Some of our family’s favorites

Awhile back I had a hankering for some tomato soup. Well, in the name of blogging I tried a new recipe from the 125 Best Vegan Recipes cookbook. All though, it wasn't bad I really should have just made everyone in our house all time favorite cream of tomato soup.

That's okay, we all ate our soup and quesadilla then the next night I recycled the left over soup into a pasta bake.. This went over much better! Topped w/ veganrella and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes..

From my last post I did it again, I made the Lunch box roast beef and like I said I should have done the first time, this time I did make two.. One for honey to grill and one so the kids could take some yummy sandwiches to school. Like Ms. Megan said -it is a time investment to make.

So really making two roast is the way to go!

Well, I have sense learned that if I do make this again it will be only for my family. I am MSG/nitrate/ sulfate sensitive and evidently it was the marmite which is yeast extract sent me off to migraine land. I was clearly in denial hoping it wouldn't get me. The first time we ate it I wanted to believe that my migraine was hormonal but, after eating it again it is confirmed.. It was the seitan pot roast.. bummer because it re ally is good. I was trying to come up w/ some sort of replacement for the marmite, does anyone have any suggestions? I might try using the vegan worcesterchire sauce? or just leave it out and see what happens.

Honey giving the grilled seitan roast beef a thumbs up..

Behold the grilled beauty! We served them hamburger style on buns w/ all the fixins.

Again from the Vegan Lunch Box the triple chocolate cupcakes. I made them as only double chocolate- I left out the icing part. That way one, they travel better and two this recipe makes 24 so I could freeze some of them.

I am not much of a baker unless I have too. And well, the kids were invited to a birthday party, so I had too. This recipe intrigued me because there were no egg substitutes required- no soy yogurt, flax seeds, egg-replacer nothing. There is also nothing nutritionally redeeming about them either.

One thing I learned- I should not try and cook all of the cup cakes at the same time. Evidently my oven has hot spots and some of the cupcakes got a bit too toasty. Very good moist vegan chocolaty goodness!

On one of the days Daddy was out of town I made the kids and my favorite alphabet soup..From the Vegetarian family cookbook. Heck after all that seitan I was ready for some veggies! I was out of the little alphabet noodles and replaced them w/ some animal shaped + spiral rice noodles.. all was well.

After readings SaraJanes post about her Vegan "Chicken" and Dumplings I had had another hankering. After the whole tomato soup thing I didn't try hers (which don't get me wrong looks fantastic! I didn't have the soy cream or even plain soy milk). Our family's favorite comes from the well, the cookbook Vegan Family Favorites (ironic?). It is so easy and so good. This time I added some frozen 'chicken' tofu, onion, garlic, corn and instead of veggie broth I used water w/ no chicken flavored cubes. Perfect! The kids have never had real chicken and dumplings so, when Emma asked what we were having for dinner I told her using my exaggerated quote fingers "chicken" and dumplings to which she replied ohhh you mean dumpling soup Yum!Notice the fine silverware setting? Eli and Emma came up w/ a new game to play this weekend. When they set the table they set all six places when we only need four.. See that way we can play sit anywhere you want night. Evidently we should be wild and crazy once in awhile and not just sit in our normal spots ALL the time!

Vegan comfort foods...

Well, Daddy's home for a bit.. Here is one of his favorites .. From The Vegan Family Favorites again w/ the veggies and dumplings. I added seitan and corn.

Veggies and dumplings in the pot
A close up

Eggplant Parmesan

So eggplant was on sale here in our neck of the woods and I wanted to try something new. Here we have Susans (fatfreevegan) Vegan Eggplant "Parmesan". My picture looks nothing like hers though. I even woke up at midnight the night I cooked this going over the recipe in my head wondering what I did wrong. I followed all of the steps and the recipe to a t, but mine turned out mushy. VERY edible mush, though. The only thing I could think is maybe I cut the eggplant too thin. It worked in my favor though, because the kids-who claim not to like eggplant ate it up. Honey suggested adding some no bake lasagna noodle to it and making eggplant lasagna.
Mushy eggplant parma Tater tot biscuit from Cookin Southern vegetarian style
That salad looks kind of out of place there huh? Oh well- I just thought we could all use some roughage (who doesn't). Everybody LOVED the tater tot biscuits. Who would have thought to combined those two things together? I did replace 1 cup all purpose w/ whole wheat pastry flour and they still got fluffy. From the same cook book I made the Cole Miner's "Chicken Fried" Steak and Gravy. The patties are made from chick-peas and quick oats, onions, garlic, tahini, dijon mustard. Coated w/ nutritional yeast flakes, flour and sesame seeds.

Last night we ate yummy enchilada's, blogger is being finicky and not letting me up load a picture right now...

Have a great weekend. And thanks for all your well wishes from my last post.