What a cutie pie penguin!

We just wanted to share this video with you! Enjoy!

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Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette for our 300th Post!

This is our 300th post since we started this blog back in 2008! HOORAY! Balloons and streamers are floating about.

To celebrate, I'm sharing a recipe for a lemon-lime vinaigrette I made. Drizzled atop of a simple salad full of delicious veggies makes me a happy girl and Artie a happy boy.

Mac's Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
Source: Macaroon Wanting Citrus with Salad
Makes approximately 3/4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp, agave nectar
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried parsley
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well-combined
2. Use as a marinade or dressing

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Peachy Keen Italian Ice...It's So Nice

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Clara Cannucciari and her fabulous web show on YouTube. She aired a very simple and tasty recipe for Italian ice. Yesterday, I took her recipe and added some leftover peach and nectarine puree that I used for iced tea. YUMYUMYUM NoMnOmNoM!

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Summer Tea Time!

What does one write about iced tea? I don't have the faintest idea. I know I like it, preferably naturally sweetened with no junk in it. I like it green, herbal, with lemonade or with a variety of fruit. 

This past weekend was so hot. Nothing else cools things down like a nice tall glass of iced ice. The summer is great time to experience with flavors. So I decided to play around with peaches and nectarines this time around. 

My mom, a tea connoisseur, gave me ideas over the years. She would brew her teas in a variety of ways, using flowers, fruits and the sun! She also told me about making a nice fruit puree to add to teas. So using her kitchen wisdom, I made a white peach and nectarine iced tea to change things up after filling up on water throughout the day to keep hydrated. It just hit the spot!

White Peach & Nectarine Iced Tea

Source: Momma Macaroon's Solution to a Summer Day

Makes 64 ounces

Ingredients:

• 6 c. water + 2 c. water
• 6 bags of orange pekoe tea 
• 2 c. peach & nectarine puree (see recipe)
• 1 c. sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour 6 c. water into a medium saucepan and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat
2. Add the tea bags and cover saucepan. Steep for 30 minutes
3. Pour tea into a 64oz. pitcher. Stir in puree, sugar, if using, and 2 c. water

Our White Peach and Nectarine Puree

Source: Momma Macaroon's Suggestion

Makes approximately 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 white peaches, chopped
• 2 white nectarines chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 c. sugar

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in blender. Puree mixture until smooth

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It's 68 degrees in Portland, OR...OH SHUT UP!

Do you think if you have "cool" thoughts, it won't seem so hot? Well watch these clips and let us know?

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HOT HOT HOT!

We're on FIYAAAAAAAAAAH in NYC! It's about 105 degrees here with the heat index being between 110 and 117 degrees (Fahrenheit, baby). So in celebration of our skin sizzling underneath massive slatherings of SPH 1,000,000, check out one of the the cheesiest (ahem, teesiest) songs and videos known to man, from the great David Johanssen of the fabulous New York Dolls at a low point.

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Easy Breezy Summer Spring Rolls

For some unknown reason, I decided to make spring rolls today.  Is it because they’re easy and fun to make?  Perhaps it’s because they’re inexpensive and the ingredients are readily available. Or could it be that they simply taste yummy.  Was I an Asian chef in a former life? Any or all of these reasons work for me. Oh, by the way they taste great! 

Easy Breezy Summer Spring Rolls

Source: Artichoke with an Asian Flare

Makes 8-10 rolls

Ingredients:

• 7 oz.  of  extra firm tofu (about ½ container), drained and pressed
• 2 tbsp of lite soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
• 1 dash of vegan Sriracha sauce (optional)
• 1/3 head green cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 large carrot, grated  
• 3/4 cup cooked cellophane noodles 
• 1 package of spring roll wrappers (22 cm)
  

Directions:

1. Carefully slice the tofu into narrow strips. Heat up the soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil,  ginger and Sriracha sauce in a wok or large skillet and sautée the tofu for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. 
2. In a large bowl, toss together the tofu with the cabbage, carrots and noodles, making sure that the mixture is even. 
3. Place spring roll wrappers (2-3 at a time) in a large bowl of warm water until they become soft and pliant. With a paper towel, pat the wrappers dry and place on a large work surface.
4. Place 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a neat line in wrappers.  Wrap up  the spring rolls. Enjoy! 

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Bok Choy Madness

DISCLAIMER: If you decide to shop at the White Plains Mall in White Plains, New York, a.k.a "The Most Depressing Shopping Complex in America," we cannot be responsible for feelings of sadness, or ennui! And $5.00 to park? Really? (It's validated, but still...)

The White Plains Mall, located at 22 Barker Ave. in White Plains, NY, does have one bright spot; a very large and authentic Asian market called Kam Sen. Since Mac and I were the mood to cook some Asian dishes, we decided to stop in and give it a try. While strolling Kam Sen’s ample produce aisles, we spotted a big ol’ bag of baby bok choy. It’s no secret that Mac and I simply love the stuff. So we bought it without a set recipe in mind. A few days later I decided that a simple breaded tofu and bok chop dish would sate our yens for Asian food. It ended up being rather tasty and fun to make!

Artie’s Boy Choy Tofu Madness

Source: The Food Duo's Invasion of Kam Sen
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. of extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup of canola
• 1/8 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ Tbsp of vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 tsp of freshly grated ginger
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 lb. of baby bok choy, trim the bottoms and separate the leaves
• 3 ½ Tbsp of lite soy sauce
• 2 tsp of ponzu sauce
• Sriracha or other Asian hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Place tofu cubes in a large bowl and evenly coat with flour. Sprinkle in the panko breadcrumbs, toss and lightly press down on the cubes so that the panko adheres to each cube. In a large saucepan, heat canola oil and add tofu cubes. Cook until both sides are crispy and golden brown. Set aside.
   
   
2. In a large wok, heat up the vegetable or peanut oil until it’s almost smoking. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 ½ minutes). Place the bok choy leaves and the rest of the ingredients in the wok and cook for about 4 minutes or until the leaves just start to wilt. Toss in the tofu cubes and cook for one minute. Serve

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Boozy Pizza with Brussel Sprouts and Onions

"A Pitz!" with Brussels sprouts (Mac's favorite) and caramelized onions. Yummy!

Even before they emigrated to the U.S. in the 1920s, my family had been serving up one of the world’s favorite foods for decades in Ragusa, Sicily. When my grandfather came to the U.S., he settled in Brooklyn, New York. As an adult, he owned a small grocery store, which he later sold to open up a tiny pizza stand in the East Village of Manhattan (NYC). Little did he realize that the impact his career change would make in New York and across the country.

My grandfather was one of the first people to open a pizzeria in New York City. People would come from all over to get a piping hot slice of his old world wonderfulness. Nobody, and I mean nobody, made pizza like my grandfather.

This tradition did not end with Gramps. My dad, Poppa Artichoke, had his own pizzeria and Italian restaurant for over 20 years. He now hosts children’s "Make A Pizza" parties for 1000s of youngsters every year in the NY/NJ/CT Tri-State area.

Albeit I don’t own a pizza business, I LOVE making homemade pies from time to time. There are many different dough recipes to choose from and most are pretty good. For the last few years, I’ve been using Mario Batali’s dough recipe to make pizza, which is infused with wine. Extremely simple to make and easy to work, Mario’s wine dough is simply scrumptious!

As far as sauce and toppings go, use your imagination. Although I prefer to make a raw tomato sauce from scratch, some jars of pizza sauce are as good as the homemade stuff. Whatever vegetable topping you choose, make sure to par-cook them before you place them on your pie. If you choose to use vegan cheese, experiment with several to see which one satisfies your palate.

I recently made a pie, veganizing Mario's dough recipe, which was simple. I only had to substitute the honey for agave nectar. I also decrease the amount flour by a 1/2 cup.

Mario Batalia's Pizza Dough 
Source:  Molto Mario on The Food Network
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup light red or white wine, Fiano di Avellino (I use light white wine)
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey (substituted with agave nectar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups flour (only needed 3 cups)

Directions:

1. Place wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating as much flour as you can with the wooden spoon.
2. Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured board or marble surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and firm. Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl, using remaining tablespoon of oil and cover with a towel. Let rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes.
3. For individual pizzas or calzones, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and knead into rounds. For one large pizza, knead into 1 large round. For either, let rest for 15 minutes.

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Penne with Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Eggplant

My take on lovely restaurant pasta dish 

Friday afternoon, Artie and I had lunch with Momma Macaroon. We let her pick the place, which was Artie's Steak and Seafood on City Island (The Bronx, New York). Artie's was one of our favorite restaurants before going vegan, and still is! 

Side note: How funny that it was called Artie's, but probably not short for Artichoke (What do you think?)

Going to a steak and seafood restaurant may sound crazy to our non-vegan friends, but it's not. Many places may have at least one or 2 entrees that befit an herbivore. There are many that will also modify an item or cook something off of the menu with vegan ingredients. Artie's definitely one of those restaurants. 

While Momma Macaroon ordered some Chilean sea bass, Artichoke ordered the "Linguine Alio Olio," which was pasta cooked with sliced garlic and olive oil. I ordered the "Ziti with Broccoli, Garlic Olive Oil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes" with a request to have some grilled eggplant with it. Artie mentioned to the waitress that we were vegan and she said she was all too familiar as her niece was one as well. 

After a lovely simple salad, our entrees were served and looked amazing. My ziti was a huge portion, served with big slices of eggplant on top. I knew right away that I would be taking half of this home for dinner. However, I was so in love with this dish that even when I said I was done, I kept nibbling. I finally had to move my plate away so I wouldn't burst, as I was over the point of being full. 

There only have 2 or 3 instances where I had a great meal at a restaurant that I couldn't stop thinking about it. This was one of those times. In fact, I made my own version of it with penne tonight for Artie and me because I couldn't get enough. Everything was really good.

Penne with Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Eggplant

Source: Inspired by Artie's Ziti with Broccoli, Garlic Olive Oil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1lb of penne, cooked, rinsed and drained
• 1 eggplant, sliced and grilled (I recommended marinating the sliced eggplant in balsamic vinegar)
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 2 c. broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 c. sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (not in oil)
• 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Penne and eggplant should be made a little bit ahead of time and set aside
2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and add garlic cloves. Saute until garlic has browned. 
3. Add broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes, and stir with oil and garlic
4. Pour pasta into saucepan and toss with vegetables. Add spices
5. Serve in bowl or plate and top with slices of grilled eggplant

Dinner from another angle

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Clara, You're Our Hero!

There's a great online cooking show on YouTube called "Great Depression Cooking with Clara." I'm sad to only have just learned about this and the accompanying cookbook. The host is a cute 95 year-old great grandmother named Clara Cannucciari from the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Clara shares her favorite recipes and stories from the Great Depression era. Granted, many of her dishes are not vegan, they can easily be adapted. Clara's a great storyteller, really giving insight on the impact the Great Depression had on America. Her personal tales are often funny, if not touching. Clara's an inspiration to all, young and old, kitchen novices and experts.

Here's Clara's latest video! Watch her make Italian ice. Vanilla's her favorite!

Thanks to our friend Melissa who posted this clip on her Facebook page!

By the way, Clara's birthday is coming up on August 18th. You can send her a birthday card. Info is listed on YouTube!

7/10/11 Update - I made Clara's Italian Ice today. I split the batch, making one half lemon and the other grape. So delicious! Clara, thanks again for being awesome!

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Friday Night Food Fights!

Sorry that there is no photo to share. Your voracious Food Duo has just devoured an entire package of Chicago Soy Dairy's Breaded Mozzarella Teese Sticks with some tomato and basil marinara sauce! We feel this fall into gluttony is well deserved, thanks to a nearly 2-hour wait at UPS for our latest Vegan Essentials order.

Tonight is our first time ever having Teese Sticks. The wait at UPS has been well worth it to enjoy these fried and gooey snacks. Literally gone in 3 minutes after out of the fryiing pan! They taste so good, and now we know how to fulfill our mozzarella cheese dreams. Now, there has to be a way to get Teese Sticks in NYC! 

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Veganize! First Round Pick Buffalo Beef

Dinner was an indoor picnic with our Buffalo "Beef" lettuce wraps

Welcome to our second installment of "Veganize!"

Many moons ago (almost 3 years), Artie and I were doing the Atkins Diet thing and got into making lettuce wraps. As we were preparing for our fantasy football league, I came up with an idea to make a Buffalo-style lettuce wrap using ground beef. It was really good, and I just had to share it on this lovely blog.

This past week, we bought some Boca Ground Crumbles Made with Natural Ingredients (They're vegan!), hoping to make some deliciousness out of them. Artie thought about lettuce wraps, remembering how much he enjoyed them and that we hadn't had them in a long time. So we veganized our old First Round Pick Buffalo Beef recipe.

We had the following changes to the recipe:

• Ground beef was replaced by the Boca Ground Crumbles
• Steak seasoning was omitted
• Butter was replaced by vegan margarine and not stirred with the crumbles. It was instead used to make a vegan version of a friend's Buffalo sauce recipe (Thanks, Ian!) which was later added to the crumbles

When done, Artie served the "beef" in a nice-sized bowl with some broccoli and lettuce leaves. I whipped up a quick cool dill dip to drizzle over the beef in each wrap (I'll have to write up the recipe later). We turned dinner into an indoor picnic and had a lot of fun making and eating the wraps. They tasted just like the real beef ones we first made in 2008! 

It's great to know that you don't have to deprive yourself of what you love just because you've decided to make a better health choice for yourself. You can always find alternatives and enjoy what you love to eat!

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A Macaroon & Artichoke Fourth of July Picnic

Laying out the eats on the picnic blanket

Artie and I took it easy this past weekend to make sure Artie recuperated from a dislocated rib. While folks were having barbecues and setting off fireworks, we went with the effortless. A long drive while singing along to Smiths songs, lovely a Summertime walk through Bronx River Park and spending time with Mozzer and Connie were just some of the things we did. We rounded out the nice long weekend with a picnic dinner on the greenway along Pelham Parkway (Bronx, NY).

For our picnic dinner, I made a special roasted potato salad with corn and tomatoes. Artie baked some gardein's Chipotle-Lime Crispy Fingers. I packed up some Daiya's Pepperjack Style Shreds, Sweet & Sara Coconut Macaroons and drinks. We were ready to go.


Potato salad topped with crispy fingers and shredded "cheese." Thanks to gardein and Daiya!

We found a nice spot and laid out our plush-like blanket. We took in the view and enjoyed a bit of people watching before serving each other food. We took the roasted potato salad and topped with the crispy fingers and Daiya cheese. It was filling and delicious. The potatoes were nice and firm, and held up well in the salad. The corn and tomatoes were sweet. The crispy fingers had a great flavor that complemented the salad. The "cheese" gave the salad a subtle creaminess with a definitely spice kick. It was a perfect Summertime meal that was light, yet filling.



After the salad, we couldn't want to tear into the macaroons! If you couldn't get guess, I'm a fan of all kinds of macaroons! Sweet & Sara's macaroons were beautiful coconut snowballs that were so close to the real deal. They weren't as dense as traditional macaroons, but the flavor was spot-on with some of the best macaroons I've ever eaten...or made myself.


Lovely coconutty goodness! Thanks to Sweet & Sara!

As dinner ended, we were greeted by 2 cutie pies. A couple of dogs came up to us while on a run with their human parents. They were so sweet and let us pet them, and didn't try to steal our food...or what was left of it.


We made 2 new friends while enjoying dinner! Aren't they cute?

After a few moments, we said goodbye to our new friends. We then took a quick rest under the sky watching dusk move to sunset. We watched the cloud shapes shift with the color of the sky. Then, it was time to go home to enjoy an evening of snap, crackles and pops of pretty fireworks fly in the sky.


Fourth of July Sunset


Roasting on the 4th Potato Salad
Source: The Food Duo's Chillaxin' Mood
Serves 4


Ingredients:

• 4-5 small Idaho potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 c. cut corn
• 1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4c. plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp, dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cubed potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and spread into a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes
2. Into a small bowl, add 1/4 c. olive oil and minced garlic. Stir together and let it set for 10 minutes
3. After 10 minutes, whisk in red wine vinegar and spices until well combined. Set aside until potatoes are ready
4. When potatoes are done, remove from baking sheet and place in a large bowl to cool slightly
5. Add corn, tomatoes and oil and vinegar mixture to the potates. Toss well before serving. Can be eaten warm or cold

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Homemade Macaroni Salad

Last night, we wanted pasta, salad and some BBQ. We wanted it quick. So, Artie heated up a couple of Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblets and while I whipped up a macaroni salad. It was darn good!

I have to add that Summer ain't Summer without macaroni salad!

Macaroonie's Spicy Macaroni Salad
Source: Saturday Night Quick Dinner
Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:

• 1lb macaroni, cooked, rinsed and drained
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 c. Veganaise
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. dried dill weed
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pour drained pasta into a large bowl. Toss in the vegetables. Set aside
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together Veganaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic and onion powders and dill weed until well blended
3. Carefully fold the Veganaise mixture into the pasta and vegetables. Add a dash of cayenne and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give a quick stir and serve. 

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The Jamaican Pea Patty Incident - Take One

Looks delicious, right?

Artichoke and I were on a mission to expand our vegan culinary schools to the Caribbean. We wanted to make our own Jamaican-style patties. We found a simple recipe for the dough, which we took from a Jamaican beef patty recipe at Allrecipes.com. We used vegan ingredients, upped the amount of curry and added turmeric. We made our own filling with mashed split peas, onions, olive oil and spices.

The whole process was rather smooth. The dough was easy to handle. The filling really took no time to make. The assembly of the patties was pretty quick. The longest piece was the baking of about 30 minutes.

Chomp!

Right out of the oven, the patties smelled and looked great. Upon first bite, they tasted more like Indian samosas as the pea mixture stiffened a bit like a potato. The spice mixture was milder than we had hoped, but still nice. We thought the baking would turn the pea mixture into a slight puree consistency. It wasn't the case, but that wasn't a bad thing. Artie and I gave each other a high-five for our accomplishment.

Sadly, our accomplishment turned into disappointment the next day. The patties did not pass the "Second Day Test." The dough was bit soggy, while the pea mixture became dry, which was probably due to heating up the patties in the microwave. The taste turned bland, but the patty was still palatable. 

We're going to try this again really soon. I think we'll try doing a "beef" patty with veggie crumbles. We also think we're going to look into other spice combinations to go with the curry and turmeric. Hopefully, the next attempt will be better than this.

Keep your fingers crossed!

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