A Thanksgiving Celebration

Today I started cooking for Thursday's feast. We are looking forward to a special day with our family and friends.

Here is the planned menu (subject to change at the pleasure of the chef.....) I have linked to some of the recipes that are online. Some of the others I have already posted and I will link to those as well. Others are in my head and when I get them down on paper, I'll link to those.

I'll be back with photos later in the week, but til then Paul and I wish you and yours a blessed and safe holiday, rich with the comfort of family, friends, and wonderful (vegan) food!

A Thanksgiving Celebration

Beginnings
Creamy Baked Cashew Brie with Seeded Flatbread Crakers
Curried Pumpkin Soup
Cranberry Salad with Whipped Coconut Cream
Mixed Green Salad with Spinach, Arugula, Radicchio,Red Onion, Walnuts, Tofu Feta and
Black Raspberry Vinaigrette

Main Event
Black-eyed Pea Cakes with Chipotle Remoulade
Cornbread Dressing
Mashed Potaotes with Chickpea Gravy
Balsamic-Roasted Vegetables
Maple Sweet Potatoes
Freshly Baked Whole-Grain Rolls
Cranberry Chutney

Sweet Endings
Pumpkin Custard Pie
Death By Apple Pie
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Lightly Sweetened Iced Green Tea
Freshly Ground French Roast Coffee
Chilled Chardonnay
Shiraz

Curried Cabbage with Broccoli and Coconut Almond Rice

It's been a hard week and a half since we lost Winston. He was our precious Sweet Boy and we miss him so much. So many wonderful, silly, funny, memories since he came to live with us 12 years ago when he was only 5 weeks old, so tiny he fit in Paul's shirt pocket.

All the "firsts" have been hard. The first time I came home from work and he wasn't barking joyously to greet me. The first time I made dog food and only needed to make half as much. The first time my mother-in-law came by and she refused to ring the doorbell because she couldn't bear not to hear him barking, so she called from the car to tell us she was here. The first time the neighbors mentioned that they hadn't seen Winston outside for awhile. And then when the vet called to say his ashes were ready for use to pick up.

But time does go on and we keep breathing and eventually we hurt less and less until the memories bring more smiles than tears. Winston, we will never, ever forget you, Sweet Boy. And of course Wesley is still here and we do love him so. He has adjusted fairly well - we have given him lots and lots of extra attention. I think he kinda likes being an "only child".





And now for a yummy new recipe. I threw this together as a pantry challenge sort of recipe amidst a week that was challenging from many perspectives. It took about 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. (Hmmmmmm.......does that make me the vegan Rachel Ray???? Naah.) It is based on a recipe I came across on the blog One Hot Stove. Very, very yummy served over Coconut Almond Rice. I learned a new condiment from this recipe, ground coconut and sesame seeds, that I will use again. I'm sure this combination has a name but I couldn't find it online anywhere.


Curried Cabbage and Broccoli
3 tbs unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
1/2 medium head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bag frozen broccoli
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander

Grind coconut and sesame seeds together to make a fine powder and set aside. I use my spice-dedicated coffee grinder for this, but you could use a food processor.

In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil.

Add mustard and cumin seeds and fry for a minute.

Add onion and cabbage and fry for another minute or so.

Add chili powder, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and coconut-sesame powder. Fry for another minute or so.

Add tomato and salt to taste.

Let this cook unattended over med-low heat for 12-15 minutes. Do not add water or cover.

Serve with Coconut Almond Rice (recipe below).

Coconut Almond Rice
Prepare white basmati or jasmine rice according to package directions with this exception: Use one can of coconut milk (I use lite, but use full fat for extra richness and LOTS more calories....) in place of an equal amount of water. In other words, pour the coconut milk into your measuring cup. Add water to equal the amount of water called for to cook your rice.

While the rice is cooking, lightly toast 1/4 - 1/2 cup of slivered or sliced almonds by heating them in a skillet until they are lightly golden. Watch them closely and stir frequently because they will burn quickly. On a rather odd note, Paul always says that toasting almonds smell like scrambled eggs. ???????

When your rice is done, add the almonds and stir gently to mix through.


And right now I have simmering on the stove, a bog pot of leek and potato soup with an added bonus - cauliflower! It smells wonderful, so if it turns out as nicely as it promises, that will be my next post.

Good-bye, sweet Winston

Winston LeRoi Jones
6-24-98 - 10-27-10

We are heart-broken to loose our sweet boy, Winston. He brought us so much joy. He was a bright light and we miss him terribly.

When I fell sleep last night I didn’t know

That you would leave today.

You went so quickly and I’m left here

With all these things around me

That remind me that you are gone

And I don’t know what to do.

Your dinner bowl sits there

By the big green water bowl.

It still has speckles of your breakfast

And I can’t bear to wash it.

So your papa does it

And I can hear him crying.

Your toys are still in the basket

But I know you won’t mind

If I leave them there for

Your brother to use.

Your bed has a clean blanket because

I couldn’t stand to leave it empty.

Your papa cries again

This time because he found

Your brand new dog tag

Lying on his desk.

How will I sleep tonight

Without you curled into my belly?

Who will sit and give me the

Silent Stare that says “Let me out,”

But what it really means is

“Go get me a treat”?

Your brother doesn’t stand

At the door and bark like you do.

And I know I really need

To clean the blood spots off

The top stair but I don’t want to

Because it feels like

I am washing you away,

Sweet boy.

These tears keep on coming

Falling, rolling, pouring now.

They don’t wash away the hurt.

I knew that you would be leaving soon

But when I went to sleep last night

I didn’t dream it would be today.

Moroccan "Chicken" Stew

I love fall! It is my hands-down favorite season. I love the smell of a wood fire in the fireplace. I love the changing color of the leaves, the color of a September sky, a full October moon. I love crisp mornings and warm, sunny afternoons. I love brilliant hardy mums, and bright pansies. I love college football (GO CARDS!) and I love NFL football (GO COLTS!)

I love winter squash and fall crop greens, pumpkins, cabbage, and broccoli. I love thick, hearty soups and stews with warm, crusty bread just out of the oven.

So, without further ado, here is today's recipe: Moroccan "Chicken" Stew. This has become one of my all-time favorite dishes. It is true fall fare - comforting, sweet and spicy and savory all at the same time. This dish is easy and quick to boot! It comes with a bit of controversy, however, and here it is: It calls for honey. Honey is the one thing that I have never completely let go of in my vegan journey. I don't use it often, and a jar of raw, locally produced honey will last a very long in my pantry. And while I know about all the vegan substitutes (feel free to use any of them you prefer), for this dish, I use honey. Let the beatings begin......

Moroccan "Chicken" Stew
1 lb vegan soy nuggets
2 tbs olive oil
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 fresh tomatoes, pureed (or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
1/4 cup honey
2 cans chickpeas, drained.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add peppers, onion, and garlic and cook 5-6 minutes.

Add cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook another few minutes. Add tomatoes, honey, and chickpeas. Stir to combine and cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in vegan chicken. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice. Add a salad with this Vegan Ranch Dressing and some fresh crusty bread.



Here is a quick dessert I made this weekend too. You may have made this or some variation of this cake, but this was my first time, and I was really impressed. This was so easy to throw together!

Pumpkin Spice Cake
1 18-oz spice cake mix (read the ingredients to be sure it's vegan)
1 15-oz can of pureed pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 glass baking dish or a square baking pan.

Combine the cake mix and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add any or all of the optional ingredients you desire (see below). Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Frost with Vegan Cream Cheeze Icing.

Optional ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/3 cup raisins soaked in rum for 30 minutes
1/3 cup chopped nuts

Ranch Dressing

1 cup Tofutti sour cream
1 not chikn bullion cube dissolved in 3-4 tbs water
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp garlic granules
1/2 tsp onion granules
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning - optional
3-4 tbs unsweetened soy milk - more or less according to desired thickness

Whisk all ingredients together and chill before serving.