Personal Pizzas with Eggplant Crust

31 Saturday May 2014

Posted by whatahipster in Uncategorized

Tags

dairy free, eggplant, eggplant pizza, gluten free, gluten free pizza, health, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, meat free, pizza, trader joe's, vegan meals, vegan pizza, vegetarian, vegetarian pizza

Ever thought, why does pizza have to come on a doughy crust? I did too. Well, I was perusing the internets when I came across a unique take on homemade pizzas. Eggplant pizza? What, even? Intrigued, I scanned the recipe; realizing I had the majority of the ingredients I seriously went to Trader Joe’s just to buy an eggplant. Only an eggplant. That’s all. This is the aftermath which a few of my friends so luckily got to enjoy.

Photo courtesy of the Instagram: ZeroDecorum

Ingredients:

1 eggplant ($0.89)
1 cup marinara sauce ($0.53)
4 vegan italian sausages ($1.35)
½ cup vegan mozzarella ($0.96)
2 tbsp vegetable oil –
enough coarse sea salt to coat both sides of the sliced eggplant but I did not measure so I am not sure how much that is, sorry

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to bake at 400ºF. Slice the eggplant into ½ inch slices. If sliced too thin, the salting and baking will cause the eggplant to get soggy and crumble. If sliced too thick, the baking process will not make the eggplant crispy enough to hold the weight of the ingredients. I have found that ½ inch thick slices yield the most sturdy, crispy pizzas; every eggplant is different so you may have to adjust the thickness for your liking. Coat both sides of the eggplant with the coarse salt and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Salt brings out the bitter taste inherent in the eggplant; after 20 minutes wipe all moisture and residue off of the eggplant slices. Slice the sausages and fry them in oil until crispy. Heat the marinara sauce on the stove until warmed through. Lightly sprinkle the eggplant slices with sea salt and set on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes but do not let the eggplant get mushy when baked too long. Remove the slices and top with the sauce, sausage, and cheese. Set the oven to broil and place the pizzas in for about 3 minutes, just to melt the cheese. Remove and devour.

The smaller end of the eggplant will make mini bite sized pizzas
while the larger end makes personal “pan” pizzas

Place the eggplant slices on a paper towel before salting to ensure
the most moisture is absorbed and the bitterness removed

Sometimes the smaller slices will get crispy quicker than
the larger slices so keep checking while baking and remove if necessary

Tofurky is my go-to faux meat
WATCH OUT: Trader Joe’s meatless Italian Sausage contains egg whites!

Slice the sausage into ½ inch slices for a more meaty texture
Slice thinner for a crispier variation

I usually place the cooked sausage bites on a paper towel
to soak up that extra oil
I KNOW, I am THAT person who dabs their greasy pizza…

Fav sauce right now: Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil

Yurm

Whatta feast!

Oven Roasted Chili-Crusted Cauliflower

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by whatahipster in Uncategorized

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Tags

baked cauliflower, cauliflower, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, healthy meals, oven roasted cauliflower, vegan, vegan meals, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarianism

Impoverished Vegan is not dead. I promise. I had a really crazy past few months and had to take a little break from cooking and writing. I had to take a school trip to Washington DC at the end of the semester with finals falling as soon as I got back; I was also in the middle of a huge job change. Things have finally settled down. Enough with the personal details. Let’s cook some cauliflower!!

Ingredients:

1 whole cauliflower ($0.99)

1 tbsp vegetable oil –

1½ cups vegan sour cream ($0.75)

1 lemon, zested and juiced ($0.10)

2 tbsp chili powder ($0.20)

1 tbsp cumin ($0.05)

1 tbsp garlic powder ($0.03)

1 tsp curry powder –

2 tsp sea salt –

1 tsp black pepper –

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the olive oil evenly over a baking sheet. Peel the green leafy stems from the base of the cauliflower. Cut the base level and flush with the florets so the cauliflower will sit evenly on a flat surface. Stir together the sour cream, lemon zest and juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, curry powder, sea salt, and black pepper until fully combined. Dunk the cauliflower into the marinade and spread it across all the florets. Make sure the whole head is covered except the bottom. Place it on the baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until browned and slightly crispy. The marinade will create a dry crust across the cauliflower. Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing it into wedges. Enjoy!

You can use vegan yogurt instead but make sure it is plain

I added extra cumin and garlic powder for an extra KICK!

Do not be afraid to get your hands dirty to spread the marinade!

Yeah… the marinade looks goopy and gross before it is baked

I use a sheet of aluminum foil to keep the baking tray clean

Baking for a little bit extra will make a very crispy crust!

Feel free to experiment with your spices! Use dill and parsley!

For an Indian twist, use more curry powder!

You can cut it into fourths to share with others…

…or just eat the whole thing yourself! (I did.)

Beet Hummus! from Healing Tomato

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

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beet hummus, beet recipe, beet root, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, hummus, vegan, vegan beet recipe, vegan snack, vegetarian

It is high time for a guest recipe! I have been following the Healing Tomato blog for a couple months now and have been fascinated by all of her recipes. It is a vegetarian blog but it would be very easy to turn her recipes vegan either by omission or vegan substitutions. When she posted this recipe for beet hummus, I just knew we were meant to be friends. I LOVE BEETS! I grew up on beets. My mom fed me beets like candy and I developed a taste for healthy vegetables. She used to put beets on cottage cheese and it was one of the best meals in the whole world. I have been meaning to look up some vegan cottage cheese to bring this memory back to me in vegan form. Anyway, back to the Healing Tomato. I do not even know her name but she is fabulous and the blog is a great read! Check her blog for the recipe for beet hummus! She is on Google+ as well. I will be making this as soon as I get a free moment. Working two jobs and being a full time student is very difficult, especially when trying to move across town during the middle of mid-term week! All this work will pay off in the long run. Who knows? Maybe this blog will transform from the Impoverished Vegan to the Almost-Above-Poverty-Line Vegan! Just one step closer to being the Rich Bitch Vegan that I have been dreaming of becoming.

Try it on apple slices, carrot sticks, pita bread, or triscuits!
The options are endless.

Roasted Red Pepper Mac & Cheese

20 Monday Jan 2014

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cashew cream, cheese, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, mac and cheese, vegan, vegan cheese, vegan mac and cheese, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarianism

Mmm*Mac & Cheese! Everybody loves it. It seems everyone I talk to says, “Yeah, I could not be a vegan because I would miss cheese too much!” Let me be the first to say I thought the same thing! I loved eating cheese. I had cheese with every meal. Cheese was a meal. Mac & Cheese was my favorite meal to eat when it was cold outside. My mother would always make me homemade cheese sauce over spaghetti noodles. I would request it every morning and it was my absolute favorite breakfast. Vegan cheese recipes can be super simple simulations of ooey-gooey cheese.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup raw cashews (soaked) ($0.95)
2 tsp. olive oil ($0.01)
1 onion, diced ($0.18)
2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.38)
2 cups vegetable broth ($0.65)
1 1/2 tbsp. corn starch ($0.05)
1 1/2 tbsp. nutritional yeast ($0.18)
1 roasted red pepper ($0.45)
1 tbsp. tomato paste ($0.12)
1 tsp. salt ($0.01)
1 tsp. ground mustard ($0.03)
1/2 tsp. turmeric ($0.03)
1 box of pasta ($0.99)

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Sauté the onions in olive oil until they become translucent. It should not take more than 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds. You do not want to overcook the garlic and lose the flavor. Add this mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the drained cashews, vegetable broth, corn starch, nutritional yeast, red pepper, tomato paste, salt, ground mustard, and turmeric. Blend until smooth. Smoothness is important. If you have read my previous blogs involving cashews, you will understand that it is very important to have a smooth sauce. The texture is gritty, rough, and crunchy. Transfer the sauce to the pan used to sauté the onions. Heat on medium-low for 10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Once thick, add the pasta until the whole mixture is warmed through. SERVE and MUNCH!

Sautéing the garlic for only 30 seconds will keep the flavor
of the garlic at the optimal level

At first it was weird to add hot onions and garlic to a blender
but the flavors of these are key to creating a cheesy flavor!

The sauce will slowly thicken. KEEP STIRRING!
The first time I made this, I slightly burned the bottom
of the cheese sauce; it burns very easily so keep stirring

I used Lumaconi pasta instead of shell pasta or macaroni
because they look way cooler and they were
significantly less expensive at Aldi

There you have it. Delicious mac and cheese!

Since it has been so long since I have had actual dairy cheese, the vegan mind will almost forget what actual cheese tastes like and this faux cheese will totally satisfy all of your cheese cravings! I will challenge any cheese-eater to try this cheese sauce and tell me that it does not imitate mac and cheese extremely closely. I am still working on a few more cheese blogs so get hype! I hope to publish them very soon! For now, enjoy this delightful take on the American staple using cashews instead of dairy!

This is a modification of Isa Chandra’s Pizza Mac & Cheese recipe from Post Punk Kitchen. I love her work and she is the most exceptional vegan chef! Check out her blog at the Post Punk Kitchen!

Popcorn

19 Thursday Dec 2013

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Chili powder, food, Garlic powder, healthy living, nutritional yeast, Onion powder, Popcorn, Sea salt, vegan, vegan snack, Yummly

“Popcorn?”, you may say. Yes. I am indeed writing a blog post about how to make stovetop popcorn! Why? Because most people do not know how! Thanks to my dad and our movie nights growing up, I have always known how to use a pan, some oil, and the stove to pop up some of the most delicious corn you have ever tasted in your life. “But I can just go to the store and get a microwavable bag! It is much easier!”, you may say. No. Surprisingly, it is literally the same amount of time and effort to pop your own popcorn than it is to buy the overpriced, mostly non-vegan, store-bought bags.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup popcorn kernels
2 tbsp. oil of your choice

Here’s what you do:

Heat the oil on medium heat with 3 kernels, covered. Why 3? I have zero idea. Just do it. When the first kernel pops, pour the rest of the kernels in and place the lid on again. Swirl the pan around the stove to keep the kernels and oil moving to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pot. The popcorn will pop. And pop. And pop. Wait one minute and remove from heat. Trust me. You want all of the popping to be stopped. If a single kernel pops when you have the lid off most of the fluffy, light, airy popcorn will be strewn across your kitchen floor. Now you can take the lid off of the pot and serve with your favorite topping! Just plain old salt is amazing on it. Nutritional yeast also makes a great, savory, cheesy flavor. Why does this work? Huh. All I know is the concept behind this method is that when a random 3 kernels are heated and one of the kernels pops, the oil is at the perfect temperature and the popcorn will not turn out overcooked or burnt.

Ever get tired of plain, salted, or buttery popcorn? The nutritional yeast from earlier is a miracle worker. Not only does it contain essential minerals and protein, it tastes like cheesy popcorn! I would place the flavor very close to cheddar.

Here are a few interesting toppings for your popcorn to keep things from getting boring.

Ranch Style

¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. dried dill weed
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
⅛ tsp. sea salt
⅛ tsp. black pepper
⅛ tsp. vegetable oil

Mix this all together for a garden fresh, salty snack!

Sweet Chili

3 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
½ cinnamon powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. cayenne powder
1½ tbsp. paprika

Mix this all together for a kick-in-the-mouth sweet and savory flavor!

Here is a link to so many great vegan popcorn toppings from Yummly.

This is my favorite combination for a topping
Buttery, salty goodness!

Three. Juuuuuuust three

Be sure to cover it, obviously, or there will be a poppy mess

Srsly tho. Make your own popcorn! Save all the money!

Pop! POP! pOp! PoP! pOP! POp!

Potato Latkes with Cranberry Applesauce

09 Monday Dec 2013

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applesauce, Chanukkah, Christmas, cranberries, Hanukkah, healthy living, latke, Potato, Potato pancake, Thanksgiving, Thanksgivukkah, vegan, vegan cooking, vegetarian

Just in time to miss Thanksgivukkah, these latkes are still crunchily delicious! I had intended to get this recipe out before Thanksgiving, but the holiday season is like the riptide currents in the Pacific Ocean; I was being torn every which way and had zero time to post any blogs. Now that life is seeming to calm before the storm of Christmas, I hope to regularly post to the blog again.

This cranberry applesauce is actually useful all fall! It combines traditional fall spices with the tartness of cranberries and green apples that can be served warm or chilled!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cranberries ($0.89)
½ tsp. ground cinnamon –
½ tsp. ground nutmeg –
¼ cup brown sugar ($0.23)
½ cup sweet red wine ($1.25)
4 green apples ($2.76)

Combine the cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and wine in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Core, peel, and slice the apples into bite sized chunks. Add the apples, cover, and simmer an additional 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool and SERVE!

Red wine brings out the subtle sweetness of the cranberries

I left the skins on the apples the first time but the final
consistency was a bit too chewy

Cook away! The lid is important to keep the steam
inside the pan so it does not dry out

Deliciously sweet and tart cranberry applesauce!

Fried potatoes are basically all you ever crave in life. These potato latkes take a small amount of extra preparation, but are ever so worth it!

Ingredients:

2 large onions, diced ($0.24)
1 unit egg replacer –
2 tbsp. whole wheat flour –
1¼ tsp. sea salt –
1 tsp. baking powder –
2 lbs. potatoes ($1.27)
Vegetable oil for frying ($0.98)

Grate the potatoes. Place them in the center of a thin cloth like a cheesecloth and wring out the liquid over a bowl. Dice the onions and add the potatoes and onions to a mixing bowl. Pour out the liquid from the potatoes until only the starch remains. Scrape the starch into the mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg replacement, flour, sea salt, and baking powder. Stir until fully incorporated. Add this mixture to the potatoes and onions. Stir well. Heat about 4 inches of oil to 375°F, or slightly above medium heat. Take a handfuls of the mixture and flatten them into 2 inch wide circles. Drop them in the oil with a slotted spatula 3 at a time. If you place too many in the oil, the temperature will drop and the latkes will not cook correctly. Fry until they are golden brown. Place aside to cool on a paper towel. Top with the cranberry applesauce and a dollop of vegan sour cream and you have an instant Thanksgivukkah feast!

A food processor with a grater attachment is
a much quicker way to grate them
I live in the stone age and hand grated all the potatoes

I also hand diced all the onions
If one of my lovely readers is ever so kind enough
to buy me a food processor I will dedicate a week of my time to
cook for them

This may be the hardest step in the recipe
Keep moving the potatoes around to get the most liquid out

Red skin potatoes will turn your cloth pink
JUST A FAIR WARINING: it does not come out

Eww…delicious starch!

The Batter
My proportions were wrong because I used EnerG egg replacer
If the mixture is too liquidy, add more flour and baking powder
LIQUIDY: (adj.) – the state of being more liquidy than desirable

I have said this before and I will say it again:
DO NOT LET THE CRISPIES THAT FLOAT AROUND
STAY IN THE PAN OR THEY WILL BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE!

What a nice hipster pic taken with ôggl by Hipstamatic
Jimmy lens with Blanko Noir film for those that care

Seriously though. Make these latkes even if Thanksgiving was last week and you still have 3 half-eaten casseroles in the fridge! It is definitely still fall until December 21st and definitely still the season for fall foods!

Buffalo Tempeh Burger

19 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by whatahipster in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

buffalo, buffalo burger, buffalo chicken, healthy living, tempeh, tempeh burger, vegan, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarianism

Sooo….tempeh? What even is tempeh? I had absolutely no idea what tempeh was 6 months ago. In the vegan community, tempeh is like a gift sent from above! Basically, it is a soy product that is very similar to a “burger” patty. True.

organic 3 grain tempeh trader joe's buffalo chicken

It’s organic too!

Marinated in buffalo sauce, this tempeh burger imitates buffalo chicken so closely it is may actually contain traces of animal protein. Except, not. Tempeh is 100% vegan. Here’s what you do:

Ingredients for 1 burger:

½ package tempeh ($0.99)
1 slice havarti “cheese” ($0.99)
1 slice of a tomato ($0.12)
¼ of an avocado ($0.25)
¼ cup buffalo sauce ($0.23)
1 small burger bun ($0.37)
1 slice dill pickle ($0.16)

Preparation:

Slice the tempeh in half lengthwise. Slice these halves in half again perpendicularly so you have 4 slices, about 3″ X 3″ square. Marinate the slices of tempeh in buffalo sauce for about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes; turn the tempeh over halfway through cooking and add the slice of cheeses so it will melt. Toast the bun until lightly brown. Spread the extra sauce from the marinade over both sides of the bun. Layer the tomato, avocado, and tempeh slices and the burger is complete! Dill pickles go extremely well with the flavor of buffalo sauce; add a spear to your plate for a tangy treat.

The pineapple took away from the sharp bite of the buffalo.
Discretion is advised.

daiya havarti style dairy free cheese jalapeño garlic

Daiya is the best brand! This jalapeño garlic variety is
perfect for the spiciness of the buffalo sauce!

Delicious colors! The tomatoes calm the spices and the avocados
add a creaminess to balance the spices.

marinade marinate buffalo sauce havarti cheese

Look at that melty cheese! It is almost sinful how amazing
vegan cheese can taste.

buffalo tempeh burger chicken avocado tomato havarti cheese

The burger was a little tall; try flattening the burger
a tiny bit so it fits in your mouth better.

buffalo tempeh burger chicken avocado tomato havarti cheese dill pickle

This burger seriously competes with any and all buffalo chicken
burger I have ever had. The texture of the tempeh is so meaty.

I had originally made this recipe with sliced pineapple, but it turned out to hinder the already complicated flavors of tempeh, buffalo, tomato, and avocado. I left it out of the recipe, but for a twangy twist on this recipe, add cubed pineapple to the marinade and garnish the burger with a cube on top.

Did you know?

Another one of those weird asian products you always see but never know what they are, tempeh is originally from Indonesia. Naturally fermented with controlled cultures, this soybean “cake” is firm and grainy. The whole bean is fermented, providing additional nutrition; it has a higher protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin content. Soaked first, the beans and grains are partially cooked while a mild acid is added, usually vinegar. This lowers the pH and created a perfect environment for fermentation. Spores are added and the process is almost complete. After sitting for 24 to 36 hours, the tempeh is considered “ripe”.

This tempeh is wrapped in banana leaves, ready to sell
in a market in Jakarta

Preparation of tempeh ranges from deep frying to baking. Tempe bosok is even rotten tempeh, used in small amounts as a flavoring!

Tempeh used as the bread bun for a burger! Looks like I may be
concocting a new recipe soon!

And now you know. You don’t have to be scared of that whitish-gray, lumpy, bean curd any longer! Feel free to comment with suggestions and any cooking tips you might have!

sources: * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh

Baked Acorn Squash Seeds

14 Monday Oct 2013

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acorn squash, baked seeds, fall, garlic salt, healthy living, healthy snack, pumpkin seeds, squash seeds, vegan, winter squash

I was messing around with different squash recipes and came across one using acorn squash. Never having eaten or even seen this type of squash before, I dove in and boiled some squash. Here is a picture of an acorn squash for those like me who had no idea what it was.

baked acorn squash seeds garlic salt vegan snack healthy

This is an acorn squash. It is very firm with a thin outer skin.
Ranging from greenish yellow to orangish brown in color,
the flesh of this squash will soften when boiled.

My boyfriend loved the mashed squash over pasta, although I did not care for it. I will post the recipe soon for those interested. As I was seeding the squash, I noticed they looked very much like pumpkin seeds. Baked pumpkin seeds are the way to my heart, so I quickly googled “baked acorn squash seeds” and found many positive results! I instantly preheated the oven, threw the seeds together, and MUNCHED! Here is how it works:

Preheat the oven to 275°F
Separate the stringy innards from the squash seeds and rinse thoroughly
Pat dry on a cloth towel
Place in a bowl with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. garlic salt and mix
Spread the seeds evenly on a baking sheet with aluminum foil over it
Bake for 15 minutes or until the seeds start turning brown
If any seeds start to pop then they are fully baked
Let cool and CHOW DOWN

Dry the seeds well so the oil and salt will stick better.

Garlic salt must be constantly coursing through my veins
but feel free to use regular salt or other seasoning of your choice.
Try it with red pepper flakes, oregano, or cinnamon-sugar
for a sweeter crunch!

These acorn squash seeds are smaller than pumpkin seeds
but I feel they have a naturally saltier taste.
They also bake quicker and are crispier than pumpkin seeds.

This seed has popped and some seeds are crispy golden brown!
YUM!

FALL is here! Celebrate with a crispy snack of baked squash seeds!

Soy Sautéed Zucchini and "Meat"balls

13 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by whatahipster in Uncategorized

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Tags

Australia, beanballs, cheltenham, healthy living, life insurance, make a difference insurance, meatballs, pasta, soy, vegan, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarianism, zucchini

Salty, savory, sautéed vegetables may be my favorite thing in the whole entire world. I had rarely used soy sauce to sauté vegetables before this recipe but from now on, I am using it instead of oil. This recipe puts any spaghetti and meatball recipe to shame! Tasty zucchini “noodles” with fried black bean “meat”balls? Let’s get cookin’! So.

Ingredients:

2 zucchini squash ($1.57)
1 cup pasta sauce ($0.75)
1 cup black beans ($0.12)
¼ cup vegetable oil
⅛ cup breadcrumbs
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 handful of oats
2 tsp. garlic powder

Preparation:

Slice the zucchini into strips.

Sauté the sliced zucchini in 2 tbsp. soy sauce until tender.

Place the black beans, oats, garlic powder, and 2 tbsp. soy sauce in a bowl and smash them all together. If you like your balls with a little texture, leave some of the beans whole while still creating a mostly smooth mixture.

Roll the bean mixture into spheres.

Coat the balls with breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil on medium and when it is hot, fry the balls for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. For a crispier shell, fry for about 7 minutes, or until dark brown. Be careful of the small breadcrumb debris that will fall off. If this stays in the oil for too long it will burn and start smoking and the fire alarm will go off and a fire truck will come and you will have to say it was a false alarm and you will be embarrassed and dinner will be delayed and everything will be cold.

Heat the pasta sauce. (Yes, I used the microwave out of convenience, but I would normally place it on medium-low in a small saucepan for 5 minutes.)

Layer all of the ingredients and serve!

For an amazingly low price of $2.49, this flavor extravaganza is well worth the work! The beanballs may actually be prepared ahead of time without the breadcrumbs. Just place in the fridge for up to 2 days. I am going to try this recipe with yellow squash next time. Feel free to send in suggestions or your own additions!

Did you know?

Going vegan or vegetarian has a plethora of health benefits. Lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, strokes, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, and numerous other serious illnesses, a plant based diet has been shown to be key to a long life. Fewer animals are harmed or killed in consuming only vegetables, fruits, and grains. The meat and dairy industry are the biggest drain on the environment and vegans and vegetarians greatly lower carbon emissions, thus having a minuscule carbon footprint.

As if these benefits were not enough to make any sensible member of the human species convert to veganism or vegetarianism, Australia is now offering discounted health insurance for avoiding meat! Brian Jones, the managing director in Cheltenham of Make a Difference Insurance says, “Life insurance premiums are calculated based on several factors, including family medical history, lifestyle choices such as alcohol and nicotine intake, so surely a vegetarian or vegan diet should be considered, too.” A discount of up to 20% off premium rates is offered for participants with a qualifying dietary intake.

sources: Ecorazzi and Herald Sun

Pasta Caprese

21 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by whatahipster in Uncategorized

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Tags

basil, caprese, cheese, cruelty free, healthy living, italy, lifestyle, mozzarella, pasta, tomato, vegan, vegan cheese, veganism

Leave it to the Italians for great food. They did it again with an amazing pairing of flavors known as Insalata Caprese. I took this classic recipe for a salad and made it into a delicious pasta dinner.

pasta, noodles, cavatappi, basil, purple basil, vegan caprese, caprese, mozzarella

Purple Basil with Cavatappi pasta

Ingredients:

1 box of whole grain pasta ($0.99)
1 jar of pasta sauce ($1.25)
1 bag of vegan mozzarella ($2.56)
3 tbsp. minced basil leaves ($0.30)

Preparation:

Add your favorite style pasta to boiling water until al dente. Mince the basil leaves into fine pieces and add them to a saucepan with the sauce on medium low. When the sauce starts to bubble, pour it over the pasta. Add the mozzarella on top and garnish with a basil leaf or two if desired. For only $5.01, feed 4 impoverished vegans a delightful dinner with an hint of Italy. Buon Appetito!

Melty vegan mozzarella over spaghetti and basil

This is my favorite cheese-like brand, daiya

Did you know?

Cheese. Glorious, delicious, melty, savory, incredible cheese. Humans love cheese. I am a vegan and I love cheese; however, cheese is the secret villain behind certain cancers and diseases. Cancer is just one of a plethora of reasons to slay your cheese addiction. The meat and dairy industries are very closely intertwined. In fact, they are actually the same industry. The animals-are-food industry. This industry is literally killing our planet, the people on it, and an obscene number of innocent animals that would otherwise serve a better purpose than decomposing in stomach acid. So, how bad is cheese for the human body?

Today’s dairy milk is exceedingly rich in natural bovine estrogen compounds. This has resulted from the cows being milked 300 times per year, which causes the cow to produce more estrogen and thus more milk, more often. Pregnant cows are milked too, causing additional excess estrogen to end up in the milk. Leading nutritionists connect these estrogen compounds in the milk we consume to breast, prostate, and testicular cancer. There are opiate compounds in milk called casomorphins. Being an opiate, they are literally addictive. The purpose of them in dairy milk is to bind the baby calf to the mother with a special bond. How weird is it that humans are now addicted to dairy with the special bond of a mother cow?

dairy cows, cramped conditions, vegan, animal cruelty

Dairy cows live their ENTIRE lives in the same cramped position

enlarged utter, dairy cow, vegan, animal cruelty

Over-milking and growth hormones cause utters to enlarge

dead cow, dairy farm, vegan, animal cruelty

Cows may be left dead for days, decomposing on the dirty floor

Cows farmed for consumption live in dairy farms. The males are sent directly to get pumped full of growth hormones and slaughtered for beef. Females are milked dry and forcefully inseminated, while their calves are taken from them to be pumped with growth hormones and milked just like their mothers. After the cows are useless for dairy, they are sent to the factory for their beef. The two industries are codependent and are taking up an increasingly vast amount of resources to feed, house, slaughter, and repeat. These resources could very well be used to end world hunger. The methane produced by cows is tearing our atmosphere apart, one hamburger at a time. There is so much more on this subject than can fit in a single blog post, but take the time to educate yourself before diving into a delicious bowl of mac and cheese. There are plenty of vegan alternatives to dairy. Check it:

Food is Power – for vegan alternatives to milk, butter, cheese, and eggs

Vegan Health – for information on negative health risks of animal products

Compassionate Cookbook – for encouragement, recipes, and information about veganism

Opiate Addiction – for more information about addiction