VeganMoFo Day Twenty-Three: (Refined Sugar-Free) Date Squares

This is the first time I've made up my own recipe using liquid sweetener instead of regular sugar, and I am overwhelmingly pleased with the results. This is loosely inspired by a recipe in The Meatless Gourmet: Favorite Recipes from Around the World, except I pretty much changed the entire thing.  I had intended on using all agave nectar in it, but I didn't have enough on hand, so I used 1/2 agave nectar and 1/2 maple syrup. I think either sweetener would work fine.

(Refined Sugar-Free) Date Squares

cake:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 tablespoons canola oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• egg replacement equivalent to two eggs (I used Ener-g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup dates, pitted and finely chopped

topping:

• 1/2 cup dates, pitted and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon orange peel zest
• 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped

1) Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan (or coat with cooking spray).

2) In a large bowl combine all cake ingredients, except dates, and beat until there are no lumps. Stir in dates. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

3) Bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden and a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan completely on a wire rack.

4) While cake is cooling, prepare topping. Combine all topping ingredients, except walnuts, in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.  

5) Spread topping evenly over cake, then sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cut into squares to serve.

Serves 16

This was also my first time using real dates, and not the type that come in bags (it's been a long time since I made anything with dates though). They taste so much better.

VeganMoFo Day Twenty-Two: Scalloped Potatoes for One

This recipe is similar to one my family used to make on a regular basis. I veganized it and we make it pretty often. I reduced the portions today to make a single serving. Not trying to brag, but these are pretty perfect. The nutritional yeast makes such a nice creamy filling, and really is a perfect replacement for cheese.

Scalloped Potatoes for One

• 1 small potato, sliced thin
• about 1/5 medium onion, sliced into rings
• 3 tbsp cup non-dairy milk of choice (I used soy milk)
• 2-3 tbsp flour
• 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp vegan margarine, refrigerated and chopped into small squares
• salt & pepper, to taste

1) Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400°. Lightly oil a small oven-safe dish (mine is 380ml, or 2/3 cup).

2) Layer potatoes onions, milk (1/2 tablespoon at a time), flour (also 1/2 tablespoon at a time), nutritional yeast (also 1/2 tablespoon at a time..), margarine (a few pieces at a time), salt, and pepper. Continue layering, ending with potatoes drizzled with nondairy milk.

3) Bake for 40 minutes, or until top layer is crispy.

VeganMoFo Days 19, 20, and 21: Spinach Tofu Frittata

I'm very disappointed in myself for going several days without posting here (and for my last several posts being incredibly lame). I am so busy, it's not even funny anymore. I cannot wait for this month to be over and for things to start calming down again! Today was the first time I had the opportunity to cook an actual meal, with a side dish and everything, in what feels like forever. I made stuffed peppers using this recipe, only I used barley instead of rice, and dried herbs instead of fresh (fresh herbs are one thing I really miss about summer); I added some diced onions to the filling too. As a side dish, I made this frittata, mostly because I was looking for a creative way to add protein to my meal. I used Isa's recipe for Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata from her book Vegan With A Vengeance as a general guideline, but I changed it enough that I feel okay posting it online. It was absolutely wonderful. I'd never had a frittata before I was vegan, so I'm not sure how close this is to the real thing, but even if it's not, it's still a great dish. It works well as a side, but I could imagine it'd be good for breakfast too.

Spinach Tofu Frittata

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu (about 14 oz), drained and pressed
• 3/4 tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 package frozen spinach (about 5 oz), defrosted with excess liquid drained
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 400°F.

2) In a large bowl, crumble tofu with your fingers, squishing it until it looks sort of like ricotta cheese. Add soy sauce, mustard, and nutritional yeast and mix well.

3) In a non-stick skillet (if you have an 8-inch oven safe skillet, use that! If not, that's fine), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft and slightly transparent.

4) Add spinach and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, turmeric, and lemon juice and remove from heat.

5) Add onion mixture to tofu and stir to combine.

6) If you used an oven-safe skillet, then place tofu in the skillet and firmly mash it down. If you used a regular pan, then place the tofu in a pie dish and firmly mash it down.

7) Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Set oven to broil setting and bake for another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 4

And here is a photo of my kitten Boo, because he is cute.

VeganMoFo Day Eighteen

This post is ridiculously long and not that interesting, so I apologize in advance.

I loved today because I finally didn't have driver's ed! I went on a long walk with my best friend which was lovely because I hadn't seen her in a while. I didn't really take any fantastic photos, but trust me, it was very pretty out today.

We saw like 8,000 geese (actually, 111, if you want to be exact)...flying in the wrong direction. 

I got some herbs from my acupuncturist (I know she has a more official title than that, but I don't remember it) today. They will work along with my acupuncture treatment to hopefully help continue to reduce my psoriasis (amongst other things). I've been surprisingly pleased with the acupuncture so far, as I've been able to fall asleep much easier than before (only a week ago it took me several hours to fall asleep, but now it's significantly better). Even though they look like potpourri, the herbs literally smell like a pile of sticks and dirt, and the tea it makes tastes terrible, but I'm still going to try it anyway because I really trust it will work. Let's see how long I can force myself to drink two cups of this stuff a day.

My cat climbed onto my shoulder and spent most of the evening there. It's cute, but he weighs far more than any cat should and my shoulder killed after a while. Pretty sure the only reason he wanted to be held was so he could get a better view of the food in the kitchen. He's ridiculous.

I finally got to cook dinner again! I got home from my walk just as my mom was starting to cook, so I promptly took over, of course. She/I made Cuban-style black beans, out of the cookbook Vegan Planet. My parents both love that cookbook, and almost everything they've made from it has been great; I don't tend to use it very often though because there's no pictures and I can't stand looking for recipes just by looking at the titles. It's a pretty basic recipe, beans, peppers, onions, and the usual veggies cooked with some chili powder and a few other ingredients (not saying both because it's not my recipe and I honestly can't remember), and I served it on top of a mixed grain mix. It was a pretty perfect meal actually.

VeganMoFo Day Seventeen

I don't have much interesting to post, as, like always, driver's ed interfered with the time I would normally spend cooking dinner. I made a pretty delicious lunch, but of course my camera was dead and I forgot to write to down what I put in it. I used barley for the first time, and it's probably my new favorite grain; I've been getting tired of always using rice and quinoa, so it's nice to use something new. Basically, I simmered the barley for 1 hour, then threw some chopped veggies (pepper, onion, carrots) and continued to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the veggies were soft. I added a handful of fresh spinach and stirred in a large spoonful of peanut butter, 1 clove garlic, splash of liquid amino, splash of lemon juice, small amount of agave, and a very small amount of ginger (basically the same as this sauce). For dinner, my mom made a full-sized version of this shepherd's pie.

I really hate the fact that I have driver's ed during the entire Vegan Month of Food.

VeganMoFo Day Sixteen: Sugar-Free Stuffed Baked Apples

I have to admit that I didn't make these, but my mom did. And I'm not gonna lie, it was really nice to wake up to the aroma of baked apples filling the house. They were remarkably sweet, and I actually didn't believe her at first when she said there was any sugar in them at all (not even syrup!). I ate mine by itself and it was great that way, however, you could top it with some apple butter or maple butter or granola or vegan whipped cream or ice cream if you'd like. The recipe is originally from the book More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally; I have mixed feelings about that book because every time I've made something from it, it's been disgusting, but whatever my mom makes is fantastic. She did change the amounts a bit, which is surprising for her, because she always follows recipes religiously. And I'm glad she did, because the apples were perfect!

Also, on a side note, most exciting thing that happened in Maine today (or like, in 14 years) was a 4.6 earthquake, with the epicenter five miles from my home. It was pretty crazy! I've never experienced an earthquake until now. My poor kitties are still terrified though, two hours later. :(

Sugar-Free Stuffed Baked Apples

• 4 apples
• 1 cup apple cider (or juice)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg

1) Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish or other dish large enough to hold 4 apples.

2) Core the apples from the top, stopping 1 inch from the bottom.  Peel the top quarter section of each apple. Put the apples in the baking dish, and pour the juice over them.

3) Mix the raisins, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl.  Spoon the mixture into the apples and sprinkle any leftover filling in the bottom of the baking dish.

4) Cover the apples with a sheet of parchment paper and overwrap with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover the dish and baste the apples with the pan juices. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until the apples are tender but not mushy. The total baking time will depend of the variety of apple.

5) Remove the baking dish from the oven. Serve the apples warm, spooning some of the pan juice over each.

VeganMoFo Day Fifteen: Butternut Squash Mac & Cheeze

Today I spent three hours in driver's ed, then immediately two hours afterwards driving, so again I didn't really have any free time. However, I did get to make this for lunch, and it took surprisingly little time to make. It was very good, probably one of the best vegan mac & cheeze recipes I've made (and I've made a lot!). It almost tasted a little too bland though, so I'd add a bit more of the flavorings than called for (nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt & pepper, etc.). Still, overall, this sauce was great. I also cooked some spinach with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, because that always is good with macaroni.

RECIPE HERE

VeganMoFo Day Fourteen: Multigrain Bread

I haven't made bread many times in my life (or anything requiring yeast really), but lately I've been becoming a pretty pro baker. The only bread sold at my grocery store that meets my standards costs far too much money, so making my own has been a nice alternative. I usually make two or more loaves and just freeze the extras until I'm ready to use them. This recipe is originally found here, but I modified it a very small amount (and I basically plagiarized the entire recipe though, so I am not taking any credit for myself!). If you don't have the exact types of grains this recipe calls for, that's fine - you can use poppy seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, millet, quinoa, or basically whatever you want and happen to have on hand. If you don't want to use three types of flours, that's also fine. You can use just whole wheat or just all-purpose if you want; I would recommend at least making sure you use the 2 cups bread flour though, because it really is much better with it.

Multigrain Bread

• 1 2/3 cup nondairy milk (I used soy)
• 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup wheat germ
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 packages active dry yeast (or about 4 1/2 tsp)
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup canola oil, or other mild-tasting oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 tbsp brown rice syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 2 tsp flaxseeds
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour + extra 1/2 cup for kneading

Topping: 

• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp quick-cooking oats

1) To prepare dough, cook the non-dairy milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles forn around edge (do not boil!). Remove from heat.  

2) Combine oats, wheat germ, and cornmeal in a large bow. Stir in scalded milk. Cool until warm. 

3) Combine 1 1/2 cups bread flour and yeast in a separate bowl, stirring with a whisk. 

4) Add to milk mixture and stir well to combine. Immediately add water and next 8 ingredients (through salt). Stir until well blended.

5) Add 1/2 cup bread flour, all-purpose flour, and 1 cup whole wheat flour to milk mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.  

6) Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest 5 minutes.  Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes), adding enough remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

7) Oil dough and place in a large greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, for 1 hour or until doubled in size (Press two fingers into dough.  If indentation remains, dough has risen enough). Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.  

8)  Divide dough in half.  Working with one portion at a time, roll each portion into a 13- x 7-inch rectangle on a floured surface.  Roll up each rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal.  Place each roll, seam side down, in a greased 8- x 4-inch loaf pan.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough). 

9) Preheat oven to 375°. 

10) To prepare topping, combine milk, water, and ground flaxseeds in a small bowl; brush over loaves.  Combine poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and oats in a small bowl, then sprinkle mixture over loaves.

11) Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake 20 minutes or until loaves are browned on bottom and sound hollow when tapped.  Remove from pan; cool on wire racks.

VeganMoFo Day Thirteen

Oh whoops totally forgot about VeganMoFo today. Um. I ate an Amy's black bean vegetable burrito for lunch, which was fabulous. I wish I could afford to eat Amy's products for lunch every day!

My dad made a marinara sauce in the slow cooker all afternoon that we ate on spaghetti for dinner, and it was also fabulous. 

I guess we were just eating fabulous food today.

VeganMoFo Day Twelve: Orange Tofu Stir-Fry

I threw this together for dinner because I was craving rice (apparently that's possible??). This was one of the first recipes I ever made as a vegan, and it's one I'll always keep. The tofu tastes best if you cook it separately the same way I explain in this recipe. I also added in 1/2 cup snap peas and 1 cup broccoli florets. In the sauce, instead of brown sugar, I used brown rice syrup and doubled the amount of the corn starch mixture; however, I think it tastes best if you stick with the brown sugar version.

RECIPE HERE 

VeganMoFo Day Eleven: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I finally had to give in to my cravings and make something using actual sugar. Even though I got a stomach ache (only because I don't handle sugar well, not because of the recipe!), these were completely worth it. I guess when I read the recipe, I missed the note at the beginning saying these are not similar to traditional whoopie pies, and are more like cookies than cakes; I was a bit surprised (especially growing up in New England where whoopie pies are one of the main food groups at all major events), however, these are completely fantastic just the way they are. The only adjustments I made were non-hydrogenated margarine instead of shortening because I never seem to have shortening on hand, and an extra cup of powdered sugar because it was too liquidy without it.

RECIPE HERE

Also, just an update from yesterday, I tried my Daysoft contacts today, and I love them. They are just as comfortable as my last brand, if not better, and I can see perfectly with them. For sure changing to this brand permanently!

VeganMoFo Day Ten

Well, yet again, I don't really have anything worthwhile to post. I've been so busy lately, especially with driver's ed interfering with when I would be cooking. So for dinner today I just threw together a bunch of things (pasta, tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic, onion, pepper, kalamata olives, pine nuts, and spinach), and it turned out pretty well. I was super hungry though and didn't take a picture.

I went to an acupuncturist for the first time today (actually, I've had acupuncture twice before, but only through a place I had physical therapy, not an actual appointment), and hopefully it should help my psoriasis. I've always had such better results in health problems through naturopathy than western medicine, so I'm interested to see if this works for me.

Today I also received a bunch of mail-order items I've been waiting for! First, I got Animal Liberation, and I don't know if I'll get around to reading it soon, but I mostly got it because it seems like it's a book all vegans read at some point.

Second, a month's supply of Daysoft contact lenses. I researched for a while, and as far as I can tell, they're the only contact brand that doesn't test on animals. I hate wearing glasses (convenience reasons, not vanity), but I hate buying contacts that I know animals have needlessly suffered for, so I am overjoyed to find this brand. There's more pros to Daysoft too, like they're remarkably inexpensive (I'll be saving about $75 or more compared to my old brand for a three-month supply). The lenses themselves are in more efficient packages, so there's a lot less waste involved. This brand really seems like a godsend - now I just have to wait to try them out tomorrow and see if they even work with my eyes. [update: I tried the contacts and love them! They are so much more comfortable than my old brand and easier to put in. And they don't dry out, even if I accidentally fall asleep wearing them. I am definitely going to continue purchasing my lenses from Daysoft.]

And lastly, I received some makeup I ordered from e.l.f., another cruelty-free brand. I've pretty much always buy Almay products, because they're sold everywhere and apparently don't test on animals, but they still include various animal ingredients so I decided it was time for a change. E.l.f.'s website states, "We do NOT test on animals or endorse such practices. Our products do not contain animal derived ingredients. Beeswax has been replaced by synthetic beeswax and lanolin has been replaced by Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladinpale-2." Their prices are also fantastic ($1 mascara?!), and a quick Google search should be able to provide you with a coupon code for 50% off or free shipping. I tried some of it out, and like it all for the most part. My only complaint would be that it's lighter than I had expected. Like, the eyeliner I usually use shows up as a deep brown, but this was really pale (it still looks nice, and works well, just not what I wanted); I will probably try black eyeliner instead next time. The waterproof mascara applies wonderfully! As does the concealer. I didn't order any eyeshadow because I already have an overabundance of eyeshadow at home, but I'll try it someday!

Well, considering I didn't even have a recipe to post, this has turned out much longer than I thought it would.

VeganMoFo Day Nine: Curried Autumn Vegetables

Finally, I was able to cook again today! I made this for lunch and it was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself. My mom added extra broth to hers and made a soup, and it actually turned out really well. 

Curried Autumn Vegetables

• 1/2 butternut squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup broth, plus more as needed
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp curry powder
• dash cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed

1) Heat broth over medium heat until boiling in a non-stick pan. Add potatoes and squash and cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft, adding more broth as needed.

2) Add garbanzo beans, pepper, carrots, garlic, and onion and cook for several minutes, until carrots are soft, again adding more broth as needed.

3) Stir in ginger, curry, cayenne, coconut, tomato sauce, and spinach and cook until tomato sauce begins gently bubbling.

4) Serve as is or over rice, quinoa, or other grain, or spread on a buckwheat pancake (I'd post a recipe for those if I had one, but I use a pre-made mix)

Serves 4

VeganMoFo Day Eight

Another busy day! I didn't have time for any cooking, however I reheated some herb scalloped potatoes. They don't look that pretty in this picture, but they tasted great. My dad actually cooked them, and I'm not 100% sure which recipe he used, but I'm pretty sure it was this one (and it's by Isa Chandra, so obviously it's good).  While I don't mind eating leftovers and PB&Js, I'm definitely ready to do some cooking tomorrow - it's been too long! 
Tonight I went to a Regina Spektor concert and literally had the greatest time. Standing in the cold for two hours (while drinking some coffee with soy milk by the fabulous Coffee By Design) paid off because we got front row directly in front of the piano bench. Regina has been one of my favorite musicians since I was maybe 11 or 12, and it doesn't even seem real that I got to see her. She is actually the most beautiful person alive. Everything about the show was perfect. Only Son (her husband) was great too, and I really hope they have children someday because those kids would be the most talented people to ever live.
Excuse me for posting this poor quality phone photo that really has nothing to do with veganism. And excuse the awful light for washing out her beautiful face. 

VeganMoFo Day Seven

Lots of things happened today and I definitely didn't feel up to cooking anything, so I'm afraid this won't be much of a post. I went out for lunch at Sebago Brewing Company and ordered the falafel burger, only I got it with hummus instead of tzatziki. It was fantastic, as usual.
I'm sorry, I'll try to make a better post tomorrow!

VeganMoFo Day Six: Refined Sugar-free Apple Crisp

Today was such a nice day. It finally stopped raining and the weather was beautiful. I went for a drive through what is probably one of the prettiest areas in the state of Maine, at least in autumn. The leaves are all in their full colors, and it's just so gorgeous. I'm so thankful I live in New England.

Usually, I would have made at least 7,000 apple desserts by this time in fall, but for some reason I haven't this year. I guess since I've been trying to avoid refined sugars, the thought of baking just doesn't sound that appealing to me. But I'd been craving apple crisp for a while, which seemed unfortunate because I didn't think it'd be possible to use liquid sweeteners for something crisp. However, this turned out fabulously. I really would recommend using brown rice syrup, as maple syrup and agave would probably be too liquidy (you could try reducing the amount, but don't expect it to be perfect...); I'm probably very biased though, because brown rice syrup is basically the love of my life.

NOTE: I made this again later using an equal amount of maple syrup instead of the brown rice syrup, and it worked perfectly! Brown rice syrup is still my favorite, but if you don't have any on hand, that's not a problem at all.

(Refined Sugar-Free) Apple Crisp

• 5 apples, either chopped into 1-inch chunks or sliced (most recipes say sliced, but I like chopped better)
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other mild-tasting oil..or maybe melted coconut oil if you want that flavor)
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1/4 cup apple cider or water

1) Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly oil a 10x10" casserole dish.

2) In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut flakes, pecans, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add vanilla, oil, and brown rice syrup and stir until completely combined (if it still won't stick together, add more syrup, one tablespoon at a time).

3) Place apples in dish. Using your hands, crumble the oat-syrup topping over the apples. Pour apple cider evenly over dish.

4) Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the juice is bubbling and the topping is crispy. Let cool before serving. Always good with a scoop of vanilla vegan ice cream or some vegan whipped cream!

VeganMoFo Day Five: Shepherd's Pie for One

I had very busy day! I started the morning babysitting, had a short break in the afternoon where I cooked lunch and tried to do some school, then went to my first driver's ed class, and finally ended the day by going to see Anything Goes at a local theater production group. I am exhausted and writing this at midnight, so I apologize for any mistakes (which are always regrettable when writing a recipe..). I normally make a full-sized shepherd's pie but I cut it down to a single-serving today.

Shepherd's Pie for One

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 3 baby carrots or 1/2 carrot
• 2 tsp ketchup or tomato paste
• 2 tsp Bragg's, soy sauce, or tamari
• 1 tbsp broth
• dash of thyme
• dash of marjoram
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup seitan, chopped (baked tofu or a chicken substitute would work too)
• 1 tbsp vegan cheddar "cheese", shredded (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp peas
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1 potato or small sweet potato, mashed
• dash of paprika

1) Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 375°. 

2) Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, and carrots and cook until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes.  

3) Stir in ketchup, Bragg's, broth, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper, and cook for about 1 minute.

4) Spoon the mixture into a small greased oven-safe dish (I used 380ml dish, or 1 2/3 cups) 

5) Stir in the seitan, peas, walnuts, and vegan cheese, if using.  

5) Spread the mashed potatoes on top, then sprinkle with paprika.

6) Bake until the potato is hot and beginning to get crisp, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before eating.


flickr