I could go on about how I meant to write more, but didn’t have enough time because work, ice hockey, and life in general conspired against me, but the truth of the matter is, I didn’t do as good of a job of carving out time as I’d hoped… especially towards the end.

That’s the bad news…

The good news is that I do plan on writing more and podcasting. Just planning things out. I really hope the different readers out there will continue to follow my ramblings and occasionally interesting tidbits. As a final VeganMoFo entry, I wanted to share a link to a PDF of vegan items at Trader Joe’s. I think the TJ’s site has this list, but I found this on the Go Eggless blog. I really enjoy shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. I’m appreciative that TJ’s has lists of vegan, vegetarian, and rennet-free items. Very considerate.

Enjoy! I’ll have more in the coming days, weeks, and months. It may not be VeganMoFo after today, but it’ll still be vegan living.

Donburi is a traditional Japanese meal that usually incorporates meat and veggies on top of rice. The protein and veggies are often cooked together, but I like different individual flavors, so I often do away with the stew concept on top of rice. Sometimes called don, this dish is usually served in large bowls (at least larger than the little rice bowls), and I’ve always admired the artful way it’s presented. Actually, the word donburi means bowl in Japanese.

Done well, this dish is a complete meal that includes veggies, grains, and protein. The seitan recipe that I listed a few days back is what I use for the protein, but it’s just as easy to take some firm or extra firm (or super firm) tofu, sear it, and use it in the place of the seitan. You can also use store-bought gluten/seitan instead. It’ll still be good. And if you don’t like teriyaki sauce, it’s okay, this works well with other thicker asian sauces as well.

Equipment: 

• Cast iron or non-stick skillet for pan-frying the seitan
• Wok or large pan to fry the veggies
• Bowls for the donburi that are larger than rice bowls.

Ingredients: 

• Brown rice
• One loaf of gluten (if you’ve made fresh seitan, you can use one of the loaves you created previously… it’s about 1 pound)
• 1 bunch of broccoli (florets separated and cut in pieces so that they are equal sizes and stems sliced about ⅛ inch thickness)
• 1 carrot (peeled and sliced thinly about ⅛ inch thickness)
• 1 tablespoon oil (this is for the seitan and the broccoli, but the final amount may vary depending on the pan you fry with)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2-4 tablespoons vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons liquid aminos or soy sauce (or a combination thereof)
• ¼ teaspoon sweetener (organic sugar, agave nectar, or whatever vegan sweetener you like)
• Approximately 1 cup teriyaki sauce (fresh is great, but because this is a great quick meal, so I usually use a store-bought one like the Island Soyaki)
• sesame seeds for a flavorful garnish (optional)
• Slurry of arrowroot powder with a little water or broth (I always prefer broth so that the slurry adds flavor instead of waters down the sauce)

Directions

The brown rice needs to be cooked, so make sure that gets done before you do anything else… timed correctly, you can create this entire dish in the time it takes to cook the rice… in fact, with brown rice, you have to make sure that everything else isn’t completed too early!

Slice the gluten into ¼ to ½ inch slices and fry in a cast-iron or non-stick skillet on medium heat. Flip now and then till both sides are golden brown. Depending on the skillet and heat, this can take between 10-20 minutes.

The teriyaki sauce can be completed a few different ways. I usually just heat it in a small saucepan on medium-low heat and till it’s just simmering. If you’re using a thicker sauce that will easily coat the back of a spoon, then you’re fine. If you have a thinner sauce like the Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki, then thicken with the arrowroot slurry. If you’re a multi-tasker, you can do the sauce while cooking the veggies separately. If not, then just pull the sauce off the heat when it’s done and give it a good stir before using.

This dish can be made with a variety of vegetables, but my family likes broccoli and carrots with the seitan (and I have this thing about pleasing my family). Heat the wok or frying pan on medium-high heat. Add about ½ tablespoon of oil to the frying pan. As I said in a previous post, this really depends on your pan. My wok is really well-seasoned, so I can get away with less oil. If you’re using a stainless steel frying pan, then you may need more oil. Add the garlic and fry until aromatic and just beginning to brown slightly. Add the carrots and continue frying, stirring constantly. Add the broccoli stems. Fry for a minute, add broccoli florets and the vegetable broth. Stir up to mix for another minute or two, cover, and let steam for about three to five minutes… and this totally depends on how crunchy or soft you like your veggies.

Remove cover, add liquid aminos (or soy sauce) and sweetener. If you use Po Lo Ku (or other vegan non-MSG flavoring) then add about ½ teaspoon or so. As always, it’s to taste. Stir-fry till well-mixed. Add more broth if it’s beginning to look dry.

Continue cooking for another minute. Sample the broccoli to see if it’s done. Try not to eat all of it! This is only a sample. If the broccoli and carrots let out a lot of liquid, you don’t want the veggie part of the dish to be watery, so thicken with the slurry of arrowroot starch. Push everything to the side so that you separate the liquids a bit.  Add the slurry slowly while stirring the liquid to thicken. When the sauce loses the powdery look, mix thoroughly and turn off the heat.

Now it’s time to compile the donburi. Scoop some rice into the bowl. Artfully arrange the seitan on half of the bowl and vegetables on the other half. Drizzle teriyaki sauce over the seitan, sprinkle some sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Some people also like to dip the seitan in the teriyaki sauce before arranging. Either way works. It just depends on how saucy you are. We believe in balanced flavors, so we choose to drizzle the teriyaki sauce. More traditional donburis would probably have you cook the veggies and seitan together with the sauce before putting it on the rice, but it’s not that big of a deal.

Serves about six or so.

Breakfast Stir-Fry with Crumbled Tofu

Wow! It’s been way too long since I’ve posted. What can I say, it’s been a long week with conferences and workshops. For an idea of what I do with educational technology, you can visit PodPiper Productions for notes on my presentation at the Innovative Learning Conference this week in San Jose, California.

So today’s recipe is a breakfast stir-fry. In a way, it’s like a tofu scramble, but my own version. The truth is, there are so many versions of tofu scrambles out there. Some are like tofu loaves. Some have some veggies. My Breakfast Stir-Fry with Crumbled Tofu tries to balance veggies and tofu together. Technically, it makes a good meal for lunch or dinner as well. At home, we typically take this and add to breakfast burritos or eat with whole wheat toast. For lunch or dinner, we eat this with brown rice.

Ingredients: 

• 1 smaller bunch of broccoli (florets separated and cut in pieces so that they are equal sizes and stems sliced about ⅛ inch thickness)
• ¼ – ½  head (depending on size… you need about 2 cups shredded) of yellow or purple cabbage (you can even us a mix of the two… sliced in ⅛ inch thickness)
• 1 carrot (peeled and sliced thinly about ⅛ inch thickness)
• 1 package of firm or extra firm tofu (cut into cubes)
• ½ tablespoon oil (this might vary depending on the pan you fry with)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2-4 tablespoons vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or soy sauce (or a combination thereof)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon chili powder or paprika
• ¼ teaspoon sweetener (organic sugar, agave nectar, or whatever vegan sweetener you like)
• Slurry of arrowroot powder with a little water or broth

Directions

Heat the wok or frying pan on medium-high heat. Add about ½ tablespoon of oil to the frying pan. As I said in a previous post, this really depends on your pan. My wok is really well seasoned, so I can get away with less oil. If you’re using a stainless steel frying pan, then you may need more oil. Add the garlic and fry until aromatic and just beginning to brown slightly. Add the carrots and continue frying, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage and broccoli stems. Fry for a minute, add the vegetable broth and cover to let steam for about two minutes.

Remove cover, add broccoli florets, tofu, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), curry powder, chili powder, and sweetener. If you use Po Lo Ku (check my last blog entry), then add about ½ teaspoon or so. Really, it’s to taste. Stir-fry till well mixed. As you stir it up, the tofu will crumble a little more from it’s cube-like shape. Add more broth if the veggies are beginning to look dry.

Cover again and continue cooking for another minute. Sample the broccoli to see if it’s done. I like the veggies to be a mix of crunchy and soft. Push everything to the side so that you see mostly sauce. Add the slurry slowly while stirring the sauce to thicken. When the sauce loses the powdery look, mix thoroughly, turn off the heat, and enjoy! The Breakfast Stir-fry can be eaten with toast or added to a breakfast burrito to give it a crunch.

Serves about eight or so.

Daryl Hannah Image from Bananawacky on Flickr

With dozens of movies in her filmography and a career that has spanned more than twenty-five years, Daryl Hannah has had a very successful career as a movie star. In my opinion, what sets her apart from most celebrities is the fact that she believes in some very real issues and is an activist for causes that make a difference in our world. A vegan and firm believer in using bio-fuel (she has an El Camino that runs on filtered veggie oil), Hannah has traveled the world to highlight endangered species, created a video podcast and website (DH Lovelife) to educate people about a variety of environmental issues, and has camped out in trees to make a point. She’s not afraid of using her celebrity status to bring more attention (read media) to an event.

My first memories of Daryl Hannah are of her roles in Blade Runner and Splash (two of my favorite movies when I was a growing up… I know, eclectic tastes). Although she continued to act in movies and even produce some work, I didn’t really read more about Daryl Hannah until I saw a November 2006 feature on her in VegNews, one of my favorite magazines on vegan living. Then I began watching her DH Love Life video podcast, and I was hooked on all the wonderful things that Hannah does for the environment, animals, and vegan, sustainable living. Here episodes include topics like biodynamic wine, vegan junkfood, solar science, Rwanda, and electric cars. Although I wish she’d podcast more frequently, I’ve enjoyed every episode I’ve watched, and I’ve also learned something new in each one.

For all she does for increasing awareness for environmental issues, I lift up my glass of 100% fruit smoothie and offer a toast to this week’s VeganMoFo Hero of the Week… Daryl Hannah.

Purple and Green Long Beans

What? Purple long beans? Yep! Fans of Chinese and Vietnamese food may be familiar with long beans. These are a lot like green beans, but they’re thinner, don’t have strings, and… you guessed it, they’re longer. They have a slightly deeper flavor and crunchier texture than blue lake green beans. I’ve really enjoyed long beans for pretty much my whole life. I remember my mom used to fry up the long beans with a ground meat of sorts (not sure what meat it was… and at this point in my life, I probably don’t want to know). So it was with a lot of curiosity and happiness that I saw some fresh purple long beans at the Alhambra Farmer’s Market. Being an adventurous cook (and eater), I bought the purple long beans and decided to try and recreate the family favorite, but make it vegan.

I think it turned out pretty well. If my family is any indication, then it definitely was a success. Our little girl, Baby Corn, had about five servings of it. The flavor of the purple long beans was a little stronger than the green ones. The texture was a little tougher, but not in a bad way. Kind of al dente if you will. The most fascinating thing was the fact that the beans themselves turned green-ish after cooking. The purple kind of disappeared. Kind of like eggplant. When you cook eggplant, it can also lose a certain amount of the purple coloring.

Stir-fried Purple Long Beans with Mushrooms, Corn, and Veggie Meat

Ingredients: 

• 1 bunch of purple long beans
• 1 package of mushrooms (button, cremini, or fresh shiitake)
• ¼ cup corn kernels (fresh cooked cut from the ear is best, but frozen is pretty good too)
• ½ package Ground Round or other veggie ground “meat”
• ½ tablespoon oil (this might vary depending on the pan you fry with)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed 
• ¼ cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon liquid aminos or soy sauce (or a combination thereof)
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian stir-fry sauce (many different brands like Lee Kum Kee or Amoy)
• ¼ teaspoon sweetener (organic sugar, agave nectar, or whatever vegan sweetener you like)
• Slurry of arrowroot powder with a little water or broth

Directions

Wash and cut the purple long beans into approximately 2-inch pieces (you don’t have to be fanatical about this. The most important thing is to have them about the same length so they cook in the same amount of time). Wash mushrooms, trim ends, and cut into chunks or quarters or strips… just don’t leave them whole.

Heat the wok or frying pan on medium-high heat. Add about ½ tablespoon of oil to the frying pan. This really depends on your pan. My wok is really well-seasoned, so I can get away with less oil. If you’re using a stainless steel frying pan, then you may need more oil. Add the garlic and fry until aromatic and just beginning to brown slightly. Add the mushrooms and continue frying, stirring constantly. If the mushrooms look a little dry, add a bit of the vegetable broth. After frying for about 2 minutes (when the mushrooms begin to look a little wilted and begin to release their juice), add the purple long beans and stir-fry for another minute. Add the rest of the broth, stir, and cover for about 3 minutes. This method of steam-frying helps reduce the fat and cook the veggies faster.

Remove cover, add stir-fry sauce, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), and sugar. I also sometimes use a vegetarian, non-MSG flavor enhancer called Po Lo Ku. There are a few different choices here. Most are made of concentrated, powdered mushrooms or veggies. For this amount of veggies, I use about ½ teaspoon or so. Really, it’s to taste.

Add the corn kernels and veggie ground meat, stir, and cook till heated through. Push all the solid ingredients to the side so that you see mostly sauce. Add the slurry slowly while stirring the sauce to thicken. When the sauce loses the powdery (opaque) look, mix the veggies with the sauce thoroughly, turn off the heat, pour into serving dish, and enjoy!

This recipe is based on the Homemade Seitan recipe found on the Post Punk Kitchen site by Isa Moskowitz. It’s a great recipe from PPK, but I like tweaking things according to my family’s taste buds (and mine too!). Some of the things I modified were the sodium content and a few of the flavoring ingredients. The process is basically the same. The best part about the recipe from PPK is the fact that this is a much faster recipe than traditional ways of making seitan (you know… making the dough… rinsing and squeezing… changing water… rinsing and squeezing… keep on repeating until the water’s clear or until you get carpal tunnel).

Equipment: 

Large non-metallic bowl, smaller bowl for liquid ingredients, cast iron skillet (or non-stick one if you don’t have the iron), large soup pot or Dutch oven with lid for simmering. 

Gluten Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten flour
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 ¼ cups very cold water or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup liquid aminos or soy sauce (or a combination thereof)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste ground tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater

Simmering Broth Ingredients:

• 10 cups water or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup soy sauce or liquid aminos

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast flakes). You want to make sure that this is mixed pretty well because once the liquid is added, it comes together really quickly. It’s not as yummy if you bite into a piece and get more nutritional yeast than other parts.

In a different bowl, mix together the remaining (wet) ingredients for the gluten: water or vegetable broth, liquid aminos (or soy sauce), ground tomatoes, garlic. Basically, mix together everything that’s left that won’t be in the simmering broth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a firm spatula. I usually add slowly and mix while doing it. However, I’ve also added it all at once. The results were pretty similar, but I prefer adding it gradually. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it for about 3 minutes until a spongy, elastic dough is formed. It will seem pretty wet, but that’s okay. It’s not like a cookie or bread dough. Also, the dough will not necessarily be smooth, and that’s okay too. As long as it’s not falling apart, you’re okay. Let the dough rest for a couple of minutes and prepare your broth. It’s very important that you do not start boiling the broth. The simmering broth needs to be colder when the dough is added so that it keeps together during the cooking process.

Now roll your dough into a cylindrical shape about 8 inches long and cut it into 3 equal sized pieces. Place the pieces in the broth. Cover the majority of the pot but leave a small gap for the steam to escape. Bring the liquid and gluten to a boil. Don’t go above a medium heat during this initial boil. Set the heat to low and simmer gently for an hour and turn the pieces about every fifteen minutes (you can do this more often if you like looking at the gluten cooking). 

At the end of the hour of simmering, turn off the fire and let the gluten cool in the broth for at least a half an hour. The gluten has better consistency the longer you allow it to cool, so if you can allow it to cool completely, that’s great! Once the gluten has cooled, slice one of the pieces in ¼ to ½ inch steaks (it depends on the dish you’re making).

Heat the skillet over medium high and add a teaspoon or two of oil. If you have a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet, you can probably add a teaspoon of oil. Put your gluten in and leave for at least five minutes so that a little caramelization occurs. Turn the pieces over and continue cooking. Keep on flipping and cooking every five minutes or so. It usually takes about 15-20 minutes total cooking time. You’re all set! The seitan is ready for sauce or to eat plain. It’s delicious either way. 

If you have any pieces of the uncooked gluten left, put them in a container (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, whatever) with the broth. It will keep for a few days (probably a week), but it normally doesn’t last that long because you’ll want to eat it.

100% Fruit Smoothie with a Good Head of Foam

Smoothies are such great food! It seems like every restaurant, food court, and fast food place (and their grandma) offers some kind of smoothie, but one of the problems is that popular food places often add unnecessary fillers that decrease the quality and nutritional value of the smoothie. You know what I mean… sherbet, “special sweeteners,” yogurt, ice cream, and other things. Even adding ice is unnecessary as far as I’m concerned.

One thing I’ve always done is use frozen fruit instead of ice. Pair the frozen fruit with chilled juice (100% of course), and you’ve got yourself an all natural, vegan, 100% fruit smoothie. Here’s a basic recipe of sorts that I use all the time… in a lot of ways, I’d call it a structure instead of a recipe. It’s something easily modified for any fruit or juice. In experimentation, I really like the combination of a juice, a fresh fruit, and a frozen fruit.

100% Fruit Smoothie

• 2 1/2 cups chilled juice (I use a cranberry peach juice a lot because it’s got a lot of depth of flavor, but any 100% juice will do. I also often use apple or apple and pomegranate. I do stay away from citrus juices that are really strong like grapefruit or tangerine.)
• 1 banana cut into about six pieces (If you don’t like bananas, try another fresh fruit like strawberries or mango.)
• About 5 ounces of frozen berries (You can use any frozen fruit here. I often mix frozen berries with frozen mango or pineapple. You don’t have to be fanatical about the exact amount. I buy 10 oz. bags of frozen berries and use about half a bag… hence the 5 ounce measure.)

Pour the juice into a blender. Add the banana or other fresh fruit. Add the frozen fruit on top of that. Blend until smooth. Pour, drink, and enjoy! This recipe makes about 36 fluid ounces… enough for four healthy servings (unless you’re doing smoothie shots… then it’s enough for about 18 shots).

Here are some extra tips:

• Use the highest setting on the blender for the smoothest smoothie.
• Pulse a few times after the blending is basically done. This helps get all the bits blended in.
• If you don’t like seeds, strain the smoothie with a sieve (this doesn’t always work well if your smoothie is thick).
• If you need more fiber and roughage, don’t strain berry seeds out. They’re a good natural laxative.
• If you only use frozen berries, you may get a lot of tasty, tight foam. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but if you don’t want the foam, try a mix of other frozen fruit. For some reason, berries cause the most foam. If you know why, comment please! I’d love to find out. I think the foam is kind of neat. It’s all the rage in fine dining establishments, right?
• If you make a big batch to save for another day, consider adding juice from 1/4 of a lime or lemon during the blending. The citric acid helps retain the color.
• If you like smoothies a little chunky, then don’t blend it as much or blend on a lower setting. However, a chunky smoothie is kind of an oxymoron.
• Don’t be afraid of unusual combinations like apple juice with fresh white peaches and frozen cherries (don’t forget to skin and seed the peaches).

Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Bread

I want to make it very clear that I’m not the greatest baker in the world. I am more of a savory cook. Ask me for a vegan seven-course meal, and I’m there. Ask for a peach tart, and I start sweating. That said, I do enjoy making pizza dough, cookies, brownies, and quick breads. Here’s one recent one we did.

Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Bread

• ½ cup organic brown sugar
• ½ cup organic white sugar
• ½ cup Earth Balance “butter” spread (but any margarine will do)
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed (if they’re smaller bananas, use three)
• ½ cup soymilk (you can also use ricemilk or almondmilk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Egg Replacer that is equivalent to 3 eggs (I use Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer, but Ener-G works well too. One trick I learned from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s The Joy of Vegan Baking is to use a blender to whip up the egg replacer and water so that it’s frothy)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (you can also substitute 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour for a lighter bread, but I like the grainy taste)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan or 9×9 square pan with some Earth Balance or oil.

In a large bowl cream together the two types of sugar and Earth Balance. If you have a stand mixer, go ahead and use it. A hand mixer works well too. If you want a LOT of exercise, you can use a wire whip or fork and a LOT of elbow grease (make sure it’s vegan). Add bananas and mix again. Don’t go crazy. Mix it just enough to so that it’s evenly blended. Add soymilk, vanilla extract and egg replacer mixture and blend together.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add dry ingredients to wet (gradually!) and continue to mix together. Every now and then,  scrape down the sides to incorporate all the yummy bits. When the ingredients are all mixed together fill the greased pan and place on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes. It depends on whether you use a loaf pan or 9×9 square pan. The loaf will take a little longer. However, as with most baked goods, this varies according to the oven, the time of day, the humidity, the air pressure, the cycle of the moon, and who knows what else. Just be sure to check the bread every few minutes after 40 minutes have passed so that you can make sure it’s done (the clean toothpick in the center is always a good measure).

Remove the bread and let it cool for 30 minutes. Cut, garnish with your favorite berries or non-dairy whipped topic (or eat plain), serve, and dig in!

Kyung Sun Won

I swear, it’s not because he is part of a company that has “Wild” in its name… My VeganMoFo Hero of the Week is Kyung Sun Won (or in a more traditional way… Won Kyung Sun). “Who is he?” you may ask. He’s the founder of the Pulmuone Cooperative Farm in South Korea. He transformed 8 acres of “unusable” land into a successful cooperative for growing soy. Twenty-two years later, they adopted an organic farming approach and continued to grow. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Pulmuone was a leader in fresh, natural, organic food and ventured into the USA. In 1995, Won was awarded the UN’s Global 500 Award for Environmental Achievement. More recently, Pulmuone and Wildwood came together in about 2005 (a mere fifty years after Won began this little venture). Pulmuone Wildwood, Inc. are among the leaders of organic soy products.

Prior to learning about the story of Kyung Sun Won, I was a fan of Wildwood tofu, tofu burgers, and soymilk. I recently saw their line of soy yogurt. I had no clue that they also created hummus, aioli, pesto, and tempeh! For a complete list of their products, they have a PDF that also tells their story.

Just imagine starting a cooperative farm on damaged land… adopting organic farming before it was popular… and expanding that small farm into a company that promotes a multitude of soy products. He’s my VeganMoFo Hero of the Week because he helps expose more people to the joys of meatless living and sustainable farming practices.

The Vegan Month of Food (VeganMoFo) participants can be found on the Bloglines VeganMoFo list set up by the good folks at the Post Punk Kitchen. It’s not quite a complete list yet (I wasn’t on at last check), but that’s okay because the Vegan Collection has also produced a list that has us on it! Here’s the Vegan Collection VeganMoFo List. There are some great blogs on this list. As the VeganMoFo continues, I’ll review a few of my favorites. Because of the link, I’ve been checking out the Vegan Collection recently. I love the look of the blog. Very earthy and wholesome. Lots of great information that really pertains to a vegan life and not just food.