Tag Archives: Kathy Hester

Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu

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Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu ~ From Vegetate, Vegan Cooking & Food Blog

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” — Chinese Proverb

I loooove good Chinese food and this Sweet and Sour Smoked Tofu recipe From Kathy Hester’s wonderful cookbook The Vegan Slow Cooker (page 118) delivered.

Brimming with smoky tofu, pineapple, bell peppers, onion, broccoli, and a thick sweet and sour glaze, this was just right for lunches this week. It was delicious served over brown rice.

Sweet and Sour Pork Fact: Sweet and Sour Pork originated in Canton in the 1700s. Why not try this smoked tofu version instead? It’s saturated fat and cholesterol-free, and pig-friendly. 😉

Chinese Stir-Fry Noodles with Eggplant in Garlic Sauce

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Chinese Stir-Fry Noodles with Eggplant in Garlic Sauce ~ From Vegetate, Vegan Cooking & Food Blog

“This country isn’t a melting pot. Think of this country as a stir fry. That’s what this country should be. A place where people are appreciated for who they are.” — Jane Elliott

I just love Chinese noodles, so we decided to try out a new recipe from Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero, page 231: Takeout Stir-Fry Noodles with Mushrooms and Greens. This was easy to make and really satisfied my noodle cravings. It’s already fully loaded with shiitake mushrooms and bok choy, but we also added some Szechuan tofu to the noodles and served them alongside spicy, gingery Chinese-Style Eggplant in Garlic Sauce from The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester, page 72. The vegetable gyoza were store-bought. I could eat like this every night… the only thing missing were the fortune cookies!

Noodle Fact: The earliest written record of noodles is from a book dated to the Eastern Han Dynasty period (25–220).

Tempeh Braised with Figs and Port Wine

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Tempeh Braised with Figs and Port Wine ~ From Vegetate, Vegan Cooking & Food Blog

“Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” — Epictetus

We slow-cooked this sweetly-savory recipe from The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester (page 123) to perfection, and served it alongside wild rice and braised yellow chard. I love pretty much anything cooked with alcohol and this port-imbibed dish is no exception. This is one of my very favorite entrees. It is grain, wheat, and gluten-free, a cinch to prepare, and mouthwateringly delicious.

Fig Fact: Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are drupes or the real fruit. Crazy!

Camping Fare

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Camping Fare ~ From Vegetate, Vegan Cooking & Food Blog

“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” — George Carlin

Keith and I recently got out of town for a couple of fantastic nights of cabin camping on the coast. We always like to prepare our food in advance before we go camping so it’s easier to relax and enjoy ourselves while we are there. Then we just have to fire up the old camping stove, heat, and eat! 🙂 This was our menu this time around…

Breakfast: Some sweet-tart Cran-Apple Muffins from 1,000 Vegan Recipes page 410, served with fresh fruit, tea and espresso.
Lunch: Smoky Mac and Cheese from The Vegan Slow Cooker, page 115. This is our go-to macaroni and cheese recipe. It is so cheesy and melty you wouldn’t believe it. We added some roasted broccoli & red peppers for good measure.
Dinner: Thick and savory Seitan Beef Stew from Cookin’ Crunk, page 78. This stew is amazing and was just what we needed on those chilly evenings by the fire.
Dessert: Chocolate Banana Walnut Brownies with Holy Chocolate Icing from ExtraVeganZa, page 228. Yum, yum, yum! And for second desserts, some toasted vegan Dandies Marshmallows.

Camping Facts: Camping has been a recreational sport for over 140 years. However, the roots of camping go back hundreds of years. It can be traced back to Native Americans, the first settlers of the United States.

Chick’n Normandy w/Apples & Brandy Sauce

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Chick'n Normandy w/Apples & Brandy Sauce ~ From Vegetate, Vegan Cooking & Food Blog

“The sailor said Brandy you’re a fine girl, what a good wife you would be, but my life, my lover, my lady is the sea (dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit).” — Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl) lyrics by Elliot Lurie, circa 1972

Apples, brandy, and seitan all in one place — savory, boozy, sweet and absolutely delicious! We’ve actually made this dish a few times already because it is that good. It’s also one of those easy-to-prepare recipes from The Vegan Slow Cooker, page 128. Served here with roasted sweet potatoes and toasted bread.