Showing posts with label Vegan Planet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegan Planet. Show all posts

Apr 12, 2014

grilled chimichurri tofu with lime-scented couscous + "vegan planet" winner

I love the flavor that grilling imparts on vegetables, tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, lemons - you name it, grilling makes it taste decidedly unique. And while grilling outdoors in not to be missed in the coming months (check out Grills Gone Vegan by Tamasin Noyes for some kick-butt grilling recipes), I love to grill year round.

That is not exactly an impossible feat, being nestled here in the moderate temperatures of San Diego, but even then, I'm more often than not too lazy to light the charcoals and wait for them to get ready. In the instances that that occurs, I'm happy as a lark, but mostly I settle for indoor grilling. Not exactly, the same, but delicious none the less.

There are other reasons to utilize grilling besides the flavor grilled food achieves - less oil. Grilling versus sauteing uses much less oil and fat required for the cooking. If you are cooking with little or no oil, you have a few choices: steaming, broiling, boiling, cooking in paper, baking or ... grilling.

I use a well-seasoned cast-iron grill pan, which as it happens, never leaves the stove top. Call that further proof of my laziness at not putting away dishes, but I just call it practical - I use the thing so often that putting it away would mean an extra preventable step come dinner time.

This recipe, Grilled Tofu and Squash with Easy Chimichurri Sauce and Lime-Scented Couscous, might sound like a mouthful, but is actually quite easy to prepare. The sauce is simple to make, as it utilizes the blades of a food processor, the veg and tofu is just skewered and grilled, the couscous is cooked and then tossed with beans, spinach and pepitas.

The best part is that it is a complete meal - grain, protein, dark leafy greens, seeds and herbs. Another great thing: you can skip the tofu and increase the vegetables since there is protein in the couscous. Gluten free? Use quinoa instead of couscous. Oh, the versatility!

We were completely smitten with this dish! The only trip-up could be that the recipe might not make enough chimichurri sauce if you are as liberal with its application as my husband was. On the bright side, this recipe calls for a fraction of the oil than the typical traditional chimichurri sauce does.





I just KNOW you have been waiting for the winner of Robin Robertson's updated and revised edition of Vegan Planet! Before I get to the winner (of which there is, unfortunately, only one), let me entice the rest of you who can also be winners in your own right if you purchase the book. As a reminder, this cookbook has been hailed  the "vegan bible," "vegan joy of cooking" and the "ultimate vegan cookbook."



It has 50 new recipes and all the information is updated for relevance to today. Here are some pictures I took during testing.

AUTUMN ROASTED VEGETABLES


CRISPY KALE STRIPS


CURRIED LENTILS WITH CARROTS AND PEAS


LEMON RISOTTO WITH PEAS AND SCALLIONS


SMOKY MAPLE KALE AND BEANS

I've strummed you along long enough! The winner of "Vegan Planet," out of 58 entries, is comment number 11 by Papa Dragon. [I feel terrible, but I was not contacted and had to choose another winner :{ ] Please email me at zsu [at] zsusveganpantry [dot] com so I can send this to you as soon as possible. Congratulations! You have until April 14 to contact me before I will have to sadly move on to another winner.

Return for another vegan cookbook giveaway on the very next blog post. I love passing out vegan cookbooks! Use the convenient follow-me buttons on the top right-hand side and don't miss a single opportunity.





I am linking to these recipe parties: The blogs hosting Healthy Vegan Fridays are Suzanne at Hello Veggie, Anna at Herbivore Triathlete, and Kimmy at Rock My Vegan Socks.  




I’ve decided to submit this dish to What I Ate Wednesday hosted by Peas and Crayons.



...and Pickled Okra.


Mar 15, 2014

"vegan planet" cookbook giveaway!

It is way past time to have another cookbook giveaway! This time, I am giving away Robin Robertson's revised edition of Vegan Planet. It's been dubbed the "vegan bible," "vegan joy of cooking" and the "ultimate vegan cookbook."




I tested for this book and I was so excited when Robin asked me to! When we first went vegan, this was the very first book I loved and cooked from. I was quite relieved at the time to know that vegan food does, indeed, taste great.

This new edition has revised older recipes, new information, as well as a bunch of new recipes. Robin has posted 30 of the recipes from the book on her page here. It's a great way to get to try some of the dishes from the book and see what all the excitement is about.

My original copy of Vegan Planet is being held together with rubber bands, so it was quite thrilling when I got my brand new copy of the revised edition.

Some of the amazing recipes I tested were:


CURRIED CAULIFLOWER PAKORAS

PENNE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH KALE PESTO

RED BEAN CAKE WITH CREAMY COCONUT SAUCE


SAFFRON COUSCOUS CAKE WITH SPRING VEGETABLE SAUTE

THREE-FLAVOR PANCIT

ZA'TAR SPICED BEAN PATTIES WITH CURRY SAUCE


On to the business side of this giveaway... leave a comment and like me on facebook or follow on twitter. All the handy follow-me buttons are at the top, right side of the page. Contest ends April 11 and the winner needs to email me by the end of that weekend. US and Canada residents only please.

Also, be sure to let your friends and family know that the great Meatout is March 20th. Eat vegan for one day and help the animals and the planet. Pledge HERE.