mayonnaise - a must try!

"1 part soymilk gets whizzed in the blender for a minute. while still whizzing it, you add in 1 part neutral tasting oil (canola or sunflower), and let it whizz for another minute or so, then add in some regular vinegar, and when it thickens, add a bit of salt. you gotta get the amount of vinegar right, but besides from that part, it's pretty damn amazing. and so easy that you'd think it's a joke." - posted by Smoothie, at http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=86389

Thai Golden Curry with Tofu

This is copied (and amended) from The Ethnic Vegan blog - I've also bookmarked the coconut tomato rice to try VERY soon! It was delicious but I'd like to make a few changes to suit our tastes.

"For best results, rinse the block of firm tofu, then stand it on its side and slice the narrowest edge into four slices. Then lay it flat and cut into about 2-inch cubes. This way, the slices will be only ½-inch thick and will cook more evenly."

2 T cup light olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 16-ounce package firm tofu, rinsed
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. hot paprika
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbs. soy sauce (or Bragg's)
2 tsp. agave nectar OR 3 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 6-ounce package baby spinach leaves
6-8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade (rolled up & thinly sliced so they look like ribbons)

1. Dry-fry the tofu in a large cast iron pan, pressing gently to get the water out, turn & continuing to gently press until it's all golden brown. Remove it from the pan and set it aside.
2. Place 2 Tbs. olive oil, onion, ginger, and garlic into your pan. Cook at medium heat stirring occasionally until onion is transparent, about 3 minutes.
3. Now add your tofu back in, then add coconut milk, peanut butter, pepper flakes, paprika, curry powder, soy sauce, agave nectar, and salt. Stir well.
4. Spread carrot slices on top, and add spinach leaves. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Add basil chiffonade and mix before serving over rice or noodles.

You may want to add a touch of salt upon serving, as we did (and we do not ordinarily use salt). I may just add a bit of lemongrass to see what happens. This is super-easy but it needs a couple something-or-others. I will definitely cook this again!

Whole wheat bread (bread machine)

This was posted by thewrongumbrella at the Postpunk forum, and has very quickly become my regular recipe. I made a few changes, which are noted. This makes very good hamburger buns, too!

ingredients:
1 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp canola oil
1 1/3 tsp salt
2 tbsp (turbinado) sugar

3 1/4 white whole wheat flour*
I add: 2 T ground flax seeds
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1 pkg active dry yeast (1 1.4 tsp - 1 1/2 was too much, resulting in a puffy, empty top)

Add ingredients in the order listed. Turn on machine. The end!

* I like to sub spelt flour for a cup of this

possible marinade

this may be good for tofu (or seitan, etc):

ORANGE CHILI GINGER MARINADE

1 cup orange marmalade
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup wine vinegar
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon each salt and crushed black pepper

Combine all ingredients and use for marinating beef, lamb, pork or chicken for 2-5 hours before grilling.

Submitted by: CM, on Cooks.com at http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1633,134181-252197,00.html

Spring!

Taken at the Raleigh arboretum at the end of February.

Potato Pierogi

copied from the Postpunk kitchen forum - a posting from 2005!

Dough:
3 c. flour
egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg
1/2 to 3/4 c. warm water
2 T. vegan sour cream

Potato filling:
2 lbs. potatoes
1 lb. onions
1 T. sour cream
2 t. salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Make the filling:
Peel and cut the potatoes, and boil in salted water until tender. In a food processor or blender, mince and partially puree the onion. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a large bowl, and mash. Add the onion, sour cream, salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes and combine well. Let cool.

Make the dough:
In a large bowl, (or mixer), combine the flour, salt, egg replacer, water, and sour cream, and knead into a soft dough. Divide the dough in half, forming two dough balls.

Make the pierogi:
Roll each ball of dough, one at a time, on a floured surface to about 1/16 of an inch thickness (pretty thin, but still workable). Using a round cookie cutter or similar device, cut rounds of dough (about 3 inches in diameter), and remove extraneous dough from your work surface (you'll use up this dough later, re-rolling it to make more pierogi).

Put a large pot of water on to boil while completing the next steps.

Spoon about a teaspoon of the filling into the middle of each dough round. Moisten the edge of one-half of each dough circle, and fold and stretch the other half over the filling, meeting the other, moistened edge; press the edges together well to seal the pierogi (you can use your fingers, a fork, whatever works).

Add salt to your pot of boiling water and gently drop several pierogi into the pot. Allow pierogi to cook for about 8 minutes or so (pierogi will rise to the top). With a slotted spoon, remove pierogi, one at a time, and transfer to an oiled baking sheet to cool.

Melt some soy margarine and let cool a bit. Brush the pierogi with the melted margarine.

If pan-frying: pan-fry pierogi until lightly browned on both sides, Add some finely chopped onion to the pan and saute a bit longer. Serve with a side of vegan sour cream.

If baking: preheat oven to 300F. In a baking dish, place the pierogi in a single layer, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, cover and bake for 25-30 minutes. Top with sauteed onion before serving.