Food Network Friday: Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup

This week's Food Network Friday was chosen by Anna Karenina of On Cardamom and Cast Iron. The recipe is originally from Emeril and you can see it here. My version didn't require many changes. This soup is hearty and very autumnal. Interestingly, I'm not a big fan of squash (but I keep trying), and I still enjoyed this soup. If I didn't know it had squash in it, I never would have tasted it. But it did give it a wonderful creamy texture. The recipe below is for a half recipe.

Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup
Serves 4 generously

1 butternut squash about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper
6 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 1/4 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup wild rice
6 ounces vegan sausages (like these) or store-bought, cut into 1/4-inch
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (next time use 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (next time use 1 teaspoon)
1 cup corn kernels
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large roasting pan, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Puree the squash with 1 cup of broth until smooth. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add 1/4 cup onion and the rice. Saute about 4 minutes, then add 2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to simmer for one hour. (See my note below on this.)

In a soup pot, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, liquid smoke and paprika. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until browning. Add the remaining onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3 minutes, then add 2 1/2 cups broth and squash mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and partially cover. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then stir in the parsley and serve.

Notes on this recipe:
1. The rice - no way did I need 2 cups of broth for 1/2 cup of rice. I'm not sure if it's an error, or if Emeril uses magically absorbing rice. I ended up draining out the broth and using that to add to the soup. So you may need to play with the amount of broth actually needed for the soup, or cook the rice differently.

2. I didn't have smoked sausage, so adding the liquid smoke and smoked paprika did the job nicely.

3. I omitted the cream from the original recipe. It was so rich and had an incredible texture, that I just didn't feel it was needed.

4. The recipe needed a little something more and I'm not sure what. Maybe a little lemon juice? It seems like the top end was missing.

Would I make it again? Yes, I think I would. It would be a good soup to serve for a fancy autumn dinner party, or a first course for Thanksgiving.

Be sure to check out Anna Karenina's take on this recipe here. Interestingly, we both dropped the cream. Mine is way chunkier and I'm not sure why. Thanks for such a great recipe choice.

If anyone else joined in with this week's Food Network Friday, please post your link in the comments! We'd love to see what you made whether you followed this recipe or picked your own.

Next Food Network Friday will be November 13th. Any suggestions?

RAW Winner and my Awesome Apron (Thanks to Panda Cookie)

Tofu Pirate!

The handy dandy Random Generator picked number 10, AtxVegn. Congratulations! Please email me your address and I'll get this DVD out to you right away. I'd like to thank the Book Publishing Company once again for their terrific line of Jennifer Cornbleet goodies.

I'm putting some of the finishing touches on American Vegan Kitchen, so cooking has been a little on the quick side. But we're still eating well as you can see by this delicious Stuffed Baked Potato with an amazing daiya cheddar cheese sauce. I made it wearing that awesome apron, handmade by Panda Cookie. Check out her Etsy shop for more goodness. Thanks, Panda, for your cool creativity!


The end of Vegan Mo Fo 2009 is just around the corner. I started strong and hit the goal of 20 posts in the month, but fell off a little these last few days. That's ok-- there's still more to come tomorrow with Food Network Friday. I'll also be announcing another book contest soon, so stay tuned!

1000 Vegan Recipes : A Sampling

1000 Vegan Recipes is a huge and wonderful book. You've probably already heard about it but what you might not know is that I was fortunate to be a tester for it. It's the latest from Robin Robertson and let me tempt you with some photos.

Spaghetti and T-Balls

Always a favorite, this version is a winner. Pair it with a glass (or 2) of wine and you've got the perfect 'stay-in' date night.

Fettuccini with Chard and Red Lentil Tomato Sauce

Look at the garlic in this one! We flipped over this sauce. It's got great depth and some creative twists.

Keeping with the noodle theme, but totally different...

Indian Double Chickpea Noodles

These were comforting and delicious. And it's got chickpeas, one of my favorite beans!

Everyone knows I'm a fan of Asian cooking.

Korean Noodle Stir Fry

Sesame Spinach Noodle Pie

Singapore Noodles

Lettuce Wraps

This is the kind of lunch I'd love to have everyday-- so simple and so tasty!

Orzo, White Beans and Tomatoes with Lemony Spinach Pesto

This tasted even better than the name made it sound. With all those great Mediterranean flavors, you know it's incredible.

Jerk Spiced Chili

Just in time for chili season, check this one out. It's full of flavor.

Chinese Black Bean Chili

Or maybe this version is more to your taste. Both have that wonderful stick-to-your-ribs chili thing and fantastic flavor. When I hold my imaginary* holiday open house that would feature soups and chilis, I'd love to serve both these.

Oatmeal Walnut Bread (no nuts)

And of course, I'd serve breads. Besides this one with that great texture, I also made the Garlic Basil Bread, the Whole Wheat Raisin Bread, the Rustic Loaf with Cured Black Olives and Rosemary and the Fired Up Jalapeno Cornbread. As a carb-lover, I'd recommend any and all of them.

Foccacia with Sundried Tomatoes and Black Olives

Not only great tasting, but one of the easiest foccacias to make. We took this to an omni friend's house for 6 of us to enjoy. It was devoured.

Artichoke, Tomato and Red Pepper Relish

Ok, it might be called "Relish", but it was so good that we ate it with corn chips. And spoons.


Still not convinced? Here are a few more I tested but can't find the photos:

• Spicy Tempeh Empanadas
• Country Fried Tofu with Golden Gravy
• Couscous Chickpea Loaf
• Seitan and Scalloped Potato Casserole
• Ginger Seitan with Shiitakes and Snow Peas
• Tofu Stuffed with Mushrooms, Watecress and Tomatoes
• Green Tea Rice with Lemon Snow Peas and Tofu
• Fresh Spinach Lasagna
• Italian Truck Stop Risotto
• Panko-Fried Green Tomatoes with Tamari Peanut Sauce
• Black Bean and Corn Salad with Cilantro Dressing
• Leaf Lettuce and Grilled Radicchio Salad with Lemon Dressing
  
• Queso Dip

You get the idea. This book is jam-packed with recipes to suit whatever mood stikes you...and with so many to choose from, chances are there are loads of recipes you can make from what you already have on-hand.

Since photos speak louder than words, these are the latest things I've made from 1000 Vegan Recipes:

Tempeh Cacciatore

I've never met a Cacciatore I didn't like, but this one we loved.

Vietnamese Po'boy with Soy Tan Dream Cutlets

The photo isn't stellar, but it's a great sandwich! That's a bastardized version of the Asian Slaw in the back, too. The dressing is a knock-out. These cutlets are the easiest take on seitan on the planet, and they seem very adaptable.


Seitan with Ancho-Chili Sauce

This one may be my favorite so far. The sauce is smooth and full-flavored, but you can always up the seasonings if you prefer. It goes perfectly over the seitan

If you can't tell, this is one of those cookbooks you absolutely need. The diversity of recipes is amazing. Having come onboard for the testing late, I look forward trying loads of recipes. I can't wait to see what others make from it, because this is one of those that you just can't cook your way all the way through solo. However, there is a group blog trying to hit all the recipes. Check it out here.

For your own preview, check out the sample recipes posted by Robin at her blog. If you order 1000 Vegan Recipes from Amazon, why not do it through vegan.com?

Don't forget to enter the DVD contest. And we'd love to have you join Food Network Friday by cooking along with this recipe or choosing your own.

Only 5 more days of Vegan MoFo! Where has October gone?

*Every year I plan this open house and that's as far as it goes.

Iron Chef Challenge for Vegan MoFo: Apple Peanut Butter Fritters

You can probably guess the special ingredients: apples and peanut butter. Everyone knows that dipping an apple in a peanut butter is a quick and easy snack, but for this challenge I drew on one of my childhood favorites, apple fritters.

These are super easy and can be adjusted for however many you want to make. Here's the basic recipe.

Apple Peanut Butter Fritters
Makes 16 fritters
2 large McIntosh apples
2 - 3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
confectioners' sugar for sifting, maple syrup for serving
oil for deep fryer or skillet

Heat the oil in a deep fryer (or skillet) to about 365 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a brown bag for draining.

Core the apples, then cut each one into 16 slices. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter on half the slices, then sandwich it with another apple slice. (You should have 8 apple/peanut butter slices out of each apple).

Combine the flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together then add the milk and maple syrup. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the apples without leaving bare spots, but still drip off so it isn't too heavy. Adjust the consistency with flour or soy milk if needed.

Working in batches, dip the apple slices into the batter then gently place in the fryer. Fry about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to the baking sheet to let drain. Serve sprinkled with sifted confectioners' sugar and a little maple syrup for dipping.

Psssst....drop the peanut butter and you'll still have amazing apple fritters, perfect for fall! And if your apples aren't delicious enough on their own, you can dress up the batter a little more with extra cinnamon, nutmeg, a little vanilla, things like that. But we like these best simplest.

Hand-Me-Down Recipes

Enjoying recipes that have been handed down is always special. There is something so wonderful about a taste of a dish that brings lots of memories with it. The recipe above is from my grandmother, "Nan". She was a very good cook who loved entertaining. This salad dressing is one of my favorites that I can still enjoy by just substituting agave for the honey. She always stuck a toothpick through the garlic clove so it wouldn't pour out of the fancy bottle (more like a decanter) that she stored the dressing in. I love that this recipe is in her own handwriting.

This one is from my mom, who just turned 81. It veganizes beautifully, with the usual nondairy subs. The family favorite filling was apricot and I've included that recipe in my upcoming cookbook. My mom is an incredible baker. One of my favorite childhood memories is the cookie trays my mom, sister and I made for everyone my dad worked with and all our neighbors and friends. We'd each pick 5 favorite recipes without overlapping, meaning 25 types of cookies for our family of 5. About 10 years ago, my mom made a cookbook for each of us with our family favorite cookie recipes, complete with personal notes. Obviously, it holds a special place in my heart, as well as on the bookshelf.


This recipe is in my handwriting and is from my days in Brownies, back in 2nd grade. It was from one of our 'projects' when we'd gather at someone's house and the mom had to have an activity for us. It's safe to say that this recipe has probably only been used once or twice, considering the fact that it contains nuts which I've only recently learned to like (a little). These sure were gooey.

Considering that 2 out of the 3 recipes here are still big hits with us, I may have to give those Congo Bars another go, just out of curiosity.

Any cool hand-me-down recipe cards in your recipe box?

Heirloom Apples - Who Knew?

(Believed to be Sheep's Nose, Maiden's Blush, Reine des Reinettes, Ashmead's Kernel, Rhode Island Greening and others-- in no particular order.)

When we were in Vermont, we happened upon some heirloom apples at Healthy Living. We bought 2 of each with the intention of having a taste test when we got home. It's a little trickier to match up each apple with it's name (although we took photos of the display), but it's safe to say we've enjoyed every one we've tried. Each of them has a very distinct character. They've got varying types of skin, and a wide range of sweetness levels. And I can't begin to tell you how cool the names are: Maiden's Blush, Roxbury Russet, Sheep's Nose and Blue Pearmain, to name a few. Check out the descriptions here.

The apples are from Scott Farm in Dummerston, VT and they apparently grow 70 varieties! Next year, we plan to make it for Apple Tasting Day. In the meantime, enjoy the photos of the 7 varieties we got. After this, I'll never look at apples the same. I didn't even know heirloom apples existed!

And...this is #20 for my VeganMoFo posts. From here, I've got it made.

Be sure to enter the contest for the DVD by posting a comment on your favorite fruit.

One more thing: we'd love to have you join us for Food Network Friday where we veganize a recipe from the Food Network. The recipe for October 30th was chosen by Anna Karenina. Check out the Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Soup recipe here. Veganize it however you'd like and be sure to comment on my post here on that day.

Secret Restaurant Throwdown : Banana Peppers Stuffed with Risotto in Basil Lime Sauce

Hot Italian Banana Peppers with Herb Risotto and Mozzarella in Basil Lime Sauce

Weeks ago, I mentioned a restaurant throwdown a la Bobby Flay, but done with even more stealth since the restaurant simply saw me as a customer. After having these amazing Banana Peppers in Basil Lime Sauce at the Vegiterranean, I set out to make something similar at home.

Risotto Stuffed Peppers

Risotto for Peppers
Fills 2 peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup arborio rice
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth, heated
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rice and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring until the onion is translucent. Add the dried herbs and mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes, then add the wine. Bring to a boil and let cook until wine is absorbed by the rice. Add the broth about 1 cup at a time, stirring continuously. As the broth is absorbed, add the next cup. Cook until the broth is absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender. It should take between 20 and 25 minutes. Adjust the seasonings.

Basil Lime Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon agave
3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced basil

In a small skillet over low heat, heat the oil and margarine. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and let reduce by 1/2. Add the lime juice, agave and broth. Cook until slightly thicker, but this is a thin sauce. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the basil.

Now for the judging!

1. The risotto:
I happen to prefer mine. The only way it could possibly be improved might be to add a little grated Daiya cheese at the last minute. At the restaurant, they had mixed in a little Teese and it did add a little to the flavor. That said, I'd eat this risotto anytime without the cheese and enjoy it. I think the mushrooms put mine over the top.

2. The sauce:
The one at the Vegiterranean is a little better and I've been trying to determine why! It had a bit more flavor, but I can't put my finger on it. I remember being surprised at how much garlic was visible in it without overwhelming the wonderfully complex flavors. I may have to return to the restaurant soon for more "research".

3. All together:
I seeded and boiled the peppers before stuffing (just to soften them a little). Next time, I'd not only boil them, but also jump start the roasting by broiling them a little bit before stuffing with the risotto. I pulled mine from the broiler a little too early, because I was concerned that the risotto might get too sticky.

Overall, I think I'd have to say that the Vegiterranean wins because of that delicious sauce. I'm going to keep trying because I'm really happy with this risotto and think I should be able to improve on my sauce...and they're too delicous not to enjoy, in any version.

Contest news: for the last phase of the Raw Giveway, the prize will be Raw Food Made Easy (the DVD). Scroll down to enter.

New Contest + RAW Part 2 Winner and Vermont Wrap Up

First up, the winner of Round 2 in the RAW giveaway series is #25, Kelly G! Congratulations, Kelly! Please email me with your mailing address and let me know which prize you'd like. The choice is between Raw Food Made Easy (the book) or Raw Food Made Easy (the DVD). Thanks to the Book Publishing Company for making these contests happen...and to all of you who entered.

Whichever prize Kelly doesn't pick is still up for grabs. To be entered, just post a comment to this post that tells me the name of your favorite fruit. This contest will close in about a week.

Now, for the final round-up on Vermont food.

We always hit Healthy Living in South Burlington for their terrific seitan sandwiches. They have a monster panini press and use local seitan. One more super cool thing: you can choose from a bunch of different vegan mayos such as chipotle or horseradish, my new obsession.


Unable to capture the taste of a wood-fired pizza at home, we always eat at a great place called Pie in the Sky in Stowe. It's got a fun and funky atmosphere. They're very vegan friendly and will use vegan cheese if you bring it in, like we did. It was fun to see the whole kitchen crowding around the FYH and checking it out...then they all eyed the pizza, too. The crusts are especially good.



On a previous trip, we went to the Skinny Pancake, a creperie, located in Burlington. There is now one in Montpelier. The Vegan Monster used to be made with tofu (and still is, by request), but now it's with house-made seitan and it's even better! And check out the fries. We went traditional, but you can also get sweet potato fries.



We also ate at a new place in Stowe called Frida's, in a tribute to the artist Frida Kahlo. We didn't happen to take pictures, (oops!), but had wonderful guacamole, chips with a trio of salsas (they change daily), and a fantastic bean and rice chimichango (hold the cheese). The chimichango is pan-fried and the filling was perfectly seasoned. Sooooo good!

Also without photos, I had a good cup of vegan chili at the Bagel in Stowe. Along with half a bagel, it made a good light lunch. Jim got a hummus sandwich there that also looked pretty good.

In spite of our efforts, we couldn't eat at every single place we wanted to. In the past, we've also had good luck at Blue Moon (Stowe), Hen in the Woods (Waterbury), Loving Cup (Johnson), Foxfire (Stowe), Trattoria La Festa (Stowe), Red Basil (Stowe), Thai Orchid (Waterbury and a sister restaurant in Montpelier), The Whip (Stowe), Pennycluse (Burlington), the Shed (Stowe), Bees Knees (Morrisville), Pie-casso (Stowe) Stone Soup (Burlington) as well as the Co-op up there. We also enjoyed New Ethic on a previous trip, but sadly, they've closed.

All in all, there are a lot of options in Vermont and we've probably only scratched the surface. There's always next year!

Don't forget to enter the last phase of the RAW giveaway!

Epicurious Game Recipe: Spicy Linguine

The idea for this game came from Isa at the PPK. Click here to see how to pick your recipe.
When I did it, I got this Spicy Linguine that looked almost too easy to veganize. But then I got thinking... I had some homemade sausages in the freezer, some spinach I had to use before we went on vacation, and of course, I had pasta. Why not give it a try? After some of my additions, it ended up a cousin to the original recipe, but it was fantastic!

Spicy Sausage Linguine (Originally from Epicurious)

2 tablespoons olive oil ( I used 1)

1 pound fully cooked smoked sausages, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (I used 12 ounces homemade)

1 large onion, chopped (I used 1 cup)

1 anaheim pepper, chopped (my addition)

6 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 cup dry white wine (my addition)

1 pound linguine (I used 12 ounces)

1 1/2 cups broth (I used 1 1/4 cups)

6 ounces baby spinach (my addition)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (I didn't use any)

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Here's what I did for cooking:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausages, onion and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until the sausage is browning and the vegetables are softening. Add the garlic and spices and cook about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then deglaze the pan with the white wine.

In the meantime, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, then drain. Set aside.

Pour the broth in the pasta pot. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta back to the pot. Add the spinach and sausage mixture and toss to coat. The spinach should just start to wilt. Serve topped with parsley.

It was hearty and filling and tasted great!

By the time you read this, I'll probably be on my way home. But here I am enjoying Vermont.

Road Food Part 5: A Single Pebble, Burlington, Vermont

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. A Single Pebble is one of my favorite restaurants. One of the servers mentioned that the owner's wife is vegan on a previous visit, so not only is the food incredible, but we feel safe eating there, knowing that they 'get it'. My all-time favorite dish on the menu is the Sesame Beef, but this trip I branched out and tried something new.

This is the Steel Pot Sha Cha Beef, made with tofu. It's tofu and vegetables with some super fat rice noodles underneath, all in a delicious sauce. The key ingredient here is the tofu. You probably can't see in in this picture, but it appears to have seasonings pressed into it. The texture is ideal, and the unique barbeque flavor is a knock-out.

We also had the General Chou's Mock Chicken, which actually rivals the Sesame Beef I always order. It's got more crunch and a slightly sweeter but still spicy sauce. We always get the dry fried green beans, too, but somehow missed taking a picture of them.

I've got another 1 or 2 days of Road Food coming, then things will get back to normal around here!

Food Network Friday: Yucatan Skewers

This Food Network Friday recipe was suggested by Kelvia over at the PPK. Originally from Bobby Flay, these Yucatan Skewers didn't require a lot of veganization and they really deliver on flavor!

Instead of a more thorough rundown, I'm doing short one since we're out of town.

Check out Anna Karenina's version here.

And here's Liz's take.

My version

For my variation, I used 8 ounces of chickeny seitan, cut in 1 1/2 inch slices and grilled it. I didn't bother with skewers since I wasn't going to cook these outside. The BBQ sauces, both the first recipe and the Mesa, are delicious. Of course, to make things easier, you could use bottled sauce as the recipe states. But I can be a BBQ sauce snob, so I wanted to make the complete recipe. The only other changes I made to the original are these:

The first sauce:

1. subbed agave for honey and reduced to 1 tablespoon oil

2. used 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder for the chipotle in adobo and in this next step I reduced the heat to a simmer

3. For the Mesa BBQ sauce, I used 1 1/2 cups onion, tomato sauce for the plum tomatoes, used 2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder for the canned chipotles. This makes a lot of sauce. Half of it I ended up freezing.

4. Slaw: extra dressing, next time I'd cut it by 1/3, but maybe my cabbage was small

Would I make them again? Definitely. I'd also make the first BBQ sauce to go with ribz, tofu or tempeh. The slaw was interesting and I wouldn't make it on it's own, but in combination with the rest of the recipe, it worked well. All in all, a winner. Thanks a lot for the suggestion, Kelvia!

We have a recipe lined up for the Oct. 30th Food Network Friday, chosen by Anna Karenina, but if you'd like to join us, the one after could be of your choosing maybe. I'll post the new recipe midweek.

If you joined in, please post a comment so we can see your version!

Road Food Part 4: Green Goddess Cafe in Stowe

There's a neat little cafe just south of Stowe on Route 100 called Green Goddess Cafe. We've been eating there since they opened. This year, we managed to hit the place for both breakfast and lunch. Not both meals in the same day, that would be weird.

First up: the tofu scramble. Not quite as good as I remembered, but still a good way to start the day. The home fries are made from red potatoes and sweet potatoes.


For lunch, I had the Tempeh Reuben, dropping the cheese and russian dressing, but adding mustard. It's a great sandwich.


Jim got the Philly Seitan Wrap, no cheese and it blew my reuben away. The seitan was crisped perfectly on the edges. If we went back, I'd order this in a minute.


While the breakfast menu only has the scramble for vegans, nearly half of the lunch menu can be easily veganized.

Vermont has the trifecta of vegan protein companies. Vermonters can buy "local" seitan (Sheffield Seitan), tofu (Vermont Soy Works), and tempeh (Rhapsody). That always amazes me.

Just one more reason that I love Vermont.

P.S. Mom, if you see this, they closed the Notch temporarily because of the snow. I forgot to tell you.

Road Food Part 3: Blue Benn and the Farmer's Diner

Blue Benn Diner, Bennington, Vermont

Since we're on vacation, Road Food has become the theme this week. I typed up a few other things for impromptu posting, but I'm having a lot of fun with the vacation food sp I'm not sure what will show up here.

We were in southern Vermont for the start of the trip and managed to hit 2 different diners over a couple of days. The first one is in Bennington and we've been going there for years. After our first time eating there, one of the servers remembered us. Over the years, it's been fun to hear how her family grows and the other local chatter. The place is called the Blue Benn Diner and it usually has a line out the door. But if you'll sit at the counter, it's less of a wait. The Diner itself is a Silk model if you're interested in that kind of thing.

They've got several vegan friendly items to choose from. All those pages stuck to the wall are specials that are in addition to what's on the menu. I have no idea how they manage this in a tiny kitchen. We were there for breakfast, so got the tofu scramble. They do a great job with the scramble, using what seem to be traditional seasonings. Does anyone else remember that Tofu Scramble mix that was widely available in the early '80s? It might have been from Fantastic Foods but it's so long ago that I'm not sure. Order the toast dry, and you're all set. It even comes with the potatoes. It's a great breakfast.

Blue Benn Scramble

The second diner we hit was mentioned by Isa at the PPK years ago. I was looking for where to eat in Vermont, and it was one of her suggestions. It's right by Queechee Gorge. The diner car is a Worcester and it was moved there and merged with a restaurant. Again, it was breakfast time, so we got the scramble. Check out the cool way they serve it! I've always wanted one or two of those little skillets. It came with potatoes and toast, too. This place is focused on the Farm to Table stuff, so the scramble had tons of fresh vegetables in it, but not a lot of seasoning. For our toast, they brought two jams. We loved the apricot orange marmalade.

Farmer's Diner Scramble, Quechee, Vermont

A lot of restaurants here have tofu scrambles. In fact, it might be the most prevalent dish on menus in non-vegan restaurants. Most of the places seem very accommodating. We still have a couple of favorite places to hit, so there is more good food to come!

Road Food Part 2: Manchester, Vermont

For the start of our trip we stayed at a B and B outside Manchester. For dinner, we headed into town to try to find a good dinner option. When options are limited, we usually end up doing Italian food so we ended up at Christo's. When in doubt, we usually pick garlic and oil pasta which seems pretty safe. So true to form, we had a really fresh salad, then a pretty good garlic and oil pasta.

Northshire Books, Manchester: the vegan section

After dinner, we wandered around town, basically with the goal of heading into the amazing Northshire Books. We manage to hit the book store just about any time we're within 100 miles of it. Ok, that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture. It's jam-packed, meaning you'll always find something you *need*. With the books displayed well in different nooks and crannies, it still feels like you're finding a treasure, even though the title might be out in the open. The photo above shows what a great job they do at showcasing the books. Check out Robin Robertson's new 1000 Vegan Recipes (more on this when we get home) and Veganomicon. We're not the only ones who appreciate a good bookstore, the list of authors visiting it is incredible. Get this: Neil Gaiman is holding a Halloween party there. That kind of says it all.

Don't forget to enter the contest for the book giveaway! Food Network Friday coming soon!

Road Food: Strong Hearts in Syracuse

We're in Vermont and it looks like Blogger cooperated with my posting plan, so I'm only down one VeganMoFo day so far. Woohooo!

Seitan sandwich w/ tomato, peppers and pickles

We drive up through Syracuse, and always stop at Strong Hearts. Here's the awesome seitan sandwich I had. You can choose from a bunch of different seitan flavors, which always surprises me. This happens to be the cajun and the sandwich was fantastic.

These are the country fried potatoes which tasted like little tiny french fries. They're different every time we go, but always good. We got a milkshake to go, of course.


It rained lightly on and off on our way here. While we were stopped at a light in southern Vermont, I happened to get a quick shot of these colorful chickens who were tempted to cross the road.


We're having a great time. Beautiful leaves, bike rides and hikes...and snow forecast for tomorrow!

Don't forget Food Network Friday! Check back a couple of posts for more details.

Canning!

Just a quickie post showing off my early attempts with a canner that I got this fall. That's salsa on the left, bread and butter pickles in the center, and garlicky dills on the right.

We tried some of the salsa today and learned an important lesson. I should have used much bigger jars and made more of it. Next year! The pickles are still pickling and I'm trying to be patient.

Live posts from Vermont to come!