Hercules Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Alright, not to step on Gerd or Joe (alright, maybe step on Joe a little bit), but I've been meaning to post something like this for about a year now. And, now that I am in job limbo at the moment, I figured I would take a little time out of my day of job searching and salary negotiations to give this a try. Basically, as some of you know, I am a vegetarian. For the past 6-8 months or so, I have gone over to the vegan side. I figured that I would post some of my vegan cooking for your viewing enjoyment. And hopefully, things won't get too harsh in here! So here is the first set of pics that I actually took almost a year ago. The story behind this meal goes a little something like this: I was still in school taking 8 classes to try and finish up my degree, and my lovely girlfriend Tricia had just gotten a new job, and was taking classes for her Master's in Psychology 4 nights a week. I would be home on those nights trying to keep the apartment orderly, and taking care of our ailing dog, Thunder. I figured that Tricia would appreciate a good meal on the nights that she worked the regular 8:30 to 5, and then slaved away at class until 10. So, here is the first installment of Jay's Vegan Cafe: Vegan Meatloaf and Garlic Mashed Potatoes Enjoy! The final product. And the final score card: Meatloaf: Her - Eh Me - Good Potatoes: Her - Awesome! Me - Awesome! Broccoli: Her - It's just broccoli Me - It's just broccoli Rolls: Her - Gross Me - Eh Final tally: SUCCESS! Uh oh! Better get another one! After about 35 minutes, the meatloaf is done. Soy milk + Fake butter + Potatoes + 2 cloves of garlic + a masher = Vegan garlic mashed potatoes. Top it off with a little salt and pepper and you have a winner. And some oil in buttery form. FAT!!! Time to get moving on the potatoes. Tricia normally just boils the potatoes and mashes them up. What fun is that? I'm in the kitchen, my watch, my rules. Remember, I'm fat and I like it that way. So, we go with a little soy milk. The mushroom and onion gravy thickening up nicely. And I also made up some Pillsbury Jumbo Cresent rolls baked to golden perfection. You guessed it, VEGAN! Would there be anything else in this thread? While I was going at everything else, I took some time to steam up some broccoli. Now time to make the gravy for the potatoes, but apparently also goes on the meatloaf too. And yes, this mix is TOTALLY VEGAN! A big thumbs up to: 1. BEER! 2. Nothing blowing up yet. 3. Me looking sexy, even with dog hair on my hat. Alright. Remember that big mashed up mess of faux meat? Well, now it is molded and ready to head into the oven with the tomatoes (that I guess weren't supposed to be on top of it) on top of it. A nice caramel brown color. And yes, I'm still a Mets fan. And no, I don't have any faith in them this year. And just a little note, the beer went very well with the articokes and olives that were in the sandwich. ....... Ahhhhhhh, there it is. And now into the fridge to get the lemon ju.... errrr..... crescent rol..... errrr...... Thunder's foo...... errrrr....... lettuc........ errrrrr....... Here it is all mashed up - and the secret is to add a little bit of the tomato sauce into it before mashing. Ok, "meatloaf" prep time. Here we have the meat free meat, some diced onions and green bell peppers, 2 garlic cloves, garlic powder, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, onion powder, minced dried onions and a little bit of olive oil. Now that the water was boiling, throw in the nicely scrubbed potatoes. While at Whole Foods I picked up a roasted vegetable sandwich while I worked up a sweat in the kitchen. Yes, I pre-game dinner. Yes, I know I'm fat. Now I start some tomato sauce for the meatloaf. I don't know about everyone else, but I grew up with a ketchupy pastey sauce on the top of my meatloaf as a kid. Apparently that is not how Tricia grew up with it. Oh well. Some crushed tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and a couple cloves of garlic should do it. Pre-heat the oven to 350. Ok. About an hour to get all of this done and ready. Anyway, the first thing to do back at home is put on a big pot of water. Aside from food you can pick up ZOOM!/Yo Gabba Gabba yoga instruction for the kids. Scary.... For those meat lovers out there, Whole Foods does supply various meats. The only difference is that they are all free range and treated well! We would pick up Thunder's pork and chicken there often! There, we head to over to pick up some non-meat meat. This stuff rocks. So, the first thing that needs to be done is getting the ingredients for tonight's meal. That means, a trip to Whole Foods is in order! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Jay - So your girl didn't like the meatloaf or the rolls but loved the mashed potatoes. Broccoli was a "wash". That is considered a success? 1 out of 3 is a success in baseball, not cooking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 The way I figure, the rolls aren't my fault, it is Pillsbury's. So that leaves me with an eh (which I consider fair and on a grading scale would be about a C) and an awesome (which is an A) Average them out, and you have a B. And coming from her, that is pretty damn good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calaway Park Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 !! I love Pillsbury Croissants! Yumm! =\ Great uh... food report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King of Ka Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Very cool, and quite interesting. I've always wondered about vegan/vegetarian food choices, I think I'd have a tough time making any meal with no animal products. If you do another, I'll be back. Also, more step-by-step instructions would be cool for anybody looking to replicate, or at least take inspiration from, what you've done, but that's up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazekiddd Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Dude, thanks for this thread! I was hoping you would make it. My boyfriend is a vegetarian and I'm having a hard time being creative. I'll be watching this like a hawk and also trying out the recipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrancew_hod Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Somebody call in Gerd so he can find a way to spice up the 'meatloaf'! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerd.muller Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 ^...hey Terry, thanks for believing in me, but you can´t "rescue" a vegan meatloaf, because it´s missing the most important ingredient: MEAT!!! ...no, just kidding! Great TR, Jay! Thank you for buying your groceries at a company like "Whole Food"! For me, it´s very important to buy chemical untreated vegetables or meat from free range animals! Even if you have to pay a little bit more for it, your health and your taste should it be worth! Most of the meat and the fresh eggs I use for the restaurant I buy from a cattle-farmer who treats his animals in a correct and healthy way and who is a friend to my family since long times , the veggies I buy from my grocer who sells only chemical untreated goods and cultivates his own fields during summer-season. Keep on with your topic! Gerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 And hopefully, things won't get too harsh in here! Damn dirty hippie!! Just kidding, Jay! I'm actually surprised how meaty the faux meat looks. If I were an onion guy, I'd totally try this dish! I'll be interested to see your updates in the future. I've always been curious about the diversity of a vegan's diet. Cooking veggies in an appetizing manner isn't exactly my forte right now, so it'll be good to have a place to steal some ideas! And hooray for Silk! Way to represent the lactose intolerant folks as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 meat free meat The sounds of that just makes me giggle. I think I'll say it 10 times. meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat meat free meat Ok, I'm glad I got that over with! --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZer0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Jay, great thread...im trying to go totally veg and its been a struggle. I'll be checking this thread out often to see what your making.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Dude, thanks for this thread! I was hoping you would make it. My boyfriend is a vegetarian and I'm having a hard time being creative. I'll be watching this like a hawk and also trying out the recipes. Thanks for the feedback! I mean, I don't make anything the quality of say a Gerd, or even a place like HERE but I do try, enjoy cooking, and like to try some differenent things here and there. I hope I can give you a few ideas along the way! Thank you for buying your groceries at a company like "Whole Food"! That is great to hear you get your vegetables and meats from someone local and treats his animals that way. I'm really lucky to have like 5 Whole Foods somewhere within reasonable driving distance. Being into animal rights like I am, it is important for me to frequent a place like Whole Foods just because of their standards and reputation. Although it is pricey on some things, and I can't necessarily afford it all the time, it is still good to go. Though, I'm able to start purchasing my soaps and laundry stuff at places like Wegman's and other stores just because the market for non-animal tested products is starting to get more mainstream, so I can just pick those up on "regular" shopping trips. I'm actually surprised how meaty the faux meat looks. You would actually be really suprised at how, well, real the faux meat is. Starting out I wasn't a huge fan of it because it actually slightly grossed me out how real in texture and taste it was. I just kind of grew into it, especially because I got sick of eatting nothing but pasta and vegetables all the time. The vegan Boca burgers are insane, and the Gardenburger grilled chicken in just nuts too (kind of like the old BK Broiler). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZer0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Im already a fan of Boca and Gardenburger. I like the Boca sausage links and crumble, which is great for making sloppy joes and tacos. Im trying to get the wife to get off meat as a whole as well, as we're both trying to cut weight and get in shape... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 ^ If you are looking to lose some weight and get on the healthy side of things, this is a great site to check out: http://www.drmcdougall.com/ If you do some searching around and a little googling, you can find some decent recipes to try out if you are willing to go a few meals out of the week without veggie meats. It's actually kind of tough to lose weight as a vegetarian if you don't watch out. I've gone oil and dessert crazy over the past could of weeks, and have seen myself go up abotu 15 pounds over that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Its definitely not stepping on me if there isn't real meat involved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teacups Make Me Sick Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Im trying to get the wife to get off meat as a whole as well, as we're both trying to cut weight and get in shape... I've been a veg for 16 years...and read up on a ton of info regarding proper diet. Just a word of advice on going veg, try not to rely on soy products, especially for your wife. Reason being is that there is research warning women from eating too much soy because they think it is linked to breast cancer. Now, most of the findings are not definite (they never are). I try not to eat more then 1 soy product per day...and really stay away from the fake soy meats because I look at them like eating cold cuts, they are processed fake meat (although the veggie corn dogs are real tasty). And if you are looking to loose weight, they are not the way to go, one fake burger can be as low as 90 calories, but some go over 200 (plus the bun, fixings, etc). Instead, getting your protein from legumes, beans, nuts, and eggs (I'm not a vegan)...can be a better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 That is very good advice on the legumes and beans. I tend to stay away from a large amount of nuts. I'm not a huge protein guy because of the things too much protein can do to your kidneys and liver, so I just get it mainly from broccoli and beans. And yes, if you are looking to lose some weight, try to stay away from the fake meats and only use them from time to time. I know a lot of people that have tried to go vegetarian for health benefits or to lose weight, and have given up after a month because their entire diet consisted of fake fried chicken, fake cheeseburgers, fries and soy cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZer0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Good points, as I like to use the veggie meat sparingly as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Alright, so let's forget all of the healthy talk now. I took a new job offer today and I figured I would celebrate a little with some fried, fatty food. We fast forward about a year from when the last update was taken to present day. A lot of things have changed. Instead of a 650 square foot apartment, there is now a 1,900 square foot townhouse. Instead of an 8 by nothing kitchen, we now have a kitchen that is about the size of the room I grew up in as a kid. And, unfortunately, no more Thunder. Now, Philadelphia is known for a lot of things, like Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, it's harsh love for sports teams, and Rocky. It is also known, like many cities, for it's food. But quite frankly, I'm not really all that impressed with what Philly specializes in. The Cheesesteak - come on, how hard is it to screw up meat on a roll? The soft pretzel - give me a real pretzel from New York any day. However, there is one thing that I am completely in love with. The already mentioned things are very simple, but what I love is probably the simplest of all. I know I kind of knock on the other two for being so simple and very hard to screw up, but this is just a combination of things that make you say "Why didn't I think of that?" I'm talking about a fine little dish that can be picked up at any Chicky and Pete's. That is right...... CRAB FRIES!!! No, these fries are not made of crab, but are simply french fries with Old Bay seasoning on them! So I was thinking, what can I do that is just a little better than that? And I bring to you something that is hot off the press, made and devoured just about an hour ago...... Beer-battered Crab Onion Rings Now that is a good mid-afternoon snack! I really enjoy my onion rings, and just about anything else for that matter, with some Tofutti sour cream. What is better to enjoy beer battered onion rings with other than some beer? I place the onto a plate with a paper towel. This is the best time to season them because seasoning will stick to them. A little more Old Bay will do the trick! In about 3 minutes, they have a nice golden brown color to them. Now that the oil is heated, carefully place the battered onion rings into the oil, and now you are cooking! Note: They might stick together in the frying process so it is important to do smaller loads so they don't cook too close together. And another one.... I use a fork to move the onion around to make sure it is covered with batter-y goodness. Place the naked onion rings into the batter. Now pour in the beer and mix everything together. You do not want the mixture to be too thick so that it is clumpy, but not too thin as it will be runny and not stick to the onion. About 8 oz. of the beer did the trick to get it like this. And believe me, the rest of the beer was not wasted! Season the flour with salt, pepper and Old Bay to your liking. I went with a couple teaspoons of salt, a few tablespoons of pepper, and loads of Old Bay. And now the second star of this show (if you counted me, I guess this would be the third star, but who is keeping track?) the best seasoning ever made. ...A heaping cup of white flour is a start. This is an empty bowl. And in cooking, what do we normally do with an empty bowl? Fill it with things. And what do we fill this empty bowl with?.... Now a quick flip of the switch to the fryer to preheat it at 375. If you don't have a fryer, you can carefully heat oil in a pot on the stove. I really like Spanish onions a lot. They aren't too obnoxious in flavor, and have this little bit of sweetness to them. I found a medium sized one that we used this past week, and cut it into varying sized rings. Here is the first star of today's performance, the beer! (If you thought it was me, I thank you, and I am flattered) I'm going with Victory Prima Pils today. I don't really know why, but I like the layers of flavor it has. You can pretty much use anything you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 ^Those onion rings look really good. I wouldn't touch the fake sour cream, but everything else looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I know whenever we would visit parks on the East Coast Robb would get Boardwalk Fries and COVER them in Old Bay. Not my kind of seasoning, but to each their own! Kudos on using a deep fryer and not burning down your townhouse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisZer0 Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Old bay is good on everything(crab, fish, cool whip)...I like the Utz Crab Chip, which luckly I can find here but pay 4.50 a bag for... Just curious, what type of oil did ya fry in?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 ^^ That is definitely true. When I first had Old Bay, I was a little taken aback. But then, I just started to love it. ^ I love those chips. Being in Pennsylvania, Herrs chips are pretty prominent, so I'm glad I pay cheap price for them. The first time I had the Old Bay chips was when I went to a speech where Jim Herr presented and he brought samples. Honestly, I just used some standard vegetable oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerd.muller Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Even if I´m not such a fan of ready mixed seasonings, there´s one thing I hardly can´t resist: OLD BAY! Too bad you can´t get it in Germany, so every time I give my relatives in Florida a visit I take a big bunch of Old Bay back home. Hey Jay, a tip to you: Try the same thing you did with the onions with raw broccoli or small portobello mushrooms, I think you´ll love it! Gerd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hercules Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Gerd - I thought you might cringe at the thought of pre-mixed seasoning! But I'm glad to hear you are an Old Bay lover too! And thanks for the tip on the broccoli and mushrooms. I love doing the same thing with broccoli already, along with zucchini, but I will definitely have to try the mushrooms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now