vegan – Page 10 – morestomach

japchae – vegan

Published on May 5, 2014April 30, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach15 Comments

most saturdays you’ll find me
unshowered at 3pm
no judgement please
if we don’t go out
i won’t shower until bedtime
it’s usually a battle of
doing something
or
doing nothing
what ends up happening is
something gets started
i get bored
and nothing is finished

currently our spare room
is empty of its usual dressing room fixings:
vanity
mirror
dresser
water cooler bottle that holds all our change
window curtain
all that shit is
in the hallway
the fire marshall would have a fit,
if we had a fire marshall

spackling
choosing paint
priming
choosing paint
more priming
eventual painting
it takes time
and the concentration
and determination
of a warrior to complete it

guys
i am no warrior
instead i paused partway
and went into the kitchen,
not emerging until dinner time
the room may still have naked walls
i may walk into the room to grab undies
only to backtrack into the hallway to grab said undies
i may have skipped the whole painting step
and started on the whole decorating step,
a step i’m sure i’ll leave incomplete, ahem,
but damn
dinner was done
and in fact,
it was dinner for 3 nights
bam!
fine. you can call me part-warrior

japchae – vegan & gluten free
makes about 5-6 servings

*note: i don’t know if this authentic or not, this is just a guess based on the various times i’ve had it at restaurants etc. the vegs were in the pantry waiting to be used up, make use of whatever you have on hand or whatever is in season. i used tamari to keep it gluten free but soy sauce is fine too. personally, i liked this much better as a leftover than fresh.

1 package of korean sweet potato noodles
3 zucchinis, sliced into thin strips
3 carrots, peeled and cut into match sticks
half a medium onion, sliced
2 stalks of celery, diced at an angle (optional, dw likes fancy knife work)
3-5 dried woodear mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water, and then sliced thin
splash or two of soy sauce or tamari
drizzle of sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
oil for frying

cook up the noodles according to package instructions

in a big pot or pan, heat up some oil, whatever you wanna use, i used olive oil. add in the onions and carrots. saute for about 3-4 minutes, or however soft you want your carrots to be. next, add in the wood ear mushrooms and celery. at this point, add in a splash of soy sauce or tamari

add in the noodles AND zucchini strips, stir until everything is well mixed and the zucchini has been warmed though and has softened. add another splash or two of soy sauce or tamari, toss it till it’s mixed though

at the last second, drizzle in sesame oil to coat through. this is for fragrance mainly, not so much for taste. garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

bam!

coconut peppermint patties

Published on March 17, 2014March 14, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach22 Comments

it’s not so much the daily
wake up ritual we partake in,
where sometimes i coax you out of slumber
with promises of kisses,
or i downright threaten to withhold kisses
it’s not so much the
evening hugs we make time for,
no matter how much i need
to go pee
this is a deep & abiding glimpse
of this love we’ve been working on

this month you mark another
yearlong trip around the sun
it was never about the destination
i only ever care about the journey
as long as i’m with you
cus darling,
we are adventurers in this
life we’ve been working on

for your birthday this year
i made your favorite combo:
chocolate + mint
because i adore you
and because i’m your
Ride Or Die Bitch

coconut peppermint patties
yields: 24 patties

*note: in lieu of the coconut flakes, you can use all powdered sugar. i decided to use the coconut flakes because this particular brand soaks up moisture really well, and i wanted to cut on the sweetness.

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, i used Let’s Do Organic
2 tsp pure peppermint extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBL softened (just below room temp) coconut oil
2 TBL coconut creamer, i used So Delicious

beat everything in a mixing bowl with a paddle. everything will start out crumbly and ugly and alarming, walk away. come back after 30 seconds – a 1 minute, it should be creamy and well incorporated. when you touch the mixture, it will be soft but not sticky. if it is sticky, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s no longer sticky. it’ll be stiff.

scrape mixture out of bowl onto a long piece of plastic wrap. form into a tube, about 1 1/2″ in diameter. wrap up well and be sure to tie the ends up. fridge up till firm, about 45 minutes. cut into desired thickness, aim for 1/4″. dip into melted chocolate and allow to cool and harden.

i chopped up a 5oz bar of chocolate, at least 70% cacao, melted over a double boiler. ( i used scharffen berger)

BAM!

my other dw birthday concoctions:
homemade thin mints – 2013
mint chocolate cake – 2012

Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

Published on February 3, 2014February 3, 2014 by Lan | MoreStomach24 Comments

the thing is
oh the thing is:
i don’t like molasses
i hate the smell of it
its burnt smell
that makes me gag
i even hate the way it
slowly pours out of the bottle
like,
hurry the fuck up already
and yet
inexplicably
i like me a good molasses cookie
chewy
snappy
a cloying sweet
that, if done correctly,
is cut by the sharpness of ginger
and maybe nutmeg
(which is something i also hate)
then the addition of chocolate
genius
i’m serious
the added creaminess that
the chocolate brings to the cookie
evens out the sharpness of the ginger,
which as mentioned before,
has to cut the cloyness of the molasses
which has lost its burnt odor
instead, there’s just cloves
and cinnamon wafting
every ingredient has a function

i made these cookies for
my foodie penpal alyssa
but i managed to steal 2 4
that didn’t fit in the box
when i make these again
i’ll see about keeping
the chocolate chunks bigger

Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies (vegan)
adapted from Martha Stewart

note: we don’t have cable anymore and i saw an episode of martha bakes on PBS and she made these. i made fun of her for only baking 3 cookies at a time. don’t do that, make fun of her that is. she knows her shit. these cookies spread. i was still smarting over it and baked 4 at a time. makes for more batches but trust me, worth it. correction, trust martha.
also, i doubled most of the flavor ingredients, cus i like a punch in your face impact.

7 oz best-quality chocolate, rough chopped
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick vegan butter, i use earth balance, at room temp
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 TBLS freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 cups plus 1 TBL AP flour
2 TBLS cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsps ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup molasses

to roll dough in:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup of sweet ground chocolate, i used ghiradelli

chop chocolate into chunks, set aside. (alternatively, you can use chips too, i won’t judge)
dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water; set aside

using a mixer with paddle attachment, cream vegan butter and brown sugar until combined. add the fresh ginger and mix. in a bowl, sift all the remaining dry ingredients, in increments add to butter mixture, mix until combined

next, add the slow ass molasses and baking soda mixture. mix in the chocolate. transfer to fridge. ignore it for a few hours, i ignored it for about 24 hours. it happens

when ready, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper

mix the granulated sugar and sweet ground chocolate on a plate. using an ice cream scoop, or whatever, scoop out dough and roll into balls, then roll around in the sugar + chocolate mixture. transfer balls onto lined baking sheets, fridge for 20 minutes. (martha reversed that step, good for her. i wanted to get that step over with, go from fridge to oven…) bake for 15-18 minutes, allow to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack until cool completely.

BAM.

kale + tofu balls with pasta

Published on January 27, 2014June 18, 2015 by Lan | MoreStomach30 Comments

when i lived with my grandparents
school let out before they got off work
i went to an after school center
where i received tutoring for my homework
or i played with other kids in similar
situations
on occasion this place would
take us on field trips
one such field trip was to the local
roller skating rink
i was not a klutzy child,
not more than the usual
actually,
i was quite coordinated at sports
but put round wheels on my shoes
and it was a mess
i fell on my ass more times
than i was standing
and no lie
the next day i could not poop

now,
there is potential scientific
and/or medical proof
that falling on your rear from
roller skating impedes your
daily constitution
in fact
my dear friend Nuria
& i discussed it
something about bruising
and all that
so there is a correlation
between the poop and roller skating
plus, that’s what gpa told me
and i believed him

i’m still a shitty
roller skater
and ever since
my colonoscopy a few
years ago
i’ve been very meticulous
about what i eat
there are always greens in the house
i always reach for the kale
or spinach
or beet greens
or collard greens
or mustard greens
anything verdant
when at the markets
because pooping is important

and that’s it for the TMI stuff

kale + tofu balls with pasta
this is an updated version of my original recipe, with actual exact measurements!!

note: i have a soft spot for baby greens: spinach, kale, arugala/rocket. they’re more tender and honestly, cuter. any greens would be fine with this recipe, i’ve made it with dinosaur kale before and it turned out fine. also, i’ve made it with regular firm tofu and it was fine too.

makes about 22 golf-sized balls, with pasta serves 4-6

2 containers of extra firm tofu (28 oz), excess water squeezed out, i use nasoya
1 carrot (about 1.8 oz) minced
1/2 red onion (about 3 oz) minced
5.5 oz baby kale, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, divided & minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 TBL nutritional yeast
3 TBL panko flakes
8 TBL olive oil, divided
3 TBL parsley, minced
pasta of choice

first squeeze out as much water as you can from the tofu blocks. i normally wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and put a heavy bottom pot filled with cans to weigh it down on top. if i plan ahead i do it the night before, or i leave it on the counter while i do other kitchen duties.

get your mise en place in order: wash, skin and mince carrots. mince the onions and garlic. rough chop the baby kale.

heat 2 TBL olive oil in pan, medium high heat. add in the onions, garlic and carrots, saute for a few minutes until softened. i generally shoot for the onions to get translucent. season with salt & pepper. turn off heat and quickly add in the baby kale. the residual heat will wilt it down. set aside to cool.

in a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu. you’re aiming for pea-sized crumbles. add in the panko flakes, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes if using, and sauteed baby kale mixture. with your hands mix everything together. season again with salt & pepper. you’re going for texture here. depending on how much water was squeezed out of the tofu, you want to be able to form/mold balls. you may need to add more binding, like water, or add in more noosh or panko flakes to soak up excess moisture. just remember, you’re going to fry up these babies, too much water or too dry, and it will not work.

form your balls.

in the same pan, heat up 1 TBL of olive oil. carefully fry the balls up until golden on all sides. i was able to do this in two batches. keep the balls warm by putting on cookie sheet lined with a paper towel in the oven, set at warm.

meanwhile, cook up the pasta according to package instructions. i used linguine.

while the pasta is cooking, in the same pan you used to saute the vegs and fry up the balls, heat up the remaining olive oil, on medium low. you’re not aiming to get it scorching hot. add in the final minced clove of garlic and warm through. when pasta is cooked to liking, add it to the warmed garlic oil and toss to coat. add in the parsley.

divvy up pasta in bowls and top with kale tofu balls. BAM!

black bean lasagna

Published on December 16, 2013December 13, 2013 by Lan | MoreStomach11 Comments

right now
the chill seeps
past the usual barriers,
finding passage through
cracks & crevices
every year
i wonder aloud
why we don’t live
in the tropics
or at the very least,
winter in Australia

it’s a daunting task
to shake slumber off
when burrowing beneath the
corduroy comforter
is far more appealing
it’s also tempting to
fall into the soup rut
what’s not to like?
they’re warming,
usually quick & nutritious
but truthfully:
repetitive

what to do?
sleep like the bears
surfacing when the world is green anew?
flying south is out
december has already made her presence
known
what with the frost
the shiver inducing gusts of wind
the rain,
the bloody freezing rain,
it feels like i’m going to be cold forever

so i made this lasagna
because we’re going to incorporate more beans in our diet
because i can’t be bothered to cook every night
because it was easy
because it kept me in the kitchen,
warmed by the stove, oven and crock pot
and it fed us all week,
either for dinner or lunch
and damn if it didn’t warm us through

today’s post is a loose nod towards write alm‘s december promt-a-day.

black bean lasagna
adapted from trisha yearwood

*note: i was in 7th grade when trisha yearwood’s song She’s In Love With The Boy came out and dang if i didn’t sing that song all summer long. prior to cutting cable i saw this recipe on her show and it intrigued me. my proportions, seasonings and techniques are different from hers, so use her recipe if you want exact measurements.

1 jar of tomato sauce, i used our csa jarred tomatoes
8oz can of whole tomatoes squished/cut up
3 generous tablespoons of homemade tomato paste
1/2 large onion, chopped
a few garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, skinned and diced
1 cup of dried black beans, soaked over night, then cooked on low in the crockpot for 5 hours
olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
1 package lasagna noodles, cooked according to package instructions
tofu ricotta, recipe below

Tofu Ricotta
1 container of firm organic tofu, excess water squeezed out
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup of raw cashews, eyeball it, i didn’t measure it
1/4 cup – 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, eyeball it, i didn’t measure it
healthy sprinkle of italian seasoning
salt/pepper to taste

in a food processor, whizz all the ingredients together. the mixture won’t be silky smooth, but it won’t be chunky either. set aside, in fridge until ready to assemble the dish.

in a large pot, boil up some water. cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions.

in a large sauce pan or skillet, heat up some olive oil, saute the onions, garlic and carrots. season with salt/pepper. allow the mixture to brown up a bit, it’s at your discretion. add in the tomato sauce and paste. again, season with salt/pepper. add in the prepared black beans, allow to simmer on low while you complete the noodle boiling.

preheat oven to 350F.

to assemble, in a casserole dish, spoon out some of the tomato sauce first. layer noodles, then add the tofu ricotta, spreading it as best as you can, top with tomato sauce. repeat until all the noodles are done, making sure the final top layer is the tomato sauce.

bake in oven for about 45 minutes – an hour, if the top gets too browned/dry, put foil wrap on it.
allow to sit for 15 minutes before digging in.
will keep, covered, in fridge for a week.