From a thanksgiving sweet side dish to a savory soup for the week, flippin my mother's leftover mashed sweet potatoes in to a hearty soup for lunch

I added diced yams as a filling.

Peeled.

Poached.

Sweet potatoe left overs.

*Gordon Ramsay voice* Sweet potatoe & Yam soup (for lunch). Done.

Thanksgiving Day, which means I'm in the kitchen early!

I'm a last-minute cook, so I was up at 6 o'clock this morning at the grocery store for my pie ingredients.

Peanut Butter Pie:

1 Vegan chocolate cookie crust (I prefer graham cracker)

1 bag of nondairy chocolate chips (this time I used diced pecans for a different texture, but you can use white-chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, or whatever you like. You'll want to make this pie more than once so switch it up!)

1/2 c of Soy/Hemp/Almond milk (I prefer Vanilla almond milk for a creamier consistency)

1 1/4 c peanut butter

1 box silken firm tofu (this is the secret ingredient)

1/4 c maple syrup

Vanilla extract to taste

Toast the pie crust for 4-5 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Sprinkle some diced pecans and nutmeg in the base.

Ok, so this is the the not so pretty part. If you're like me and have not yet invested in a food processor, mix the tofu and peanut butter in a bowl to "get it going" first before adding to your blender or using a hand mixer. The last thing you want to do is burn out the blade pureeing tofu and peanut butter. Not worth it.

Melt down a 1/4 c of peanut butter with a bit of almond milk in a sauce pan. Add to the base of the crust after toasting in the oven. Place crust in fridge to cool completely.

Once the tofu and peanut butter begin to incorprate in the bowl, add a 1/2 c at a time to the blender while mixing in the almond milk and maple syrup.

Process until VERY smooth. The way to get a sceptical non-Veg/Vegan to eat it is with a smooth filling!

Pour mixture in the crust making sure to spread it out evenly with a spoon.

If you're using diced pecans, toast them in a skillet for 2 minutes to extract the natural oils. Dust with cinnamon, cool, and sprinkle on the pie.

Get the recipe and check out Alicia Silverstone's the Kind Diet!
*Gobble, Gobble* Happy (vegan) day of thanks!

Wined and dined with my parents at Ristorante Tosca tonight. Best way to kick-off the Thanksgiving holiday!

Custom Vegan pasta dish with fresh marinara sauce and pearled tomatoes to start; A medley of seasoned grilled vegetables served with sautéed cauliflower on the side for a main dish; and a bottle of St. Chateau Michelle Riesling to share and savor.

... and for dessert, a scoop of fresh apple, pear, and fig sorbet served with an almond and pistachio biscotti (not Vegan).

Ahh bellissima!

E.L. Centro D.F. tonight for a mini-GWU WLP GEB '06 reunion. Friends since freshman year!

From the Vegan/Vegetarian menu:

Chayote Asado (V)* -
grilled peppers/ grilled onions/ mushrooms/ roasted corn/ salsa verde/ habanero salsa/ refried beans/ corn tortillas

The service was slow and off-timed, but the food was definitely worth the wait.

I also recommend for a cocktail, the Paloma (an agave cocktail with El Jimador, citrus, and lime).

¡Olé!

*(V) - is for Vegan.

In case you wanted to know the recipe for my Election Day aka Suckafree Stir-Fry recipe:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Asian stir-fry vegetables (yes, pre-chopped is OK). I also add Kale for extra filling and crunch.

1/4 cup of Vegan teriyaki with sesame seed sauce (Trader Joe's has a great selection)

1 tbsp of fresh ginger (less than $2 a bunch)

Sriracha sauce and red pepper flakes to taste.

Cook quinoa in a pot with 2 cups water, and season to taste. Mix Teriyaki sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, and Sriracha sauce in a sauce pan. Let simmer. Stir-fry vegetables. Enjoy!

Mama Mia! Homemade pizza! Tonight's dinner inspiration: Whole wheat dough

In the mood for a Mediterranean-style pie. List of ingredients: Sautéed red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Sliced artichoke hearts. Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.

Time to roll the dough. Note the DIY rolling pin (wrap one long water bottle in plastic wrap). Remember to generously flour the dough and surface

Into the oven. Bake 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees.

Ready to eat!

Pizza from scratch is great, and it's refreshing to roll out and bake your own dough. I think next time i'll try a white crust. The whole wheat didn't crisp up well, also maybe adjust the oven temperature and cook time.

I love it when I find a new Vegan dessert. What's even better is when I find a new dessert on prime TV (ABC's Shark Tank) because it's so unusual! Watch the video, and see the Sharks' reaction to the V word *gasp* These are Liz Lovely Gluten Free and Vegan cookies, and I want to try them all! They're Baking A Difference.

Veggie stir-fry. Quinoa with sautéed broccoli and mushrooms. Add red pepper, sesame oil, and teriyaki sauce to taste.

Black bean soup* doctored up with corn kernels, black beans, garlic salt, and a bit of cilantro. Heat everything in a pot on the stove top. Quick and easy comfort food.

*Soup from the carton. Find it at Trader Joes

Back from Hiatus

Although it's been beyond too long, I'm back with a great find! My cowarker (who is non-Vegan)actually told me about this yummy dessert shop she visited over the weekend. Amazed at all the variety, she could hardly beleive that it was ALL Vegan. Vegan Treats was founded by fierce trailblazer Danielle Konya over ten years ago. She now has a popular store-front shop in Bethlehem, PA, and Vegan Treats can be found at many locations along the East coast.

If you're in DC, stop by Busboys and Poets to try her delicious, animal-cruelty free creations!

Brad's Raw Chips. These Raw, Vegan chips proclaim to be the 'World's Healthiest Chip,' and they taste good! Tried some yesterday, and I was pleasantly surprised by their great flavor and crunch.

KindKreme, a gourmet, Raw, Vegan, organic Ice Kremery. According to my cousin Nate in LA, this place appeals to all types of frozen treat enthusiasts. It's a a must try in Echo Park!

Thai Basil Tofu Lettuce Cups. This recipe is courtesy of Jeff Mauro who is currently competing to be the next Food Network Star. Minus the fish sauce, this dish is totally Vegan. For a carnivore, Italian from Chicago, I'm impressed with Jeff's recipe, the fact that he took such a great risk, and managed to WOW the judges with the best dish of the day. I plan to make this one asap.

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons grated ginger
4 packages extra-firm tofu, pressed on a wire rack for at least 1 hour and up to 24
1 tablespoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 1/2 cups Thai basil, chopped
Salt
1/2 cup Thai basil, cut in chiffonade
2 cups cashews, roughly chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
3 heads green leaf lettuce, cleaned and trimmed
Plum sauce, for serving

This time last year Chef Chloe shocked the judges and competition on Food Network's Cupcake Wars with this winning Vegan recipe, a Raspberry Tiramisu Cupcake.

V-Note, an organic wine bar and Vegan bistro, located in NYC. Of course.

...we all scream for VEGAN ice cream!

Enjoy a Vegan Ice Cream tour in L.A.



Video courtesy of VegNews.com

Two years and counting

Today marks my two-year Vegan-niverssary! *types with enthusiasm* My parents still think that it's just a phase. My friends swear I only do it to be difficult. I hope they all figure it out soon. I AM VEGAN (no doubt about it :)

Babganoush-Hummus Pasta- featured yesterday on Rachel Ray 30-minute meals. I might have to prepare this myself...after I start eating heavy carbs again :/

Protein Kick

Getting my protein up! According to the University of Maryland Medical System Protein Calculator, I should be getting a minimum of 82g of protein in my diet daily ?! At first I tried to do it by consuming more protein-enriched food such as nuts, beans and soy yogurt, but there just isn't enough hours in the day and plus my system just can't handle all that. Seemed hopeless until I found this! It's a soy protein powder at GNC, and so far real good! No random side-effects, aftertastes, or system overload. Good stuff.

Vegan Comfort Food ?

Yes! There is such a thing according to Yahoo! Green. Find 5 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes here. (Pictured above is the Sheperd's Pie, which calls for tofu, tempeh, seitan, or mushrooms as the protein of the dish)