The third and final day, rather morning, of our trip to NYC was a quick one we only had a few hours before we had to be at Penn Station to catch our train home. We got up early and made our way to Chelsea/The Meatpacking District. We strolled down 13th Street to Avenue of Americas/6th Ave and stopped in at Murray’s Bagels for a yummy whole wheat everything bagel with veggie tofu cream cheese.
As we made our way back to the subway we stopped in at the Integral Yoga Natural Foods where I picked up some Dr. Cow “Cheese”. The only had the aged cashew but I was happy to find it. We have yet to try it but will next week after our detox. We also picked up some yummy eats for the train ride home; some bbq tofu and a sesame noodle salad.
Although we would have liked to have spent our last hour doing something in NYC before we left we were so exhausted from our night out we went back to the hotel to sleep before checking out and heading to Penn Station to take our 8.5hour train back to VT.
Neil and I have been feeling pretty tired and just not great lately after the rush of the holidays and all the sweet and rich food. We decided its time to jump start things and get back to our (usually) healthy routine so we are going to do a 3 day detox diet starting saturday.
Whether you use this fast as a regular radiance boost or because you’ve just had a weekend of rich food and too much alcohol, you’ll find it’s really worth the effort—just take a look in the mirror 24 hours later to see the difference.
On waking A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Breakfast A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon; a large glass of Radiant Juice; a mug of nettle tea
Midmorning A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Lunch A large glass of Tomato Juice with Garlic and Green Onions; a mug of mint tea
Midafternoon A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Supper Mango, Kiwi, and Pineapple Juice; a mug of nettle tea
Evening Carrot and Beet Juice
Bedtime A mug of lime-blossom tea
2-day cleanse for radıance
Start by following the 24-Hour Cleanse for Radiance regime. On Day 2 have:
On waking A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Breakfast A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon; a large glass of Radiant Juice; a mug of nettle tea
Midmorning A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Lunch A glass of Radiant Lemonade; a mug of mint tea
Midafternoon A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Supper A large bowl of fresh fruit salad, to include apple, pear, grapes, mango, and some berries—but not banana; a handful of raisins—chew them very slowly—and a handful of fresh, unsalted cashews; a mug of mint tea
Evening A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Bedtime A mug of any reputable brand of chamomile tea with a teaspoon of organic honey
3-day cleanse for radiance
When you wake up on day 4 after this cleansing regime, your body will feel lighter, your system cleaner, and your eyes and skin will have a sparkle and luster you haven’t seen in ages. You’ll also be overflowing with all the protective antioxidants you need and you’ll almost certainly have lost more than 2 pounds in weight.
Start by following the 48-Hour Cleanse for Radiance regime. On Day 3 have:
On waking A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon
Breakfast A large glass of hot water with a thick slice of organic unwaxed lemon; fresh fruit salad—a mixture of any of the following: apple, pear, grapes, mango, and pineapple and any berries, with 2/3 cup plain yogurt (soy) with live bacteria and a tablespoon of unsweetened muesli; a cup of weak Indian tea or herb tea midmorning 6 dried apricots; a glass of fruit or vegetable juice
Lunch Watercress Soup with a chunk of crusty wholewheat bread, no butter; a cup of weak Indian tea or herb tea
Midafternoon An apple and a pear
Supper Zucchini Pasta; a salad of tomato, onion, and yellow bell pepper; a cup of weak Indian tea or herb tea
Recipes
Radiant Juice
1 large eating apple, quartered
1 orange, peeled but with some pith
2 large carrots, topped, tailed, and peeled if not organic
1-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced
Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.
Tomato Juice with Garlic and Green Onions
8 large tomatoes
2 fat bulbs green onions, trimmed
4 large sprigs basil
6 large springs oregano
Roughly chop the tomatoes and green onions and put into a blender or food processor with the leaves from the basil and oregano. Whiz until smooth.
Mango, Kiwi, and Pineapple Juice
1 large ripe mango, pitted
4 kiwifruit, peeled
1 medium pineapple, top removed
Simply put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.
Carrot and Beet Juice
4 carrots, topped and tailed
4 medium beets
3 large sprigs basil
Put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth.
Radiant Lemonade
Vitamin A is essential for healthy, radiant skin and you’ll get it in abundance from the carrots in this juice. The bonus comes from the radishes—their natural constituents stimulate the cleansing function of the liver, making this the perfect juice when you’ve been a bit overindulgent or your digestive system seems slightly sluggish.
1 large carrot, topped, tailed, and peeled if not organic
10 radishes, topped and tailed
1 apple, quartered
1 beet, topped and tailed
juice and finely grated zest of 2 lemons
up to 1-1/4 cups naturally sparkling mineral water (optional)
Juice the first 4 ingredients. Add the lemon juice and zest. If you want a longer, fizzy drink, add the mineral water.
Watercress Soup
Watercress is one of the truly great radiant foods. It’s hugely antioxidant, especially protective against lung cancer, and rich in iron, which makes it a key to inner beauty.
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 bunches watercress, with stems
1 quart vegetable stock
3/4 cup plus tbsp. plain yogurt with live bacteria (we are going to use soy yogurt)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion gently until soft. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add the watercress and continue to cook gently until it wilts. Add the stock and simmer for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth. Serve hot or cold with a swirl of yogurt in each bowl.
Zucchini Pasta
14 oz. thin pasta, such a spaghettini
4 medium zucchini, grated
1-1/4-inch piece fresh gingerroot, grated
4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 tsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (we are using nutritional yeast)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups bean sprouts
Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to the package directions. Transfer to a large serving bowl and mix in all the other ingredients. Serve immediately.
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From “The Little Book of Detox Tips for People on the Go” by Michael Van Straten. Copyright Michael Van Straten, Sally Pearce and Quadrille Publishing Ltd. Republished with permission.
Consult your doctor before using any health treatment — including herbal supplements and natural remedies — and tell your doctor if you have a serious medical condition or are taking any medications. The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is in no way intented as substitute for medical counseling
The next morning we decided to start our day early and head downtown to Atlas Café a small café that is known for carrying Vegan Treats as well as providing a number of vegan options. First impression of the café is that it is SMALL very very small so if there are more than 4 people going it probably would be best to plan on getting take out because seating is very cramped and limited. However as you enter this small establishment you will notice boards on either side as well as above the counter that feature an array of items and all vegan items are labeled. Neil and I decided on the vegan bagel with “bacon”, lettuce, tomato and tofu cream cheese on an everything bagel. Neil had fresh squeezed orange juice and I had a soy latte. The bagel sandwich was good nothing fancy or great but it was satisfying. The orange juice was really yummy and the latte was okay it had a nice foam and taste however there wasn’t as much espresso as I would have liked. It would have been nice to try some of their lunch dishes because they had a number of vegan chicken wraps such as a Mediterranean one as well as a Moroccan one. This place was cute, inexpensive and convenient.
Neil and I wandered a bit more in the morning stopping at Earthmatters to check out the shop, here you can get breakfast as well although they have very limited vegan options. We then popped into Cake Shop intending to check out some records however it seems that the café/record shop/bar has eliminated the record shop part of it, however I did notice on our way out that they have vegan cupcakes there. Our big find however was the Economy Candy Bar which Neil just fell in love with. When you walk in it is pretty much floor to ceiling with candy from all over the world, some are packaged and others you can purchase in bulk. Neil and I went on a search for some fun vegan finds and we actually found Chick-O-Stick which is a candy that is vegan that I had read about on a few different message boards but never have been able to find. It is similar in flavor to a Butterfinger minus the chocolate. We picked up a few vegan sweets and headed out to Café 88 for a coffee while we waited for our tour at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum.
We also made a quick stop over to Babycakes before our tour (it’s just around the corner) and picked up a number of goodies: 2 cupcake tops (1 lemon and 1 vanilla), a brownie bite, a cinnamon skinny bun and some day old biscuits. Everything was good, I had read mixed reviews about Babycakes and I have to agree with what most of them said- the cupcakes are pretty dry- however the frosting is good and the brownie and skinny bun so yummy and the biscuits were nice and flakey. Overall I am glad we stopped in and picked up some yummy treats! (I know at this point it seems we were going on a sweets overload, I would like to note though we did not enjoy them all at once).
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is a great place for anyone to visit. They have a number of tours that are available to go on; we decided to on the Getting By Tour which detailed the lives of two different immigrant families that lived in two the apartments in the tenement housing where the museum is located. We were able to see where these families lived and learn about the changes that occurred in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s before the housing unit was closed down. The tour also gave an overview of the neighborhood and the focus of this tour was on how immigrants, specifically the two families they featured, got by during their time in the housing and in the neighborhood. It was really interesting and I would love to take another tour to learn more about the housing and immigration during this time. If you aren’t able to take a tour but are in the area you should definitely stop into their museum store it is filled with books and different things that are really interesting, I wanted to buy every book in there.
After our adventure to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum we decided to stop at Moo Shoes which is just next door to it. We went in looked around some but overall felt very unimpressed about what we saw. There were some Natalie Portman, Te Casan, shoes there that I wanted but for $250 they were not in my budget.
For lunch we decided to have dim sum at Buddha Bodia over on Mott Street in Chinatown. We stepped in and were quickly seated in a cafeteria like dining room that had tons of table squished in next to each other. They have an extensive menu of non-dim sum items however we went for the dim sum which you marked on a sheet of paper which ones you wanted, either small, medium, large or one of the specialties. We ordered the spring rolls, the bbq veggie meat, the veggie meat sticky rice roll and the sui mai. These were all so yummy! The BBQ Veggie Meat was so yummy and had a great texture. The Sticky Rice Roll was not exactly what we expected and our first impression was that it was going to be slimly because it was shiny and slippery looking. It was surprisingly good and not slimy. The Spring Rolls were your standard veggie spring rolls filled with bean sprouts, veggie meat and mushrooms, however although good nothing amazing. I would say the same thing with the sui mai they were very good but nothing incredible. The couple next too us got the fried stuffed eggplant and it look amazing I wish we had tried that. We ended our meal with the most luscious amazing desert ever…”it makes you go I can’t believe this is vegan!”…the vegan cheesecake. This was incredible, and it has the same taste and texture as a traditional cheesecake. This one really makes you wonder if they are telling the truth that it is vegan or not because it is so like the traditional kind.
After this Neil and I wondered around Chinatown some and then headed to the West Village to hit up some record shops. After spending a few more ours wandering around we headed back to our hotel to relax and have a drink at the hotel bar before dinner with a friend of mine and her boyfriend.
Later that evening we headed back to the West Village and went to Generation Records where Neil picked up 6 new records for his birthday. We then made our way to Red Bamboo for Neil’s birthday dinner. The Manhattan location is very small with limited seating. It was also very drafty which made for a chilly dining experience, also chilly was the waitstaff. We started our meal with the BBQ Buffalo Wings and the Rice Paper Rolls; the wings were fine the sauce was missing the spice you would expect from an item called a buffalo wing but overall they were good. The Rice Paper rolls were slimy and pretty much awful there was hardly anything in them and what was in them was too much ginger, it just overwhelmed the roll completely. For dinner I got the Voodoo Sticks which I heard were really good, Neil got the Tofu Club, and our friends both ordered vegetable stirfrys. Going into mine I had expected the rice and veggies to be bland and boring….but the Voodoo Sticks (veggie meat on a stick) I had heard were super tasty….but they weren’t. They were super dried out and boring. They rice although bland was kind of nice. The veggie were fine except for the two giant carrots that were not cooked enough to cut up and eat with my fork and I wasn’t about to pick it up and start chomping down on it. Neil’s sandwich was okay nothing great. The bread however was awful- they used conventional sliced bread which just got soggy and fell apart. The veggie bacon boring, the tofu overcooked and rubbery. The only really good thing on Neil’s plate where the crispy fries. My friend’s black bean ginger stir fry was probably the best tasting thing on the table …..but how can you really mess up stir fry that involves adding some ginger and black bean sauce? I have to say I was really disappointed and would never return to the Manhattan location of Red Bamboo…maybe next time we head to Brooklyn.
We ended our night at this really interesting bar called Madame X “A boudoir-themed bar with miniscule cocktails and a gigantic attitude problem” although poorly reviewed/described by New York Magazine this place was nice on a Sunday night. It was quiet and there were lots of couches to sit on in this dimly lit bar. We had some strong drinks that were decently priced and it was great to people watch and socialize. I am not sure how it is M-Sat but it was nice and quiet on a Sunday night.
This weekend Neil and I went on an adventure to NYC for Neil’s 28th Birthday. We took the train from Vermont to NYC (Neil’s desire and the most affordable; however I have to admit it was nice to sit back and relax). We had to start our night off with a big slice of pizza from Two Boots at Grand Central Station . Having done a little (okay a lot) of research for our trip I had read that they always had at least one vegan pizza that you could get a slice of (there are a few others that you can order an entire pie). We got the Earth Mother Vegan slice that was topped with mushrooms, onions, peppers, spinach and sauce. It was on a Sicilian crust and was very yummy!
Our first night, following our slice of pizza, we went to Chennai Garden a vegetarian Indian restaurant that specializes in Southern Indian cuisine. The menu was great it clearly identified which items had dairy in them so vegans or those who do not eat dairy could avoid them without having to ask which dishes include dairy (which is great). We started with some pakoras, they were nice and crispy and served with two different chutneys one tomato and the other cilantro. I dived into the cilantro chutney, my favorite, but we never have it unless the dish comes with it because Neil doesn’t care for cilantro. For our main dishes we chose the Chennai Rava Masala Dosai rava dosai with a hot and spicy potato filling and the Mushroom Onion and Garlic Utthappam Neither of us had ever experienced Southern Indian food so this was a treat to try something new. The dosa was spicy and filled with a potato mixture; it was served with sambar and a coconut chutney. It was so yummy and nice to just sit there and eat with your hands dipping into the different sauce and chutney. The utthappam Also came with the sambar and the coconut chutney but it also came with another chutney that was delicious! Overall this was a great experience and the food was amazing! The place is small and loud and crowded but it doesn’t take away from the dining experience rather it adds to the lively atmosphere and yummy food. Also I would like to note that all food is made to order so it is fresh! Neil would have eaten here all weekend had we not had a million other things to do and places to try. We almost didn’t even go here because we were hesitant on whether Indian would be too heavy on our bellies since we were doing Top of the Rock later that evening but we both are glad we did!
Top of the Rock was an amazing experience that gives you the opportunity to view all of the city. For those of you have experience the Empire State Building and are like done it seen it, over it. I would ignore all of those feelings and try Top of the Rock, it is a whole new experience (trust me I was one of those Empire State Building-done it over it people) but this was great. You have three different levels that you can visit and so long as it is a clear night (luckily for us it was) you will have an amazing view of the entire city. They also have four 4min videos that talk about Rockefeller Plaza and the history of the area. This place is great for families, friends, or couples (trust me at night it is so romantic).
Since work is slow….
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Got married.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t recall making any.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
my cousin’s wife had a baby girl
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, USA.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
travel.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 31- my wedding day.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
graduating. getting married. getting a job.
9. What was your biggest failure?
not getting a job in my field.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
nope
11. What was the best thing you bought?
train tickets to NYC
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my husbands- he is doing amazing at his new(ish) job and got a raise!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
a number of people.
14. Where did most of your money go?
moving. wedding. honeymoon.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
my wedding.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
anything chuck ragan.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:_a) happier or sadder?_b) thinner or fatter?_c) richer or poorer?
a) Happier.
b) Neither: i have stayed the same but hope to get more fit this year and loose some weight
c) richer: i am no longer a student and have a full time job
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travel. spent time with friends.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Surfing the internet.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
with my parents, grandmother, husband and cat.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
i am in love
22. What was your favorite TV program?
old episodes of Third Watch.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
no.
24. What was the best book you read?
The American Empire.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The What Cheer Birgade.
26. What did you want and get?
a honeymoon.
27. What did you want and not get?
a job in my field
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
um….across the universe.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
i flew out of my honeymoon, 23
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
getting a job in my field.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
attempt to be stylish but lots of wear to work clothes and jeans
32. What kept you sane?
My husband
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Jim Sturgess.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
All of them—the war in Iraq, the environment, the economy, healthcare, human rights, animal rights.
35. Who did you miss?
My friends who moved away and that we moved away from.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
um i have no idea. we haven’t met many people here yet.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
make time to relax.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
what?
For the holiday we had my parents and grandmother down and we had a huge feast the featured the various items from our CSA.
For Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Applsauce Pancakes with Homemade Tempeh Bacon
For Appetizers:
Spinach Dip with Veggies
1-12oz container of Sour Supreme
½ C vegenaise
1pkg of vegetable soup mix (I used Lipton)
1 box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
Mix all ingredients and let sit overnight. Serve with veggies
Sausage Rolls with Assorted Mustards adapted from http://www.vegcooking.com/recipeshow.asp?RequestID=902&Search=sausage+rolls
1 packet puffed pastry dough
Dijon mustard, to taste
2/3 package of Gimme Lean “Sausage”
• Roll out a packet of puffed pastry dough (like JusRol) to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rectangles and spread each with Dijon mustard.
• Wrap the pastry rectangles around “sausage” and bake at 425°F/220°C/Gas Mark 7 for 10 minutes, then cut each into several pieces.
For Dinner:
Roasted Celeriac, Cipolini Onions and Carrots (all produce from CSA)
2 small bulbs of celeriac, peeled and chopped into large chucks
4 large cipolini onions, chopped into large chunks
10 large carrots, chopped into large chucks
3 huge cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive oil to coat
Mashed Potatoes with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Shallots
Toss the celeriac, onions, carrots and garlic with the salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake at 425F for 45 min.
Mushroom, Lentil, and Wild Rice Timbales adapted from- http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/11/mushroom-lentil-and-wild-rice-timbales.html
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large slices bread
2 cups mushrooms, quartered (about 10 large)
1/2 cup light silken tofu
3 cloves garlic, quartered
1 tablespoon sherry2 tablespoons water
1 cup lentils, cooked
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 fresh sage leaves minced
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup wild rice, cooked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Make ahead: 1 cup wild rice (about 1/2 cup before cooking)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray 6 ramekins with canola oil or cooking spray and have ready a large baking pan that will hold them (9×13-inch should work). Place one nice-looking mushroom slice in the bottom of each ramekin, if desired.
Saute the onion in a non-stick pan until it begins to brown. Set aside.
Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until it turns to crumbs. Add the mushrooms, tofu, garlic, sherry, and water and blend until fairly smooth. Add the lentils and process again until smooth. Add the tomato paste, herbs, cornstarch, and salt and process until well-blended. Add the onions to the processor and pulse to include them but do not over-process (you want them to retain some texture.)Scrape the contents of the food processor into a bowl and add the cooked wild rice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.Divide the mixture among the oiled ramekins and smooth the tops with a spoon. Set the ramekins in the large baking dish and add hot water to the dish, taking care not to splash it into the ramekins.Bake, uncovered, until tops are brown and crusty and middles seem moderately firm when pressed with a finger–about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and invert the ramekins onto serving plates. Serve with your favorite mushroom gravy
1/2 onion, minced
10 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
3 fresh sage leaves minced
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup plain soy creamer
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk the soy creamer and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/11/best-vegan-green-bean-casserole.html
Beans- I prefer to stick to what I had as a child, French style canned green beans however feel free to use fresh, frozen or regular canned green beans.
Sauce:
10 ounces mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
generous pinch cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup vegetable broth (I used Imagine’s No-Chicken)
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 cup soy creamer
Trim and discard the mushroom stems and chop the mushrooms into pieces. Spray a non-stick pan with canola oil and heat it. Add the mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft and exude their juices. Whisk the flour into the vegetable broth and add to the mushrooms along with the sherry. Simmer, stirring, until mixture thickens. Add the soy creamer and simmer until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.
Topping- Again, I stick to traditional and use plain ol’ french fried onions which I mix some into the beans and sauce and use the remaining to top it.
To assemble:
Put the green beans into an oiled casserole dish, mix with ½ the French fried onions and top with the remaining French fried onions. Bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes.
Organic Spiced Cranberry Sauce– Recipe can be found at http://foodietots.com/2008/11/20/organic-spiced-cranberry-sauce/
Cranberries from our CSA
Ingredients:
1 12 ounce bag organic fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup apple cider
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Berries will pop and burst. Don’t worry if it is still slightly runny, it will set up more as it cools. Remove from heat and cool; refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes the equivalent of one can, but tastes infinitely better! Enjoy!
Herb Pull Apart Rolls– adapted from http://www.cooksrecipes.com/bread/herb_pull_apart_rolls_recipe.html
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup melted earth balance
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon dill
In a mixer bowl add yeast, warm water and sugar until bubbles start to form around the edges.
To the bowl add salt, thyme, oregano and dill.
Attach the dough hook to the mixer and turn to speed 2 and mix for 1 minute or until everything is well blended.
Now continue at speed 2 and add flour in 1/2 cup increments and mix for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a bowl and cover it. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it rise for about an hour or until it doubles in size.
Now punch the dough down.
Make sure you flour your work surface and rolling pin, and roll the dough into a small disk.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and divide each piece again into 6 equal pieces and roll those pieces into 36 small balls.
Put three balls into each greased muffin pan and cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12 rolls.
For Dessert:
Vegan Pumpkin Pie – Adapted from http://veganvisitor.wordpress.com/2007/11/19/good-gourd/
PUMPKIN “CUSTARD”
1 1/2 cups canned Pumpkin
1 1/2 cups Soy Milk
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
Pinch of Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves
Pinch Freshly Ground Nutmeg
In a large bowl, whisk together soy milk and cornstarch until smooth.Add the pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices; mix well.
To make Vegan Pumpkin Pie:
1 Vegan Pie Crust
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.Roll out to a single crust, dock the pastry with a fork and blind bake for 10 – 15, or until light golden in color.Prepare the basic custard and pour into the crust.Bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes.Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing
Fruit Cake Muffins from VegNews
Gingerbread Cookies