Dragonfly in Columbus, Ohio

We finally made it to Dragonfly! These pictures don't do the food justice. The lighting wasn't the best and neither was our ability to take good pictures. But use a little imagination and ignore the orange plates, and you'll get an idea of how wonderful the food is.

Right after we ordered (which too us a while, we wanted everything!), they brought us this lovely little appetizer. It's cucumbers in what I think is a nut dressing, long beans roasted with garlic and salt, portobello mushroom slices and the nasturtium. What a way to start a meal!

We decided to split a tomato torte appetizer. It's tomato slices, black beans, microgreens and cashew cream, if I remember correctly. Just amazing. Not pictured: the best french bread of my life fresh out of the oven with a squash spread.


I ordered chickpea crusted tofu with mole sauce. It was served on a bed of what I can only describe as a corn pudding. It's topped with peach chutney and microgreens. This dish was really hard to deconstruct. I've never had a mole sauce that was so light, peaches that were so red (!) or coconut milk in a corn pudding. We learned about how it was made from the server, but didn't want to ask too many questions. Let me tell you, this is the most incredible entree I have ever had in a restaurant. By far. And I'm going to do all I can to try to learn from it in my cooking.



Jim got the pizza, which was really delicious, but not nearly as exciting as my dinner. It had an oven roasted tomato sauce, more of the long beans, tomatoes, almond pesto... and I think one other thing I'm forgetting. It was a thin crust, our favorite. (The worst picture of the night.)

For dessert, we shared the peach blackberry corn shortcake. The peach part is the sorbet on the side. This was really good, but not off the charts. Before we left, they also brought us these delicate mini beignets! It was a beautiful touch and a great way to finish the meal.












Every Saturday they have brunch, but instead we grabbed breakfast at Benevolence. I had double berry pancakes that had so many berries I don't know how they held together, but they did! Took a quick trip through the farmer's market which is right there, and headed for home.

Really, eating at Dragonfly was such a great experience. I can't say enough good things about the place. The staff is so friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and the food....beyond words. If you get a chance to eat there, do it!

VwaV Week Cookbook Challenge

Over at the PPK, Mrsbadmouth suggested a way to use our cookbooks more. We all have them and some get used a lot and others get neglected. Or sometimes, like with Vegan with a Vengeance (the choice for the first week) there are just recipes that slip through the cracks. I committed to the 3 recipe idea and quickly found 2 that I knew I had to try. The third one was hard. I had a list of about 10. I figure I'll keep that list in the cookbook and whittle away at it one of the weeks during the challenge when I don't have the right book.

Here are the Corn Fritters. I was a moron not to make these sooner. Now the page in my cookbook has pretty little hearts drawn all over it. They're that good.

We also had the sundried tomato asparagus frittata. Another one that I knew we'd love. However, it didn't come out of the pan very prettily because I have no patience. So no picture. But....

For the last recipe, I decided to tackle the Crispy Peanut Butter Cookies. I remember how some people had a tough time with those, but of course I couldn't find that thread at the PPK when it mattered. So I just went ahead and made them. I added a Tbsp of soy milk just so I could shape them better, but otherwise followed the recipe. I kind of crumbled 2 because I tried to take them off the sheet too early, but the rest look damn good and taste even bettter!

Tomorrow we are going to Columbus....with reservations at Dragonfly. I can't wait!

Seitan Wings (recipe) and Cookies

Yeah, another seitan recipe. And another cashew recipe. Same old, same old, but not. Because this time, we've got cookies!

More testers for Isa and Terry's cookie book. These are Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies and I could eat them forever. A total go-to kind of recipe, everybody loved these. And what's not to love? Peanut butter + oatmeal = happy cookies.

Next up: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies. I liked them, but didn't love them. Something may be out of whack with my cookie-ometer, because everyone else loved them. By everyone, I mean people who tell me exactly what they think about my baking, so they can be believed. They're a soft, cakey kind of chocolate chip cookie with really nice flavor.





Then I tried my hand at Seitan Wings. When we traveled through Pittsburgh earlier this summer, we stopped at Spak Brothers. From what I read online, it sounded like a little pizza restaurant that offered seitan (!) and vegan pizza (!) besides the usual omni stuff. Well, we found the place and it didn't really offer seating or a bathroom. Not good things when you're traveling and there's not a park nearby where you can take your food. So we just grabbed an order of seitan wings and ate them on the way back to our car, licking our fingers all the way. They were wonderful! If I'm ever staying in Pittsburgh, I'd definitely go back. But it made me want to try to make some and this is what happened.

Seitan Wings

12 oz seitan, cut in chunks or strips, however you want

Marinade-
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp canola
1 Tbsp worcestershire (vegan, of course)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp hot sauce
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

Slurry-
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

Breading-
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt

Oil for the baking sheet and to spray

Make the marinade and let the seitan marinate for as long as you can.

When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 and oil a baking sheet liberally.

Mix the breading. Take the seitan out of the marinade and roll it around in the slurry, then in the breading. Place on baking sheet. When all the wings are covered, spray them with oil (those misto bottles are perfect here) and pop in the oven. Let bake about 1/2 an hour, turning them over once and respraying half way through.

In the meantime, make the hot sauce however you want. I just melted 1/4 cup butter and added about 3 Tbsp hot sauce and little sugar. You just have to do it to taste, depending your preferences and the kind of hot sauce you buy. I served them with this all around herb dressing, that we also had today on a bbq tofu salad.

All Around Herb Cashew Dressing

1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegennaise
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp celery salt
black pepper and salt to taste

Whiz the water and cashews in a blender until smooth. Dump in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Let sit for at least an hour for the flavors to come together. This is really adaptable. Change up the herbs, add green onions, chives, fresh garlic, whatever.

When it was all said and done, I'm not sure marinading them first made a huge difference. But it probably added some flavor. I loved the baking thing and am definitely going to try seitan that way for some other dishes. Sweet and Sour Seitan, anyone?

Stuffed Seitan Cutlets with Creamy Mustard Caper Sauce (recipe)

I wasn't kidding when I said that I was getting into cashews for cooking. Here's another recipe using them. These are really elegant and aren't hard to make. Think of them as dinner party food for any night of the week.

Stuffed Seitan Cutlets with Creamy Mustard Caper Sauce

serves 4

for the cutlets-

4 chicken seitan cutlets (about 3/4 inches thick, cut a slit for stuffing)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp red onion, diced

1 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup bread crumbs (fresh)

1 Tbsp black olives, diced

1 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, diced

1 tsp fresh parsley, minced

1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

1 tsp mustard

1 Tbsp vegennaise

pepper

salt to taste, if needed

1 Tbsp oil for panfrying

for the sauce -

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp white wine

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp capers

2-4 Tbsp broth, if needed

Preheat over to 375.

First, make the stuffing. Heat the oil in small frying pan and saute the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook over medium heat until toasty, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust if it needs it. Stuff each cutlet with 1-2 Tbsp of filling. Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and sear cutlets on both sides. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 1/2 an hour, turning once.

While baking, make the sauce. Mix all ingredients in the blender except the capers and broth, until smooth. Place in small saucepan, add the capers and heat gently. As it heats, it will thicken, add broth as needed, whisking to keep it smooth and the right consistency.

To serve, drizzle the sauce over the cutlet. We like them over herbed noodles.

Keep in mind, that you can shake up that filling a ton of ways. Something with mushrooms or broccoli would be really delicious. And the sauce would be great on baked tofu or tempeh.

Tonight's dinner was Seitan Wings. Recipe to come! Yes, I used cashews again...you'll see.

edited to add: sorry about that crazy font size shift. I can't figure out how to fix it.

Oh So Easy Pasta Salad (recipe)

I debated about posting this. Because it's such a basic recipe, but then I thought, who doesn't need another pasta salad recipe? Probably most people make a very similar style salad, but here's my version.

Oh So Easy Pasta Salad

1 # pasta, cooked, run under cold water
1/4 cup artichoke hearts, rough chopped
1/2 red pepper, sliced thinly the cut in half
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (acv or red wine)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp basil (dried)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the salad ingredients. Mix the dressing ingredients and combine. I actually meant to add the chickpeas, but I forgot! That shows you just how easy this is. You can forget ingredients and it's still good! With summer winding down, plan one more picnic and pack this in your basket. It's great for outdoor meals since there isn't any vegannaise.

Tonight's dinner: something I'm playing with for the Farm Sanctuary Cookbook.

Baking - Cookies and Mini Biscuits (testers)

Look at these cookies! You can really see the coffee and the chocolatey goodness. They're Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, testers for Kelly and Garrick.

Since you can't live on cookies alone (and yes, I have tried in the past), here are Chive Spelt Mini Biscuits. I love the way these look and they taste great, too. Before you know it, you've popped a good 3 or 4 in your mouth. It's another of Isa's recipes for Vegan Brunch. While I'm at it, let me just plug the scones from yesterday's post again. If you haven't made them, you're missing out!

Asian Salad and Scones

I've been playing with cashews in sauces and dressings and having a lot of fun with them. It's crazy, because I really don't like nuts. But the creaminess and rich flavor of cashews is a great backdrop for all kinds of fun things. The latest is this Creamy Asian Dressing.

Creamy Asian Dressing
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp tamari
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt (more to taste if needed)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp 5 spice
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sriachi
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted.
Blend everything together except the sesame seeds using a blender. Stir in the seeds and refrigerate so the flavors can come together. Check the seasonings before serving.

One of my favorite ways to add protein to a salad is dry-frying tofu then seasoning it. I call these tofutons for fun. They don't really have a crouton texture and I don't want to sleep on them, but it's way cooler than just calling them tofu cube salad toppers or something. Cube the tofu and dry fry it in a very lightly oiled nonstick pan. When they start to brown, add 1 Tbsp nooch and 1 Tbsp tamari. Stir for a couple more minutes and top your salad with them. I know I read this method somewhere else and I'm sorry I don't remember where it was so I can't give credit. But thank you!



Here's another tester for Vegan Brunch and it's one you can make right now, too! Isa posted the recipe at her blog. I had to sub blueberries for marionberries...do those grow anywhere besides Oregon? The scones are outta this world, I'm telling you.

Tonight's dinner: Something quick and easy. Jim is playing the last show for the Hoppin' in the Harbor so we'll be eating a little late. You can hear his music here in the comfort of your own home!

Savoury Waffles - Two Kinds!

These were a whole new experience for me! I'm used to sweet waffles oozing with earth balance and drizzled with maple syrup or just plain and piled high with fresh fruit. These are nothing like those, except that they're waffles. Check 'em out!

First up, Buckwheat Waffles with Red Wine Tarragon Mushroom Gravy. Yeah, that name is a mouthful. But just wait until you taste them! It's a nice, crisp, earthy tasting waffle topped with an amazing gravy (which actually tastes high brown). If comfort food crashed into fine French dining, this might be the result. I'm looking forward to adapting the buckwheat waffle into being a little sweeter and topping it with apples in the fall. And that gravy is begging to put on some seitan.


These are Cornbread Waffles with Mole and Seitan. Whoa. Amazing. These might be fighting our weekly scrambled tofu for being a regular weekend breakfast. I can't rave enough about these. The sauce is so full of flavor (get this- it's mostly from pantry ingredients!) and the waffle is just right. What's not to love about seitan? That Isa really puts stuff together in all the right ways. These are both testers for her upcoming book, Vegan Brunch.

Now I'm on the hunt for other savoury waffle ideas.

Simple Corn Salad ( a recipe, sort of) + a Tester

This is just too pretty not to post. But let me warn you, the recipe is totally thrown together. It's one of those things you really have to freestyle and make your own. Swap out vegetables, herbs... just be sure it's got the corn and some cool colors going on and it will taste fabulous!

Simple Corn Salad
About 2 servings as a side

2 ears corn, grilled and cut from cobs
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/8 cup scallions, chopped
1/8 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup cucumbers, sliced then cut in 1/4's
pinch of dill
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch of dried jalapeno peppers
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp vinegar
a shot of olive oil (not much)

Throw it all together and let chill.

I've been throwing the dried jalapeno peppers in a lot of stuff lately. They're a new find for me! We picked them up at Penzey's, where I also got the lemon pepper that makes a dramatic appearance in this Lemon Pepper Tofu.


The tofu is a tester for Vegan Brunch (formerly Crack of Noon) for Isa. It's bold and a big burst of flavor. The new recipes just keep on coming!

Tonight's dinner: the Mustard Seitan Cutlets from Yellow Rose with roasted green beans (V'con) and Pasta Fresca.

Ethiopian Crepes with Potato Salad Coleslaw

Tester recipe

I was kind of holding off on posting some of these tester photos, thinking that it was cruel and unusual to drop them on you one by one. It seemed like water torture or something. But last night's dinner* was so amazing that I can't resist. These are Ethiopian Crepes with Potato Salad Coleslaw...and they are mind melting. The spicy (but not hot) filling plays off the creamy (yet crunchy) salad in ways you can't imagine. This is just such a complete meal that it makes me want to yell it from the rooftops. I'm actually making a mental list of all the omni's I'd like to impress with this dish. When you get Isa's new book, make this one early on. I know most people (including me) flip to the baked goods first, but don't make this one wait too long.

*Even though it's a brunch book, most of these recipes are so versatile that you can have them any time. Besides, we've always loved breakfast for dinner.

August 2007: Journey into the Past

The other day, I accidentally clicked on the wrong "August" when I was looking at photos. it took me a second to realize what I had done. Some of the shots were really bad. Some of the food was just so-so, but some of it was really good! Back then I didn't have a blog, so I thought I'd post some of those older photos. Don't worry, just the ones that tasted good!

If I remember correctly, the first zine from Don't Eat off the Sidewalk had just come out. Tempeh wings, anyone? The recipe is available as a freebie here. So good!

And I made this freakishly real looking roast from one of the Vegan Feast Newsletters.

The zine from DEOTS isn't widely available any more but I guess you can still get it from Herbivore or Foodfight. The newsletter is no longer published from Vegan Feast, either, but you can still get back issues. Both have blogs, too.


Of course, there were plenty of desserts. Like this Peach Upsidedown Cake from Fat Free Vegan. With peaches in season, I'm definitely making this again soon. For a much better picture (and the recipe) be sure to check her site.


These pseudo fried ice cream bons bons had pretty good visual appeal. They went down easily. I think I'll try it again with some
coffee ice cream from V'con.

What were you eating last August?

Tonight's dinner: A tester recipe for Isa's Brunch cookbook. Ethiopian Crepes!

Peach Blackberry Crisp

My favorite thing about summer has to be the fruit! I'll take a crisp or a cobbler over a cake any day and this one is super easy to make. No blackberries? Use extra peaches. Shake up the fruit however you'd like. If your fruit is really juicy, add a touch more flour. If your fruit is really sweet, you may be able to cut back on the sugar a little.

Peach Blackberry Crisp
serves 2-3

Fruit-
2 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup blackberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp flour

Topping-
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
3 Tbsp canola oil

Mix all fruit ingredients together and set aside.

Mix all dry ingredients together for the crisp topping.

Drizzle oil in, mixing with your fingers to form crumbs. Spread on top and
bake at 350 for about half an hour, until just turning golden brown.

This recipe was also posted over at Vegan Etsy, where a lot of good things are going on! Check it out.

9/8/08 - I got an email about the dish size. This is in a deep dish cereal style bowl. Any small casserole dish would work, or double the recipe for a 2 1/2 quart casserole size.

Focaccia- Coming at You!

Here it is, raw and uncensored! Not to mention, it's looking better here than it will in the next photo. But I'm not apologizing for my food. It tasted sensational and it had a great texture. I'm kind of hung up about texture in food. I don't obsess over it, but I come close.

But let's talk about this recipe. The original is from the Bread Baker's Apprentice. I've had the book for a little over a year and (embarrassingly) this is the first thing I've tried in it. The first 100 pages are a bread tutorial, filled with techniques, steps and a whole lotta words. Then, you get to the formulas. I kept looking at the pictures and wanting to make the breads, but didn't want to go through all those steps. I thought I'd have to read and absorb all that information before I could play with dough. So I finally had a breakthrough and just made some. It was a good move. Here's how it ended up.

There are definitely some things I'd do differently next time. Like not follow when the book tells me to put on my preproof toppings. That's why my caramelized onions and sundried tomatoes look pretty much like the black olives on there. Not quite the visual I was going for...but still, I can't knock the taste. I debated when I did it and should have followed my intuition to wait to top it. I think I'd be happier if I added them closer to the end of the baking time. We took it to a party we were going to (it makes a ton) and it was devoured.

The good news is that I have enough leftover herb oil to make another batch. And the recipe is online at VeganYumYum if you're feeling adventurous. It's not as hard as I thought... and maybe the book doesn't quite know everything.

Garlic Ginger Seitan with Broccoli

Garlic Ginger Seitan with Broccoli

When I was growing up, we were pretty much a meat-and-potatoes kind of family and very rarely ate out. When we did, it was usually in a restaurant that featured steaks. Being vegetarian for 25 years and vegan now for about 2, things have really changed. Now if we want to hit a restaurant locally, our options are pretty much Italian or Asian. Other cultures tend to be less meat-centric, so I've become a huge fan of Asian food. Here's my latest adaptation.

Garlic Ginger Seitan with Broccoli
Serves 2-3

Marinade-
2 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp ginger
8 oz seitan, cut in strips
Mix marinade ingredients together and add seitan. Let marinate for an hour or longer.

Sauce-
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp vegan oyster sauce
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.

1 Tbsp peanut oil
2 cups broccoli, lightly steamed
sesame seeds (for garnish)

Heat the peanut oil in a wok. Remove seitan from marinade (reserve marinade) and sear in wok. Add the marinade, sauce and broccoli. Stir for a few minutes while sauce thickens a little. Serve over rice, garnishing with sesame seeds.

Tonight's dinner: Seitan in Red Wine, maybe.

Seitan Piccata and a Chicken Seitan Recipe

from the Candle Cafe Cookbook

After seeing the piccata pictures at A Stranger in the Alps, I started thinking about how long it had been since I'd made piccata... and then I started craving it. I love the recipe in V'con, but thought I'd try something different this time, so I dug out the Candle Cafe Cookbook. The sauce was light but flavorful, with enough capers to keep caper crazy people like me happy. I'd definitely make it again.

But for starters, I needed some chicken seitan. I'm still playing around with seitan recipes, but really like this adaptation from here. The first time I saw it was when jdfunks posted it at the PPK. I tend to like a really firm seitan, but not necessarily the texture of the kind wrapped in foil logs. This kind of combines the best of the baked and boiled to me and makes a nice firm loaf. It makes 2 loaves, so you can pop some in the freezer. It's the same seitan I used in the satays, too, just cut lengthwise.

Chicken Style Seitan

for the loaves-
3 cups vital wheat gluten
3/4 cup chick pea flour
2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp tamari
3 Tbsp chicken broth powder

for the broth-
3 cups broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp chicken broth powder
white pepper (to taste)
1 tsp sage, dried

Preheat oven to 325. Oil 2 loaf pans lightly.

I mix all the loaf ingredients together in a kitchenaid mixer using the dough hook, for about 10- 12 minutes, until it looks nice and glossy. Of course, you can do it by hand, too. Divide in half and shape into 2 loaves.

Mix all the broth ingredients together and pour half over each loaf. Cover the loaf pans with foil and bake for an hour. Uncover, turn the loaf over, recover and bake for another hour. After the baking, I usually just leave the seitan in the oven for a while so it absorbs even more broth. Then slice and freeze in whatever portions you like.

Keep in mind, this is a really firm seitan! If you like softer seitan, it's not for you. One more thing: I do really like the seitan foil wrapped logs that are steamed. So apparently the baking isn't my thing with those. These are really good!

Dinner tonight: something with broccoli. It's the only thing we could get at our farmer's market.

Seitan Satays, Seitan Tacos and Burgers

I've kind of been shortcut cooking for the last week. I'm not sure what is up with that but I'm guessing it's just being summer-lazy.

First up: the satays. I used chicken seitan and an incredible dipping sauce that was inspired by the book Hot Sour Salty Sweet. I have that book out of the library and I don't want to give it back. Ever. I got an undeserved overdue notice from our library the other day about some books that had been returned (and on time, Mom, if you're reading this!). In the meantime, I'd been back to the library and checked out more books, including this one. So I called the library and they told me that there was nothing checked out on my card at all. For a moment, I really thought I might get away with keeping the book. Guilty, but happy all at once. Then I realized it was checked out on my husband's card and really would have to be returned. I hope to make a lot more out of this book, too. Half.com, here I come.

Must Have Dipping Sauce
based on Vegetarian Nuoc Cham (makes about 1/3 cup)
3 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Mix it all together and store in the fridge. This is delicious on anything: rice, noodles, vegetables, tofu, seitan, your finger and pretty much anything else you can think of.

We've also had these seitan tacos a couple of times. Right now I have a little crush on Wegman's. The tortilla shells (actually 'gorditos' on the package) are even marked vegan! I'm so happy that the store took that step. It doesn't take much to make me happy sometimes. Suddenly, I feel like a valued customer. Now if only they'd carry vegan butterscotch chips.....






And... we tried the burgers from Vegan Dad. These happen to be his second version. I never got around to making the first version so I can't say which we like better, but these are fantastic! They freeze well, too, so will be an even quicker dinner another night!

Tonight's dinner: No clue.

Peach Blackberry Cobbler and More Cookies!

Chocolate Fudgey Oatmeal Cookies and Cowgirl Cookies

I know, I know. You've been wondering where my cookie days had gone. It's been hot and humid here and I hate baking things that are soggy the second they come out of the oven. It's a little less humid today and two new cookie testers were posted, so I jumped on them! I'm happy I did.... munching on a fresh baked cookie is the perfect way to blog!

There are both testers for Terry and Isa's Cookie book-- and both are big hits at our house. On the right are Chocolate Fudgey Oatmeal Cookies and on the right are Cowgirl Cookies. Both recipes have a few different variations and are incredible. The chocolate ones almost have a gourmet touch, while the cowgirls taste like something Alice might have served to the Brady Bunch, but better. And both have oats, so you just know they are nutritious!

We've also indulged in cobbler a few times (no oats, but at least it has fruit!) and I thought it was time to share my recipe. I've been making it this way for a few years (even before we were vegan), because I love the flair that lemon adds to the fruit.

Peach Blackberry Cobbler

Fruit

4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups blackberries
1/4 cup flour
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar (depends on the sweetness of your fruit)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg

Cobbler
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
zest from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup soymilk
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp yogurt

Preheat oven to 375. Combine fruit with all the ingredients in the fruit list. Set aside. Pour into baking dish, spreading it around.

Combine flour, baking powder, zest, salt and sugar in a different bowl. Whisk together. Make a well in the center of the bowl. In a measuring cup, mix the liquid ingredients together. Add to the dry ingredients, gently stirring together but not overmixing (like muffins). If it's really dry, add another tablespoon of soymilk. Drop by spoonfuls onto the cobbler filling. I usually use about 1/3 cup spoonfuls, but anything goes. Spread them out a little.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes until the topping is lightly browned and baked through.

You can sub other berries for the blackberries, or just use all peaches if you prefer.

Tonight's dinner: Pad Thai from VwaV....and cookies.

Stuffed Mexican Corn Muffins

Looking for an afternoon pick me-up? Something spectacular to serve with gazpacho? A unique side for your morning tofu scramble? Maybe just a different take on a cornbread? Try these savory muffins!








Stuffed Mexican Corn Muffins
Makes 9 normal muffins or 6 mega muffins
(with a little leftover filling)

Filling-
1/2 package tempeh, steamed and crumbled
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 chipotle, minced
1 Tbsp tamari
1 -2 Tbsp water

Muffin-
1 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup soy yogurt (plain)
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
kernels cut from one ear of cooked corn
1 jalapeno, minced finely

1 tsp smoked salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 500. Lightly oil a muffin tin.

Make the filling. Heat the oil in small frying pan, then add the onion and tempeh. Once the onions are softened and the tempeh is lightly browned, add the garlic and the dried herbs. Stir a few minutes. Combine the minced chipotle, the tamari and 1 Tbsp of water and pour into the tempeh mixture. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add the extra tablespoon of water if the mixture seems really, really dry. You aren't going for a wet mixture (just moist) and probably won't need it. Taste for seasonings and set aside.

Now make the muffin base. Mix the milk with cider vinegar and stir in the yogurt and oil. Set aside. In a different bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir the corn and jalapeno into the dry mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, but don't overmix or you can overwork the baking powder. Don't worry if you see a few dry parts. They'll take care of themselves. Just give it a general stirring.

Fill muffin tins a little over 1/2 way with muffin mixture. (If making mega muffins, fill 3/4 of the way). Don't use all the muffin batter, because you will need some to top the muffins after filling. Make a little indentation in each muffin, slightly mooshing batter to the sides. Fill each with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Top with batter, spreading it a little toward the edges. Sprinkle the tops with smoked salt, if you're using it. Pop in the oven and immediately reduce oven to 400 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. They're good warm or cold.

This isn't your everyday cornbread or an everyday muffin, but it could be! It's a fun change. Give it a try!

Sauced Seitan Steak with Orzo Rice Pilaf

This is one of those unbelievably easy dinners that is still impressive. It's all in the marinade. A little planning ahead (and longer marinating time) really pays off. The marinade doubles as the drizzle, so you know the effort on this one is really minimal. Play with the herbs to get the flavor you want.

Sauced Seitan Steak
Marinade
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh tarragon
pepper
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp broth or water

Mix all ingredients in the blender, then pour over 3-4 seitan cutlets. Let marinate as long as you can. Overnight is great but an hour would work. When you're ready to cook, heat a frying pan with as little oil as you can. Pat the cutlets dry, then sear on both sides. Remove and keep warm. Dump the remaining marinade in the frying pan. Make the slurry and add it to the marinade, cooking to thicken. Check your seasonings. That's it!

Because that was so easy, I made one of my favorite pilafs to go along with it. You can shake up the vegetables in this however you want.

Orzo Rice Pilaf
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 Tbsp red pepper, diced
2 Tbsp carrots, finely chopped
2 Tbsp celery, diced
1/4 cup broccoli, cut in small pieces
1 cup white rice (I like jasmine)
1/4 cup orzo
1 Tbsp white wine
1/4 tsp tarragon (dried)
1/2 tsp thyme (dried)
2 1/2 cups broth
1 tsp salt (if your broth isn't salty)
pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Saute the vegetables. When they are lightly cooked, add the rice and orzo along with the white wine. Stir a minute or two. Add the broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer about 20 minutes. It should be done, but if it's still a little wet, cook with the lid off for a minute or two.

Tonight's dinner: Seitan Tacos, one of our standbys.