Hot Crock Conglomerk

This is from Saving Dinner the Vegetarian Way. I served it with asparagus in olive oil and garlic powder.

1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup barley
1/3 cup brown rice
1 large onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 carrots, sliced
1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 oz) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups water
tabasco sauce to taste (optional and to be used after cooking)

Combine everything in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Divine!

Melissa

Bitchin' Breakfast Burrito

This was so filling. It comes from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch.

My husband is the worlds pickiest eater, and he loved it.

14 - 16 ounces frim or extra firm tofu, crumbled with hands or fork (make sure you drain it well)
2 cloves garlic, minced.
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
8 ounces vegan breakfast sausage, crumbled (morning star is so good I kept rereading the back to make sure it wasn't actually meat)
1 russet potato cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 (15 oz) can black or pinto beans, drained (I used black)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies drained ( I forgot to buy any)
4 whole wheat tortillas
4 oz vegan cheddar or jack cheese, shredded (I skipped this b/c I wasn't in the mood)
1 1/2 to 2 cups salsa ( I used mild)

In a large bowl, combine tofu, garlic, yeast flakes, tamari or soy sauce, turmeric, salt, and pepper. set aside

In a skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook according to package directions. Transfer sausage to tofu mixture.

Add 1/2 tabelspoon coconut oil to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add potato and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans and chiles, stir until heated through.

Stir in tofu mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally 3-4 minutes.

Place mixture and some salsa in tortilla and fold it if you can. I bought tortillas that were too small. Oops. It still tasted great!

Melissa

Blueberry Pancakes

Yes! A vegan can eat pancakes.

Peta has a vegetarian starter kit.

This recipe comes from them.

I tweeked it a little.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour (I think white flour is so bad for us, so I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour)
3 Tbsp sugar (vegan cane)
3 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 Tbsp canola or safflower oil (I used safflower)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

combine dry ingredients in a bowl and sift together. add soy milk and oil. Mix till smooth.

Ladle on to hot griddle, add frozen blueberries, cook for 2-3 minutes per side.

serve with fresh blueberries (and strawberries!)

So good. It was made even better with the maple syrup that my uncle brings me annually from New York.

Melissa

Sarma

Sarma is an Armenian food. It's also known as Stuffed Grape Leaves.

My uncle was in town last week and taught me how to make these.

First you have to make the stuffing:

1 cup chopped onions sauteed in 2/3 cup olive oil until light brown.

Mix in 1 1/4 cup water
1 cup rice (washed and drained 2 times)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons annanoukh (dried and crushed mint leaves)
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Aintabe red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup (1 oz) pine nutes
1/4 cup tomato paste
Mix together and cover.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes on very low heat until all water is absorbed.
Let stand 15 minutes or more.

Take a jar of grape leaves, rinse and drain. Snap off stems.

Once your stuffing is cool enough to work with you can roll your sarma.

Place the grape leaf vein side up. Place a spoonful of stuffing on the leaf.

Tuck the bottom in and roll it up like a burrito.

Place the rolled sarma in a large pot, keep them tightly side by side.

Pour juice over the tops of tightly packed sarma:

3 cups of water
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice and
1/2-1 teaspoon salt.

Place a heavey plate over the sarma, place a cooking rock on top of the plate to prevent the grape leaves from opening during cooking.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer about 50-60 minutes. Drain any extra juice. Remove the oil from the top of the juice with a spoon and sprinkle over the sarmas. Let them cool in the pot, then chill in the fridge if you want. Or they are very yummy warm.

Melissa

Hummus

Today I made my own hummus! I accidentally burnt some of the chickpeas because I decided to use fresh and not canned. I forgot they were boiling. Oops. So I used the non burnt ones. But it gave it a smoky flavor. Still good, but not great. My 11 year old said, "well mom, you keep practicing and eventually it'll be perfect".

I got the recipe from, "The Accidental Vegan".

I posted a picture of tahini because I had no idea what it was. I love learning about new ingredients, finding out what they are used for, and where to buy them.

Melissa

Tamales!

Yes! A vegan can still eat tamales!

This place has vegan tamales and they were divine.

Broken Heart

Today I read this and it broke my heart. I just don't understand this world sometimes.