Dinner: Sunchoke (Jersualem artichoke) and Salsify Soup with Vegan Samosas

Samosas were store-bought but the soup was Jay's creation, and he shared his deliciously simple recipe...

2 cups sunchoke

5 stocks salsify (we used both white and black)
2 large shallots
2 large toes of garlic
3lt water
salt
pepper
1oz Earth Balance (Vegan Butter)

Method:
- peel and slice the sunchokes and salsify, put in water so it doesn’t oxidize
- wash the sunchokes and salsify very well (sometimes they can be really gritty with dirt)
- once clean, put in pot, add water
- clean the skins off the shallots and the garlic, slice them a bit and add both ton the pot
- season with some salt and pepper (use your taste)
- let it all cook for 30 min
- turn the heat off and let sit for 10-15 min
- add the Earth Balance and puree it all together in a blender or using a wand
- taste, add more salt and pepper if needed
- Enjoy

it was beautifully white... I topped mine with some hot sauce, because I can't get enough of it...

 samosas were delicious as well...

 look at all the tasty goodness inside...

yum, yum, yum....

Chocolate Salami

purchased from Soma Chocolatemaker in December... a limited edition item made for the holidays... It is not vegan, so I didn't have any, but I did appreciate the workmanship, and the soft "mmmmmm" sounds of enjoyment from those who did....

first drink from our new juicer

one of our awesome wedding gifts (we got married in November) was this great juicer... it was a bit of a waiting game before we received it... we contemplated on the first thing we should juice... we decided to should be a homemade Cesar :)

 veggies ready to go... celery, red peppers, and tomatoes

 I was happy juicing

 we pulled out the good stuff for our drinks...

 Jay was in charge or rimming... it was his first time...

 mmmmm delicious...

Happy New Year!!!

2012 was welcomed quietly and in a non-alcoholic way this time around. My little sister and her man dropped by with a bottle of bubbly sans the headache the next day :) It was delicious and fun... we passed the time until midnight with dinner at Fresh (between 8 and 9pm all food was 50% off), then some Wii...

at 5 minutes to we unscrewed (that's right unscrewed not popped) a bottle of apple-pomegranate cider...

 I served it in some pretty champagne glasses tough (and that cork on the side is from a bottle of champagne we had earlier.... it was also pink)

all the best to everyone!

Our Fourth Annual Holiday Get Together

The evening started out with some cheese and toasts... some cheese was stinky, I didn't care for it, but the rest of the crowd sure did :)

 this year I whipped out the welcome cocktail... a cranberry-orange gold flecked martini...

 eventually we sat down to dinner, almost everyone had a lobster trio to start. From left to right, lobster and avocado tacos, lobster mac and cheese,and lobster croquettes with sun-dried tomato sauce and deep fried capers... fried capers are deliciously salty :)

 I had avocado and tomato tacos on greens with a sprinkle of fried capers...

 for main 6 mushroom and truffle stuffed chicken breasts on a puree of Jerusalem artichoke, roasted salsify and asparagus... with a drizzle of red wine port reduction...

 1 halibut with sun-dried tomato paste and the same veggies as above

 for moi veggies as above, soy marinated oven roasted sweet potato, and miso-chili marinated tofu cube

 then a finale of sticky toffee pudding with an injection of bourbon for those who wished it, whipped cream, and a brûléed fig...

 for moi a few more brûléed figs on top of a almond-poppy seed paste that my mom made for Christmas dinner...

as always food was outstanding, as was the company... Jay is already contemplating dinner for next year :)

lazy holiday dinner

We had some family time, but we also had just us time. A super lazy day spent in pj's :) For dinner a bottle of bubbly and take out from Cafe 668

 some steamed brown rice

 pan fried veggie dumplings with red wine dipping sauce...

 Rice paper stuffed with lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumbers, green chives, peanuts, and vermicelli noodles, spiked with spicy and sweet sauce.

 Vegetarian Pho - rice noodle soup cooked vegetarian style. It came in two parts: a container of stuff for the soup...

 and the broth itself...

 

Spicy fried coconut tofu...

 and Hot n’ Sour Vermicelli  soup...

yum it was delish... all vegan... plenty of leftovers for the next day :)

Happy Holidays!!!

The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

Jay made these for me one day... and I think they are the most delicious cookies ever... Jay was generous enough to share the recipe :)

Home-style Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 cup unrefined sugar
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1⁄4 tsp black strap molasses
1 - 1 1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup organic canola oil (a little generous 1/4 cup)
1⁄3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- In a bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the sugar and salt, and stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with the molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well combined.
- Add the wet mixture to the dry, along with the chocolate chips, and stir through until just combined (do not over mix).
- Place large spoonfuls or 2oz ice cream scoop of the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten a little.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until just golden (if you bake for much longer, they will dry out).
- Let cool on the sheet for no more than 1 minute (again, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Makes 12 2oz  cookies.

pizza for dinner

We like to make our own.

List of ingredients used:
- dough (store bought)
- sun dried tomato pesto (Jay's own)
- thinly sliced Japanese eggplant
- small thinly sliced potatoes
- roasted tomatoes (store bought)
- shredded oyster mushrooms
- cooked green asparagus (store bought)
- sliced white onion
- salt and pepper
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Once the pizza was baked we topped it with some fresh dill... one of my all time fave herbs... it was delicious while hot for dinner... and even better cold next day for lunch :)

soup for dinner

I craved it he made it. It was so filling and delicious...

What he used to make it... 
1 red onion (diced)
4 celery stalk (4 diced)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
piece of fresh ginger (minced)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 red chillie pepper (sliced)
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corrianced
vegetable oil to sautee all of the above
2 cups of red lentils
1 med sweet potato
2 youkon gold potatoes
1.5 lt vegetable stock
salt and pepper
before serving stir in 1/2 bunch of fresh chopped cilantro

Served with some soft, chewy baguette... so filling

I topped mine with Sriracha