[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tofu Buffalo Bites With Garlic Aioli

 I have the desire to eat party food for meals. If I could get away with having a plate of appetizers as a meal I would! Actually some of my fave meals have come from reworking an appetizer to super size standards, adding soup or a salad and calling it a day. Buffalo wings are one of those things I look forward to in all of their vegan reincarnations!
This is a super simple take on the dish, anyone can do it. It can be served as a snack, add the tofu bites to a salad and a bit more lemon to the aioli and use it as a dressing. Recipes are often a jumping off point to something more grand and as I wrap up Mofo I have been inspired by all that I have seen and will be taking that with me into the kitchen.

5 ingredient stars: Extra firm/firm tofu - drained and pressed, Frank's Hot Sauce, Hampton Creek Just Mayo, Sicilia lemon juice, garlic powder.

Cube the tofu into bite sized pieces. Fry on medium high heat till browned on each side. Turn heat down and add about a 1/2 cup of Frank's. You may need more or less - you just want each bite coated. Cook a few minutes longer till the sauce browns. Serve with 1/2 cup Just Mayo mixed with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a big pinch of garlic powder mixed together. Yummy!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tropical Parfait

As it rains outside my window I am thinking of tropical climates and sun! So here is a breakfast parfait or a glorious snack to get you feeling sunny even when the weather is blah.

5 ingredient stars: Canned coconut cream/milk chilled in the fridge for a few hours, agave nectar, granola (Target has a variety of vegan ones to choose from I went with the Renola by the makers of Lara Bar), container of fresh pineapple, shredded coconut and macadamia nut pieces.

Scoop out the cream solid from the canned coconut cream, mix in a tad of agave nectar to sweeten. Cute the pineapple into bit sized xchunks. Toast the coconut shreds and nuts in a non-oiled pan till golden (it takes a few minutes). Get a mason jar (if you are hip), tall glass or bowl ready. Layer the sliced pineapples, granola and whip till you end up with a whip cream layer.Sprinkle on nuts and coconut flakes. Eat it up and feel your body think it is on vacation!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Italian Style Sloppy Joes

Growing up I remember having sloppy Joe's as a kid. I did not care for the sauce much. So as I got older and tried things on my own I discovered I like sloppy Joe's if they involve an Italian twist.

5 ingredient stars: Beyond Beef crumbles, bag of mixed peppers, Newman's Own Sauce, Oroweat buns and chips on the side (I like salty with this dish).

Saute crumbles and peppers in a bit of oil (freebie) till browned. Add sauce, turn heat low and simmer for about 7 minutes, give it a stir at the half way point. Spoon on buns (you can toast them if you feel fancy) and serve with chips! Dinner is served!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingrediets Meals - Super Fast Stir Fry

It has become a tradition to eat a big plate of stir fry after the gym on Tuesday. I suppose it helps me clear out any vegetables that are lurking to make way for new produce after midweek shopping. Also the carbs from the rice, the vitamins/good junk from the vegetables, the protein from the faux meats + nuts and the kick from the Sriracha balances my body out!

5 ingredients stars: 1 bag of the new vegan-chicken strips (go for one of the Asian flavors like teriyaki), 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (Asian Blend - Target brand has one with edamame that is good!), a handful of unsalted cashews, 2 cups of cooked basmati rice (or your fave rice variety) and Sriracha for serving.

Heat a bit of oil (ingredient freebie) in a non-stick pan on medium. Dump the strips in and cook for a few minutes till the strips are lightly browned. Add veggies, sauce and nuts and cook for 5 - 6 minutes till veggies are cooked through. Spoon over a bed of rice and squirt on a healthy dose of Sriracha and eat away!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tacos!!!!

This week I bring you 5 recipes using 5 ingredients from the food section of Target!  My initial plan was to group food items together by recipe and get pictures but after people started looking at me funny in the store I just gave up and snapped photos in the wild. I may just try to do the grouping later on this week instead of a Friday night!

Processed food police you may just want to lock me up now. These meals for the most part are healthy, fast and super tasty. That being said most items are bagged and boxed. Don't shoot me, don't judge me, just eat and be happy!

We have been on a Taco kick lately, Tacos like 3 times a week or more! So here is a simple taco recipe that takes about 15 minutes to get done and plate!

5 ingredient stars: 1/2 bag of Beyond Beef Crumbles, 4-5 (depending on size) Mission tortillas, 1 can of Amy's refried beans, big pinch of chili powder, 1/2 cup of salsa (Herdez or Mi Casa are both good).


Use a bit of oil (oil is a 'not counted' ingredient) heated on medium in a frying pan. Add crumbles and chili powder, Cook for a few minutes. Warm up your black beans. Add salsa to crumbles, stir and place tortillas on top of the mixture to warm up/soften. Remove tortillias, spread a layer of beans on each tortliia and then spoon in crumble-salsa mixture and eat! Simple and fast.

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Nuts

Protein packed and a variety to choose from nuts are a healthy go to snack to keep around. Full of good for you fats, stay strong protein and fiber that helps curb the hunger monster, nuts are a winner.

I like to keep a small pouch in my purse, so finding nuts with a zip top bag is pretty nice. Matt is allowed to snack at his work desk and he likes keeping some almonds in his drawer and having pecans packed in his lunch. Nuts are also great in a stir fry, cashews being a fave of ours and a Thai dish in my book is not complete without peanuts!

Grab some nuts today! 

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Kombucha

Your either a fan of it  - sipping it and promoting all the glories of it. Or you think it is another health fad...I am talking about:

Kobucha! Usually for me I reach for a bottle when I have extra cash to blow and want a fizzy pick me up. Target has kombucha, fancy pressed juices and natural energy drinks a plenty that will not break the bank. I like a good fizzy drink but am not a fan of soda so a swig of kombucha stands in!

Are you a fan of kombucha? Is it a fad that is on its way out?

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Vegan Chicken Strips

Target has packed it's shelves recently with vegan finds that have the vegan community buzzing. Most buzz worthy is that they released their own brand (under Simply Balanced) of mock-meats. As soon as I saw them I had to pick up a bag!
I know some people (processed food police) will nag on you about frozen foods, anything trying to come off a traditional meaty product. I really do not care. I think seeing more vegan options that replace meaty counterparts opens the world to change and acceptance. I know without these products a lot of vegans might not be vegans today! So bring on all the vegan equivalents that can remind us of our youth and get people to open up about vegan food choices!

We tried the Korean BBQ Chicken on tacos. The strips look weird when they first come out of the bag, kinda like rubbery ice cubes. Once browned with a bit of oil and the sauce added they come out golden and tasty! Speaking of sauce you get two packets of it, so you can divide your package into more than one use!

The tacos I created

Besides Korean BBQ the other varieties include mushroom and chipotle. Bonus: if you shop at Target this week all Simply Balanced stuff is on sale! Fill your freezers!

[Vegan Mofo] Pantry Essentials - PB2

 

It is Thursday  - a day that lacks any special mention in most people's weekly schedule. You have Monday - back to the old grind, Wednesday - that mid week hump day, Friday - get ready for the weekend...Somewhere among the shuffle, Thursday gets lost. 

I decided to hook Thursday up with one of my favorite things in the world - PEANUT BUTTER! Not just any peanut butter I am talking powdered PB2 peanut butter! When I first heard about this stuff I was not having it, powdered peanut butter? Gross. After trying it I am hooked and eat a few tablespoons to a mini bowl of it a day, serious good stuff.

Why powdered peanut butter and not the 'real' stuff? The first thing one might notice is the nutrition count: PB2 has 45 calories per 2 tablespoons and 1.5 grams of fat. The traditional stuff clocks in at 188 calories for 2 tablespoons and 8.0 grams of fat. Big difference right? Not that traditional peanut butter is bad - the oils and fat are of the good healthy kind. If you stick to a peanut butter that is more natural and not packed with sugar like some brands out there your good to go. No need to food shame anyone's peanut butter choices.

I like PB2 strait up, it is not oily and does not leave a grease trail on my lips. You can find me snacking on it and adding it to food. I like making a peanuty stir fry sauce with it or using it in powder form to coat fresh popped popcorn with a fine dusting for a sweet and salty taste. My fave way though - a small bowl of the stuff mixed super creamy style with a drizzle of chocolate syrup! If I have a banana on hand I slice it up and toss it into the mix.

Target has the best store prices of PB2 in town. I go for the original but the chocolate is not bad as well. Target carries both varieties so you can get your peanut butter love on. 

[Vegan Mofo] Pantry Essentials - Rice & Beans

 

This week I am going to be sharing some pantry essentials one should keep handy for quick no brainer meals. Having these things in the house keeps food funk at a low and possible fast meals at your fingertips.

You cannot get any more basic than rice and beans. A world staple, rice and beans show up in cultures from all around the world in some form. Often seen as peasant food rice and beans can save a broke person's meal budget and make things more complete. 

Keeping a few varieties of canned (or in this case boxed) beans around allows for things like nachos, tacos, crunchy snacks, veggie burgers and more to happen in a snap. I am a fan of black beans and pinto beans because I dig on Mexican food. I do love garbanzo beans though I do not use them as much. Put them in soup to add a hearty protein punch, make hummus or bake them and make garbanzo crunchies! Target has many organic and low sodium bean options. If you cannot find low sodium rinse your beans before use to get rid of salt if you are not a fan of the stuff or need to watch your intake.

My go to rice is always basmati - I use it in it's plain form to cuddle a stir fry dish or with tomato sauce and olive oil to create Matt's mama's red rice. Basmati has a warm nutty smell and taste that I totally dig. You may prefer brown rice or wild rice - Target has a lot of rice options. Keeping rice around is a sure fire way to add starch to a dish in an affordable way.

Tonight my meal is actually going to consist of both rice and beans. It is taco night and the pair will star in leading roles in my dinner production. If you have a fave way to incorporate these staples into your meals let me know!

[Vegan Mofo] Snack On This - I Like The Popcorn That Goes Boom

I read in Seventeen magazine that September 5th kicks of Popcorn Weekend. Seeing as Seventeen is not a trusted source for breaking news and I could not find info on this holiday online I still am going ahead and saying let's celebrate and eat popcorn!

I usually pop a big batch with kernels, coconut oil and then pick a topping. However sometimes getting another pot or popcorn machine dirty is not in the game plan. Still craving salty puffs of  corn it is not hard to reach for a bag Boom Chicka Pop. Sea salt perfection plays out nicely for your salty cravings with a healthy whole grain boost clocking in at 35 calories per cup. A no guilt snack - not that one should have guilt associated with food, let's not go there! The company also has sweet varieties that you can find at Target - just look for the vegan icon on the back.

[Vegan Mofo] Snack On This - Chips & Salsa

 

Nothing beats some fresh salsa and salty chips - bring in a cocktail (something minty or fruity for me!) or a beer (if you are like Matt) and party time has started! Every Friday is nacho night here and our go to brand is the Simply Balanced chips. We like the white corn chips and go for those every time! The new rolled flax are really good with a nutty hint from the chia seeds but the shape does not work for nachos, they need a hummus or guac option.

In school kids got picked on for the generic brands/in store brands that parents packed in their lunch boxes. That should be a thing of the past with Target rolling out organic options at a great price. The prices and quality are hard to beat! Chips this week are on sale 2 for $5 - yup I bought a few bags for lunches and nacho night!

 

We are pretty lucky that our neighbor cans her own garden fresh salsa and hooks us up. If we happen to run out and want a fresh option Casa Sanchez is really good. The ingredients are fresh and simple, no weird things that require an app to translate. Based in Northern CA the salsa tastes fresh and is great in nachos and I love it for chili!  

Grab a tub of salsa and a bag of chips and have a party tonight even if you are just lounging on the couch!

[Vegan Mofo] Snack On This - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Bars

It is a known fact I have a love-thing for peanut butter. Add chocolate to the mix and you have me hooked. So when I spotted the Health Warrior Chia Bars in Peanut Butter Chocolate I scooped up a pack. Last week I spotted them on sale, my fave flavor combo was sold out but having to go back a few days later they restocked them and I got a box!

On sale at under $5 a box, each bar comes to under a $1 each. Full of chia seeds, a kick of peanut butter and chocolate flavor and perfect snack size these are a winner. The bars are small making them a quick munch on a break or with a cup of coffee when you need a pick me up. They are only 100 calorires if you happen to be watching your calorie intake making them a safe snack bet. They fit perfectly in a lunch bag or your gym bag. Target has a few flavors and this is not something I have found at all the Target stores I have visited yet. They are in the granola bar section and not the workout/protein bar section if you are looking to pick up a box.

[Vegan Mofo] Snack On This - Bunny Snacks Not Bunny Meat!

Eat bunny snacks and not bunny meat! Annie's Bunny Snacks have been our go to fruity snack for years. Each box has individual pouches, great to tuck into a lunch bag, carry in a purse or store at your desk.Cute bunny shapes dance out of the pooches and strait into your mouth!

 

Flavors include berry, pink lemonade, strawberry and citrus - so everyone's fruity flavor is covered. Fruit snacks take me back to my childhood lunchroom memories. A packed lunch often contained a fruit snack pouch and many of my peers were pulling out the pouches too. These have a reminiscent taste and feel and are perfect for a snack break no matter what your age is.

[Vegan Mofo] Snack On This - Bark Thins

Earlier this year on a random trip to Costco Matt and I discovered Bark Thins. After seeing them in natural food stores over the last few months we were happy to find them at Target. Not only did Target get them in last month - they had the bags on sale 3 for $10! Score! Seeing as the grocery store we shop at has them marked at $4.99 a pop! We bought are share of chocolate and over the weekend when we ran out I went to get more and went into chocolate panic mode when I could not find the display. I had this crazy hunch to go to the clearance section of the store and I discovered my chocolate fix crowded among dented cans and food rejects. Then I discovered the price at $2.78 a pack and swooped up a handful of chocolatey goodness.

I stocked up on my favorite flavor - the pretzel variety, then went for a few mint and rounded it off with some almond for Matt. Dark fair trade chocolate in-robes pieces of pretzel, mint or bits of almond. A perfect broken off chunk of thin chocolate that melts in your mouth upon contact. Perfect for after dinner with a cup of tea or broken into chunks and tossed into non dairy ice cream. I like that the bags have a zip lock clousure and you can just grab what you need and put the rest away.

When I go back I will see if there are more on the shelves. Who says a pantry full of chocolate is a bad thing?

[Vegan Mofo] Vegan Finds At Target - My Theme

My theme for this years Vegan Mofo is Vegan Finds At Target! Why? Because I love Target and I am in there way more than I should be! I also want to stress how important big box stores are to getting vegan products to small towns and people on a budget. An ulterior motive for this theme is to say screw those food shamers who bag on those that eat things from a bag or box. I am not a doctor or health expert but I want to say eating food from a box that is supplemented with whole grains and fruits and veggies will not kill you. Go ahead and enjoy a veggie burger or some chips!

Week 1: Snack on this - random vegan finds that are perfect for snacking on. Munch on!
Week 2: Pantry essentials - things you should buy and keep on hand for quick fix meals and to make food prep easy.
Week 3: On the healthy side - because not everything from a box/bag/can is bad.
Week 4: 5 meals, 5 ingredients or less! Fast, easy and stress free ideas for busy nights or when you are not feeling it!

I hope Target fans will enjoy my theme! I hope to inspire some non-vegan people to shop for vegan products when they thought they could not. I will be here Monday through Friday and will have a few extra weekend posts thrown in! I will see you at Target!

[Vegan Mofo] Target Tuesday - Fast Foods & Quick Snack Ideas

Have you ever had a day or string of days that should have been relaxing turn into a day (or days) of endless running around? That was us over the weekend! With Matt in pre-production for his newest film and me trying to get my own stuff done the time slips by.

What do you do when time slips by and your stomach is making hungry noises? Grab fast meals and snacks from Target. You should really have some of these things on hand in case you find yourself hungry and not in the mood to go out...

Matt's go to fast lunch I usually throw in the oven (I do not use a microwave - even faster if you do) is Gardein Seven Crispy Tenders. I happen to be allergic to two of the grains so I just serve them to Matt and usually grab myself a Luna bar, pineapple spears or a veggie burger on a Oroweat thin round with some Wholly Guacamole smeared on top.
Serve it with your fave chips, french fries (Target has Ore Ida and Alexia brands - with vegan tot and fry options) or a simple salad with an organic bag mix and some olive oil + vinegar on the side. Get fancy and make different dipping sauces - I usually go for 2 parts ketchup to one pat Sriracha - mix and serve!
Feeling like a taco or burrito option? Target has Mission tortillas, Amy's refried beans, salsa and organic chip options and again Wholly Guacamole in the mix! You can grab a veggie burger (many vegan options), thaw it out, crumble it up and fry it in a pan with a bit of olive oil and add it to your Mexican creation. Taco night can be easy, cheap and fast sticking to the basics of beans, salsa and crumbles. You can add greens if you wanted to - organic lettuce with Sicilia lime juice mixed in. Fry up corn tortillas or bake them into bowl shapes and make edible plates. How about a basic tofu scramble - tofu + spices, add salsa and black beans, wrap it up into a wheat tortillia and eat it up! The possibilities are endless!

Wanting something sweet? Justin's Dark Peanut Butter cups, no sugar added So Delicious vanilla ice cream and Hersey's syrup have you covered for a sweet sundae. If you do not dig on chocolate try mixing 1/4 cup peanut butter to a 1/2 cup of agave or maple syrup, heat it up on low heat in a small saucepan and pour it on top of your sundae. Maybe heat up some frozen berries with a bit of sweetener of your choice and make a pb&j sundae! Want to get more nutty? Smash some Nutter Butters and sprinkle it on top! Or crumbled up organic kids cereal is also a yummy option.


Target has you covered for the basic fast meals that require basic cooking skills. Sure you can get more fancy with these things but when you are tired and worn out why bother? Thanks Target for having my tired back!

When you are tired what is your go to meals? Hey - cereal counts! Share! 

[Vegan MOFO] Target Tuesday - Coco-Peanut Sauce With Tofu

 

Target carries vegan basics like tofu, rice, beans, frozen veggies, non-dairy milks, seasonings/spices and meat alternatives. Throwing a meal together can be a snap if you just step outside the box and look around.

When buying a new vegan cookbook or looking at blogs online I am often disappointed if the recipes call for special hard to find ingredients that have me order them online or try to locate them in a specialty market that I may not have in town. So when I come across a recipe that I can make from simple to find ingredients I bookmark it and get to work on dreaming up a meal around it.

The Garlic Broccoli with Coco-Peanut Sauce from Plant Based on a Budget is a meal that is easy to put together from the aisles of Target, affordable and easy to make. Bonus it is super yummy!

The only things I changed from the recipe was using organic maple syrup instead of brown sugar, garlic powder for garlic (no fresh garlic at Target), I added a squeeze of Sriracha and I added some extra firm tofu triangles to the mix. Bagged broccoli again came into play and I used basmati rice. This meal is something I will make again. Creamy peanuty taste with a hint of kick (I might add more Sriracha next time), afordable and a thumbs up from Matt. 

[Vegan Mofo Day 2] Target Tuesday - Spicy Mandarin Orange Stir Fry

I love shopping at Target, I probably could go everyday - ask Matt. We have two in town and both are super similar but have a few different things that the other does not. Like one location has a phat supply of vegan cereal, the other carries more vegan beauty products...See why I have to go more than once a week?

My goal with Target Tuesday is to create a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert) with ingredients one can find at this mega chain store. Most of us have a Target in town but not everyone has a Whole Foods (raises hand!). Target has gotten super good over the last year stocking things like almond milk, sauces, meatless-meat products and supplies. Also a lot of the time Target has really awesome prices on things. Next time you are picking up kitty litter and cotton rounds check out the food! You will be happy!

Now on to the meal!

                                                         Spicy Mandarin Orange Stir Fry

! package of Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n
1 package of broccoli florets defrosted
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon (or more) of Sriracha
a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds (optional)
basmati rice (cooked according to package - I usually make a bunch of rice for Matt and I)
oil for for cooking

Heat a bit of oil in a pan (enough to lightly coat it) on medium heat. Toss in chick'n and toss every few minutes. In a small bowl with hot water defrost sauce packet that comes with the chick'n. At this point add the broccoli to the frying pan. Dump the defrosted sauce into the pan with the soy sauce, rice vinegar and Sriracha - toss to coat everything. Let it cook for a few minutes and serve it over rice topped with toasted sesame seeds!

This is often a go to meal for us after we get home from the gym on Tuesday. The carbs in the rice fills me up, the protein in the Gardein makes my body happy! This is one of the only Gardein product I am not allergic to and I enjoy it. Target always has the best price on Gardein - even at full price it is cheaper than the store. Buying frozen broccoli is another money save. When buying a head of fresh broccoli in the store, you are paying buy weight. Unless you are going to use the stock part of the celery for a soup stock or a herbivore companion pet it goes to waste. Buying a bag of frozen broccoli you are buying the florets - no prep and no waste! basmati rice is not the best price at Target - only because I buy it in bulk at the store but they carry it and it is my fave rice variety! You can use your fave rice or even some rice noodles!