Comfort Foods: "Chicken" and Dumplings

Ever since we went vegan three years ago, there are certain foods that we crave because they were always associated with people or places or experiences.  For my husband, one of those was his grandmother's "pot pie", or in my family, chicken and dumplings.  So I decided to try out a vegan version and it was so good we all ate till we were about to pop.  I have been in the mood for autumn lately, so since it was a rainy day and kind of cool, I served it in big bowls and made wassail to drink with it.  The house smelled fantastic!  I got this recipe from www.vegcooking.com.
For the Dumplings:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine (I use Earth Balance)
3/4 cup soy milk
For the Soup:
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 cups vegetable broth (I used the broth from the seitan that I made)
2 medium carrots, diced
1 lb. faux chicken, torn into small pieces (I made some seitan earlier)
1 bay leaf
I also added mushrooms because I like them!
Procedure:
• Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings in a bowl.
• Mix the margarine with the dry mixture until crumbly. Add the soy milk, stirring until moistened. Add more soy milk, as needed, if the mixture is too dry.
• Knead the dough for 30 seconds on a well-floured surface, then roll to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch squares.
• Place the margarine, onion, and celery for the soup in a large saucepan and sauté until the vegetables are soft.
• Add the flour, salt, and pepper to make a thick paste. Slowly mix in the broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the carrots, faux chicken, and bay leaf.
• Add the dumpling squares one at a time, stirring gently. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. Serve hot.

Got Milk (Alternatives)?

I was just talking to my friend Dale from New Leaf Vegan Society about tabling at the upcoming Watermelon Park Music Festival and she mentioned that it might be a good idea to have folks sample a variety of plant-based milks.  And then I realized that I had never blogged about this subject before.  It's about time!  Many people have told me that they could never "give up milk".  Puhshaw!  There is no need to give up that quintessential cookie partner.  Just be sure to use plant-based milks instead of those that come from animals.  Most are available at your grocery store.  First of all, there is soy milk, which many think is what you HAVE to drink if you give up cow milk.  For me, I think it is too thick and creamy and kind of tastes like beans.  I never drink it by itself.  BUT I always use soy milk for baking and cooking.  We typically have rice milk at our house.  I love it because it is affordable, comes in a larger container, and is nice and light.  My kids love it, too, especially on cereal or with cookies!  But if you cannot stomach either rice or soy milk, might I suggest (DEEP breath...ready for this?) milk made from ... whole grains, barley, oats, quinoa, lupins, peas, peanuts, almonds, cashews, coconuts, hazelnuts, hemp, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds!  Why do we drink cow milk again!?!?  Not because there is nothing else, for certain!  Not because it is a good source of calcium (the excessive protein in milk actually leeches calcium from our bones, counteracting the calcium they have to ADD to cow milk) or Vitamins (they have to add them in the factory after pasteurization).  Not because it is the "natural" thing to do (last time I checked, I am not a baby cow or goat...the milk industry is very harmful to animals by forcing them stay pregnant perpetually).  My theory is that it is just something that people have been doing for so long that they cannot imagine drinking something different.  Truth is, plant based milks are so good for you and they taste better than ever.  Dip an Oreo in a glass of chocolate rice milk today!!