VeganMoFo 2009 #2: Recipe Round-Up - Veganomicon

Hello happy MoFoers! Day two have arrived, and I have been busy trying to keep up with all the amazing posts going on today! I have been delighted by all the delicious food and lovely stories people have been sharing. The bloglines feed isn't working too well for me, so I am in the painstaking process of adding every MoFo blog to my Google Reader (the export doesn't work for me either). I have just finished adding blogs that start with the letter C! Rest assured, I will be adding everyone and reading and commenting as much as possible.

I wish I had a snazzy theme for my VeganMoFo, some people are being so clever and creative! I have just not been that organised, so I will continue with my regular random blogging and just keep up the frequency.

Today I thought I would do a round-up of some Veganomicon recipes I have been making lately. Vcon is the book that just keeps on giving, as you can see by looking at these delicious dinners...


This is Curried Udon Noodle Stir-Fry, which is absolutely delicious and wonderful and should be made by everyone now and then often. I would strongly suggest using dried udon noodles rather than the ones that are sold soft, the texture is so much better! Chewy and fabulous instead of smushy.


The star of this dinner was Israeli Couscous with Pistachio and Apricots and it was my first time using Israeli couscous. It is fantastic, a really nice texture. I found the overall flavour of it to be quite subtle, and some might find it a little bland. But that is easily changed by adjusting the seasonings. And did I mention the texture? Also on the plate are some roasted sweet potato, roasted asparagus and some baked tofu that had been marinated in one of the Vegan Vittles marinades.


This was such a fun dinner! Firstly, there were Tamarind Lentils, which are delicious and tangy. This was my second time making these, the first time I had used the wrong sort of tamarind - it was more the pulp than a puree or concentrate and still contained seeds (which I didn't realised) so eating it was a danger for all teeth. This time though I had my nice smooth concentrate, so it was fantastic! There is also Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes, which is simple and fast and a lovely way to get some greens in. But what is that pile of green goop? It is Cilantro-Pureed Rutabaga (or Coriander-Pureed Swede for those of us in Australia). Absolutely delicious! I found that I had to process the mix quite a while for the cilantro to distribute enough to give that lovely green colour. Finishing off the meal was some basmati rice.


For a cold winter's day, a big bowl of Cholent really hits the spot. By favourite part of this was the large TVP chunks, which take on a ridiculously tasty, slightly chewy texture and just made me want to eat it all day! With big chunks of potato and carrots, plus some peas and lentils - how could anyone go wrong?


This was a quick dinner I made before having to go and be on call (blergh) at the clinic. It is Pasta e Fagioli, which is easy to make and has a fantastic fresh taste. It also taught me about plum tomatoes. I had always assumed they were roma tomatoes, which it turns out is correct! Apparently because they are less juicy and seedy than other types it makes them ideal for canning and sauce making. Learning and growing is fun! Next to it is a Caesar Salad from Vegan Vittles, which was lovely. I had already made the caesar from Vcon, so wanted to try another version. It was good, but the Vcon one does have that edge with the garlic croutons!


Say hello to Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe with Rotelle, though us Australians would call broccoli rabe broccolini instead. This was actually the VERY FIRST thing I ever made from Vcon! I revisited it again last week, and was reminded why I had given it a five star rating - it is fantastic! I served it along side Pear and Endive Salad with Maple Candied Pecans. This was my first time using belgian endive, which is also sold as witlof here depending on which shop you go to. It is a really nice flavour - a slight bitterness, but quite a lot of moisture and really great. The sweetness of the pear and the candied pecans really combined well. The only thing I would suggest is that when making the candied pecans, you really don't need the whole 1/4 cup of maple syrup. Only pour in as much as it looks like you need. Maple syrup is way too expensive to be wasting, or at least it is in Australia!

Cute Cat Photo of the Post

This is actually two cute photos. This little guy came in to the clinic to be castrated. These photos were taken later than afternoon, after he had woken up. Obviously he is still a bit groggy! They have been taken through the bars on his cage so as not to disturb him.


No, he is not licking his surgery site. He has actually fallen asleep with his nose down there!


But he did wake up to have a little stretch! Hee.

Keep up the VeganMoFo-ing, it is fantastic!