tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210524882012-02-16T18:34:53.307-05:00A veg*n cooking blog with photos, recipes, hints, secrets, and street cred. Get with it, sucka.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.comBlogger411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-43840797311174192612007-01-15T16:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T23:52:59.065-05:00

A long day of doing crossword puzzles and watching "Kids in the Hall" led me to believe it was time to set aside some much needed time for myself (har). Winter is a real downer for me. Like it or lump it, I suppose. After running down the street and back for 45 minutes, I got hungry.My mom gave me a paella pan and some special rice for Christmas and I hadn't had a chance to use it until now. San

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157498655553915352006-09-05T19:18:00.000-04:002006-09-07T20:41:25.873-04:00

I borrowed most of this recipe from "Let's Get Baked" a podcast by some guys from Halifax, Canada. Their show is pretty righteous. They come up with good ideas for recipes and the musicians they invite to help are typically very entertaining. There's all sorts of good things to like about it, not the least of which is that I can listen to just about one whole episode during the time it takes me

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157498281791795272006-09-05T19:09:00.001-04:002006-09-06T15:55:03.523-04:00

Milkshakes are easy to make and you can hide a bunch of good stuff in them. My favorite is strawberry banana for the potassium alone. Above and beyond that, it's always a good idea to have molasses (blackstrap) on hand for some extra iron and a little sweetness, flaxseeds or ground flaxseed meal for omega 3s, and possibly even benefiber, soy protein, or a green food product for a healthy additive

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497787038109572006-09-05T19:09:00.000-04:002006-09-06T13:08:11.316-04:00

Gazpacho is a soup. Gazpacho is a salad. Gazpacho is blended, diced, spicy, refreshing, and countless other descriptives. There are many ways to make this traditional Spanish soup/salad, one of my favorite being to chop up a bunch of vegetables, mix them with some spice and let soak in its own juices.This soup is most popular during warmer months. It's typically eaten cold and the amount of

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497738013672492006-09-05T19:08:00.000-04:002006-09-07T10:09:49.170-04:00

If you could make one thing for the rest of your life, only one thing, what would it be? For me, this one thing would be chili. Over the last year-and-a-half, since I've obtained a slow cooker, I've probably made enough chili to feed every kid whose ever been on Double Dare, their parents, and Marc Summers. Speaking of which, did you know Marc Summers has an intense case of OCD? He freaks out

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497682210665542006-09-05T19:07:00.000-04:002006-09-06T13:13:11.963-04:00

Using mashed beans in bread might seem unusual but I have found it to work quite well as a way to get protein into a food that's already high in iron and fiber. This is quite a benefit. Adding bran takes out some of the heft, while adding even more fiber. What started out a a simple recipe using beans, yeast, flour and milk has grown to accomodate a number of extra ingredients. This recipe is my

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1147036948332824512006-05-07T16:57:00.000-04:002006-09-06T15:54:47.400-04:00

I'm not going to lie to you. Tamales are a pain in the a**. My grandmother makes them once a year, and now I understand why. Of course, it's best to make a lot when you do. Tamales are not something you would just make one or two of for lunch. I made 40 because our Cinco de Mayo party (Brandon's birthday) was the day after.Tamales are basically a Mexican handheld version of what Americans call a

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1146449085779314232006-04-30T21:50:00.000-04:002006-05-01T16:46:50.270-04:00

It's amazing I haven't posted something in this category yet -- one of the most important things in American gastronomy. It's the first question I ask myself every day, before I ask myself if I really want to get out of bed in the first place. What's for breakfast? Saturday, breakfast was French toast. "But French toast has eggs!" you spout."Well, this kind doesn't," I retort, sly as a fox.It's

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1145592899943028612006-04-21T00:09:00.000-04:002006-04-21T18:07:53.650-04:00

When I made these, I had a potluck at work to go to the next day, to which most people brought leftovers from their church potluck. Mind you, the next day was Friday. Who knows how old that food was. Anyway, it was chock full of cheese and mayo, so I kept to my cookies.Pear goes good with cardamom. If you're bringing some to your elderly grandmother, you might want to try adding a bit of lavender

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1145591918642328692006-04-20T23:49:00.000-04:002006-04-21T00:08:55.966-04:00

This is one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes. I usually make some before doing some late night work. Then, I usually end up not doing any work because I want to make more. I guess hot chocolate that makes you not want to get anything done is not the greatest selling point, but hot chocolate that takes precedent over getting stuff done might be. Ingredients:1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa (or carob)

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144753433941897732006-04-11T06:58:00.000-04:002006-04-11T19:12:26.146-04:00

I like potato chips and french fries just as much as the next joe. Actually, no, that's a lie. I don't really like potato chips, and I especially dislike french fries, because they're all greasy and covered in salt. And Joe is probably an overweight geek with halitosis who clips his toenails in the living room, which leads me to spurn his diet even more. However, spuds aren't hard to come by nor

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144753108144034392006-04-11T06:55:00.000-04:002006-04-21T00:16:18.133-04:00

Chutney, originally, was made to be eaten fresh and not kept lying around a refrigerator or jam cellar. It's traditionally a combination of sweet and spicy ingredients. Many of the chutneys sold at the supermarket contain preservatives and ingredients most people wouldn't find in their own home, not to mention they are expensive. That rubs me the wrong way. It really chokes my goat.I never really

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144061797272795522006-04-03T06:46:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:35:28.263-04:00

On Saturday, I rode my bike a whole lot. I went to Harvest Health, I went to work (because Friday deadlines are now, apparently, optional), I got a flat tire so I went to the bike shop, and then I went to my landlady's place to drop off a rent check. All that bike riding made me hungry and the zucchini in the fridge wasn't getting any fresher. I googled zucchini and didn't come up with anything

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143948664333020572006-04-01T22:23:00.000-05:002006-04-06T08:49:33.273-04:00

Pumpkin pie is good. Chocolate is good. Raisins are kind of good. All together, they should make some sort of dessert item worthy of superlative praise, right? Um...sure.All kidding aside, sometimes it's fun to make somebody something just out of the kindness of your heart. These pumpkin bars aren't too hard to make, and can be used for such an occasion. It's also a good idea to make something

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143948197707936392006-04-01T22:14:00.000-05:002006-04-06T08:53:19.863-04:00

I like making lasagne because the leftovers are easy to save, and you can stuff a lot of different ingredients in it. Traditional lasagne uses ricotta cheese, and a lot of it at that. If you haven't already noticed, I'm not about to use cheese. Luckily, someone a while back sent us a great idea for lasagne using a tofu/veggie mix instead of cheese. Let's run with that for now.Ingredients:Lasagne

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143123955449097722006-03-23T09:11:00.000-05:002006-03-23T11:25:28.246-05:00

It's hard to keep from tearing apart that asceptic carboard cube and devouring all the soybeany goodness tofu has to offer...but you must be patient my child. Before you chop up your tofu and throw it in a pan, you are going to want to drain it first. This not only makes the tofu easier to work with, but once drained, tofu will soak up the flavor of the ingredients you cook it with. You win both

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143121132601096722006-03-23T08:21:00.000-05:002006-03-23T08:41:16.670-05:00

Avocadoes were on sale three for $5 one day, so I bought three, not thinking I could have just as easily gotten the sale price on two, or one. I used the first two within a few weeks but the last one seemed to hang around a bit longer. I was just sick of avocado by then, I guess.This is a good way to use up that last avocado in something that's just as versatile as it is tasty and nutritious.

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142947732125915272006-03-21T08:12:00.000-05:002006-03-21T11:50:25.846-05:00

Lettuce is sick of all the Tofu bashin'...so it decided to show it some love.Ingredients:1/2 brick Firm TofuShitake MushroomsMatchsitck CarrotsBean SproutsBoston Lettuce3 tablespoons crushed peanuts3 tablespoons lime juice1 tablespoons sesame oil1 teaspoons crushed red pepperPeanut Sauce (I'm waiting for Matt to perfect the recipe for homemade sauce, til then I buy the pre-made from House of

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142810972095691742006-03-19T18:19:00.000-05:002006-03-23T08:47:07.156-05:00

It's St. Patrick's Day weekend and I just got home from the annual Clare Bed Race in Clare, MI. We got third place! We were celebrated by all! We were almost run out of town! I'd say it was a pretty successful weekend.What better way to celebrate than by making a pizza with a lot of green stuff? Hooray for pizza day!Ingredients:Cornmeal pizza dough2 cups pizza sauce3/4 cup avocado spread (or just

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142810352589385752006-03-19T18:15:00.000-05:002006-03-20T09:59:37.576-05:00

This is a very easy, very quick way to make a no-rise pizza crust. There are only a few ingredients and, unlike recipes that require a long leavening time, this only takes about 20 minutes.Ingredients:1 cup flour (separated into 1/2 cups)1/2 cup cornmeal1 package yeast1/2 teaspoon sugar3/4 cup very hot waterPut 1/2 cup of flour, cornmeal, sugar, and yeast in a medium sized mixing bowl.Add 1/2 cup

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142431722979293982006-03-15T09:05:00.000-05:002006-03-15T16:30:58.393-05:00

I got a little fondue pot as a gift and was very excited to try it out. Why not break it in with a few friends and a bottle of wine? Fondue can be made so many different ways. Basically, anything that you can heat and dip things in = fondue.My choice? Chocolate. I got a bag of semi-sweet chips and melted them in the microwave to begin with and then transfered it to the pot; there's a tea

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142431279110087002006-03-15T08:55:00.000-05:002006-03-15T13:16:37.236-05:00

Ingredients: 1 bunch of asparagus2 tablespoons of minced ginger 3 tablespoons of soy sauce olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bottoms of the asparagus off 1 to 2 inches -- this part is tough when cooked if you don't cut it off. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Put Asparagus in the pan with the ginger and soy sauce. Roll the stalks around so they

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142200027156254522006-03-12T16:36:00.000-05:002006-03-12T22:28:23.190-05:00

I used to have trouble doing what needed to be done. I shirked responsibility, only to face the cold, hard consequences later on. I'd procrastinate. I'd excuse myself. I'd do anything I could to put off what was expected of me. And then I made these muffins. These muffins are delicious, they are expeditious, and they give meek persons extrordinary bravado. In short, these muffins have

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1141620511715813572006-03-05T23:47:00.000-05:002006-03-12T16:48:17.326-05:00

Not gonna lie, this is a bit of a pain in the a**, however the reward of delicious spaghetti squash is well worth it.1. Buy spaghetti squash -- don't be tricked by imitators such as the butternut squash.2. Cut squash in half lengthwise, this is my least favorite part for one of two reasons: 1. I don't think I have a good enough knife to be cutting through the squash, one of those pumpkin carving

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1141620298700972022006-03-05T23:33:00.000-05:002006-03-12T13:24:44.003-05:00

There are many meat substitutes on the market today. Meatballs, deli slices, "chicken" strips, and many other items are readily available at a store right down the street from me. Of course, in buying one of these, I am inadvertantly supporting corporate giants, genetically modified organisms, factory farming, and other less than illustrious institutions. Strangely enough, some of these meat

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1141618896923372632006-03-05T23:07:00.000-05:002006-03-12T12:15:09.160-05:00

I have been experimenting with making peanut sauces lately. It's not too hard but you have to get the right combination of vinegar, soy, and peanut butter. Looking at the ingredients list on the back of most supermarket peanut sauces, the motivation is easy to find.As an initial foray into the real of peanut sauce, it's probably easiest to start with an easy dish -- stir fry. I basically cleaned

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1140644707434422252006-02-22T16:21:00.000-05:002006-03-12T12:00:29.120-05:00

Ingredients: 1 cooked spaghetti squash -- don't get intimidated yet...stay tuned for how to cook it. 1 small can of pizza sauce 1 green pepper 1 mushrooms 1 onion 1 spinach artichoke hearts (or whatever topping you'd get on a pizza) shredded rice or soy cheese Pre-heat oven to 350 -- anyone ever notice how so many recipes involving the oven start out this way? Get a casserole dish and

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1140037225632684302006-02-15T09:53:00.000-05:002006-02-22T15:14:58.166-05:00

What would Valentine's Day be without something red? A good start, if you ask me. But, setting all my anti-commercialism aside, I got a wild hair and made these muffins especially for Valentine's Day. They can be made any day of the year, of course, but the red color and cinnamon flavor probably fit best with winter holidays.If you want to over do it, get a heart-shaped muffin pan. I'm using a

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1139863498984831122006-02-13T15:40:00.000-05:002006-02-22T15:17:14.043-05:00

Steal....or borrow, however you'd like to rationalize it. Whenever I go to a restaurant and have something that I really like, I try to re-create it at home. You can add you own flair and make as much or as little as you want. Next time you go out to eat, pay attention to the ingredients in your meal, whether it's stir-fry or a salad and try to make it at home. Reading the description on the menu

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1139683335480994752006-02-11T12:34:00.000-05:002006-02-11T13:42:16.636-05:00

Ok, so it took a long time to finally post this. I've been busy and depressed so get off my case.This was actually made for a Super Bowl party at my mom's house -- a Super Bowl party where everyone brought dip and no "real" food. It's easy to make, as it pretty much requires whatever you have lying around the house.Ingredients:4 cups small dark beans2 cups corn2 mangoes8 asparagus stalks2

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1139458151286559192006-02-08T22:57:00.000-05:002006-02-09T11:14:55.133-05:00

Thank you to Amy for this great cookie recipe! These are perfect. I guess you could add a little more sugar cause they aren't SUPER sweet but I think they're bomb.Editors note: Bombs are not toys.1 3/4 cup Flour1/2 cup applesauce ( Plain unsweetened)1/2 cup maple syrup1 tsp Nutmeg1 tsp cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ginger1/2 teaspoon cloves1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt2 Tablespoon vegan butter

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1138648484873677662006-01-30T14:08:00.000-05:002006-01-31T08:37:15.726-05:00

Ingredients: 1 carton of vegetable stock 2 tablespoons parsley Salt Olive oil 3 cloves of garlic 1/2 cup canned corn A handful of baby spinach1/2 cup chopped: Carrots Zucchini Red onion Celery Green beans Tomatoes Using a big soup pan heat up onions and minced garlic in about 2-3 table spoons of olive oil.Once onions start to get

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1138561351350649292006-01-29T13:07:00.000-05:002006-03-15T13:00:57.463-05:00

Banana bread is one of the greatest comfort foods ever. I decided to emphazize this by adding a few other warm and comfortable ingredients: trail mix, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You don't have to add all this, of course, but what fun is making banana bread for 15 people if you aren't going to cram so much into it that none of them feel left out. This is non-discrimanatory banana bread; the melting pot

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1138106687925449222006-01-24T07:42:00.000-05:002006-01-24T17:22:54.896-05:00

This is another friend inspired recipe. Lisa and I love Mexican food and would always get together and make chicken fajitas. One day she made some without chicken and added a bunch of veggies instead. I haven't eaten chicken fajitas since. You won't even miss the meat.-ToniIngredients: BroccoliPeppers -- green, red, yellow, or any colors you can find (Matt introduced me to purple last year)

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1138106348044575812006-01-24T07:25:00.000-05:002006-01-30T13:35:12.866-05:00

This recipe came about when Matt was visting me for a weekend and we tried to go to Eastern Market to buy food to make lunch. But, it was pouring rain -- not the best condidions for a mostly outdoor market. So, we went to Trader Joe's and Matt had the idea to make goat cheese sandwiches, we thought of things that might be good on it and this is the end result. We ate them and watched "Run Ronnie

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137877713750647912006-01-21T15:21:00.000-05:002006-01-26T17:27:19.116-05:00

Some mornings are coffee and an apple mornings, some mornings are just coffee mornings, and some mornings are just the end of the night before. Saturday morning was sunny and it started around 9 a.m., a good time to get up on Saturday. If you want something breakfasty, something that can dry you up from the night before, and at the same time get you ready for a long bike ride, potatoes are the

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137874862903349692006-01-21T15:08:00.000-05:002006-01-24T17:23:54.813-05:00

It's late, I'm hungry and I don't feel like doing anything too complicated. After 1 a.m., steaming bowls of mac and cheese take up about 75 percent of my thought processes. While the boxed version is tasty, it's a little more fun to come up with your own version. I had some chopped walnuts in the cupboard, so I used them in here, too. That's probably the least traditional mac and cheese

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137648422091304312006-01-19T00:22:00.000-05:002006-01-25T07:28:34.280-05:00

For those of you who prefer to get your protein from other sources instead of tofu, by all means add whatever you like to these dishes. Modification is key. Change types of ingredients and/or amounts to your taste until it's just the way you like. Make the recipes exact or change them to suit you - the possibilities are endless.Have fun with it!

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137645446308883052006-01-18T21:51:00.000-05:002006-01-24T17:24:13.780-05:00

I got out of work a half-hour early on Monday and rode my bike seven miles to Harvest Health. For the chili, I got some generic TVP (called Harvest Burger), peppers, beans, and some spices I didn’t think I had. Harvest Health is a great place for spices you might or might not have because you can get little bags for 79 cents.I also got some more tofu (firm and extra firm) for the spinach and tofu

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137554591105982702006-01-17T22:10:00.000-05:002006-01-24T17:24:31.006-05:00

I love salsa but I got sick of all of the cooked versions that they sell at the grocery store (and they never had enough cilantro in it for me -- I love cilantro).When you go to a Mexican restarant, they serve fresh salsa. So, I decided to try to make my own fresh salsa. This is what I came up with. It's very simple and very fresh.Ingredients:1 Large tomato or a large tomatoes worth of small ones

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1137424875074496082006-01-16T10:20:00.000-05:002006-01-24T17:24:48.556-05:00

This day started off with a bike ride to the supermarket to get some fresh veggies and vinegar. The best part about this recipe (besides being vegan) is that, depending on what kind of tofu you use, it is very low in fat. The taste comes mainly from the peppers and spices, unless you go heavy on the vinegar. There is no salt and therefore very low sodium, again depending on your choice of

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4