Cajun Jambalaya - Veganized!

I have to give credit where credit is due. Prior to going vegetarian, I dug Emeril Lagasse's recipes and his show on The Food Network. I did have to tune out the overuse of "BAM!" but to see some of his New Orleans works of food art made me smile. Being part South Carolinian thanks to Momma Mac, I am always appreciative, as someone who has NEVER had Cajun or Creole food in my life.

I've always wanted to try Jambalaya, and not from a Zataran's box. The closest I've had is the South Carolinian version that was more like paella except with spicy red rice. A "boil" of shellfish and sausage mixed into the rice with some shredded chicken was something my family looked forward to having for Sunday dinners and leftovers. BUT, it wasn't Jambalaya.

This year, Artie and I decided we were going to have our own little Mardi Gras foodie feast. The only thing I could think of making was Jambalaya. And with that, I sought out an Emeril Lagasse recipe for it, because I knew it would be awesome for omnivores. So, how would I veganize it? It actually was pretty simple.

The chicken was replaced with Soy Curls. Ponzu-marinated tofu strips substituted for the shrimp. I used some Tofurky Italian sausages in place of the Andouille sausage. I also halved the olive oil, and used ground tellicherry instead or standard black pepper. That was it!

The end result? Some pretty darn good Louisiana vegan cuisine! Multi-layered, full of flavor. And the bonus was that we got a second recipe from Emeril for his Creole seasoning which yielded a lot. So, we can make this again!

Now, I'm going to New Orleans this summer. I wonder where we can go for some good ole Louisiana VEGAN cooking. Anyone have suggestions?

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Doing Good with The Queer Vegan Cookbook!

Sarah E. Brown has an awesome blog called Queer Vegan Food. It's full of great recipes and insights on adopting a plant-based diet and preventing animal cruelty. With such a cool site chock full of information, it's great to see Sarah take her blog to the next level with a great charity cookbook project whose end result was just released today called The Queer Vegan Cookbook.

So many great recipes from some pretty amazing vegan chefs and bloggers. You'll be introduced to interesting and intriguing food combinations and mouth-watering meals. While you're going through the visual deliciousness in this e-book, you'll realize that you're doing some good as you go through each page! All proceeds are being donated to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary (Artie...we need to make another trip there soon!)

Photo Credit: Sarah E. Brown, QueerVeganFood.com

I've already read through it, and have "marked" which recipes we're going to try first, but I'm not going to tell you which ones. Get the book, enjoy the recipes and do some good!

Buy your copy today!

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Soy Curls from Butler Foods

Spencer’s Market is an online site that’s chock full of vegan products. As Mac perused the site one fine evening, she came across a product called Soy Curls made by Butler Foods. According to Butler Foods website, "Soy Curls are made from delicately textured select, non-GMO, whole soybeans," and are "all natural alternative to meat that are heart healthy, delicious and easy to use."  Seeing how they looked, and how others have used them, we decided to order a bag. 

...And are we glad we did!

At first, Mac thought they were weird. The curls looked like some sort of fried "sticks" that smelled like cereal. But if you know us, you know we're not afraid to try new things. So, Mac followed the directions to soak the curls in water for about 10 minutes, drain and then use as we wish. She figured out that after all was ready, we had about 4.5 cups to use in a variety of dishes. 

First, Mac took about a cup and a 1/2 (2 servings) to make delicious Sunday lunch of spicy, sweet kale, curls cooked in salsa and then topped with a dollop of vegan queso and sour cream. We were surprised by chewy, not rubbery, texture. We expected the curls to taste more like basic tofu, but they were full of flavor.

We enjoyed our lunch so much that we were inspired to use them in a fried rice dish that evening for dinner. The Soy Curls held up nicely with the broccoli, carrots, onion,  sesame seeds and brown rice.

We were eager to have more of the Soy Curls in another dish, but we were determined to save them for something "special." In having our own mini Mardi Gras celebration at home, Mac decided to veganize Jambalaya, where she used the Soy Curls as one of the "meat" ingredients!

Compared to other textured soy products, which can be bland, Butler’s Soy Curls are versatile and take on the flavor of whatever is cooked with them. They would go great with just about any meal including soups, chili, salads, etc. We look forward to getting Soy Curls and trying them in more recipes in the near future!

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Trader Joe's Crunchy Black & White Rice Rolls

Crunchy,& Lightly Sweetened: The "V" says it all!

One fine night Mac and I decided to pick up a few little things at Trader Joe’s. As we were checking out, we spotted a box called Trader Joe’s Crunchy Black and White Rice Rolls. After checking the ingredients to insure that its vegan (it is and says so on the box), we decided to buy a pack since we’re both fans of rice based snacks and are trying to eat healthier.



In the U.S. alone impulse purchases account for… well, a LOT. From time to time, Mac and I can be guilty of procuring a cheap sideline item without a second thought. With a name like Crunchy Black and White Rice Rolls, how could we resist? Well I’m glad that once again we were victims of sly advertising. These yummy, crunchy logs tasted like sweetened rice cakes without that Styrofoam texture. They’re tasty as they are or smeared with peanut butter or whatever you choose. This will not be last the time we purchase these tasty treats…or other yummy things from Trader Joe’s sideline endcap!

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The Vegan Winter Sushi Experiment

Hot Dog Sushi: Veggie dogs with Italian onions, mustard and relish fill these rolls. Served up with some wasabi ketchup

Winter is a funny season. The long, cold days and dark, silent nights can cause normally sane people to display some downright outré behaviors. Constructing R-rated snowmen, donning really ugly holiday sweaters and making weird sushi dishes are all byproducts of Old Man Winter’s blowing frigid air in our frontal lobes.

It’s no wonder that one VERY cold January day Mac suggested that we make our very own vegan sushi. Not just any old vegan sushi, but hot dog sushi…yep, you read that correctly, HOT DOG SUSHI. Sushi is a food that used to make me squeamish. Although I’m still not 100% on board with those little vinegary rice cylinders, I am warming up to the stuff more and more. What finally sold me was when I tried vegan sushi at Veggie Heaven, which was very yummy.

After we picked up the needed ingredients at H Mart (an excellent Asian market in Hartsdale, NY), Mac and I removed our obis and began to experiment. As it turns out hot dog sushi isn’t bad at all! I like dishes that reveal their flavors in waves and this dish is a classic example. Layers of Salty followed by sweet followed by nutty, etc.; both tease and please your palate.

Sushi Taco: Filled with orange chick'n, sushi rice and topped with pickled ginger

Due to the hot dog sushi’s surprising appeal, Mac suggested another unconventional dish, the sushi taco…thing. This dish was not sushi at all, but instead, tacos made from some ingredients of sushi. This odd, transcontinental dish also worked well and would be a hit and conversational piece at any party.

If there’s one dish that we recommend experimenting with its sushi. Sushi is rather easy to make, fairly inexpensive and filling. You don’t need a really cold winter nights as an excuse to play around with different combos, just use your imagination!

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