[Veagan MOFO] WWGFE Wednesday - Bacon Salad

If there was a way to log TV time, my charts would say that I watch 90% Food Network and Cooking Channel shows. I am kind of addicted to watching shows that are mostly stuff I will not eat. However the shows I watch give me inspiration to cook my own versions of what I see.

One cook/TV host that comes through each time with ideas for our meals is Guy Fieri.Whether he is at a 'funky joint' or cooking at home I am drawn to his food. Often when I need a meal idea I ask myself What Would Guy Fieri Eat?

 

In Guy's latest book he has a chapter dedicated to pork and in previous books he has had a lot of pork recipes and even a disturbing photo of dead pigs...Bacon seems to be the hold-strong trend lately so I thought my first WWFE would be something bacon related. 

I created a tofu bacon slab salad. I know that tempeh is the go to protein source for vegan bacon fun but I wanted to create a thicker cut and I am a tofu gal! I took strips of super firm high protein tofu and marinated them in liquid smoke (which he explained in a show he used to not use because he thought it was cheating or something), maple/agave syrup, cayenne powder, garlic, Himalayan pink salt and pepper. After about 30 minutes, I heated up some oil in a frying pan, fried each slab till it was brown.

The salad was organic greens, organic cherry tomatoes, rustic seasoned croutons, tofu-bacon slabs with my habanero ranch dressing on top (Guy is a fan of hot sauce). I added a side of cheezey garlic bread and it was all good! Maybe it is still to healthy to appear on a dive menu but the pigs will thank ya - not to mention your heart!

[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!

[Vegan MOFO Day 1] Mama Mia Monday - Zucchini Pasta

Family fact: My Grandma Cookies (that is what we called her due to her cookie jar) made my grandpa pasta everyday. Everyday it was some sort of pasta dish - I assume she switched it up. When we were over there I remember my grandma bringing a plate or bowl of pasta to my grandpa at the table.

Pasta holds a special place in my heart. First thing - I am a Sicilian girl - I love pasta, I have organs made of noodles, marinara blood and olive oil for life fluid in my brain! My mom - busy working mom would make pasta for us, not the way grandma did but using jar sauce, ground meat and a loaf of bakery bread...In high school when I went vegetarian she started making me my own little pot of sauce so I could eat it meat free. Sometimes there would be a salad on the side - with ranch dressing. I find the idea of ranch + tomato based Italian sauces so tasty when others think it is gross. Whatever! I made pasta for Matt and I about 2 years into our relationship, I bought quinoa pasta and made olive oil chocolate chip cookies for dessert. That night I discovered I am deathly allergic to quinoa and what a good guy Matt is, when he spent the night cleaning up my barf from the bedroom to the bathroom.

I do buy jars of sauces, doctor up loaves of bread from the store with a garlic-nooch-olive oil spread and do not eat pasta every day....BUT I make my own noodles - kind of...

Enter the spiralizer. After finding out Matt can tolerate zucchini this summer (it is green after all) I went zucchini crazy! My mom gave me an Amazon gift card for my birthday and I read reviews and watched videos and decided on getting the GEFU Spirelli Spiral Cutter. I liked the size, the design and the ease of it.

I wanted to get my zucchini pasta on in full force but knowing Matt I knew he would not dig that. So I have been doing 1/2 whole wheat pasta noodles and 1/2 spiralized zucchini. After draining the cooked pasta, I toss in the spiral zucchini and toss in the marinara sauce, so everything is at the same temperature.This is a good way to get greens into your pasta, cut down on wheat and/or try something new. People often think pasta dishes have to be heavy - you can lighten things up this way and still have all the great classic taste!

VEGAN MOFO 2013 Baby!!!!

Starting tomorrow I will be MOFOin' it up! Monday through Friday I will be bloggin' it up!

Monday: Mama Mia Monday - Sicilian food that is a twist off my grandma's cooking! I am making things easier and on a small scale - I do not have 8 kids to feed!

Tuesday: Target Tuesday - cooking a complete meal (or dessert) from the aisles of everyone's favorite chain store!

Wednesday: WWGFEW - What Would Guy Ferrari Eat Wednesday food inspired by my fave cooking show personality.

Thursday: Throw Back Thursday - Food memories with a twist. Healthier and my own personal take on stuff.

Friday: Friday Finds: Vegan products and places to eat that you need to check out!

Come back tomorrow. I cannot wait to see what everyone is doing!

Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce - Perfect Heat - Perfect Treat

I recently bought a bottle of Secret Aardvark Habanero Hot Sauce and have been using it a lot since I got my order in. It has a nice hot taste that kicks in after you take a bite, but the first second or two you are met with a sweetness that adds to the kick at the end. I love hot sauce, some just do not cut it, this does though, nice heat with a nice flavor.

I have been going salad crzy lately. If  you follow me on Instagram (missmuffcake) you will see my love for salads! On Thurday it was corn/wheat tortillas baked into bowl shapes piled with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocado, chili-lime marinated tofu, garbanzo beans (because I had them on hand), a bit of left over Daiya, and habanero ranch dressing. Everything was great but the spicy ranch stood out and it is a cinch to make! Check out my recipe below!

Easy Habanero Ranch

1/2 up of vegan mayo

a squeeze of fresh lime juice

a big plop of  Secret Aardvark sauce

a pinch of dill

a crack of black pepper and pink sea salt

a tiny pinch of onion powder
a tiny pinch of garlic powder

In a small mason jar mix everything together until blended. You can use it right away or let it chill in the fridge to set up and have the flavors come together more.It is yummy!

My Top 5 Vegan - Cruelty Free Beauty Products (Of The Moment)

These are the top 5 products that are getting much love in my beauty arsenal right now. These are all products I plan on buying again once I run out! They are that good!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara   - When I saw this pop up in the Sephora webpage I ran out and bought it. I have been searching for a great mascara since the whole China thing came onto the scene. This mascara delivers a nice black inky color and impact. The only problem is it is a bit messy - or at least the excess always ends up on the tube...but it really is not a huge problem. I just need to wipe the tube and pull the wand out carefully.

Cosmic Bath and Beauty Blush in Sweet Cheeks: Perfect color that gives me the perfect pink cheek look. It blends well, not to shimmery (as in obnoxious teen cosmetic glittery) but  enough to get me glowing. The color gives my cheeks a nice healthy summer glow that will come in handy in the winter months - which I am already dreading!

Fergie for Wet N Wild Eye Shadow Primer:  This stuff is freaking amazing! I was skeptical at first - because most primers just do the minimal for my oily lids and I still have smudges and color transfer. This stuff makes me a eyeshadow primer lover! Once applied - the texture is nice, I can feel a velvety smoothness compared to other more watery primers of the past. The primer really gets everything to stick in place, no more creasing and my black liner stays crisp and clean all day long! Get this product now!

Gnarly Whale Beach Waves Spray in Thai Coconut:Simple ingredients that make dirty no wash hair days into big wavy delight hair days!


Out of Africa Lip Balm in Strawberry: I just got this lip balm in. I was picking Mar up some kitty shampoo and came across this product and had to try it - after all everyone needs a handful of lip balms in their bag right?It is a large tube - perfect for slathering on your lips. The flavor is not sickly sweet or artificial - which is not always a bad thing but I know some people dig on a more natural flavor. So if you like your balms more natural - this is for you. It is very moisturizing and goes on super smooth. 

Do you have any favorite products right now? Let me know - I am always looking to try new things!

Friday Night Nachos Revised

We have some food traditions around the house. I think the most anticipated one is Friday Vegan Nacho Night! Matt says it is the right way to kick off the weekend, I just like this quick, easy and delicious meal!

Updated Vegan Nacho Recipe

1 package of trader Joe's Meatless Crumbles

1 can of original Rotel 

1 can of black beans

1 big plop of Sriracha 

a bit of oil for cooking

a bag of organic white corn  tortilla chips

Food For Lovers Queso (a must here!), hot sauce, your fave toppings (optional)

In a large frying pan heat a bit of olive oil - enough to lightly coat the pan on medium heat. Add meatless grounds, cook for a few minutes. Open & drain the Rotel and black beans. Add those and Sriracha to the pan, mix and cook on a medium low heat for about 5-6 minutes. 

Place a bed of nachos on a plate, spoon on pan mixture and top with toppings of choice!

As you can tell I have made a few changes from my original recipe found here. As with most dishes it only gets better after experimenting. This meal was one of my original meals I started cooking. It is now a kitchen staple and something that I can't wait to make for tonight dinner! Happy Friday! Rock the weekend!