Baked Mac and Cheeze

It's been a while since Rick and I had vegan macaroni and cheese at home.
Of course, we could have turned to VeganYumYum's amazing recipe that we made back in November but we wanted to try something different. Also, no offense whatsoever to VeganYumYum, but ever since I started using CalorieKing to manage nutritional content for meals, I realized the recipe has tons of fat per serving. However, it is ridiculously yummy indeed and I am tempted to cook it again!
But today, we made a vegan mac and cheeze from Robin Robertson's "1,000 Vegan Recipes."

Creamy and cheesy with a crunchy outer layer.

Not only is this recipe just as delicious as the one I reviewed before but it's lower in calories per serving and, since it makes a lot, it's a great choice if you're serving a big crowd. =)

Baked Mac and Cheeze
makes 4 to 6 servings

12 ounces (about 2.5 cups) elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 1/2 cups plain unsweetened soy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni over medium-high heat until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the flour and the nutritional yeast and cook, uncovered, stirring, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, and slowly whisk in the soy milk. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the soy sauce, miso, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika, turmeric, salt, and cayenne.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the vegetable broth, stirring to blend. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary.
4. Combine the sauce and the cooked macaroni in the prepared casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil (personally, I skipped the oil here). Bake until the mixture is hot and the crumbs are browned, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Today marked the second time we made this mac and cheeze. Last time we used gluten-free pasta and it came out great. Thus, this recipe is totally doable for those who are gluten-intolerant.
Want to compare nutrition facts between the two delicious mac and cheeze recipes? Below are the facts for this one; click here for the other (I've updated it since I wasn't using CalorieKing before). Yes... it's quite a difference!

Nutrition Facts per Serving
(if serving six)

Calories: 318
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 47g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 6g

Judging by the pictures, we didn't steam broccoli on the side but it makes a wonderful side dish. Hope you all like this recipe as much as we do!

Summer Tempeh & Broccoli Slaw

Summer (and finals week!) is sneaking up quickly and, as the weather gradually warms up, who wants to stand in front of a hot stovetop while preparing food? Yeah, I don't think that sounds very nice either.
Thankfully, I've recently discovered this lovely tempeh recipe; it's delicious and doesn't involve the use of too much heat (we can leave most of that to the sun).

Makes a quick and healthy dish for college students. :D

I've made this meal so many times in the past few days and I've finally gotten the chance to post it up! This dish is also great for post-workouts, as it is brimming with protein. In fact, this is what I ate after my relaxing yoga practice today. Mmm-mmm.
This recipe is inspired by this one on VegWeb.com.


Summer Tempeh & Broccoli Slaw
serves one

3 ounces of tempeh, cut into bite-sized dice
2 cups of broccoli florets
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons no-fat vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Combine tempeh, broccoli, and onion in a steam basket. Place the basket in a small saucepan filled with water. Bring the water to a boil and cover saucepan. Cook for about two minutes or until broccoli gets tender. Remove saucepan from heat.
2. When the tempeh, broccoli, and onion cool, carefully transfer ingredients to a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss ingredients until all is well combined. Adjust seasonings as desired.

That piece of tempeh is all like, "I know you want me." LOL.

Have you ever noticed how quick broccoli softens up while steaming? Personally, I enjoy tender broccoli but not to the point of where it falls apart. So, I do this little trick of turning off the burner as soon as the water comes to a rapid boil. I then leave the pan covered on the stovetop until the water settles completely. The broccoli is left cooked at the right tenderness. It's a very simple tip and it's eco-friendly, too. =)

Yogi approved. ;)

Below are the estimated nutrition facts for the entire recipe, since it serves one.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 278
Fat: 11g
Carbs: 30g
Protein: 22g
Fiber: 10g

Less than 300 calories and the dish is teeming with protein and fiber! This is definitely one of my favorites. This slaw is great as a side dish, a main entree, or as a filling for wraps. Serve fresh cut fruit on the side as dessert. Yum, yum, yummy.

Almond Butter & Cocoa Steel Cut Oats

Recently, I purchased about five cans of Ah!laska's Organic Baker's Cocoa since they were on a discounted price of $1 a can at Sprouts. So now I have a tower of cocoa powder just waiting to be used! Oh, the many possibilities! I started with breakfast:

Today, and early yesterday morning, I cooked up yummy steel cut oats for breakfast using cocoa powder. I really like this breakfast because the oats, being steel cut, add a tapioca pudding-like texture but the consistency is thick and creamy. The recipe makes one hearty serving.


Almond Butter & Cocoa Steel Cut Oats
serves one

1/4 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup water
1 small banana, mashed or sliced
2 tablespoons almond butter (I use unsalted)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chia seeds
almonds for garnish, optional

1. In a small saucepan, combine steel cut oats and water. Let soak overnight.
2. (Rise and shine!) Bring the oats and water to a boil and let cook for about a minute, or until desired texture is reached. Reduce heat to medium, adding more water if necessary. Stir in the banana, almond butter, and cocoa powder until well combined.
3. Turn off the heat and add in chia seeds. Stir and transfer oats to a bowl. Sprinkle more chia seeds if desired. Enjoy!

Delicious mud fight, anyone? =)

All righty, so because almond butter, cocoa powder, and chia seeds all contain fat (which equals more calories) feel free to change the measurements up to taste. This is simply the way I prepare it. Be mindful though; those fats are considered healthy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 450
Fat: 24g
Carbs: 62g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 13g

See? I wasn't lying when I said it was hearty. ^_^ If you wish, you can cut this recipe in half. I'm just one of those people who start their days off with higher calories and gradually eat less as the night falls.
Wonder what else I'll use the cocoa powder for...

Earth Day Update

This year's Earth Day was the best one yet.
Volunteering with Rick at Balboa Park's Earth Fair made me feel so happy. I felt like I did something good for the health of others as well as our environment and I do hope we will have another chance to partake in an event such as this one in the future (you can check out a few of the pictures on Facebook). It was a truly motivating experience and I thank everyone who stopped by the Last Chance for Animals booth (seriously, all of you were awesome).

Rick, being a good vegan and sharing his knowledge with others.

So since this Rick and I were super busy today, we didn't exactly have time to make anything too fancy. In other words, no recipe today. My apologies, everybody. *sad face* However, I did make a lovely breakfast with steel cut oats this morning, which I will share with you all very soon.

This might sound cheesy, but every day is Earth Day for me. Minimizing my impact on the earth is very important to me and sometimes I wish we homo sapiens weren't so needy on the planet's resources! But enough of my banter; I want to share some tips of how Rick and I go green every day:

Get crafty!

• I only shop for clothes at thrift stores. Understandably, not everyone might enjoy doing this because shopping at thrift stores is not very convenient. I mean, who has the time to dig through numerous racks of clothing that might not even be your style or size? I totally get it and it makes tons of sense. However, shopping at thrift stores is cheap, good for the environment, and sometimes the search for your style and size can be fun.
• We don't waste food. We do our very best to use every scrap of food to our advantage before finally tossing it away. For example, I save vegetable scraps for making broths and we eat leftovers before they go bad. So we really try our best to reduce food waste in general. In fact, we're interested in vermicomposting and we might invest in that for the very near future.
• We say nay to plastic. It kills hundreds of animals every year and takes decades to degrade. No, thank you. If you do use plastic bags, why not reuse them again next time you go shopping? Then when those bag wear out, buy yourself a durable tote and bring it with you every time you grocery shop. Also, buy a stainless steel bottle or thermos for your water instead of using those harmful plastic bottles. 
• We use what we have. If Rick and I don't need something, then we won't buy it. If we own something, we use it until it can no longer serve us. This includes anything from clothing, shoes, pillows, body care items, dinner plates... the list goes on. Following this rule saves us tons of dinero as well as living space.

As you may have guessed, Rick and I are very minimalistic people and don't need many material items.
How did you celebrate Earth Day? ^_^

Zucchini Pasta with Lemon-Pepper Tofu

If you love lemons like I love blueberries, then this is the recipe for you.

And I mean just for you - it's serves one!

I found this recipe while flipping through the inspirational pages of Oxygen magazine's May 2012 issue. Besides showcasing strong women with ripped abs and arms, the magazine shares recipes that promote clean eating with a low to moderate amount of carbs and high protein sources. How else do you think they get those lovely muscles? Here's one of the many recipes (veganized, of course):

Zucchini Pasta with Lemon-Pepper Tofu
serves one

3 lemons
3 oz extra-firm tofu
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 zucchinis, rinsed
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
8 mint leaves

1. Zest one lemon; set aside. Cut and squeeze the juice out of the other two lemons into a bowl.
2. Drain excess water from tofu. Cut into four thick pieces. Place on a plate and pour half of the lemon juice to marinate. Sprinkle with pepper.
3. Peel zucchini with a veggie peeler until you get to the seeds. Add half of the oil into a pan and cook tofu steaks for 3 minutes per side.
4. Remove tofu. Add oil and zucchini to pan; cook for one minute. Add lemon juice; cover pan to steam for two minutes. Add mint and zest. Transfer to a plate.

*sparkle, sparkle*

I thought this dish tasted great and I felt light after having it for lunch, unlike how I feel after eating real pasta. If you're not into tofu, I'm sure it'll do wonderfully with tempeh as well.
The only condition I had with this meal was that the lemony taste was really overpowering; it honestly tasted like I was eating out of a pure lemon! But it was good enough that I ate it all. ^_^ Next time I make this I'll use only one lemon and a half. No more sour faces from me next time!

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 221
Fat: 12g
Carbs: 22g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 5g

Oh, so clean! The original recipe called for reduced-fat feta cheese. Apparently, since this is a vegan blog, I didn't add that but maybe if there's a vegan feta cheese out there...
Anyway, time for a stress-relieving practice of evening yoga; I owe myself one. =)

Soba & Green Lentil Soup

Cold days call for warm, hearty soups.

And for today's lunch, I just so happen to have made this one:

Looks hearty to me. ^_^

It's been raining lately and, though I love the rain, it leaves the house painfully cold. This nostalgic soup left our bellies warm and wanting more. I found the fusion of noodles and legumes quite interesting, even though I have made a dish with similar ingredients before. I'm just so used to seeing soba noodles only for Asian meals. The soup was a delicious exception.

Soba & Green Lentil Soup
makes 4 to 6 servings
(recipe from Robin Robertson's "1,000 Vegan Recipes")

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced diagonally
2 garlic cloves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup green (French) lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 cups vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought, or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces soba noodles, broken into thirds

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Uncover and stir in tomatoes, lentils, thyme, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cover and simmer until the lentils are just tender, about 45 minutes.
2. Stir in the noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes longer, and serve.

Comfort food!

Even though the directions say to cook the lentils for 45 minutes, I actually only had to wait for about 30. The noodles took about five minutes to cook. I'm sure it all depends so keep checking the soup pot to make sure you don't overcook.

Nutrition Facts per Serving 
(if serving six)

Calories: 273
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 46g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 14g

Oh, lentils, you are forever grateful for being such a great source of protein, fiber, copper, folate, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Yummy!
You can reduce fat content by using an oil spray instead of regular olive oil. You can also skip the noodles entirely for a lower carb option. This soup can also be made gluten-free if you use wheat-free/buckwheat soba noodles.
Now, time for some leftovers. ^_^

Wakame Cucumber Salad

A couple months ago, Rick and I went to shop at a nearby Asian market and bought a small bag of dried wakame seaweed. Since then, and as of late, we've been primarily using the yummy and healthful seaweed for miso soups (what is miso soup without seaweed anyway?).
Yesterday night I was reading through Energy Times Magazine's March 2012 issue, where they showcased the health benefits of different kinds of seaweed. This seaweed salad caught my eye and I decided to make it for lunch today:

A taste of the sea. =)

It was delicious and very easy to prepare. The sesame coated seaweed reminded me a lot of our new favorite noodle dish and had me thinking it can be a great noodle-substitute. Of course, it won't have the exact same texture or length as rice noodles but the seaweed made a great base and using it can massively cut carbohydrate intake. No blood sugar roller coasters on this dish. =)

Wakame Cucumber Salad
serves 3

2-3 4-inch strands dried wakame (I used pre-cut)
2 cucumbers
3 green onions
2 tablespoons rice (or red wine) vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh, juiced ginger (I just grated the ginger)
pinch of sea salt
toasted sesame seeds, to taste and for garnish

1. Boil 2 cups of water and remove from heat. Soak wakame for 15 minutes (or prepare to package directions). Drain, rinse to cool and chop into small pieces.
2. Slice cucumbers down the middle, scoop out seeds and slice thinly. Chop green onions finely. Mix together in a medium bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oils, ginger, and sea salt. Stir into salad and garnish with sesame seeds.

Great with ginger tea on the side. ^_^

Sesame and ginger make a delicious pair, don't they? I'm totally digging them lately. Mmm-mmm!
Below are the nutrition facts per serving for the salad. The grams of fat rely on the dressing but if you're watching your fat intake you can play around with the dressing and maybe add less oil. Be wary, however; vitamins A and E, which are found in seaweed, are fat soluble and need fat molecules to become absorbed into the bloodstream.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 205
Fat: 19g
Carbs: 9g
Protein: 2g
Fiber: 2g

So what do you think; yay or nay? Seaweed is definitely not the most taboo food out there but I understand if most of you haven't gotten into trying it out just yet (especially my mum, who thinks sushi is freaky). As a little push, it's great if you know the health benefits of seaweed. *ahem*
According to Energy Times magazine, seaweed is known to contain anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory compounds, which can aid in improving immunity. The magazine also mentions, with dependance on the type of seaweed, that fiber, vitamins A, B, C and E, calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, iodine, and even omega-3 fatty acids can be found in seaweed. ... Quite impressive.
One thing's for sure; seaweed is going to be a staple in our pantry, not only for it's amazing nutritional profile, but because it's great if we need a guilt-free salt fix!

Potato Angels

Happy Easter, everyone. =)
So I did end up making something egg-related today, like I planned yesterday night. I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while and today was the perfect day to do it.
I made potato angels; the delicious vegan deviled eggs alternative. Look how pretty they are!

They're crazy addictive, too!

I first found this recipe on VegWeb.com a couple months ago (did it really take me that long to make these?) but my computer hasn't been allowing me on the site lately due to virus warnings. Sad face. Thankfully, I found the recipe again on another vegan site called VeganMachine.com. I was giddy!

Crave deviled eggs no more.

The hardest part of preparing these gorgeous spuds is waiting for them to soften up in the oven for 45 minutes. But the outcome of soft, mashed-potato-like goodness plus the tangy flavor of the topping? So worth it. It's also much healthier for you than traditional deviled eggs; no cholesterol and no saturated fat. And don't let the starchy spud scare you; potatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, and potassium. Click here for the recipe.
Nutrition info depends here. I used an oil spray for coating the potatoes instead of regular olive oil, and I used fat-free Nayonaise for the topping. Let me know if you'd like info based on how you prepared them. Now, back to eating a third spud... *nom, nom, nom*
Don't forget to share with friends and family! Have a great Easter, everyone. ^_^

Single Serving Carrot Cake

Easter; it snuck up on me like a hunter in Left 4 Dead.
Admittedly, however, I'm not the most religious person on the block. On the other hand, I also don't think Easter is about bunnies and colored eggs. But whether you're a Jesus-freak or only down for egg-hunting you're gonna love this carrot cake:

It's tasty and respectful of your waistline!

If you've read my other posts before, you know that I'm usually dumbfounded at the fact that I hardly ever cut my recipes in half; I'm only serving myself and Rick, after all. Thankfully, this cake stays within one serving, which is exactly what I should be doing!
You can thank non other than Chocolate-Covered Katie for this yummy treat. Click here for the recipe.

Rabbit food? I think not!

As you may have noticed, I made a slightly nontraditional twist and used shredded coconut instead of cream cheese frosting (because I totally forgot to buy Tofutti's vegan cream cheese). I also used whole wheat pastry flour and I also used stevia as the main sweetener. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free; just use a wheat-free flour. ^_^

Good stuff!

I'm not going to add nutrition info because it all depends on the variations you make for the recipe (like if you're using white sugar or a calorie-free sweetener, or if you're omitting the oil to reduce fat). You can always let me know if you'd like me to calculate nutrition info for you. One thing's for sure; this cake has a lot of vitamin A!
Sometime soon, if not tomorrow, I plan on making something egg-related... for Easter's sake. =)
Have a good one, everybody.

Apple Pie Pancakes

Treat your mornings like July 4th evenings with these delicious pancakes:

Pie for breakfast. ^_^

Indeed, the sweetened apple toppings could do well as an apple pie filling (hmm... I have an idea).
This recipe is inspired by Robin Robertson's "Spiced Apple Pancakes" from her book, "1,000 Vegan Recipes." I changed it up a little bit by using less sugar, less butter, and whole wheat pastry flour in place of white flour (read: lower in calories). You can even make these pancakes gluten-free by using the appropriate kind of flour.

Apple Pie Pancakes
serves 4

Oil spray (I used Spectrum's coconut oil spray)
2 tablespoons vegan margarine, melted
3 apples of your choice, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used gala apples)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup maple or agave syrup
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or flour of your choice)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened soy or almond milk

1. Spray a large skillet with oil over medium heat. Add the apples, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of the allspice. Cook, stirring, to soften the apples. Add the maple or agave syrup and keep warm over low heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of allspice, and the salt. Set aside.
3. In an medium bowl, combine the soy milk and the margarine. Stir until smooth. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix with a few swift strokes.
4. Spray a griddle or large skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Ladle 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot surface. Cook until small bubbles appear on the top, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the pancake and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes.
5. Transfer the cooked pancakes onto a serving plate and top with the sweetened apple mixture.

The kitchen smelled like a bakery; there's nothing like cooking at home! <3

So good. And I'm so happy organic apples are on sale this week at Sprouts because I will be making more of these pancakes.
Other apple-like fruits like pears or peaches would substitute just as well. You are also free to add sweeteners to the dry mixture if you prefer. I just don't do it because the pancakes are going to be sweetened with the toppings anyway. Quite an oxymoron, in my opinion.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
(about two 5-inch diameter pancakes with topping)

Calories: 305
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 67g
Protein: 5g
Fiber: 9g
Sugar: 24g

Of course, the sugar content depends on how much of the topping you're using. Either way, eating simple sugars earlier in the day is better than consuming them later in the day, as you're more likely to be more active in the morning and afternoon.

Nom.

Apples are a great source of vitamin C and may help reduce cholesterol levels with its soluble fiber (but really, I don't know a vegan who has cholesterol problems!). Apples also contain quercetin which is great for anti-inflammatory effects. Win, win. =)

Potato & Kale Soup

Unless we have mashed potatoes or potato salad as a side dish, buying a bag of organic red potatoes for two people isn't the best idea. Those poor root veggies were starting to grow leaves!
Thankfully, I was able to manage our worries of unused produce and made this subtle soup for dinner:

Oh, trusty soup.

Subtle and simple, this soup is flexible and easy on your money; nothing too fancy or unusual. Just check out the simple ingredients below. =)
Apparently, and admittedly, I did not have kale or Great Northern beans on hand so I used spinach and garbanzo beans instead. Also, I used water instead of vegetable broth. It worked fine but I amped up the spices. Richard customized his serving with hoisin sauce and Sriracha (so cute!).

Potato & Kale Soup
recipe from "1,000 Vegan Recipes" by Robin Robertson
makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
6 cups vegetable broth or water
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
Salt
4 cups chopped stemmed kale
1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, and salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
2. Stir in the kale and the beans and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove, discard the bay leaf, and serve.

*dashes on some salt and pepper*

So yum! The spinach is always a lovely addition and the diced potatoes were so soft they dissolved in our mouths (think mashed potato status). However, you may shorten the cook time if you prefer firmer potatoes.
Though the recipe yields a lot of soup, I provided the nutrition info for four servings (like the book suggests). I didn't try to change up the serving size like I usually do since I consider this recipe's nutritional profile as reasonable. ^_^

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 298
Fat: 4.5g
Carbs: 56g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 11g

You can thank the beans for the high protein and fiber content. *wink*
This soup is great for easy dinner nights and I will be cooking this up again in the future. Don't forget the salt and pepper shakers!