Southwestern Black Bean and Corn Chowder

My eight year old daughter and I made Southwestern Black Bean and Corn Chowder from Vegan on the Cheap last night. I am going to put this recipe in the win category even though most of my kids didn't eat it. That was my fault! I accidentally bought the hot chiles instead of the mild ones, and then I thought, "Well, it's just a little can in a big pot of soup!" Oops. I LOVED it! It was too spicy for most of the kids. My twelve year old was with me. My husband thought it was okay, but he's not a fan of soup. Put all those ingredients on a plate without the broth, and he'd love it. He grew up not liking soup, and so he thinks he doesn't like soup. Just one of his quirks! LOL. I love him anyway! This recipe is easy, healthy, and quick. I love it, and I wouldn't definitely recommend it!

I also made oat sausage patties (forgot the veg broth powder though - they were still okay, just a little more bland than usual) and roasted root vegetables. The root veggies didn't quite get done, but I still enjoyed them.

Almost Instant Chickpea Tomato Soup

My eight year old daughter and I made Almost Instant Chickpea Tomato Soup out of Vegan on the Cheap tonight. This one is definitely ho-hum at best. I'm not sure if I want to play with this one or not. I mean it was super easy and healthy which are big plusses, but no one really had much interest in it. I think the soymilk in it was a bad idea, and I actually like soymilk. Blending some cashews and water might give it a better flavor. It also needs more spices, and I thought that using fire roasted tomatoes might give it a better flavor. I don't know. So far, I have really enjoyed this book, so I kind of hate to give one of the recipes a bad review, but I just can't get around it tonight. Tonight's recipe was a flop. If I play with the recipe, I'll definitely post the results. I don't have a picture because I got a new phone that is not set up yet, and I was too lazy to go upstairs and unplug my husband's to use! Sad, but true. :)

Peanutty Pumpkin Stew

I'm posting my first mediocre recipe review from Vegan on the Cheap. I made the Peanutty Pumpkin Stew the other night for everyone. I have to say that it was pretty tasty. It was a bit bland for my taste, but my family gobbled it up. I think I will sneak in a few more spices the next time I make it. It is packed with super healthy ingredients, so it will definitely be on the table again. The part that wasn't so great was that the cooking times were WAY, WAY off. That was very frustrating. It took a very long time to cook. I think the next time I make it, I will try it in the slow cooker. I do have a picture, but my phone is shattered at the moment, so I'll have to post it later. My recommendation for this recipe is to plan ahead. The cooking time is WRONG, but the recipe makes a very nice soup. I'll post again after I make it in the slow cooker.

Bean Burgers

Tonight my kiddos and I made this recipe: Bean Burgers. I have to say that while it wasn't bad, it wasn't all that good. I had double the amount of oats, and they still didn't set up well. It just wasn't a very good recipe. It was good enough though, that I want to play with it. Today's food:

Breakfast: granola with soymilk
Lunch: Clean out the fridge day! leftover Thai, adzuki beans with butternut squash, hummus/salsa with rice crackers and snap peas
Snack: Clif Builder Bar
Dinner: Bean burger patties with mixed greens, salsa and nooch, grape tomatoes, apple slices, and some snikiddy "fries"

Day 13

Today was another weird day because I had a choir retreat all day and then an evening out with my husband. So, no new recipes for today, but here's the food for today.
Breakfast: two strips of tempeh bacon, fruit, and OJ
Lunch: BBQ tofu, peppers and mushrooms, tortilla chips, fruit, and veggies
Dinner: Thai food that I can't remember the name of and fried tofu

General Tso's Tempeh

Tonight I tried a recipe from another blogger that I loved! The recipe is called General Tso's Tempeh. My whole family ate and liked this recipe. Now, it was a lot of work, but it was worth it! It's not something I'll make on a busy night. I changed it up just a little. I steamed the tempeh for 20 minutes ahead of time. I have found steaming the tempeh first cuts that bitter taste. Because of that, I cut the amount of water I cooked the tempeh in. I think I put in less than half, but then I added a little bit when it got dry. I used chili sauce instead of Sriracha, Bragg Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce, arrowroot instead of corn starch, and I didn't add the sherry. I quadrupled the recipe. Well, technically, I quadrupled the amount of tempeh and sauce. I also added in a bunch of steamed broccoli and chopped up a bunch of green onions. I made fried rice to go with it. I steamed brown rice, then heated up my skillet and put a small amount of oil in it. I threw in some frozen mixed veggies and let them cook for a bit. I put the rice in and put some Bragg in with it. I cooked that until it was a little crispy. I served the tempeh over the rice, and it was fantastic! I also made the ambrosia salad from the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart meal plan that I made a few days ago. That is just really delicious.

The rest of the day's food included:
Breakfast: cornflakes with soymilk
Lunch: Country Beans with quinoa, lettuce, salsa, nooch, and corn tortillas
Snack: Clif Builder Bar

Survey time!

Okay - I saw this on Happy Vegan Face's blog, and I thought it would fun to do! So, here goes....

1. What's your favorite gluten-free flour?
Amaranth flour - it makes yummy pancakes, and even more importantly - GRAVY!

2. What have you always wanted to deglutenize, but haven't yet?
Potato Knish

3. What's one of your favorite xgfx meals to make?
Pizza. People think pizza has to be unhealthy to be delicious, but that is just not true!

4. Your biggest gluten-free success that makes ya most proud?
Gravy! What can I say? I'm Southern.


5. Most "epic xgfx fail"?
Biscuits. Sadly, they were little rocks. I haven't given up yet though.

6. What product do you wish was xgfx that isn't?
Tofurkey products

7. If you could pass along one gluten-free tip to a gluten-free newbie, what would it be?
Don't think about having to replace every gluten product with a similar non-gluten product. Think of it as an adventure in a whole new way of eating - one that is healthy and will make you feel fabulous!

8. What's your favorite xgfx product?
Crunchmaster crackers

9. Is there anything you miss being gluten-free?
Sometimes I just want bread.

10. Any xgfx techniques you've learned that have been most helpful?
Don't rely on processed gf foods. Look at different ethnic foods for finding interesting gf food.

11. Have you found a favorite gluten-free pizza dough recipe that makes your heart sing?
I have some I like, but I don't think I'd say makes my heart sing! :)

12. Xanthan gum. Do you or don't you? Love it or leave it?
I really have no opinion on this one.

13. Favorite gluten free prepackaged bread.
None.

14. What's your favorite way to nosh on quinoa?
I made a curried lentil stew with quinoa recently that was fabulous.

15. Name five of your most coveted pantry staples.
Nutritional yeast, jarred pimientos, Crunchmaster crackers, raw agave nectar, organic salsa, dried beans

16. If you could only buy three gluten free flours to last you for three months, what would they be?
amaranth flour, garbanzo flour, potato flour

17. Any xgfx ingredients you are intimidated about trying?
Nothing intimidates me in the kitchen!

18. Favorite place to buy foods?
Costco - I have a family of 7, and I can buy so many bulk organic items there.

19. Favorite meal when dining out?
That's a hard one - I'd have to go with anything Thai.

20. Freebee - insert your own question and have fun with it!
What would you say to someone who says, "You're vegan AND you don't eat gluten? What do you eat?"
LOL - I think I could talk their ears off for hours answering that one. I eat things on a daily basis that many people have never heard of.