Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 30 - Rumble In the Jungle

Welcome to MoFo Thirty!

Travel with me...

October 30, 1974

(yeah, I know, a lot of you reading this had yet to draw breath; patience, my Vegan lovelies, patience, please)

Kinshasa, Zaire 

(aka Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The Greatest

Muhammad Ali

This poster actually hangs in my game room.

(on whom I have had a serious heart throbbing 

sweat-your-bangs-out crush since 

Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.

(aka Muhammad Ali)

appeared on my TV screen after having won the 

1960 Olympic light heavyweight gold medal in Rome.

Did not know much about boxing back then, 

but I knew I liked that guy, and still do.)
challenged

World heavyweight champion 

George Foreman,

known affectionately around his adopted hometown of 

Houston, TX as "Big George" 

to defend his title.

(Yes, he of George Foreman grill fame. 

No, I do not own one; though it would probably do a good job grilling eggplant, portabella mushrooms, 

polenta, peppers, pineapples...  

Hmmm... do I hear the makings of a

"Veganize the Foreman grill challenge"?

And, no, this is not a 'hint' 

for those wanting to gift me something.

If you know me well enough to be thinking along those lines, 

the gift of you in my life is precious enough, 

thank you,thank you very much!)

In honor of the anniversary of that historic match,

in which The Greatest prevailed,

(tune in George Benson,
singing the theme from 

THE GREATEST

the original movie, starring the greatest himself,
Muhammad Ali

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fADr-rIIC78

You Go Brother!)
TV stations have been playing both the original movie,
listed above, and the later version, listed below.
My entree for dinner 
served to these two gentlemen would be my favorite 
fall/winter recipe,
when collard greens are in season locally and oh so good, from
VEGANOMICON
- the ultimate vegan cookbook,
Mole Skillet Pie with Greens

Sauteing greens with vegetables and red beans

Added chili chocolate mole sauce. I try to keep a batch of this very versatile sauce in the freezer for  ready use.

Out of the oven, with the moist cornbread crust

A truly delicious one dish meal!

More familiar with the 
Whitney Houston 
(gone much too soon, RIP dear) 
version of the song, and the 
Will Smith 
version of the 
ALI 
movie story?
Now you know their origins.
You are welcome!

-

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 29 - Favorite things

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY NINE!

I spoke last month at 

Vegan Society of PEACE's

2nd Saturday's potluck

http://vegansocietyofpeace.org/ 

about thirteen (Baker's dozen) of my favorite vegan cookbooks.

(Al Jarreau crooning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5yMCEOSsNA&feature=related  )

In alphabetical order:
The ALMOST NO FAT HOLIDAY COOKBOOK
- Bryanna Clark Grogan
(since the winter holidays are upon us)
The COMPLETE GUIDE TO VEGAN FOOD SUBSTITUTIONS
- Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman
(especially useful for those new to vegan cooking)
The COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO PLANT-BASED NUTRITION - Julieanna Hever
(useful for explaining eating vegan to the vegan-haters, and protein obsessed)
COOKIN' SOUTHERN Vegetarian Style
- Ann Jackson
(cause I'm a Southern Belle vegan)
GOOD TIME EATIN' IN CAJUN COUNTRY Cajun Vegetarian Cooking - Donna Simon
(cause I adore Cajun/Creole food)
HOW IT ALL VEGAN
- Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer
(good for the newbies)
The NEW SOUL VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK
- from the kitchens of Soul Vegetarian Restaurants
(traditional soul food translates well back into its vegan roots)
The NUTRITIONAL YEAST COOKBOOK
- Joanne Stepaniak
(for those wondering what it is and what to do with it)
RAW FOOD MADE EASY for 1 or 2 People
- Jennifer Cornbleet
(good intro to raw vegan uncooking)
The ULTIMATE UNCHEESE COOKBOOK
- Jo Stepaniak
(proof that "I could never give up cheese" is a no-brainer)
VEGAN WITH A VENGEANCE
- Isa Chandra Moskowitz
(great vegan intro)
VEGANOMICON, The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
- Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
(vegan versatility at its best)
WORLD VEGETARIAN
- Madhur Jaffrey
(cause I adore Indian food, and ethnic cuisine in general)

Anything by Jo Stepaniak would be a welcomed addition to any kitchen.
The two listed helped me transition family members having
"cheese withdrawal" issues.
Like this
"Cheezy Rice and Broccoli Casserole" from
THE ULTIMATE UNCHEESE COOKBOOK.

Everything is mixed right in the casserole dish, which I oil lightly for easier clean up.

Since I used brown basmati rice, I added 1/2 cup water to the 2 cups non-dairy milk called for in the recipe, and the suggested 1/4 tsp tumeric for added yellow color, plus a couple of chopped  carrots to make a one-dish meal.
Good for everyday, holidays and potlucks.

(The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, is an updated version of Jo Stepaniak's The Uncheese Cookbook.)

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 28 - Green Seed Vegan

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY EIGHT!

Last night, some members of 

Vegan Society of PEACE

gathered to wish a fond

Bon Voyage

to our dear friend and close brother, 

Kedar,

relocating to upstate NY.

We dined at

http://www.greenseedvegan.com/

on

Illy cheesesteak with regular fries

Cauliflower nuggets

Portabella panini with sweet potato dill  fries

Cauli burger with regular fries

Salad

Zen panini with sweet potato dill  fries

 and a store-bought vegan apple cake for dessert

Fair winds and following seas Kedar!

Miss you already, man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey2JUUrBFs8

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 27 - Health Summit

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY SEVEN!

Attended

Montgomery Heart and Wellness'

4th Annual Houston Health Summit

featuring lectures, food demos and samples, 

exercise demos, and vendors

promoting a plant based lifestyle for optimum health and wellness.

Featured speakers included

Dr. T. Colin Campbell,

http://tcolincampbell.org/

co-author of 

The China Study

and

Dr. Baxter Montgomery,

conference organizer and author of

The Food Prescription for Better Health

http://www.drbaxtermontgomery.com/houston-health-summit/

This book includes recipes for the delicious food prepared and served at yesterday's summit by 

The Garden Kitchen.

http://www.gardenkitchenfoods.com/

Raw tomato bread sandwich, stuffed with sliced zucchini, sundried tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, red onion, raw mayo & fresh avocado;  small salad with dressing and corn salad

Red bean and vegetable soup

Fresh zucchini noodles and mushrooms with ginger dressing; small salad, and fattoush

"Raw" key lime pie

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 26 Munchies

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY-SIX!

Happy Birthday Bootsy Collins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVYwZ1hgNiU

 My favorite Bootsy tune?

click above.

yes, I'm a foodie, 

and any song about

having the munchies

works for me,

especially with a soulful guitar track.

Some of my favorite munchies:

Homemade spicy kale chips

Homemade coconut milk ice cream

Gobi Manchurian

Grapes from my garden

PB&J on homemade whole wheat bread

Sinfull Bakery's vegan cinnamon rolls

Sinfull Bakery's blueberry corn muffins

Raw Key Lime Pie

and my try-to-have-daily munchie indulgence

"Hugh Jazz" Salad

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 25 - Flakey's Pizza

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY FIVE!

Good vegan pizza from a non-vegan pizzeria,

Flakey's Pizza

www.flakeyspizza.com

Flakey's vegan pizza - vegan cheese, kalamata olives, spinach, garlic, mushrooms, onions, peppers

Melt in your mouth goodness

Though not strictly vegan, or vegetarian, they do a good job.

Another example of mainstreaming vegan.

Flakey's 

donated pizzas last night for

KPFT's

(Houston's Pacifica public radio affiliate)

2012 Fall Pledge Drive

kpft.org

during 

our weekly show

VEGAN WORLD RADIO

veganworldradio.org

Shows are archived at the website, or listen live

Wednesdays, 10-11pm central time.

"...telling the story of the vegan revolution

that's saving animals, the planet and our health..."

Like Diana Ross' 

26th solo single that made it's way onto

the Pop charts in 1980,

Vegan pizzas, with good gooey melting vegan cheeses,

are saying

"It's My Turn"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ywk20Aezo

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 24 - free food

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY FOUR!

Cool way to get free food by 

using what you have to get what you want.

Being an ardent fan of celery,

for my smoothies, salads and some cooked dishes,

this site's advice on growing your own organic celery 

brought great joy to my palate and purse.

http://www.17apart.com/2012/02/growing-celery-indoors-never-buy-celery.html

Meet my new babies:

Cut about 2 inches off the bottoms of your stalks of organic celery.  Newbie on left, week-old on right.

Root in glass jar in about an inch of water, placed in a sunny window. Check water level to prevent drying out. Should be transplanted into compost-rich soil when first leaves sprout.

2 weeks old and beyond ready for transplanting. Lazy me wanted to try growing it in just water.

One of those one-armed paper hanger busy days,

so nourishment is usual morning green smoothie

apple, blueberries, celery, dates, ginger, kale, pineapple smoothie

My main man, Hugh Jazz Salad, for lunch

Romaine lettuce, apple, beets, carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, nutritional yeast, olives, orange slices,  pomegranate seeds, homemade walnut parma, E2 basics dressing

and yesterday's gumbo for dinner.

Native American Proverb

"May your life be like a wildflower, 

growing freely and joyfully in the beauty of each day."

O'Jays long version of New Birth's 

"Wildflower"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdCqzTbvPEw

Welcome to 2012 VEGAN MOFO Day 23 - Gumbo

Welcome to MOFO TWENTY-THREE!

Another comforting, slow cooker recipe,

Gumbo

because I had okra, onions and celery in my co-op half share.

Ingredients:

2 pounds okra, sliced

2 8-ounce packages tempeh, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth, divided

2 Tablespoons oil

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 stalks celery, diced

2 bell peppers, chopped (I used red and orange for color)

4 medium tomatoes with their juices, chopped

2 Tablespoons paprika

1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chacheres)

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

1 teaspoon gumbo file powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Roux - dry roux to cut down on fat

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup cold water 

Brown the okra in a large, dry skillet over medium heat until to reduce slime-iness, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 

Brown tempeh in same skillet over medium heat in 1/4 cup vegetable broth, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Saute onion in oil over medium heat until softened, 4-5 minutes.

Add garlic and celery and saute another 2-3 minutes.

Add bell peppers, saute another 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and their juices, tempeh and okra.

Stir to combine.

Transfer vegetable mixture to crockpot, add remaining broth, paprika, Creole seasoning, and file powder.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
Sample broth, adding salt and pepper to taste.

At 7 hours, make the roux:

Heat the flour in hot skillet over high heat, stirring constantly until flour browns. Remove skillet from heat as soon as it browns to prevent flour burning. Mix browned flour and water in a quart sized mason jar with tight fitting lid, cover and shake until flour completely dissolved.

Carefully remove 1/2 cup broth from crock pot, stir in into flour mixture (will be hot, so be careful and use oven mitts to hold jar).

Stir liquid smoke into jar, if using.

Then stir roux slowly into crockpot.

Cover and cook additional 1/2 hour until thickened.

Serve on its own or over brown rice.

#1 R&B song this day in 1976
THE SPINNERS
"Rubberband Man"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKbADFJOCkU