Kale Chips

I had never had kale before my first visit to True Food Kitchen earlier this year. They have a wonderful kale salad that made me want to try recipes at home using kale. I was able to find TFK's Kale salad recipe here. I have veganized their recipe by using rice "parmesan" cheese instead of dairy cheese and substituting vegan bread crumbs for regular bread crumbs.
Having jumped on the kale train, I had been searching for kale recipes online and kept seeing recipes for kale chips. Many reviews said they taste like thin potato chips. Some recipes call for cheese or other non-vegan ingredients. I kinda made up my own recipe, using only 3 toppings. Next time I make these, I am going to spritz the kale with olive oil instead of drizzling in a bowl and tossing. I think I'll be able to cut down the amount of oil used (which isn't much), to almost none.

Vegan kale Chips

2 bunches of kale
Olive oil (you'll be drizzling or spritzing-you don't need much)
Rice "parmesan" cheese or other non-dairy cheese (to taste)
kosher salt (to taste)

1.Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the kale and pat dry
3. Cut the leaves off the stems
4. Tear leaves into big "chip" sized pieces
5. Put kale chips into big bowl and drizzle with olive oil

6. Toss to to coat the chips
7. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (for easy clean-up) or spray cookie sheets with oil
8. In a single line, without overlapping, fill the cookie sheets with the chips

9. Sprinkle salt over the chips....a little goes a long way...you don't want TOO much salt
10. Sprinkle the rice "parmesan" cheese over the chips

11. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Check on the chips and take out any that are crispy. If you have some that need more baking time, put them back in for 5 more minutes and you should be good.

The finished product: tasty kale chips!

Gardein seven grain crispy tenders

Oh my goodness! I have a new favorite food! These Gardein seven grain crispy tenders are AMAZING! I even made my sister try one, and she loved it! I had heard that Costco was going to be carrying a big bag of these, but I called a couple local Costco stores and they didn't have them. But, the good news is that these are sold at Sunflower Market and Whole Foods. The Gardein website says that they may even be available at Albertson's and Bashas in Arizona. They have an online look-up on their site, so you can find them in your state. I liked the fresh gardein varieties I have tried, but these are over-the-top amazing. I don't know how they do it, but kids would love these. The texture is identical to a chicken tender. I find them to be a perfect compliment to a vegan caesar salad. They are crispy, flavorful and are actually good for you!

More vegan love for Fresh And Easy

We are always trying new vegan products and with Fresh And Easy so close, we are always picking up packages and reading labels. I love finding new vegan grocery items!

This week's discoveries:

Pumpkin Spice and Cranberry Granola Clusters

The granola was great sprinkled on soy yogurt with fresh strawberries.

RiceWorks Salsa Fresca Crisps

These were crispy and flavorful....

Vegan "hot wings" with vegan cool ranch dressing

I have never eaten hot wings, but I saw this recipe for tofu hot wings in the You Won't Believe It's Vegan cookbook and wanted to make them for Matt. I usually don't like hot, spicy food. These turned out wonderful, but it would have been cool if the recipe had us mold the tofu into chicken wing shapes. The cool ranch dip is good with veggies and I can see it working for salads, too.

 Vegan Tofu Hot Wings
Serves 4-6

Hot Wing Sauce
1/4 medium sized red onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (2 tbsp for step 1, 6 tbsp for step 2)
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp hot sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp vegenaise
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 tsp agave nectar (optional)

1. Saute the onion and garlic in 2 tsbp of the olive oil over medium heat until slightly brown at the edges.
2. Transfer to a blender and add the lime juice, hot sauce, mustard, Vegenaise, water, vinegar, salt and pepper. Blend. With machine running, slowly add the remaining 6 tbsp of olive oil.
3. If desired, add 1/2 tsp of agave nectar.

Cool Ranch Dressing
1/2 clove garlic
2 tbsp roughly chopped white onion
2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
4 oz tofu, crumbled (I used silken tofu)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/3 cup Vegenaise
1/2 tsp spike seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash seasoning)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Process all the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender (or food processor) until smooth. With the blender running, slowly blend in the olive oil. Set aside.

Tofu Hot Wings
1 (14 oz) block firm tofu (I used extra firm)
1/2 cup canola oil or other flavorless oil

Dredging mixture
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper

1. Slice the tofu block in half lengthwise, then cut each half into seven sticks.

2. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a 9 inch skillet
3. Sift the dredging ingredients into a mixing bowl and toss the tofu gently in the mixture to coat. Shake off excess flour and place into hot oil.

4. Cook until the tofu puffs and crisps, carefully flipping the tofu over with a spatula halfway through the cooking process. Remove the tofu from the pan and drain on paper towels.

5. Toss the tofu in the hot sauce to coat.

To serve: Serve with small bowls of additional hot sauce and cool ranch dressing with some celery sticks.

Vegan Blueberry Mufffins

Matt begged me to find a good vegan blueberry muffin recipe. I searched for a vegan blueberry muffin recipe and came across some that would use flax seeds or banana in place of an egg, but I wanted to make some using Ener-G Egg Replacer. I bought some Ener-G egg replacer from Sunflower Market.

The recipe called for Silk Vanilla yogurt, but I used Whole Soy lemon yogurt, which I had on-hand.

Blueberry Muffins
http://veganyumyum.com/2007/03/blueberry-breakfast-cakes/


1 1/2 Cups + 2 Tbs All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder
Heavy pinch salt
1 Cup Sugar, and more for sanding
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil (like canola)
1 Ener-g Egg Replacer
1 Cup Vanilla Silk Yogurt (a little less than 2 small containers) (I used Whole Soy lemon yogurt)
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup + 1/2 Cup Blueberries
Muffin liners
Preheat oven to 380º F, (will be increased to 400).
Line metal muffin trays with paper liners and set aside.

*If using frozen berries, keep frozen until the last second! I’ll tell you when to take them out of the freezer in the directions.

Mix all the dry ingredients (through sugar) in a large bowl. Use a whisk or a fork to incorporate everything very well. Remove 1 Tbs of this dry mix and place in a small bowl and set aside (this is for coating your blueberries).
In another bowl (or 2 cup liquid measure, I find that easier), mix your yogurt, oil, vanilla and prepared “egg”. Whisk well to incorporate.
Get your blueberries from the freezer, measure out 1 Cup and place in the small bowl with 1 Tbs of dry ingredients. Toss to coat. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, getting every bit (a rubber spatula helps). Using your rubber spatula or a wide wooden spoon, gently fold the wet ingredient into the dry. Once it is JUST incorporated, scatter blueberries on top.
Once the berries are mixed in, distribute all the batter into your tins. You’ll feel like you’re over filling a bit, but that’s a-okay. These don’t really rise all that much so it’ll be fine. Add up to 1/2 cup more blueberries over the tops, pressing them into the batter gently but not submerging them.
Sand cakes with a (un)healthy amount of sugar, using a coarser sugar if you’ve got it, such as Sugar in the Raw. I’m weird and keep like three different kinds of sugar in my kitchen at all times. The sugar you used for the batter will work just fine.
Place them in the oven and increase the temperature to 400º. Bake for 20-25 minutes on the middle or top-middle rack of your oven, turning half-way to ensure even cooking. They’re done when a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are a rich golden brown.