Good Kitchen Magic

Last night I decided to try out a new recipe I had gotten for pizza dough. Being a new vegan I wanted to find ways to eat some of my favorite foods, with my family, and still stick to my diet. I came across the recipe on VegWeb. It turned out to be pretty good for the first try!

For the dough:
    1 tablespoon yeast
    1/2 cup lukewarm water
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted vegan margarine (both work fine)
    1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water until the yeast is dissolved. Let it stand for a couple minutes.

2. Add the salt and vegetable oil/melted margarine. Mix. Add the flour, and mix.

3. Roll out the dough, and place on pan or stone. Put it in the oven for 5 minutes.

4. Take it out and rub vegetable oil over it.  Add toppings, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes.


 What I did to feed my family was triple the recipe for the dough.The yeast dissolved quick, kind of a yellowish liquid (I used mini flakes because the local store was out of big flakes.) I used organic sunflower oil, in the future I will most likely be using safflower or coconut oil, it's just healthy alternatives to plain vegetable or canola oil.

After adding the oil and salt, it's onto the flour. I still had a lot of unbleached organic white flour in my cabinets so I used this up. In the future, half white and half wheat or all wheat, would probably be the best option for health conscious minds out there. I suggest adding the flour slowly, as I added it all at once and if you add it more slowly you would be able to tell when it is starting to become thick and dough like, moving the mixing spoon and using hands in place of it. There was a little effort put into kneading the dough, as I've never done such a thing before, I was feeling it out for the first time.

After rolling out the dough and baking it in the oven, it was now time for toppings. I used organic pizza sauce, I crumbled up tofu for a cheese substitute and added mushrooms, green bell peppers, olives, and jalapenos. In the end, it turned out pretty good. I think after a few more times it could be great. Picture will come soon!

Sour cream is one of those things that goes hand in hand with so many meals. Tacos, enchiladas, stroganoff, chips...you need a bit of creamy goodness to make it all come together! The problem is, the non-dairy sour cream can be expensive in places, and you really don't get a whole lot for your money. This recipe has changed all that for me!

The first thing that you need to know is that you'll want to play with the seasonings to get to YOUR personal taste. Me, I like my sour cream a little on the salty side. Others may like it milder. Feel free to experiment, this recipe is just a good base to jump off from. You'll get about 2 1/2 cups with this recipe.

Ingredients

1 package firm silken tofu (10.5 oz)
3T lemon juice
1T olive oil
2t apple cider vinegar
4t sugar
2t salt
2T plain soy milk

• Crumble the tofu and add to your blender. 

• Add the remaining ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste, and adjust the seasonings to make your perfect blend. 
• Enjoy!

Who says that just because you're vegan, you can't have all the fun of a delicious fondue? Yeah, sure, cheese is a no-go, but there are so many other delicious flavours out there! This recipe uses coconut milk and miso for a tantalizingly tangy fondue that pairs well with vegetables or bread. Try it at your next party, I'm sure it'll be a big hit, even among your non-vegan friends!

Amazing Vegan Fondue

Ingredients
1c cauliflower florets
1 1/2 c light coconut milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4t ground nutmeg
1t red miso paste (in your grocers nutrition section cooler, usually)
1/2t Dijon mustard
1/4 t soy sauce
1 t olive oil 
2 T corn starch 
salt and pepper to taste 

• In a medium saucepan, combine the cauliflower florets and coconut milk. Cook over medium heat until the cauliflower has absorbed the coconut milk and is softened. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until well blended, about 5 minutes or so. 
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. 
• Serve with vegetables or bread, and enjoy!

Inspired by Kitchen Bitch, by Kim Barnouin