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Vegan Alfredo

09 Monday Sep 2013

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Smooth, creamy and savory, this vegan Alfredo sauce will send your tastebuds into a cheesy, buttery frenzy. It is hard to believe it is vegan because it actually tastes better than many non-vegan Alfredo sauces. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. coconut milk                   ($1.82)
  • ½ c. nutritional yeast             ($1.66)
  • 1 medium clove of garlic       ($0.26)
  • 1 tsp. dried basil                    ($0.05)
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • a dash of black pepper

vegan alfredo sauce, vegan, alfredo, dairy free alfredo,
Asparagus pairs very well with this creamy Alfredo sauce.

Preparation:

Peel and mince the garlic. Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Heat on medium, stirring frequently until almost boiling. Continue to simmer 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. The longer the sauce boils, the thicker it will become. Pour over your favorite pasta. This quick and easy sauce costs $3.79 and will quickly become a new favorite. 

This recipe came from The Fitchen. They specialize in healthy eating that is “sometimes raw, usually vegan, always organic.” 

Experiment with this recipe. Serve with some freshly steamed veggies or use a different herb or spice instead of basil.

Nutritional yeast is the secret ingredient in this recipe. While the coconut milk provides the creamy base, the nutritional yeast adds a fistful of flavor and nutrients like the B-complex vitamins. These vitamins, like Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Pyridoxine, are hard to come by with a vegan diet. It is a magical product sent from above. This delicious seasoning can be used in sauces and as a topping for popcorn, potatoes, vegetables, rice, salads, and bread! BRAGG® Nutritional Yeast Seasoning has been around for over 100 years and can be found in most grocery and health food stores. 

Vegan Pizza! Vezza!

06 Friday Sep 2013

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Seriously, is there anyone on this earth that does not enjoy a greasy, melty, savory slice of pizza? I doubt it. Satisfy your craving with a vegan take on the classic pizza. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 ready-to-bake pizza dough                ($1.14)
  • 1 cup of flour                                           ($0.02)
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil                    ($0.02)
  • ½ of a red pepper                                   ($0.55)
  • ½ of a yellow pepper                              ($0.43)
  • ½ of a can black olives, drained            ($0.54)
  • 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced                  ($0.66)
  • 1 jar of pizza sauce                                 ($1.67)
  • 1 bag of vegan soy cheese                   ($2.89)

vegan pizza, vegetarian pizza, vegan, pizza, toppings, vegetarian, vezza
Colorful veggie toppings! Get creative with your
favorite toppings for your vezza.

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Lay out some flour in a thin layer. Roll the uncooked pizza dough around in the flour to coat all of the outside surface. Flatten and spread the dough out. Coat the bottom of a baking tray with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Place the dough on the tray, spreading it to all the edges. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle a light layer of cheese over the sauce. Add the veggie toppings evenly. Cover the veggies with the rest of the cheese. Place the vezza in the oven for at least 30 minutes. Soy cheese takes longer to melt than dairy cheese. Remove the vezza when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Eat up!
Costing $7.92, this pizza will serve 4…or 2 starving, impoverished vegan college students. Eating out is the most costly manner of dining nowadays so enjoy how inexpensive it can be to make vegan alternatives to everyday omnivore food.

Did you know?

What could go better with vezza than an ice cold can of BEER?! Steel Reserve is a good beer for impoverished vegans because it is considered a high gravity beer. At 8.1% ABV, alcohol by volume, Steel Reserve is an inexpensive yet alcoholic beer. 
Beer is old. Traces of pots containing ancient beer have been traced back almost 5,000 years. Theories exist that the manna from the Old Testament of the Bible was actually a bread-based beer called wusa. I hope this is true because 40 years of walking around the desert can be miserable without any manna beer. Beer became an everyday staple for people of all social statuses in northern and eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. Grapes for wine were not easily cultivated there, so beer became the dominant adult beverage. Beer was consumed instead of water for sanitary purposes. The boiling required for the brewing process decontaminated the beer, so why not drink beer instead of contaminated water?

The Kalevala, a Finnish epic poem of collected oral traditions contains more lines about the origin of brewing beer than the origin of mankind itself. The patron goddess of brewing in ancient Sumer was called Ninkasi. In Egyptian mythology, the immense blood-lust of the fierce lioness goddess Sekhmet was only sated after she was tricked into consuming an extremely large amount of red-colored beer. She became so drunk that she gave up her hunt altogether.

If you are over the age of 21, feel free to enjoy (responsibly) a nice glass (or gallon) of beer with your vegan pizza. You will feel at least 80% more American, but 100% better about being cruelty-free! Save Animals, Eat Vezza.

Quick and Easy Vegan Stew

03 Tuesday Sep 2013

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Described as ‘ohmygod’ good, this hearty stew was thrown together by my good friend Emily Moore. 

quick and easy vegan stew, vegan stew, veggie stew, vegan, vegetarian, stew, healthy, lifestyle, college, healthy meals
Emily’s succulent stew

Ingredients:

  • 1 can black beans                                   ($0.99)
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes                  ($0.62)
  • 1 can mixed tomatoes and okra            ($1.59)
  • 3 shakes of garlic powder                      ($0.02)
  • a dash of salt                                           ($0.01)

Preparation:

Place the contents of all three cans into a large saucepan. DO NOT drain or rinse the contents of the cans. Heat on medium high until stew begins to bubble, then turn heat to medium. Add a few shakes of garlic powder and a dash of salt. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and serve! 

By using the bean, tomato, and okra juices, the result is a thick, hearty stew base with just a hint of okra to round out the flavor. This thick base also satisfies non-vegans in the family because it mimics the thick, beef-based broth of a Brunswick stew. Eww, meat. Can you believe they used to put squirrel, rabbit, chicken, cow, roadkill, and other assorted meat products into food for dinner? Meat is not only expensive but unethically sourced and sometimes fatal. If consumed, consult your physician when side effects include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, bacterial contamination, elevated hormone levels, upset stomach, indigestion, fatigue, or cancer. For only $3.23, this incredibly filling stew contributes positively to your body and all animals everywhere. Lending itself to experimentation, try adding some corn or a different type of bean. If you have some fresh banana peppers, slice those–uncooked–on top for a bowl of crunchy goodness. If you enjoy a bit of spicy heat, sprinkle a bit of crushed red pepper flakes over the finished product. Enjoy with pita slices, bread, crackers, or breadsticks for a super carb-ed meal. As if this stew could get any better, try serving it over a bed of rice for a well-rounded dinner sensation! If you are feeling really crazy, try everything that is suggested and your tastebuds will implode with satisfaction.
quick and easy vegan stew, vegan stew, veggie stew, vegan, vegetarian, stew, healthy, lifestyle, college, healthy meals
My attempt at this delightful stew.
It was super thick and almost chili-like. 
quick and easy vegan stew, vegan stew, veggie stew, vegan, vegetarian, stew, healthy, lifestyle, college, healthy meals
I also added steamed jasmine rice and banana peppers!
This added just the right twang for a good ole southern stew!

About the contributor: 

Emily Moore is an independent freelance editor and writer. She has always supported our veganism, or veganity, as I like to say. I do not know the correct noun but it is super fun to say ‘veganity’. Emily has been ever faithful to this blog by editing and organizing my jumble of thoughts into coherent sentences, paragraphs, and blog posts. Many thanks to her and if you are ever in need of editing or writing, she is your gal. Here is her website. 

Feel free to leave comments, suggestions, and pictures! 

Labor Day Dogs

29 Thursday Aug 2013

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This weekend, how about eating a traditional American hot dog? It’s not a problem, even for a vegan, when you have Smart Dogs® by Lightlife™! They are amazingly juicy, plump, and healthy alternatives to the amalgamation of meat-like substances that make up regular hot dogs.

What a delightful looking Smart Dog!

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole-grain hot dog bun
  • 3 slices of a Roma tomato
  • 1 handful of baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp. diced onion
  • 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
  • 1 Smart Dogs® vegan hot dog

Preparation:

If you have a grill, I would suggest grilling the Smart Dogs® for about 5 minutes or until warm. For a lighter and less crispy taste, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the hot dogs and remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a serving plate or paper towel to let them dry for a minute. Toast the buns on a low temperature for 2 minutes for a crunchy texture. Mustard is absolutely delicious so I smother the bun with mustard, add the veggies and hot dog, then dribble on more mustard. 

Cost:

  • 1 whole-grain hot dog bun          ($0.54)
  • 3 slices of a Roma tomato          ($0.58)
  • 1 handful of baby spinach           ($0.12)
  • 2 tbsp. diced onion                      ($0.06)
  • 2 tbsp. yellow mustard                ($0.08)
  • 1 Smart Dogs® vegan hot dog  ($0.50)
For a meager $1.88 you can create a vegan taste explosion that also requires a very small amount of labor for this not-so-Labor Day weekend!

Both this post and the previous use meat alternative products. For a meat-eater transitioning slowly to a more vegan lifestyle, this is the easiest route. I would recommend any new vegan take it slowly and allow the meat substitutes to fill the desire for meat. My diet consists mostly of unprocessed foods, but occasionally, I like to indulge in fancy faux-meat like Smart Dogs®.

The Lightlife™ website shows many recipes and varieties of “hot dogs” to enjoy. From Mediterranean flair to Sesame Apple cole-slaw, every recipe has a unique flavor. 

I do NOT endorse getting blackout-crazy-crunk-turnt up-fall over plastered on non-vegan booze. I DO, however, present you this wonderful site: Barnivore. It will help you choose which vegan alcohol to enjoy responsibly this Labor Day Weekend. Or irresponsibly. You can go hog-wild without the hog because these vegan dranks do not contribute to animal cruelty! 

Read more about the “meat” you are consuming and watch the video. You will never allow another hot dog to enter your body.

All-American, blue ribbon winning PBR
Eat up, drink up, and enjoy your weekend feeling healthy and morally responsible. And most importantly: stop wearing white after Monday. It is tacky. 

Did you know?

Labor Day was put in place in 1894 to placate union workers after the Pullman Strike, this holiday celebrates workers economic and social contributions to society. Nowadays, most professionals take the day off to relax, eat barbecue, drink a beer, and cherish the last few weeks of summer. The laborers continue to work and provide for their families. Funny how the holiday created for them was taken away and enjoyed by the very people who caused the numerous deaths, strikes, and sufferings for the union workers. Labor Day is also a time to take advantage of huge retail sales. Companies have extended hours and full staff available for the rush of customers; again, the laborers must work harder on their own holiday.


Photo taken by: Jonathan Charles (Instagram: zerodecorum)
(Twitter: zerodecorum)
Edited by: Emily Moore and Jonathan Charles
My Instagram: whatahipster
My Twitter: whatascenester

The Not-So-Sinful Veggie Bagel Burger

22 Thursday Aug 2013

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”This tastes like I am in Grease!” 

Even though I am a vegan, I confess: the greasy, fried, fat-saturated taste of the hamburgers I used to
eat is still oddly desirable.  I was unable to satisfy this craving with any veggie burger until I stumbled onto this recipe. Believe me, you’ll feel like you’re sinning against the Vegan Goddess, but you’ll be eating a healthy vegan treat!

I first discovered this recipe when I was knocking around my parents’ refrigerator and stumbled upon some sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. This was a surprise because my parents are basically carnivorous dairy guzzlers. Woe to the vegan who dines at their residence! 

I grabbed the box of veggie burgers that I had just purchased at Costco, and tossing everything haphazardly together in 5 minutes, I discovered and then devoured this delectable dinner. 

Ingredients

  • 1 whole grain bagel, sliced
  • 1 veggie burger patty
  • 2 tbsp. hummus
  • 1 handful baby spinach
  • 4 artichoke hearts, halved
  • 6 sun-dried tomatoes

Cooking Instructions

bon appétit! 
Heat enough olive oil to coat the pan on medium heat for two minutes, then fry both sides of the patty until crispy. While the burger is frying, spread hummus on both sides of the bagel. Top the hummus with spinach, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes. Allow patty to cool for 1-2 minutes. Place patty on top of vegetable mix, then cover with the second half of the bagel. Enjoy!

Conclusion

Eating vegan is not some fancy, hoity-toity, Chanel-toting socialite’s way of acting like she is better than everyone else. (Except for Todd; he is better than most people.) Anyone can be vegan, including impoverished, minimum-wage earning, 20-something college students. The struggle of leading a vegan lifestyle is easier than it appears. Keep reading this blog, and for the love of animals, partake not in the meat, nor the breast milk, nor the ovum of any creature with a face.






*photo by Matt Iden. Post written by +Matt Iden. Edited by +Emily Moore and Jonathan Charles.