Seitan Stir-Fry

My favorite vegan restaurant, Blackbird Pizzeria in Philly, makes their own take-home seitan now! I was so excited to get a package of the rosemary garlic one, and I made an easy and delicious stir fry with it. You can put it on a roll, eat it over rice, or just eat it by itself. This recipe is about two servings.

Picnicking in Baltimore City

This summer, Roland Park Place in Baltimore challenged me with the question: If you were to have a great vegetarian picnic in Baltimore city, what would you prepare and where would you go?

Peanut Butter Blondies

I attend a wicked fun monthly event in my city called Brews & Board Games. Last month, the host wanted to raise money for the Baltimore Child Abuse Center through a raffle, silent auction, and bake sale. I made these rich peanut butter blondies for the occasion. This recipe makes 9-12 bars and is adapted from a recipe by Gal on a Mission. Oh, and if you make this recipe and like it, consider donating a few bucks to the Baltimore Child Abuse Center!

The Green Monstah Sandwich

The next person that I hear tell me that vegetarians can't eat sandwiches, well...I'm going to take them out for a nice lunch. That'll show 'em. I found this recipe on The Bojon Gourmet, and made a few tweaks, including changing the name. This recipe makes one sandwich, and I hope you enjoy!

Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
Cook Time: none

Ingredients
Two (2) slices of your favorite bread -- I used a hearty multigrain bread.
One (1) tablespoon of Goddess dressing -- I used Annie's brand; many Green Goddess dressings call for anchovies, but this brand's style is vegan!
1/2 cup of greens -- I used spinach and romaine lettuce.
Small handful of pea shoots -- you can also use another type of sprout.
1/2 avocado, sliced
5 - 6 slices of fresh cucumber
Optional: Three slices of fresh mozzarella -- I omitted this to make it vegan, but it was one of the items in the original recipe that I will absolutely consider adding next time.

Directions
Spread the Goddess dressing on both sides of the bread.
Assemble additional ingredients as you would any sandwich (I don't really feel like I need to write directions for this part).
Devour.

"Bacon" Fried Rice

My partner's all-time favorite meal is a childhood memory of bacon fried rice, and since I like a challenge - or am a masochist, who can really tell? - I decided to make a vegetarian version of it. It was definitely an involved meal, but it also yielded a large amount (4-5 heaping servings) and was delicious. I used recipes from SimpleVeganBlog and Pinch of Yum to guide me.

Sweet and Spicy Mushroom Dumplings

Can we talk about the magic that are dumplings? They are like little savory pillows of happiness. I think a lot of people get intimidated when thinking about making dumplings or mandu (Korean-style dumplings), but once you get an assembly line going, you'll be ready. Not to mention, there are great dumpling wrappers that you can buy to cut down on making your own. This recipe makes about 45 dumplings and is adapted from The Woks of Life (love that blog name!). I split the 45 dumplings into steamed and fried, and I'll show you how to make both.

Zucchini Bread

This is such a simple savory bread and is always a total hit. It's perfect for a potluck, a side dish, or a Sunday morning breakfast. This recipe makes one loaf and is adapted from The Kitchn.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

In September, I rescued a dog. For the holidays, I decided to make her (& some of her dog friends) homemade treats. They're so much healthier for the dog because you can choose exactly what to put in them. This recipe is a huge one and makes quite a bit of treats, so be sure to share and eat within the week, or freeze for future use (up to 3 months). This recipe is adapted from Kevin & Amanda (be sure to click through because they have the cutest photos of their pups posted!).

Chickpea loves homemade treats