Forbidden rice is so wonderfully amazing. With its chewy texture and deep purple hue, it is as striking as it is tasty.
If you have not yet experienced the taste/texture/greatness of Forbidden rice, it’s worth tracking down. It is, without a doubt, the best rice I have ever enjoyed… and it’s practically black. Very cool.
Can the world use another Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe?
I think so.
I made this yesterday for lunch and found it so surprisingly easy and yummy that I wanted to share it. I have honestly never made any kind of squash soup before this, but I have seen numerous beautiful photos from some of my favorite vegan bloggers and cookbook authors. So, I just had to try my hand at making my own… without peeking at anyone else’s recipe. :)
I couldn’t believe how stupid easy this stuff is to make. I will definitely be making this over and over again. It seems like it would be pretty good with some canned coconut milk subbed for some of the almond milk… maybe I’ll try that next time. It is pleasantly mild and sweet… but filling all on its own. After the photo I ended up gulping this stuff down like a milkshake.
I know, I have no shame. Continue reading
With Thanksgiving coming soon, I know I’ve been focusing on all the goodies that will grace our table as we sit down to our feast. But what about the appetizers? If you are having company, and dinner won’t be ready right away, appetizers certainly come in handy.
Think of all of your poor hungry guests who will be drooling over the mashed potatoes and gravy and succulent field roast that are nowhere near ready.
This is the perfect mini-dish to occupy their hunger pangs. The rice, like all rice, takes about 40 minutes to cook, but then you just throw in some nuts, spices and berries and use some store bought phyllo dough to whip together a stunning, but simple hors d’oeuvre.
This is more of a how-to, rather than a recipe. But I would like to share my basic process of creating a dish that has served my family happily for many years. There are so many variations on pierogi… but I find this version to be pretty fool-proof. And, it’s really the only kind I have ever known since I was a wee little thing. (My mother and father were born and raised in West Virginia–tis why I named them “Appalachian Pierogi”) When my mother would make her version of pierogies- the entire family would gather like vultures. In a way, they still do. There are a few steps… but if you get your timing down, they are not at all overwhelming to make. In fact, they are pretty fun!
And, for all of you gluten free folks- try this gluten free pierogi recipe I created : (updated)
Yay! I got some Daiya. I’ve topped pizza, grilled “cheese” sandwiches, eaten it straight from the bag, and each time I have been thoroughly satisfied. But, I wanted to test out its ‘casserole’ abilities -to see if the “cheese” could be crispy and melty at the same time. It has been quite a while since anything remotely close to cheese graced the top of one of my casseroles. It worked great! The Daiya was crispy on top, and the “cheese” directly underneath was ooey and gooey. I am sold, this Daiya stuff rocks!
For those of you who can not, or choose not, to incorporate Daiya into your life, this casserole is very yummy without it. A little bit of nooch would be awesome sprinkled on top. But like I said, I had to try it on a casserole. And, I suggest if you get your hands on Daiya anytime soon, you should too. This dish is perfect to make if you have some leftover mashed potatoes… but if not, whip up half a batch and treat yourself to something different. I’ll give you a basic run-down of how to make mashed potatoes below, if you aren’t quite sure.
I also happened to have corn and peas in my freezer, so that is what this recipe calls for, but some yummy sautéed mushrooms, or any other veggie you can think of would go great mixed in too. Ya know, it’s a casserole– anything goes.
This is by far the best “convenient” soup I have ever made. The second I tasted it, I knew I would be devouring the entire pot. I have been on a canned pumpkin binge ever since I made this pumpkin chili recipe from GlueandGlitter.com. That particular recipe inspired me to combine everything under the sun with canned pumpkin and heat it all up in one pot….several different times.
I am especially fond of the recipe I share with you today. It has a great flavor with the apples, ginger and garlic, and the pumpkin acts as the perfect base for it all.
This soup is hearty, tasty, and low in fat. It also takes no time to prepare and is very filling, especially if you opt for the frozen veggies as I did. Using fresh grated ginger is a plus… but since we are already starting with the canned pumpkin… there’s no need to be picky.
This is a simple and elegant dish that will work in just about any circumstance, whether it be a main dish, side dish, or holiday take along. I was inspired by looking at some beautiful photographs of foods from Iran. I love the color combination of the pistachios and cranberries, along with the lovely orange-y hue of the rice. The good thing about this dish is that you can prepare all of the mix-ins while your rice cooks… so I would definitely classify this as a quick meal. It took me about 35 minutes (using a rice cooker) to make it all come together, and my kitchen smelled absolutely wonderful. This was the first time I tried anything remotely close to this, and it was so easy, I will be making this over and over again.
I have got a lot of Polish in me- in lineage as well as culinary preferences. My mother has blessed me with so many good Polish recipes over the years and had created very fond food memories for me in my childhood. And what she had taught me had been handed down for generations. I think one of the great talents many of our family members posses is the ability to make countless dishes with a bag of potatoes. These little potato patties are called platskis, and this weekend I went to work in the kitchen with my mother to re-create our family recipe to be animal friendly. They turned out deliciously.
I hope you enjoy these simple potato cakes as much as my whole entire extended family does. And, let me assure you, there are a LOT of us.
Ziemniaki!
Today is the first day of VeganMofo!! And to kick off October I wanted to include a recipe for a quick, easy, and lowfat delight that always perks me up during the colder weather: Potato Soup. This particular potato soup is thick, flavorful, and very filling. It also keeps well frozen or refrigerated. So, one batch’s leftovers can provide you with lunch for a week. I have named this recipe “Homestyle” because it is what I grew up with at home, and frankly, it is the only type of potato soup I will touch. My mom used cow’s milk in her recipe, so I subbed lowfat soymilk, and wouldn’t ya know… it tastes exactly as I remember. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.