Comments (3)

By laviyah, June 3, 2010 4:37 PM

This post is by request.  I made risotto per the request (sensing a theme here) of my husband and he was so moved he tweeted about it.  There aren’t many things that my husband gets emotional about, but when he tweeted that this risotto, had him curled up in a fetal position from utter bliss, one of our readers/customers requested that I go public with this recipe.

There are no pictures because my camera is acting funny and the cost to have it fixed professionally is more than my rent, literally.

Oven Baked Risotto

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

1 1/2 cups of arborio rice

4 cups of water (with 1 heaping tablespoon of Better than Bouillon no chicken base) stirred in

1.5 teaspoon salt

couple turns of fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoon of vegan margarine

1/2 cup of nutritional yeast

bunch of chopped fresh spinach or parsley or herb of your choice

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. In a dutch oven or oven proof pan, heat oil over medium high heat.
3. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
4. Add crushed garlic and rice, stirring to coat all the grains in oil.
5. Stir in your liquid, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
6. Cover, transfer to oven and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, over low heat,  stir in about a 1/2 cup of water, chopped spinach, vegan margarine.
8. If the consistency of the risotto is not as creamy as you would like, add a bit more water.
9. Serve hot & immediately.

Comments (5)

By nahum, November 27, 2009 3:17 PM

Creamy Vegan Soy Cheese Tutorial

For the vegan soy cheese you will need a good blender. I prefer a Vita-Mix (who doesn’t), but any good blender will do.

Continue reading 'Creamy Soy Cheese'»

Comments (0)

By nahum, November 10, 2009 11:36 PM

Mmmmmmmm, Tempeh. It is one of those hit or miss ingredients. I loved it from the first time I tried back in the mid-90′s. But it seems a lot of people just can’t seem to tolerate the taste. Tempeh tends to have a slightly bitter after taste if not prepared correctly. I think I found the secret for the skeptics…just a touch of sweetness and that “bitterness” disappears. So, no matter what side of the fence your on, you’ll really enjoyed this Tempeh preparation.

Continue reading 'Tempeh Salad'»

Comments (1)

By nahum, October 14, 2009 12:58 AM

As the weather has changed to the cold reality of Chicago, I can think of only one resolution…a nice hot bowl of Bean Curd Soup!! You know the kind you cup your hands around and let the steam and aroma warm your face. If you have fond memories of mom serving you a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup as a carnivorous kid as I do, then this is the soup for you. Laviyah introduced this soup to me a few years ago. With the first slurp, I was reminded of mom’s special love when she served us St. Martin rug rats a warm bowl of soup on a cold day. Last year our whole family got the winter sickies and we ate this everyday for a week. And I tell you what, each day was as fresh and delicious as the day before. This truly is the perfect soup to warm you up or make you feel 3000% better when you have the winter blues…or autumn blues if you live in Chicago.

Continue reading 'Bean Curd Soup with Freekeh'»

Comments (6)

By laviyah, September 25, 2009 11:29 PM

I wish!

Feeding a family of six on an entirely vegan diet is not as difficult as it sounds as long as you keep the pantry stocked with these must have ingredients.

• Bragg Liquid Aminos – We use this as a salt substitute in many dishes.  If Nahum were stuck on a deserted island, his only requests would be a bottle of Braggs and ESPN
• Pasta – We generally have 4 to 6 pounds of pasta on hand throughout the month for a quick and easy meal
• Canned Unsalted Whole Tomatoes – We make our own sauce for pasta and pizza.
• Nutritional Yeast – I can’t imagine being vegan without Nutritional Yeast.  I can’t imagine life without Nutritional Yeast!  This stuff certainly does add a cheesy flavor to your meal.  We use it on vegetables, in pasta dishes and to make cheese.
• Cous Cous – Talk about quick and easy.  With a quick soak in the boiling hot water, you’ve got a delicious grain to add to supper.
• Vegenaise – This is the vegan version of Hellman’s, it’s just that good.  Have you ever met a mayonnaise that will totally transform your sandwich for you?
• Sesame Seeds – I make milk from these practically every day.  Sesame Seeds are high in calcium and the calcium is far more easily absorbed than that glue (cows milk) you buy from the local grocery store.
• Legumes – Beans, Peas, Lentils, we consume it all and we usually cook our Legumes nice and slow in the crock-pot.  I have two words for you, “orange lentil.”
• Sesame Oil – This oil adds a delicious something, something to your cooking.  Of course it is a staple in Asian cooking, so just keep some around.  Most self respecting vegans know how to make at least one vegan Asian dish.
• Olive Oil – Nothing really needs to be said, except don’t skimp.  Get the good stuff.  Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil.
• Tofu – There are so many ways to prepare tofu.  The opportunities are endless.
• Tempeh – I know there are just as many ways to make tempeh however I only request it one way and the consistency is kinda like a chunky tuna salad the way hubby makes it.  Sooooo good.
• Coconut Milk – Coconut milk adds a new dimension to creamed spinach.  Instead of using fatty pus filled cow’s milk try coconut milk.  You won’t be disappointed.
• Curry – To change the dish above to a Thai inspired dish, try adding some curry to the spice mix.  Amazing.
• Basmati Rice – Fragrant, flavorful and delightful.  This rice is a must have to keep around the house and it cooks quickly too!
• Agave Nectar – I use this as a sweetener in smoothies or for tea.
• Turbinado Sugar – I use this as a sweetener for baking in place of refined white sugar.  For recipes that call for brown sugar I mix up to a tablespoon of molasses per cup of sugar.
• Bread Flour – Well this is my list, and we make fresh bread around here often.  I am talking about three times per week often.  Once you get bitten by the fresh bread bug, there’s no turning back.
• Unbleached All Purpose  Flour- Gravies, biscuits, baking cookies and cakes.  Got to have it.
• Peanut Butter – It’s a staple.  With three growing boys roaming around the house, it’s just necessary.  Quick lunches snacks, even smeared on sliced apples or bananas for breakfast.  We do it for the kids.
• Dried Fruit – Raisins, Dates, Pineapple, Mangoes  Children like to snack and there is no candy to be found in my house.  To be truthful I don’t even consider cany a snack.  Why would I when dried fruit is nature’s concentrated sweetness.
• Fresh Fruit – (Strictly speaking, fresh fruit doesn’t go in the pantry…)Whatever is in season, go and buy it.  Your children will eat it.  Mine do.  They don’t have a choice.  They don’t have jobs either.  Fruit, it’s what’s for breakfast.
• Raw Thick Cut Oatmeal – I am not referring to those quick cooking packets full of sugar.  When I refer to oatmeal I am talking about the stuff you get from the bulk section in Whole Foods or any natural foods store.  When you buy it this way, the world is your oyster.  You can pour hot soy or almond milk over them with cinnamon, agave and raisins for a quick and easy breakfast or use them in baking.  The options are endless.
• Apple Sauce – The all natural unsweetened kind.  Keep a couple jars around.  It’s useful in vegan baking and when you’re at a loss for what to do for the kids lunch.  It’s also a healthier late night snack than that entire pint of ice cream.
• Soy Milk - We make cheese with it, soy butter, we make sauces with it.  We pour it on cereal when we run out of Almond milk…
• Almond Milk – Just one word, cereal. When I get lazy and don’t make sesame seed milk every day, my toddler will drink this by the cupful.

I started this list on a whim and I am sure I am forgetting something.  What food items can’t you live without?

Comments (2)

By nahum, May 27, 2009 12:15 PM

Goodness Rice Cakes

Simple, quick and amazingly delicious.  I have been making these for years and I can’t get enough of them.  I often find myself going 3 or 4 weeks without making them; I make a batch; and then I think – Why am I not making these everyday?!

These Goodness Rice Cakes are crunchy, salty and just Darn Good!  They go perfect with a sandwich, soup or just by themselves.  Put them in little baggies and you have the perfect lunch or road trip snack for the kiddies.  We all love the guilty pleasure snacks come from the fryer.  Once you start making these, you may not purchase another bag of Ruffles or Frito’s again.

I’m starting to drool thinking about them…so let’s make the Goodness.

You’ll need a bag of rice cakes, of course,…

and an empty plastic grocery bag.

Gently break up the rice cakes into the plastic bag.  Hold a couple rice cakes in your hand and press softly in center of cakes with your thumbs.  This should break up the cakes into about 3 to 4 pieces each.

Now the stuff of Goodness, the seasoning mix

• 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
• 1 tsp Modern’s Spike (please do not substitute sea salt, the Spike is a must have for the Goodness)
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Use your fingers and mix the seasonings together.  This breaks down the yeast flakes into powder which will spread better on your rice cakes.

The seasoning mix is all mixed.  Let’s combine everything together.

Drizzle 1/3 cup of Olive Oil over the broken rice cakes.  Make sure to use a good quality Olive Oil, not the cheap stuff.  I prefer Middle Eastern (preferably Lebanese) Olive Oil over Italian.  It has a more delicate and fresher taste without that briny olive punch I seem to get from the Italian varieties.

Twist bag, sealing top and shake to distribute the olive oil.

Don’t be scarred, shake it good…

Give the cakes a little massage, spread that olivey goodness around…show the cakes you love them.

Now that the love-fest is over, open the bag and sprinkle in the Goodness mix, and…

start another love-fest…shake, mix and massage.

That’s it!

Dump into a bowl for movie night…

or bag up for a school lunch snack.

Ladies and Gentlemen…that’s plain Goodness!!

Now that’s good eatin’!

Nahum St. Martin