Tag Archives: vegan

Apr 16 2012
4 Comments
Cooking, Main Dishes

Cuban Inspired Shepherdless Pie

After working with plantains more often, I wanted to try a vegan shepherdless pie using ingredients popular in cuisine from our island neighbor to the South. Cuban food commonly has a lot of interesting vegan elements: plantains, yuca, beans, rice and bananas. I’m a big fan of those things so this dish made sense. This is what we started with for the mashed plantains:
8 plantains (8 fist sized potatoes would work too)
1/4 cup of Diaya cheese
1/2 cup of soy milk (any non-dairy milk will work, almond if you’ve got a soy allergy)
2 tbsp vegan margarine

I peeled the plantains and put them into water to boil. Plantains and potato have similar nutritional profiles except that plantains have a significant amount of vitamin A, where potato has none. They’re both starchy, provide vitamin C, and are free of fat and cholesterol. Getting back to business, while that was happening I prepared the filling with the following ingredients:
1 white onion, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of black beans, soaked overnight or 1 can of beans, partially drained
1 can of diced tomato
10 okra, ends removed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb. frozen corn kernels
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and chili powder to taste

I browned the onion, garlic and jalapeño along with the cumin until the onion became translucent. Then we added the okra, tomato, beans, corn and cilantro and stirred until everything was steamy and sticky from the okra.

Brent took the plantains and combined them with the milk, cheese and margarine and mashed them until they were gloriously creamy. They were really dry so you might need to add more soy milk depending on your plantains (or potatoes).Check out that radical dedicated mooshing face.

He also prepared a base layer in our baking dish of tortillas and daiya to aid in scooping but it’s not necessary.

He spread the mashed plantains over the hot veggies and we put it into the oven for 20 minutes at 350C/175F until it was bubbly and delightful.

It was a hearty filling meal, loaded with vegetables and flavors. It made even better leftovers after everything had a night to marinade in it’s own juice.

Next time I might tweak the seasoning but overall it was a success. We ate half the tray and the rest is disappearing fast.

This is Brent and Christie, signing off.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 15 2012
3 Comments
Cooking, Main Dishes

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

Brent and I were craving comfort food (somehow this happens more often than not). We decided to whip up some tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. For the soup we gathered the following:

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

olive oil

1/4 cup of lightly chopped basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1 28 ounce tin of crushed tomato

1/2 cup of almond milk (soy, coconut or rice milk are fine too)

salt and pepper to taste

In a larger pot, I sauteed the onion, garlic and olive oil until the onion began to carmelize. I added the herbs and stirred until it became fragrant. I added the tomato and stirred in the milk. Then I adjusted the salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, Brent sliced the bread and baked it 3 minutes in a 350C/175F oven until it started to get toasty. Then he added a few leaves of spinach and placed a few slices of Follow Your Heart cheese on top. We baked that until the cheese started to melt, another 5-8 minutes.

We’ve been getting good vegan and gluten-free bread from a local lady who is a master baker. To conserve the delicious bread we decided to have open faced sandwiches. We dipped them into the soup and it was pretty awesome. The tart tomato met the creamy cheese, nutty bread and the herbal elements in the spinach and herbs to make a great meal.

This is Christie and Brent, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 12 2012
1 Comment
Cooking, Recipes

A Little Soy on Soy Action

I have made a soy sauce/tofu dish before, the delicious Tofustek! which is a veganized version of a Filipino comfort food. I considered making Tofustek! tonight but wanted something a little more interesting. I contemplated how I could season the tofu differently and came up with something surprisingly sexy. And by ‘sexy,’ I mean ‘pretty damn tasty.’

Melissa’s Sesame Tofu

1 block extra firm tofu, sliced into thin ‘steaks’
2 tablespoons soy sauce or your preferred alternative
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
red pepper flakes (optional)
sesame seeds
green onion, chopped

First, I sliced the tofu and set the slices up to dry. While they were drying, I took my empty and rinsed out tofu container, threw in the soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice and red pepper flakes, and mixed them all together. I fired up a frying pan and started heating some safflower oil, just enough to coat the pan. While it was warming up, I sprinkled some sesame seeds onto a plate. I dipped my tofu steaks in the sauce and then dipped them in the sesame seed plate. I only wanted a light sprinkling of sesame seeds, but you can crust it on there if you want (you may then also want to dip your tofu in some flour so the sesame seeds stick better).

As I finished coating each steak, I placed them in the pan. I fried the steaks for awhile — I wanted the tofu to have a sturdy texture. I flipped them every few minutes. When they looked nearly done, I tossed some green onion into the pan and flipped the tofu a couple more times.

I took some leftover rice and fried it up in the pan. It soaked up whatever sauce was still lingering. I still had some sauce and ginger bits left so I threw that in the rice along with some more green onion. I had a side of raw carrots which really complimented the dish. My dessert of fresh papaya made this a dinner to remember.

So easy. So few ingredients. Very flavorful and filling.

Stay sexy, friends! –Melissa

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 11 2012
4 Comments
Thoughts

Where do you get your protein?

I come from a family that loves meat and dairy. Sound familiar?

My dad doesn't really look like this.

My dad is an avid bow hunter. My mother is down with Paula Dean. My brother and I were certainly a product of them. That is, I freaking loved meat and cheese. Upon challenging myself to be vegan, I had to re-educate myself about what food was good for me. Being disgustingly close to a scientist/vegan makes for delicious amounts of good information.

Ultimately the question from my family is always — always — “How do you get your protein?” Without going into an anthropological diatribe reminding you and them how our LCA likely survived best on nuts and plants gathered rather than from the often rotten scavenged meats the males would kill themselves to get, I will throw down a quick list of vegan goodies that are high in protein.

Peas

Peas are the overlooked powerhouse of the western diet. Not only are they jam packed with vitamins and minerals your body craves, but they offer a generous dose of protein to keep you strong like young bull (5.9g/100g).  Protip : Stay away from canned peas… or canned anything for that matter.

Beans

They don’t just make you toot; they make you strong. A cup of cooked beans can yield 12g of protein. That’s pretty gangster if you ask me. I prefer black beans when I get the choice (read : when cooking). I like the flavor more than green beans, and I stay away from refried beans. While that seems limiting, the nutritional benefit is nothing to scoff at and there are loads of ways to prepare them.

Soy Beans

I had to put these separately as they provide such an insane amount of protein. 68g per cup, is what I’m reading. Unreal. I also had to put this separately as I know some folks who are allergic to soy. That really really really sucks.

Lentils

I love lentils. Lentil soup is amazing. Lentils with rice and quinoa is killer. What’s more is how they provide such an unreal amount of nutritional substance. 18g protein per cup? Yes please. Protip : If you sprout lentils before consumption (soak for more than 8 hours) you get all of the essential amino acids. By themselves.

Seeds

Here’s a fun one. Pumpkin seeds can provide 74g protein per cup. Eat them like sunflower seeds and crack the shell. Or eat them whole when cooking them in something. Better still, grind/blend up the seeds and make the pasty substance into something delicious!

Nuts

Nuts are awesome for protein, but the consequence for all that delicious flavor is a lot of extra fat and whatnot (20g protein per cup, but 48.11g fat too). That’s not to say that one should avoid nuts, but if looking for a lean way to get protein, nuts should be used sparingly. Almonds are a solid go-to and are now made into all sorts of goodies.

Asparagus

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have asparagus. Not a lot of fat, but not a whopping amount of protein either (2.95g protein per cup, .16g fat per cup /underwhelmed). But consider that the human body isn’t meant to get 200g protein a day, folks. Rather, the average should be somewhere around 50-60g for men, 40-50g for the ladies. Then again, I’m not a nutritionist, and these numbers vary on height and weight. This should give you a nice jumping off point, though.

Final Thoughts

By being vegan, you don’t have to sacrifice protein. In fact, you shouldn’t. Your body effing needs it. I hope this post helps point you to the threshold of the myriad of options you have as a vegan to get your protein. Protein doesn’t just come from milk, cheese, eggs, meat. Some of the best protein comes from anything but meat and dairy. That said, this is not a comprehensive list by any means. There are loads of other protein sources out there. What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below.

Peas out, my vegans.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 10 2012
11 Comments
Reviews, Thoughts

The Cheese Post 1.1

This post is all about vegan cheese. Cheese is probably the most difficult to replace of any of the animal products we eat every day so finding good substitutes is very important. Brent and I have been fortunate to try a big variety of vegan cheeses and we’re about to weigh in on what we’ve tried.

Daiya This company makes shreds in three flavors as well as 5 pound blocks. Pepperjack, mozzarella and cheddar shreds are perfect for pizzas, quesadillas, or cheesy potatoes/rice/pasta/etc. Shreds is really the genius of this particular product, making it incredibly user friendly. The texture of the shreds is reminiscent of store bought shredded cheese, the mid-priced kind. The block has an airy texture, also reminiscent of the cheap stuff and a flavor that is distinctly cheesy whether it’s cheddar, mozzarella or pepperjack. This is a great cheese for anything where you’d want melted cheese on top. As much as I love Daiya, I don’t like that it’s both high in calories and highly processed. In sufficient quantities, it also disrupts the digestive bliss I’ve achieved through being vegan and gluten-free and I suspect I’m not alone. That being said, I still use it frequently and have a few bags frozen at all times. It stores well when frozen. Their brand is very recognizable and only makes vegan products, I do like knowing I can grab something without discovering it’s not vegan when I get home. We’ll be trying their new wedges soon so check back with us. It costs $3-4 in stores or $6 online for an 8 ounce package of shreds. The 5 pound block and 5 pound bag of shreds sells for $45. It’s more than reasonable.

Dr. Cow This company makes a variety of macadamia nut and cashew nut cheeses. They’ve got a slightly gritty (to the eye) texture that spreads well at room temperature and slices well when chilled. I like all of the flavors but am a particular fan of the hemp seed and kale flavored varieties. Brent likes the blue green and dulse varieties best. This particular product isn’t cheesy in a traditional sense. It’s not trying to imitate cheese, it’s really a product unto itself, comparable to high priced specialty cheeses. The ingredient list is short and Christie approved: most everything in this cheese is  minimally processed (I consider drying or chopping to be a process… call me picky) and gets it’s delicious flavor from high quality simple raw ingredients. It contains nuts but is free of soy or gluten. I would serve this to friends or even strangers as an appetizer with crackers before a fancy meal. We’ve never tried their spreadable cheeses or granola products but we’ll let you know what we think when we do. Dr. Cow retails for $8-10 for a 2.6 ounce package. It’s worth every penny.

Eat in the Raw This company makes a range of parmesan substitutes made from nuts, nutritional yeast and other minimally processed raw ingredients. The flavors are great, the nutritional value is commendable and they make several varieties of which we have enjoyed Garlicky Green (shown), Chipotle Cayenne, and original. They’re great over pasta, on vegetables, pizza, popcorn or for whatever else you might use parmesan. It is equivalent to mid priced shaved parmesan. This product contains nuts but is free of gluten and soy. This product typically costs $5-6 for a 3 ounce shaker and $8-9 for 7 ounces. The big shaker is a good value.

Follow your Heart We tried the cheddar and mozzarella blocks. The texture was good but the flavor wasn’t quite there. We liked the mozzarella more than the cheddar but that isn’t saying much because mozzarella is Italian butter (according to Brent) and doesn’t have a particularly strong flavor. This cheese melted reasonably well and had fewer calories per ounce than Daiya but was just as highly processed. I would probably buy it again if better options weren’t available but that isn’t saying much. I’m kind of excited to try it on pizza. I’ve paid $4 at the supermarket and $6 online for a 10 ounce package, I think this is a reasonable price if you get it for $4-5.

Galaxy We tried their rice cheddar and found it tastes like Kraft singles. I probably wouldn’t buy it if I didn’t have to. It does melt well and makes kid friendly grilled cheese sandwiches. We weren’t drawn in enough by the taste (reminiscent of cheap store-bought) to be enticed try any other varieties. The ingredients were also highly processed… are you detecting a theme? While a lot of the ingredients were organic, they were also refined from their parent grain or legume. Ew. Let us know if we’re mistaken about this product but I didn’t think the flavor, nutrition and high calorie count were worth the texture. The other issue with their cheeses is that they also sell a  variety of casein based cheeses. Casein is milk protein and isn’t vegan. It’s not a problem with their vegan line, per se but it makes me sad. It’s easy to find their non-vegan cheese in standard supermarkets and rarely the vegan and that’s not helpful. I’m not excited enough about it to seek it out. Their vegan parmasan is very good (like cheap store bought parmesan) but we usually buy Eat in the Raw varieties because I like the ingredients better. It usually costs $4 for 6 ounces. Their parmesan is $5 for 4 ounces. They’re overpriced, in my opinion.

Heidi Ho Organic I’ve only tried the chipotle cheddar variety of this particular brand of cheese. It was definitely chipotle but we couldn’t detect any cheddar flavors in this cheese but definitely an odd garlic flavor, probably most reminiscent of mid-priced cheese. Their product was lower in calories than some and I wasn’t too put off by the ingredients since some of the flavors and textures were still recognizable. Their cheese contains nuts. My big issue (other than the weird taste) was that the texture was also spongy instead of soft or firm like I want cheeses to be in my mind (but not as bad as Ste. Martaen). It melted but not in the traditional sense; it got soft but didn’t lose it’s shape and become stringy. I think it’s fine for cooking but so far other vegan cheeses have won out in that category both in taste and texture. I still want to try their other varieties. You’ll pay $6-8 for an 8 ounce block. I wouldn’t pay more than $4.

Sheese We tried the blue cheese, gouda, mild cheddar and smoked cheddar versions of their block cheeses. We liked the texture and the value but found the flavors odd. I really enjoyed the blue cheese, gouda and smoked cheddar flavors but substitute the blue cheese for feta and gouda for goat when I use it in salads. The texture is harder, like wax but not waxy and slices well. The ingredients were highly processed and includes soy but are free of nuts and gluten. It’s pretty good right out of the box but not all flavors are created equally. We never got to cook with it but if and when we do, I’ll let you know. We also tried their garlic and herb creamy sheese. It wasn’t great but that didn’t stop us from eating it; the soy flavor was very strong. Usually you can find their 8 ounce wheels and tubs for $7. Either you like this product or you don’t, whether or not its worth it is up to the individual.

Ste. Martaen We tried the muenster, pepperjack, olive, colby, and smoked gouda. They all had great flavor but the texture was very off putting. I ended up using this cheese to cook and was pleased that it was low calorie and melted to something creamy and flavorful but this cheese isn’t suitable for eating right out of the container. The texture was spongy and the liquid flavoring oozed out of it when you start to chew it or even if I just squeezed it between my fingers. The ingredients were not objectionable and include algae (very clever) and nuts but not soy or gluten. I’m worried that it got frozen or something and it negatively affected the texture of this product. I can’t imagine people would rave about it the way they do if that wasn’t the case. I’ll certainly buy it again just for the awesome low fat, lower calorie, cholesterol free mac & cheese we’ve made with it. It’s $7 for a 8 ounce block. Since I wouldn’t eat it right out of the package, Teese is a better value for sauces and Daiya is better on pizza.

Teese We tried their cheddar and mozzarella. I am a huge fan of the mozzarella. The cheddar isn’t my favorite but I do buy it from time to time. The mozzarella is great on pizzas, in mac & cheese, or right out of the package. Some of the ingredients were highly processed and therefore objectionable but the end product is not. It’s free of nuts and gluten. It’s got a smooth cheesy texture and even though it has a distinct soy aftertaste, it’s a great mozzarella substitute, cold or hot. It makes a great pizza topping or mozzarella and tomato salad. It’s a really versatile cheese substitute. I’m interested in trying their other varieties. I’ve paid $4-5 for 10 ounces. I think it’s a great value.

Tofutti Tofutti’s cream cheese is the best we’ve tried so far but we’re always searching for better options. The ingredients are pretty typical and it has a strong soy flavor. It’s got a great texture and is spreadable, very reminiscent of dairy cream cheese. I’m looking forward to trying some of their other products. I haven’t paid more than $4 for an 8 ounce tub. It’s a good price but keep in mind we’re planning to review 2 other brands of vegan cream cheese. The opinion may change. Change is good!

That’s it for the cheese post. Check back as we test out more vegan cheese alternatives. As you can see, there are a lot of healthy alternatives including several great ones (Diaya, Eat in the Raw, Dr. Cow and Teese being my favorites) and a lot of good ones (Ste. Martaen, Follow Your Heart, and Sheese). Dairy cheese is 5 cents to 3 dollars for an ounce (Velveeta to fancy manchego). You’ll pay 50 cents to 3 dollars per ounce of vegan cheese with the average being closer to fifty cents. Vegan might seem pricey compared to dairy cheese but if you consider the hidden costs and possible costs to your health, it’s a steal. We’ve always got our eye out for more so check back soon!

In the near future we’re going to try Daiya’s cheese wedges, Punk Rawk Labs nut cheeses, Vegetarian Express Parma Zaan and Wayfare Foods’ We can’t Say it’s Cheese Spreads. Please make any suggestions for vegan cheeses you’d like to see reviewed here.

This is Christie and Brent, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 09 2012
2 Comments
Lazy Vegan

The Lazy Vegan: Veggie Burgers!

A couple months ago, I had an awesome veggie burger at a Josh’s, a fast food restaurant near where I work. It tasted great and fresh, but what I loved most about it was that it was, well… different. It wasn’t a completely bean- or soy-based veggie patty. Furthermore, I was able to identify chunks of actual vegetables in it. So I was pretty excited when I saw Don Lee Farms Veggie Patties at good old Costco.

Unfortunately, Don Lee Farms is a wholesale seller, so these patties aren’t available in your neighborhood grocery store. Even more unfortunate is that the company isn’t vegetarian and sells meat products as well. All that aside, this is one tasty veggie patty. It has a nice texture and the vegetables in the burger can easily be identified and tasted.

It was seasoned nicely with a perfect little kick to it. It’s mostly a softer texture, but it contains whole sunflower seeds that are both tasty and give it a nice crunch. It’s also pretty filling.

One patty is surprisingly only 160 calories. I wish it had more protein. The sodium content is fine; it helps that it’s tasty enough that no other spice is really needed. Zero cholesterol! Click the photo for a closer look at the nutrition facts and ingredients.

Homemade is best, but it’s great when I discover good pre-made or pre-packaged products. What are your favorites? Let us know! –Melissa

 

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 08 2012
2 Comments
Cooking, Recipes, Snacks

Curry Spiced Potato Wedges!

This is the simplest recipe I could think of for when I had a spare hour before the guy got home from his work out ( he was worried that I was chopping by myself since amputating the tip of my pinkie a few weeks ago… oopsie!). I only spent about 10 minutes doing preparation, the rest was baking for 45 minutes at 350C/175F. They’re great with a sandwich, soup or salad. If you’re looking for a non-curry version, try this one from A Tablespoon of Liz. Do keep in mind that even slightly green potatoes contain a toxin called solanine and should be discarded. Now that this important detail is out of the way, this is all you’ll need:

10 fist sized potatoes, sliced into wedges

1 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp corn oil (or any oil with a suitably high flash point)

salt and pepper to taste

Toss the wedges in the oil and spices to coat evenly. Adding the jiuce from one whole lemon will bring out the flavors from the spices but is optional. Place on wax paper and bake for 45 minutes.

I couldn’t stop my guy from putting his hands all over them.

This is Christie and Brent, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 07 2012
Leave a comment
Thoughts

Baaaaa.

I am celebrating Easter with my family tomorrow. I’m not terribly religious, but Easter would be a BFD if I was. I loved Easter as a kid and I still kind of do. It symbolizes springtime, white and bright colors, and bunnies (of the chocolate variety). Growing up, it meant that I got to wear one of my fancy dresses to church. My Mom usually prepared a lamb. It’s a big deal because we don’t often have lamb. In addition, as a family, we usually don’t eat any meat for at least a week leading up to Easter.

Easter, 1982. When else will I get away with wearing that fabulous head accessory?

I won’t be eating lamb this year, obvs. But… the little Catholic girl in me is all like, “Hello? Jesus? Are you there? DUDE, what am I supposed to eat to celebrate your rising from the dead?” There’s this expectation that I’ll get to eat something special on Easter. Well, I won’t be eating anything special — I’m not about to use Easter as an excuse to eat poor little lambs, no matter how delicious I remember lamb to be, but it’s hard for me to get excited about a tofu entree when everyone else will be eating pork chops and lamb. All that said, I CAN get excited about all the vegan appetizers and sides we’re preparing:

White bean hummus with freshly toasted pita bread and tortilla chips
Cucumber and tomato salad, with red onion and feta on the side
Cauliflower and carrots, cooked in this style — I’m also making a dairy version since my sister is allergic to soy
Roasted fingerling potatoes with garlic and rosemary
Grilled asparagus
Steamed broccoli
Lots of fresh fruit for dessert, and I’ll probably whip up ‘mousse’ for myself using silken tofu and cacao powder; the non-vegans are having a chocolate mousse cake
Vegan chocolate bunnies (I got them for my nieces but they better share)

The fact that I’m excited about the veggie smorgasbord proves how much my eating philosophy has changed in the past several months. It also poses an interesting challenge that I wasn’t prepared to meet this holiday: Start new holiday food traditions that are vegan. Will I cook something that’s especially difficult or time-consuming? Will I choose more exotic ingredients? These traditions are mine only, for now anyway, so I’m in complete control. To make the challenge more, uh, challenging, I want to avoid having my own plate of vegan food that doesn’t mesh with everything else on the table.

What vegan holiday traditions have you started? Share, share, share! And whether or not you celebrate Easter, I hope you have a wonderful day eating vegan chocolate bunnies and vegan marshmallow chicks. –Melissa

Tagged , , , , ,
Apr 06 2012
1 Comment
Cooking, Recipes, Snacks

Tropical Spring Rolls!

It’s raw night again in the Alldestroyers’ household and tonight we’ll be preparing vegan spring rolls. You’ll need the following:

2 medium zucchini, shredded
5 average sized carrots, shredded
1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut (sweetened is fine)
1 tbsp ponzu sauce
1/2 tsp lime juice (optional)
1/2 tsp flaked red pepper
a pinch of salt
8-10 rice paper sheets (mine are bahn-trang)
greens or spinach, washed and dried

Start by combining all the vegetables (except for the greens), liquids and seasonings in a bowl. Substitute shredded parsnips if you have a coconut allergy. Mix well and set aside.

Add 1 to 2 cups warm water in a deep plate or shallow bowl. Place a rice paper sheet into the water making sure to dampen both sides thoroughly and remove before it loses it’s stiffness.

Take it out and place it on a clean plate. Don’t worry if it’s still stiff; it’ll soften as it absorbs the water.

Place a handful of greens on one end of the paper closest to you. Add 3-4 heaping spoonfulls of filling onto the greens (if it’s particularly wet, let it drain, squeezing it out between your hands – your kids might like this job).

Dry your hands and start rolling the filled end of the sheet away from you using the greens to control the filling, folding in the sides. Rest it on that edge after closing it until you’re ready to eat it.Try not to place them so close that they’re touching because they’ll stick together and might tear when handled.

This takes some practice but it doesn’t really matter what they look like, right? You should end up with some lovely light, nutritions, filling and delicious spring rolls.

We made a dipping sauce out of basically the same ingredients as in our pakora with some minor changes which complemented the coconut in the spring rolls brilliantly. The proportions were about like this:
1/4 cup of tamarind (we used frozen)
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp cinnamon
chili paste to taste

When mango comes into season, we’ll probably make this sauce with pureed mango. I’m monitoring the little baby mango growing on the trees between my train stop and apartment closely. Soon, my friends… very soon.

This is Brent and Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Apr 05 2012
3 Comments
Main Dishes

Vegan Buffalo Tacos: not an oxymoron

Brent and I wanted a quick easy meal so we did what any reasonable vegans would do: we made Buffalo tacos. Now, you might be thinking, “buffalo isn’t vegan.” Of course buffalo isn’t vegan, but Buffalo sauce is. This particular marinade hails from Buffalo, New York and typically includes some sort of chili, vinegar and butter or margarine mixed to creamy spicy perfection. In my college days we referred to the sauce’s namesake as “B-lo”, TMI? We’re using Moore’s because it’s made with margarine.

We decided to bake up some soy curls the same way we did for our quesadillas but chickpeas, beans or tofu prepared with a light dusting of chili pepper and soy sauce would be a perfect substitute. While they were cooking, Brent sliced up some bell pepper and onion. When they were done I heated up some corn tortillas in a fry pan; you don’t have to but they taste better. We used corn tortillas but wheat is fine if that’s what you’re into.

Then we dressed up the tortillas with greens, onion, bell pepper, soy curls and a generous dose of Buffalo sauce. This was definitely worth the 20 minutes of prep time; look how happy the guy is!

Next time we might add some sliced tomato and cilantro but it’s totally not a big deal if you don’t have them.

This is Christie and Brent, signing off.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
← Older posts
Newer posts →