Day 140!

Hello everyone!

Today I am going to be sharing with you probably one of my favorite recipes I have made which is a Vegan Eggplant Meatball, absolutely amazing.  Second recipe I am going to be sharing with you is a pretty basic recipe but its Vegan Basil Pesto, I figured I would show this recipe it would be nice for summertime.

Vegan Eggplant Meatballs:
1 Eggplant, Peeled and Diced

For the eggplant, salt the eggplant about 1 1/2 hour before hand and put in a strainer and let the juices drain out of it.  I took a fruit squeezer after to and squeezed out the juices.  I had a medium sized eggplant and got about a cup of liquid.   You don't want the liquid because it will make the meatballs not stick together and fall apart.

1/2 Onion, Small Diced
5 Cloves Garlic, Minced
3/4 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs (Read Label, make sure they are vegan)
2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
4 Tablespoons Almond Milk
2 Tablespoons Grey Poupon
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Vegetable Oil for Pan Frying
Salt and Pepper To Taste


In a food processor add the panko, oregano, parsley,salt, pepper and red peppers.  Making this mixture really fine.  Set aside.

After the eggplant has drained, get a pan on the stove and coat the bottom with oil about medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic cook for about 3 minutes, turn the heat down to medium.  Add the eggplant and cook until soft about 10-15 minutes.  Place this in the food processor and blend.  Add to the dry mix.

Once all together add the almond milk and the grey poupon.   Mix well together and form into meatballs.  Get the pan frying oil on the stove to medium ish heat, and fry the meatballs on all sides until a dark brown.

I placed inside my tomato sauce and left for about 10-15 minutes before serving.  I have a few sauce recipes on my blog or you can use your own.  Serve with pasta!

These are unbelievable!  Enjoy!

Vegan Basil Pesto:

1 Cup Pine Nuts

3 Cups Whole Basil Leaves

1 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Cloves Garlic

Salt to Taste

Add the pine nuts, basil and garlic to the food processor.  Mix real quick, while the mixture is running slowly stream in the vegetable oil and salt.  That's it!  No more store bought!  This can be served on virtually anything you want it to.  I would say brush it on some vegetables you are grilling or on top a veggie burger would be awesome!

Enjoy!

So recently I went on a cruise on the cruise line royal Caribbean and went to the western Caribbean.  My biggest fear was not being able to find food, but I had absolutely no problem what so ever.  We went to this buffet they had every day which was a fusion with Asian. 

There was salad, rice, vegetable sushi one day even tofu curry.  Same thing for breakfast and lunch there was oatmeal, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables whatever you wanted.  I just wanted to let everyone know, so vegans have nothing to worry about!  The few times we went out to eat everyone was really accommodating and helpful to!

That is all for today!

Namaste,

V

Day 126!

Hello everyone!

The weather has been so nice out lately, most the recipes I have been creating lately have been more on the lighter side.   This recipe is not though, haha. I have also been going through stages of items I love to cook, currently its Mexican.  Today I will be sharing with you a Vegan Black Bean Burrito Recipe with Homemade Guacamole and Lime Cilantro Rice.  I will show you how to make all of that, and a Vegan Hummus Recipe!

Vegan Black Bean and Rice Burrito:

2 Cups Cilantro Lime Rice with Corn
1 Can Black Beans (I used canned because it was easier, but fresh would be better)
3 Cups Homemade Guacamole
1/2 Head of Romaine Shredded
1 Tomato Diced
1 Red Onion Diced
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Jalapeno, De-seeded and Minced
1 Package of Vegan Burrito Wraps (It just happens the brand I found at the grocery store was vegan, I bought at Stop N Shop)
Oil to Coat Pan

Get a pot on the stove on medium, add oil.  Add the garlic, red onion and jalapenos and cook for two minutes.  Add the black beans, make sure to drain the can of the liquids and just cook down.

The romaine and tomato I left raw and just added to the burrito

Heat the burrito wrappers up in the oven for 2-3 minutes at 400. Just to make it soft.


Cilantro Lime Rice:
2 Cups Rice
4 Cups of Water
3 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Cilantro
Juice of 3 Limes
2 Ears of Fresh Corn, Taken off the cob and pre-cooked
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
Oil to Coat Pan
Salt to taste

Get a pot on the stove heat on high add the oil and garlic cook for a minute to take out bitterness, add the rice and toast for a minute.  Add the water and salt the water, cook the water down until you see the rice, turn to low and cover and let cook 5-10 minutes, depending on the type of rice you have.  (I buy mine at a Brazilian specialty store, so its really hard to mess it up, some rices from the supermarkets are hard to work with.)

Once the rice is cooked add the cilantro, corn and fresh lime juice.  Just mix.  You want to serve this hot with the burrito.

Homemade Guacamole:
3 Avocados, halved and insides taken out.
1 Red Onion, Minced
Juice of 3 Limes
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Cilantro
Salt to taste

Place avocados in a bowl and mash up, add the rest of the ingredients, so easy!  Ha!

Assemble how every you want.

Vegan Burrito!

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 Roasted Red Pepper, Ready to go

3 Cloves, Fresh Minced Garlic

1 Can Chickpeas, Skinned (Makes for a creamier hummus)

1 Cup Sesame Seed Tahini

Salt to taste

In a food processor add the tahini and mix for 2 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix for about 1-2 minutes.  That is it, I wanted to put this recipe here to show how easy it is to make a homemade hummus instead of buying store bought.

So yummy!

I'm leaving for a cruise in a few days, I hope to review on the vegan meals they serve!

Namaste,

V