Thursday, March 19, 2015

A Kick-Ace Day in the Kitchen

Don't you just love it when you spend some time in the kitchen, and you have total success? I love it. It always cheers my mood. I needed some cheering up yesterday, so I found a Joe Rogan podcast, put on my imaginary apron, and got into it. I made two recipes, one I found on the webz, one from Isa Does It, freshly borrowed from the library. The first recipe I made was the Mini Tofu Omelets from Isa Does It. These are amazing! I have never been able to make a beautiful omelet, vegan, or non. Like never. I have watched a gazillion tutorials, tried a thousand techniques, and recipes, and it is always a disaster. Well, these little cuties are perfect, because you make the mix(batter?) and pour it into lightly greased muffin tins, and they cook in the oven, no flipping required! It's always the flip that gets me in trouble. I am not a good flipper of food. The recipe is super quick and easy, I added some scallion to mine, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. I did have to bake mine for about ten min. longer, but I have a rather imperfect oven. These were delicious. They use silken tofu, and also garbanzo flour. I think the garbanzo flour gives these an "eggy" taste that plain tofu omelets lack. If you had black salt in your possession, it would take the egg flavor up a huge notch. These are great to have in the fridge for a quick snack. As Isa mentions in the description, they taste great cold. This will be a weekly thing now.  All the thumbs up.
The next recipe I made is one I've been wanting to make since the holidays! It is the Kick Ace Extra Sharp Raw Vegan Holiday Cheddar Cheese Ball. Remember those cheese balls rolled in pecans, or almonds at holiday parties? I always remember them at everyone's house for Thanksgiving served with the vegetable platter. I remember how savory the cheese was, and I loved the creaminess with the crunch of the nuts. Well, my vegan friends, this kick ace ball is our answer to the very delicious, but very non-vegan holiday ball. It is basically a delicious cheese made with cashews, and also coconut oil, along with various flavorings. It calls for a small amount of sun-dried tomatoes which help give it the famous orange hue. After you've blended everything, it doesn't seem like it will harden up enough, but don't worry, after it's chilled, because of the coconut oil, it hardens up to the perfect texture. I haven't even rolled mine into a ball, I've just been scooping it right out of the pan it chilled in. It definitely has a sharp cheddar taste, and I was thinking next time I may add a few drops of liquid smoke to make a smoked cheddar version. I so recommend this recipe. My mind is blown. I'm convinced coconut oil can help people become vegan. Just like with the Chao slices, this cheese ball has a rich I guess fattiness from the coconut oil that makes it very satisfying. If I had any kind of function, I would make this, and not even label it as vegan. People would most likely be asking about this wonderful cheese, and where did you get it, etc. It is rich, decadent, and full of flavor. I really don't think even the most cynical non-vegan would taste this and think VEGAN! This recipe is a winner, and will be in my rotation for sure.
Good food is good food, and I think sometimes at functions where there are non-vegans, sometimes leaving the vegan out of the description might make more people try it. Tell them after they've tasted it and loved it. It might open their mind in the future.

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