My Week in Videos

Good morning Wasteland Wanderers! I slept in until 7:30 this morning! What the?! That’s uh-mazing! For someone who gets up at 5:30 every weekday, & whose brain doesn’t understand that weekends are for wallowing in bed for hours, that’s pretty darn great.  I won’t be as enthusiastic in three hours when Ranger Mike wakes up.  In fact, I’ll be ready to take a nap right about then. So let’s just enjoy it while it lasts.

Last Sunday, after 54+ in game hours, I benevolently took over the New Vegas Strip & finished this game:

 

 

Ok, I lied.  I actually finished the game two weeks ago, but since it’s only one of four games that I beat before Rnger Mike, I needed to brag a bit.  Thank you, thank you, no more applause, you’re embarrassing me.

Fast forward to last Saturday, where I learned a new random factoid, which I can’t wait to bust out at my next social gathering:

Alrighty, I couldn’t find a clip of the scene I wanted, which tells the origin of the idiom “O.K.”  Yes, the correct spelling includes two capital letters followed by periods.  The next clip is from Silver Linings Playbook, & directly follows the aforementioned scene which I can’t play for you.  So rent the movie, it’s a lot funnier than the Oscar clips let on.  This scene is usually how I feel after I’ve busted out my last random factoid & my social butterfly meter has expired.

 

 

Then, in a feat of chivalry unseen since Jack froze to death amongst the wreckage of the Titanic so that Rose could hog the floating door & survive (everyone knows they could have both fit on the dumb thing), RM shared with me his cold:

 

 

I called out sick from work Monday, but the rest of the week felt something like this:

 

 

I tried my best to be jovial & social at my desk, so then I could hide during lunch & conserve my energy for getting well instead of using it on witty repartee.  Although I couldn’t help zinging off a few one liners when we were hanging out on break learning about fecal transplants from Dr. Oz.  I’m not joking. Check out his website for all the details, because it’s grossly fascinating.  Also, I’d be a great candidate for a donor.  Heh.

Next, this came in the mail:

 

 

This game was made by a team of extremely dedicated developers in Ukraine, working in freezing temperatures, on gear smuggled from the US, with one tenth the budget of games of its caliber.  Phenomenal.  Ranger Mike & I are practicing our Russian accents (it’s my fav after the UK triad – English, Irish, Scottish) & I’m going to try my hand at making borscht & perogies tomorrow.  We don’t just play games, we live them.

Oh yeah, while I’m picking up beets & potatoes, I’ll grab some Keebler Soft Batch cookies, because we’re both craving.

 

 

Alrighty, RM is up & urging me to eat some breakfast before I get a headache.  I have a great recipe to post in Monday, one which I was too sick to type up this last week. Have a wonderful weekend, Wasteland Wanderers, and as always, aim for the head.

 

 

Rock-it Ruby signing off.

 

 

 

Media courtesy of YouTube users, BethesdaSoftworks, IGN, Zicam, allenmaja, metrovideogame, adultswim

Sloppy Joes

It’s 7am on Saturday, & I’m not scheduled to work, so why the heck am I awake? My eyes popped open at 5:35 & my brain went into “Get Up For Work” mode, even though we didn’t hit the sack until close to 2am (we watched The Grey on Netflix, which is the most primally horrifying yet spiritually profound film I’ve seen since Schindler’s List.  Y’all should check it out, it will move you). As a result, I’m having a little issue with my train of thought derailing every 35 seconds, so bear with me.

Um…what was I going to say? Oh yeah.

Driving home yesterday, the following song came on the radio.  My first thought was, “This is too weird, even for me.” But three seconds after I switched stations, I felt compelled to turn it back again.

 

 

Strange, ain’t it? I have no idea what the words are until the end, but it’s like the musical equivalent of Jello — wobbly & pleasant, once you get used to it.  The vocal style also reminds me very much of Adam Sandler, back when he would sing on SNL.  Behold:

 

 

Am I right? Of course I am, or you wouldn’t look to me as your Wasteland Survival Guide.  Now I really want sloppy joes, & hopefully you won’t have either song stuck in your head all weekend.  If you do, just think of me with fondness & love, & sing your little hearts out.  As for me, I’m going to run my errands before the rest of the LBC wakes up, then try to take a nap so I’m not too zombified to attend a bbq we’ve been invited to (poor Ranger Mike has a weather-induced head cold, so I’m trying to nurse him without getting sick myself).  We’ll see how things go.  Because I am the heroine of my own life story, & I think today is one of those chapters in between all the action, where everyone sits around & eats Chinese out of those little take out boxes.

Enjoy your weekend, Happy Mothers Day to the ladies (the holiday was officially instituted in the US in 1914 by President Wudrow Wilson….just fyi…), & as always, aim for the head.

 

Rock-it Ruby sloppy joe…er…signing off.

 

 

Media courtesy of YouTube users Altjband, bergduck

Meatless Monday

Seriously, it’s taken 15 minutes to get my blog page loaded.  I don’t know if it’s our anti-virus software randomly updating & slowing everything down, or if our beloved computer is on its last legs.  Regardless, I’m going to type this post quickly before I completely lose my temper.  Yeah, I’m running on about 15 hours sleep since Friday.  Not especially wonderful when you throw in my new pre-dawn wake up time.  Oh well.  I also saw on Dr. Oz last week how prolonged stress actually causes brain damage.  So I think I must be putting all my energy to regrowing brain cells, because my attention span is shot.

And there pops up the notice letting my know that Avast has updated.  Why can’t you toss up a dialogue box so I know what’s going on?  And 20 minutes is too long for a routine update.  Boy am I cranky.

Anyhoo.  The following recipe is a variation of a marinated grilled tofu recipe I posted a couple years ago for Memorial Day.  This version was much tastier, Ranger Mike agreed.  Enjoy!

 

Please ignore my dirty stove top, it’s embarrassing

Ruby’s Grilled Tofu “Burger” with Bourbon BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 block non-GMO sprouted firm/extra firm tofu

1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

4 hamburger buns (Rudi makes a delicious organic wheat bun, that’s what we used)

Condiments & fixin’s

 

First, we want to get as much liquid out of the tofu as possible.  You can buy a tofu press, or you can do it the Ghetto Chef© way, like so: Remove the tofu from its package & place in a colander in the sink.  Place a paper towel on top of the tofu, then place a heavy pot on top to press the liquid out.  My pots aren’t heavy enough, so I put our rice cooker in the large pot on top of the tofu in the colander.  Yeah, it was awesome.  Leave your tofu for an hour or so to drain.

Slice the drained tofu in half lengthwise, & then again widthwise (I was feeling artistic & cut my tofu in crosswise in triangles, it looked pretty but didn’t fit right in the bun).  You should have four tofu “patties.”  In a small rectangular casserole dish, blend the vinegar, olive oil, & enough bbq sauce to coat the bottom of the dish in a thin layer of liquid.  I have some vague memory of vinegar helping the marinade to permeate the “meat,” & it seemed to work well without being able to actually taste it.  Place the tofu patties in the dish, leaving enough room so they don’t touch each other.  Pour a generous amount of bbq sauce over the top, using a spoon or brush (fancy!) to coat the surfaces of each patty with sauce.  Cover & refrigerate over night.

Fast foward 24 hours:  Fire up your George Forman electric grill (you could pan fry or grill these over low heat on a real grill).  Cook patties, about 5 minutes per side.  We dressed our burgers with a little smear of mayo, dill pickle slices, spring mix greens, & bbq sauce on top.  Yum!!  Each burger was so filling that we had leftovers for the next day’s lunch; I was afraid the tofu would get soggy or crumbly, but it kept really well!

If you have any questions or want to share a homemade recipe for Meatless Monday, please feel free to email me via the link on the left.  I love suggestions!

 

Rock-it Ruby signing off.

 

Meatless Monday, Short but Sweet Edition

Happy Monday, Wasteland Wanderers!  I survived the rest of my crazy week, AND I got the back office department job I interviewed for!  Huzzah!  I started there today, so yeah, it was a wicked fast transfer which left my head spinning all weekend.  I’ll be working 7am to 4pm, which my fellow night owls understand will take a little adjustment.  I did fairly well today, with an impending coma between 1:30-3pm, but I got through it.

How’s my finger, you ask?  It’s still swollen & fairly painful if I wave my hand around to much, but I’m hoping to be cleared for suture removal this coming Friday.  I did take a picture of the stitches when they bulky bandage came off, but I won’t insert it in this post for obvious reasons.  Still typing with nine fingers, but what can you do?

Ok, so my obsession with all things UK has reawakened.  It’s an overwhelming attraction that I think must stem from genetic memory.  I think the last time I really threw over Americanism was my third year of college, when my amazing roommate Kathryn (and brilliant confectionist) introduced me to Blur, Jude Law, & ever so many other British delights.  I don’t know what kicked it off this time, but I know having access to BBC programs for the first time (through Netflix – thanks to Chris, Dakota, & Bentley for sharing!) has had a major impact.  Now when Ranger Mike sees me glued to the iPad he asks, “Doctor Who or Sherlock?”  Also, Yogurtland is doing flavors from “Around the World” & have been featuring a sticky toffee pudding yogurt that is delish!

Which brings us to tonight’s recipe.  You see, it’s my understanding that in the UK, any dessert may be referred to as “pudding.”  Sticky toffee pudding is actually sponge cake soaked in syrup.  Mmmmm…here’s a vegan version for your tasting pleasure! (I think you could probably swap in rice or coconut milk for the soy milk, & coconut cream for the soy creamer.  Leave feedback in the comment section below if you try it!)

 

Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients for sponge cake

1 1/8 C soy milk
6 Tbsp water
1 1/2 C dates
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C (=8 Tbsp) vegan margarine
3/4 C soft brown sugar (loose, not packed)
1 1/3 C white self raising flour
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for toffee sauce

5 Tbsp golden syrup (non-GMO corn syrup if you can find it — Ruby)
1 1/4 C soft brown sugar (loose, not packed)
1/2 C + 2 Tbsp (= 10Tbsp) vegan margarine
6 Tbsp soy creamer
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F-190C-Gas5.

2. Line a 8″ x 8″ (20cmx 20cm) shallow cake tin with baking parchment.

3. Chop the dates in half & put them in a small saucepan and cover with the soy milk & water & simmer until the dates are soft.

4. Take off the heat & stir in the baking soda, which will froth as you add it to the date mixture. Leave to cool.

5. Beat together the margarine & sugar until pale & creamy.

6. Add the date mixture & stir in.

7. Mix the spices into the flour. Sieve the flour & fold into the sponge mixture.

8. Spoon the sponge mixture into the prepared tin.

9. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30minutes or until cooked & the sponge bounces back when pressed.

10. To make the sauce: melt the syrup, margarine, sugar & vanilla essence in a small saucepan & simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Leave to cool slightly & then stir in the soy creamer.

11. Prick the pudding all over & pour half the hot toffee sauce over the pudding. Serve the rest of the sauce with the pudding & if you like a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream.

 

 

Recipe & photo courtesy of theveganronin,blogspot.com

Two stitches & a Tetanus Shot

This has been a very odd, very eventful week for me.  Monday afternoon I had a meeting with Human Resources.  Tuesday morning was an interview for a back office position with an awesome department within the bank.  And today, well, it went a little something like this:

 

 

I was clearing out a few things from my desk, to make room for another Senior Teller to be cross trained in my duties.  I was awarded this nifty glass trophy last fall, to recognize my awesomeness in cross selling services to customers.  It unexpectedly tipped over on the faux marble desktop & broke in two.  ”Nooooo!!!!!” I cried in dismay.  I have no idea how my index finger managed to impale itself on a shard of glass protruding from the base as I reached to throw it away, nor do I recall the words I yelped as I yanked my hand back.  I do remember droplets of blood flying across the desk, & a profound sense of amusement once I verified that I hadn’t sliced the end of my finger off.  Leave it to yours truly to commit suicide by trophy.

Out came the first aid kit & the On Site Injury Incident Report.  I figured that if the half inch cut stopped bleeding on its own, that it wasn’t deep enough to be worried about.  On went the gauze & I continued about my day, quite entertained by the entire situation.

After lunch, I realized that my booboo wasn’t hurting any more, so I popped off the gauze tube to take a peek.  Not a good idea.  Seeing my own blood doesn’t usually bother me, my inner teenage boy thinks it’s kinda cool.  However, watching one’s blood saturate a double layered gauze wrap is a bit unnerving.

 

Mmmm…bleed-through…

 

So off I drove to the occupational urgent care center, which was 20 minutes & two freeways from work.  Just minutes before transitioning from the 405 to the 710, my head started to buzz & feel wobbly.  Apparently the amount of blood trickling from a half inch cut over the course of three hours starts to add up.  But I was determined to not die in a fiery car wreck because of a flesh wound.

 

 

I made it off the 710 without passing out or being squashed by the herd of semi trucks bound for the port.  I accidentally ran a stop sign, but found the occupational urgent care nestled between truck stops & loading yards for the Port of Los Angeles (which is, in fact, in Long Beach).

 

You’ll recognize the Port from any movie with dock scenes, or a freeway scene with docks in the background (Transformers, Live Free or Die Hard, to name but two)

 

The staff there were rock stars, not only because they were super friendly & fast, but the attending physician actually looked a bit like Eddie Vedder, complete with shoulder length waves & a soul patch.  They made two stitches & a tetanus shot fun!  Because most of my hand was numb, the dr. called me out from the rest of my shift & sent me home with two different meds & a rubber cast cover to keep my bandages dry in the shower (sexy).

 

I’m Number One!!

I do wish I had asked the PA to let me take a picture of the sutures before he bandaged it up.  Oh well.  Alrighty, the anaesthesia is starting to wear off, giving me that horrible pins & needles feeling in my hand.  Also, typing without an index finger is irritating, my other fingers keep skipping the letters that my index finger would normally key in.  So I’m going to slip on my sexy rubber cast cover & take a hot shower…then maybe send Ranger Mike out to get me some Chinese for dinner.  Watch out for homicidal trophies & other sharp objects, Wasteland Wanderers, and as always, aim for the head.

 

Rock-it Ruby signing off.

 

 

Media courtesy of YouTube users ANIMATIONonFOX & jjpears928, porttechnology.org, & my low tech camera phone

Meatless Monday, Earth Day Edition

Happy Earth Day Wasteland Wanderers!  Whatever was on your agenda today, I hope you stopped for a moment & thanked the cosmos for the planet upon which we live.  And I hope you ended with a resolution to work a little harder to give back to her, whether it be by recycling, waiting until full dark to flip the lights on, biking/skating/jogging/carpooling to work, or eating a little kinder.  Today’s recipes are not only vegan, but also feature tahini…say it with me, tah-hee-nee.  Tahini is a paste made from hulled sesame seeds, & adds delicious full flavor to dishes (I personally think it tastes less than palatable on its own, but know lots of folks who enjoy it on toast in lieu of peanut butter).  A huge thank you to Julie for emailing me these wonderful recipes.  Enjoy!!

 

(Sorry I don’t have a picture for the salad, I couldn’t get the page to load properly.  But pop over to Healthy Happy Life to get your mouth watering)

5-Step Raw Kale Salad

4 cups chopped raw kale (about 1/2 small bunch)
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
2-3 Tbsp seeds or nuts (I added some mineral-rich pepitas)

*you can easily change up the veggie and other add-ins as desired.

Simple Sweet Tahini Dressing
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice + pinch of zest
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)
2-3 pinches cayenne
pinch of salt + a few pinches of black pepper

Step 1. Wash your fresh kale greens. Run each thick leaf under warm to hot water and massage any grit away. Then refresh the leaves by running them all under ice cold water. (The hot and coldest settings on your tap will work.)

Step 2. Prep your ingredients. Remove the thick vein from your kale leaves and discard. (You could keep this on, but it is quite chewy.) Also prep your other veggies however you’d like. Chop, dice, cube, shred… Add the chopped kale and veggies to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3. Make your dressing. In a small bowl, whisk your dressing together.

Step 4. Toss! Add the dressing to your bowl of veggies and kale and start tossing! You could massage if you’d like Fluff and toss until the dressing is well absorbed into the greens and veggies.

Step 5. Chill it! Allow at least an hour for the dressing to really sink into the ingredients. Plus chilling everything makes it refreshing and tasty as a cold salad side. You can even make this salad the night before you serve it. Overnight chilling works! The greens should be eaten within 48 hours though.

 

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

makes 7-8 large patties

2 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 large sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp tahini
2 tsp maple or agave syrup
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning OR Cajun seasoning (or another fave spice!)
1/4 cup wheat flour
optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand – I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper and a scoop of nutritional yeast)
salt to taste if needed

plentiful Panko crumbs
safflower oil for pan

burgers: avocado, Dijon mustard, grain buns, romaine, onion, olive oil, pepper

Directions:

1. Bake sweet potato. Peel, place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add drained beans to mixing bowl. Mash beans and potato together.
3. Mash in seasoning, flour and any additional seasoning. Your mixture will be quite soft and moist. But you should be able to form a patty. Add more flour or a scoop of breadcrumbs – or dry rice to thicken the mixture if needed.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp safflower oil in a pan over high heat.
5. Form a patty from mixture and coat in Panko crumbs. Thick coating. Then drop the patty in the pan. Repeat until the pan is filled. Cook until browned on both sides. You could also bake. If baking, use less Panko.
6. Transfer cooked patties to paper towel. Cool for a few minutes.
7. Serve on toasted bun with lotsa toppings.

Recipes & photo courtesy of  kblog.lunchboxbunch.com (Healthy. Happy. Life) check ‘em out for a host of vegan dishes!!

Look Down

My morale at work has been pretty low the last few months.  Maybe it’s the excessive absences by half the staff.  Perhaps it’s the competitive cliques & excessive estrogen in our female dominated office.

 

 

Quite possibly my low charisma & high blood pressure are due to doing the work of someone higher up the bank’s corporate ladder, without the $10/hour increase in pay.  My work day goes a little something like this:

 

 

Needless to say, I’m actively pursuing getting “paroled” before I have a stroke or go stark raving mad.  I’m only 35, after all.  There’s so much more I want from life than gnawing the cast-offs of my financial betters.  I want to suck the marrow out of life, Wasteland Wanderers, & enjoy the richness therein.  Look at me, waxing poetic.  Didn’t know I had it in me, didja?

For now, I’m going to enjoy the heck out of some teriyaki salmon, & then plot my next move.

 

Rock-it Ruby signing off.

 

 

Media courtesy of YouTube users JutubJuzer & Alexandria Koshgarian

 

 

Meatless Monday

Spring is that season in Southern California where you never know what the weather will be like from hour to hour.  It may pour rain at dawn, be sunny at noon, & then be socked in with fog by sundown.  The key to weathering (haha) a Southern California spring (or fall, that season is more or less the same), is to layer your clothing.  This morning an icy wind was blowing, so I wore a jacket, wrap scarf, flapper style (cloche) hat, & boots.  By the time my work day ended, i had shed all but my blouse (& pants, we’re not a “special” bank).  Anyhoo, this time of year I start craving fresh produce, but I’m not quite ready to give up the rich foods of winter.  The following recipes are light enough for spring but still have the heartiness of a winter meal.  Enjoy!

 

 

Mushroom Sandwich with Apple

4 toasted slices of bread

2 cups (5dl) chanterelle mushrooms

Fresh rosemary, to taste

1 finely chopped red onion

1 apple, preferably green and tart

3 tablespoons Swedish butter (this is a soft cheese; you may substitute with other soft cheeses)

Zest from 1/2 lemon

Butter for frying

Salt and pepper

 

Scrub the chanterelles thoroughly until they are completely clean.  Fry the mushrooms with the rosemary, onion and a little butter.  Core the apple and slice it.  Mix the apple slices, lemon zest and Swedish Cheese (or other soft cheese).  Season with salt and pepper.  Divide the mushroom mixture evenly between the toasts.  Serve with cold beer!

 

Icy Rhubarb

1 1/2 cups (4 dl) of water

1 1/2 cups (4 dl) sugar

1 vanilla bean, cut in two lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon cardemum pods

1 1/4 cup (3 dl) white wine

Zest and juice of1 lemon

6 rhubarb stalks

 

Cream

1 cup (2 dl) youghurt

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Fresh mint

 

Bring the water, sugar, wine, vanilla bean, cardemum and the lemon zest and juice to a boil.  Cut the rhubarb thinly and put them in a big bowl. (If the outer layer of the rhubarb stalks seems thick, you may peel them with a potatoe peeler).   Pour over the boiling mixture and let it cool. Put it in the freezer or fridge to cool it off.  For the cream, mix all the ingredients well in a bowl. Add some sugar if needed. Serve with the rhubarb.

 

 

Recipes & photos courtesy of newscancook.com

Meatless Monday: Spring Sweets Edition

Good evening, y’all!  Ranger Mike & I just got back from doing 25 minutes of cardio around the neighborhood, with RM jogging & me on skates.  We were about halfway along when my left skate stopped rolling, & I thought I must have a big rock jammed up in a wheel.  I stopped & Mike exclaimed, “Your wheels fell off!”  Sure enough, the front wheels came off of the skates I bought for $30 at Big 5 Sporting Goods six years ago.  Who’da thunk?  Luckily, all the pieces were lying on the sidewalk, the nut having jiggled loose as I sped along.  We put my skate back together & finished our exercise, thinking I’d secure the nut on 100% with my handy dandy ratchet set which I keep in the coat closet next to my tool set & screw drivers (Cool Daddy-O knows how to set his daughters up).  But for the life of me, I can’t find the dang set!!  So irritated!!  I did find our action figures of General Grievous & Soundwave’s Decepticon cassette tapes, but not my awesome little ratchet set.  RM is checking the trunk of his car, just in case.  I kid you not, we have crazy, mean spirited elves who steal stuff out of our apartment.  There’s two sets of Mike’s keys in here somewhere, but they’ve vanished.

Anyhoo, let’s get on to the recipes.  Spring is a time of rebirth, growth, & freedom; a time to celebrate life & it’s infinite possibilities.  My family will celebrate Easter this coming Sunday, dining on cold salads homemade with fresh produce & other delicious things.  Whether you celebrate Easter, Passover, Spring Solstice, or just glory in the new shoots of greenery pushing through the frozen ground, you can enjoy the following recipes!

I love Cadbury Creme Eggs, & ration this Easter candy to last the entire year.  I actually found a pack of mini Creme Eggs in the back of the fridge from two years ago, & they were just as delectible as ever.  Now I can make them myself!  Macaroons are one of those foods which defy logic for me.  I hate sweetened coconut as much as I love Creme Eggs.  But somehow, I really enjoy macaroons.  Maybe it’s because they’re so moist & bite sized.  I don’t know, but these are Kosher & gluten free, so eat up!  And who doesn’t love mud pie?  Seriously, no one.  Thanks to Dave for suggesting the Easter Desserts theme & sending me the Creme Egg & Mud Pie recipes!  Feel free to email me with any recipe suggestions or to share your own delicious creations!

 

Vegan Cadbury Creme Eggs

Ingredients

• ½ c light corn syrup (agave or brown rice syrups work will too, corn syrup is a bad word in our house – Ruby)
• ¼ c vegan butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 c powdered sugar
• red and yellow food coloring
• 12 oz vegan chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening
• wax or parchment paper
• egg-shaped candy mold or skewers, optional

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together corn syrup, butter and vanilla.
2. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Place about a third of the mixture in a small bowl.
4. Add food coloring drop by drop until you’ve achieved the desired color.
5. Tightly cover both bowls and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. Line two cookie sheets with wax or parchment paper.
7. Using a teaspoon and your hands, form balls out of yellow fondant and place on a cookie sheet.
8. Place cookie sheet in freezer.
9. Using a tablespoon and your hands, form white fondant into balls.
10. Flatten white balls into discs; place on cookie sheet.
11. If whites are still firm enough, you can go ahead and start filling them with the yellow centers. Otherwise, place sheet in freezer for a little bit until they firm up.
12. Place one white disc in the palm of your hand.
13. Drop a yellow ball into the center of the disc, and fold white around it.
14. Roll fondant into a larger ball and place on a cookie sheet.
15. Repeat with remaining fondant and place balls in freezer for another half hour.
16. In a double boiler or microwave, slowly melt together chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until completely smooth.*
17. Skewer a fondant ball with a toothpick and dip in chocolate, taking care to shake off any excess.
18. Place coated balls in refrigerator to harden fully.
19. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

*If you’re using candy molds, now is the time to paint one side of the molds with a thin layer of chocolate. Let cool before placing fondant balls inside.

Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons

• 6 egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• ½ cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1. In a mixing bowl whisk egg whites and salt until stiff
2. Fold in agave, vanilla and coconut
3. Drop batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, one rounded tablespoonful at a time
4. Pinch each macaroon at the top (like a kiss)
5. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned

 

Mahalo Mud Pie

Ingredients

Cookie Crust

• 2 cups chocolate wafer cookies (Available at your local natural foods market. Newman’s Own brand has a variety of vegan choices.)
• ¼ cup vegan margarine or refined coconut oil, melted

Coffee Ice Cream

(OR buy 2 pints of dairy-free coffee ice cream) (Coconut Bliss brand is a great option – Ruby)

1. 2 cups coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
2. 2 cups almond milk
3. ¼ cup instant espresso powder
4. 1 cup agave
5. 1/8 teaspoon salt
6. ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
7. 2 tablespoons canola oil

Coconut Whipped Cream

• 1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk – not “lite”, chilled (preferably Thai Kitchen brand or 365 Whole Foods brand)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate Sauce

• ½ cup soy, almond, or rice milk
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
• 2 teaspoons canola oil

Garnish

• ½ cup chopped almonds, toasted

To make the Cookie Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan.

Pulse the cookies in a food processor until a fine crumb has formed. Add the melted margarine and pulse until incorporated. Press evenly and firmly into the prepared pie pan, spreading the crumbs ¾ up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool then freeze.

To make the Coffee Ice Cream

In a medium saucepot over low heat, whisk together the coconut milk, almond milk, and espresso powder until espresso dissolves and mixture is combined. Blend the espresso mixture with agave, salt, xanthan gum and canola oil until combined. Refrigerate until chilled, then run through the ice cream machine according to machine directions.

To make the Coconut Whipped Cream

Chill the bowl and whisk of a stand mixer in the freezer for about 30 minutes. If they are not very cold, the cream will not whip properly. Skim the solidified coconut cream off the chilled coconut milk and transfer the solids to the bowl of a stand mixer. Do not include any of the coconut water, even if you have to leave behind a little margin of coconut cream (even a little bit of coconut water can harm your results).

Add the powdered sugar and whip for a few minutes until the mixture begins to stiffen and turn into whipped cream. Work quickly so everything stays cold. Chill whipped cream in a covered container in the refrigerator. It should firm up even more as it sits in the refrigerator for the next few hours or overnight.

To make the Chocolate Sauce

In a small saucepot over medium heat, whisk nondairy milk and espresso powder until combined. Turn the heat to low and mix in chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in oil. This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but it will need to be reheated before each use.

To assemble the Mud Pie

Spread the ice cream evenly in the chilled piecrust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refreeze until solid. Note that letting the pie sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving will make it easier to slice. Slice the pie and top with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and almonds.

 

 

Recipes & photos courtesy of hellyeahitsvegan.com, elanaspantry.com, chefchloe.com

Meatless Monday

Yesterday, as I prepared our Irish stew & steamed cabbage for dinner, I found myself wondering how I would alter our culinary celebration of St. Patrick’s Day were I a vegetarian.  I was really stumped, as my mind kept coming back to the American “traditional” Irish foods for corned beef & cabbage, or a heart stew with vegetables.  So I went on a quest to find a recipe that would incorporate actual Irish food with a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.  What I found, much to my delight, was the following entry from Albion Cooks.  Enjoy!!

 

Colcannon Stuffed Cabbage Leaves with Irish Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Colcannon (made from mashed potatoes and sauteed leeks and dino kale), stuffed into steamed cabbage leaves, with an Irish Cheddar Cream Sauce.

Ingredients:

Colcannon:

• 1 lb potatoes (or the equivalent in instant mashed potatoes, or 1 lb cauliflower to mash for you Paleo peeps – Ruby)
• 1/2 lb kale
• 1 bunch chives
• 1/3 c half & half
• 1/3 c milk (or non-dairy alternative for these last two ingredients – Ruby)

Cheese Sauce (measurements for two leaf packets, multiply as necessary):

• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1/3 c milk
• 1/3 c grated Kerrygold Irish Cheddar (non dairy butter & Daiya cheddar cheese would work well – Ruby)

1 head of cabbage

To make colcannon:

Cooked and mashed potatoes. Remove the kale stems and chopped the kale finely. Cook the chopped kale in salted water for about 10 minutes. Drained. Heat 1/3 cup half-and-half and 1/3 cup of milk with chives and simmer for a few minutes. Beat the milk mixture into the mashed potatoes, then beat in the drained kale. Season heavily with salt and pepper.

Remove cabbage leaves from head, steam until tender.  Spoon colcannon onto leaves…

 

 

…then wrap into packets.

 

 

To make cheese sauce:

Per two cabbages leaves, melt 1/2 TBS butter, 1/2 TBS flour and stir until well combined. Add 1/3 cup of milk and stir until there are no lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/3 cup grated Irish cheddar cheese.  Pour over leaf packets & broil for 3 minutes.

 

 

Recipe & photos courtesy of albioncooks.blogspot.com.  Check out her site for more amazing (& easy) vegetarian recipes!!