Summer Is Here - Time for Chilled Soups!

Over the last couple weeks, I have acquired several amazing cookbooks. Not all of them are vegan or vegetarian. The list includes: Best Loved Food of the 50s, Pretty Party Cakes, Bake Me, I'm Yours... Cupcake!, Vegetarian Suppers, Betty Crocker Easy Everyday Vegetarian, and Vegetarian Cooking Commonsense Guide. The last book was bought by the boy as a present, hoorah! Also - this book: Don't Throw It, Grow It! It's really cool and tells you how to grow crops and herbs from your vegetable seeds in your kitchen. Basically, it is kitchen gardening. So far, I've really liked using the 50s book for my dad and apparently the meat-based dishes have been excellent. Pretty Party Cakes and Bake Me, I'm Yours... Cupcake! are fancy pastry chef books but they look oh-so-cute. I need to have a party sometime now! Vegetarian Suppers has proved some great recipes out of there too. My bookshelf has overflown to the floor now... Eeep!

Every week I get a grocery box from New Leaf Natural Grocery. It is a local, organic health food store in Roger's Park by Loyola. In this box, there is $15 worth of local (well - as local as possible), organic produce, fruits and vegetables. I love this box because it makes me experiment with different vegetables I wouldn't normally buy. Oftentimes, I have no idea what kind of vegetable it is. For isntance, how many of you have cooked with black carrots? Hah.

This weekend, I went out to the 'burbs and visited Mitsuwa Marketplace. Here, I got the ingredients to make inari and vegan wonton soup. I also bought shochu and for those who do not know the wonders of chu-hi, please look up how to make homemade chu-hi drinks out of shochu ASAP! In Japan, they sell cans of it at conbini's (convienent stores) for cheap. It's an excellent and different kind of drunk. Anyways, back to the food. The wonton soup ended up to be desired. I will not post the recipe because of that. Oh well, time to experiment some more! The inari I bought pre-packaged and made the sushi rice myself in my personal rice cooker (it's so tiny and cute!).

I've made another care box for the month of May too. Can't post pictures just yet, it has not arrived. But, it is very well done and let's just say my kitchen was messy after wards and I had to go to the 'burbs to get something needed for it.

This is a really easy recipe.

Miso Cucumbers and Shitake Mushrooms.

* Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

* Cook Time: mix!

* Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons miso paste
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil or stir fry oil - not olive oil, though
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• water - to taste
• 1/2 a cumcumber - chopped
• 5 fresh shitake mushrooms - chopped

* Recipe:

1. Mix all ingrediants by hand in small bowl - add as much water to taste depending on how thick you want the dressing.
2. Chop up some cucumbers and fresh shitake mushrooms.
3. Mix the vegetables and the dressing!

* Notes: None! Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Soy Meat w/ Rice

* Prep Time: 5 minutes

* Cook Time: 20 minutes

* Ingredients:

• 1/2 an onion - chopped
• 1/3 ginger root - minced
• 3 cloves of garlic - minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons stir fry oil
• 1.5 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 cup of fresh shitake mushrooms - chopped
• 2 mini bok choy heads - chopped
• 2 cups of soy meat - boiled & drained
• dash of garlic powder
• dash of onion powder
• 2 dashes of sea salt
• dash of black pepper
• half a bottle of Kikkoman Sweet & Sour Sauce
• 1 cup of white rice - cooked

* Recipe:

1. Put soy meat in small pot with boiling water and let it become soft. Let it cook while doing the below directions and then set aside when it is done. Drain.
2. Cook your rice in whatever way you wish - microwave, rice cooker, stove top. Let it cook while doing the below directions and then set aside when it is done.
3. Put the onion, ginger, and garlic in a deep frying pan or wok with the stir fry oil. Fry until the onion is translucent. Add all the spices.
4. Add the soy meat, the vegetables, and the Kikkoman Sweet & Sour Sauce. Stir until everything is completed covered in the sauce.
5. Add the wok ingredients to a bowl of white rice!

* Notes: I was lazy and used pre-bottled sweet & sour sauce. This is a quick fix meal for a lazy evening. Also - instead of soy meat, you can use tempeh or tofu. Tofu would probably taste better. For soy meat, I use Now Textured Soy Protein (which is actually the correct wording for soy meat). You can find it at most health food stores, if not online then. In my experience, where you can find vegan food in Tokyo, they love textured soy protein!

Organic Summer Chilled Carrot Ginger Soup

* Prep Time: 10 minutes

* Cook Time: 30 minutes

* Ingredients:

• 1/2 an organic onion - chopped
• 1/3 organic ginger root - minced
• 2 tablespoons organic olive oil
• 8 small-medium organic carrots - chopped
• dash of organic sea salt
• dash of organic black pepper
• dash of organic ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons organic coriander
• 3 cups of organic vegetable bullion

* Recipe:

1. Place the chopped onion and ginger root in a small pot with the olive oil. Cook until onion is translucent.
2. Add the spices and the carrots. Cook for a few minutes, mixing.
3. Add the vegetable bullion. Boil until the carrots are soft.
4. In batches, blend the soup in a blender.

* Notes: While this recipe does not have to be organic, I just happened to make it that way. I used Organic Gourmet vegetable bullion which you should be able to find most places.

'Ta for now!

Miss Suzy Q

Now to the cooking. When in Groton/New London, the boy and I made stir fry, though I did not take any pictures. It was pretty basic: Asian rice noodles, veggies, vegetarian stir fry sauce. We also made chicken enchiladas and margarita's at the same time, haha.

As stated before, I like to make care boxes. Here is yet another gloriously themed box, Easter! I refused to tote this crap in a suitcase across the country, so I mailed it. Besides, its more fun that way. You all know you like to get homemade packages in the mail to dig through, admit it. (I had enough stuff for him from myself and his mother and his sister - half my suitcase was his stuff, don't ask.) This is not all of what was in the box, but you get the idea. I'm going to make the boyfriend fat with all the baked goodies and candy I send, haha. I put a blueberry cake in there, which I posted about in a previous entry. For the trip, I hand-sewed a drawstring bag in old merchant looking ships (try from like 1700s) and put vegan stout cookies in it (leave me alone, they are sailors and I like themes! - hello look at my care box). Plus, I told him to share. The link is the recipe. As it states, most stout in not vegan. I used Young's Double Chocolate Stout, which is vegan. I'm starting to think it is the only vegan stout out there. The link on the "drawstring bag" text is the tutorial as to how one makes it. Also, I carried homemade fortune cookies with me all the way there. It was hard. I had to put them in my messenger bag and make sure I didn't crush them the whole trip. The things I do for baking and being super girlfriend-y!

Oh, so there was this debacle with a coffee cake I baked around this same time. It sort of went nutty on me. I'm blaming the tin baking trays I use. Nothing ever turns out in the right amount of time or the way it is exactly supposed to be in those. I need to obtain ceramic ones. Let's just say, the nice top caved inside the actual cake, it overflowed as a result in the oven, started to burn on the oven floor, caused the condo to smell like burnt cake, and overall was a mess. But, I salvaged it. I hope it is good?

This summer, I am creating an apartment balcony vegetable garden (as I'll actually be in Chicago for more than a month at a time). I have most of my necessary tools to do so. I will begin in two weeks. It is going to be all organic. My balcony is going to be oh so cute with its vegetables, herbs, flowers, little ducks and bunny garden figurines (I'm so girly, it's sickening), little mosaic solar powered lamps, miniature gas grill, and my sweet bicycle. I am going to have to industrial velcro the figurines and the lamps so they don't blow 21 floors over the edge. Eep.

Couple more links on balcony gardening: More apt. gardening, tips on how & what to grow in hanging baskets, and the Topsy Turvy Hanging Tomato basket (which I really want but unfortunately, I can not hang things). Oh, I ordered my organic seeds from Seeds of Change.

This website is incredible, by the way. I'm in love. Go vintage and old things in general.

Above is my homemade Ginger Carrot Beet (& Sweet Potato) Soup recipe. When I make my own recipes, I don't really follow any measurement levels, I just sort of go with it. So, these directions may be a bit odd, haha, but I bet it will taste good when it is done!

* Prep Time: 15 minutes

* Cook Time: 45 minutes

* Ingredients:

• 1 large beet (diced)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 of a medium onion (chopped)
• 3-4 large carrots (diced)
• 1/3rd small ginger root (minced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2-1 teaspoon ground ginger
• dash of onion powder
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of all-purpose seasoning
• dash of oregano
• dash of dried dill weed
• Optional: 2-3 small sweet potatoes (diced)

* Recipe:

1. Add olive oil and all the spices to medium pot. Add chopped onions and sautee until translucent.
2. While onions are cooking, peel the beet and carrots (and sweet potatoes if using). Chop 'em up.
3. As the onions begin to cook, add the garlic and ginger root to the pot.
4. Add the carrots, cook for 5 minutes.
5. Put the beets (and sweet potatoes) in and the vegetable stock. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.
6. Optional: when done cooking, put in a blender to make a puree. I was too lazy, clearly, and it was good just as it cooked.

* Notes: I used black carrots for this recipe which is why the soup base looks so beet colored (black carrots have the same coloring and dying affect that beets have). Okay, so I really like spices (I have a whole freaking cabinent of them), so don't mind me with all my dashes of this and that. You don't have to, I'm just weird, haha. Oh, I had some sweet potatoes lying around so I added those too. Not normal to this soup, I know, but it was good! Ah, and you'll notice in my picture, I don't chop too fine. I like big pieces of vegetables in my soup, but if you are putting this in a blender, I would advise to chop as small as possible.

Indian Spiced Lentils & Vegetables

* Prep Time: 15 minutes
* Cook Time: 1+ hour
* Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bag of lentils (sorry - my mother gave me the lentils in a baggie, not sure of the measureent quantity)
• 3/4th of medium onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 4 carrots (chopped)
• 3/4th of a bag of green beans (chopped)
• 4 small sweet potatoes (skinned and chopped)
• 1/3rd a head of cauliflower (chopped)
• 1 can of diced tomatoes w/ juice
• 5 cups or more of vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of oregano
• dash of all-purpose seasoning
• dash of dried dill weed
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of thyme
• dash of ground ginger root
• several dashes of dried sage
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of onion powder
• dash of garlic powder
• several dashes of turmeric
• several dashes of cumin
• several dashes of dried parsley
• pinch of coriander
• pinch of celery seed

* Recipe:

1. Place chopped onions and garlic in bigger pot with olive oil and the spices. Cook until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the carrots, green beans, sweet potato, cauliflower, and tomato. Cook for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and the vegetable stock. Cover lentils + 1 more cup of stock.
4. Cook until the vegetable and lentils are soft. Keep adding stock if it evaporates.

* Notes: I didn't make mine into a soup per say, it was like half submerged or less. I also lacked a can of diced tomatoes, so I used cherry red's that I cut up and squished. Used orange cauliflower too.

Indian Spiced Potatoes & Vegetables

* Prep Time: 15 minutes
* Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 small baby red potatoes (diced)
• 1/2 of medium onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup of pine nuts
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 2-3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 3-4 teaspoons of masala
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of oregano
• dash of all-purpose seasoning
• dash of dried dill weed
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of thyme
• dash of ground ginger root
• several dashes of dried sage
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of onion powder
• dash of garlic powder
• several dashes of turmeric
• several dashes of cumin
• several dashes of dried parsley
• pinch of coriander
• pinch of celery seed

* Recipe:

1. Place chopped onions in medium pot with olive oil and the spices. Cook with the pine nuts until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the potatoes and mix well with masala and dijon. Add the water. Cook for 20 or so minutes.
3. Add the peas and cook until they are no longer frozen.
4. Cook until the vegetables are soft.

* Notes: So, this dish should look yellow in color, FYI. Keep adding turmeric if you wish. I personally like it a lot.

Indian Spiced Rice

* Prep Time: 15 minutes
* Cook Time: 30 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups of white rice
• 1/2 of medium onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 small bell peppers (chopped)
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of pine nuts
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of thyme
• dash of ground ginger root
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of onion powder
• dash of garlic powder
• several dashes of turmeric
• several dashes of cumin
• pinch of coriander

* Recipe:

1. Place chopped onions and garlic in medium frying pan with olive oil and the spices. Cook until the onions are translucent.
2. In the mean time, cook your rice in a rice cooker or in the microwave or the stove (follow whatever directions you need for the device you use to cook it).
3. Add the bell peppers, pine nuts, and raisins.
4. Cook until the vegetables are soft.
5. Add to the rice - mix it up well!

* Notes: Again, this should be yellow in color. Add more turmeric if you wish. I used green bell peppers, just fyi.




I was missing curry powder for all the Indian recipes and each should have had at least a teaspoon. Add that to all the dishes if you plan on making these.

Gretschka Kasha (Buckwheat Pilaf)

So, this is a traditional Russian recipe gone vegan. My mother translated it into English for me from my aunt.


* Prep Time: 15 minutes
* Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
* Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups of buckwheat (gretschka kasha)
• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 of medium onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 medium bell pepper (chopped)
• 2-3 carrots (diced)
• 1/2 bag of green beans (chopped)
• 1/3rd of a block of tofu (diced)
• 3 stalks of green onion (chopped)
• Lots of mushrooms - use a variety! (chopped)
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• dash of parsley
• several dashes of dried dill weed
• dash of garlic salt
• dash of onion powder
• dash of garlic powder

* Recipe:

1. Put the buckwheat in a large pot with water. Let it boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Keep a lid on it the whole time.
2. Place chopped onions and garlic in medium frying pan with olive oil and the spices. Cook until the onions are translucent.
3. Add peppers, green beans, tofu, mushrooms, and green onions to the onion mix. Stir fry it until the vegetables are cooked/soft.
4. Simmer the buckwheat until it is completely cooked and soft. You may need to add more water during this process.
5. When buckwheat is done cooking, add the stir fry vegetables to the pot and mix thoroughly.

* Notes: You should be able to find buckwheat with the ethnic food section of your normal grocery store. It will probably be located near the Jewish food.


Oh, over Easter, I made a carrot cake out of The Joy of Vegan Baking. It was a HUGE hit. I also made some more cornbread, also a hit. I really recommend the carrot cake, yum!


Use Tofutti for the cream cheese frosting of the carrot cake. You should be able to find it at most groceries that have a vegan/vegetarian/special diet section. If not, try a health food store.

Vegan Stout Cookies: 5/5!
Fortune Cookies: 3/5 (these were hard to make and REALLY sugary)
Carrot Cake: 5/5!
Cornbread: 5/5


Until I cook some more!

Vegan Connecticut & Vegan Boston

I feel like I've cooked a lot in the past two weeks, but I do not have enough photographic evidence to back this statement. I have, in fact, but not all vegan and forgot to take the pictures, of course. The pops won't eat solely vegan (though, my mother will) so, I get to experiment with other cooking ingredients. I never get to try what I eat, but I hear it's tasty and get the critiques, haha.

I'm fairly certain I have made potatoes and cabbage (see recipe in previous entry) 4 times this month, though. That's a whole lot of cabbage, eek. Onward.

So, two weekends ago, I went to see the boyfriend in CT. I thus tried out an organic cafe called Mangetout in downtown New London, CT. It was quite tasty. The owner was sweet. We traded vegan cupcake secrets and I recommended some vegan cookbooks to her. They open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, no dinner. They have at least one vegan menu item each day (their menus change daily) and several vegan dessert options, again all organic.

I had the edamame hummus wrap with a soy latte. I also took a chocolate nut fudge bar to go so I could split it with the boy. He really liked it which was funny because earlier I had given him and his roommate a chocolate Earth ball (it's tiny) and he was complaining that vegan chocolate is gross. Touche!

Lunch!

After my lunch, I meandered around downtown New London and came across two things I was hoping I would eventually run into. First, Fiddleheads, a co-op in New London. It is quite new in its location and is sort of empty for the space, but I was told another row was being added later that week. They had quite a few vegan products that are hard to come by unless you go to a health food store or order online.

They also had local vendors inside selling their own produce or wares. Included were hand knitted items and home made jams. One woman has her own farm and was selling her own vegetables, herbs, and fruits. I bought a bag of homemade dried apple pieces. They dry out the slices on a pole which they rotate over heat for 24 hours. It was possibly the best dried fruit I have ever had. Oh my goodness, it was so sweet!


Check out the woman's farm at her website: Purity Farm


She was showing me pictures of her grandchildren at the farm, too cute.


After my exciting vegan finds, I needed coffee. A city girl can only go so long without another latte in tote. Therefore, I went to Bean & Leaf (a world without Starbucks within literal reach is bizarre, refreshing, and shows that I a) live in a metropolis & b) traveling is good).


Support local things, people!


I went to Boston for the day. Many of you know how I like to find all possible things vegan in new big cities (or any city, probably). And I did! I was surprised Boston did not have more vegetarian or vegan places upon doing my research before I left, I must say. Usually larger cities thrive on it. I managed to find two places, though one was closed (probably because it is in the Financial District and this was a Saturday). It is called Milk Street Cafe. The place I went to for lunch was in Chinatown, My Thai Vegan Cafe. It was awesome! I highly recommend this place for some Asian vegan fusion food. One of the things I miss since I had gone vegetarian/vegan was won ton soup. I'm too lazy to make it myself (though I've had wonton wrappers in my freezer now for 3/4th of a year in prepartion to make said soup) and I've never come across a vegan one yet. Low and behold, my dream came true and the added bonus? It was super tasty! I had a Thai Basil Salad to finish. Mmm!

Possibly one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth!

Mmm, doesn't this look good?!


I'm starting to think I should have my own Rachael Ray - esque Food Network show where I go around the country/world finding vegan restaurants and showcasing them. Hardy Har. Recipes in the next entry, this has gone on too long for one!