By Request

Tonight, for the second night this week, we're having Roman Rice and Beans.  I made this with green pepper for the first time the other night, and Amy & Brian loved it!  They requested I make it again tonight, so I acquiesced.  I made sure I used the amounts of spices called for in the recipe (Diet For A Small Planet). AND I made sure I chopped the tomatoes almost in a dice, since Amy usually does not like tomatoes.  With bread, of course.  Frances Moore Lappé suggests serving with a salad, but this is enough food and veggies without the salad.  This is also one of the DFASP recipes that doesn't have to be veganized, because it's vegan already (if you leave out the parmesan). Viva homecooked meals!

Veganomicon black bean burgers with a twist

Instead of ketchup or tomato paste, I added BBQ sauce (vegan as far as I know, but not really entirely sure - it sure tastes good)  to the black bean burger recipe from Veganomicon.  So far, so good.  With sweet potato fries.  Brian & I will have a good lunch.  No meals out today.  Too many crazy people out there on the road and elsewhere this Black Friday.

Update: General Tso's tofu at China Delight for dinner.  Oh well...

An almost all-vegan Thanksgiving

First of all, this morning I made chickpea scramble for breakfast.

Recipe:  1 can chickpeas, buzzed in food processor (I think next time I will just mash them with a fork and see if that works just as well)
             1 TBSP olive oil in pan for cooking
             1 small onion, chopped
             1 clove garlic, smashed
             1 tsp cumin
             1 TBSP soy sauce
             1 TBSP nutritional yeast

Heat up oil, then sautée onions and garlic in oil.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until a little crusty around the edges.  Enjoy!

Yesterday, everything on the Thanksgiving table was vegan except for the green bean casserole.  We made vegan gado-gado, with steamed broccoli and carrots, and roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  We also made mashed sweet potatoes - next time we will make sure we don't cook them until closer to the time we eat, because they were a little cold.  The stuffing was a no-go, so we won't do that again, or I will try to find a recipe instead of winging it.  We all enjoyed each other's company.  It was all four kids - Alison, Chris, Brian and Amy, Alison's husband Shane and me.  Oh, and gluten-free squash pancakes and gluten-free noodles.  Because Shane has celiac disease.  I was glad we had food he could eat and enjoy.  The pancake batter made even better waffles.  So I may just make waffles with it when I do it.  We loaded up all kinds of stuff and took it to my mom's.  We did miss her, but she likes the traditional Thanksgiving food, so I don't think she would have liked what we made.

But we had a good time.  I am so grateful I have wonderful kids and a wonderful son-in-law.

Black Bean Burgers

We made the Black Bean Burgers recipe from Veganomicon, the Roasted Brussels Sprouts from Vegan With A Vengeance and mashed potatoes with a secret ingredient - grated onions.  All in all, a delicious meal!  Thanks to Amy for your help and your idea for the onions in the mashed potatoes.

update - those black bean burgers are GOOD

The end and the beginning

Well, a few days ago, the 2012 Vegan Month of Food came to an end.  I really enjoyed blogging about all the different things I was making.  In a way, I wish EVERY month was a Vegan Month of Food.  I'll continue blogging about the new recipes I'm trying and talking about those that become favorites.

On another note: I start a new job November 19.  I am excited, but a little scared.  It's going to be a promotion, and hopefully a new challenge.  I have some worries, which I won't detail here, but I am praying about this, and people at my church are praying for me.  I guess mostly I'm worried about a change since I've had my current job since 2008.  I should be used to a change every three or four years since I was in the Navy and moved around pretty much at that interval (except for San Diego, which I loved and stayed for 7 years).

I had my annual mammogram this morning.  Hopefully everything will be okay.  Fingers crossed.

Tonight is Band Together to Fight Hunger.  I will have to remember to bring a canned good or two so I can get in to watch the bands perform.