INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• 4oz (1/2 package) tempeh, grated
• 8oz mushrooms, quarter and pulsed in a food processor 5-6 times
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp salt
•  1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp dried crushed fennel
• 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• Water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable broth + 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked together
• 1/4 cup non-dairy creamer

Directions:

1. In a small skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add in the onion saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl.

2. To the mixing bowl, add the grated tempeh, mushrooms, wheat gluten, parsley, spices, salt and pepper; stir to combine. With a wooden spoon stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and 4 tablespoons of

water. Stir until the mixture begins to come together as a dough; if the mixture seems dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil oil over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage mixture into the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the vegetable broth mixture and non-dairy creamer and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

Serve the gravy over your favorite savory baked good.

 For the marinated tofu:

• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
•  1 tablespoons nutritional yeast
•  6-8 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into 4 triangles (1/2 block)

Marinate the tofu:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the vegetable broth and red wine vinegar. Whisk in the chipotle powder, cumin, garlic powder, thyme and nutritional yeast, if using.
2. Place the tofu slices in the broth mixture and marinate for about 30 minutes.

For the Hollandaise sauce:

• 1 cup soy, rice or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dairy free margarine substitute
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• a pinch salt
• a pinch black pepper
• a pinch cayenne pepper

To make the Hollandaise sauce*:

1. In a medium bowl mix together the milk, lemon juice, margarine, cornstarch, vegetable broth and nutritional yeast, if using. Season the milk lemon mixture with pinches of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Place the milk lemon mixture in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the Hollandaise has thickened to preference, whisking occasionally to ensure a smooth sauce. Remove the Hollandaise sauce from heat until plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

•  a spritz olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 avocado, thin sliced
•  2 cups arugula, divided
•  4 whole wheat English muffins, toasted and lightly buttered with vegan margarine
•  hot sauce, to taste, optional

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

1. Prepare a skillet with a light coating of olive oil or cooking spray. After the tofu triangles are done marinating, place the skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the tofu triangles to the skillet and cook for 5-7minutes, or until the tofu begins to brown. Flip the tofu triangles with a spatula and cook 5-7 minutes on the other side or until both sides have browned.
3. Top each side of the toasted English muffins with 1/2 cup of the arugula and 2 slices of avocado.
4. Top the avocado with 1 piece of tofu and a drizzle of the Hollandaise sauce* per side. Complete the dish with a few drops of hot sauce, if using, and enjoy.

* If a significant period of time has passed between making the Hollandaise sauce and plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict, warm the sauce on the stove over low heat before serving. You may need to add a bit more milk to thin the sauce during reheating.

Makes 8 Cups

Ingredients:

• 6 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 1/4 cup golden flax seeds
• 1/4 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)
• 1/4 cup nibs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
• 1 cup Thompson raisins
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid form)
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

While I looked over the menu we snacked on some chips and salsa:

For dinner I had to make a choice out of a few vegan friendly options:


Although both of these sounded good Neil and I both decided to get this:

The wrap was full of veggies and tempeh but I was not too impressed with the flavor, or rather lack there of. It was pretty bland so I added the salsa from my chips, which I didn’t eat since I had chips and salsa already.

Overall the food was okay and the beer was blah not my favorite. I probably wouldn’t return to The Portsmouth Brewery and  I definitely wouldn’t order a beer from there again.

Saturday morning we headed back into Portsmouth for breakfast at The Friendly Toast  a retro dinner with (over priced) breakfast. The restaurant has a fun 60′s/70′s theme and a huge menu but it’s a little expensive for my pocket.

Neil and I had tofu scramble, coffee and water for breakfast.  Overall the food was pretty good, the coffee was great and the water cold.  The Friendly Toast is a fun place but it is a little pricey and can get crazy busy.

After breakfast we did a little window shopping and then headed to the farmers market where I got the best black iced tea ever.

That concludes our visit to Portsmouth! Stay tuned for Portland and Race Re-cap posts!

Good Morning! This morning I was in the mood for a tasty baked good and  to my delight when I went to the pantry I had everything to make muffins.  To go with the muffins I decided to try the Godiva coffee from Foodbuzz Tastemakers.

I tried the Chocolate Truffle, it was not bad hot but I had extra to try out a tasty iced coffee tomorrow.  I always find that to me flavored coffee is always better cold.  I guess we’ll see!

To go with my coffee I made up a batch of Berry Good Morning Muffins.

Inspired by Babycakes Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:

• 2 & 1/4 cups light spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking bowder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt (you can use regular)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted- however do not melt in the microwave; heat some water and place the jar in a hot water bath to melt)
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract or almond extract
• 2/3 cup frozen mixed berries (no sugar added)

Uncle Sam In A Jar: WholeSoy Apricot Mango Yogurt, organic blueberries, shredded unsweetened coconut, Uncle Sam Toasted Whole Wheat Cereal. Repeat until full.

Check out Ricki’s Summer Wellness Weekends Event happening over at her blog! You’ll find one of my recipes and a number of other great healthy ones.

Today’s class was particularly hard for me because I’ve been doing so much running and gardening and not nearly enough stretching. At first I was cursing all of the downward dogs in my head because my body was so tight and I eventually had to drop down to childs pose but as the class went on my body became looser, the fan became more soothing than a distraction and I really began to enjoy the experience. After class the Hubz and I had Friday breakfast at the Co-op and discussed the class; both of us agreed we’d like to make it part of our Friday routine.

In other fitness news the Hubz and I have joined the Y and we are loving the ability to run, swim, use other cardio equipment and all of the other great features that the Y has. It isn’t your fancy gym but it works and our needs are met. I also was fitted for new running shoes this week and they are working out great. I highly recommend going to a shop where the staff is knowledgeable and can get you fitted to the right shoe for your feet and body.

Here is the weekly wrap up of my workouts:

• Friday: 2.5 mile run in 30 minutes
• Saturday: 500 yard swim (30 minutes), 2 mile walk (40 minutes), Hardcore Gardening (90 minutes), Vigorous Gardening (180 minutes)
• Sunday: off- so sore!
• Monday: C25k- 30min; walk 40min
• Tuesday: walk 30 min
• Wednesday: C25k 30 min; lap swimming 20 min
• Thursday: Stair Master and Cybex 35 min
• Friday: Flow Yoga Class; 60 min

Days: 11/25 Days  12 hours & 15 minutes/15.5 Hours (it’s crazy I’m almost to my goal for hours and it’s not even half way through the month- WIN!!)

Q: Do you have a gym membership? Do you find that it makes you more motivated to workout?  If not what does motivate you?

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Saturday Morning Cupcakes

Mighty Cereal Breakfast

Lunch of hummus, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, with falafel, veggies and crispy bread

Hiking Mt. Philo

Views From Mt. Philo

The Happy Hiker

Trail Mix

Sweet & Spicy Kale Chips - Recipe of the Week

Afternoon Beerz

KITTYYYYYYY

Afternoon Naps

P.S. Don’t forget about my Earth Day Giveaway!

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They are a good balance of the two as they are chewy and crispy and pack a lot of flavor!  I ate the Granookies on their own and broke them up and put them in my vegan yogurt.  They are delicious, sweet but not too sweet and the chocolate chip Granookies went great with my vanilla soygurt parfait.

These are great alternatives to mainstream granola bars and cookies as they are fun, healthy and convenient.  They are a great source for fiber, complete proteins, amino acids and more!  To top it all off, they are dairy free, soy free and nut free as well which is great for those with food allergies or sensitivities.

Now it is your chance to win your own sample of Grassroot Granookies!  Entries will be accepted until October 12th at 8pm.  To enter you can do any (or all) of these: Please leave individual comments for each entry.

1. Tell me what inventive way you will enjoy your sample of Granookies.
2. Become a fan of Granookies on Facebook
3. Become a fan of Cook.Vegan.Lover. on Facebook
4. Follow Cook.Vegan.Lover. on twitter
5. Subscribe to my newsletter

The Winner is JENNA

Magnolia Bistro’s menu is a vegans paradise.  Everything is labeled with a “v” if it is vegan and if you are gluten free you will be delighted to know gluten free dishes are marked with a “g”.  This make the dining experience relaxing, easy and enjoyable.

Sesame Tofu Scramble

Plate O'Sides- black beans, kale, home fries and toast with Earth Balance

The Hubz and I would recommend:

• Garbanzo Burger
• The Incredible Mr. Limpett
• Sesame Scram w/avocado
• French Toast
• Bloody Mary

However, we have never had a dish we didn’t love!

Magnolia Bistro, One Lawson Lane, Burlington, VT

On Monday I got home from work to find my Easy Lunch Boxes sample had arrived and I couldn’t wait to try them out.  My husband and I bring lunch everyday to work because it’s healthier, cheaper and easier than going out for lunch, besides the fact that we don’t really have time to go out for lunch during the work week.  I have to say one of the hardest things at our house however is finding containers to pack our food into. The Hubz We are notorious for leaving our tupperware at work or in the car so it is nice to finally have some new ones.

I went right to work putting together my lunches for the week and because they stack so great I could just stick them in the fridge and grab them when I head out the door.  This makes like so much easier because I don’t have to get up in the morning and make lunch or do it the night before they are all ready to go.  I also received a cute purple lunch box that fits the containers perfectly- I think this is my first real lunch box since elementary school. If you check back later today I think there might be a giveaway post for your own chance to win these eco friendly lunch boxes.

For my lunches this week we have some fruit, salad and the most delicious GF vegan raw sprouted crackers from Livin’ Spoonfuls I have ever tasted.  I tried the coconut curry yesterday and they were amazing I am sure I will post more about these later.

Dinner last night was delicious and filled with healthier versions of two of my favorite things- chili and quesadillas. I know I have blogged about these before but Maria and Ricardo’s Low Carb Tortillas are my favorite tortillas for a few reasons  they are low in calories, fat and carbs and are made with ingredients that are all natural.

In my quesadillas I put some scallions and a serving of cheddar Daiya cheese- I couldn’t hold myself back from buying it the other day when I saw that it was on sale for $2 off.  We tried the mozza a few weeks ago and I decided that a sale was a good excuse reason to try the cheddar;  I think I am a bigger fan of the cheddar so far.

To go with our quesadillas I made up some chili with kidney and black beans that I had soaked the night before and I added a bunch of great veggies to it including mustard greens.

Beans and Greens Chili

Ingredients:

• 1/2T olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups cooked kidney beans
• 1.5 cups cooked black beans
• 1T tomato paste
• 2 t cumin
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1T nutritional yeast
• 2t chili powder
• dash of cayenne
• 1t garlic powder
• 1t onion powder
• 1/2t salt
• 1/4t black pepper
• 3 cups mustard greens, chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions, sliced
• 1T chipotle hot sauce or 1t chipotle chili powder (optional)

Directions:

In a medium pot heat the oil over medium-high and add in the onion and carrots; saute for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute.  Add in the vegetable broth, tomato paste and beans and bring to a boil; turn down to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes.  While the beans simmer mix the cumin, paprika, oregano, nutritional yeast, chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder salt and pepper with 2T of water to make a paste. Stir the spice paste into the beans and then top with the mustard greens and cover; let the greens wilt. Stir in the greens and scallions.  At this point you can eat as is or if you want you can add in the chipotle hot sauce or chipotle chili powder- I think that with the beans and greens this smoky flavor and heat is a great addition to the chili but it is yummy without it as well.

 This granola is delicious and is great with your favorite non-dairy milk or soygurt. 

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup Blueberry Flax Meal (you can substitute regular flax meal)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup almond pieces
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons vegan margarine (coconut oil would be a great substitute for vegan margarine)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 & 1/2 cups raisins 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, flax meal, coconut, almond pieces and pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Grease a baking sheet. 
4. While the oats mixture is toasting, combing the brown rice syrup, brown sugar, margarine, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the brown rice syrup mixture, add the raisins, and stir to combine. 
6. Pour the mixture onto the greased baking sheet and make sure that the mixture is evenly distributed. Place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Click to View Nature's Path Website

Nature Path has provided me with samples of a few of their products which included Shredded Oaty Bites, Optimum Bars and Pomegranate Plus Granola.  My husband and I both loved these products.  I used the Shredded Oaty Bites to make my own snack mix for a holiday party and they were a huge hit. I love that these Oaty Bites are sweet and were great in my snack mix combining the sweet and salty.  

Shortly after I received these samples we went to Disney World so we brought the Optiumum Blueberry Flax & Soy Bars which were delicious.  They were filling and great when we were on the run in the morning and didn’t have time to sit down and have breakfast or as a snack in the afternoon.  

Lastly we have the granola and it was my husbands favorite.  My husband eats cereal or granola every morning and he quickly ate this up.  Nature Path has tons of other great products and flavors of cereal and granola.  Since trying these products we have also tried the Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola which we loved as well. 

Blogger Disclaimer: Nature’s Path Foods provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.

This morning I made hubby and I our own Green Monsters:

Recipe (almost raw):

1 cup oat milk

1 T Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder

1 T Rejuvenative Raw Almond 

1 sliced frozen banana

3 cups spinach

Place in a blender. Blend until smooth.