Coca-coconut chili w/ kinda corny muffins.

Well, I did it! I got my Eat Drink & Be Vegan cookbook! After reading it from cover to cover, I found it a bit difficult to decide what to make first! So much goodness! One of my problems you see my little Eli is allergic to cashews- how sad huh? And well, Honey reacts to raw nuts. Funny thing is those recipes that call for cashews were just calling my name! Drats. Maybe it is time to make a huge pot o spaghetti so the boys could have left overs and Emma and I could enjoy some cashew goodness! I just dread making two dinners, this way everybody is happy..

Anyhoo

I thought I would try the Coca-Coconut Chili first w/ the kinda corny muffins. I have tried MANY different chili recipes on the little ones - they just are not chili fans. Emma gave this one a sideways thumb- i.e. not a thumbs up but, not a thumbs down either. Both kids ate their dinner all gone though.. w/a little coaxing. It was good, just a tad different. I didn't add the whole amount of coca powder it called for- maybe it was the brand I used it seemed a bit overpowering. Who ever would have thought to add a can of coconut milk and shredded coconut to chili?

The muffins were awesome! I haven't done much wheat-free cooking and was surprised how good they turned out.

A couple of days later I recycled the chili into a hamburger helper kinda of the dish (dare, I use that term here?). I boiled up some macaroni -drained and in the same pot made some nutritional cheese sauce. I mixed half the sauce w/ the cooked noodles added the chili and topped it off w/ more cheese sauce. Now that was a hit w/ the kids!

Stay tuned for more ED&BV goodness to come! ohh and I got my veganomicon cookbook over the weekend.. If a need me I will be on the couch reading my new cookbooks.

Busy week = Vegan Fast Food

Wow, a whole week has just zoomed by. DH had to leave again on business and that makes life a bit hectic around here. Before he left, our little social butterfly Emma had orchestrated a family date. We went to a noodle place kinda like a Mongolian barbeque kind of thing. You fill your bowel w/ veggies, noodles and a sauce and they fry it up. All of the sauces that are vegan are clearly labeled. So, I couldn't decide on which picture to post .. The one w/ o the flash or the one w/ the flash.. This is the Gee Whiz Spread from the Uncheese cookbook on the noodles w/ green beans. The kids ate it, but I think they would prefer the my normal cheese sauce on their noodles. I was intrigued by this one because it uses white beans for the base..And I had just pressure cooked a boat load of beans (white, chick and black). Besides I am always on the hunt for the next family favorite. This sadly wasn't it though.
A meal on the run, the kids and I got home after school and running around w/ just enough time to make a quickie sandwich and steamed asparagus before we had to leave again for a preschool meeting. I had bought a tofu cutlet- blahh very bland. But, affordable and quick. The real selling point was the new bread from Costco.. The kids just loved it! I was pretty surprised they both don't like to eat crust but, LOVED this crust.
From the Vegan Vittles cookbook the Cheddary Cheeze Soup. Well, sort of my modifications include using two cups white beans instead of silken tofu, sweet potato rather then a white, veggie broth instead of water and added some of the left over cauliflower from the other day.. Yum, I Love this soup! The kids - ehh,, I can't say they love it, but they will eat it. They did love the bread sticks though.
One very dolled up Annies cheesless pizza.. I added oodles of zucchini, red peppers, mushrooms, red onions, and veganrella. From The Everyday Vegan some Soul-full Chili. We had my daughter Amber and her boyfriend for dinner that night and need to make something that wasn't going to our weird vegan food. I.e. no tofu, seitan and what not. This chili got mixed reviews though, a bit to tomato-y for some. It did age well, the leftovers were great.
To go w/ the chili I made corn bread using the country corn muffin recipe from How It All Vegan. Only I cooked it in my cast iron skillet.

whew!
I see a lot animals on other vegan blogs out there. Now, let me introduce you to our dogs.. Emma is on the girl dog her name is Tani. A great big love bug! They were trying to ride her. One would throw a snowball to get Tani to jump up and chase. Nobody got a ride though, it was more like being thrown from a bucking bronco.

Here is the boy dog Timber.

They are Black Russian Terriers my honey got them from a very good friend and colleague from Russia. They are very good family dogs, Timber however is a guard dog and will bite when a stranger approaches the door. Once inside he will be your best bud, and leaving generally isn't a problem either. It is just getting guest into the house that's the problem. He is a very sweet boy though once he gets to know you. They have quirky personalities and are very smart and playful.
Traditionally their breeds hair looks like this.. They don't shed, their hair just grows and grows. Ours are outside dogs and living in Alaska we don't want them to get a chill during the winter.