Soy Curls: Who Knew?

Soy Curls with Cashew Milk

A few months ago Joy and I attended a vegan cooking class, where we were introduced to a delightful new food, soy curls.  Living in a vegan food dessert as we do, we have been unable to find these locally, so recently I ordered a bag of Butler Soy Curls from Amazon.com so we could try the recipe that we had been served that day.  The recipe -- Soy Curls with Cashew Milk -- made a strong first impression on us at the cooking class, and we were pleasantly surprised that we were able to duplicate and enjoy the dish at home.

First, a word about soy curls for those who don't know what they are.  Soy curls are a natural meat alternative made from soy beans. The particular brand we used, Butler's, are made from non-GMO whole soybeans grown without pesticides. Click HERE to read more about this delicious product and how soy curls are made.

Soy curls are easy to use and a versatile substitute for meat in many dishes. To prepare them for recipes, merely soak in hot water for 10 minutes, rinse, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Then season as desired or use in place of meat in your favorite dish. It's that simple. Extra soy curls not needed for your recipe can be stored in the fridge for future use. For more information on preparing them, click HERE.

Now that we've used them to make the dish above -- a sort of vegan chicken Alfredo -- we are eager to try them in stir-fry dishes and to make barbecue sandwiches! Click HERE for recipes from ButlerFoods.com.

The recipe for Soy Curls with Cashew Milk, pictured above, was adapted from the Give Them Something Better Cookbook, which we purchased at the cooking class, conducted by the director of the Hartland Lifestyle Center and students of Hartland Institute. We have provided that recipe for you and encourage you to order soy curls and try this for yourself! We served the sauce over whole wheat linguine and enjoyed every bite!

Soy Curls with Cashew Milk

Ingredients:
3 cups Soy curls
1 large onion, minced
4-6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp. salt

Blend:
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cashews

Directions:
1.  Soak soy curls in hot water for 10 minutes or until soft.  Drain, wash and squeeze water out of the soy curls.
2.  Saute soy curls with garlic, onion, bell pepper, and salt in a little water for about 30 minutes or until onions and bell pepper are soft.
3.  Blend cashews and water until smooth.  (NOTE:  If you are not using a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix, soak the cashews for at least an hour.)
4.  Then add the blended cashews and remove from the heat.


If you are new to plant-based eating, or if you are a seasoned pro and have never tried soy curls, you need to order a bag (or several) and give them a try!




Copyright 2017 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Quinoa Black Bean Burritos (#FeelingVeggieGoodFriday -- Recipe #1)

Ah!  I am so excited about #FeelingVeggieGoodFriday!  Every Friday, my mother and I will be posting a new recipe we've tried that week. It could be a breakfast, lunch/dinner, or dessert recipe. Some recipes may be a little more complex than others, but they should all be fairly easy for everyone to make. Let's get started with this week's recipe!

Our first recipe is Quinoa Black Bean Burritos, an easy-to-prepare dish that is delicious and satisfying.  Even my non-vegan dad liked it!  It made more than enough to feed three hungry folks with enough leftover for today's lunch.

(Disclaimer:  This is not our recipe; the credit for this recipe belongs to tessbegg on YouTube.)

INGREDIENTS:

1 minced garlic
1 brown onion, diced*
4 T. tomato paste
2 t. cumin powder
2 t. chili powder
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 c. quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. capsicum (bell pepper) -- we used red bell pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

*NOTE:  We used a sweet yellow onion since we didn't have a brown onion.  In researching brown onions we determined that the yellow onion with which we are familiar is the American equivalent of the brown onion used in other countries.


STEPS:

1.  Measure out ingredients.

2.  Saute diced onion and garlic with a splash of water until translucent.

3.  Add in tomato paste and spices.  Stir until combined.

4.  Add in quinoa and veggie broth.  Stir until combined on medium heat and bring to gentle boil.  Cover, reduce temperature and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.

5.  In a separate pan, saute capsicum with some salt on high heat.

6.  Add in the black beans and capsicum.  Stir to combine.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

While quinoa and black beans are simmering, make guacamole by mashing an avocado and seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Serve quinoa and black bean mixture on wrap or tortilla of choice and garnish with lettuce, tomato, and guacamole.  Muy delicioso!

Let the fiesta begin!
        Joy




Copyright 2016-2017 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

A Rut Isn't Necessarily a Bad Thing

As a busy working mom the last thing I want to think about is what to fix my hungry household for dinner. But as surely as the sun rises and sets, dinner time always comes.  Before I became a vegan I often solved the dinner dilemma by stopping by the store for a rotisserie chicken, which I would serve with instant mashed potatoes and frozen broccoli.  That was on a good day.  But all too often I would dial up Domino's for a pizza, swing by the nearest Chinese takeout, or plop my family (and my life savings) down in a restaurant to satisfy ourselves with good food that was not necessarily good for us.

Since becoming a vegan, mealtime -- and meal preparation -- is something I now look forward to. We have found plenty of nutritious and affordable, easy meals to keep us fueled and satisfied.  We still eat a lot of the same foods we ate before we became vegan -- fruits, vegetables, beans, and pasta -- but we have tried a wider variety of these and learned that sometimes a baked sweet potato is just as satisfying a main course as any piece of meat.

Recently I asked Joy if it seemed we were stuck in a rut buying and preparing the same foods week after week.  She was quick to reply that even though it might seem that way at times, we were stuck in a rut before we went vegan -- living on hamburgers, pizzas, restaurants meals, and a whole lot of junk food.

I suppose that if I had to choose my rut, this is the rut I'd choose -- one where the food is nutritious, our family spends more time together  preparing meals, and no animals are harmed in the making of our food.  Guess a rut isn't necessarily a bad thing.


Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Comfort in a Cup: Easy Microwavable Cake for One

Recently Joy happened upon a couple of quick and easy dessert recipes that we're still ooh-ing and aah-ing about.  One is a microwavable cobbler (coming soon in another post) and the other is the mug cake below.  Imagine our delight in finding an easy microwavable dessert that satisfied our sweet tooth without great expense or guilt! We hope you will enjoy this dessert as much as we do!

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Mug Cake (Click HERE for the official recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a ceramic mug or glass bowl, mix dry ingredients together, then stir in the almond milk, syrup, vanilla, peanut butter and mix with fork until cake batter consistency. Microwave on high for one minute (more or less, depending on wattage). One minute was perfect in our microwave.

Step 1:  The batter

Step 2:  Hot and delicious, straight from the microwave!

Step 3:  Chocolate chips make this dessert even better!

Chocolate-Lovers Variation
Using the same ingredients above, Joy added 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa to make a chocolate cake, adding chocolate chips after pulling the dessert out of the microwave.  It was SOOOO good!  Although we didn't have any on hand, this would be delicious topped with non-dairy vanilla ice cream.  Steve topped his with marshmallow creme (non-vegan) and said it was to die for!

Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Fiesta Veggie Wraps

After an exceptionally busy day at the office I felt a little wilted and wondered what I would feed my family for dinner.  Three months ago I would have placed on online order with Domino's and stopped by to pick up a barbecue chicken pizza.  But things have changed.  Thankfully my daughter had a better plan -- Fiesta Veggie Wraps!

There's nothing magic about these tasty and nutritious wraps.  Just gather together some of your favorite ingredients and get creative!  Remember, it's all about whole foods, variety, and flavor.  We've provided a few photos to get you started.

SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat tortillas
Avocado (mashed) or Hummus
Black beans
Whole kernel corn
Lettuce (we used spinach we had on hand)
Tomatoes
Sweet peppers (Joy didn't have them, but I did)
Salsa (on the tortilla and/or with chips)
Banana pepper slices, onions (not pictured)

STEPS:
1.  Chop / dice / shred ingredients as desired
2.  Load up a tortilla with ingredients of your choice
3.  Enjoy!

 



Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Thinking Outside the Box

One of the things we love about our vegan adventure is the chance to try new foods and think outside the box when it comes to meals. Recently, as I was headed out the door to work, Joy asked me what my thoughts were for dinner.  I replied, "I don't know." But before I completed the short drive to the office I already had a plan working and by the end of the day we had created our first vegan recipe!

Remembering that we had some leftover basmati rice from the night before, I began concocting a recipe that turned out to be a hit, not only with Joy but also with my skeptical husband.  It's a simple, one-skillet meal that we are calling "Twice as Nice Rice."  It's easy, economical, hearty, and flavorful!

INGREDIENTS:
Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles
Black beans (1 can, rinsed and drained)
Rotel tomatoes (1 can, undrained)
Sliced mushrooms
Sweet peppers (or bell peppers, sliced)
Onions (sliced)
Cooked brown rice (we used basmati rice)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, other spices, to taste

STEPS:
1.   In large non-stick skillet, prepare Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles as directed on package.

2.  Add black beans, rotel tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, sliced onions, reduce heat and simmer until onions, peppers, and mushrooms are tender.

3.  Stir in cooked rice and season to taste using salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin or other spices of your choice, to taste.

4.  If needed to prevent sticking, or if you like a little liquid in a dish like this, add some water while cooking.

SERVE with a garden salad or fresh fruit and enjoy!  Leftovers heat up beautifully!

Of course, you can customize a dish like this easily. All you need to do is "think outside the box" to create a little magic with your leftovers!