Freeze!

This is not the picture I meant to have in this post. I meant to have a full glass of my version of a mocha coffee freeze (aka "frap"). But I couldn't let it sit. I had to drink it right then. So will you.

I have a weakness for these frozen drinks but I can't afford them all the time and I can't control everything that goes in them when I go to the shop. So I went online to see if I could find recipes. I tried several and came up with this combination as my favorite:

Mocha Freeze

1 c. soy or other non-dairy milk

1/2 c. strong coffee

1 T. cocoa powder (unsweetened, vegan)

1 T. sugar (your choice; I like brown sugar)

about 1 c. ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Option: use instant coffee, 1 T. or to taste,  and a little more soy milk, instead of the 1/2 c. strong coffee.

One obvious advantage to making your own is the quality of the drink. Use high-quality cocoa and coffee and you'll notice.

crossposted at Vegan Soapbox.

A cool soup for a hot summer day

The other day I turned to my trusty Vegan Express Cookbook for inspiration. I chose the Curried Cashew and Green Pea Soup because it sounded just right for a summer evening. I was right. It as sophisticated, cool, delicious. Here's the recipe:
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Curried Cashew and Green Pea Soup (from Vegan Express)
2 cups rice milk
1/2 cup cashew butter
1 12.3-oz package firm silken tofu
1 - 2 tsps good-qaulity curry powder
1/2 tsp minced fresh or jarred ginger
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 medium tomato, diced
3 cups frozen green peas, steamed
1-2 scallions, green parts only, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tbs lime juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine 1/2 c of the rice milk with the cashew butter and tofu in a food processor. Process until smoothly pureed.

To serve at room temperature, transfer the puree to a serving container, then stir in the rest of the rice milk and the remaining ingredients. Check the seasoning, then serve. To serve chilled, refrigerate the soup for an hour or so. (Serving chilled means you can prepare ahead, have it ready when you are)

To serve warm, transfer the puree to a small soup pot. Add the rest of the rice milk and the remaining ingredients, stir together, and heat until just warmed through. Adjust the consistency with a little more rice milk if needed. Check the seasoning and serve.
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I served the soup with a side of cauliflower and carrot salad, also from the same cookbook.

This cookbook has become one of my favorites. Good food, interesting and fun, and easy and fast to make.

You too can make cashew butter

A while back I attempted to make cashew butter and failed. I thought it would be just like peanut butter. Put a bunch of cashews in a food processor and let 'er rip. I got ground cashews. Not good. Then I learned that (sigh) you have to add a bit of oil. And you might want to add a little bit of a sweetener, like agave syrup. So I put two cups of dry-roasted cashews, a teaspoon of agave syrup, and a few tablespoons of a neutral oil in the food processor and turned it on. When it seemed it was not getting past the grind stage I added a bit more oil. I had to do this a few times. And the result was delicious.

This exercise was necessary because I wanted to make a soup that calls for cashew butter and did not find it in the first two markets I checked. I didn't have the time or energy to go to the natural foods store, where I could have found it, so instead I grabbed a bunch of cashews. It was easy, fortunately (with a food processor).

Make a salad!

Mark Bittman, a non-vegan, offered 101 salads in a recent New York Times article. He started the list with the vegan salads. I copy them here for ease, and note that the original article can be found at the NYT website. I have removed what I consider gratuitous comments on non-vegan additions that Mark made. If you try some, let us know how you like them!

For fat-watchers (and yes, I'm one of them), I have starred those that call for no oil. Of course, many of the salads that call for a vinaigrette can be made with one that is fat-free.

MOSTLY VEGAN SALADS

1. Cube watermelon and combine with tomato chunks, basil and basic vinaigrette. You can substitute peach for the watermelon or the tomato (but not both, O.K.?).

2. Mix wedges of tomatoes and peaches, add slivers of red onion, a few red-pepper flakes and cilantro. Dress with olive oil and lime or lemon juice. Astonishing.

* 3. A nice cucumber salad: Slice cucumbers thin (if they’re fat and old, peel and seed them first), toss with red onions and salt, then let sit for 20 to 60 minutes. Rinse, dry, dress with cider vinegar mixed with Dijon mustard; no oil necessary.

4. Shave raw asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler. Discard the tough first pass of the peeler — i.e., the peel — but do use the tips, whole. Dress with lemon vinaigrette and coarse salt.

5. Grate or very thinly slice Jerusalem artichokes; mix with pitted and chopped oil-cured olives, olive oil, lemon juice and a sprinkling of coarsely ground cumin. Unusual and wonderful.

6. Sichuan slaw: Toss bean sprouts, shredded carrots and celery, minced fresh chili, soy sauce, sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Top with chopped peanuts and chopped basil, mint and/or cilantro. (The full trio is best.)

7. Grate carrots, toast some sunflower seeds, and toss with blueberries, olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Sweet, sour, crunchy, soft.

* 8. Chop or slice radishes (or jicama, or the ever-surprising kohlrabi) and combine with chopped or sliced unripe (i.e., still crunchy) mango, lime juice and mint or cilantro.

* 9. Chop or slice jicama (or radishes or kohlrabi) and mango and mix with coconut milk, lime juice, curry powder and cilantro or mint.

10. Cook whole grape tomatoes in olive oil over high heat until they brown lightly, sprinkling with curry powder. Cool a bit, then toss with chopped arugula, loads of chopped mint and lime juice.

11. Chop and steam baby or grown-up bok choy until crisp-tender, then shock it in ice water. Drain, then toss with halved cherry tomatoes, capers, olive oil and lemon juice.

12. Combine sliced fennel and prune plums; serve with vinaigrette spiked with minced ginger. Nice pairing.

* 13. A red salad: Combine tomato wedges with halved strawberries, basil leaves, shaved vegan Parmesan and balsamic vinegar.

14. A classic Moroccan thing: Thinly slice carrots, or grate or shred them (the food processor makes quick work of this). Toss with toasted cumin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro. Raisins are good in here, too. There is no better use of raw carrots.

15. Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half; toss with soy sauce, a bit of dark sesame oil and basil or cilantro. I love this — the tomato juice-soy thing is incredible.

16. Slice fennel and crisp apple about the same thickness (your choice). Combine, then dress with mustardy vinaigrette and chopped parsley. Come fall, this will be even better.

17. With thanks to Szechuan Gourmet restaurant: Finely chop celery and mix with a roughly equal amount of pressed or smoked tofu, chopped. Dress with peanut oil warmed with chili flakes and Sichuan peppercorns, then mixed with soy sauce.

18. Roughly chop cooked or canned chickpeas (you can pulse them, carefully, in a food processor) and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, lots of chopped fresh parsley and mint, and a few chopped tomatoes. Call this chickpea tabbouleh.

19. Mix cooked cannellini or other white beans, chopped cherry or grape tomatoes and arugula or baby spinach. Lightly toast sliced garlic in olive oil with rosemary and red pepper flakes; cool slightly, add lemon zest or juice or both, then pour over beans.

20. Shred Napa cabbage and radishes. The dressing is roasted peanuts, lime juice, peanut or other oil, cilantro and fresh or dried chili, all whizzed in a blender. Deliciousness belies ease.

* 21. Dice cucumbers (if they’re fat and old, peel and seed them first) and toss with cubes of avocado, a little mirin, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

22. Thinly slice button mushrooms; toss with finely chopped carrots and celery and mix with mung bean sprouts. Finish with peanut or olive oil, sherry vinegar, a little soy sauce and minced ginger. (This is a super vinaigrette, by the way.)

* 23. Thinly slice some cucumbers (if they’re fat and old, peel and seed them first), red onions, radishes and fresh chili pepper. Soak for a few minutes in equal amounts vinegar and water, with some salt and sugar. When they taste lightly pickled, drain and serve, alone or over rice.

24. Blanch spinach, then drain and shock in ice water. Squeeze it dry, chop it and toss it with toasted pine nuts, raisins, olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Capers are good, too. Quite elegant, actually.

* 25. Combine chopped bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, chilies and cilantro, then toss with corn tortilla strips, toasted in a 350-degree oven until crisp (or yes, use packaged chips; why not?). Dust with chili powder and lots of lime juice.

26. Combine mushroom caps and thinly sliced red onions with olive oil; broil gently until tender and browned. Toss with a lot of chopped fresh parsley or basil (or both) and a simple vinaigrette. Some chopped escarole, arugula or watercress is good, too.

27. Cook whole, unpeeled eggplant in a dry, hot skillet or on a grill, turning occasionally, until completely collapsed and soft. Chop and toss with toasted pita, toasted pine nuts, cooked white beans and halved cherry tomatoes. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and lots of black pepper. Or a vegan yogurt dressing is good, especially one laced with tahini.

28. Toss mâche or another soft green with toasted slivered almonds and roughly chopped fresh figs. Thin some almond butter with water and sherry vinegar to taste and use as a dressing.

29. Pit and halve cherries (or halve and pit cherries), then cook gently with olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar until they break down. Toss with chopped radicchio, endive, escarole or a combination, some toasted hazelnuts and more oil and vinegar, if necessary.

30. Fast, grown-up potato salad: Boil bite-size red potatoes. While still warm, dress them with olive oil, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, capers and parsley. Chopped shallots, bell peppers, etc., all welcome, too.

31. Roast beets whole (or buy them precooked), then slice or cube and toss with a little chopped garlic (or a lot of roasted garlic), toasted walnuts, orange juice and olive oil.

32. Same deal with the beets, but toss with cooked corn, arugula, olive oil, sherry vinegar and chopped shallots.

33. The real five-bean: Chickpeas, cannellini or other white beans, kidney or other red beans, steamed string beans and steamed yellow wax beans. Toss with vinaigrette, chopped scallions or red onion, and parsley.

34. Grill quartered romaine hearts, radicchio and/or endive. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry vinegar, and add dill and chopped shallots. Teeny-tiny croutons are great on this.

35. Combine cooked or canned black beans with shredded cabbage and this vinaigrette: olive oil, fresh orange juice, not much sherry vinegar, ground cumin.

36. Mix cooked or canned chickpeas with toasted coconut, shredded carrots, chopped celery, curry powder, olive oil, lime juice and cilantro.

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Placing the vegan salads first gives them a role of importance in this article. A few years ago we would not have seen that.

Simple steamed veggies

The other day my meal was just this simple: steamed vegetables (right) and salad (left). I believe when there are many colors you've got it covered.

Testing, testing...

I am trying out some recipes in a new cookbook: Vegan Soul Kitchen, by Bryant Terry. Today I tried the Succotash Soup, with Garlicky Cornbread Croutons. It's not a quick dish. I figure you should allow yourself two hours to be safe. It's a good recipe for those who are practicing their sidework skills (it's good to keep cleaning up after yourself as you go along, especially when there are several pans and bowls involved). It isn't a complex recipe and the ingredients are few, but there are enough steps that I felt very proud when I finished it.

The recipe calls for four fresh corn cobs, from which I cut off the corn and then cut the cobs in three parts. It also calls for 2 cups of lima beans, cooked in 10 cups of water until tender. When the beans are done, they are strained out of the broth and the cobs are then added to the bean broth. Thus:



While the cobs are cooking in the broth, giving up their flavor, diced onions (from one large onion) are sauteed until soft. In the cookbook they are sauteed in olive oil, but I used water.



Meanwhile the beans wait:


And the fresh corn waits:



The corn is added to the soft onions (1/3 c. of corn is reserved for later), and the mixture is cooked about five minutes longer, until corn is done:



When the broth is ready (it cooks 30 minutes), the corn cobs are removed and added to the compost pile if you have one (I don't, yet), and the corn and onion mix is added to the broth.



After it is cooked sufficiently (about ten minutes), it is blended in a blender and then strained through a sieve to get rid of the tough corn skins.



The sieving is easier than I expected. There was a bit less than a cup of fiber left in the sieve when I called it good.

The recipe calls for a topping of corn bread croutons that are toasted with a garlic-oil mixture as well as freshly roasted corn (done in the broiler). I actually prepared and served these parts, along with the chopped flat-leaf parsley.

The result:



It is so delicious! This recipe makes me want to make more from this cookbook. But honestly, it's the kind of recipe that I consider worth the price of the book.

Note: I tagged this post "McDougall" because with the water instead of oil the soup itself is cooked according to McDougall recommendations. The croutons and roasted corn were not.

A Corny Meal

Polenta with mushrooms and asparagus in marinara sauce

Easy meal to make, satisfying, flexible. Two methods:

Method one: the "hard" way:

For four servings:
Polenta:
1 c. polenta meal
4 c. water
1 tsp. salt

Make the polenta: Mix polenta in water, in a two-quart baking dish. Add salt, stir. Bake for fifty minutes at 350 degrees. Take out, stir, then replace in the oven for 10 - 20 minutes, until done. It will be thick and soft.

Corn and vegetable sauce:
4 ears corn
1/2 c. water
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4 oz. asparagus, fresh, preferably thin
1 - 2 c. marinara sauce
A few leaves of fresh basil, chiffonade (roll up and slice thinly) (optional)
Italian seasoning to taste

While the polenta is cooking, prepare the vegatables. Take the husks off the corn and cut in half. Clean and slice mushrooms. Wash asparagus, cut off tough ends and discard, then cut spears into 1 - 2" long pieces. Chop onion. Slice basil leaves into thin strips.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. When the polenta is back in the oven for the second time, put the corn in the pan to cook until done. Test by spearing an ear - if liquid that comes out of a kernal is clear the corn is done.

When polenta is about 2/3 (about 40 minutes in) done, fix sauce. In a large frying pan heat water over medium heat. Add onion, cook for about a minute. Add mushrooms and steam-cook until nearly done (5 - 10 minutes). Add asparagus, marinara sauce, and seasoning. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender.

[Alternatively, you can cook the polenta ahead and refrigerate. Cut into four pieces and reheat in the microwave]

To serve: Divide polenta onto the four plates. Divide sauce on top of the polenta. Serve corn on the side.

Method two: The easier way:

Polenta: Use tube from the store. For each serving cut two slices, each about 1/2" thick. Heat in microwave until warm.

Corn: use frozen ears. Cook four in microwave, according to package directions.

Sauce. Combine all ingredients except asparagus in wide microwave-safe dish with lid. Cook in microwave oven until nearly done (microwaves vary; start with three minutes and check). Add asparagus (you can use frozen spears if you like, or frozen cut asparagus) and cook until crisp-tender, another minute or so.

Assemble.

Warning: I did not try the microwave version. I relied on past experience with similar mixtures and with polenta from a tube package. If you try it let me know how it comes out.

PETA's Vegan College Cookbook

Check out PETA's Vegan College Cookbook
at peta2.com.

I just took a look at PETA's Vegan College Cookbook at the bookstore. I was surprised at how simple the recipes are. It's full of really convenient vegan recipes. They are super-easy.

And none of the recipes require a stove!

Convenience Store Challenge Take 2

Well, friends, there was no winner of the first convenience store challenge. But we're doing it again!

Same rules:

* Take ten bucks into a convenience store
* Find vegan food
* Put together a meal for one or more using just that food, plus you can add water, dried spices and herbs, nutritional yeast. It must be a meal, not a snack.
* Post about it here or here.

If you go to that link above, you'll see some examples of convenience store meals I made myself. It CAN be done. It won't likely be super-healthy but it can be a real meal.

Deadline: March 31, 2009

Winner gets to choose a cookbook from the vegan soapbox store!

Cheap, Easy, Healthy

Jeff Novick, RD at the McDougall forums offers this cheap and easy vegan meal:

1 28 oz Can Whole Tomatoes (no salt added)
1 16 oz Bag Mixed Frozen Vegetables
4 oz Frozen Chopped Collard Greens
1/2 Large Bag Success Instant Brown Rice

This took about 10 minutes to make, only because the rice takes 10 minutes to make. I put the tomatoes and the veggies in a pot and as soon as the rice was done, i added it.

You can read about the nutrients here >>

Simple satisfying dessert

Yesterday I went to a local farmers' market. I admit to being lucky that there are several in my area and they all boast bountiful amounts of fruits and veggies, as well as nuts, olive oils, breads, coffee, and more. I set my calendar to remind me of the Saturday morning farmers' market because I am always forgetting otherwise. So now I go more often.

I bought three quarts of organic strawberries there. When I got home I stole some oranges from a neighbor's tree. This tree grows untended and its fruits spill over the fence separating our lots, so it's fair! It's also true that I can get these fruits but my neighbors can't reach them without going into my yard.

I looked on the web for simple recipes featuring these two fruits, and came across the following on ChefMD:

Sweet Balsamic-Glazed Oranges and Berries
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
4 servings
194 calories per serving, 4% from fat

Ingredients
4 navel oranges
4 cups hulled strawberries, sliced
One-quarter cup balsamic vinegar
One-quarter cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon juniper berries, crushed (optional)
One-quarter teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
Pomegranate seeds (optional)


Preparation
Peel oranges and cut crosswise into one-quarter inch thick slices. Arrange on four serving plates. Arrange strawberries over the orange slices. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, brown sugar, and, if desired, juniper berries. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Strain out juniper berries if using. Drizzle mixture over fruit; top with nutmeg. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Substitutions
If you can find them, use blood oranges—their flesh and juice are tomato-red, but orange-sweet.

Tips
The balsamic glaze thickens as it sits. If you use the juniper berries, be sure to strain them from the glaze before serving. Their aroma lasts just long enough to perfume the sauce, and deepen its flavor. These berries are too strong to eat by themselves. The optional pomegranate seeds provide crunch and visual delight. When they are in season in the fall and winter, make sure to buy a whole pomegranate, just for the wonder of those nuggets of tartness and crunch, and to make this dish exceptional.

Nutritional Analysis
Total fat (g): .9;Fat calories (kc):8.1;Cholesterol (mg):0;Saturated fat (g): .1;Polyunsaturated fat (g): .3;Monounsaturated fat (g): .1;Fiber (g):7.9;Carbohydrates (g): 48;Sugar (g): 40/;Protein (g): 2.7;Sodium (mg): 11;Calcium (mg):11;Magnesium (mg): 38;Zinc (mg):.3;Selenium (mcg):2;Potassium (mg):645;Flavonoids (mg):7.4;Lycopene (mg):0;Vitamin A (RE): 43;Beta-carotene (RE): 96;Vitamin C (mg): 184 Vitamin E (mg): 1.09;Thiamin B1 (mg):0. 19;Riboflavin B2 (mg): 0.17;Niacin B3 (mg): 0.9;Vitamin B6 (mg):0. 17;Folic acid (mcg):83
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The recipe is easy to make, delicious, and rather gourmet in effect. You can see the recipe on the website here:

http://www.chefmd.com/recipe_display.php?id=18

Also on this page is a video showing the doc-chef talking about the virtues of strawberries and making the dish. Excellent.

Vegan Cranberry Cabbage Coleslaw

This is a really simple, highly nutritious side dish or snack.

It takes about 15 minutes to make and just about anyone could make it. You can chop the veggies by hand or with a food processor, whatever you prefer.

By the way, WH Foods says this about cabbage:

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.

Cabbage also contains phytochemicals called indoles and sulforaphane, the breakdown products of compounds called glucosinolates.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Cabbage.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 head of red cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 cup Vegenaise or other vegan mayo
• 3 tablespoons cranberry sauce

Directions: Mix everything together in a bowl. Serve cold.

A month of vegan meals

I have started a wiki for anyone who wants to record a full month of vegan meals. The butternut squash soup at the left is part of a meal I had yesterday.

I started it because I think it's a good way to let others know "what vegans eat" - including the wide variety one can find by just looking at different vegans' months - as well as to take a closer look at what I eat myself (and try to improve it).

If you'd like to participate in the wiki go to:

http://veganmonth.wetpaint.com

Veggie soup in the microwave

Yes, Virginia, a delicious healthy soup can be had at home or in a motel room (one that's equipped with a microwave and a fridge). You'll need

1 microwave-safe bowl
vegetable broth
frozen vegetable mix (peas, carrots, beans, for example)

Pour broth into the bowl to about 1/2 or 2/3 of the bowl size. Toss in a small handful of frozen vegetables. Microwave for three minutes. Eat.

It seems like a no-brainer yet I did not think of this until just recently. I usually make a larger amount of soup in a pan on the stove. But yesterday I was in a mad hurry to eat and get on the road, because I was meeting a friend.

Variations:
Throw in some cooked noodles or rice or a bit of ramen.
Add baked tofu (available already cooked in supermarkets), cut into chunks
Vary the broth (try a chicken-style, for example, or miso) and vary the veg mix
Crumble a veggie burger into it

Sweet potato and cannellini bean hummus

For me, one of the harder parts of veganism is in the sandwich department. How often can we eat hummus (well, actually, maybe every day would be fine for me)? How can we add some variety that will also appeal to more skeptical (usually omnivorous) friends and family? I am finding more and more recipes for spreads that appeal on every level.

The other day I made this dip from sweet potato and canned white beans. The recipe is from Vive le Vegan, a nice vegan cookbook with a special section on food for babies (as well as larger sections on breakfast and baked goods than I usually find in vegan cookbooks).

It has a slightly sweet taste, is good as a dip or a spread. It is very easy to make with a blender or food processor. It is going into my list of spreads I will make again.

In case you want to run out and get the ingredients before you get the cookbook, it contains cannellini beans, cooked yam, lemon or lime juice, garlic, olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, toasted pine nuts, fresh cilantro (optional garnish).

Super Simple Soup

In one episode of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares (or it might be the American version, Kitchen Nightmares), Gordon Ramsey is faced with a chef who likes to overcomplicate dishes. He challenges him to a taste test: both he and the chef will create a broccoli soup, using whatever ingredients they want (in addition to the broccoli). Others will then do blind taste tests and let them know which they prefer.

The chef created a cream of broccoli soup with something like fifteen ingredients (I'm not kidding). Gordon, on the other hand, used fresh broccoli, water, and salt. I think it was water but it may have been broth. Pretty sure it was water. You can guess it: Ramsey's simple soup won the contest, hands down.

I decided to go for it myself. I used frozen broccoli (a no-no for Gordon, which I do understand, but this is all about convenience and in this case I do not think it sacrifices flavor) and a quart of vegetable stock from the shelf. I brought the broth to a boil, tossed in about a third of a bag of broccoli (the smaller bag), cooked until the broccoli was done, then put it all in the blender. I sprinkled some cajun seasoning on top. Pepper would have been good, too, or paprika. It really was delicious and so very easy to make.

Simple Soft Tacos

Here's a simple, tasty taco recipe.

Ingredients
Taco Meat:

• 12 oz can of pinto beans
• 8 oz jar of salsa
• 8 oz water
• 1 cup TVP dry crumbles
• packet of taco seasoning

Everything Else (all are optional):

• Hot sauce
• 4 green onions
• 1/2 cup shredded soy cheese
• 1/4 cup soy sour cream
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• guacamole or avocados
  
• package of tortillas
  

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet on the stove-top.
2. Add everything listed for taco meat above into the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir frequently until liquid reduces to your liking.
4. Warm tortillas in microwave.
5. Make your own taco and enjoy!

You can serve this with a side salad, corn, rice, or whatever you like.

(The recipe doesn't come from Vegan Planet, shown in the photo, though I do highly recommend that cookbook.)

Dipping: not just hummus any more.

I made this white bean dip this morning. It contains roasted garlic (five cloves), rosemary, cannelini beans, lemon zest and juice, a bit of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Oh yeah, and some salt and cayenne pepper. It was easy to make (using a food processor) and tastes really good.

The recipe is in the 125 Best Vegan Recipes cookbook. I recommend this book to anyone just starting out as a vegan - it is nonthreatening, the recipes are clear and easy to make, and so far they have all been delicious. Well, I recommend it to any vegan really. Or nonvegan.

Convenient Vegan Camping

Being a vegan camper might seem a little daunting if it's your first time doing either. Being vegan is hard enough. Camping is hard enough, so vegan camping must be really hard, right?

Wrong.

It's really pretty simple to stay vegan while camping or stay camping while vegan. Here are just a few resources to get you started. After this, use your imagination (or just use your favorite search engine):

• TVP (textured vegetable protein) is your friend. Lightweight, high protein, just add hot water and spices. It's great for camping: make tacos, stews, sloppy joes...


• Peanut butter and __! Bring your PB and jelly, bananas, agave nectar, apples, carrots, celery, or whatever else you like with peanut butter.


• Oatmeal is lightweight, healthy, and cooks up with just hot water.


• REI has a vegetarian section in the camp food department. Check it out >>


• TastyBite makes vegetarian and vegan meals that don't need refrigeration.


• Fantastic Foods is another brand that offers boxed meals.


• If you bring a cooler you have more options like veggie burgers and veggie dogs.


• If you're not packing light you have more options too, like tons of fresh fruit and veggies as well as canned foods or the heavier dried foods like beans.


• Whatever you can cook over a gas flame you should be able to cook on a barbecue or a camp stove.


• Whatever you can cook in an electric or gas oven you should be able to cook in a solar oven.

Another variation of the pot pie

A healthier pot pie can be made with just one crust. In the case pictured at the left, I mixed together one package of Hain's vegetarian brown gravy mix with 1 cup of water and heated, stirring occasionally, until thickened (just a few minutes). I dumped one package of "tuscan vegetables" (a bag of broccoli, mushrooms, red peppers, and onions) into a large pie place, added a half-bag of "stew vegetables" (carrots, potatoes, onions, celery) on top, and poured the brown gravy over it all.

I then inverted a still-frozen pie shell over the top and gently eased it out. Once out I pushed it down a bit so the edge would contact the pie plate.

I cooked the pie at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. When I scooped out the first serving I noticed that there was a layer of liquid spread at the bottom. After a little while, though, the liquid stabilized. My advice, then, is to let the pie sit about five minutes after you take it from the oven to let the juices thicken a bit and stay with the veggies rather than leak out.

Obviously, if you use a smaller pie pan you might prefer to use just one bag of frozen veggies rather than 1-1/2 bags. The broccoli stayed green in this case, so that tuscan mix was a good choice. Another option is to add drained canned potatoes to the mix, roughly chopped, instead of stew veggies.

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust - white or whole wheat
1 to 1/2 bags of frozen vegetable mix (there are many varieties available)
1 packet of vegetarian brown gravy mix (the type that calls for one cup of water)

Alternatives:
Add canned potatoes, roughly chopped