Bookmarked Recipe: Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi [Vegan Kitty Patrol (VKP)]

Hi everyone! Today I made a recipe I’d bookmarked back in Vegan MoFo 2013, the sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi from Vegan Kitty Patrol (VKP). It definitely took some patience and focus and determination – the sticky dough was my biggest hurdle, even with extra flour on hand – but it all worked out for some delicious pierogi! (After boiling them, I didn’t want to press my luck, so I skipped the pan-frying step; I was nervous they might fall apart, haha!) I had some with leftover caramelized leek & onion miso soup, which was a delicious combination!

Daisy tries to take a selfie…

And then decides to let me go back to being her photographer… 

Peace. :)

Bookmarked Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff (Alien on Toast)

Hi everyone! Today I made the mushroom stroganoff from Alien on Toast (Vegan MoFo 2015). It was good, and though I still prefer having mushroom stroganoff with pasta, it was fun trying it over rice! 

Here’s Leela curling up on the bed… 

Peace. :)

Brown Rice With Lentils, Mushrooms, and Spinach Stir Fry (AfroVeganChick)

Hi everyone! The new recipe I tried this week comes from AfroVeganChick – Brown Rice With Lentils, Mushrooms, and Spinach Stir Fry – and it was amazing! (I used frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh, and left out the coriander.) I know I will make this again sometime soon; the leftovers were perfect, so much so that I was disappointed when I’d finally finished them off! Definitely give this recipe a try! 

The kitties wish you all a “Happy Caturday!” 

Leela

Daisy

Cringer

Peace. :)

Mushroom Gravy

Hi everyone! This week I made mushroom gravy; here’s my recipe... 

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup water
½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Directions:
Saute the mushrooms with the canola oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the mushrooms have softened, add the flour, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then add ¼ cup water, stir, then add the final ¼ cup water. Continue stirring, add the liquid smoke, and then blend the gravy. Makes 1 cup gravy. 

Served over mashed potatoes.

Here are Cringer and Daisy enjoying a restful moment on the packing paper they’ve been playing with recently... 

And Leela, who posed for her picture this morning... 

Peace. :)

Buttons is Home, then a Veggie Wrap

Hi everyone! We picked up Buttons last night; her procedure went well yesterday, but we won't get the results for a few days. She looks a bit tough, silly, and cute all at once since she's sporting so many shaved patches (two on each side, one on each front leg, and on her belly) from her recent ordeals at the vet. I'm just so relieved to have her home now, and she seems to be settling in well. The spot she liked the best last night was a cardboard box with her favorite purple blanket in it... 

Zach slept in the room with her last night, and I've been hanging out with her today. So far, she's been enjoying the sunshine...

...sleeping some more in her box nest...

...getting out her frustrations on a new scratching board...

...and lounging with me on the floor...

I took a quick break from hanging out with Buttons to make my lunch for today's Vegan MoFo prompt ("Catering"). The last wedding Zach & I went to was great at making sure the vegans in attendance were taken care of. There was a whole table arranged with a variety of vegan food, all labeled with their ingredients. In addition to salad and other appetizers, there were three different types of wraps; I had two. One had seitan and was really good, but I forget the other ingredients, haha. Maybe avocado? I'm not sure. The other I remember having roasted red peppers and mushrooms, so I decided to recreate that simple but tasty wrap by doing a quick saute of some shiitake mushrooms and red pepper slices. Combine with lettuce in a flour tortilla, wrap it up, and enjoy for a nice, light lunch. 

Here's my Inktober sketch...

And with how much I've been talking about Buttons, here's a pic of Cringer; she doesn't want anyone to forget how cute and dramatic she can be...

Peace. :)

Creamy Mushroom Pasta (My cat loves Daiya!)

Hi everyone! When I saw the creamy mushroom pasta on My cat loves Daiya!, I knew I’d have to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did. This recipe is absolutely perfect – I finished up the last of the leftovers for my lunch today, and I already want to make it again! Just need to get more mushrooms first!

Here’s Daisy being a cutie in the sunshine...

Peace. :)

April MiniMoFo: Asparagus, Mushroom, & Parsnip Stir-Fry

Hi everyone! April’s MiniMoFo theme is “in season,” so I picked three (asparagus, mushrooms, & parsnips) from the Seasonal Food Guide for PA in late April. I used the asparagus nut stir-fry recipe, replacing the peppers and walnuts with parsnips and mushrooms, and serving it atop farfalle pasta. This was my first time having parsnips, but I wasn’t really a fan. (I steamed them for a bit, then added them to the stir-fry to cook further.) All in all, though, it was fun to try something new (and seasonal), and the rest of the dish was pretty good!

Here are Buttons and Cringer sharing the couch...

Peace. :)

Mushroom Gravy

This week I tried out yet another recipe from Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food. The mushroom gravy recipe made enough for four servings, so I tested it out in four different dishes. It was simple to prepare, and I minced the mushrooms small enough that I didn't feel the need to do the optional blending at the end, though I may try that next time, just to see what it is like as a smoother gravy. (The changes I made from the original recipe were that I only used 1/4 teaspoon pepper and and 3/4 cup vegetable stock.)

The first way I tried the gravy was with mashed potatoes (this was probably my favorite).

I also tried it mixed in with brown rice because the author mentioned that combination in the recipe introduction. It was pretty good, but I think I prefer gravy with potatoes. 

The third way I tried the mushroom gravy was with some Old Bay spice mix fries; yum!

And finally, today, I had the last of the gravy in a Boca chik'n sandwich, with fries on the side, another delicious meal! 

So, bottom line, the mushroom gravy is definitely one that I will make again, as it is very delicious and versatile.

Buttons and Leela, while soaking up the sunshine yesterday, kept getting closer and closer, until Buttons finally stretched and bumped her head against Leela's tail. It was quite cute!

Peace. :)

Mushrooms with Orange Sauce

This week's new recipe was a spin-off of the veganized orange chik'n I made earlier this year. 

The main change was that I substituted mushrooms for the tofu. I also used less sugar this time around (only ¼ cup). 

I sautéed the mushrooms in canola oil at the beginning, with the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes, then added the rest of the ingredients for the orange sauce. 

It turned out alright, though the mushroom texture was definitely different compared to that of the tofu, and overall, I do prefer the recipe with tofu (making it this way just meant I didn't need to use the oven). 

I decided to have some of the leftovers with pasta, which was good, though I still felt a bit weird about the mushrooms' texture. Ah well, it was worth a try. 

Here's Leela & Buttons, enjoying the sunshine as always. 

Peace. :)