Everything Oatmeal Cookies

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Listen readers.... I know that I need to get a better camera and/or learn how to take better pictures. These cookies don't look nearly as delicious and amazing as they actually are. I developed this recipe accidentally, and I will never look at oatmeal cookies the same way. These cookies are actually Oatmeal Raisin-Cranberry-Cashew-Chocolate Chip Cookies. Quite a mouthful.  

Try and say it 5 times fast and you'll know why I choose to call them Everything Oatmeal Cookies instead. They are, as usual, vegan. However, they're crispier and healthier than the Ultimate Whole Wheat Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ready for the recipe? Here goes!

Everything Oatmeal Cookies

There's a good chance that other add-ins will work well in this cookie recipe. As it stands, the Everything Oatmeal Cookie is fruity, chocolaty, nutty, and crunchy. They are absolutely delicious, and will disappear faster than any other treat on your holiday table.This recipe makes two dozen Everything Oatmeal Cookies. 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal 

3 tablespoons hot water

1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons vegan non-hydrogenated margarine

1/2 + 2 tablespoons cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup vegan or regular chocolate chips

1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews

Directions
1. Heat oven to 300F.
2. In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed meal and hot water. Allow to rest for a few minutes.
3. In the meantime, beat the butter and sugars until creamy in a large bowl.

4. Add the vanilla, almond extract if using, and flaxseed mixture.

5. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Beat until fully incorporated.
6. Add the oatmeal and mix thoroughly into batter.

.
7. Mix in  raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and cashews.

8. Drop the dough by spoonful onto cookie sheets.

9. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
10. Cool completely and eat up!

Christmas Comes Early: Let the Holiday Cooking Begin

Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am. Thanks grandma!!!! 

So with what dish should I christen this glorious example of cookware? I'm thinking curry! 

Yinzers Like Mexican Food Too

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Yeah, we totally like that stuff too. But, unlike my darling co-author, we don't have a particularly vibrant Mexican food scene. There are a couple of places here and there, certainly... but for the most part us Burgh residents are left to our own devices when it comes to cuisine inspired by the fare south of the border.

So, Veggie Horizon's readers.... I'm going to share my taco secret with you. The following is my super duper secret taco seasoning recipe. I make it in bulk and use it on crumbled tofu, tempeh, and all sorts of beans. The cocoa gives it a rich, deep flavor, but  (I promise) will not make your tacos taste like chocolate.

Combine:

1 part cumin powder
1 part red pepper flakes
1 part ground black pepper
1 part ginger powder
1 part chili powder
1 part coriander powder
1 part ground paprika
1 part salt
2 parts Cayenne pepper powder
2 parts dried oregano
2 parts dark cocoa powder

Garlicky Quinoa with Roasted Cashews, Green Onions and Raisins: Vegan Friday Post #2

Posted by Nichole Leigh

As promised, here are the recipes for the delicious Garlicky Quinoa and Baked Sweet Potato Wedges that I mentioned yesterday. But before I dive in, I'd like to discuss the value of quinoa as a vegetarian food staple. I think that most foodies and veg heads are probably already familiar with this wonderful South American grain, but there's no harm in rehashing its virtues, right? 

Quinoa is native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru and Chile, and has been eaten for over 5,000 years by the people of that region. It was a staple food for the Incas, and continues to be a valuable food source for their descendants. 

This lovely little grain is 100% gluten free, contains a higher protein content than any other grain, and boasts broad protein profile which resembles that of casein. Thus, it is considered a "complete" protein. Additionally, quinoa is chock full of great vitamins and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc. Basically, it's a superfood. 

Quinoa is easily prepared in the same fashion as rice or other grains like barley or amaranth. It can also be ground into flour and used as a starch extender in breads and pastries. For more information about the quinoa, visit the Purdue University Center for New Crops and & Plant Products Quinoa Page.For lots of quinoa recipes,  visit CookingQuinoa.net. 

Finally, yours truly thinks that quinoa has a lovely taste and texture. It's incredibly wholesome, and if you haven't tried it yet, I think now's a good time! To get your started on your quinoa journey, here's a quick and delicious concoction that I whipped up last night for Vegan Friday! 

Garlicky Quinoa with Cashews, Green Onions, and Raisins

This is just one of the many endless ways to prepare this delicious grain. The recipe is rather basic, so don't be shy about trying out other ingredients combinations.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 3/4 cup warm water

1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup raisins

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Toast the quinoa in a medium saucepan until it browns, about 2 minutes

2. Add the water to the quinoa, and bring the water to the boil. Reduce to low and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. 

3. In the meantime, roast the cashews in a small skillet until they begin to brown. Remove and set aside. 

4. Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet. Cook the garlic until it begins to brown on each side. 

5. Remove the garlic from the oil, and set aside with the cashews.

6. Combine the raisins and green onions and set aside.

7. When the quinoa is finished, allow to set for 2 minutes, and then fluff with a fork. Add the cashews, garlic, raisins, green onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

8. Serve warm and enjoy! 

Falafel with Sweet-Tahini Sauce: Vegan Friday Post #1

Posted by Nichole Leigh

As you may surmise from the title of this post, I'm back with a fury! I've really missed writing on Veggie Horizons, so I thought I'd (re)open with a bang. J and I have decided that we eat more cheese than is probably normal or healthy, so we're trying to cut down a little. We don't really consider this change restrictive. It's just a chance to try more vegan recipes!

Anyway, welcome to Vegan Friday! This week's installment features Falafel Patties with Sweet Tahini Sauce, Garlicky Quinoa, and Baked Sweet Potato Wedges. Looks good, huh? For tonight, I'm just going to post the Falafel and Sweet Tahini Sauce recipe, but I'll follow up with the other recipes tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Falafel with Sweet Tahini Sauce

Falafel is generally a mixture of dried chickpeas, herbs, and spices, combined with liquid to make patties (though I have seen some use fresh chickpeas). I make my falafel patties with a dry falafel mix that I get from a wonderful Turkish grocer in Pittsburgh. The proprietor makes the mix himself, and can vouch for its wholesomeness.

If you would like to make your own falafel mix from scratch, I recommend this recipe from the Iraqi food blog, It's Sooo Good. The following describes how to form the patties, followed by the recipe for the sweet-tahini sauce.

This recipe makes three falafel patties and three servings of the sweet tahini sauce. Falafel is traditionally fried, but I brown mine own both sides and throw it in the oven for a lighter version. 

Falafel Ingredients

3/4 cup dry falafel mix

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon olive oil

Falafel Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. 

2. Mix together the dry falafel and warm water until the ingredients form a firm batter. Add more water, as necessary, to keep the batter moist. If you don't use enough liquid, the patties will become hard. The mixture should just be able to hold its shape when formed into balls.

3. Divide the batter into three portions, and it into balls. Press each ball with your palm until it forms a patty like the one pictured below.(Wet your hands with a little water if the batter is too sticky.)

4. Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof pan on medium-high. Lay the patties in the pan and allow to brown on each side, about 3 minutes.

5. Put the pan in the oven for another 5-7 minutes to finish cooking the patties. Remove from the oven. They're ready to serve!

Sweet Tahini Sauce Ingredients

2 tablespoons Tahini

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar (or honey for a non-vegan version)

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Sweet Tahini Sauce Directions

1. Combine all ingredients. Spoon onto cooked falafel patties. Top with avocado and tomato.

Check back tomorrow for the Garlicky Quinoa and Baked Sweet Potato Wedges! Happy friday! 

GREs are Over, and I'm Back!

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Courtesty of www.phdcomics.com. Visit the original strip here.

Hello Readers! I have finished taking the GRE Exam, which means that my self-imposed blogging moritorium is over! It has been really difficult to be away from Veggie Horizons for so long. Recipe blogging is really addictive!

Anwyay, all of the studying caused me doing a lot  stress-cooking. I've been roasting vegetables and turning out desserts like you wouldn't believe. I have, like, a zillion recipes that I want to share. I almost don't know where to start. Now, I know that it is kind of like vegetarian blasphemy not to post around Thanksgiving, but I will make it up to you, I swear.

Here are just some of the following recipes we'll be up in a matter of days. I hope you're as excited as I am!

Maple Roasted Root Vegetables
Broccoli-Sage Soup
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Cashews
A (Vegan) Pot Pie for the Ages
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcales
Poached Cinnamon Pears in Chocolate Sauce

California Autumn - Sweet Potato Tacos

I love fall. But I live in California. I've seen about three deciduous trees and there is a severe lack of crisp air and apple orchards.

But I need my fall fix. So, I decided to mix a little California with fall: sweet potato tacos.

I only discovered that I like sweet potatoes a few years ago. The orange color and slightly strange smell always turned me off. But then I tried sweet potato fries and fell in love. Ever since, I have been looking for great sweet potato recipes.


My friend, Maddie, visited a few weeks ago and I made her sweet potato samosas. I had a leftover sweet potato. What to do? Well, I also happened to have corn tortillas. So I trolled the internet and found this recipe on The Washington Post's Meatless Monday column. Sweet potato tacos might sound weird, but they are actually completely amazing and totally wonderful.

Can I just say...oh. my. God. Yummy. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 clove garlic, minced or mashed
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne and/or smoked paprika to taste
• ½ fresh chile of choice, seeded and diced (optional)
• salt to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into half moons
• ½ red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Vegetable oil for frying tortillas
• 8 -10 small corn tortillas
• at least ½ cup grated smoked mozzarella and/or cheddar
• Small bunch cilantro, chopped, and lime wedges, for garnish

Directions
Peel and cut sweet potato into cubes. Place in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes, and drain. Mash with garlic, spice, chile (if using) and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Should have a little kick in the mouth.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion half moons and diced pepper and allow to soften, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.

Meanwhile, prepare the tortillas: Heat ¼ teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium-heat hit. When oil is hot, place a tortilla in the pan and fry until soft, about 25 seconds; flip and repeat with the other side. Do not let tortilla get too crisp; reduce heat if this happen. It’s key to keep oil to a minimum, as the tortillas will end up unpleasantly greasy.

Place tortillas on a plate and keep warm, and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Assemble your tacos: Spoon a scant tablespoon of sweet potato mash in the center of each tortilla, and flatten it a bit. Add a teaspoon or so of onion-peppers and top with grated cheese. Fold over so that ends meet and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 8 minutes, until somewhat crispy and cheese is melted.

Garnish with cilantro and lime. Ripe avocado slices also make a luscious topping!

Definitely include avocado slices. DEFINITELY.

Enjoy!