Why I'm Vegan: Excessively Fun Vegan Recipe Blogs

I just came across The Vegan Stoner blog (and hopefully soon-to-be cookbook!) which is comprised of delicious, ridiculously easy and fast recipes, minimalist ingredients to cook healthy on the cheap. And it's illustrated! It's accompanied with idiot/inebriated-proof directions, making it accessible to young folk, old folk, and those with a grade F- in culinary skills.

It kind of reminds me of my childhood cookbook that got me into cooking and feeding myself in the first place (after I made the recipes veg-friendly): Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual. It even came with measuring spoons and had a veggie dog treat recipe! Aw nostalgia.

All the lazy veg*ns, parents, excusatarians, and omni's alike out there, check out one of my favorite recipes below and the rest of the munchies at The Vegan Stoner Blog: 

(c) The Vegan Stoner

Here's an interview with the creators of The Vegan Stoner at Disarray Magazine

DC: Magical Perfect Sunday

image cred: Jennifer Parks

Prelude to summa summa summatime:

Woke up early for a Sunday and found a new cat friend on the block that tried to make our house his new house, named him Bob, an ado male tabby that loves our front porch. I will try to get a picture if he comes a calling again. 

A lazy brunch at Sticky Fingers. French Toast hell yes! The grits, not so much.

Bike ride on Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park, almost 10 miles round trip! Portions of Beach Dr. are closed to cars on the weekends, so take advantage of only having to dodge pedestrians, strollers, and other cyclists. And it's one of the best (and free) things to do in DC!

Dinner consisted of ginger-soy marinated tofu with beets, orange chunks, over romaine and spinach. I can't wait until the 2011 Mt. Pleasant Farmer's Market season begins and I can score better food!

Ginger-Soy Marinade:
2T fresh grated or powdered ginger
2T soy sauce
equal parts rice/balsamic vinegar and olive oil
toasted sesame oil (sparingly)
spoonful of Dijon mustard
squirt of agave nectar
oregano, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients together. Taste. Add flavors as needed. Submerge food of choice in marinade and refrigerate for minimum 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe: Soy-Free Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Finally we can all stop complaining, here's a matzo ball soup recipe that works!!! The trick is to let them cook without being boiled (the boiling rips them apart. 


The Backstory: Matzo Ball Soup is actually what got me to give up eating eggs, do to an unfortunate and disgusting surprise chicken fetus in my matzo ball back in the day (thanks mom!) Eggs are mean and nasty and totally unnecessary (check Links to learn why!) 


Soy-Free Vegan Matzo Ball Soup
makes about 6 servings  

Ingredients:
2 C matzoh meal 
2 t salt 
black pepper to taste
two dashes onion powder 
(minced parsley- optional)

6 T vegetable oil 
1 1/3 C water

1 giant pot-ful of vegetable broth (canned, boxed, or make your own stock!) 

Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine matzoh meal, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir dry ingredients to distribute evenly. 

2. Add vegetable oil and water and mix well, forming into a giant dough ball. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for a half hour. 

3. While the matzo dough is in the fridge, get started on the vegetable stock. Heat on high. Add spices, parsley, noodles (i've done chow fun rice noodles or udon en lieu of the traditional egg noodles), veg like carrots, onions, leeks, celery, etc. 

4. Take the dough out of the fridge and form into small-sized balls (about the size of a golf ball.) It helps if you keep you fingers/palms oiled so the dough sticks to itself instead of your hands. 

5. Let a giant pot of water come to a boil, then lower heat to medium/medium-low until it's just barely simmering and gently add the matzo balls to the hot water, lowering them in with a slotted spoon, they will sink to the bottom. Cover with a lid and leave to cook until matzo balls float to surface (~20-30 minutes.)

6. Turn down heat on veg stock to a simmer/medium-low and add matzo balls gently to the veg stock and let cook further for about 10 minutes. Stab a matzo ball with a fork to see if the center has cooked all the way through, leave to simmer until completely cooked but still firm. 

7. EAT THEM ALL!!

*Note: you can also add 2 T Ener-g Egg Replacer to the water before you mix with the dry ingredients to be on the safe side.