Pumpkin Soup

Apparently the season for pumpkins has ended? A friend said she couldn't find them in her local store. Still, even though I've delayed, I'd like to post today about something I made with the pumpkin I picked during my excursion at a farm with friends in October.

I love enjoying the smell of a freshly cut pumpkin! And I love to scoop out the seeds and roast them with sea salt! And that's just what I did. I halved the pumpkin and made soup with one half, and I planned to make pumpkin curry with the other half, but alas, the other half rotted before I could! I will probably make pumpkin curry soon anyway with canned puree. For now, I'm going to share with you how I made what I call "Happy Soup".

When I was in college, my boyfriend and I made this soup from scratch. It was so incredibly aromatic, warming, comforting and delicious, I'd jovially named it "Happy Soup". It's made with Asian elements, such as cilantro, basil and coconut milk. It's very simple to make, and does not involve a food processor!

 

I quartered the pumpkin and roasted it with olive oil and salt and pepper, then scooped out the insides and put it in a pot.

Continually stirring,  I gradually added generous amounts of cilantro, basil, coconut milk, black pepper, and water (optionally veg broth). Garlic powder is optional. You could also use fresh garlic and/or ginger and sautee with olive oil first. And of course, use sea salt to taste. 

Guaranteed to warm your fall/winter night.

Don't forget to roast the seeds, too!

xo,

Ellie

Heirloom Tomato Soup~Black Eyed Pea Hummus with Cilantro~Sauteed Red Wine Maitake Mushrooms

Hey there! So... yes. I have been a naughty blogger. I have been meaning to put up several posts, and I am so behind! So let me try to compensate, and start with the here and now. This vegan's life has been involving going to farmer's markets (particularly the one near Mc Carren Park on Saturdays), trying to eat healthier, and throwing more raw foods into the mix.

Can I just say how much I am loving going to farmer's markets?! And this past summer, as well as now, has been a great time to go! There is a great variety of plant-based goodies available for your picking. You can get corn on the cob, still in their husks, to "steam" in the oven, low at 325, for 30 minutes. Or you could slice up some kabocha squash with shallots or onions and roast 'em up! Or enjoy a peach smoothie, by adding some banana and almonds.

Here are some things  I made recently (besides the examples I just gave) that I've really enjoyed. I've  given up on recording measurements. Well, for the moment. at least. I tend to eyeball portions of spices, etc. that I use. I can only advise that you use your own judgement and taste for figuring out portions, and give you my list of ingredients. I hope that some of these dishes will inspire you to enjoy lots of veggie-goodies yourself!

Raw Heirloom Tomato Soup

 

I am loving on heirloom tomatoes at the moment! They are so juicy and sweet! And they are available in abundance right NOW. If you can't get your hands on heirloom tomatoes, I'm sure regular tomatoes would be delicious, too. This soup is super simple to make. Just take:
1 medium/large heirloom tomato
1/2 a cucumber, peeled
sea salt
oregano

and blend!
It's garden-licious (I know, so corny, but I had to say it) ! And it's also really frothy. Mmmm.


Black-Eyed Pea Hummus with Cilantro

 

I generally find black-eyed peas on the bland side, but spiced up in this hummus, it was a treat! And I love cilantro! Did you know that cilantro helps with detoxification of heavy metals in the body? Yup! I used a lot of cilantro in this dish, and it was not overpowering at all. The herb blends up really nicely, so feel free!

 

Ingredients:

1 can Eden brand black-eyed peas

1 heaping spoonful or more of tahini

umeboshi plum vinegar

lemon juice

2-3 raw garlic cloves

cilantro

paprika

cumin

sea salt

 

 

 

I enjoyed my hummus at work this week with some raw slices of zucchini and peeled cucumber. I love raw zucchini, and when I saw them at the market, I snagged them up! I'm also digging cucumbers lately. They are so refreshing!

 

 

Sauteed Red Wine Maitake Mushrooms

 

Admittedly they are on the pricy side, but I love getting my mushroom fix from the market! This week I went with some maitake mushrooms (aka "hen of the woods"). I took some leftover red wine (a full-bodied one), some tamari (you can also use shoyu aka soy sauce) and sauteed. It was so easy! I placed the mushrooms over a bed of steamed kale.

 

 

To complete the meal, I had the mushrooms and kale with some oven fries, using Purple Viking Potatoes. They are a little sweet, and delicious. I threw in some rosemary and garlic cloves, as well as olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.

 

 

And that's it! Earlier today I went on a hike upstate-so I will update again very soon about that!

xo,

Ellie

 

Green Smoothie Recipe: Banana, Lemon and Swiss Chard

I've made two food discoveries recently.

One of them, thanks to my roomie Lauren, is the glory of swiss chard.

The other may sound strange (it did to me at first), but it turns out bananas and lemons in a smoothie are a sweet, refreshing combo!

What I like about the following smoothie recipe I'm about to share is that it satiates a sweet tooth like mine by combining sweet fruit with swiss chard, which also happens have a sweet quality when eaten raw that I really enjoy.

So here it is. Have it for breakfast or a sweet snack. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! :

Banana, Lemon and Swiss Chard Smoothie:
Take...
2 bananas
1/2 cup "milk" of your choice (hemp, almond, rice, oat, etc.)
1 heaping cup swiss chard leaves and stems
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 heaping teaspoon vanilla extract ( I use Simply Organic brand)
optional: flax oil and/or oats (to make a heavier meal to sustain you in the morning)
..and blend!

A Day in This Vegan Life...

Hey all! Today's post is about a random day in my life, as a vegan living in New York.

So let's start, and what better place to begin than breakfast?

A Quick Tartine for a Quick Breakfast:
On Wednesday I woke up late, feeling tired from recent excesses of drinking and socializing. So I made this tartine (aka open-faced sandwich) in a snap:

I spread some organic red pepper hummus from Yorgo's Foods on Ezekiel toast, then took two raw cauliflower florets and tore them with my hands into crumbly pieces, then tore some spinach leaves and sprinkled them on top with a squeeze of lemon and some cracked black pepper. An easy breakfast with no chopping!

I then headed off to work...Nothing remarkable to mention here (in terms of veganism), though I will have to post sometime about what I do for my midtown, midday lunches..

After work, I went to the Lower East Side to go to my show at Cakeshop with my band, Koshka. I hadn't eaten dinner yet and I was starving. Nearby Cakeshop is a spot called Tiengarden that I'd been meaning to try. So, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to go!

Dinner at Tiengarden:

I ordered the Stirfry Noodle dish, made with broccoli, carrot, cabbage, button mushrooms and veggie ham...

Now, this is not a health dish (though Tiengarden did have healthier choices on the menu), but if you want a flavorful Asian noodle fix, you can find it here. I washed it down with some oolong tea, Chinese style!

I also ordered their freshly made lemon coconut cupcake for dessert. They make their own desserts, and among the choices that night were mango tapioca pudding (with the tapoica just made, still warm), chocolate cake, cookies, and a banana walnut cupcake.

I would definitely come back. The service was very nice and they have root beer and ginger ale floats made with soy ice cream that I'd like to try next time!

After din, I dashed off to Cakeshop for the show..

I saw this sign just outside the door..Drinks, music, and vegan cake?! This is my kind of place!

Here is their cake display, right near the entrance. They also offer tea and other beverages to go with your treats.

The show was really great, and it was so good to see my friends! After the show I hung out a bit with Michelle and my cousin Sam, who enjoyed some cake with his friends. I managed to have a bite of what little was left by the time I sat down with him, and it was delish!

Me and Michelle after the show..

Me and my cousin Sam.

So that's all for now! I will be posting again soon about some other spots I've been to in the last few weeks, and about Veggie Prom, which is happening tonight!
xo,
Ellie

Savory Oatmeal with Shallots and Leeks

Hola! It's been a lil while since my last post (almost two weeks)! But I come now to the page bearing a breakfast recipe for ya'll.  

The other day my roomie Lauren and I were talking about veggies, and how underappreciated leeks are. She shared with me this recipe idea for oatmeal with leeks. I usually enjoy oatmeal with maple syrup, dried or fresh fruit/nuts, and some soy milk poured on top. It's so delish and like a sweet, nourishing sundae!-but being health-conscious, I'm careful not to overdo the sweet. Sooo.. this is a nice savory alternative.

Savory Oatmeal with Shallots and Leeks

Ingredients:

About 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 shallot, chopped
1 leek (white part only), sliced into thin half moons
3/4 cup organic vegetable stock and 1/4 water
1 cup rolled oats
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
optional:1/4 teaspoon thyme (recommended!)
optional: sunflower seeds, sprinkled on top


Instructions:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan in medium/low heat
• Add the shallots and leeks
• Stir frequently, add salt and pepper, allow to cook for about 3 mins
• Add the stock and water, raise heat and bring to a simmer
• Add the rolled oats, allow to simmer, then slightly lower heat
• Cook for about 3 min ( or longer, depending on how soft or firm you prefer your oatmeal), adding a little water to keep a moist consistency
• Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired
• Remove from heat and optionally serve with thyme and/or sunflower seeds
• Enjoy!

xo,
Ellie

Shiitake Mushroom and Ramps "Pizza"

Another night of quality time and cooking! This time with one of my other besties, Shaliga. After a trip to the Union Square Greenmarket this past Saturday, I made a healthier version of pizza for us, using these babies in lieu of traditional pizza crust...

It's the return of Ezekiel tortillas!

But what did I buy at the farmer's market? I got some shiitake mushrooms, ramps, asparagus, and a thyme plant.  On the way home I bought the Ezekiel tortillas, some Brad's marinara pasta sauce, and with these ingredients, decided to make these...

Shiitake Mushrooms and Ramps "Pizza"

We had them with roasted asparagus with lemon juice and lemon zest, a greens salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, and some red wine that Shaliga brought over.

It was all delicioso!

So let me get to the recipe, which serves two! ...

Ingredients:

2 Ezekiel tortillas

1 cup Brad's Organic classic marinara sauce

About nine ramp bulbs and stems, minced

1 bunch ramp leaves, cut in half

2 cups shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt to taste

nutritional yeast to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• In a small saucepan, simmer marinara sauce over very low heat
• In a pan, heat the oil in medium low/medium heat
• Toss in minced ramp bulbs and stems and stir occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes
• Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for 1 minute
• Add the ramps and cook for 1 minute
• Season with salt to taste
• Remove from heat
• Put wax paper on baking pan
• With a ladle or spoon, put marinara on tortillas
• Put ramps and mushrooms on top
• Sprinkle on nutritional yeast to taste
• Put in the oven for 5 minutes
• Enjoy!

A mix of minced stems and bulbs...

Ramp leaves-which I honestly could've chopped a little more of...

Shaliga helping out and enjoying the smell of the ramps...

Mmmmmmmm...

Later in the evening, we had some raw Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream from Raw Ice Cream Company. Shaliga and I agreed, raw ice cream is amazing!! We love the stuff.

Yummmm!

My other fave flavor of theirs is their Cinnamon Vanilla. It's great with pie or cake...

It's sugar-free! 

We capped the night off with lots of giggles and a sleepover.

Speaking of which, it's time to call it a night!

Hope you'll try the recipe (and the ice cream!) and enjoy.

Till next time!

xo,

Ellie

Avocado Pasta

Avocados are my absolute favorite food.
My Facebook screen name ain't "AvocadoMama" for nothin'!

I love avocados so much, I eat them straight with a spoon.

I love them so much, an ex used to bring them to me as presents.

I love them so much, in college I made a pasta sauce out of mashed avocados.
People thought it was strange, but I thought it worked-and I LOVED it.

So friends, here is a grown-up version of what I made oh-so-many a late night in college:
My Avocado Pasta:

Ingredients:
Whole wheat/Spelt/Brown Rice pasta
1 avocado
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (you don't want to skip this ingredient!)
1/2 teaspoon(?) coarsely chopped basil (i threw the basil in before measuring-oops! sorry.)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

This is the pasta I went with..

A note about wheat: Whole wheat pasta tastes good, but with all the wheat products that are out there, overconsumption has become an issue and many people have developed sensitivities to it. Next time, pay attention to how your body responds when you eat wheat. Most people say they have some sort of reaction, myself included.
 I enjoy whole wheat pasta once in a while, but I try to cut down on wheat consumption by using alternative grain products. Brown rice pasta is probably my fave. This time though, I used spelt pasta, which is also good. Spelt is actually a relative of wheat, but does not have the same effect as wheat does. It is not gluten-free.

1.While preparing pasta, mash avocado with a spoon in a bowl.
Note: This will require a little armwork. I prefer mashing to using a food processor because I personally like the texture that comes out this way better. The consistency I go for is a slightly smoother version of guacamole..
2.Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, salt and pepper.
3. Mix in the pasta.
4. Enjoy!

                                       This dish is super easy and perfect for spring or summer..

                                      
Hope you try it and enjoy! Will post again soon about activities of late.
Till next time!
xo,
Ellie
                                  

Vegan Breakfast~Bananas and Tahini

So...what the heck do vegans eat for breakfast? To some, the answer to this question may be obvious. But to many people I've encountered, the answer is not obvious at all! I've had some people ask me: "So you don't eat cereal/pancakes/bread?" And to that I've answered, "Actually, yes I do!"
If you're in the dark about vegan breakfast, let me fill you in!

Vegan breakfast includes and is not limited to: pancakes, french toast, granola/cereal w non-dairy milk, tofu scramble, muffins, soy/almond milk yogurt, oatmeal, grain porridge, shakes and smoothies (including green smoothies).... the list goes on!
You could also have Tofutti cream cheese, Earth Balance butter, a fruit spread or a nut butter on toast, an english muffin, or a bagel. If you wanna go even healthier, you could mash up a banana or avocado.

Three super easy ways to have a satisfying breakfast involve a flavor combo I really enjoy: bananas and tahini. May sound strange, but I think it really works!



1:A simple way to have this combo is by putting tahini and sliced bananas on an english muffin or toast, and sprinkling some cinnamon on top.

2:Another variation of this combo is a Banana Tahini Almond Smoothie:
Take....
2 frozen bananas
2 heaping spoonfuls of tahini
A handful of almonds (non-toasted)
A generous sprinkling of cinnamon
Water
..and blend. sorry, i'll get better about measurements!

3.Lastly, there is a Banana Tortilla Wrap.
I like to use Ezekiel tortillas for this recipe, made from sprouted whole grains:

-Lightly toast the tortilla in a toaster oven or on a frying pan (if you over-toast the Ezekiel tortilla, it will get stiff and it'll be hard to fold).
-Spread a generous amount of tahini on the tortilla.
-Throw in banana slices from 1 banana.
-With a spoon, put a light drizzle of brown rice syrup on top (a little sweetness here will go a long way!).
-Sprinkle cinnamon (as you can tell, I looove cinnamon with breakfast!).
-Wrap it up!
-Enjoy with a knife and fork.

                                                                   Yummmmmmmmmm.


Hope ya'll enjoy! And with that, I leave you with pics from a brunch potluck party I hosted last month for my awesomely fun friends. The food, by the way, was delicious!!:

Have a great weekend, everyone! Till next time.
xo,
Ellie