Carnival Squash Risotto

My mission:

Use these lovely vegetables up this week! This last time I participated in Weight Watchers, I had the best leader. She was always pushing farmers markets and whole foods eating. One time during a meeting, one woman exclaimed how expensive it would be to subside solely on a diet that revolves around fruits and vegetables.

Really? I mean, I can get 5 bananas across the street for 90 cents. Yukon Golds for 88 cents a pound. And that lovely carnival squash pictured up front for 99 cents each.

My goal this week was a series on squash. Today I focus on last night's dinner, Carnival Squash Risotto. My recipe is adapted from the basic risotto recipe from 125 Best Vegan Recipes by Maxine Effenson Chuck and Beth Gurney. It's simple and just waiting for squash to join the risotto party. Total cooking time is around 45 minutes.

Carnival Squash Risotto - 4-6 Servings

3.5 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp each of dried basil & oregano
1 roasted carnival squash (method to follow)
basil leaves (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Split the squash in half and scoop out the loose flesh and seeds. Rinse seeds in strainer and set aside. Spray squash with cooking spray and place open side up on baking sheet with parchment. Toss seeds with salt and spread out on parchment. Roast squash for 40 minutes, removing the seeds halfway through.

In a pot, heat stock over low heat and keep warm.

In a heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened. Add rice and stir until rice is coated in olive oil and heated through. Add garlic, basil, oregano and 1 cup stock. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add stock 1/2 cup at a time until mostly absorbed. When stock is mostly absorbed, scoop roasted squash into pot and stir until stock is completely absorbed.

Top with basil leaves and roasted seeds and enjoy! I've included a small pictorial for your viewing pleasure.

VeganMofo Day 6!

Oh how I love Google reader! I always get answers to my question of "what shall I post today?" Thank you to Vegan Food for Thought for this thought provoking questionnaire.

1. What single thing most inspired you to take the leap from being an omnivore/vegetarian to being a vegan?

It was last year, around Thanksgiving. I had been feeling pretty yucky about myself and what I had been eating (after being vegetarian for 4 years) and decided to try veganism. Well, it stuck and I never plan on going back.

2. Are you 100% vegan (food wise at least) or do you sometimes eat non-vegan food, and if do so, under what circumstances does it usually happen?

I strive to be 100%. On our honeymoon, I absolutely made the best effort I could, but being in foreign lands, only remembering bits and pieces of the language I'm sure I was fed non-vegan foods. I always make sure our beer is vegan (we drink A LOT) and the only time I cook non-vegan food is when I make my husband grilled cheese sandwiches, but I make my him assemble it himself.

3. Where do you stand on the whole B12 thing? Do you take supplements, eat fortified foods, do you even care? (not to preach but you really should!)

I do what I can. I have been known to sprinkle nutritional yeast on everything.

4. Which rocks – Tofu, seitan, or that other stuff, what do you call it, Tempeh?

Tofu has been my good friend since I turned vegetarian, even I couldn't cook it at first. Since trying seitan, I have been in love with it. The first time I had a seitan cheesesteak sandwich I almost died from food happiness. Tempeh is somewhat new to me. I made tempeh paprikas awhile back and I liked them, but it was a lot of freakin' work.

5. What are your top 5 vegan meals?

1. Chickpea cutlets. My husband wants these all the time. 2. Black bean burgers. I make them spicy to try to recreate Burgerville's veggie burger. 3. Whole bowls (grain + green + protein) this happens almost every day. 4. Gnocchi! I make these when I want to impress. 5. Seitan fajitas. Goes well with margaritas!

6. Are you vegan and proud, get used to it! Or do you sometimes keep it quiet? You know what i mean!

I'm very proud of it. I made the switch due to health reasons but I'm very well aware of the atrocities committed and feel good about myself for not buying into that world. However, I get so much negative response from some of my friends (I know, right? They're supposed to support me) about it that I tend to keep quiet unless someone wants to talk civilly or has a question that isn't "where do you get your protein?"

7. What is your all-time favourite vegan cookbook?

Veganomicon. Hands down, it's my bible.

8. What is your favourite vegan food blog?

I don't have on favorite. I tend to gravitate those with beautiful photography, but that's cause I'm a geek for it.

9. What is the most annoying thing about being vegan? Come on, you can have a good rant if you want, you’re amongst friends!

Being told something isn't right because it's not the original. I had mentioned something to friends about vegan cupcakes topped with coconut bacon and got reamed for even calling it bacon. I also don't like when people assume my food is plain and disgusting. If that was so, I would not have gained more weight on a vegan diet! I mean, who cares? You eat what you want and I don't say anything!

10. What food do you really hate (vegan food that is)?

Pineapple and baked beans. Seriously, those are the only foods I will not touch. I'm gagging just thinking about the beans.

Cookbook Challenge Clear Winners!

Since I don't really have a post ready, but am still in the middle of the cookbook challenge I thought I would present a list of the dishes I tried that really stood out to me.

Mac Daddy - Veganomicon
The best vegan mac I have ever had. What else do I need to say?

Tofu Benny - Vegan BrunchOne of the dishes I really miss from my vegetarian past is again accessible and insanely delicious.

Tofu Omelet - Vegan Brunch

This was not only really tasty, but a lot of fun to make. The miso tahini sauce goes really well with the omelet. Mmm, I'm salivating just thinking about that sauce.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - Yellow Rose RecipesThis has become a regular in our house since trying for the first time. I seriously do a headdesk every time I think about NOT TRYING IT SOONER.

At the moment, a beautiful squash is roasting in preparation for the big ole squash post I'm gonna do. Squash holds a special place in my heart; from my mom making acorn squash with brown sugar for Christmas to the first true vegetarian recipe I tried (spaghetti squash casserole), so many happy meals revolve around the gourds. Stay tuned!

Fakin' Fest 2009

The lovely girls behind Get Sconed! and Strawberry and the World of Vegan Food put together a fabulous food event yesterday afternoon, Fakin' Fest! The vegans answer, without a touch of cruelty, to Portland's celebration of cholesterol with tempeh bacon fries, seitan bacon sandwiches and dip, bacon baklava, baco-custard, bacon topped cupcakes and so, so much more.

I had mentioned being willing and able to judge at a meetup earlier this month but didn't really expect it to happen! My plate with just a fraction of goodies:
The decision was hard for me but I chose bacon wrapped chocolate covered dates as most creative. They looked like pigs in blanket and I did not expect the sweet! Pleasant surprise. Janessa of Back to Eden Bakery was the other judge - her choice for best dish overall was the seitan bacon sandwiches with the baklava as (very) honorable mention. During the judging process we actually split a couple of things as there was SO.MUCH.FOOD.

I brought maple cupcakes with maple frosting and coconut bacon. I was proud that they turned out so well since I had been thinking of them all week!

I really believe the event showcased just how versatile and delicious vegan food can be. I mean, gorging myself on deliciously fatty food was definitely my idea of a good time.Who could eat this guy in real life? He's so cute!

Dinner Party, Darling!

Some good friends of ours came over on Friday night for a new tradition - dinner party! I don't get to see my friends nearly enough so this was a lovely thing.

I made the gnocchi from Vegan with A Vengeance with two different sauces - a chunky marinara sauce I've been working on all summer and a new favorite, a spinach hazelnut pesto. My sad basil plants provided the basil and I threw in baby spinach, hazelnuts and nutritional yeast. Lemme tell ya, I couldn't stop eating it before I even started on dinner!

Here are some rough measurements, I was improvising.

Spinach Hazelnut Pesto
1/2 cup basil
3/4 cup baby spinach
3/4 cup hazelnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
s & p to taste
water to thin

Blend into oblivion

Chunky Marinara
Tiny bit of olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 onion
1 cup (or more) halved grape tomatoes (if in season; use canned tomatoes otherwise)
1 can tomato sauce
Splash red wine
desired spices

Saute garlic and onion in oil until soft and fragrant, add grape tomatoes, tomato sauce and wine and cook until tomatoes are almost falling apart. Season to your liking and serve.

Super easy, and I'm sure that everyone knows how to make a marinara that they like. I just can't get down with canned pasta sauces.

Dinner also included a rustic baguette from Grand Central Baking, Goats Do Roam wine and a fresh green salad. I absolutely can't wait to do it again!

Here's the leftover gnocchi, dressed in the sauces. The pesto went over really well.

Quizzle....

Vegan Shizzle saved my busy rear with a quiz!

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?
Honestly, and this is horrible, but whatever is the cheapest. It's usually Trader Joe's. If I can find it cheap I'll get almond milk....I sorta love it.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?
Gnocchi tomorrow for a dinner party tomorrow, maple bac*n cupcakes for Fakin Fest and mashed sweet potatoes!

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?
Salt. I'm simple.

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?
My first true vegan recipe, mac and cheeze from Vegan Yum Yum. My advice from this experience? Save the mac and cheeze for when you're acclimated to noochy sauces.

5. Favorite pickled item?
Oh man, pickles.

6. How do you organize your recipes?
I have a notebook that was a wedding present that I usually stuff loose papers into...but some go on the fridge.

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?
Trash. I'm not disciplined enough for composting.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)?
Sweet potatoes, quinoa and Tofutti Cuties.

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?
My mom's cooking. She was a squash fanatic!

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?
Trader Joe's chocolate soy

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?
My blender! I don't know what I did without it.

12. Spice/herb you would die without?
Pepper.

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?
Veganomicon.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?
Blackberry!

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?
Pasta. I just did this for my sister's boyfriend. He was afraid of the weird dish I was going to make and after dinner told my sister she needed to cook like me!

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?
Tofu is more convenient, but I really love seitan.

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?
Dinner!

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?
Recipes, dry goods containers, half of the blender, a wine bottle holder....

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.
Leftover curried lentils, piece of (non)vegan wedding cake that will never get eaten, corn.

20. What's on your grocery list?
Potatoes, pine nuts and wine :-)

21. Favorite grocery store?
Fred Meyer.

22. Name a recipe you'd love to veganize, but haven't yet.
My mom's red velvet cake. But I'm not good at veganizing things.....

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa's because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?
Bread & Honey. Not a vegan blog, but I love reading it.

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?
Sigh. Oreos.

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?
It WILL be liquid smoke.

26. Ingredients you are scared to work with?

Egg replacer. I'd just rather not.

27. Favorite food cart?

It's a tie - DC Vegetarian and Just Thai.

Today is the first day of Vegan MoFo! I thought I would celebrate the occasion by visiting different vegan baked goods I've made since making the commitment to veganism almost a year ago. This should distill that silly myth that you can't gain weight on a vegan diet. I sure did, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookie
Not only has my baking improved, but so have my photography skills. This cookie was so good to me, it proved that vegan baking wasn't scary or off-tasting. After almost a year, Isa posted her recipe for Peanut Butter Pillows and it wasn't even a question as to which cookie was better. The woman is a mad scientist.

Creme Filled Sandwich Cookies
This was my first attempt at veganizing a recipe and as you can tell, they turned out awful. My lovely husband says he loved them, but I really think he was lying. I mean, look at them.

My birthday cake

Other than the special frosting, this cake was amazing. All the fruit made it healthy :-) But the actual cake recipe was flawed in that it dried out too quickly and once I figured out how to turn Isa's cupcakes into layer cakes....

Jeff's Birthday Cake
I never looked back! The cake was soft and rich and the PB buttercream definitely fit the bill. Unfortunately it was pounced on before I got a picture, so this was the aftermath. High fives all around!

Finally, Mexican Hot Chocolate SnickerdoodlesI've made these a couple times now and they continue to delight. Each time I've given a handful away and the recipients rave over the kick at the end.

Well, now that I've eaten a cookie for breakfast, I think this post is over. What will tomorrow bring?