING burger (you won't believe it's vegan!) and BBQ Pulled Shreds that blew me away when I first tasted them.  But it doesn't stop there!  They have a such wide variety of fresh and frozen products (see the fresh products here and the frozen products here) that even restaurants and famous food labels are starting to use them! (Some places include zPizza, Jenny Craig, and select Chipotle restaurants!)  There's even a rumor going around that Lean Cuisine has started using some of the gardein products in their "VeggieCuisine" line (which is not mentioned on their website, but was discovered in some Walmarts/Supercenters.  These meals, however, are not vegan.  Just vegetarian.)

So, why do I love my gardein?  It's so incredibly versatile not to mention CARNIVORE FRIENDLY!!   It's fun for me too because I switched to a vegan diet because my body just had issues digesting meat.  So while my tastebuds miss some of my favorite meals (though, my stomach doesn't), I don't have to anymore because I just sub in gardein for the meat!  I've done pot pies, chick'n soup, beef-less tips stew, General Tso's chick'n, Black Pepper Chick'n/Beef, tacos, fajitas, even "meat" sauce for my spaghetti!  

While I've tried a lot of the products from gardein, there are a few that I have not tried because I couldn't find them in my store (though now I think Whole Foods should be carrying the ENTIRE line WOOOHOOO!), I do have 2 new products in my kitchen.  Last night we tried the Herb Dijon Breasts for the first time.  Delish! Not to mention EASY!  In one box comes 2 individually wrapped portions (brilliant), a "chick'n breast" and the sauce.  Simply heat the chick'n, then cover with the sauce and simmer for a few seconds and you're set to eat!  I mean does it get any easier!?  

The fun part for me is taking what they've made and making it my own or creating something with it, though I do like to try the product how they recommend first so I know what I'm working with.  (creating something tonight...)

With as much as I rave about gardein, I should probably note that I am not being paid by the company to write about them... Though if anyone at gardein is reading this, I wouldn't mind it!! :-) 

So what do I recommend you try first?  Well that depends on you... But the products that I've always got on hand are the Scallopini, Beefless Tips, Beefless Burger, and Crispy Tenders.  (I may be 23 and living on my own but until I became vegan, I always ordered chicken tenders/nuggets/fingers--whatever they were called-- when I went out to eat.  I'm a kid at heart!)

I hope you try gardein whether you are carnivore, vegetarian, pescetarian (shout out to my twitter friend @ThatSkyeIAm who also loves gardein like I do), vegan-ish, or vegan, I'm sure you will love them!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Change of Plans...

Hi hi!  Just want to give a shout out to my 2 new followers and to anyone else reading this and to post a little note.

First things first, at the time that I am writing this my General Tso's Chick'n post has been viewed 170 times!!! OHMIGOODNESS!!! I don't think anything I've ever written has been seen by that many people.  I'm so happy and I want to thank everyone who has viewed my blog and passed it along to friends/family.  That is definitely how that post got so many hits and I really hope my numbers continue to grow.  Who knows, maybe I can land a vegan/vegetarian cooking show on the Food Network, like one of the newest additions to the FN family, "Pioneer Woman".  

This week I had planned to break in my wok and test/post several Asian recipes. But we've had Asian food for dinner for the past three nights! Veggie sushi, Black Pepper Beef-less tips with Lo Mein, and General Tso's Chick'n with Baked Spring Rolls...

That said, I've changed the menu for tonight and will be either be sharing an old recipe for a deep south favorite Hoppin John and kale, or I will be working on a Chicken Taco with Slaw recipe. 

Thanks for reading! Please pass on my blog! Comment on the posts, I want to know if you've tried the recipes and would love to answer any questions you may have about them or the products used. Also, would love to know what you want to see on the blog! 

Thank you ALL for supporting my blog, I hope you will continue to look around, follow me, and give me feedback!  

xoxo~Kaiti

Monday, August 29, 2011

Baked Spring Rolls

What goes better with Chinese food than that crispy fried handheld yummy-ness filled with stuff!?!  Well typically (sadly) they are not vegan.  The wrapper has egg in it and the filling has pork and seafood in it.  Not exactly something this vegan wants to eat...
Until...
I went to the Asian Market and found spring roll wrappers that were vegan friendly!!! Now for the filling... well most egg rolls definitely have carrots and Napa Cabbage, hmm then what..?  Well, how about this:



General Tso's Chick'n

General Tso's Chicken is like, one of the most popular Chinese take out orders in America.  My family ate Chinese from our local take out joint... more often than I care to admit on here... and we always ordered General Tso's Chicken... ALWAYS!  My sister, dad (HI DADDY!!), and grandmother are not fans of spicy foods so we always got the General Tso's no/a little spice.  

Something about that crispy fried chicken, in the warm sticky, red-ish brown sauce, with the daunting red chilies (or pieces of chilies) floating around... Read More!


Warning

Just so everyone is aware...

I just (FINALLY) bought myself a wok!!!!!!  That said, this week I will be working on recipes that will help you to make you're own Chinese "Fake Out"!!  Recipes to look forward to are some of my favorite Chinese Take-out orders (all made completely VEGAN!):

  • General Tso's Chick'n
  • Kung Pao Chick'n
  • "Beef" and Broccoli
  • Szechuan Green Beans
  • Mongolian "Beef"
  • Orange Chick'n
  • Sweet and Sour Chick'n
  • Fried Rice
  • "Egg" Rolls
ETC!
If you have a favorite Chinese food that's not listed above, Leave me a comment and I'll work on a recipe!

YUMMM CHINESE FOOD! (I'm a little excited because I haven't eaten Take Out since becoming vegan)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Black Pepper Chick'n (or whatever protein you want)

 The first time I ate black pepper chicken was in a Vietnamese restaurant back in DC called Taste of Saigon.  I think the story goes my mom ("hi mom") went to eat at the restaurant for a business meeting or something... she came home and RAVED about the black pepper chicken.  She took me a few weeks later... it was quite possibly the most delicious thing ever!!!  There's something so great about the spice of the black pepper with the salty sweet sauce... It's so yummy!

How yummy you ask...?  Find Out More

Veggie Lo Mein


Well if you know me you’d know that I’m OBSESSED with Chinese/Japanese/Thai food… but sooo much of it has oyster or fish sauce not to mention the meat… soooo luckily a friend's mom found this recipe somewhere and passed it on to me.  Now, I’m also someone who likes to switch up recipes a little bit.  Sooo I kinda have a few versions of this Lo Mein.

Once I made it with the tofu as suggested, once I made it with just vegetables (adding more like cabbage, baby corn, water chestnuts, carrots, etc), and I’ve made it a few times with Gardein products like the Beef-less Tips and the Chick’n Scallopini.  That being said, YOU can alter this recipe to your specifications, I’ll just provide you with the “skeleton” recipe!

Get The Recipe


Saturday, August 27, 2011

Dumpling Attempt #1

I’m proud of my first dumpling attempt… but there was a lot to improve on.  I attempted 2 shapes, (whoa over-achiever much?) and decided to stick with a “closed satchel” shape.  I tried “THE” potsticker shape… but found with my inexperience with wrappers and shaping in general, the “closed satchel” was a lot easier.  (Even though I’ll definitely try again to improve)


The best thing I’ve found with dumplings is you can fill them with anything! So you can please vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and carnivores!  I filled mine with lots of chopped veggies and after eating em, I know what I can do to improve them next time!


I got frozen (vegan friendly) dumpling wrappers at my local Asian food store.  (Need to go back… yeah I made that many dumplings!) OH! another thing I like… Make them and freeze them! Instant snack, or meal addition.  Okay back to the dumpling wrappers… Soo I didn’t quite do my research before I made em… but they worked… But I’ll fill you in on what I didn’t know.  

Read More

Salt Potatoes

Hi, I'm Kaiti and I like potatoes.  No seriously, I went on a "Bubba Blue" style rant (you know in Forrest Gump where he lists like a hundred way to do Shrimp...?) but about potatoes.  I just can't get enough of them. 

My downfall is french fries... it's really bad.  But then I ate these tasty taters after seeing something on tv about them (I think).  NOMS!!  It's like a healthy french fry.  Boiled instead of fried but it still has a crunch to in and they are still salty potatoey goodness.

You can dip these in ketchup or vegan butter... or for a little "crab boil" taste, dip them in vegan butter with some old bay mixed in!!  These are super easy to make and will definitely be a hit side dish with whatever you choose to serve it with! What are you waiting for?!

Get The Recipe!



Friday, August 26, 2011

Pecan Caramel Sticky

(Shout out to @Earth_Balance … use their coconut spread for a little extra taste!)


Okay show of hands… Who misses being able to GORGE on cinnabon?  I mean there is no way their stuff is vegan… I’ve seen ‘em make it! they use A POUND OF BUTTER just to coat the dough for the FILLING!!  Silly Cinnabon… that’s not vegan! haha (For extra sweetness add Earth Balance Coconut Spread in place of the nondairy butter)


But have I got a recipe for you… Now be warned this is NOT a quick recipe but I promise… it’s COMPLETELY WORTH IT!!!  (Ps.  I’m working on trying to convert this back to non vegan for some family/friends who want it but for now this is the VEGAN VERSION)

Wanna know the best part?  

New Blog!

Hello out there!!! 

I'm Kaiti.  I am not new to the blogosphere by any means, but rather starting a new blog because I wasn't completely happy with the publishing options of my other host.  I feel as though this blog will be easier for more people to access. (And my mother to comment on... "Hi Mom.")

       The purpose of my blog is to share with you reviews of products and the recipes I create or find, or veganize.  I'm new to the vegan eating but I have a very supportive family that eats whatever I put in front of them.  If they go back for another helping, I know that it is a good recipe and is one to share with you!
        As some of you may know there are a wide array of vegans.  There are soy-free vegans, vegans who don't eat anything that looks like meat, raw vegans, strict vegans, and vegans who are less strict and will still eat honey or wear "non-vegan" textiles.  For me, I'm less strict kind and working on limiting my soy intake.  As I live with my "omnivore" family, I try to make the textures more like meat because my reason for becoming a vegan eater is because I found that a non-vegan diet just didn't agree with my stomach or my body. (Like would have an allergic reaction to eggs, dairy, and meat/seafood...)


       I have a lot of posts coming as I will be moving them from the old blog to this one!  I'm also in the process of working on converting my menu calendar to this blog.  Hopefully you will stick around and see what I have to offer!
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(Unsure of my new sign off at the moment... but it'll happen eventually)





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