So Vegan.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Tofu Mousse with dark chocolate sprinkles

As if I'd write a recipe, or you'd need one.  Vegan or not, some vegan or tofu advocate has likely pushed this on you in the past.  It's a building block of (sometimes boring) vegan dessert.

Just last week I spotted it as the vegan chocolate pudding sold at Whole Foods (sweetened with rice syrup) and there are roughly 9 bajillion recipes that exist online, in old cookbooks and perfected in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.  If you're veg, you've been to a potluck where there's been chocolate tofu pie.  I've been to many.  It can be boring, but since getting a Vita-Mix I've found myself digging  it's simplicity again.  

Note the keyword Vita-Mix - that baby turns unexciting tofu pudding into silky, sinful chocolate pudding, and I don't even have to melt the chocolate before blending.  I'm such a fan, but it's not like I've hugged it..yet.  The basic recipe is so versatile - add flavored liquor, mix up the sweeteners, add peanut butter, fresh fruit, extract, whatever sounds good and fits in the blender.  I honestly don't use a recipe, I just throw stuff - okay, ingredients, into my blender and taste for sweetness towards the end.

Here's what I had to play with:

I didn't use the cocoa or all of the sugar, instead I felt like a more peanut butter...passionate pudding.

In other news - I'll be in Phoenix next week for work.  Let me know if you have any dining suggestions for the downtown area - I won't have a car. Thanks!

Easy and Peanutty Seitan.

Sauteed seitan and veggies with peanut sauce over red quinoa

A couple weeks ago, I found myself making this meal two days in a row.  I live alone, so when I make a grain in my rice cooker it always lasts another meal or two or three; so the red quinoa was all set.  The seitan is the locally made Cast Iron Seitan I’ve previously glorified.  It’s the quickly-thrown-together type of meal I almost feel guilty about sitting down with, like I’m just eating nachos for dinner.  In reality, protein-rich seitan, fresh vegetables and the ridiculously, stupidly easy peanut sauce over quinoa all make for a more than decent meal.  Again, I know, I made it two days in a row.

I’d feel even more ridiculous if I tried to claim this as a recipe, and that would require thinking about it even more, so don’t get your hopes up.  I quickly sautéed the seitan with in peanut oil($2.99 from Grocery Outlet)  for a few minutes over medium  heat, turning the slices over once, added minced garlic and chopped vegetables – I used kale, celery, cabbage and carrots - and cooked a few more minutes on lower heat.  Once the vegetables were barely cooked, I added a couple spoonfuls of natural chunky peanut butter, 1/3-1/2 cup of vegetable broth, Sambal Oelek chili sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, tamari and white pepper…aka most things you throw into peanut sauce…and I was out of fresh ginger. 

Simmered, stirred and served over quinoa.  

Peanut Butter & RayRay

I arrived at work yesterday to find a free sample of the new 

Earth Balance No Stir Peanut Butter.  It is made of peanuts, flaxseed, agave syrup, palm fruit oil and salt is delicious.  I think the addition of flax and agave is pretty groovy in a no-stir.

I find myself to be a no-stir fan, and Maranatha is one of my favorites.  I usually just buy a jar of Trader Joe's salted peanut butter because I'm cheap, but I do look to fancier brands when they are on sale at New Season's, and would pick this up again if it was.  It was a welcome addition to my oops-forgot-my-lunch-but-have-carrot-sticks-at-work day!

The royalty of peanut butter, Rayray of Bjorked off, tried it last night while on his last night in town and approved.  Expect more feedback on Bjorked off!  Did you know that this blog is doing a VeganMoFo month of PEANUT BUTTER?  Go figure.

Here's a slice of Rayray's Peanut Butter Cheezecake, 

that he made our ANTM night.  

I know the secret ingredient, do you?  No.  

The best vegan cheezecake I have ever had - and ridiculously the creamiest.  My brother liked it and said "tastes like Reese's"~

And a sad group hug goodbye between Rayray, Strawberryrock and myself.  Come back soon! Make me art!