Soy Cheese Quesadilla

I have some very exciting news: I have a real job! I now work for Greenpeace doing frontline canvassing. I am so happy to work for an organization that shares my same morals and ethics. I love the environment and know that if people just understood what is truly going on in the world, they would want to be more accountable. I am happy with job and my semi-adult life so far. And, hopefully soon I will have my own place so I can start cooking more again.

I thought I would post a recipe for a healthy version of a college staple: quesadillas. Of course I don't use real queso, I use Daiya Cheddar Shreds. Using soy cheese alone makes it healthier because it cuts out all the cholesterol. Daiya hands down make the best nondairy cheeses (you can read my review in my Mac and Cheese post), but I don't care what it claims, soy cheese never melt under basic heat like dairy cheese. But, there is a secret to making it melt---steam. 

For some added nutrients (I mean come on, you can't just eat a cheap pile of cheese and tortillas), I always add some greens into my quesadillas.  Any fresh greens will do---kale, spinach, swiss chard, lettuce & etc. I used some left over mixed salad that from dinner a few nights ago so I had a bit of each. I also whole wheat tortillas. They have more fiber, which is always good. 

This makes one quesadillas, but just multiply to make as any as you like.

Soy Cheese Quesadillas 

2 small whole wheat tortillas

1/4 cup of Daiya Cheddar Shreds

Handful of Greens (spinach, kale, chard, lettuce...)

Red pepper flakes, to taste

2-3 tablespoons of water, just enough to barely cover the bottom of the skillet 

Spray a large skillet with some cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.

Place one tortilla down into the pan.

Pile the cheese on top of the tortilla. 

Pile the greens on top of the cheese.

Sprinkle on some red pepper flakes.

Top with the other tortilla. 

Pour in the water. I suggest pouring it rounding the tortillas, not directly on, so they do not get too soggy. Add it slowly and stop once it barely cover the whole bottom.

Next cover the skillet, I used a large plate but a lid works fine too. 

Let it steam until the water is all evaporated. You can peak under the cover if you need to, but I just listen until I hear the tortilla start to sizzle.

Remove the cover, and adjust the heat as needed. Let it brown lightly. 

Flip gently and let the other side brown.

Remove from the pan and cut into desired pieces. 

I topped mine with some salsa and hot sauce. It's easy and pack with protein, vitamins, and fiber. 

Five Layer Dip

*This is repost, since for some unknown reason, the first one got deleted.


I hope you all had a fun Fourth of July!

Once again, so for not posting very often. As I mentioned in my last post, I am moving to California. I am still staying with Michael's parents and looking for a job (got some good leads so far!). Hopefully soon I will have a job and my own place so I get back to posting more. 

Yesterday Michael's parents had a little BBQ so I thought I would make something nice for everyone too: five layer dip. I made this for a party before and it was gone within minutes. What's not to love about layers of spicy beans, creamy guacamole, tangy Tofutti sour cream, fresh salsa and gooey cheese sauce? 


Some of the layers are from recipes I have posted before, so I will spare you the repeat and just post the links. 

Five Layer Dip:

First layer: Spicy Beans
16 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 of a medium onion
1 large bell pepper
1 clove of garlic
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 jalapeño pepper, minced


Drain and rinse the beans. Set aside. 


Chop the onion and peppers into bite-sized pieces. Mince the jalapeño. 

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.


Saute the onions and peppers until slightly golden.






Add the beans, garlics, and red pepper flakes. 












Cook until the beans are heated through. Mash the beans into a paste as it cooks. 








Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and add the jalapeño. 


Remove from heat and set aside to cool.






Second layer: Basic Guacamole 
Third layer: Tofutti Sour Cream


Fourth layer: Fresh Salsa 
2 large tomatoes, diced
1/4 of a medium onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
Handful of cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste


Dice tomatoes and onions, then add to a large bowl.

Mince the garlic and jalapeños and, add to the bowl. 






Add the cilantro and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 


Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 


Fifth layer: Cheese Sauce


Assembly:
I suggest doing this in a large see-through (I know I did it in a pink one, it was the biggest one I could find) bowl or dish so you can see all the contrasting layers.


In the bottom of the large bowl, spread an even layer of the Spicy Beans. 

Second, spread on the Basic Guacamole.

Next, cover with as much sour cream as you like. 

Then, put the salsa on top of the sour cream.

Lastly, pour on the cheese sauce. Garnish with some red pepper flakes and cilantro. 

This was big hit! We munched on this while the grill heated up and it was devoured quickly. 

A Vegan Houseguest

Once again, sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I have been busy so let me update you quickly.

The last week of classes, Michael and I both came down with a horrible case of the flu. It pretty much knocked us out for two weeks. It is was so unfair to be in beautiful sunny Hawaii but be stuck inside in bed dying in front of the air conditioner. And, not to mention this happened during finals week, last term of senior year. Luckily all of our professors understood and let us take our finals later. And, we passed them all! The next week both of our parents came for graduation. It's not fun to meet your boyfriend's parents for the first time when your sinuses feel like they are going to explode.

The commencement ceremony was very lovely, but very long. We were the largest class to graduate from UHH so far. After graduation I went with my family to Kona and had a very fun family vacation. Michael's parents left a few days before mine so he joined us for a few days too. Afterwards we drove back to Hilo and packed up our apartments. Michael went back to California and I went back to Oregon. But, after being home for a week, I decided to come visit Michael. I've been here for a couple weeks now, and I am working on getting a job and moving here. Very exciting!

Aren't we cute?

Anyways, I promise this post actually has something to do with veganism.

I have been staying at Michael's parent's house, and they have been very gracious hosts. A couple people have asked me if it is hard staying at peoples' houses when you have a different diet, so I thought I would share some advice.

First and foremost, always remember you are a guest and should always act as such. These people were kind enough to open their home to you, which means you treat them with the upmost respect at all times. You can inform them about your lifestyle, but do not be preach or lecture.


Second, do not be rude if they do not understand or get something wrong. Since they are letting you stay, I assume that means they like you and will try to be as accommodating as possible. Usually a simple explanation is all you will need. And, if they accidentally put meat or cheese on something, politely decline it, say you can go get yourself something later, and just enjoy their company at the table. No big deal.  Or, better yet offer to make them dinner one night!

Do not be an angry vegan!

Lastly, you sadly might just have to let somethings go. A good example of this is when I had dinner at a friends house awhile ago. She bought me Tofurky brats, vegan buns, and even made mac salad with Vegenaise--- all of which I was very grateful for. But, she accidentally used the same utensil to rotate my brats that she used on the meat ones. It bothered me, but it would have been very rude to tell her I can't eat it after she went all the trouble of making me a nice meal. You just smile, maybe later on mention it if you can, and just let it go. No one will like you if you are that crazy vegan who lectures everyone.

French Onion Soup

I have no idea why, but last week I was sitting in the couch watching TV and all the sudden wanted french onion soup. I have made Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats before and loved it. I didn't feel like looking up his recipe so I did it off the top of my head. The real recipe calls for butter, beef broth, and wine. I don't eat butter or beef broth, so I used vegan margarine, vegetable broth. I also used beer  because I did not feel like buying a bottle of wine and my boyfriend has plenty of beer in the fridge. The beer did give a different flavor, a little bit more yeasty/salty, but I liked it. Michael did not complain either.

Onions are amazing. They can help clean out your digestive system, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Some research even suggests they have cancer fighting abilities. Ever why onions make you cry? Wouldn't you try to blind your enemy if they were trying to cut you open and eat you!

This makes 2-3 servings.

French Onion Soup
2 large white onions, cut into thin half slices
3 tbs of vegan margarine
Pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer (I used Long Board)
1 can of vegetable broth
3 cup of water
Salt and Pepper to better









Cut onions in half, then into thin slices. Mince the garlic.

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the onions and a pinch of salt.

Stir everything together well and spread into a even layer on the bottom of the pan. Let it sauté for a few minutes, stir and spread out evenly again. Repeat until all the onions are brown and caramelized. This could take awhile, be patient and don't crank up the heat.

Add the garlic and sauté for a minute or two.

Add the beer and scrap up all stuff from the bottom of the pot.

Add the broth and water, and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cover. Let it cook for 30 minutes.

You can get all fancy and put in little ramekins and cover them with a cheese-covered crouton and bake in them in the oven. Or, do what I did and put a little cheese on top and serve them with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Huli Huli "Chicken"

Out past Pahoa is one of my favorite spots on the Big Island, the Ahalanui warm spring. It's a natural geothermal pool that has been retained by a cement foundation and is refreshed with ocean waves. I love going there early before all the people arrive and swim a few laps in the nice warm water---just be warned there are little fish that will pester you every time you stop.

On the drive to the warm spring, I'd always past this sign for homemade huli huli chicken, and always wondered what it was. One time I finally Googled it and learned it essentially Hawaiian barbecue chicken.  Huli means turn in Hawaiian and it's called "turn turn" chicken because it is traditionally cooked on a spit so it would turn and turn as it cooked over a fire.

But, I am vegan there is no real chicken and I am broke college kid so no spit fire roasting. Instead, I used seitan strips and cooked it in a skillet over a stove. I have made this several times before and finally decided to post the recipe.

This makes 2 servings.

Huli Huli "Chicken"
2 servings of vegan chicken (any form is fine, I used strips)
1/4 cup ketchup
4 tbs soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the fake chicken.

Now at the chicken and it it marinade for at least a half an hour.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the marinaded fake chicken and the sauce. Cook until the fake meat is heated and the sauce has thickened.








I served mine with cole slaw and rice. Tangy, sweet, and totally worth trying. I think Hawaiian barbecue is my favorite style.

Roti and Cilantro Chutney

Here are the other two dishes from my awesome Indian dinner. Like I said in my last post, I had never heard of roti before. I have always had nice fluffy naan bread at Indian restaurants. But Michael said his family eats roti, which is more like a soft tortilla, so I thought I would try making them. I looked up some recipes and watched a few videos, and thought I would give it a try. I knew they were not going to come out perfect because I do not have a rolling pin and I used all purpose flour, not wheat flour like the recipes  call for. Also, since I had never had them before and do not know that much about Indian cooking, I had no frame of reference. But, being a good girlfriend, I went ahead anyways.  Michael said mine tasted right, but were too crunchy. I will try making them again, following the same recipe but actually following the method more correctly.

However, my cilantro chutney was amazing and Michael had no complaints. The aloo mattar was good on it's own, but was fantastic with this chutney.

Roti
1/2 Cup Whole wheat flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon of Oil
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon vegan butter 










In a small bowl, mix together the flour, water, and salt into a soft dough. 


Add the oil and knead together until it is no longer sticky. 


Transfer the dough to flat surface and divide into 4 round balls. 


Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with some oil. 


Roll the balls into 1/8 thick rounds. 


Ok, so I had a hard time with the following steps....


Place the rounds into the skillet and cook for a few seconds until the edges begin to curl up and bubbles begin to appear on the top. 


Flip it over until the bubble appear on this side as well. 


Flip over again and begin to press down and rotate the roti. Repeat all the way around until it puffs up and becomes golden in a few spots. 


Remove from the skillet and brush with some vegan butter. 


Repeat with the remaining rounds. 



Cilantro Chutney
1 large bunch of cilantro
1 garlic clove
2 serrano peppers, chopped
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1 tbs of salt
1 tsp garam masala 
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp of asafetida
Water, if needed


Put everything into the blender and blend until smooth.  


I was very satisfied in with this whole dinner, and can't wait to try making more Indian food...and hopefully not "white people Indian food" as Michael called it. Hope you like it too!

Aloo Mattar

Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I've just been lazy. But I am going to make up for it with a totally awesome meal. The other day I couldn't decide what I want to make for dinner, so I asked my boyfriend. He usually says "I don't know", but this time he actually had a request! He wanted this gravy peas and potato dish his mom used to make. After some research on the internet, I found what he was talking about. This recipe is based on the one from Manjula's Kitchen called Aloo Mattar (Potatoes and Green Peas). And, he's family eats roti, which I'd never heard of before. I am used to naan bread, but I thought I would try making it. And, since I had cilantro in the fridge, I decided to make a chutney too. I will post the other two recipes later, but here is the aloo mattar for now. 


A few of the spices might take a bit of work to find, but if I can find them on the Big Island, I am sure you can too. 

Aloo Mattar

3 medium boiled potatoes

2 tablespoons oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3/4 cup frozen green peas

1 minced green chili, minced

1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon asafetida
2 tablespoons coriander 
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika 
2 teaspoon garam masala
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro 

Peal and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.  

Add them to a pot of cold water and bring to boil on the stove. Cook until soft. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add the onions and cook until translucent. 

Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant. 

Add the frozen peas and cook until warmed. 

Add the potatoes. 

Add the minced green chili, cumin, asafetida, coriander, turmeric, paprika, turmeric, and gram masala.  Mix together well and cook until for about 10 minutes, covered, and stirring occasionally. 

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with some cilantro. 

It is good on it's own, but it is amazing with the cilantro chutney, which I will post tomorrow. Michael's only complaint was it is more like "white people Indian food"....my answer was "well, a white girl made it!" hahahaha.  I really suggest this dish, it's easy and so freaking good.