New Book!!

I am so excited about my new cook book, called Veganize This! by Jenn Shagrin.  As anyone who has been following regularly knows, I love to veganize stuff.  I enjoy taking my grandmother's recipes or things I see in magazines like Mother Earth News and making them into something I can eat.  Because my family likes to eat.  I have to change things up every once in a while, or the family gets bored.  And when my husband gets bored with what I am making, he makes frequent trips to the local gas station to get greasy french fries and onion rings.  They are very vegan, and very unhealthy (I eat them sometimes too, though, they are yummy).  So Jenn Shagrin (love her last name) has created a book based on the idea of veganizing dishes.  I already do this, like I said, but what got me as I was browsing in the book store was the fact that she has ELEVEN seitan (mock meat made from wheat gluten) recipes.  I've died and gone to seitan heaven, I love it.  I can't wait for summer to start so I can get in the kitchen and start cooking!!

Good Luck Peas

My friend Julie (who has recently married my cousin!) emailed me over the winter with a great recipe for Black Eyed Peas, which I tried and it is fantastic!  It it definitely worth a try, thanks Julie!

 

This is an alternative to standard black eyed peas (which supposedly confer prosperity and good luck all year long if eaten on new year's day)

fresh black eyed peas
an onion, chopped
a tomato, chopped  (or a little paste)
all spice amounts are to taste (start with a little if unsure, you can always add more)
ginger, garlic   minced
garam masala
mustard seeds
turmeric
salt
chili powder
pinch cayenne
ground coriander seed
small handful coconut or a few tablespoons coconut milk
water
oil

stir fry mustard seeds in a tablespoon or two of oil till they start to pop.  lower heat, add chopped onion and cook till translucent and starting to brown. add garlic and ginger, cook another couple minutes.  then stir in spice powders and cook for another minute or two.  add the rest of the ingredients and about a cup of water.  you may add a little more water as needed during cooking to prevent sticking and drying out before the peas become tender. stir once or twice during cooking if you want your peas whole, much stirring after adding peas makes a mushier dish.  simmer half covered till peas are tender, when done the peas are coated with a delicious spicy goo.  great served with naan.