Vegan Cheesesteak Stromboli

A few years ago, I had a little recipe exchange with a friend I had met online. She saw a picture from my bridal shower and saw that we had the same recipe basket, so we exchanged a few cards. I know she got my family's Blueberry Buckle recipe, and one of the recipes I got from her was for stromboli. I took note, because it was one of my husband's favorite things to order, but never got around to making it.

Now, of course, we are vegan, and I have recently made it a goal of mine to convert as many of those recipes that were given to me at my bridal shower into vegan recipes. A few weeks ago I thought I would try and veganize the stromboli. Easy and very unhealthy with Pillsbury canned pizza crust (I already said unhealthy, remember?), I bought Yves pepperoni, vegan cheese, veggies, and it never got made.

A few weeks ago I saw this product:

at the new Whole Foods I talked about earlier this week. By the way, I was very happy to hear that I was not the only one who was super excited about agave being on tap!!

Anyway, I was determined to make the picture on the front of the box. The caveat? I never buy bread like that. I just...don't. So that never got made either.

Today with my mind running wild due to the crazy weather that had been keeping us indoors, they came together and made a super delicious lunch that took less time than it would take you to wait in line at Pat's or Gino's for a cholesterol laden mess.

Vegan Cheesesteak Stromboli

1 can Pillsbury pizza crust

4 slices vegan cheese

1 package Protein Wise seitan, or another thinly sliced seitan or mock beef product

1 onion, sliced

cornmeal, for dusting

salt-free seasoning

This is as simple to make as that list of ingredients is:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Sautee an onion in a pan with non-stick spray. When golden and soft, add the seitan.

While the onion is cooking, sprinkle some cornmeal on a clean dry surface, and roll out the pizza dough, then cut into four rectangles.

Break up the cheese into slices and lay on dough, then mound the seitan and onion mixture in the middle of the dough.

Roll up, being sure to seal the ends, and transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Lightly spray the tops of the stromboli with cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt-free seasoning (we used Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning).

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

We suggest dipping in ketchup.

Seriously, this is so good. Warm and familiar, cheesey and satisfying. You could clearly make it healthier by making your own whole wheat pizza dough, but then, if you're like me, you'll probably never get around to doing it.

We have had a TON of snow here, and its still going. I didn't have work today and we're already cancelled for tomorrow. Nick now has off until next week because of the holiday weekend. We're at our wits end a little, but I have had plenty of time to do some cooking and that I do love. What do you do when you're forced to stay home, for snow or for other reasons?

The Wholesomeness of Whole Foods

A brand new Whole Foods store opened near my job last month. There was already a Whole Foods just a few minutes from my apartment, but this one was huge, it was new, it was special. I had to go. And there I was on the opening day...

in. complete. awe.

It is gigantic, it has agave nectar and brown rice syrup on tap. There is a pub inside of it, and a prepared foods bar that rivals no other that I have seen.

That first day was kind of crazy, so I grabbed my favorite craving, the avocado sushi. But when I work full days I spend my lunch hour there, which is only once or twice a week...but I look forward to it all morning.

I have to tell you though, I feel a little guilty. It feels a little wrong, walking around this place which undeniably caters to vegans, and provides plenty of vegan options and products that are hard to find elsewhere; but also shamelessly supports the idea of the organic/humane/natural/grass-fed meat movement.

I know a lot of people who are into this movement. And I am not trying to offend any of them because I know many of them read my blog...and there are probably some who I don't even know read my blog. So my point, will be brief. Eating meat, no matter what kind, still perpetuates the demand for meat. I also know people who completely refuse to shop here altogether, and even protest it.

So what is a vegan to do? Whole Foods is so convenient, makes so easy to find vegan oddities, and frankly, has a delicious selection of prepared foods.

Vegan mac-and-cheese with maple mashed sweet potatoes and steamed veggies

Braised seitan with sage roasted veggies and squash, grilled asparagus, fennel orange salad, and steamed kale

It adequately filled our "junk food" craving this past weekend also:

Whole wheat pizza with LOTS of veggies

Raw macaroons. Yum.

For more information on the "humane meat myth", pop over here.

That being said, I am curious. What do you do? Even if you aren't vegan, I'm curious. I'm not a Whole Foods bunny, mainly because I think everyday things are too expensive, and I don't support their stance on meat. In fact, I am usually the first to suggest a local, non-chain, but there is only one around here, and it is painfully even more than Whole Foods. So I will buy things like umeboshi vinegar and vital wheat gluten; things I know I can't find at my grocery store.

I want to know your opinion. Vote!!

Wholly into Whole Foods?
	I do all my shopping at Whole Foods
	I don't live near a Whole Foods, but I would shop at one
	I buy select items there I can't buy elsewhere
	I refuse to shop at Whole Foods
	Other
pollcode.com free polls

Stay tuned for later this week! I'm going to celebrate my 100th follower with a giveaway!!

McDougall And His Soup

First and foremost, I feel as though I owe the people at McDougall's foods a huge apology. They sent me one of the nicest box of samples I have ever received, and it has taken me until now to review it. Sorry guys. Thing is, I've been busy eating their soup.

It really is the perfect time of year for soup, and frankly, I don't really like making it, so the many boxes that graced my doorstep one November evening were a welcome addition to my kitchen.

This is the good stuff, not only because it comes in pretty boxes instead of cans, but its better for you. To show you why, I conducted a face off between the lentil soup and a can of lentil soup that has been migrating around my pantry for a few months.

The first thing you'd notice is that McDougall's is larger. However, they both contain two "servings" of soup. Check out the nutrition information:

Canned

The canned soup has more calories, more fat, more sodium, more sugar, less fiber, and less protein.

McDougall's

Don't get me wrong, it isn't exactly a low-sodium food, but it definitely has less than its canned counterparts without tasting like water. Oh, did I mention that yet? That it tastes good too?

I set out to tasting it right away, which was made convenient by the pristine white bowl they sent me.

Yes, we eat in front of the TV

I set out to trying the minestrone first, which has always been one of my favorites. I love the veggies along with the beans and the pasta...its just perfect. McDougall's version did not disappoint.

Please try to ignore the embarrassing background of the garbage/recycling

The next day I wanted more soup. With my pretty white bowl all dirty and in the dishwasher, I had to improvise and use one of my own green bowls. This time we went for black bean, with a few cubes of avocado for good measure.

Definitely try avocado in your soup, its a nice addition, especially for black bean. This soup was perfectly hearty and warm...what black bean soup is best known for.

While they didn't send me this, I also took the liberty of trying their instant soups at work one day, and it was another version of their black bean.

The flavor in this, was really good. I couldn't figure out what it was at first, then I remembered that it was black and and lime. Definitely had a lime-y-ness to it. Unfortunately, soup was just not made to be powdered and instant. It was okay, but it just didn't come together completely. Bits were still crunchy, and it there was goopiness at the bottom even though I mixed throughout eating it. Not bad in a pinch, but not a staple either.

By now, we've tried almost all the soups, but of course, I had to leave you with the classic: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup...with McDougall's Chunky Tomato soup, of course.

Just as good as it looks, made with Follow Your Heart Cheddar, dunked in warm chunky tomato soup, this was a perfect meal at the end of a long week.

So if you are in the market for some convenient soups, give McDougall's a try. I know I have seen them popping in at my local Giant and Wegman's, which is nice and the weather is cold!! They're made from a group of people focused on wellness, and as far as healthy packaged soups go, they are pretty tasty too.

A Kind Spark

I don't know about you guys, but I have a lot of cookbooks. The collection started before I was vegan, or even vegetarian, so I have everything from The New Best Recipes and Fix it and Forget it Lightly to my new classics like Veganomicon and Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. And frankly...we live in a small space now and there just isn't room to be buying every new cookbook I want. As it is, the cookbook space is fairly messy already

There is a second pile behind these...

And that doesn't even include those used most recently, which teeter atop the toaster oven.

Sadly, they don't get used very often lately. I've grown enough in my own cooking that I don't need them as much anymore, and I often don't have the time for following through recipes.

So new cookbooks, be warned, it takes quite a bit of scrutiny to make it into that messy pile nowadays. You've got to offer something special, really stand out, and probably have lots of colorful pictures too (I'm shallow that way). Of course a recommendation from a friend couldn't hurt either...

After sending off the winnings of my last giveaway to AutumnTao, she sent me back a lovely thank you note, and in part of it she recommended I give The Kind Diet a read. I was skeptical. First, I already know about being vegan, and a lot of the book is an explanation of the why and hows. Second, I didn't want to actually follow any diet. Third, it is written by Alicia Silverstone. Not that I have anything against her, but previous to now, I had no idea she knew anything about food. But it did focusing on cutting back sugar, something I need, and it did have pretty pictures. I wasn't convinced. Some of the recipes were so average, like Rustic Pasta, Granola, and Caesar Salad. But then there was the Seitan Polenta Casserole, Toasted Nori Burritos, and the recipe that finally won me over, the Rice Waffles with Vegetable Melange.

So I bought the book, and it isn't a diet plan (good). I read most of the first part, which was well referenced and had some facts and figures I hadn't heard before. As AutumnTao had indicated, it really did give me a bit of a spark, and made me want to get back into the kitchen and eating good whole foods. So I went ahead and made the Rice Waffles. These are not waffles made with rice flour. It is the easiest, most simple waffle recipe made with cooked brown rice. They came up nice and crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. Savory and decidedly dinner appropriate, the Vegetable "Melange" brought it all together for a really awesome meal.

I was pleased, Nick was pleased, and I am quite looking forward to the leftovers for lunch. I'm also looking forward to trying more of the book's recipes (although, I say that about every book I buy).

Yes, it is written by Alicia Silverstone, which I guess can be seen two ways. First, its great in the fact that it makes veganism more mainstream (I hear she was on Oprah the other day). On the other hand, it also makes it seem trendy. We actually have a friend who told us recently that he was going vegan "because it is trendy". Those are seriously his words. I want to think that is better than nothing but....is it? If people are just going vegan because its "cool" and they aren't educating themselves and really caring, it seems like they're more apt to go back to their old ways and make veganism seem like something that isn't worth doing, is difficult, that isn't a lifetime choice. Anyway, I bought it because of the recipes, not Alicia but....it did make me want to go watch Clueless again.

Anyway, I know I keep saying I am going to try blogging more, and I do mean it. I miss it and I have a huge backlog of lonely pictures waiting to be written about and posted. Until next time though, enjoy your cookbook stash and stay trendy!

What I've Been Up To (In Pictures)

Well, first of all Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope whatever December holiday you celebrate treated you well, and that you had a great New Year's celebration! Ivan would personally like to wish you a belated Merry Christmas though.

I know I haven't been around much. Frankly, I don't have much time for cooking, let alone blogging, and I've been debating whether or not to even keep doing it. In fact, I told Nick yesterday that I was going to stop....but I don't think I can. Just expect me to be posting less frequently (although, I'm sure most of you have figured that one out by now). Anyway, this is just some pictures of what I've been up to.

Pignoli Almond Cookies from 'Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar'. Also my first experience with almond paste!

Isa shared the recipe for these!

This Purely Chocolate drink from Bolthouse Farms is really good. I reviewed the Vanilla Chai almost a year ago, but this might be even better: super creamy, fruit sweetened, high in protein.

Vegan Breakfast Sandwiches from Vegan Yum Yum. These took a good long time to make, since it was my first homemade biscuit experience, but they were really good. Definitely one of Nick's favorites.

Spelt Biscuits

'Egg'

Maple Tofu

After a long day out Christmas shopping, we didn't want to spend a lot of money on eating out, or spend a lot of time making dinner, but I really wanted some 'Italian food'. I've been wanting to try these for awhile, and at the time, it hit the spot.

Perhaps not authentic Italian, but I had the lasagna, and it was pretty yummy, made with a soy ricotta filling.

My pride and joy of the holidays was definitely the Peppermint Patties I had intentions of making for many friends and family. However, after a day FULL of candy making (there were chocolate caramels too), I really didn't want to see chocolate again for awhile. So, this tin went to my best friend, and once I got over my chocolate overload, my husband and I finished the rest because they were incredibly delicious. They are NOT healthy, but really awesome, and you can find the recipe here. I used brown rice syrup and doubled the mint extract.

Not pictured, I also made some peanut brittle and pecan clusters for my grandparents. I was in Christmas overload at that point, and forgot to snap a quick picture before they were gifted.

I end with the candy for a very specific reason. One of the reasons I was considering quitting the blogging was because since I started, I have gained a significant amount of weight. I don't look incredibly different, but despite working out consistently, my clothes don't fit. I feel like I have to focus more on my health than on trying to make 'blog-worthy' food. So, in the New Year, expect things to be a little healthier.

Also, expect things to be spiralized.

One of the gifts I was lucky to get this year was a spiralizer. Ivan likes the box, and I'm already loving the thing.

So, that is where I have been, and I hope to not completely drop off the radar for so long anytime soon. Enjoy the new year, eat some black eyed peas!!

The Veggie Burger - A Survey

I have a confession to make. I love veggie burgers. A box of veggie burgers does not last very long in our freezer. There is a very long list of veggie burgers that I enjoy, but I have a definite favorite. With four patties to a box, these burgers last for no longer than four days in our fridge. To me, they always sound like a great idea for a meal, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Although honestly, I would rarely last until dinner to have one of these, if they're in the house.

Yes, I eat them for breakfast. Today, I am having one for lunch (yes, its even good after being cooked and sitting in the car for 4 hours.

My most favorite veggie burger ever is:

Amy's TEXAS burger. It is the perfect blend of sweet and savory, made up of all ingredients that I can pronounce, and packs a good punch of protein too (12 g). It is just, delicious.

So with that, I'm wondering...what is your favorite veggie burger? Do you make your own instead? Do you (gasp) not like veggie burgers? Inquiring minds (mine) want to know!!

Have a great day people, I'm off to cook my veggie burger and get to work!

Chocolate Chia in the Morning

Nick and I went for a run this morning. Man, is it getting cold out. My car was completely iced over. Upon coming home, I decided I wanted something warm. I've mainly been having boring cereal for breakfast (Special K Protein Plus, to be specific), but I had a little extra time today, so I made something that took a little more effort.

Chocolate Chia Oat Bran

Honestly, this can only be described as love in a bowl. I have tried oat bran, and I have tried chia pudding, separately. This brought them together, with a nice dollop of chocolate soynut butter, and totally made my day.

For those of you who like recipes:

What You Need:

1/2 cup oat bran

2 cups water

2 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave

1 Tbsp chocolate nut butter (you could use regular, but you've already got so much chocolate goodness, why stop?)

pinch of salt

What You'll Do:

On a stovetop, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil and add oat bran and salt. Cook until the bottom becomes dry, then add the rest of the water, the chia, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Mix well. Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir in sweetener, top with nut butter, and enjoy.

Serves 1 Big Bowl of Oats

Nutrition Information: 443.1 Calories; 17.1g Total Fat; 7.8g Saturated Fat; o.omg Cholesterol; 67.0g Carbohydrates; 21.3g Fiber; 19.7g Protein

I know I waffle when it comes to calculating calories, but I really love doing it. Look at all that fiber!! Also, this is a lot of food, and it might be even better with 1/3 cup of oat bran, and some frozen cherries added. Experiment!

I also suggest adding some stevia, for those of you who are not allergic to it, which I think I am. I have been getting fairly bad hives for the past few months, and I couldn't pin down what it was from. I actually went to a doctor, who put me on prednisone, and it got worse. At first I thought it was just the Vitamin Water 10, but I have now also cut it out of my morning tea, and have stopped using my protein powder that has stevia in it, and the hives have practically stopped. There's a chance it may not be the cause, but I would bet on it. This makes me sad, I am a big stevia fan, and I had used it for over a year before I started drinking the Vitamin Water in September, and the allergy started.

Sorry for the lack of postage lately. Work has got me fairly busy, and I have time to blog, but not really time to cook. I doubt you want to see what I had for dinner last night (hint: Soyatoo, Chocolate Soynut Butter, and Rice Crackers. NOT together, I'm not completely crazy). I'll try and get in here as often as possible!

I hope everyone is having a great post-Thanksgiving week! Have you started decorating for Christmas yet?

Oh, and our little bug is growing, he's about 5 lbs now. He is a little monster sometimes and a little angel others. He came to work with me a few days ago, and we dressed him up in angel wings. The pictures are on my phone, I'll try and get them on here. This was him on Saturday though, with Nick.

*Sigh* He is cute. I just wish he'd stop biting my ankles!