Thai Curry Stuffed Poblano Peppers

November 14, 2016November 13, 2016 / Kelly / 3 Comments

Week Three: Rainbow Week

Welcome to rainbow week, where the focus is on colorful foods that span the spectrum! Though today’s recipe would be equally at home during international week: tender roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a Thai curry-inspired quinoa filling. But once I assembled these little beauties and saw how vibrant and colorful they were, I knew they’d fit perfectly during Rainbow Week. Just look at them, pre-oven:

Gorgeous, no? And not so difficult to make, either. You’ll cook up some quinoa in a mix of water and coconut milk, adding more coconut milk towards the end to keep the filling nice and creamy — and to help it stay together. Think of it as more of a risotto than your traditional light and fluffy quinoa preparation. Mix in some sauteed ginger, garlic, and jewel-bright orange peppers, stuff everything into halved poblanos, and roast to perfection.

In the meantime, you’ll whip up a dead-easy sauce with just three ingredients: coconut milk, peanut buttery, and Thai curry paste (plus salt if you’d like). Drizzle it on just before serving and call it a day.

Thai Curry Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Peanut-Coconut Sauce

Serves 2-3 as a main

For the peppers

1 C quinoa
1 1/4 C water
1 C + 1/2 C coconut milk, separated
1 T Thai red curry paste (more if you like extra heat)
1/2 T coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T ginger, grated
1 orange or red pepper, diced
4 poblano peppers

For the sauce

Scant 3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 T Thai red curry paste
Dash salt (to taste)

First, start preparing the quinoa. Add the quinoa, water, 1 cup coconut milk, and Thai curry paste to a medium saucepot and heat on medium-high. Stir to incorporate the paste. Heat until boiling, cover, then turn down to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes or until all liquid is soaked in, stirring occasionally.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the coconut oil in a small pan on low and add the garlic. Sauté for a minute, watching closely so it doesn’t burn, then add the ginger. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the diced pepper and turn the heat up to medium-low. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the pepper is soft. Turn off stove and remove from heat.

When all the liquid is soaked in to the quinoa, remove cover, turn heat to low, and stir in the extra 1/2 cup coconut milk, adding a few tablespoons at a time and stirring when you add it, until just absorbed. Turn off heat.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400˚F, grab a 9″ x 9″ baking pan, and prepare the poblanos for stuffing. Slice them in half, shake out seeds, and remove any pith.

To stuff the peppers, it’s easiest to squeeze them in one hand while using your other hand to spoon in the filling. Press down with the spoon to spread it throughout the pepper. Fill just to the top. (Reserve any extra quinoa for spooning over the cooked poblanos later.)

Place stuffed poblanos in a baking dish (see photo), cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes.

While baking, make the sauce. Whisk all sauce ingredients in a small bowl, salting to taste, and set aside.

When the peppers are tender, remove from the oven and let sit for a minute or two. Drizzle with the sauce and serve.

Notes

For a less spicy version, use four green bell peppers instead. Slice the tops off, remove seeds and pith, and stuff.
Feel free to add additional veggies to the quinoa mixture; just be sure to chop them small.

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Chai Hot Toddy

November 11, 2016November 10, 2016 / Kelly / 3 Comments

Week Two: International Week

It’s Friday, and I’m still bummed (understatement of the month) about the election. Given that last Friday I featured an alcoholic drink, I decided that I’d do the same thing this Friday. New MoFo tradition! And a way to salve my aching soul! So today I bring you a vegan chai hot toddy: the perfect beverage to sip on a cold night as you wonder what the hell went wrong and/or make plans to enact your vagenda of manocide.

How does this relate to international week, you ask? According to my sources (read: things I found on the internet), the hot toddy is a drink of British extraction by way of India. (Apparently there is an actual “toddy” palm tree, and the sap featured in the earliest of these drinks.) Today’s hot toddy differs quite a bit from its earliest form, and not just because we omit the toddy palm sap these days: the original British toddy was not hot at all, and was in fact served cold.

I think we can all agree that chilly November nights call for something warm, however, and you’d better believe that my hot toddy is gonna be piping hot. I typically make them with black tea, but today I decided to make it with chai as a nod to the toddy’s Indian heritage, and the warming spices are a perfect addition. I used a pre-made chai blend — this Bhakti Fiery Masala Chai is my current favorite. If you prefer a DIY version, try this chai masala blend. Feel free to adjust the sweetener to taste; depending on how fiery your chai is, you might want a little more agave.

Chai Hot Toddy

Serves 1

8 oz hot water
1 serving chai (tea bag or loose-leaf blend)
1 T agave nectar
Dash vanilla extract (about 1/8 tsp; optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
1.5 oz. blended whiskey (don’t use your fancy single-malt here!)

Method

Pour the hot water over the tea bag and stir in the agave nectar and vanilla extract, if using. Steep to your preferred strength, then add remaining ingredients, stir, and enjoy.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase something through my link, it costs nothing extra for you, but I get a few pennies. I’m not looking to make a fortune, just to cover hosting costs. :)

Welsh Cakes — Vegan Welsh Griddle Cakes

November 9, 2016October 29, 2017 / Kelly / 4 Comments

Week Two: International Week

After featuring an Irish recipe on Monday and an English recipe on Tuesday, I figured it was incumbent upon me to hit all the nations of the British Isles. Today we go to Wales for a disarmingly simple treat: Welsh cakes. Traditionally baked on a cast-iron griddle over a fire, these subtly sweet biscuits typically feature currants. Given my lack of an open flame (well, other than my living room fireplace!) and dislike for raisins, I opted for dried apricot-filled cakes baked on the stove in a cast-iron pan. Close enough? Close enough.

Many traditional recipes also use a smidge of mixed spice, a spice blend not too common in the United States. Since the amount of spice in these recipes is so small (1/4 – 1/2 tsp), I opted instead to use a dash of a few spices. If you’re the type of person who panics when you see “a dash” or “a pinch” in a recipe, use a 1/8 teaspoon and fill it about halfway. If you don’t have all of these spices, again, no worries. Just use what you’ve got.

I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been to Wales — it’s my last UK nation to visit, and trust me, it’s on my list! (Hello, have you seen how beautiful this country is?!) I’ll have to find some vegan Welsh cakes once I get there. In the meantime, here’s how to make vegan Welsh cakes at home.

Vegan Welsh Cakes

Makes 14-16 cakes

1 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (measured loosely)
1 tsp baking powder
Scant 1/4 tsp salt
Pinch each of ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and mace
1/4 cup vegan butter
3 T vegetable shortening
1/4 cup vegan sugar
1/3 cup dried fruit (I used dried apricots, chopped small)
1 Ener-G egg made according to package instructions, then whisked with scant 1/4 C almond milk

Method

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your clean fingers, rub in the vegan butter and shortening to make a crumbly mixture.

Next, stir in the sugar and dried fruit, then add the egg and milk mixture. Combine to form a stiff dough, kneading with your hands if necessary. Tip onto a clean, floured surface and roll until about 1/4″ thick. Use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out cakes that are about 3″ across.

Preheat a cast-iron pan on medium-low and add a small pat of butter. When melted, add 5-7 cakes (depending on the size of your pan) and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, until golden-brown. Flip and cook for the same amount of time on the other side. Make sure that your cast-iron pan doesn’t get too hot and be sure to adjust the temperature between batches. If the cakes cook too fast on the outside, the middle will still be doughy.

Best eaten piping hot off the pan, with butter and a little sugar drizzled on top.

Notes

I opted for a commercial egg replacer (Ener-G) in this recipe because it seemed like a flax egg would be too obtrusive. Feel free to give it a try, though!
I used a vegan butter and shortening blend because some Welsh cake recipes require both butter and lard, and I wanted to provide a few different types of fat. (I like Spectrum Naturals shortening.) You can use vegan butter only, if you’d like.
Don’t let my personal issue with raisins/currents prevent you from trying the more traditional dried fruit!

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Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through my link, it costs nothing extra for you, but I get a few pennies. I’m not looking to make a fortune, just to cover hosting costs. :)

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Vegan Hand-Raised Meat Pies

November 8, 2016November 7, 2016 / Kelly / 6 Comments

Week Two: International Week

If you read the title and thought, “Hmm, someone’s been watching The Great British Bake Off,” you’ve got it! Steven and I spent the past few months binging on all seven seasons, and I’m so very sad it’s ended for good. One positive note? I now have a massive list of British bakes to veganize and master! Perfect for international week. (Given yesterday’s recipe for Irish farls, it seems like I’m working my way across the British Isles!)

I recently tried my hand at vegan meat pies made with a hot water crust pastry. Lacking a pastry dolly (of course Paul Hollywood has a branded one for sale!), I wrapped my pastry around a glass and it worked just fine. My filling is relatively simple, just homemade seitan and lots of veggies, but you could use vegan sausage or beef crumbles and complementary vegetables.

Be sure to read through the recipe before beginning — hot water crust pastry can be temperamental, and you need your filling ready to go before you start the pastry. As it cools, it becomes difficult to work with.

Hand-Raised Seitan and Veggie Pies

Makes six pies

For the pie filling

1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, diced
1 leek, diced
1 cup seitan, diced
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper
1 T vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 T ketchup

For the hot water crust

Follow the directions here. I added dried sage to my crust for a little extra flavor.

Method

First, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium, then add onions and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, carrot, and leek and sauté for another 5 minutes or until all veggies are soft. Add the spices and seitan and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Turn off stove but leave on the burner.

Next, preheat your oven to 425˚F and prepare your hot water crust pastry according to the instructions here. Working quickly, use a small drinking glass (about 3″ diameter) to mark the base of the pie (don’t cut out this smaller circle), and use a knife to cut a rough circle around it — add about 1″ extra, for a circle about 4″ in diameter. Wrap the pastry around the drinking glass to form the pie crusts.

For the lids/tops, cut circles a little larger than the diameter of the pie crusts. (You can use another drinking glass if necessary.) Cut a small hole or slash in the tops. Place all raised crusts on a baking sheet. Add filling to the pie crusts, all the way to the top, then place the pie lids on top. Wet your fingers and gently crimp the crust to attach the lids.

Optionally, brush with an aquafaba wash before baking. You can also use pastry leftovers to add decorative leaves, etc.

Bake for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden-brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before eating.

Notes

Brushing the pastry crust with aquafaba will give it a nice shine akin to an egg wash. Alas; I was out of aquafaba the day I made these!
Feel free to experiment with the fillings — the crust is pretty good at holding it in, so something saucier would likely work just fine.

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Note: If you’re in the United States, I sincerely hope you’re voting today… and not supporting a candidate who represents the worst of humanity.

Irish Farls — Vegan Potato Scones

November 7, 2016March 26, 2017 / Kelly / 8 Comments

Week Two: International Week

I spent summer 2007 with a group of fellow English majors studying Irish literature in — wait for it — Ireland. We packed quite a lot into those two and a half months: a week in County Mayo (“God help us!”), where we climbed Croagh Patrick and I enjoyed my first whiskey; a month in Dublin, where we took classes on James Joyce under one of the finest Joyce scholars around; a week in Galway, where we attended the Yeats summer school with folks from all ages and walks of life who just can’t get enough of the poet; and just under a month in Northern Ireland, where we focused on more contemporary (political) literature at Queen’s University in Belfast. (There was also a blissful week break in Spain, but that’s another story for another post!)

Beautiful Louisburgh, County Mayo, at sunset.

During our time in Belfast, we stayed in the student dorms at Queen’s and walked about a mile up the road for classes each morning. Breakfast was included in our stay, and it was your typical full Irish breakfast fare: meat, meat, and more meat. I was a vegetarian at the time, so the few non-animal items became my breakfast staples. I soon became enamored with potato farls, a simple yet oh-so-satisfying fried dough made with flour and mashed potatoes, and I’d enjoy two or three of them every morning. (You might’ve heard of them by another name; they’re called tattie scones over in Scotland.)

Queen’s University, Belfast

Fast-forward nearly 10 (!) years, and I’ve yet to have a farl again, despite returning to Ireland with Steven a few years back. What better time to make them than during the first day of Vegan MoFo’s international week?! I decided to make the farls as part of a full Irish breakfast. Alas, fate (read: a sudden lack of vital wheat gluten for making sausages) stepped in, and I scrapped my more ambitious plans in favor of making the farls by themselves. And that’s okay. They’re just as good dripping with butter and jam alongside a mug of strong tea as they are accompanied by sausages, bacon, mushrooms, scrambled tofu, and baked beans. Give them a shot for a weekend breakfast and let me know what you think.

Vegan Potato Farls (Irish potato scones)

Makes 8 small farls or 4 large

1 lb Russet potatoes
2 T vegan butter (plus more for cooking)
1/2 C + 2 T unbleached all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling out the dough)
1/2 tsp baking soda
Scant 1/2 tsp salt

Method

Set the 2 T vegan butter out to soften.

Put a large pot of water on to boil while you peel and chop the potatoes into roughly equal pieces. Add to the pot and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl, then mix in the butter and mash (see note below). Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix with a fork until a light, soft dough comes together into a loose ball. If it’s still sticking, add one or two more tablespoons of flour.

Move the dough to a clean, well-floured surface and separate into two equal balls (for small farls) or one single ball (for large farls). Roll out into a circle about 1/4″ thick, then cut in half and half again to form four triangles.

Preheat a pan on medium-low and add a small pat of butter. When melted, add 3-4 farls (depending on their size and the size of your pan) and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until just starting to brown. Flip and cook for the same amount of time on the other side.

Repeat with remaining farls until all are cooked. If necessary, keep in a pan in a warmed oven while cooking the remaining farls or preparing the rest of your breakfast. Enjoy!

Notes

Many recipes suggest using a potato ricer to get lots of air into the mashed potatoes. I don’t have one, and a fork worked just fine for me — the Russets break apart easily.
I used a cast-iron pan and it worked nicely; you could also try non-stick.
For extra-buttery farls, add a little softened butter to the side facing you just before you flip the farls in the pan. That way, both sides get cooked in butter.
If you don’t intend to eat these with jam, feel free to add black pepper or even chopped chives to the dough.

…and one more photo of County Mayo because it’s too pretty not to share.

Another sunset in County Mayo.

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Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes with Apple Pie Sauce

November 5, 2016November 5, 2016 / Kelly / 8 Comments

Week One: Treat Yourself (and others)!

Just in time for the weekend, here’s a mouth-watering breakfast recipe for the whole family! Fluffy, cinnamon-y vegan pancakes studded with little bits of apple, topped with an oh-so-special sauce reminiscent of apple pie filling. Somewhere between decadent (thanks to that sauce) and relatively healthy (thanks to white whole wheat flour), these pancakes make for a special weekend breakfast that requires only marginally more work than regular old pancakes.

If a buttery sweet topping seems a little too rich for your blood, no worries. Read through the post-recipe notes for a lighter, fat-free sauce that works just as well but tastes a little less like dessert.

Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes with Apple Pie Sauce

Makes 10 pancakes

For the sauce

3/4 apple, sliced into thin half-moons
2 T Earth Balance
2 T brown sugar
2 T water
1/2 T lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Dash salt

For the pancakes

1 1/3 cup white whole wheat flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
Heaping 1 T ground flax
2 T canola or other neutral oil
1 T lemon juice
1 C almond milk
Scant 1/2 cup water
1/4 apple, diced small

Method

First, add the Earth Balance to a small saucepot and melt on low heat while you prepare the apple. To do so, peel it and then chop 3/4 of the apple into thin half-moons (1/4″ thick at most). Chop the remaining 1/4 apple into very small dice and set aside.

Add the apple slices to the melted butter and then add all other ingredients. Stir to coat the apples, then turn the heat up to medium-low. When it starts bubbling, reduce heat to low and let simmer while you prepare the pancake batter.

For the pancakes, start by mixing the dry ingredients (excluding the flax and apple) in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flax with the wet ingredients and let sit for about 30 seconds before adding to the dry mixture. Stir or whisk just until all ingredients are combined, then fold in the diced apples. You should have a thick, puffy batter.

Start heating your favorite pancake cooking device while the batter rests a bit. In the meantime, give your apple pie sauce a few stirs.

Cook pancakes in scant 1/3 cups full for 3-5 minutes on each side. Cooking times will vary based on your stove, pan, etc. For best results, place finished pancakes in a tray in a 200˚F oven to keep warm while you finish cooking. When ready, serve with the apple pie sauce drizzled on top.

Notes

You can certainly substitute another flour, but be mindful of the liquid ratio. For pure whole wheat flour, you might need a little more water; for all-purpose, you might need a little less.
For a lighter, fat-free sauce, heat 1/2 cup applesauce on the stove and mix in the sliced apples, spices, vanilla, and sugar. Forgo the lemon juice and water. Simmer while you cook the pancakes.
I have a dedicated non-stick pancake pan — this All-Clad 11-inch griddle. I never need to use oil or cooking spray!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Vegan Blondies

November 3, 2016November 2, 2016 / Kelly / 2 Comments

Week One: Treat Yourself (and others)!

This past Sunday was full of frustration… and cookies. I’ve had a specific cookie concept in my head for a few weeks now, and I decided to work on the recipe this weekend. The first attempt failed, leaving Steven and I with a Tupperware full of cookies that were more like puffy biscuits. (Steven wasn’t complaining.)

Back to the kitchen I went, hoping some modifications would help. Nope. The second batch spread too thin and crumbled horribly, leaving us with a Tupperware now full of biscuit-y cookies and crumbly cookies (Steven still wasn’t complaining).

After that, I gave up — I’ll return to the concept soon, but I couldn’t bear a third failure in one day.

That’s the rub, when it comes to recipe development: you’ve gotta be okay with failure. As a semi-reformed perfectionist, I still get frustrated when things don’t go my way. I’m learning to be okay with it, and to learn from it, but it still grates on me.

So a few nights ago, when another idea surfaced in my MoFo-inspired mind, I headed to the kitchen with just a little trepidation. I knew what I wanted: rich, chewy vegan peanut butter blondie bars that would almost melt in your mouth, studded with chocolate chips for a slightly bitter counterpoint to the sweetness. I melted, mixed, tasted, and finally put them in the oven, hoping my baking mojo had returned and that the curious alchemy of cookie-creation was in my favor that night.

It was — though I didn’t think so at first. As I tried the blondies, my initial reaction was disappointment. They weren’t sweet enough! I had failed! I kept chewing, though, and soon realized that they did indeed have a perfectly pleasant sweetness; a few tablespoons of maple syrup add complexity and mean that the sweetness grows slowly on your tongue. And you wouldn’t want them much sweeter — these are rich, buttery blondies; too much sugar would render them cloying and unpleasant to eat.

And so! With much relief, today I bring you vegan peanut butter blondies, an indulgent treat that’s supremely easy to whip up. I baked mine in my favorite Le Creuset ceramic 9×9” square dish, and they came out beautifully with just a spray of oil lining the pan. If you’re using a more persnickety dish, feel free to line with parchment paper for easy removal. (And keep your fingers crossed for another cookie recipe coming soon — I think I’ll crack it yet!)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Makes 9 squares

1/3 C Earth Balance, melted
1/2 creamy natural peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
2 T maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 T ground flax
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350˚F and oil a 9×9″ baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted Earth Balance, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the sugars and maple syrup and incorporate, then stir in the salt, baking powder, ground flax, and flours. (You might want to add the flour a little at a time for easier mixing.) Fold in the chocolate chips. The mixture should be similar to cookie dough.

Add the dough to the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 23-25 minutes, just until a skewer or knife comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Notes

I’m sure you could omit the white whole wheat flour in favor of more all-purpose flour — though you might need to add a few tablespoonfuls more.
Feel free to substitute mini chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips.
These would probably cook up well in an 8×8″ pan — just cook for a couple minutes longer.

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Vegan peanut butter chocolate chip blondies // govegga.com

Looking for a slightly healthier dessert option that’ll still leave you feeling like you’re treating yourself? Why not try my fudgy black bean brownies, a treat from MoFo 2014?

Fully Loaded Vegan Colcannon

November 2, 2016October 26, 2017 / Kelly / 5 Comments

Week One: Treat Yourself (and others)!

Treat yourself… to mashed potatoes for dinner!

If you’re anything like me, you relish any opportunity to chow down on mashed potatoes. I think it’s unfortunate that they’re typically treated as a side dish instead of a main or a meal in their own right. Enter colcannon, the Irish dish featuring mashed potatoes and kale or cabbage… or both! My version of colcannon is chock-full of veggies, with just enough vegan butter and plant milk to make it nice and creamy. I also add a few tablespoons of vegan mayo. Sounds crazy (and kinda weird), but you don’t taste it at all, and it ups the creamy factor. You can certainly leave it out if you’d prefer. Either way, these vegan mashed potatoes are a meal unto themselves. Treat yourself!

Fully Loaded Colcannon

2.5 lbs of your favorite mashing potatoes, chopped roughly
1 T olive oil
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1/2 head cabbage, sliced thinly
5 large kale leaves, roughly shredded or sliced into ribbons
1/3 cup non-dairy milk
2 T vegan butter
1 T vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Measure out the almond milk and let it come to room temperature while you cook.

Add water to a large stockpot and heat on the stove. While the water is coming to a boil, chop the potatoes. You can peel them first, but I like to leave the skins on. When they’re ready, add them to the stockpot (whether it’s boiling or not). When it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and let gently boil for 15-20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes, just until they start turning golden. Add the cabbage and a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat with oil. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the cabbage starts getting tender. If necessary, add a little water to the pan to prevent the cabbage from sticking. Add the kale to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Check the potatoes. When they’re fork-tender, drain them and add to a large mixing bowl. Using a potato ricer, masher, or your favorite tool, mash away! Add the butter early on so it melts right in, then add the almond milk and vegan mayonnaise once everything starts getting creamy. Add spices to taste; you can also add more butter, milk, and mayo to taste. Finally, fold in the kale and cabbage mixture. Taste for salt and pepper and season as necessary.

Enjoy for dinner, and have the leftovers for lunch the next day!

Notes

Your average Idaho or russet potato works beautifully, but I’ve used golden potatoes and they work just fine.
Feel free to mix in seitan or bacon bits for added flavor and protein.
Go wild with the creamy ingredients to taste. I won’t judge!
You can reserve the cooking liquid to add back in as you mash. I don’t do this often, but it certainly works for a less fatty option.
Colcannon is traditionally eaten by itself, without gravy, but if you want to add some, I won’t tell. Opt for a recipe with lots of umami.

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The Best Vegan Hot Chocolate

November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 / Kelly / 5 Comments

Week One: Treat Yourself (and others)!

Welcome to Vegan MoFo, aka the Vegan Month of Food! This year, the organizers created both weekly overarching MoFo themes and daily prompts within each theme. I’m choosing to follow the weekly themes; last year’s daily prompts left me feeling a little stifled for creativity. But a broad theme that provides guidance without pinning me down? Sold!

In the interest of treating oneself, today I bring you a revelation in hot chocolate, just in time (?) for the cold weather. (Unless you’re in Maryland. 75˚F in November? Ugh!) If you’re still making your hot chocolate with water, this technique might just blow your mind. If you’ve already graduated to making hot chocolate with milk, it’ll still be a step up — I promise.

The secret? Making hot chocolate with chocolate milk. I’ve been using the new Ripple chocolate plant milk, which I picked up on a whim. I don’t love it on its own, but it does make a damn fine cup of vegan hot cocoa. And make sure you’re using a high-quality hot chocolate mix; I’m really digging Cocoa Felice currently. The result is a creamy, ultra-rich cup of cocoa just waiting to be topped with whipped cream and savored after time spent in the nippy outdoors.

The Creamiest, Richest Vegan Hot Chocolate

Serves 1

1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup chocolate plant-based milk
3 T hot chocolate powder
Optional add-ins:
- 2 T strong coffee or espresso
- 2 T liqueur (I love adding maple liqueur)
- Vegan whipped cream (coconut, aquafaba, Soyatoo)
- Vegan mini marshmallows (vanilla or pumpkin!)
- Chocolate shavings

Combine the two milks and heat until it just starts to steam — don’t let it boil. I use the stove, but you can also microwave it if you watch carefully.

Whisk in the hot chocolate powder until dissolved. Add optional extras and enjoy!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through my links, it costs nothing extra for you, but I get a few pennies. I’m not looking to make a fortune, just to cover hosting costs. :)

Spicy Vegan Chorizo Pasta

October 28, 2016October 31, 2016 / Kelly / Leave a comment

Do you have a favorite convenience food product? A go-to, gotta-have-it-in-the-fridge ingredient that you can’t pass up at the grocery store?

Mine might well be Trader Joe’s soy chorizo. It’s so damn tasty and versatile! With just the right kick of heat, it’s a perfect protein-rich accompaniment to lots of recipes. I typically use it in a quick and easy potato and pepper hash with lots of onions and garlic. It’s a simple dish that makes a superb savory side for brunch, or even a quick dinner.

Recently, though, I decided to try something different with my chorizo and pair it with pasta instead. I’m so glad I did! The result was a spicy, belly-filling dinner that left both Steven and me well-sated. Another benefit? Unlike saucier pasta dishes, this one reheats well because there’s very little moisture to make the pasta soggy. Bam — tomorrow’s lunch is ready now.

I leave the cherry tomatoes whole because I love the way they burst as you eat them, giving a little acidity to the dish. If you only have large tomatoes, feel free to chop them into small pieces and use those.

If you’re looking askance at the inclusion of coconut milk, rest assured you can’t taste it. In fact, when Steven was cleaning up up after dinner, he asked me why there was an open can of coconut milk in the kitchen — and was thoroughly surprised when I told him that it was part of the meal he’d just eaten.

Spicy Vegan Chorizo Pasta

Serves 3-4, depending on how hungry you are

8 oz. whole wheat penne (okay, fine, you can use white pasta if you prefer!)
~1 T olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, sliced into thin half-moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 package TJ’s soy chorizo
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup coconut cream (from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
Optional: chopped roasted red peppers, handful of kale (roughly shredded)

First, start heating your pasta water. At the same time, heat the olive oil over medium and add the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onions start to become translucent, then add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook for another minute, then add the soy chorizo. (This can get messy — I recommend slicing it in half right through the package, then slicing the chorizo casing lengthwise with a knife and squeezing it into the pan.)If using kale or roasted red peppers, add now. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes and turn the heat down to low.

Meanwhile, if the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Al dente pasta works best here. When it’s ready, drain it and set aside.

Just before adding the pasta, pour in the coconut cream and stir to combine. Add the pasta and mix throughly, so the sauce coats the pasta. Let sit for about one more minute before serving.

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A couple notes before you go:

Go Vegga now has a Facebook page! Check it out here if you’re so inclined. I only post 2-3 times a week, so no worries about flooding your timeline.
Traveling and veganism are two of my passions, so I’ve just started a Pinterest board focused on vegan travel options. Give it a follow if you’d like a comprehensive resource for how to find vegan food on the go. (I’ve got lots of other great vegan-themed boards too; you can peruse them here.)
The Vegan Month of Food (aka Vegan MoFo) starts November 1st! Get ready for a whole month of daily food posts. This will be my eighth (!!!) year participating!