Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Easy Banana "Ice Cream"

So this may not actually be an ice cream, but it looks like it and tastes fantastic! I found this one all over the Googles and I think everyone would enjoy it.

Before I get to making this treat I shall share some thoughts on Thanksgiving desserts.  Now Thanksgiving is a great day of cooking, then feasting, and usually watching football.  It is a chance to show the world that we as Americans can indeed eat an astonishing amount of food.  There is always room for desserts such as pumpkin pie, some sort of fruit pie, any sort of pie.  Don't get me wrong, I love pie, but trying something different is always fun.  Last year I tried a cheesecake, and it was a good choice.  Therefore, I shall be making one again.  I turn to my personal choice when it comes to making horrible for you desserts....Paula Dean:



http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

This is one cheesecake you will not regret making.  The filling is rich, but not too sweet.  It has the familiarity of a pumpkin pie, but the greatness of a cheesecake.  The only thing I change in the recipe is the crust.  I use half graham crackers and half ginger snap cookies.  It gives it a touch more flavor.  I will not show how to make it, because she has a video on her website.

Want to have Thanksgiving goodness for breakfast?  Then maybe give these a try:



http://www.eatliverun.com/vegan-pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls/

I am going to make these next week.  So no review of them just yet, but there will be in the future.


OK, Onto the "Ice Cream".  It is easy because it only requires 1-3 ingredients depending on your preferences.  It is also good for you.

Mandatory Ingredients:
2 or more bananas

That is it!

Optional Ingredients 
2-3 Tbs Peanut Butter
Chocolate syrup
Any other toppings

To start, chop peeled bananas into 1 inch chucks.  The bananas should be over-ripe, but not too black in color.  Like these guys:



I find 2 or 3 bananas work best for 2 people.  Put the frozen chunks in the freezer until frozen solid, at least 2 hours.  Place the chunks in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly.  



From this point you may have to scrape the mixture from the sides a few times if it sticks.  Pulse the mixture further or just let the processor run until the bananas become creamy.  It will have an ice cream like consistency.  Like soft serve, more smooth...how smooth. Saxophone smooth...




If you can't figure that out, then this smooth.


Add the peanut butter and pulse until mixed.  Then, scoop into a bowl to eat!



Extremely easy to make, good for you, and delicious. If you put the mixture in the freezer it will become even more ice cream like. 

That is it for now.  What's up next?  I am going to attempt two of my own concoctions. Noodle-less spaghetti and peanut butter banana french toast w/ homemade peanut butter syrup. And as requested, I shall think of soups.

Monday, November 7, 2011

More things are coming!!!

Ok, so I posted one thing and haven't since.  I have been busy playing Green Day music, working, and enjoying the snow. It will soon be time for food again!
My band playing Green Day! (Photo by Steph)


Snoooow!

I was thinking that I was going to split this up in a few ways.  It is easy to take a recipe and post about making it.  But you could just go read the recipe.  So, I am going to post recipes and describe more of how it was to make it, but also make my own recipes and tell how they went. I think every now and then I will also put up links to food that just looks tasty.

I know I have an idea for desserts. I also have a breakfast recipe I came up with for the weekend. I will try and make something for dinner this week too.

Thinking about food is making me hungry...So I am done for now!

Current recipe I found that looks good and would be easy to make:
http://www.perrysplate.com/2011/03/stacked-roasted-vegetable-enchiladas.html

The only hard part is chopping vegetables.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Mango Curry w/ Rice and Potato and Cauliflower Samosas (Vegan)

Steph helped me make this one, and it was fun and quite delicious. The two recipes that we based off are at the bottom of the post.

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I do recommend doing some prep the day before if possible. We did not and it took almost 2.5 hours to make all of this. We are slow cooks, but it all takes time. It is 100% vegan, and was not very expensive at all. I spent $22 on ingredients, but things like the coconut milk I use on my cereal, and I only used half of the tempeh. Overall it probably costs about $10-$15 worth of ingredients. Gets even cheaper when you consider the curry serves 3, and it makes 12-14 samosas. Steph and I were full after the curry and one samosa!


The Samosas require the most work, and does require to let the dough set for an hour, so I recommend making the dough and rolling them out the night before.

The Dough
3 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Paprika
2/3 cup Margarine
2/3 cup Cold Water
1/3 cup Extra Cold Water

The dough is very similar to a pie crust, but adding baking powder to help it rise and reduce flakiness. The easiest way to make this is to take one cup of flour and all of the margarine and put them in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture clumps together forming little clumps the size of peas. Next mix the rest of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl (Flour, baking powder, salt, and spices). When mixed, add the margarine/flour mixture then the water and start combining with hands. You can use a mixer, but it is not that much to mix together. You are looking for a dough that is not sticky, but also not so dry it flakes and falls apart. Somewhere in the middle. Add the extra water if needed as 2/3 cup might not be enough. When it is done make a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and toss in fridge for at least an hour.

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Size of ball in plastic wrap. Good beer to compare sizes.


When ready use a rolling pin or any cylindrical object (like a wine bottle) to roll the dough into a thin layer. The recipe provided good advice to cut the dough into 4 segments to make it easier. You should be able to get about 3 five inch circles from each dough segment. I used a cereal bowl to cut each circle, then put left over dough to the side. You can combine all of the left overs at the end to make more circles. This is important, because the more you work the dough it becomes tougher and more elastic like. You should be able to get about 14 circles.


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Rolling the dough, cutting the dough, and circles of dough.


The Samosa Filling
1 tbsp Oil
2 Large Russet Potatoes, cut into 0.25-0.50 inch cubes
1/2 head of Cauliflower, cut into 0.25-0.50 inch pieces
1 cup, Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tbsp Ginger (Fresh or Powder), minced
1 tbsp Garlic (Fresh or Powder), minced
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Curry Powder
1.5 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Turmeric
1-2 tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
1 cup Frozen Mixed Peas and Carrots
1/4 - 1/2 bunch Cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp Salt

This part is pretty simple. Boil potatoes for about 10 minutes, then add cauliflower for another 10, or until both are tender. While that is boiling, saute onion in oil in a large skillet with the garlic and ginger until slightly browned. Then add rest of spices, hot sauce, cilantro, lemon juice, coconut milk, and salt; mix it all together. The amount of hot sauce is an estimate, we just made zig zags across the skillet, and added more if needed. Cook frozen veggies in microwave. Strain the potatoes and cauliflower and add to skillet, mix, and then fold in the frozen (now unfrozen) veggies. Let cool (about 10-15 mins) and preheat oven to 350 F. When cooled then put big heaping scoops into dough circles, fold dough over filling, and crimp shut. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then spray with non-stick spray. Place dough with filling on cookie sheet and cook for 30 mins, or until top is golden brown.

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The chopped veggies, cooking, and final mixture. I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of the uncooked samosa.

If you are going to make both the samosas and curry at the same time. Make sure to soak the cashews when you start the samosas, and prep the veggies at the same time. Also, as you start making the curry begin to cook the rice.

Mango Curry
4 oz tempeh cubed (3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons oil
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup spicy mango chutney
1/3 cup cashews soaked for an hour
1/2 Serrano chili pepper finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
3/4 cup water (More can be used to thicken later)

Brown Rice
As much as you want and prep as package indicates

This recipe is directly from the site listed below, but I will still go over the steps here.

In a skillet saute the onion, pepper, and fennel seeds until onion begins to brown. We use 1/3 of the pepper, but probably could have used a little more spice. Let sit cooling slightly and then put mixture along with cashews, chutney, and 3/4 cup of water into a food processor. Pulse until creamy. Add mixture back into skillet along with tempeh and simmer for 20 minutes. The tempeh will increase in size (The site says it doubles, but we didn't get that much) and add water if curry thickens too much.

While the curry is thickening the samosas should finish. Take them out so they can cool a little. When the curry is done the rice should finish as well. We had the brown rice in a rice cooker and it finished in about 35 minutes.

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Finished samosas, finished curry (Steph made it look like a squid), and plated. Nom.


Have a samosa and put some curry over the rice. Then Enjoy!!!

The curry recipe says it serves 2, but with the samosas we used less and got 3-4 servings. It matters how much you want to eat! For those who follow calories and all here are the main facts based from inputting the recipe into MyFitnessPal.

1/3 Curry with 2/3 cup of Rice
Calories: 353
Carbs: 58
Fat: 10
Protein: 10

1 Samosa
Calories: 165
Carbs: 25
Fat: 3
Protein: 3

The Recipes I made these from
I did alter some of the samosa, but the curry is from here. I have to give them credit!

http://annie.paxye.com/?p=1419

http://hobbyandmore.blogspot.com/2011/08/mango-curry-tempeh-restaurant-curries.html

BONUS
Have any left over dough? Melt 2 tbsp of margarine, and add brown sugar until mixture is thick. Add cinnamon to taste. Roll the dough into a rectangle until thin. Put sugar mixture on top (save a little), roll tightly, and cut into 1/2 inch to 1 inch segments. Cook at 350 F for 20 -30 mins, depending how crispy you like them. With a few minutes left add mixture on top. Then eat them!

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Starting up

In an effort to try and eat different/better things I am going to try to eat vegan/vegetarian at least once a week.  I want to post recipes I use and like to try and spread the nom goodness.  It might take a while to get going, but hopefully this will help spread ideas that all types of food can be delicious.  I will also use this to post other food recipes, baking, and beer that I make. Hopefully this can show that eating good things is not very difficult and not too expensive, and keep me motivated to make more things.

I will post again with the first recipe, hopefully by the end of the week.