The Food Duo

Fine & Raw and Pretty Darn Good!

2012-01-10T12:45:00.001-05:00

Artisan chocolate straight out of Brooklyn!

When the Food Duo found out that Chelsea Market was going host 30 pop-up shops for the holidays, we upgraded a weekend shopping outing from maybe to must. With Mama Mac in tow, we headed down to the Meatpacking District (could you think of a worse name?) to sniff around and see what’s what. While navigating the crowded collection of cool, we spotted a table for a Brooklyn-based chocolatier called Fine & Raw. The table was loaded with samples, bonbons and bars of raw chocolate ensconced in snappy, fun packaging that have a handcrafted look.

According to their mission statement, Fine & Raw's goal is to “save the world through silliness and chocolate! We craft artisan confections using conscious ingredients and innovative low heat techniques to keep the chocolate's raw vitality and flavor.” That sold us… as well as the samples we gobbled up! With Mac in total bliss, we ended up buying the sea salt bar and mesquite bar.

The sea salt bar has a wonderful dark chocolate character with just a hint of saltiness to keep it honest. The mesquite was a tad sweeter with a sneaky, last minute bite. Because Fine & Raw uses high quality ingredients to make their yummy products, their their treats may be considered a little pricey (a bonbon is about $7.00, while a bar is about $8.50). However, the taste, flavor and handcrafted nature are totally worth it. Now, go get you some!

To find out more about Fine & Raw and to experience some chocolate greatness, visit www.fineandraw.com

Kur Delights "Delight" The Food Duo

2012-01-09T19:00:00.000-05:00

Nom nom nom...goodness!

One of the things we love most about going to vegan/vegetarian events is discovering products that we’re unfamiliar with. While taking in the vibrant atmosphere of the Green Holiday Festival in NYC in December, we came across a table for a product called Kur Organic Superfoods. Kur, which in Danish means “to restore to the natural or proper condition,“ is a Copenhagen-based company that sells organic, gluten-free vegan chocolate snacks that are healthier than many.

Since the Food Duo are not folks who shy away from accepting swag, we took samples of all three flavors (Brownie, Coconut Cream and Dark Chocolate Mint) and plopped into our goody bag with the enthusiasm of treat-or-treaters! We found Kur products to be tasty, moist and not overly sweet. I really liked Coconut Cream for it was a nice balance between the chocolate and coconut flavor in a little bite. Mac, the chocolate fiend, enjoyed all 3 and in a rare moment didn't feel guilty about indulging in them. However, if she had to pick one, it would be the Dark Chocolate Mint, as she loves that flavor combo.

Bottom line: We'd totally recommend them as an addition to your snack drawer...or closet.

To learn more and to buy Kur Delights and Kur Organic Superfoods, visit http://www.kurfood.com/

Ribollita Slow Cooker Whip Up

2012-01-07T18:44:00.000-05:00

I’ve always been a big fan of soup. My fondness for those tasty bowls of liquid goodness is a byproduct of growing up in a family that made outstanding homemade soups, year round. That’s right, no family members would have been caught dead serving canned soup. So, I guess you could say I was culinary spoiled as a child!

Although I tend to eat it year round, there’s nothing quite like a hot bowl of savory to warm your bones during the winter. Soup may very well be the most versatile food that a vegan can cook. There are endless recipes and lots of wiggle room to experiment. Besides, most soups are cheap, easy, fun to make, and hard to screw up.

Crock pots can be your BFF if you’re busy or afraid of overcooking your soup. As it turns out, Mac used our crock pot to make her very own yummy Ribollita soup that we finished in two days! She was inspired by a great Ribollita we had, thanks to The Regal Vegan. If you're not familiar with Ribollita, it's an Italian soup similar to a tomato Florentine, but heartier with a little bite. Mac is not a huge fan of soups, but lately she’s been more willing to make a try at different types. I hope she continues her soup curiosity, because this one was a home run!

Slow Macachoke Ribollita
Source: Macaroon in a Soupy Mood
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 28oz can of peeled whole tomatoes
1lb fresh kale, cleaned and chopped
1 15oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
6 c. vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. vegan Parmesan cheese. We recommend Parma's "Garlicky Green Parma!" cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
6-8 slices of hearty country bread or 1/2 French baguette, cubed

Directions:

Place canned tomatoes into slow cooker bowl. Using a spoon, break up the tomatoes a bit
Add remaining ingredients and give a few stirs to toss together
Set slow cooker on High. Cook for 4-5 hours
When ready, place bread cubes in bowl. Ladle soup over bread and serve

Our Holiday Wrap Up

2012-01-06T08:23:00.002-05:00

The holidays have come and gone. Below are just a few holiday foodie and deco photos we took:

We're cheesy! We like to gift wrap our front door!

Tru-Sweet candy canes flank the tree with our cat-themed ornaments

Chocolate-chip cookies I baked - Veganizing a Dorie Greenspan recipe!

Homemade vegan struffoli all wrapped up

Veganized sugar cookies - Frosting from Made Just Right!

I whipped up a Frozen Cookie Nog Shake. I need to write up the recipe.

Topped with cookie pieces - YUM!

Side dishes made by Mama & Bro-in-Law Artichoke

Gifts abound under the tree

Vegan Struffoli, The Food Duo Holiday Way

2012-01-05T23:06:00.000-05:00

Growing up only half-Italian, I missed out on some traditions. However, one thing I never missed out on was the pastries. Oddly enough, I didn't know the Italian names for them until I went to Italy many moons ago. Now, being married to Mr. Sicilian Artichoke, I actually learned more about them and started making them myself.

One of my favorites has been "Honey Balls" or "Struffoli." Every Christmas and Easter, my mom and I would see piles of little round nuggets of fried dough sold in pretty wrapped trays. I always wanted to get them. However, we'd never would. Mom was more into getting cannolis and a pound of Italian assorted cookies.

When I met Artie, I finally got to try Struffoli at Christmas time years back and fell in love! The sweetness of the honey went well with the light citrus flavor in the dough. Having a bit of a crunch from the dough and candy sprinkles made for a lovely texture.

Celebrating out first vegan Christmas, I had to learn to make my own version of this delicious treat. After trying out a few different recipes, I pulled together some ideas, hit up the liquor stash (not too hard) and went to town. After having Artie play guinea pig and helping me with the deep fryer, he gave his seal of approval.

Now, I feel like a full Italian...well almost!

The Food Duo's Vegan Struffoli
Source: Artie's Sicilian Traditions
Serves qs many who can devour a tray

Ingredients:

2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. egg replacer
3/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. brandy or cognac
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange, divided
Oil or shortening for frying
1 c. vegan honey or agave nectar
Vegan sprinkles or powdered sugar for decoration

Directions:

Set stand mixer with dough hook. Add flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to bowl and mix on low.
In a small bowl, mix egg replacer into water untit well blended. Pour mixture into dry ingredients
One at a time, add oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, brandy, orange zest and 1/2 of orange juice into dough mixture. Increase speed to medium to allow all ingredients to combine and dough to form. Dough may be slightly sticky.
When dough is ready, remove from bowl and place on a floured surface. Flour hands and knead dough for a minute or 2. Begin pinching off pieces of the dough and rolling into balls about 1/2-in thick
Heat oil or shortening in fryer or saucepan for deep frying. When hot, add balls and fry until golden brown.

Note: Depending on your fryer, the first batch may take while to cook while subsequent ones will cook quickly. Strongly advise to use the first batch as a test with about 5 pieces of dough
When done, drain fried dough on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Then place on tray or plate.
In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 c. orange juice with 1 c. honey/agave nectar. Stir until honey is loose and is mixed well with orange juice. Pour over fried dough and give a quick toss to evenly coat.
Top with sprinkles or powdered sugar.

Lemon Chick'n Scallopperoni - Thanks Gardein!

2012-01-04T11:30:00.001-05:00

If you've never tried Gardein goodness, you, my friend, are missing out! I'd like to think that Artie and I are Gardeinnoiseurs, having made so many dishes with their products ranging from their Crispy Chickn Tenders to their Stuffed Turk'y in a variety of ways from pasta dishes to salads. Nothing has disappointed. So, weren't we happy kiddos when Gardein contacted us to ask if we would be willing to come up with some recipes for their products (Thanks Kristen!).

If you know us, you know we're not simple. We definitely go to task to create a recipe that we would be sure to use ourselves over and over again. We like to play with our food and put together some unique combos. We also like to make full use of what we have in our fridge and cabinets. With that said, the opportunity to develop a recipe for Gardein is awesome.

One of our favorite products by Gardein is the Chick'n Scallopini. They are perfect for any dish replacing chicken breasts. With 4 fillets per pack, you easily have a meal for the entire family. Taking a pack of the scallopini, I decided to make a "chicken" dish inspired by pasta carbonara meets chicken scallopini. Using vegan pepperoni, onions, peppers and some lemon, I tried to put together something that had a bit of a kick yet was mild on the palate (Here, I go, trying to be fancy). The end result turned into what Artie and I now have called "Lemon Chick'n Scallopperoni" served over rice with a side of steamed asparagus.

Lemon Chick'n Scallopperoni

Source: Mac Acting Like an Executive Chef

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp.
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 medium bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
1 pkg Gardein Chick'n Scallopini
8-10 slices of vegan pepperoni, finely chopped
Juice of one lemon, divided
1 Tbsp. vegan butter/margarine
1/2 c. soy creamer
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon slices for garnish, optional

Directions:

In a small saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. of oil. When hot, add onions and saute until onions begin to sweat, then add pepper slices. Lower heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until pepper slices are tender. Set aside when done
While onions and peppers are cooking, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a separate large saucepan. When hot, add garlic and saute until browned
Add chick'n to pan, squeeze in half of the lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes. Turn over and a cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from saucepan
Add chopped pepperoni, vegan butter, soy creamer, remaining lemon juice, salt and pepper to pan, and stir well until well combined, bringing to quick boil. Lower heat and return chick'n back to pan and cook for about 3-5 minutes
On top of rice or pasta, add peppers and onions, then top with the chick'n. Drizzle leftover cream sauce. Garnish with lemon slices

The Evriholder Microwave Chip Crisper, aka the Best $5.99 Ever Spent

2012-01-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

Potatoes, papas, pommes de terre, spuds or taters. Whatever you call them, we just love them! Potatoes come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. You can fry them, mash them, put them in a hash or pancake. One of the best way to enjoy them is simply in a chip.

While watching a kitchen show on a home shopping channel, I was impressed with a crisper sheet that you put in the microwave. However, the nearly $30.00 price tag was not attractive enough to make the call or click to buy. Since Mac had a Groupon for her favorite kitchen store, Chef Central in Hartsdale, which needed to be redeemed, we made a trip to see if we could find something similar to what was on TV.

After getting some friendly advice from a store associate, we were pointed to the Evriholder Microwave Chip Crisper. He said that the crisper worked better than many of the expensive ones on the market. Chips would be ready in 5-6 minutes. Plus, there was no oil needed.

With a price tag of a mere $5.99, Mac was reluctant, thinking it would be of "infomercial" quality, being a 4-piece set of hard plastic with a mandolin-like blade as part of the orange lid. However, I was daring and trusted Mr. Store Associate. Boy, was he right! Plain ole slices of Russett potatoes turned into perfectly cooked chips that were light and didn't need any seasoning at all.

Since our first round with the crisper, we began playing with actual seasoning, like garlic salt and cayenne. Both were great. Soon, we are going to try this out with sweet potatoes and even apples. I think you can this crisper for even more than like. What about turnip chips, banana chips, etc. etc. The possibilities are endless.

Seriously, this was the best $5.99 we spent in 2011!

The Food Duo's Vegan Moments of 2011

2012-01-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

Yeah yeah yeah! We haven't posted in a while and we're already on the 3rd day of 2012. But we'd like to take this moment to review our greatest hits over the last year. So let's get the countdown started!

10. Attending cool events like Cupcakefest, Green Holiday Festival 2011 and Vegan Shop Up
9. Momma Macaroon savoring her first ever veggie burger - a Skyscraper from BDJ - GO MOM!
8. Adopting Victoria via the "Adopt-a-Turkey Project" from Farm Sanctuary to celebrate our first vegan Thanksgiving/Thanksliving
7. Visiting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary with Ava Avocado
6. Countless introductions to doughnuts, cupcakes, cookies, chocolate and ice cream! All vegan! Oh my!
5. Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks!
4. The VITAMIX!
3. Meeting awesome fellow vegans online and offline. It's great to be a part of this community!
2. The newest member of our family, Mozzer the Duke of Periwinkle!

..and the #1 Vegan Moment of 2011 goes to...(drum roll please)

Upgrading from vegetarian to VEGAN on 1/2/11!

Happy Holidaze!

2011-12-27T17:01:00.000-05:00

MerryChristmasHappyHannukahHappyKwanzaaMerryWhateverYouCelebrateorDont!

We're so sorry! We haven't posted in WEEKS! Things have been a blur since Thanksgiving, being so busy! Oddly enough, we have a bunch of recipes and photos to share with you. Artie and I will work to get some posts over the next few days.

Share with you soon,
Macaroonie-roo!

Black Friday Breakfast!

2011-11-30T20:08:00.000-05:00

While many folks were bum-rushing stores for crazy sales, we stayed home in our PJs and started to prepare for Christmas. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast of toasted pumpernickel bagels with Earth Balance coconut spread and homemade natural peanut butter (Yes, together) and hot cocoa in big cappuccino mugs.

Coconut + PB = Delish on bagels

Cocoa with dollops of whipped "creme"

Bedheaded Mac enjoys her Black Friday Breakie!

The rest of the day, we lounged around and ate leftovers. We did manage to take a bit of a break to put up our tree and decorate it.

Yeah, we're in the spirit!

Curried Cauliflower

2011-11-29T08:15:00.015-05:00

Do you ever get a craving for a certain kind of food, but just can't be bothered to spend money to get it? That's happened with us, as we had been wanting some Indian food, but nothing too heavy. We had all of this food in the refrigerator that we didn't want to waste. So we went to our spice bottles for inspiration. Grabbing some cauliflower, onions and peas, we could have made an aloo. However, we wanted to keep things light and decided to go for a baked cauliflower, almost like an Atkins-take on popcorn with some kick. Here's what we came up with:

Curried Cauliflower
Source: Craving Some Indian Food
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. green peas
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 Tbsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
Sea salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Put cauliflower, onions, and peas in a large bowl. Pour over vegetable broth.
In a small bowl, mix together curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cinnamon and black pepper. Sprinkle spice mix over vegetables and give a quick toss
Pour mixture onto baking sheet. Place sheet in oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes
Sprinkle with sea salt before serving (optional)

With some tofu, sauteed mushrooms and spicy red rice

Momma Mac & Li'l Mac's Spiced Apple Pie

2011-11-27T00:24:00.001-05:00

Every Thanksgiving, I'm asked to make what's become our traditional family apple pie. The tradition started about 10 years ago when my mom, the original resident baker, decided to make one in place of her family-famous rum cake. From the moment she served it in her green apple pie plate, everyone went crazy for it. The year after the first presentation, Mom asked me to make the pie, making one single tweak to the recipe. Ever since, it's been demanded for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mom makes sure I don't disappoint.

What makes this pie so good are the Granny Smith apples and my mom's spice blend of cinnamon, all-spice, mace and nutmeg. The pie isn't too sweet. With a buttery type crust, everything is just so balanced. Now, I don't think when I make this pie that it's as good as Mom's, but Mom seems to think it's spot on.

For the crust, you can use your favorite recipe or store-bought. What's key is that it be "buttery" but not oily. For a bit of sheen, you can brush a little bit of melted "butter" (i.e. Earth Balance) with some almond milk.

Momma Mac & Li'l Mac's Spiced Apple Pie
Source: Momma Macaroon's Baking Guidance
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

2 9in. pie crusts or 1 double pie crust recipe
6-7 large Granny Smith apples
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. mace
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. soy margarine, melted
1/8 c. non-dairy milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9in pie plate with bottom crust. Set aside
Peel, core and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl. Pour over the lemon juice and sprinkle the cornstarch. Toss to prevent browning
In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and spices until well-combined. Sprinkle over the apples. Toss again to coat the apples with the sugar and spice blend. Spoon apples into pie plate. Cover with top crust and flute edges.
In a small bowl, mix together soy margarine and milk. Brush mixture onto top crust (You won't need to use the entire mixture. Use enough to just cover)
Place pie on baking sheet. Using a fork, prick top crust evenly. Place pie in oven, and bake for 65-75 minutes or until crust becomes golden

Thanksgiving Dinner in Pictures

2011-11-26T08:04:00.000-05:00

So much food. So good to eat. We're still recovering from stuffed bellies...

Handmade Pumpkin Ravioli

In a Brown "Butter" Sage Sauce with Pignolis

Pan-fried with Balsamic Broiled Brussels Sprouts

Macaroon's "Teese Me with Cheezly Mac & Cheese"

Momma Mac & L'il Mac's Spicy Greens

Mashed Turnips with Fresh Parsley

Mamma Artie's Cranberry Sauce with Apples, Walnuts & Grand Marnier

Tofurky Turkey with Balsamic-Sage Baste

Plated up!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cup

Momma Mac & L'il Mac's Spiced Apple Pie

YUM with some "Rad Whip"

Chocolate-PB-Caramel Apples

Momma Mac's Boozy Sweet Potato Pie Tart!

Quinoa Pasta with Chickpea Marinara

2011-11-15T13:00:00.000-05:00

A red sauce with chickpeas? Ummm. Yeah!

Sadly, I wasn't cooking as much as I would have liked. Artie had been taking the reins. I totally appreciated it, but also felt bad. So, on Saturday, I gave him another night off from the kitchen, and begun to dig around the cabinets to see what I could whip together. With a can of chickpeas, a couple of cans of tomato sauce and some veggies, I put together a chickpea marinara to go atop of some pasta for a lovely comfort-food dinner.

We used quinoa pasta, but you can use whatever kind of pasta you like. I'd also recommend serving over rice or as a red rice casserole. Served up with a side salad or some steamed veggies, it's very satifying.

Quinoa Pasta with Chickpea Marinara

Source: Mac's Saturday Night Vegan Special

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb quinoa pasta, cooked (Ancient Harvest is a great brand)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. carrots, chopped
1/4 c. vegetable broth*
1 Tbsp. tomato paste*
2 8oz can of tomato sauce*
1 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly ground red pepper
Dash of parsley as garnish

* = No salt added variety is preferred

Directions:

Cook pasta according to box instructions. Begin to prepare sauce while pasta is cooking
Add a bit of cooking spray to a large saucepan. Heat, then add sliced garlic. Saute until lightly browned
Add onions, bell pepper, carrots and vegetable broth to the pan. Cook until onions start to become tender tender (about 5 minutes).
Add tomato paste and sauce to pan, and bring mixture to a boil. Then, add chickpeas and stir in spices. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
When serving, ladle sauce over cooked pasta

Leftovers for lunch, topped with balsamic-marinated mushroom

Guess Who Won the Get Ready for Thanksgiving Coupon Giveaway

2011-11-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

We'd like to thank those of you who participated and read the haikus and poems for our "Get Ready for Thanksgiving Coupon Giveaway." We were really impressed with the entries. They were really great, and made it difficult for us to pick a winner. So without further ado, the winner is....

drum roll please

and roll

and roll

and a roll a bit more...

cymbal clash

VEGANN of VegAnn's Kitchen with her haiku

a veganksgiving
even though no turkey
wear your biggest belt

Congrats VegAnn! We really loved your stuff! Just drop us a line at thefoodduo@gmail.com to claim your coupons!

Now we leave you for the night with the following words:

food bloggers

yummy photos of treats

puddle of drool

Homemade Black Bean Burgers & BEAT Loaf

2011-11-14T22:30:00.001-05:00

My first homemade black bean burger on potato bun!

This past weekend has been full of kitchen experiments, whipping up recipes and trying foods I'd never eaten until now. For instance, I made a chickpea marinara (recipe to follow), millet cereal with sauteed berries and fresh carrot-apple juice (first time juicing and with the Vita-Mix). I certainly kept myself busy, and really surprised myself with now well things turned out.

On Sunday, I decided to cook 6 cups of dry black beans that I bought from Fairway Market a couple of weeks ago. At first, I thought I'd use 1/2 of the beans for a chili and the other 1/2 as a spread for oat flour soft tacos. Then, I scrapped that idea and made some black bean burgers and black bean "BEAT" loaf.

I was scared to make both, as I usually use black beans as a side. After cooking up the black beans, I mashed up the beans, folded in some chickpea flour and flaxmeal and added some garlic, onions, bell peppers and carrots with chili powder, cayenne and black pepper. I split the mixture into a loaf and 8 burgers. The loaf was baked to have during the week (with cauliflower mash or turnip fries). The burgers were formed with half being frozen and the other half being cooked right away.

The burgers were our dinner on Sunday evening. I served them on potato buns, made from mashed potatoes, spices and a bit of veggie broth. With a side of Brussels spouts, my favorite veggie, and a side salad with beets, everything was all set. Now, fries or even some tortilla chips would have gone nicely, but we were good kids and not going off our diet plan.

If I make the burgers or loaf again, I have to write up a recipe! Whipping up deliciousness is worth all of the time playing in the kitchen, good or bad! And, if you hadn't noticed, we like playing with our food :)

Momma Macaroon's Carrot-Apple Juice

2011-11-13T18:00:00.000-05:00

Momma Macaroon is a juice-lover who doesn't own a juicer (Go figure!). It's very important to her and often tells us about the benefits of it. Rather than make juice herself, she goes to a local juice bar to get her favorite blend of carrot, celery and apple. Straight up is how she likes it: no sugar, spice or anything else "nice."

Yesterday, while doing her "health food" shopping, Mom mentioned that she felt like having a juice and asked if our Vita-Mix could do the job. I told her that since it seemed to do every else, it could handle making a juice. So, at Whole Foods, she picked up some carrots, celery and a couple of Gala apples and asked if I could make a batch for her today.

After taking care of Sunday errands, I got started on her Juicing with the Vita-Mix was super-easy. All I had to do split the carrots and celery in half and toss in the whole apple with some water. It could less than 2 minutes (if that long) to whip it all up. Artie and I snuck in a quick sip, actually really liking it, before sharing it with Mom. She was pleased with the results.

So guess whose home is going to become a juice bar for Momma Macaroon?

Momma Macaroon's Carrot-Apple Juice
Source: Mom's Favorite Mix
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

2-3 c. ice water
2 whole carrots, cut in half
2 whole celery ribs, cut in half
1 medium apple, Gala or Honeycrisp preferred

Notes: The apple's peel, core and seeds can stay, if your blender is powerful like the Vita-Mix. Also, depending on the size of your blender, you may need to cut the apple, carrots and celery into smaller pieces.

Directions:

Place all ingredients into blender's container. Cover with lid and blend on high
Blend for approximately 2 minutes. If needed, use a tamper to get the apple, carrots and celery liquefied

On a side note, today, Artichoke did a testimonial for Vita-Mix on "In the Kitchen with David!" So cool to hear him on my favorite shopping "show" on QVC. He even mentioned that we were vegan and how great the Vita-Mix works for us. YAY ARTIE!

This Thanksgiving, Adopt A Turkey!

2011-11-12T09:25:00.000-05:00

Meet Victoria! What a pretty girl!

Why wait for a presidential pardon for a turkey to be saved? Why not do it today? Farm Sanctuary's Adopt A Turkey Project is a compassionate way to be thankful this Thanksgiving by saving a turkey's life. Since 1886, Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY (Finger Lakes region) has saved over 1,000 turkeys. And this year, we've added to that number by adopting Victoria. Isn't she striking?

Now, we're not going to preach, especially to the already converted. We'll just say that it's an awesome thing to do.

Want to adopt? Click on the badge below.

Get Ready for Thanksgiving with a Coupon Giveaway

2011-11-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

We cannot believe that Thanksgiving is 14 days away! Thanks to the great folks at Amy's Kitchen and Turtle Mountain (So Delicious), we have some coupons to give away. Since this is the time to get stuffed, we figured why not have a contest for a coupon bundle to help you get everything you need for the holiday. That now brings us to our Thanksgiving coupon giveaway.

Here's what you'll win:
1 - Amy's Kitchen Coupon Book, 6 coupons in total
1 - Amy's Kitchen Delicious Natural & Organic Meals Brochure
2 - So Delicious Coupons, each for a free item

We're also throwing in a bonus of 2 coupons to save on gardein products (which we happened to find around the house recently)

Here are the rules to score the coupons:

1. Come up with a humorous Thanksgiving or holiday-themed haiku or poem
2. Post your haiku or poem as a reply to this thread by Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 11:59pm ET
3. Must be a U.S. resident

Whoever comes up with the best haiku or poem will win the coupons! We'll announce the winner on Monday, November 14, 2011.

We look forward to seeing your responses!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Be sweet and follow these great companies on Facebook and Twitter:
Amy's Kitchen: Twitter | Facebook
Turtle Mountain: Twitter | Facebook
gardein: Twitter | Facebook

Cauliflower Sauce with Tofu Ricotta

2011-11-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

This is your spaghetti squash. This is your spaghetti squash with ricotta goodness

Ah, Cauliflower, you misunderstood and subtle beauty. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve had to defend and advocate your wonderfulness. When people in the produce aisle pass over you and opt for your popular and less exotic cousin, Broccoli, a slight sadness comes over me. Those poor souls have no idea how sweet and delish you can be.

I’ve loved you for years, and will always love and defend you. And it’s because I love you that I’m sharing my mom’s recipe for Cauliflower Marinara with everyone. Mom used to make this extremely simply and yummy dish when we were low on other ingredients… or maybe because I bugged her to make it!

Although elbow macaroni is often the pasta of choice for this dish, feel free to use your favorite. Since we’re trying to reduce our carb intake, spaghetti squash was used in lieu of pasta. We also made a very simple vegan ricotta from a recipe we found online to mix into this dish.

Sauced!

Momma Artichoke's Cauliflower Marinara Sauce
Source: Mom's Best Sauce
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil (substituted with olive oil cooking spray)
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 Head of cauliflower, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
1 28oz. can of tomato sauce
20 oz. of water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, drop in the olive oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant and then add onions. Once the onions are tender and translucent, place the cauliflower in the pot and toss for about 2 minutes or until well coated. Pour in the sauce, water and spices. Set heat to medium and cover. Cook for about 25 minutes and season to taste.

Simple Spaghetti Squash
Source: Trial and Error

Ingredients:

1 medium or large spaghetti squash

Directions:

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 25 minutes. After the squash cools, take a fork and pull out the spaghetti strands. Make sure to shake off as much water as possible.

Dairy-Free Vegan Ricotta Cheese

Source: Healthdiaries.com

Ingredients:

14 oz. box medium firm or firm tofu
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c. olive oil - substituted with vegan vegetable broth
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp salt (or to taste) - used a salt substitute, but can also omit
A dash of black pepper

Directions:

Mash tofu. Add all other ingredients. Continue mashing until it has a ricotta-like texture. If you want it super smooth, you could put the tofu in a blender or food processor before adding the other ingredients.

Our New Handmade Blanket

2011-11-06T16:11:00.001-05:00

Connie and Moz tried to stake their claim to the new blanket. Not so fast, kitties!

Momma Macaroon's friend, Anna, is a treasure to know. She often regales us with stories of her childhood and tales about her family in Austria. She is also a talented knitter. She actually makes blankets all-year long, giving them to charity, and refuses to take any money for her work.

For our wedding gift, Anna made us a beautiful multi-color blanket that is so warm and comfy that even our cats love it. Knowing that this fall and winter, we'd have another struggle with the kitties for the blanket, we asked Anna if she would make us another one: this one in beautiful autumn colors. She happily obliged and we provided the yarn. It took her a few weeks with my mom giving us teasers to its progress. Anna had us come over to see the finish product. We were so amazed and happy!

Cannellini-Stuffed Potatoes

2011-11-04T13:52:00.000-04:00

Getting creative on a whim can be quite tasty!

Artie had been making dinner all this week. Yesterday, I decided to give him the evening off. I had no idea what to make, but wanted it to be different. I grabbed a can of cannellini beans and a few potatoes, and decided to go for a bean-stuffed baked potato dish.

While the potatoes were in the oven, I sauteeing half of Vidalia onion with a little bit of garlic and some chopped fresh tomatoes as my base. Then I added the beans with a little bit of the reserve canned liquid. The mixture simmered for about 10-15 minutes to get it really nice and thick. When the potatoes were ready, I started putting everything together with a good amount of the bean stuffing in each.

After I finished putting together the potatoes, I steamed some broccoli to have on the side. I then noticed that I had some leftover Baby Bella mushrooms. So, I topped my potato with some that I had cooked with balsamic vinegar (Artie doesn't like them...more for me). Everything was all "tickety-boo" and Artie said he would eat it again.

Cannellini-Stuffed Potatoes
Source: Artie's Night Off from Kitchen Duty
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

3-4 Russet potatoes
1 15-oz can of cannellini beans
2 garlic cloves
Half of a vidalia onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Dash of black pepper
Sauteed mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. You may lightly spray with cooking spray, if you wish.
Wash potatoes with a brush. Then, pierce the tops of each a few times. Place on sheet and put in oven. Bake for approximately 60 minutes until skin is crisp yet potato still tender
While potatoes are baking, make the stuffing. In a saucepan, saute garlic with onion until onion begins to sweat. Add chopped tomatoes, and cook until onions are softened
Stir in the beans with liquid. Bring mixture to a full boil. Place lid on pan. Lower heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until mixture is thick
When potatoes and mixture are ready, cut potatoes down the middle and press in the edges to loosen the potato flesh from skin and create a pocket
Fill each potato with the bean mixture. Top with mushrooms, if using. Serve.

Note: Short on time? Try this:

Microwave potatoes for 5 minutes, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
Microwave potatoes for 10 minutes (or use the "Potato" setting) to fully micro-bake

Mozzer's First Snow

2011-11-03T21:51:00.000-04:00

Mozzer checking out the snow for the first time

Snow came to NYC in October! It was one of the earliest snows on record, and it was crazy. We got around 3 inches around our area. Some folks got more and loss power, but we managed just fine.

Mozzer, who just turned 8 months old on Nov. 2nd, had never experienced snow. At first, he was scared and kept clinging onto me while we looked out of the window. Then he got really curious. So, Mac turned the camera on to see Moz reacting to the white fluffy stuff coming from the sky.

Tis the Season for Pumpkin Pie...Soda!

2011-11-02T11:00:00.004-04:00

We simply love Autumn. What is it about this time of year that makes us so happy? Is it the ideal weather or gorgeous foliage? Is it donning cozy, warm clothes, or enjoying all the fun offerings at Fall festivals? Is it sipping warm cider or Halloween? Or is it the ubiquitous seasonal pumpkin products that that always crop up around this time of year? It’s all of these things and more!

Speaking of seasonal pumpkin products, did we ever come across a doozy at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago. While looking for a product for her graduate marketing class, Mac stumbled across an endcap labeled "Pumpkin Pie Soda," which was both odd and intriguing. So, you know we had to try it!

The "Pumpkin Pie Soda" is made by an independent soda maker called Maine Root. Maine Root’s products, which are organically sweetened and certified Fair Trade, are growing in popularity, sold in specialty grocers, like Whole Foods, as well as online. Though their top products are their root beers, they offer a variety of year-round flavors like their Sasparilla and Ginger Brew. They're also not hard to find, being sold at national grocery chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, specialty shops and online.

As it turns out, the Pumpkin Pie soda is simply superb! It has the right amount of sweetness, and is nicely balanced with traditional flavors you come to think to be in a pumpkin pie, like nutmeg and cinnamon. We also love the packaging with its bold orange and green appeal. It’s no wonder why Maine Root won the Best of New England award at the 2010 Expo East New Product Pavilion. Too bad it won't be available all year round! We may just have to stock up!

It's November 1st...HAPPY WORLD VEGAN DAY!

2011-11-01T00:00:00.016-04:00

We have just one thing to say:

Happy World Vegan Day to all our fellow vegans, present and future!

Autumn Cafe - Oneonta, New York

2011-10-30T12:00:00.009-04:00

During our time in Cooperstown, we were on the hunt for good vegan eats. We did some research and found a vegan-friendly spot in Oneonta (about 30 minutes south) that was highly recommended called The Autumn Cafe. After checking out their website and online menu, we decided to make an afternoon trip to explore the city and grab some lunch.

Oneonta is a city with a college town vibe, and The Autumn Cafe is a perfect fit. The restaurant, established in 1980, offers a good time with a series of events, live music, drinks and great food. Inside, you get a mix of a homey eatery and neighborhood pub that's both familiar yet eclectic, meeting the tastes of all of its guests.

Tempeh Burger sans cheese and horseradish sauce - YUM YUM YUM!

After our cool waitress patiently answered all of our obligatory vegan-y questions, I ordered the Tempeh Burger, and Artie got the Hot Open Tofu. According to the menu, the Tempeh Burger was a "fried marinated tempeh 'cutlet' with tomato, lettuce,cheese, sauteed onions, sprouts and the cafe's horseradish sauce on a sesame bun." So my burger was made sans dairy, leaving out the cheese and the horseradish sauce. The Hot Open Tofu was "grilled tofu (or tempeh) on brown rice topped with a sauteed mixture of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions and red cabbage and golden gravy." We learned that the golden gravy was made with nutritional yeast. These were not the only options available. The Autumn Cafe also offered a lot of other options from their house salad to hummus wraps to a tempeh pastrami sandwich.

When our food arrived, we couldn't wait to dig in. The Tempeh Burger was delicious. Even if I were a vegetarian or omnivore, the cheese and horseradish sauce were not necessary. Their marinade gave the tempeh enough flavor that I didn't even need ketchup, and I'm a ketchup junkie! The Hot Open Tofu was superb! I was actually jealous that Artie ordered it. The golden gravy was amazing with the tofu and veggies. We said we honestly could have just eaten the gravy with some bread and been totally satisfied. Artie and I also shared a side of roasted potatoes that were delish...even with some ketchup!

Hot Open Tofu with Golden Gravy - Iz it bad to be envious of another's lunch?

They give you good-sized portions at The Autumn Cafe. We actually were totally stuffed after our lunch, and couldn't even fit in a dessert. Though they normally serve ice cream and special items on their blackboard, it would have been interesting to see what they offered for us vegans. However, being in a delicious daze from the golden gravy, I don't think we could have seen past it with our happy tummies.

The Autumn Cafe
244 Main Street
Oneonta, New York 13820
(607)432-6845

Our Cooperstown Takeover Vacation!

2011-10-29T13:00:00.001-04:00

Artie and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on 10/6. To celebrate, we vacationed upstate to Cooperstown, NY and had a blast. Cooperstown, known as the Birthplace of Baseball, is actually a lot more than that. We enjoyed our time with some baseball history, art, apples, beer, farmland and beautiful autumn colors. If you love baseball or just want to spend a few days relaxing and enjoying the scenery, make a trip of it, especially in the fall!

Here are a couple of our recommendations if you're ever in the Cooperstown area:

Where to stay:

The Gateway Inn & Suites - The owners Eric and Lynn offer relaxation and privacy with the comforts of home. A few short minutes away from downtown, it's off the somewhat beaten path, but still close to everything. We stayed in Babe's Nook with a comfy king-sized bed and sofa! They also provided coffee for us to brew, a microwave and a mini refrigerator. So if we decided to just be hermits, we could do just that. A perfect place to get away!Also have to mention that Eric is an artist. When he greeted us, he actually gave some cards and a print of his work. Really awesome stuff, and super nice of him to do

Where to Eat:

Stagecoach Coffee (31 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown) - A toasted bagel with peanut butter with a hazelnut soy iced coffee or a soy iced caramel macchiato is a yummy way to start the day. They also have a good-sized menu, and offer a variety of roasts of coffee at reasonable prices
Doubleday Cafe (93 Main Street, Cooperstown) - Delicious hummus sandwiches and veggie burgers in downtown Cooperstown
The Autumn Cafe (244 Main Street, Oneonta) - Vegan-friendly spot about 30 miles south of Cooperstown in Oneonta. The Tempeh Burger and Hot Open Tofu are tops!
The Green Earth (4 Market Street, Oneonta) - Health food store in Oneonta which carried many of the products we get at home. They have a little eatery/cafe inside the shop if you want a quick bite

Where to Shop:

Shoeless Joe's All Star Hall of Shame (70 Main Street, Cooperstown) - Baseball memorabilia and autographs
Tin Bin Alley (114 Main Street, Cooperstown) - Candy, fudge, collectibles, home accents and other cool tchotchkes, and not just baseball-themed!
Green Toad Book Store (198 Main Street, Oneonta) - Awesome independent bookstore that takes pride in print! They have a great selection of titles from local, indie and well-known authors. Nice cookbook section too!

What to See

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (25 Main Street, Cooperstown) - Baseball history is alive and well here
Doubleday Field - The Birthplace of Baseball - Where the first game was placed
The Cooperstown Beverage Trail - A cider mill, 2 breweries and a winery make for a perfect day or 2, 3, or 4 of eats and treats. Starting at the top from Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard in Fly Creek to Brewery Ommegang and Cooperstown Brewing Company in Cooperstown and down to Bear Pond Winery in Oneonta, The trail will take you to some of the best local foodie finds and thirst quenchers around
Middlefield Orchard (2274 State Highway 166, Middlefield) - Right next door to Cooperstown. A family-owned pick-your-own farm with a variety of apples, berries and other produce. The owner's super-friendly and is very proud of his farm and fruits. They also make their own jams and jellies which are for sale
The Farmers' Museum (5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown) - A learning experience on the history of farming and its contributions to society. It offers a lot for the family, including a cool indoor carousel!
The Fenimore Art Museum (5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown) - A great collection of Americana art and contemporary works

Vegan Apple Coffee Cake Muffins

2011-10-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

If you didn't know, New York State is a significant agriculture producer with numerous farms in the many counties in and around NYC. In fact, New York State is a major grower of apples in this country. There are a multitude of varieties of apples that you can find here from Acey Mac to Zestar.

Autumn in New York is beautiful. One of the reasons is being prime for apple harvesting. Picking apples with a backdrop of hills of red, orange, yellow and brown leaves is a beautiful experience. Every year, Artie and I make sure we indulge in it.

While on our recent vacation to Cooperstown, we took in baseball history with a bit of natural beauty. One of the things we had to do was go apple-picking. We found Middlefield Orchard in Middlefield, NY (about 5-10 minutes outside of Cooperstown) to be the perfect spot. After meeting the friendly owner, we stocked up on Honeycrisp, Cortland, Macintosh, Golden Delicious, etc., etc., etc.

What were we going to do with all of the apples? Well, eat them, of course! But we had so many that we brought most of them home with us. Since I had won a Babycakes Cupcake Maker from the lovely folks at MyFudo.com, I decided to make some homemade apple muffins.

Using fresh chopped apple with a bit of unsweetened applesauce ware the perfect base for the muffin. I also made a brown sugar and walnut topping to add to the texture and get a bit of a crunch. Everything came together nicely for a recipe I whipped up.

Making the muffins in the Babycakes Cupcake Maker was also pretty cool, because they were baked in about 5 minutes. Though smaller than traditional muffins, they were perfect for their size for a lovely snack or dessert. Not to mention, they looked cute in the little white liners that came with the machine. I think this is a top kitchen gadget in our home. However, now that we're back to our weight-loss plan, I probably won't get to use it again until Thanksgiving (mini apple pies are being planned).

Vegan Apple Muffins with Brown Sugar Walnut Topping
Source: Enjoying Our Prize from MyFudo.com
Makes approx. 16 mini-muffins in the Babycakes Cupcake Maker

Ingredients:

1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
4 Tbsp. Earth Balance
1/2 c. vegan cane sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. pure vanilla
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Topping:

1/4 c. vegan brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions:

In a medium bowl, beat 4 Tbsp of Earth Balance with sugar until creamy and smooth. Then, stir in the chopped apple, applesauce and vanilla
In a second medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients and then add to the bowl of the wet ingredient. Mix until ingredients are well-combined
You will be making 2 batches of 8 muffins. Prepare the cupcake maker with liners for the first batch, close lid and turn on to preheat.
While preheating, make the topping by beating 1 Tbsp of Earth Balance with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Fold in the walnuts. Divide mixture in half.
When the cupcake maker is ready, open and fill the liners 2/3 of the way. Using the one-half of the topping mix, evenly distribute it over the 8 muffins. Close lid and bake for 5 minutes or until green light turns off, indicating muffins are done. Remove from cupcake maker and cool on wire racks
Repeat steps 3-5 for second batch

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Pairing Up with Peet's Coffee

2011-10-27T07:01:00.000-04:00

With so many brands of coffee flooding the market, high quality java can sometimes slip through the cracks and go untried. We had heard of Peet's Coffee during one of our many trips to Portland, OR. We had walked by one of their shops in the city, but never had the chance to try their coffee. Fortunately, thanks to Foodbuzz Tastemakers, we got to experience Peet’s Coffee, a company that was Starbucks' original coffee supplier. We were eager to have some!

Recently, Peet's has released 2 new flavors in their coffee line: Café Solano and Café Domingo. The Solano brew is a medium roast blend of African, Indo-Pacific and South American coffees with a floral essence with fruity undertones. While the fruitiness is subtle, there is a nice kick in flavor. The Domingo blend is also medium roast, yet has a smooth finish with more of a toffee sweetness that's more pronounced than the Solano.

For our taste-testing, we paired each blend with a dish to see how they complimented one another. First, we tried the Café Solano with our favorite breakfast, pumpernickel bagels with a vegan cream cheese schmear. With breakfast being our "pick-me-up" start of the day, we found that the a cup of this coffee's floral and fruity notes worked well with the slightly sweet, yet unmistaken rye essence of the pumpernickel bagel. The added boost of coffee flavor was also complemented nicely with the cream cheese. It made for a yin-and-yang meal, to say the least!

Later, we couldn't wait to try to the Café Domingo blend, another medium roast coffee. The description of its smooth finish with toffee flavor definitely signaled it as a an afternoon or even an after-dinner drink. Having just gotten back from a trip to Cooperstown, NY with a bevy of apples, we had to pair the coffee with homemade vegan apple muffins with brown-sugar walnut topping (recipe to come) for dessert! The flavor of the coffee brought out the sweetness of the apples in the muffins. The combination just worked so well together that we even had seconds on the muffins and another "cuppa"

Fans of Peet’s, aka 'Peetniks," have been enjoying their rich and flavorful coffee for nearly 45 years, and for good reason. With lofty high standards for selecting and roasting coffee, as well as unsurpassed customer service, It’s no wonder why Peet’s has earned worldwide respect in the coffee industry. Needless to say, we fell in love with both coffees! You can't go wrong with either one!

We are happy to now know that Peet's Coffee is sold in local grocery stores and supermarkets. If you have a chance to try a new brand and brew, check them out. Let us know what you think!

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Pizza Muffins with Newman's Own

2011-10-20T07:31:00.002-04:00

Hi guys!

It's been a bit since we last posted and shared with you guys. Mac's been busy with school (working on her final this week) and we also went on vacation to Cooperstown, NY. Right before we left for our trip, we were selected by Foodbuzz to participate in their Tastemaker's program for Newman's Own products. We received some samples and were asked to make a video with a recipe that featured at least one Newman's Own product, which could be one of their wonderful pasta sauces or salad dressings.

With a handy-dandy Flip camera provided to us by Foodbuzz and Newman's Own, we put together a little cooking show episode, starring Artichoke and some very special guests. Mac handled the editing and did some voice-overs. Check it out. Let us know what you think!

A big thanks to Foodbuzz and Newman's Own for giving us this opportunity. Now, we're inspired to make some vlogs (video blogs) in the future!

A Journey to Thailand with the Global Fusion Taste Team

2011-10-08T18:16:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, we approached by the awesome folks at WorldFoods to join their Global Fusion Taste Team, using their Asian-inspired sauces to make dishes from wonderful flavors of countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia. They provided us with sauces including Masaman Curry and Creamy Sweet Chili Kaffir Lime. We couldn't wait to start cooking.

Courtesy of LonelyPlanet.com

Each week, WorldFoods gives us a destination and ideas of what to make. Since Week One took us to Thailand, we couldn't resist going for the Thai Masaman Curry Ready to Pour Sauce for our meal. If you don't know what Masaman Curry is, you are truly missing out. It's Mac's favorite Thai dish with veggies and rice. The curry itself is a delicious blend of coconut milk, cardamom pods, peanuts/cashews and potatoes with sweet and fragrant spices like cinnamon and star anise to name a few.

As some of you know, we're on a weight loss mission (we're at about 60lbs total loss to date). So we modified our approach to a big steamy bowl of Masaman Curry. Let us just say that the WorldFoods products are dairy-free and vegan-friendly. They are low in calories, fat and sugar. So in moderation and the right combination of flavors and sides, using these products are great while really healthy.

We decided to use WorldFoods' Thai Massaman Curry Ready to Pour Sauce as a marinade with sliced tofu. The tofu sat in the marinade for about 30 minutes, then it was pan fried sans oil. While the tofu was cooked, we sauteed some chopped spinach with bell peppers, carrots, onions and lemongrass, seasoned with a bit of black pepper. Everything was put together atop of a bed of fluffy brown rice.

The sauce was delicious and was a nice compliment to the tofu and spinach. The flavors were balanced and taste was light and happily absent was the strange coating that you may get with other ready-to-pour sauces. We were really pleased. Now, we cannot wait for our next culinary adventure with the team!

Macaroon, The Babycakes Cupcake Maker Winner!

2011-10-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

Mac will tell you that she never wins anything, but that's no longer true! She tried her luck on a fellow foodie blogger's giveaway and guess what happened? SHE WON!

So a big "THANK YOU" goes out to Camille and Marie, the fabulous ladies of MyFudo.com, for the wonderful prize Macaroon received! A BABYCAKES CUPCAKE MAKER! Mac's already got some ideas lined up for this bad boy! More to come...

V-Note Hits the High One - New York, New York

2011-10-03T10:00:00.002-04:00

As you probably know by now, we have been on a strict diet for the past seven. That’s right! Seven weeks! I’m happy to say that we’ve shed a combined 50 lbs., and we both look and feel great! To celebrate we had a “cheat date” to nosh on verboten snacks and to take in brunch at V-Note, here in NYC..

V-Note is an organic wine bar and vegan bistro, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Owned by the folks who run and operate Blossom, Blossom Du Jour and Cocoa V (3 places that we really dig), we immediately knew made the right choice for our gluttonous feast. It also didn't hurt that Mac had a Groupon burning a hole in her Android.

Butterfinger Shake: The Sinner of All Sinful Milkshakes...THAT GOOD!

I tried a yummy Santa Cruz (love their applesauce) organic ginger ale, while Mac enjoyed a STELLAR Butterfinger milkshake, which I regret not ordering! For an appetizer, we tried the Lentil Rings, which are lentils and root veggies in phyllo dough served with a an AMAZINGLY savory pistachio mustard sauce that made Mac swoon.

Lentil Rings: Mac could have eaten 10 plates of this!

We then split two wonderfully crafted sandwiches: Chicken Cutlet with avocado and chipotle aioli and Soy Bacon Cheeseburger. Mac had hers with sweet potato fries and I just went with regular fries. Everything was delicious, especially the cheeseburger, which I'm not sure whether it's homemade. No matter what, it may be the best burger in town and that’s saying a lot.

Soy Bacon Cheeseburger: Nuff Said

This small but attractive bistro is a treasure. The decor is very inviting yet light. The prices are rather reasonable by Upper East Side eatery standards. Their wait staff is knowledgeable and very friendly.

Chicken Cutlet: Avocado & Chipotle Aioli Make It All Good!

We enjoyed our fill of everything. Sadly, we were stuffed after having our sandwiches that there was absolutely no room for dessert. Not to worry, we'll be back soon! We want some of that Dark Chocolate Fondue. In the meantime, we're back on track to drop more pounds!

V-Note

1522 1st Avenue (between E. 79th and E. 80th Streets)
New York, NY 10075
212-249-5009

Split Pea Goodness

2011-10-02T01:00:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, an extended member of our family has been ill of late, and hasn’t been able to keep down a lot of food. While shopping the other day, Momma Macaroon suggested that we purchase some split pea soup for him, but the store was sold out of it. When I offered to make a homemade batch from scratch, Momma Mac gave me a funny look. and said “But you don’t cook meat.” Chuckling, I assured her that this will be a meatless soup, and that our sick relative wouldn't know the difference!

After finding a highly rated vegan split pea soup recipe online at AllRecipes.com, Mac and I bought the necessary ingredients, and got down to business! We ended up making a enough of this very tasty soup for our relative and ourselves. This is the perfect meal upcoming cooler weather and we suggest you give it a try.

Vegan Split Pea Soup I

Source: Deborah Sah on AllRecipes.com

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dried split peas
1/2 cup barley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
7 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 potatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium high heat, sauté the oil, onion, bay leaf and garlic for minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the peas, barley, salt and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally
Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, basil, thyme and ground black pepper. Simmer for another hour, or until the peas and vegetables are tender

Mac & Artie Mods (our changes to the recipe):

Soak the split peas overnight prior to cooking
While cooking, soup may begin to get dry. Feel free to add more water or vegetable broth, if needed
When the soup is cooked to your liking, places a few drops of liquid smoke into the soup and stir well
Pour the soup into powerful blender, like Vitamix, immersion blender or food processor. Puree until soup is smooth and velvety

Happy World Vegetarian Day and Happy Birthday!

2011-10-01T22:21:00.000-04:00

Last night, we went out to dinner with Momma Macaroon, and we stayed out with the old gal until 3am! Wow! She's got a lot of energy! It totally threw us off of our routine. In fact, I took a nap and just woke up in time for the start of tonight's Yankees game (GO NY GO NY GO!). So before today ends, we wanted to say...

HAPPY WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY!

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY J!

(Our cousin turned 16 today - Time to get that permit!)

Getting "Crispylicious!" with Beanfields

2011-09-30T11:45:00.000-04:00

Mac and I are big fans of chips: potato, rice or plaintains. Salty, sweet or savory, we‘re not picky, as long as they’re yummy and vegan, of course. Recently, the good folks at Beanfields sent us samples of their Crispylicious line of Bean & Rice chips (Thanks, Roy and team!).

Beanfields is a family-owned company that uses products that are farmed and made in right here in the U.S.. The chips are made from navy and black beans, and have a crunch texture of a multigrain cracker but light like a potato chip. They are rich in protein and fiber, and are non-GMO (Very important, we must say)! You can enjoy them just as they are (delicious) or with your favorite dip or spread.

The Crispylicious! chips come in 4 great-tasting varieties: Naturally Unsalted, Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Pepper, and Pico de Gallo. Picking a favorite is tough. Mac and I liked the Pico de Gallo most, with Sea Salt & Pepper finishing a close second. Momma Macaroon tried some and was really impressed with the Naturally Unsalted. In fact, she took a bag home with her (She says "Thanks, Roy!").

Look out for a giveaway to included Beanfields in the near future!

It's Peanut Butter Nutella Time!

2011-09-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

Family breakfast in bed!

We made it through the first 7 weeks of weight loss! Between the 2 of us, we've lost over 50lbs. Woo hoo! We figured we'd treat ourselves to a special day of gluttony! We started the day with a bit of a continental breakfast with some Italian bread, homemade peanut butter, homemade veganized Nutella and fresh sliced bananas. The Vitamix was put into serious usage to our delight,

Since the Vitamix is still relatively new to us, we couldn't wait for the day to make our own peanut butter. Artie has been talking about it for weeks! We couldn't help but crank it up a notch and make our own "Nutella."

Vitamix had a quick and easy recipe for peanut butter. From start to finish, it was made in under 5 minutes. We added a little bit of sugar to the peanuts for some sweetness. I also topped the peanut butter with some leftover peanuts for a bit of crunch. It was the best peanut butter I've ever had. I won't be going back to the jarred stuff...ever! Next time, I'm going to roast my own peanuts too!

The "Nutella" took a bit of time. Rather than using already-roasted nuts, Artie picked up raw hazelnuts from Dual earlier in the week. I had to roast the hazelnuts, which took about 30 minutes. I also had to rub off their skins when they were cool. That took a while to complete as best I could (left some skin on, but it didn't hurt the spread). I also made caramel which served as a base for this chocolatey spread, which wasn't too hard thanks to the recipe I found at Su Good Sweets. The work was definitely worth it, because the "Nutella" was so spot-on to the real stuff that I couldn't believe I actually made it.

So simple to make, both can be kept in airtight containers for at least a month. You can have them separately or eat them together. My new favorite way to each them is together with the "Nutella" spread over a toasted slice of Italian bread with a dollop of peanut butter and topped with 2-3 banana slices. Now, THAT's the "Breakfast of Gluttonous Vegan Champions!"

Quick Peanut Butter
Source: Vitamix.com and the Vitamix Creations Cookbook
Makes approximately 1-3/4 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups of peanuts, roasted and unsalted

Mac & Artie's Variation: We added 1 T of vegan cane sugar to the peanuts for a little sweetness.

Directions:

Pour nuts into the Vitamix container and secure lid.
Select Variable 1.
Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High, using the tamper to push the ingredients into the blades.
In 1 minute you will hear a high pitched chugging sound. Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades the motor sound will change from a high pitch to a low laboring sound. Stop machine.
Store in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for longer storage.

Caution from Vitamix: Over processing will cause serious overheating to your machine! Do not process for more than 1 minute after mixture starts circulating freely.

Mac & Artie's Variation: If you don't have a Vitamix, you can use your food processor or blender at the appropriate settings to make any nut butter. Many of the cooking appliance manufacturers do have recipes and instructions on their websites.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread with a Caramel Base
Source: Su-Good Sweets
Makes approximately 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

Preparation: Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350° F.
Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a 3- to 4-cup saucepan. To prevent crystallization, don’t stir it again during the cooking. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the lid and wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush or a scrunched up paper towel dipped in water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar’s completely dissolved. Uncover and cook until the syrup looks like pale amber maple syrup. If your pan’s dark and you can’t gauge the color of the syrup, spoon a drop or two onto a white saucer. Swirl the pan gently, continuing to cook and test the color until the syrup turns medium amber.
Immediately pour the caramel onto the lined baking sheet. Tilt the sheet to spread the caramel as thinly as possible. Let harden completely, about 15 minutes.
Toast the nuts: Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
Make the nut butter: When the caramel is completely cool, break it into small pieces and pulverize in a food processor. Try to get the caramel as fine as possible at this stage (it won’t get finer once you add the nuts).
Add the nuts and process until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be patient; the nuts will go from a fine meal, to forming a ball around the blade, to nut butter. Add the cocoa, vanilla and salt and process until smooth.
Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

The Perfect Bite? Mac think so!

Chickpea & Broccoli Curry

2011-09-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not one of those folks who normally says "Well, if he can do it, so can I!" I've never made Indian food. I've certainly eaten it A LOT and absolutely love it. I've just never thought I could make it myself. Artichoke has previously made a pretty tasty Aloo Gobi. Ever since his first time making it, he uses Indian spices in many dishes, not just Indian-inspired.

On Saturday evening, we were at a loss for what to make. We had to get some beans from a neighborhood grocery store. While walking through the aisles, I starting thinking of what else we could pick up to make for dinner and what herbs and spices we had at home. After throwing out ideas, I realized that I came up with a curry! I was so excited that I had to start cooking right away.

Artie gave his seal of approval to my "whip up." And now the next time we decide to make Indian-inspired food, I can say, "Well, if he can do it, so can I!"

Chickpea & Broccoli Curry
Source: Saturday's Mac & Artie "What to Make for Dinner" Discussion
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 c. broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 c. vegetable broth
A batch of Mac's Curry Sauce (recipe below)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Directions:

Heat a saucepan over a medium flame. Mince 2 of the garlic. When pan is hot, add garlic and saute until lightly browned. Add onions, broccoli, chickpeas and 1/2 c. vegetable broth. Cover pan to allow mixture to simmer and onions sweat (should take about 5 minutes). Stir occasionally
Uncover pan and pour in the curry sauce. Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Cover pan, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
Stir in black pepper and salt, if using, before serving

Mac's Curry Sauce
Source: A Food Duo Whip-Up
Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 T tomato paste
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 T curry powder
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. Indian red pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a blender. Mix on low until sauce is a smooth and creamy
If you like it more or less "hot," adjust spices as you wish

Curry over brown rice. Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!

Was Your First Time Like This?

2011-09-26T16:00:00.003-04:00

When you first went to a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, was it anything like this?

What a great and funny commercial!

Hiltl is an actual restaurant, located in Zurich, Switzerland. In fact, it's Europe's oldest vegetarian restaurant, having been in operation since 1898. Though we won't be in that part of the world for a good long while, Mac and I think they do have a pretty interesting menu. So if you're travelling to Europe and make a pit stop in Zurich, check out Hiltl and let us know about your experience!

And the Earth Balance Winner Is...

2011-09-23T23:41:00.000-04:00

Sorry, we're a little late on announcing the winner. Mac's been oh so studious and Artie's been working hard on renovating our home. BUT THAT'S NO EXCUSE! A winner is to be named and it is so done.

The winner of the Earth Balance coupons and booklet is...(drumroll please)

Rachel who's got a great blog called "My Naturally Frugal Family." Rachel, congratulations! Please drop us a line at thefoodduo@gmail.com with your address and we'll get your coupons and booklet out to you!

Thanks to those who participated. We're working on a new giveaway for October! And thanks to Earth Balance for providing the coupons & recipe booklet for their 2 new great products!

Forks Over Knives - Straight No Chaser

2011-09-21T22:00:00.000-04:00

Mac and I had been hearing about the vegan documentary, Forks Over Knives, every since we went to the NYC Vegetarian Festival in April. Due to a short and limited screening schedule, we never got to see this flick on the big screen. As it turns out, we caught the film on Netflix, which offers instant stream viewing.

The film's director and writer, Lee Fulkerson, introduces the audience to 2 pioneers in nutritional research, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Charles Esselstyn. Through their independent studies, they make a case supporting that a plant-based diet is the most beneficial in maintaining and improving health. One's diet plays a great role in preventative medicine. What you eat can determine whether your body will heal itself, rather than relying on prescription and OTC medications to cure what ails you.

If you're looking for a Michael Moore or Maysles brothers film experience, you may be disappointed. It doesn't regale the audience with quirky tidbits, graphic images or oddball characters. The film drives along a somewhat linear and straightforward path that will no doubt inspire the newly converted and soon to be converted. It's direct in its message and doesn't rely on what can be considered "fluff" to engage viewers. Instead, the film is chock full of valuable information and is worth viewing. Even veterans like the Food Duo learned a few things along the way, and inspired us to place the China Study in our must read queue!

Memories of Grandma's Butternut Squash

2011-09-20T21:18:00.001-04:00

Grandma's cooking always bring back found memories. When I think about her cooking, something magical comes to mind, as if her food was like a dream dish that not even the world's best chef could beat. Nothing could be better than her roasted butternut squash.

My grandmother had a cute little garden in her backyard with big ole fig tree. In the summer, something new was always sprouting up: strawberries, tomatoes, green beans. One of her favorite things to grow was butternut squash. She would pull up these big pale orange gourds and set them on the kitchen counter. Then just as quickly as she set them down, Grandma quickly turn them into something delicious. She would often cut the squash in half, top with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Then she would roast then slice them. Momma Macaroon raves on about Grandma's butternut squash to this day.

Oddly enough, it wasn't until this past Sunday that I had ever cooked with butternut squash. For some reason, the day before, I decided to make some, after seeing a bunch at Trader Joe's. I immediately thought about my grandmother and her simple recipe for roasted butternut squash that Momma Macaroon shared with Artie and me. I took it a step further and decided to make a soup, which was perfect on a chilly day like we had this past Sunday.

To accommodate our vegan lifestyle and weight loss plan, I made diverted a little bit from Grandma's squash by eliminating the brown sugar and replacing it with stevia and sage. So, it wasn't quite like hers, but definitely inspired. It was pretty good, if I do say so myself. I should make some for Momma Macaroon later this week. I hope Grandma would be proud.

- Grandma's Little Macaroon

Grandma-Inspired Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Source: Memories of Grandma Macaroon

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sage
1 pkt. stevia or sugar substitute (ex. Truvia)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 c. vegetable broth (no salt added, preferred)
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. allspice
Salt or salt substitute to taste (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice butternut squash in half lengthwise. Place on baking sheet and Sprinkle halves with cinnamon, sage, stevia and black pepper. Cover with foil and place in oven. Bake for 45 minutes
When done, remove squash from oven and uncover. Cut squash halves into chunks. Set aside
In a large saucepan, saute garlic until lightly browned. Add onions and peppers and saute until onions become translucent
Add squash chunks and vegetable broth. Stir in cumin and allspice. Bring to a full boil.
Cover saucepan with lid. Lower heat and simmer for 45-minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally
Run soup through blender until mixture is smooth and creamy in texture

Earth Balance® Giveaway!

2011-09-13T20:51:00.001-04:00

Hey boys and girls! What's the best way to celebrate the middle of the week? Well, we think it's to host our very first giveaway! We know we said we'd wait until we get to 200 on Facebook, but we were too excited to wait.

Thanks to the AWESOME folks at Earth Balance®, we're now hip to 2 of their latest products: Earth Balance® Organic Coconut Spread and Earth Balance® MindfulMayo™ Dressing and Sandwich Spread. With that, they have so graciously given us a set of 2 free coupons (one for the coconut spread and one for MindfulMayo™, redeemable at Whole Foods Market) and a copy of their "Cooking with Coconut" recipe booklet to one of our lucky U.S. readers (sorry to our friends abroad, but we'll have something for you soon enough).

So how do you get to score this set from The Food Duo? Here are your options:

Leave a comment on our blog telling us how you would use Earth Balance® Organic Coconut Spread or Earth Balance® MindfulMayo™ Dressing and Sandwich Spread in your cooking
"Like" us on Facebook and let us know by leaving a comment here
Follow us on Twitter, and also let us know by leaving a comment here

You each have three shots. We'll take all of the entries and run them through Random.org to select the winner. Entries will be accepted between now and Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, September 21, 2011.

Good luck to all!

If you're not up-to-date on what Earth Balance® is and their wonderful product line, you need to get to the store ASAP (or maybe wait until you win the giveaway). Their spreads, buttery sticks and soymilk are phenomenal. Mac's got a major "thing" for their chocolate milk, which is so good, it's bad, but not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good (In a Run-DMC happy mood) way.

The coconut spread has many uses. You can bake with it (coconut pie - YUM). You can cook with it (coconut rice with some tofu satay - YUM x 2). You can just spread it on your toast with a little bit of chocolate (Breakfast of Champs like us...only on a cheat day, of course). It's not overpowering in flavor. It's a really nice complement to breakfast, lunch or dinner. The possibilities in how to cook with it are endless. What you do with it outside of the kitchen is your own business.

The MindfulMayo™ is great for salads as a base to your dressing. We like to add some balsamic vinegar and mustard to ours. Now, we haven't had it on sandwiches yet, but I think we'll do something with the oat flour tortillas Mac made recently. Already thinking ahead!

We want to take a quick moment to thank you guys for reading and following this little blog we have. It means a lot to know that you stop by, whether it be to check our new recipes, read Mac's crazy poems, see the oddball YouTube clip we post or an uplifting story we may share. Our appreciation of your support is TREMENDOUS!

Oat Flour Tortillas Revisited

2011-09-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

We decided to make the Oat Flour Tortillas again. We had a lot of difficulty with the dough on our first attempt, while the tortillas were really good. They had more of a flaky texture that wasn't very bread-like, but it could work.

Mac broke out the Vitamix this time around to grind down the oats into flour as well as make the dough. She worked with a mixture of steel-cup and old fashioned oats (1/2 c. of each). It look no more than 5 minutes to whip it all up. Though the dough was sticky, it was tons easier to form and roll. Mac only needed a little bit of extra oat flour to work with the dough. I could easily use them as a soft taco, as they were foldable, which wasn't so easy to do with our first try.

With the tortillas, I slow-cooked some peppers and onions, while Mac made some spicy tempeh with taco seasoning. It was really delicious, especially with some freshly squeezed lime juice. We totally need to make this again!

When Life Gives You Chickpeas, Make a Salad!

2011-09-12T07:55:00.000-04:00

If we only had some pumpernickel bread...and pickles...and chips...and....

On Friday night, Mac didn't want us to be bothered in making dinner, especially after her workout. She decided to whip up something with chickpeas. She was probably craving one of those vegan chick'n salad sandwiches that she used to get from Mrs. Green's. Since she couldn't have one of those in following our diet, she made something that would fit in with our weight-loss program. It included making a variation on mayo too!

Her salad was really good! In fact, it was so good that I wished I had some pumpernickel or rye bread. It would have been "slammin'" in a sandwich!

Here's what she made:

Mac's Chick(pea)en Salad
Source: The Food Duo's Friday Night Whip-Up
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1/4 c. carrots, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 c. Scallion-Mustard Tofu Mayo
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Pour chickpeas in a medium bowl and mash until texture is slightly chunky
Mix in celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to mashed chickpeas
Stir in mayo until mixture becomes slightly creamy. Add a few dashes of black pepper, and give mixture a final stir

Mac's Scallion-Mustard Tofu Mayo
Source: Mac's Craving for a Creamy Dip
Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

6-8oz silken tofu
1 Tbsp spicy mustard
1 scallion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
Juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp dill weed
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Throw all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix until well-combined and smooth. Serve as a dip, dressing or spread

It's Artie's Birthday

2011-09-10T07:47:00.001-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARTICHOKE!
What a great 85 years you've had on Earth! Keep it going! LOL!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup

2011-09-07T15:09:00.022-04:00

Need Our Greens: Added some sauteed spinach on top of soup

We spent Labor Day totally lazing about the house. We didn't do too much, and that was just as we liked it. Though we relaxed, we still had to put in some work. How else were we going to eat? So, Mac made some soup for us.

The soup was made with a lot of ingredients (almost up there with Poppa Artichoke's 21-ingredient chili), but it really didn't take much effort. From soup to nuts, it took less than an hour to make. Mac made a big enough batch for a couple of days of comfort eats!

Not-So-Laborious Labor Day Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup
Source: The Lazy Macaroon
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp olive oil, optional
3 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 c. vegetable broth
1c. water
1/4 tsp. cumin
Pinch of thyme
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. star anise
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Salt to taste, optional

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic (in oil, if using) until lightly browned. Add onion, carrot and celery and stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent
Add sweet potatoes and broth. Give mixture a stir and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer, cover pan with lid and cook for 15-20 minute or until potatoes are tender
In a small pot, add black beans and water. Stir in cumin and thyme. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. When ready, pour off any extra water and set aside
When potatoes are done, pour contents of saucepan into a blender. Add cinnamon, cayenne, parsley and star anise. Puree mixture until smooth and creamy
Pour mixture back into the medium saucepan, and stir in cooked black beans. Mix in black pepper and salt (if using)
Enjoy!

Oat Flour Tortillas

2011-09-06T11:49:00.000-04:00

Tortilla strips atop of a tempeh taco salad

We're on a wheat-free, low fat, low sodium weight loss plan. With that, we're learning of alternative ways to get complex carbs into our diet. We've come across some pretty creative recipes, such as a burger bun made out of mashed potatoes. However, one of our now favorite ones has been for Oat Flour Tortillas, using a recipe found on Bob's Red Mill site.

Artie and I both found difficulties in making the dough for the tortillas at first. The flour to water ratio seemed a bit off. Also, the tortillas dried out water quickly while I was rolling out the dough. However, I found that if I brushed them with water once or twice, everything worked itself out.

The tortillas had great flavor, thanks to the taco seasoning (we made a no salt added mix), and worked well as strips atop of a warm taco salad and later as garnish on the carrot-ginger soup we made in our new Vitamix. It also could work well as a flatbread substitute.

Oat Flour Tortillas
Source: Bob's Red Mill
Makes about 4 Tortillas

Ingredients

1 cup Oat Flour

1 tsp Taco Seasoning

1/2 cup Water

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the flour and seasoning. Stir in water, then evaluate the consistency. The dough should be soft, but not wet and mold easily into shapes. The dough will easily form a ball as you stir. In necessary, add a bit more flour or water to achieve the proper consistency
Pinch off balls of dough the size of golf balls. Toll them in additional flour to coat well. Knead each ball a bit as you pat or roll it into a flat circle that is about 1/8 inch thick and 5 inches across. Repeat with all dough
Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle. Use no oil. Place each tortilla in the hot pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. Tortillas should become lightly brown and start to appear dry. Cool on wire racks
Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks or freeze

The Towering Salad - A New Poem

2011-09-05T09:59:00.002-04:00

I've been on this weird poetry kick lately. So here's a little ditty about Sunday's dinner

The Towering Salad (to the tune of "On Top of Spaghetti")

On top of romaine lettuce
All covered in veggies
I lost my poor tofu
Because it was so yummy

It rested on eggplant
with pretty grill marks
That laid on asparagus
with lemon juice not too tart

It was layered with tomato
Heirlooms taste so good
Then topped with strips of red peppers
And a dressing that will make you drool

I cut into the tower
My mouth opened wide
Now, I've lost my poor tofu
After too many delicious bites

What do you think?

For Sunday's dinner, I was inspired by a Caprese (tomato-mozzarella-basil) salad. I hadn't eaten one in a while. Being on our diet, we couldn't use cheese, even vegan cheese! So I would substitute the cheese with tofu seasoned with a little oregano and black pepper. It worked pretty well.

Building upon my love of Caprese salads, I decided to make a tower with tofu, heirloom tomatoes, grilled asparagus, grilled eggplant and roasted red peppers. The tower sat on top of romaine lettuce. Unfortunately, we were out of fresh basil leaves. Normally, I would use balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a dressing, but instead I made a spicy roasted pepper dressing with dried basil. With roasted peppers as a side, we were all set.

I don't have a formal recipe for the salad itself, but I do have one for the dressing, which is oil-free and still has a lot of flavor. I actually got it from a weight-loss forum, and made some slight modifications. Oh, and it was made in the Vitamix!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Dressing
Source: Provida Support Community
Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, crushed (I doubled the garlic)
½ cup roasted red, yellow, or orange bell peppers (see below for roasting method)
½ cup diced tomatoes (Fresh tomatoes, not canned)

I also added 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp. dried parsley, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1/4 tsp. dried basil and a dash of ground black pepper

Directions:

To roast peppers, place whole peppers on grill or under broiler until skin is black and charred (turn as necessary). Let cool (careful, there will be steam inside, so I usually slice the peppers once as they are cooling to vent), then peel off charred skin
To make dressing, puree ingredients well in blender or food processor, chill, and enjoy!!! Will keep in the refrigerator about a week

Stacked!

Saturday Night Special - Baked Orange Tofu

2011-09-04T06:00:00.008-04:00

This is our "Saturday Night Special"

Our Aunt Grace recently sent us an Edible Arrangements bouquet as a "Just Because" gift. It was such a great surprise! If you're not familiar with Edible Arrangements, they're a U.S.-based company that specializes in "floral" arrangements made out of fruit, just like this one:

Oh, that green "stuff" is lettuce or kale

We could have easily gorged ourselves on the delicious fruit, but we decided to use them in a variety of ways; one of which being a baked orange tofu dish I made on a whim. I decided to pair it a cabbage stir-fry (we had a head that needed to be cooked) and some brown rice spaghetti. Earlier, I tweeted that it was almost "Italiasian" (hehehe).

Playing with food can be really exciting, as you never know what you'll create. I was so nervous about how my orange tofu would come out. I drove Artichoke a bit crazy about it, asking him about 5-6 times if I needed to add anything else. Happy was I to see, smell and taste how nicely it all came together. The orange gave the tofu a vivid color and flavor, the lemon kept the spices balanced and the vinegars lent a nice sour complement to the sweet orange juice with the added Splenda.

Now, I'm looking forward to what else we could make. Maybe using the Vitamix? Yeah, I'm addicted to it already!

Baked Orange Tofu
Source: Macaroonie, the Fruit Warrior
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
Juice of 2 oranges
1 Tbsp. orange zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. ground mustard
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Dash of salt (substitute) and ground pepper

Directions:

Slice tofu into 8 equal slabs, widthwise. Set aside
In a bowl, whisk together, the juices, zest, vinegars and spices
Dip each slab of tofu into juice mixture, then place into a 7x11" baking dish (8x8 works too, may be a tight fit)
Pour juice mixture over tofu slabs, and cover dish with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for at least 90 minutes
30 minutes before marinading time is completed, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Replace plastic wrap with aluminum foil, and place dish in oven
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and flip tofu slabs. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Then broil on high for 3-5 minutes on each side

The Vitamix Is Here!

2011-09-03T09:00:00.002-04:00

Artichoke and I love trying out new kitchen gadgets. Being foodies, how could we not? As some of you may know from our tweets and Facebook posts, we purchased a Vitamix blender from QVC on Sunday. It arrived on Thursday. We finally tore into the box on Friday to break out our shiny new toy!

What we have is the Vitamix Creations II 10-in-1 Blending Machine with 48oz Jar! After seeing Vitamix in ads and on TV, we've been wanting to get one, but the price was just too high! On Sunday, QVC had this machine as their "Today's Special Value." The price was too good to pass up.

It's here! It's finally here! YAY!

The Vitamix isn't just for making smoothies and juices. It can replace so many appliances in the home from food processor to hand mixer. It has minimal bells and whistles, yet does so much based on the variable setting you select.

The blender came with a DVD to introduce us to Vitamix, 3 spatulas, a tamper to help break down food when necessary, and a pretty cool cookbook that included recipes from Mario Batali and Rick Bayless.

All ready to go!

As a cookbook collector, I immediately went through the recipes. Right away, I noticed one for a carrot-ginger soup and it was VEGAN! I told Artie that's what we were having for dinner. Because of our diet, I modified things, leaving out oil and sodium.

The recipe was so simple and quick. From start to finish, I had soup cooked in the Vitamix (yes, cooked! thanks to the super high setting) in under 10 minutes. The soup was smooth and velvety, just how I like it! It also had a nice kick from using fresh ginger and white pepper.

I can't wait to use our Vitamix again tomorrow. Hmm, what should I make? Let me know what you think!

The finished product with oat flour tortilla strips!

Kale & Tomato - A Love Story

2011-09-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

Sauteed kale with tomatoes with rice and balsamic grilled tofu!

I'm a poet, and I bet you didn't know it! HA!

Ode to Wednesday Night's Dinner

There once was a green named Kale
Who loved to be fresh, not stale
Who enjoyed being tossed about
With his pal, Garlic, sauteing himself out

There once was a fruit named Tomato
Bright red with seeds, and full of flavor
Who could be very sweet and also salty
But never could be deemed as paltry

One day Tomato met Kale
It was at a farmer's market sale
It was love at first sight right away
They ran off together that day

Now Tomato and Kale are two
As a side, they're never alone or blue
They make a great combination
With tofu, rice and imagination

City Slickers Order In with Urban Organic

2011-08-30T12:01:00.000-04:00

Look at the beautiful greens!

Before an arbitrary email containing a Groupon offer made its way to my inbox, I had never heard of Urban Organic. This Brooklyn-based service has been delivering certified organic produce, herbs and spices to homes in all 5 boroughs for some time now. To try and stay competitive, they bulk-purchase produce from organic farm co-ops, distributors and individual farmers. They also vow to give local farmers as much business as possible.

The way their service works is simple. You pick out what sized box you want and they deliver it right to your door. You can place a one-time order, or get weekly deliveries (check out their delivery schedule). Urban Organic is pretty flexible about changes to the order, and will allowed up to 3 substitutions.

Our $20.00 Groupon allowed us to purchased an Original Value Box, normally priced at $34.99. It contained (between 15-18) fresh veggies and fruits including kale, carrots, bananas and dinosaur pluots, one of our favorites. We were pleased that everything arrived clean and fresh.

Overall, Urban Organic is a pretty good service. By ordering ahead of time, you can save a trip to your supermarket, or weekend farmers market. The two minor peccadilloes I have with them is that some items are subject to change without their notice - which is somewhat understandable - and the delivery could arrive as late as 10:30 PM. If I had children and someone delivered a box of veggies at 10:30 PM, I don’t think Mac or I would be too happy. Then again, to have fresh fruits and veggies delivered to our door in the Bronx, I may just have to overlook once or twice!

A cornucopia of veggie and fruit delights!

Urban Organic
240 Sixth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 499-4321

In Irene's Wake, We Bring You the Aftermath with Baked Beans

2011-08-29T18:27:00.000-04:00

Irene came and went. We had some water damage in our bedroom due to water leaking from our upstairs neighbor. There was also a bit of a flood in our garage, but nothing major. For the most part, we were just fine during the storm.

Big, bad bubble of rain formed in the ceiling

We ventured outside for a brief moment to see if there was any damage on our street (Yeah, we're daredevils!). We also wanted to make sure our neighbor didn't have her window open during the storm. At first it was calm, but then the wind blew hard. I took a quick video:

Really, things weren't that bad around our part of the Bronx (NYC). I heard Riverdale got it pretty bad.

After the rain passed and Irene waved "Goodbye," the wind gusted and howled for a few hours. We didn't bother to chance going back outside. So, we spent the rest of the day playing with Mozzer and Connie, watching TV and messing about on Facebook and Twitter (exciting, I know). We also took some time to cook up a few dishes like baked beans a cauliflower "rice" and some homemade grilled eggplant and zucchini sauce.

In saying "Goodnight, Irene," Artie and I enjoyed a plate of baked beans and rice (not the cauliflower one) with a side of cut string beans and Brussels sprouts.

The Calm(ing) Comfort Food before the Storm

2011-08-27T19:37:00.012-04:00

Greens on Top: If you put your side dish atop of your entree, is it still a side dish?

We spent today indoors. Though Hurricane Irene hasn't hit yet, we couldn't be bothered to go anywhere. Good thing we ran our errands yesterday to be prepared. We heard that stores were either closed or were madhouses today.

With the rain coming down this evening, Artichoke wanted to make a hearty pasta dish with Great Northern beans. Since we had some mixed greens that needed to be cooked, I thought they would be great to have as a side dish. Nothing like a delicious, warming meal on a day like today.

To our fellow East Coasters, stay safe and stay dry!

Brown Rice Spaghetti with Great Northern Beans
Source: Artichoke's "Hurricane Irene" Whip-Up
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 box brown rice spaghetti (1 lb.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking spray
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 15oz cans of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. vegetable broth
1/2 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt (substitute) and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package instructions. When ready, drain and rinse pasta
In a large saucepan, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add beans, broth, parsley and garlic powder
Bring to a boil. Cover saucepan with a lid, then lower heat. Simmer for 10-15 minutes
Serve over pasta, or toss pasta into bean mixture. Sprinkle salt and black pepper over dish

Mac's Sauteed Mixed Greens
Source: The Food Duo's Love of Pasta, Beans and Greens
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking spray
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1lb mixed greens, chopped with stems (optional)
2 c. vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. horseradish
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash or salt substitute
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil a medium saucepan, and add onions. Saute until onions start to "sweat"
Toss greens with the onions and pour over the vegetable broth. Stir in the horseradish, garlic powder and Mrs. Dash
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed

Homemade Broilin' BBQ

2011-08-26T18:43:00.000-04:00

Last night, I decided to make some "healthy" (low sodium, sugar-free) bbq tofu with brown rice and asparagus. It was pretty good. I think I need to work on the bbq sauce more, but it was a good start. With a tomato sauce base, I added a mix of spices like cinnamon and cumin with balsamic and white vinegar. When the sauce was ready, I sliced up the a brick of tofu into 8 pieces and covered them in the sauce. Then I broiled the tofu for about 10 minutes on each side. I finished off the tofu with a drizzle of more sauce before serving.

When I perfect this recipe, I'll definitely share!

Cinnamon on Tofu? WHAT?!?!

2011-08-23T16:00:00.007-04:00

Tofu with a bit of mashed sweet potatoes and edamame

Yesterday, we shared our recipe for Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, which was a side to some baked tofu I made. They went really nicely together. So without further ado, here's the recipe for our Cinnamon-Spiced Baked Tofu. Hope you enjoy!

Cinnamon-Spiced Baked Tofu
Source: Playing with Spices in the Macachoke Kitchen
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

8oz. extra firm tofu, sliced
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp thyme
Salt or Mrs. Dash (optional) and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 8x8 baking dish, lay the tofu (If dish is not non-stick, lightly grease or lightly spray with cooking spray)
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegars, garlic powder, cinnamon and thyme. Pour mixture over tofu. Sprinkle tofu with salt or Mrs. Dash and the ground black pepper
Bake in oven for 20-25 minute, flipping the tofu after 10-12 minutes

Sweet Potatoes, A Little Grown Up

2011-08-22T12:15:00.018-04:00

Served up with some Cinnamon-Spiced Baked Tofu

Growing up, I only would eat sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving. There's something about that day that would make me want to eat them. In my immature mind, sweet potatoes were appealing because they were supposed to have a lot of butter, milk with some brown sugar, marshmallows or maple syrup in it. As a kid, it was about food being the sweeter, the better.

Now, as an adult and a vegan, I've grown to appreciate the sweet potato and its yummy flavor. Their natural sweetness alone is enough to enjoy: no added sugar necessary! My palate has developed and I've started to use spices and other veggies as a way to complement dishes not just to enhance.

Recently, I made some mashed sweet potato with cinnamon, star anise and onions as a side to some cinnamon-spiced tofu I baked for dinner. I was just experimenting, and yet I surprised at how well it all came together. Artie really enjoyed the combination of tastes and cleaned his plate.

We're only a couple of months away from Thanksgiving. This may be my contribution to the meal.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Source: Mac Taking Charge in the Kitchen
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

2-3 medium sweet potatoes (yams are okay)
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 c.vegetable broth, low sodium or no salt added preferred
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. star anise
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash
Salt (optional) and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put potatoes whole with skin into a 8x8 baking dish. Pierce skin with a fork. When heated, place baking dish in oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender
Remove potatoes from oven and baking dish, and run under cold water. Pull away skin. Place potatoes in a medium sized bowl
Mash potatoes with the back of a spoon until smooth.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add onions and vegetables. Simmer until onions become translucent, then cover. Broth will evaporate. Sauté onions every couple of minutes, adding about a little bit of water each time until onions are caramelized. Should take about 10 minutes
Mix onions to potatoes. Stir in cinnamon, star anise, Mrs. Dash, salt (optional) and black pepper

Zucchini "Bolognese" - Leftovers for a Lazy Sunday Lunch

2011-08-21T13:59:00.000-04:00

Zucchini "Bolognese"

Today's a rainy, lazy Sunday in NYC. As I type this, I'm lounging about with my main man, Mozzer the Duke of Periwinkle, and watching "In the Kitchen with David" on QVC after eating some Zucchini "Bolognese" over brown rice pasta. Artie made this for dinner last night, and it was delicious. It was even better heated up for lunch today.

The "Bolognese" is made from TVP (textured vegetable protein) with "No-Salt-Added" canned whole tomatoes and zucchini. We'll get a recipe together for you soon. It's a lazy day afterall!

A Giveaway's A-Comin'!

2011-08-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

We're so glad that many of our readers have followed us on Facebook and Twitter. We're hoping to grow and that you'll share our blog with your loved ones. Being vegan is very important to us, and we'd love to share our message that you can still be a foodie without being a carnivore. With that, we'd like to have our first giveaway, but there's a catch. We have to get to 200 followers on Facebook and 250 on Twitter first. We promise that this giveaway will be well worth and a must-have!

Will you help us?

Support Vegan Bodega!

2011-08-20T10:07:00.002-04:00

Hey guys!

We wanted to take a moment to ask for your help in supporting Vegan Bodega, started by Eric Hopf, to become NYC's first vegan convenient store. NYC has some great vegan options in restaurants, but not for day-to-day essentials. If you're like us (we're in the Bronx), living where there's not even a handful of reliable and afforable choices, you can become frustrated in having to schlep 20, 30...sometimes 60+ minutes to get what you need, while everyone else can just go around the corner. We'd like to go "around the corner" too for once! Going to a place that's specifically for vegans would just be awesome.

Last week, Vegan Bodega launched their fundraising efforts for their store on IndieAGoGo.com. Their goal is to raise $15,000 to get the store off the ground. As of this post, they're at $2,335 with 32 days of fundraising to go. So we ask that you join in, become a founding contributor and help get NYC their first vegan store. Because in a city like NYC, there really is no excuse in not having one.

Support Vegan Bodega!

Inspired by Tabbouleh

2011-08-17T23:00:00.000-04:00

This is a nice summer side dish to have with some spicy grilled tofu or tempeh

I wanted to make a tabbouleh salad, but we were staying away from bulgar wheat for the time being. Taking some leftover brown rice we had from Monday's dinner, I decided to make a tabbouleh-inspired rice salad with fresh mint and parsley. I chopped tomatoes and cucumbers that we picked during our trip to Weed Orchards over the weekend. With a bit of lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and spice, the salad was rather refreshing.

Tabbouleh Rice-AH
Source: Mac-Attack for Tabbouleh
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

2 c. brown rice, cooked (rice should be cool)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 c. fresh mint, chopped
1/3 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 c. cucumber, cubed
Juice of one lemon
1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt (substitute) and black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together until well-combined. Serve.

Pan Seared Balsamic Tofu

2011-08-16T11:30:00.000-04:00

Tofu served with some rice with mini bell peppers and Brussels sprouts

Not much of a write-up on this one. It was one of our "quick whip-ups" for dinner, which turned out nicely.

Pan-Seared Balsamic Tofu
Source: Mac and Artie's Saucepan
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

6-8oz. extra firm tofu, sliced or cubed
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. oregano
Dash of crushed red pepper, cracked black pepper and sea salt (or salt substitute)

Directions:

Place tofu in a small dish and drizzle with balsamic. Set aside.
In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add garlic. Saute until lightly brown before adding onion. Cook until onion becomes translucent
Add tofu to saucepan and sprinkle half of the oregano. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn over. Sprinkle remaining oregano. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Serve on plates with dashes of crushed red and cracked black peppers and salt.

We Picked Our Own!

2011-08-15T10:00:00.005-04:00

Saturday, we made annual summer trip to Weed Orchards in Marlboro, New York in Ulster County, which is about 90 minutes outside in NYC. This time, Momma Mac joined us. It was time to have fun while stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies.

The highlight of our day was gathering peaches. They had yellow, white and donut. If you've never had a donut peach, you are missing out. They are cute, shaped like a donut (without the hole) and super sweet

We delighted in beautiful vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant and cabbage. There were massive zucchini that looked delicious (zucchini boats...er ships...are to be made) We also stocked up on a ton of corn, which we gave to my aunts.

After picking our fruits and veggies, we enjoyed a lovely lunch, which we packed before we left home of tofu, carrots and tomatoes with a homemade balsamic dressing. Momma Mac had some BBQ and grilled corn that she said was pretty good.

With our veggie and fruit loot, we're now ready to go to make some great dishes for you guys to see!

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Kodak Gallery Photo Books

2011-08-14T16:04:00.001-04:00

We, The Food Duo, were lucky enough to be selected to try out Kodak Gallery Photo Books as part of the FoodBuzz Tastemaker program. With this, we got to create our very own photo book.

Kodak Gallery gives photo aficionados and memory makers many options and styles for their photo books. They come in multiple styles with great design choices. You can build all of this right on your computer.

We found the process very simple: select your book, upload your photos and set up your pages as you wish. You can even let Kodak auto-fill your pages and connect your your Facebook photo galleries. It could go pretty quickly or like for Mac, who loves playing with photos, it could take a bit. The choice is yours. Seriously, you can have a book all set in 5 minutes.

For our book, we decided to put together some of our favorite pictures of meals we created for our blog. Here are a couple of shots of the steps we took:

Upload

Layout

Preview

Order

We had a lot of fun putting our book together and cannot wait for it to arrive!

From now until 8/31/11, Kodak is offering our followers a 40% discount on a medium hardcover or a large Photo Book. All you have to do is visit www.kodakgallery.com/creativity to redeem and start creating your own memories, food or otherwise.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Crush Slush

2011-08-14T09:42:00.000-04:00

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Mac and I were trolling the aisles at Whole Foods, planning our meals for the upcoming week. One of the things we wanted to make was some kind of icy treat. As we added things to our shopping cart, ideas started to brew. When we hit the frozen foods aisle, we came upon a bevy of frozen fruit options. I decided to go with pineapple and try to figure out what to whip up.

When we got home, I decided to make some kind of mix between an Italian ice and fruit sorbet. I tossed the pineapple with some water and a little bit of Truvia in the food processor, and let it roll. It was delicious!

Pineapple Crush Slush
Source: Mac & Artie in the Whole Foods Frozen Food Aisle
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 c. frozen cut pineapple, from fresh, not canned
1 pkt sugar-substitute (ex. Splenda or Truvia)
1/8 c. water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times to break up the pineapple chunks. Blend until mixture is smooth, yet slushy

Black Bean Sloppy Joes

2011-08-13T18:36:00.002-04:00

Whenever I think of Sloppy Joes, I think of this:

When I was kid, I only had Sloppy Joes at school or camp. It wasn't a regular thing. As an adult, I've had them three times; 2 of which were vegan. The first was the meat kind when Artie and I first started dating. It was a disaster. The second time was a Kaya's Kitchen, which was awesome and meatfree. The third time was at Blossom du Jour with their Sloppy Joe Slider; again another awesome sandwich.

To make up for our horrible homemade experience, many moons ago, we decided to try a recipe we found on a weight loss forum, using black beans. Artie actually made this for dinner on Wednesday evening. We ate it bunless with a side of rice and broccoli.

Artie made some minor modifications, as the original recipe called for beef bouillon to replace soy sauce. A no-no for us. Artie made his own substitute as follow:

Mix one T of balsamic vinegar with a pinch of garlic powder and a pinch of freshly grated black pepper.

He also replaced the green pepper with a red pepper for an a bit sweeter flavor.

It was so good. I was really surprised. I'm certain that on a bun, this would have been amazing.

Black Bean Sloppy Joes
Source: Provida Forum Member
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced (You can use a red pepper instead, if you like)
1/3 cup water
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (no salt added is preferred)
8 oz tomato sauce (no salt added is preferred)
¼ cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 tablespoon soy sauce substitute (see The Food Duo's recommendation above)
¼ tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

Place onion and pepper in saucepan with water. Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Mash beans with a bean or potato masher (do not use a food processor). Add the beans and remaining ingredients into the saucepan and cook over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

The Food Duo...From Fat to Fit

2011-08-12T07:29:00.000-04:00

Artie and I have decided that we want to be a couple of Skinny Minnies by dropping some pounds, and toning up our bodies. As of Monday, we've embarked on a journey called "Portion Control" and "Clean Eating." Both don't sound like fun, I know. However, we have to do it, because a sedentary lifestyle is not good for us, and we're tired of being the Paunchy Food Duo.

I don't know about you, but some folks had stated that you can't be healthy as a vegan. My response is "SHUT YO' MOUTH!" Consuming animal products do not give a clean bill of health. In fact, most of the medical problems I had in the past occurred when I was eating meat and dairy. Since I've been vegetarian (and now vegan), I have a better sense of what's in my food, and haven't gotten sick nearly as much as I did 2+ years ago.

Artie and I are foodies (we LOVE it). I would rather eat my way through a river of "Creaky Chicken" (a la Veggie Heaven) than run around a track. At the same time, we're getting older and want to make further our change for "good" (whatever that means). So we've made a commitment to do the following:

1. Plan ahead and cook more meals at home

2. Cut back on processed foods

3. Drink more water (Not a problem for me. Artie...that's another story, but he's getting better)

4. Exercise more; be it a walk in the park, doing some yoga or messing about on Wii Fit

Other than this change, Artie and I will continue to do as we always have done. Post our recipes, share others, take pictures of cool things we make and find.

So wish us luck! We'll let you know how it goes!

Garden Café on the Green - Woodstock, New York

2011-08-11T14:00:00.001-04:00

After our fantastic visit to the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, the Food Duo, with our friend Ava Avocado in tow, decided to stop off and grab a late lunch. Although Woodstock, NY has a good amount of places that will cater to vegans, Garden Café on the Green is, to our knowledge, the only all vegan eatery in town.

This small but funky place, offers a good range of reasonably priced vegan delights that will fill your breadbasket. I enjoy a savory red Italian bean soup, with a side order or roasted potatoes - yeah I know I’m a carb addict! Mac enjoyed a grilled curry tofu mango sandwich and a small mesclun salad. Ava gulped down a homemade black bean burger with roasted potatoes, a dish that I secretly eyeballed!

If you enjoy people watching, sitting near the widow is recommended . You’ll dig the diverse collection of hippies, goths, squares and artists that promenade past this popular joint. Because they have a small staff, you may have to invoke your Buddhist tolerance and be prepared to wait. But the wait is worth it

I give it 3 out of 4 peace signs

Garden Café on the Green
6 Old Forge Road
Woodstock, NY 12498-1239
845-679-3600

Italiano Lettuce Wraps with Baked Chips

2011-08-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

We don't have a recipe for this dish. Just wanted to share a photo.

As some of you may know, we LOVE lettuce wraps. We recently have begun cooking with TVP, and found the texture to be great to work into a lettuce wrap. So we made a dish with TVP acting as grounds cooked with tomato puree, tomato paste and spices, thinking we would give it an Italian twist. It came out all right. We're going to play around with it more to figure out how to give it more of a kick.

We served up the lettuce wraps with some oven-baked potato chips that Artie made. Those were awesome. We'll share his recipe soon.

Day at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

2011-08-07T17:54:00.002-04:00

Just a mere 2 hours outside of NYC, there's a magical place called Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. It's home to many beautiful creatures, saved from being placed in butcher cases, frozen foods and the like. It's a place where all animals can be free to live their lives to the fullest.

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary started in 2004 by Jenny Brown and Doug Abel. Since that time, they've rescued numerous chickens, roosters, ducks, geese, cows, goats and sheep; many from the New York City area. Every rescued animal has a name and a great story to be told. Being in their company and seeing how well they interact with themselves as well as with caring humans is truly amazing.

During our visit, we got to meet many wonderful animals who seemed really interested, if not excited, to see us. From cats to turkeys, we were able to get up close, speak and pet them. It's was truly something to see how many of there would walk right next to us, even follow us around without much fear. As much as we were intrigued by them, they were even more curious about who we were. If you've never been in the company of farm animals, you'd truly be surprised by their depth, intellect and emotion.

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary is terrific, and we're thankful for what they do, just out of simple passion and devotion to animals. This is a non-profit that does rely on the kindness of others to keep their operation going. So if you have a chance to visit, please do. If not, check out their website where you can make a donation to such a great cause.

Here are just a couple of photos of some of the new friends we made:

Pogo, our cute, little tour guide for part of our trip (Thanks Sheila for letting us know his name)

Kayli

Dylan

Fern

This is a video of Dylan walking over to us:

Visit our Facebook page to see more photos from our trip!

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
P. O. Box 1329
Woodstock, NY 12498
845-679-5955
http://www.woodstocksanctuary.org

What a cutie pie penguin!

2011-07-28T18:18:00.001-04:00

We just wanted to share this video with you! Enjoy!

Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette for our 300th Post!

2011-07-27T10:30:00.002-04:00

This is our 300th post since we started this blog back in 2008! HOORAY! Balloons and streamers are floating about.

To celebrate, I'm sharing a recipe for a lemon-lime vinaigrette I made. Drizzled atop of a simple salad full of delicious veggies makes me a happy girl and Artie a happy boy.

Mac's Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
Source: Macaroon Wanting Citrus with Salad
Makes approximately 3/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 c. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp, agave nectar
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well-combined
Use as a marinade or dressing

Peachy Keen Italian Ice...It's So Nice

2011-07-26T16:00:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Clara Cannucciari and her fabulous web show on YouTube. She aired a very simple and tasty recipe for Italian ice. Yesterday, I took her recipe and added some leftover peach and nectarine puree that I used for iced tea. YUMYUMYUM NoMnOmNoM!

Summer Tea Time!

2011-07-25T22:16:00.000-04:00

What does one write about iced tea? I don't have the faintest idea. I know I like it, preferably naturally sweetened with no junk in it. I like it green, herbal, with lemonade or with a variety of fruit.

This past weekend was so hot. Nothing else cools things down like a nice tall glass of iced ice. The summer is great time to experience with flavors. So I decided to play around with peaches and nectarines this time around.

My mom, a tea connoisseur, gave me ideas over the years. She would brew her teas in a variety of ways, using flowers, fruits and the sun! She also told me about making a nice fruit puree to add to teas. So using her kitchen wisdom, I made a white peach and nectarine iced tea to change things up after filling up on water throughout the day to keep hydrated. It just hit the spot!

White Peach & Nectarine Iced Tea

Source: Momma Macaroon's Solution to a Summer Day

Makes 64 ounces

Ingredients:

6 c. water + 2 c. water
6 bags of orange pekoe tea
2 c. peach & nectarine puree (see recipe)
1 c. sugar (optional)

Directions:

Pour 6 c. water into a medium saucepan and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat
Add the tea bags and cover saucepan. Steep for 30 minutes
Pour tea into a 64oz. pitcher. Stir in puree, sugar, if using, and 2 c. water

Our White Peach and Nectarine Puree

Source: Momma Macaroon's Suggestion

Makes approximately 3 cups

Ingredients:

2 white peaches, chopped
2 white nectarines chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 c. water
1/4 c. sugar

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender. Puree mixture until smooth

It's 68 degrees in Portland, OR...OH SHUT UP!

2011-07-22T17:15:00.000-04:00

Do you think if you have "cool" thoughts, it won't seem so hot? Well watch these clips and let us know?

HOT HOT HOT!

2011-07-22T16:26:00.000-04:00

We're on FIYAAAAAAAAAAH in NYC! It's about 105 degrees here with the heat index being between 110 and 117 degrees (Fahrenheit, baby). So in celebration of our skin sizzling underneath massive slatherings of SPH 1,000,000, check out one of the the cheesiest (ahem, teesiest) songs and videos known to man, from the great David Johanssen of the fabulous New York Dolls at a low point.

Easy Breezy Summer Spring Rolls

2011-07-18T21:28:00.002-04:00

For some unknown reason, I decided to make spring rolls today. Is it because they’re easy and fun to make? Perhaps it’s because they’re inexpensive and the ingredients are readily available. Or could it be that they simply taste yummy. Was I an Asian chef in a former life? Any or all of these reasons work for me. Oh, by the way they taste great!

Easy Breezy Summer Spring Rolls

Source: Artichoke with an Asian Flare

Makes 8-10 rolls

Ingredients:

7 oz. of extra firm tofu (about ½ container), drained and pressed
2 tbsp of lite soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
1 dash of vegan Sriracha sauce (optional)
1/3 head green cabbage, sliced thin
1 large carrot, grated
3/4 cup cooked cellophane noodles
1 package of spring roll wrappers (22 cm)

Directions:

Carefully slice the tofu into narrow strips. Heat up the soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger and Sriracha sauce in a wok or large skillet and sautée the tofu for about 7 minutes, or until lightly browned.
In a large bowl, toss together the tofu with the cabbage, carrots and noodles, making sure that the mixture is even.
Place spring roll wrappers (2-3 at a time) in a large bowl of warm water until they become soft and pliant. With a paper towel, pat the wrappers dry and place on a large work surface.
Place 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a neat line in wrappers. Wrap up the spring rolls. Enjoy!

Bok Choy Madness

2011-07-16T19:52:00.004-04:00

DISCLAIMER: If you decide to shop at the White Plains Mall in White Plains, New York, a.k.a "The Most Depressing Shopping Complex in America," we cannot be responsible for feelings of sadness, or ennui! And $5.00 to park? Really? (It's validated, but still...)

The White Plains Mall, located at 22 Barker Ave. in White Plains, NY, does have one bright spot; a very large and authentic Asian market called Kam Sen. Since Mac and I were the mood to cook some Asian dishes, we decided to stop in and give it a try. While strolling Kam Sen’s ample produce aisles, we spotted a big ol’ bag of baby bok choy. It’s no secret that Mac and I simply love the stuff. So we bought it without a set recipe in mind. A few days later I decided that a simple breaded tofu and bok chop dish would sate our yens for Asian food. It ended up being rather tasty and fun to make!

Artie’s Boy Choy Tofu Madness

Source: The Food Duo's Invasion of Kam Sen
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

8 oz. of extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup of canola
1/8 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ½ Tbsp of vegetable or peanut oil
2 tsp of freshly grated ginger
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 lb. of baby bok choy, trim the bottoms and separate the leaves
3 ½ Tbsp of lite soy sauce
2 tsp of ponzu sauce
Sriracha or other Asian hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

Place tofu cubes in a large bowl and evenly coat with flour. Sprinkle in the panko breadcrumbs, toss and lightly press down on the cubes so that the panko adheres to each cube. In a large saucepan, heat canola oil and add tofu cubes. Cook until both sides are crispy and golden brown. Set aside.
In a large wok, heat up the vegetable or peanut oil until it’s almost smoking. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 ½ minutes). Place the bok choy leaves and the rest of the ingredients in the wok and cook for about 4 minutes or until the leaves just start to wilt. Toss in the tofu cubes and cook for one minute. Serve

Boozy Pizza with Brussel Sprouts and Onions

2011-07-11T16:00:00.000-04:00

"A Pitz!" with Brussels sprouts (Mac's favorite) and caramelized onions. Yummy!

Even before they emigrated to the U.S. in the 1920s, my family had been serving up one of the world’s favorite foods for decades in Ragusa, Sicily. When my grandfather came to the U.S., he settled in Brooklyn, New York. As an adult, he owned a small grocery store, which he later sold to open up a tiny pizza stand in the East Village of Manhattan (NYC). Little did he realize that the impact his career change would make in New York and across the country.

My grandfather was one of the first people to open a pizzeria in New York City. People would come from all over to get a piping hot slice of his old world wonderfulness. Nobody, and I mean nobody, made pizza like my grandfather.

This tradition did not end with Gramps. My dad, Poppa Artichoke, had his own pizzeria and Italian restaurant for over 20 years. He now hosts children’s "Make A Pizza" parties for 1000s of youngsters every year in the NY/NJ/CT Tri-State area.

Albeit I don’t own a pizza business, I LOVE making homemade pies from time to time. There are many different dough recipes to choose from and most are pretty good. For the last few years, I’ve been using Mario Batali’s dough recipe to make pizza, which is infused with wine. Extremely simple to make and easy to work, Mario’s wine dough is simply scrumptious!

As far as sauce and toppings go, use your imagination. Although I prefer to make a raw tomato sauce from scratch, some jars of pizza sauce are as good as the homemade stuff. Whatever vegetable topping you choose, make sure to par-cook them before you place them on your pie. If you choose to use vegan cheese, experiment with several to see which one satisfies your palate.

I recently made a pie, veganizing Mario's dough recipe, which was simple. I only had to substitute the honey for agave nectar. I also decrease the amount flour by a 1/2 cup.

Mario Batalia's Pizza Dough
Source: Molto Mario on The Food Network
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup light red or white wine, Fiano di Avellino (I use light white wine)
3/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 ounces fresh yeast
1 tablespoon honey (substituted with agave nectar)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups flour (only needed 3 cups)

Directions:

Place wine, water and yeast in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the honey, salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix well to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a loose batter. Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, incorporating as much flour as you can with the wooden spoon.
Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured board or marble surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and firm. Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl, using remaining tablespoon of oil and cover with a towel. Let rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes.
For individual pizzas or calzones, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and knead into rounds. For one large pizza, knead into 1 large round. For either, let rest for 15 minutes.

Penne with Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Eggplant

2011-07-10T23:01:00.000-04:00

My take on lovely restaurant pasta dish

Friday afternoon, Artie and I had lunch with Momma Macaroon. We let her pick the place, which was Artie's Steak and Seafood on City Island (The Bronx, New York). Artie's was one of our favorite restaurants before going vegan, and still is!

Side note: How funny that it was called Artie's, but probably not short for Artichoke (What do you think?)

Going to a steak and seafood restaurant may sound crazy to our non-vegan friends, but it's not. Many places may have at least one or 2 entrees that befit an herbivore. There are many that will also modify an item or cook something off of the menu with vegan ingredients. Artie's definitely one of those restaurants.

While Momma Macaroon ordered some Chilean sea bass, Artichoke ordered the "Linguine Alio Olio," which was pasta cooked with sliced garlic and olive oil. I ordered the "Ziti with Broccoli, Garlic Olive Oil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes" with a request to have some grilled eggplant with it. Artie mentioned to the waitress that we were vegan and she said she was all too familiar as her niece was one as well.

After a lovely simple salad, our entrees were served and looked amazing. My ziti was a huge portion, served with big slices of eggplant on top. I knew right away that I would be taking half of this home for dinner. However, I was so in love with this dish that even when I said I was done, I kept nibbling. I finally had to move my plate away so I wouldn't burst, as I was over the point of being full.

There only have 2 or 3 instances where I had a great meal at a restaurant that I couldn't stop thinking about it. This was one of those times. In fact, I made my own version of it with penne tonight for Artie and me because I couldn't get enough. Everything was really good.

Penne with Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Grilled Eggplant

Source: Inspired by Artie's Ziti with Broccoli, Garlic Olive Oil and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1lb of penne, cooked, rinsed and drained
1 eggplant, sliced and grilled (I recommended marinating the sliced eggplant in balsamic vinegar)
1/4 c. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 c. broccoli florets, chopped
1 c. sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (not in oil)
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Penne and eggplant should be made a little bit ahead of time and set aside
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and add garlic cloves. Saute until garlic has browned.
Add broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes, and stir with oil and garlic
Pour pasta into saucepan and toss with vegetables. Add spices
Serve in bowl or plate and top with slices of grilled eggplant

Dinner from another angle

Clara, You're Our Hero!

2011-07-09T14:32:00.002-04:00

There's a great online cooking show on YouTube called "Great Depression Cooking with Clara." I'm sad to only have just learned about this and the accompanying cookbook. The host is a cute 95 year-old great grandmother named Clara Cannucciari from the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Clara shares her favorite recipes and stories from the Great Depression era. Granted, many of her dishes are not vegan, they can easily be adapted. Clara's a great storyteller, really giving insight on the impact the Great Depression had on America. Her personal tales are often funny, if not touching. Clara's an inspiration to all, young and old, kitchen novices and experts.

Here's Clara's latest video! Watch her make Italian ice. Vanilla's her favorite!

Thanks to our friend Melissa who posted this clip on her Facebook page!

By the way, Clara's birthday is coming up on August 18th. You can send her a birthday card. Info is listed on YouTube!

7/10/11 Update - I made Clara's Italian Ice today. I split the batch, making one half lemon and the other grape. So delicious! Clara, thanks again for being awesome!

Friday Night Food Fights!

2011-07-08T23:31:00.001-04:00

Sorry that there is no photo to share. Your voracious Food Duo has just devoured an entire package of Chicago Soy Dairy's Breaded Mozzarella Teese Sticks with some tomato and basil marinara sauce! We feel this fall into gluttony is well deserved, thanks to a nearly 2-hour wait at UPS for our latest Vegan Essentials order.

Tonight is our first time ever having Teese Sticks. The wait at UPS has been well worth it to enjoy these fried and gooey snacks. Literally gone in 3 minutes after out of the fryiing pan! They taste so good, and now we know how to fulfill our mozzarella cheese dreams. Now, there has to be a way to get Teese Sticks in NYC!

Veganize! First Round Pick Buffalo Beef

2011-07-08T19:00:00.000-04:00

Dinner was an indoor picnic with our Buffalo "Beef" lettuce wraps

Welcome to our second installment of "Veganize!"

Many moons ago (almost 3 years), Artie and I were doing the Atkins Diet thing and got into making lettuce wraps. As we were preparing for our fantasy football league, I came up with an idea to make a Buffalo-style lettuce wrap using ground beef. It was really good, and I just had to share it on this lovely blog.

This past week, we bought some Boca Ground Crumbles Made with Natural Ingredients (They're vegan!), hoping to make some deliciousness out of them. Artie thought about lettuce wraps, remembering how much he enjoyed them and that we hadn't had them in a long time. So we veganized our old First Round Pick Buffalo Beef recipe.

We had the following changes to the recipe:

Ground beef was replaced by the Boca Ground Crumbles
Steak seasoning was omitted
Butter was replaced by vegan margarine and not stirred with the crumbles. It was instead used to make a vegan version of a friend's Buffalo sauce recipe (Thanks, Ian!) which was later added to the crumbles

When done, Artie served the "beef" in a nice-sized bowl with some broccoli and lettuce leaves. I whipped up a quick cool dill dip to drizzle over the beef in each wrap (I'll have to write up the recipe later). We turned dinner into an indoor picnic and had a lot of fun making and eating the wraps. They tasted just like the real beef ones we first made in 2008!

It's great to know that you don't have to deprive yourself of what you love just because you've decided to make a better health choice for yourself. You can always find alternatives and enjoy what you love to eat!

A Macaroon & Artichoke Fourth of July Picnic

2011-07-06T22:46:00.001-04:00

Laying out the eats on the picnic blanket

Artie and I took it easy this past weekend to make sure Artie recuperated from a dislocated rib. While folks were having barbecues and setting off fireworks, we went with the effortless. A long drive while singing along to Smiths songs, lovely a Summertime walk through Bronx River Park and spending time with Mozzer and Connie were just some of the things we did. We rounded out the nice long weekend with a picnic dinner on the greenway along Pelham Parkway (Bronx, NY).

For our picnic dinner, I made a special roasted potato salad with corn and tomatoes. Artie baked some gardein's Chipotle-Lime Crispy Fingers. I packed up some Daiya's Pepperjack Style Shreds, Sweet & Sara Coconut Macaroons and drinks. We were ready to go.

Potato salad topped with crispy fingers and shredded "cheese." Thanks to gardein and Daiya!

We found a nice spot and laid out our plush-like blanket. We took in the view and enjoyed a bit of people watching before serving each other food. We took the roasted potato salad and topped with the crispy fingers and Daiya cheese. It was filling and delicious. The potatoes were nice and firm, and held up well in the salad. The corn and tomatoes were sweet. The crispy fingers had a great flavor that complemented the salad. The "cheese" gave the salad a subtle creaminess with a definitely spice kick. It was a perfect Summertime meal that was light, yet filling.

After the salad, we couldn't want to tear into the macaroons! If you couldn't get guess, I'm a fan of all kinds of macaroons! Sweet & Sara's macaroons were beautiful coconut snowballs that were so close to the real deal. They weren't as dense as traditional macaroons, but the flavor was spot-on with some of the best macaroons I've ever eaten...or made myself.

Lovely coconutty goodness! Thanks to Sweet & Sara!

As dinner ended, we were greeted by 2 cutie pies. A couple of dogs came up to us while on a run with their human parents. They were so sweet and let us pet them, and didn't try to steal our food...or what was left of it.

We made 2 new friends while enjoying dinner! Aren't they cute?

After a few moments, we said goodbye to our new friends. We then took a quick rest under the sky watching dusk move to sunset. We watched the cloud shapes shift with the color of the sky. Then, it was time to go home to enjoy an evening of snap, crackles and pops of pretty fireworks fly in the sky.

Fourth of July Sunset

Roasting on the 4th Potato Salad
Source: The Food Duo's Chillaxin' Mood
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4-5 small Idaho potatoes, cubed
1/2 c. cut corn
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4c. plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp, dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cubed potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and spread into a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning the potatoes after 15 minutes
Into a small bowl, add 1/4 c. olive oil and minced garlic. Stir together and let it set for 10 minutes
After 10 minutes, whisk in red wine vinegar and spices until well combined. Set aside until potatoes are ready
When potatoes are done, remove from baking sheet and place in a large bowl to cool slightly
Add corn, tomatoes and oil and vinegar mixture to the potates. Toss well before serving. Can be eaten warm or cold

Homemade Macaroni Salad

2011-07-03T18:43:00.000-04:00

Last night, we wanted pasta, salad and some BBQ. We wanted it quick. So, Artie heated up a couple of Morningstar Farms Hickory BBQ Riblets and while I whipped up a macaroni salad. It was darn good!

I have to add that Summer ain't Summer without macaroni salad!

Macaroonie's Spicy Macaroni Salad
Source: Saturday Night Quick Dinner
Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:

1lb macaroni, cooked, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 c. Veganaise
1-1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried dill weed
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pour drained pasta into a large bowl. Toss in the vegetables. Set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together Veganaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic and onion powders and dill weed until well blended
Carefully fold the Veganaise mixture into the pasta and vegetables. Add a dash of cayenne and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give a quick stir and serve.

The Jamaican Pea Patty Incident - Take One

2011-07-01T17:42:00.000-04:00

Looks delicious, right?

Artichoke and I were on a mission to expand our vegan culinary schools to the Caribbean. We wanted to make our own Jamaican-style patties. We found a simple recipe for the dough, which we took from a Jamaican beef patty recipe at Allrecipes.com. We used vegan ingredients, upped the amount of curry and added turmeric. We made our own filling with mashed split peas, onions, olive oil and spices.

The whole process was rather smooth. The dough was easy to handle. The filling really took no time to make. The assembly of the patties was pretty quick. The longest piece was the baking of about 30 minutes.

Chomp!

Right out of the oven, the patties smelled and looked great. Upon first bite, they tasted more like Indian samosas as the pea mixture stiffened a bit like a potato. The spice mixture was milder than we had hoped, but still nice. We thought the baking would turn the pea mixture into a slight puree consistency. It wasn't the case, but that wasn't a bad thing. Artie and I gave each other a high-five for our accomplishment.

Sadly, our accomplishment turned into disappointment the next day. The patties did not pass the "Second Day Test." The dough was bit soggy, while the pea mixture became dry, which was probably due to heating up the patties in the microwave. The taste turned bland, but the patty was still palatable.

We're going to try this again really soon. I think we'll try doing a "beef" patty with veggie crumbles. We also think we're going to look into other spice combinations to go with the curry and turmeric. Hopefully, the next attempt will be better than this.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Jumpin' Jack(fruit) Flash!

2011-06-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

Looks can be deceiving. No, we have not turned carnivorous!

Back in my meat-eating days, I disliked pork. The mere idea of scoffing down our porcine friends made me nauseous. As an Italian, one would think I couldn't get enough of it, especially with sausage and peppers (I ate veal ones instead). I even got into a one-sided debate with Macaroon's aunt, who was rather upset about my disgust and refusal to eat even bacon.

Side note: I even have an aversion to fish. I literally run as far away as I can from the sight of a fish market. Yeah, I guess I'm weird.

One day, Mac was online looking up vegan recipes to try. She came upon one for a mock pulled pork sandwich. The idea of even mock pork and mock fish gives me the heebeegeebees. So I was rather reluctant to try it. However, Mac being half-Southern couldn't give up her love of barbecue. So she was determined to try it and make try it with her (Oy vey).

The "pork" is actually jackfruit. Jackfruit is a fruit that is starchy and fiberous. It has the texture of meat and is used often in Southeast Asian and Caribbean dishes. It can be found canned in brine or in syrup. Finding that sucker around these parts was definitely a challenge, which is odd because we live in a neighborhood with a significant Carribean community. Nevertheless, we did find it at an Asian market not too far from us.

The recipe, found at Chowvegan.com, called for young green jackfruit in brine. We did pick up a couple of cans of that, along with jackfruit in syrup, which I would expect to be sweet (Mac and I will figure out what to do with that soon enough). I was expecting for something like this being a bit rare and the prices would reflect it. However, it was about the same price you would pay for a can of pineapple or pears.

I followed the instructions exactly from the recipe, in addition to the tweaks noted in the comments. For example, rather than just cooking the jackfruit in our crockpot for an hour, I slow-cooked it on low for about 8 hours, occasionally adding barbecue sauce and a 2-3 Tbsp. of vegetable oil to keep the fruit moist.

The outcome was remarkable. The texture and taste of the jackfruit was spot on with pulled pork or even pulled barbecue chicken. We initially had this on top on a piece of cornbread (thanks to Ester's Treats) with a side of fries and corn. It was delicious! Then we had it in a couple of buns the next night and it was even better!

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

Source: ChowVegan.com

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 20 ounce can young green jackfruit in brine
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1/2 cup + extra BBQ sauce, bottled or homemade
Hamburger buns

Directions:

Drain and wash the jackfruit in several changes of water. After washing, squeeze out as much water as you can.
In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the garlic. Add the jackfruit and salt to taste, and cook for a 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
Transfer the jackfruit to a slow cooker, add the BBQ sauce and mix well. Set the cooker for 1 hour, occasionally stirring and adding more sauce or water as needed. The jackfruit should be fork tender and come apart easily.
Take the jackfruit out of the cooker and shred with a fork. Let the jackfruit sit for several hours or overnight to further develop the flavor or if it taste good to you right out of the pot, dig in. Serve on toasted buns with your choice of more BBQ sauce, mayo, coleslaw or pickles.

Note from Artie: Definitely check out the post at ChowVegan.com to review comments and recommendations on how this recipe can be tweaked.

Fattal's Syrian Bakery - Paterson, New Jersey

2011-06-26T15:00:00.002-04:00

I had to force Mac to take this photo before the sandwich was all gone

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, known as Paterson, New Jersey, I discovered Fattal's Syrian Bakery. To the uninitiated, Fattal's is perhaps New Jersey's best Middle Eastern market. With offerings from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Northern Africa, there is something for everyone looking for authentic Mediterranean fare. Fattal's may be one of the few places in the Tri-State area that is a bakery, pastry shop, jewelry store, grocery, butcher (for you carnivores) and restaurant all rolled into one.

Their prices are reasonable (We recently purchased a nice bottle of Syrian olive oil for about $6.00). Their selection is massive. You can never go wrong with what you buy. In fact, I'm a big fan of their salted roasted pumpkin seeds and pita bread, while Macaroon makes it a point to pick up a falafel sandwich or two or three with some vegetable-stuffed grape leaves! In fact, I'm dreaming of the grape leaves right now as I type!

Despite being in a Middle Eastern neighborhood with many Middle Eastern grocery and restaurant options, Fattal's clearly stands out. Parking may be a bit hectic in this area, but Fattal's does have its own small parking lot, which is great, especially for those of us driving from New York. It's definitely worth the trip!

Fattal's Syrian Bakery

975 Main Street

Paterson, NJ 07503

(973) 742-7125

History Has Been Made in New York...About Time!

2011-06-25T15:55:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read, seen or heard, New York has become the 6th state in the U.S. to legalize gay marriage. It's been a long time coming and severely overdue! Artie and I are so happy to know that our friends and fellow New Yorkers, if they decide, can just be as miserable as we are in marriage (JUST KIDDING! Artie would like to take credit for the joke). Seriously, we're very pleased that this day has come, as we have been super-supportive of this measure for years.

In honor of this monumental occasion, we'd like to extend an offer to any of our LGBT friends and readers who decide to get married in our great state. We will create a set of recipes for a romantic meal just for you! Of course, it would be vegan. Just let us know your wedding date and what foods you like, and we'll whip up something FABULOUS! All we ask is that we get a wedding photo or even an invite in exchange.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Love,
Your Hetero, yet Gay Supportive, Food Duo

Photos from Cupcakefest 2011 - Rutherford, New Jersey

2011-06-20T12:15:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, June 18, 2011, Mac and I attended Cupcakefest 2011, presented by Sweet Avenue Bake Shop and Planet Verge. It was a day full of fun, music, crafts and of course cupcakes to benefit the Bloomfield Animal Shelter. It was an awesome event for the whole family (yes, pets are part of your family), and we had a great time!

Here are some of the photos we took

Lula's Sweet Apothecary - New York, New York

2011-06-19T10:13:00.000-04:00

When Mac and I made the decision to switch to a vegan lifestyle, there were some items that we missed, mostly dairy. Over time, we got used to not having certain items, one of them being was ice cream. However, we learned to find and make alternatives and also found that being vegan wasn’t about deprivation.

Ice cream is one of the desserts that I crave now and again, especially on a hot summer day, seeing someone enjoy an ice cream cone or a hot fudge sundae. With a little online snooping to satisfy our sweet tooths, Mac and I have found some store brands that we dig and will purchase from time to time. We also make our own with delicious cashew cream. However, once in a while, we just want to go to an ice cream shoppe, drool over the many delicious flavors and watch scoops get stacked on a cone.

Recently, we learned about a wonderful ice cream shoppe (do you say “shop” or “shoppy?”) in the East Village called Lula’s Sweet Apothecary. Handcrafted naturual vegan ice cream began calling us. It was time for a trip!

Lula’s is a shoebox-sized shoppe. Adorably draped in old-fashion, “Old Tyme” décor, you are brought back to a time that is sadly all but gone. Seeing it revived has brought smiles to our faces, even down to the Mac happily remembers when her great-aunt and great-uncle took her to Swenson's Ice Cream Parlor in download Charleston, South Carolina as a kid and she got to pick whatever she wanted (a scoop of Chocolate Chocolate Chip atop of 2 scoops of Bubble Gum Ice Cream!).

With a variety of flavors in both hard-serve and soft-serve, there's something for everyone: soy-based, coconut-based or cashew-based treats. Rocky road! Cookies 'n Cream! Cake Batter! The guys a Lula's will give you a free sample of a flavor before making your decision. Our childlike fantasies would have gotten every flavor piled up high like out of a Dr. Seuss book. However, being the level-headed adults we are (yeah right), Mac and I each got a single scoop of hard-serve on a sugar cone. I selected rosewater, which was light yet flavorful. Mac got chocolate-orange, because she's a chocolate addict and couldn't help herself.

The taste? The ice cream is better than any dairy ice cream we've ever had!

And they just don't sell ice cream! You can get all sorts of goodies from shakes and floats to cookies to candy. It truly brings out the little kid in you. Little Mac totally leaped out of her during our visit and ran around, smiles and giggles abound.

If you're a NYer and haven't been to Lula's, get on down there TODAY! If you're not a NYer, make sure you put Lula's on your itinerary.

Lula's Sweet Apothecary

516 East 6th Street

New York, NY 10009

(646) 912-4549

http://www.lulassweetapothecary.com/

The Food Duo Reads...The Vegetarian Times Farmers' Market Cookbook

2011-06-17T23:48:00.001-04:00

If you don't know about the Vegetarian Times Farmers' Market Cookbook Special Issue, you're missing out. This annual special issue offers readers some fabulous and interesting recipes featuring Summertime fruits and vegetables. Many of the dishes give you the chance to become acquainted with a new foods and food combinations.

Recently, I learned about pattypan squash. I had never heard of or seen it before reading this year's cookbook. Pattypan squash is a summer squash, also known as white squash or cibleme. It's small in size with an interesting scalloped shape. Unfortunately, I had never seen it in a store, but learned that it can be substituted with your standard yellow squash.

To highlight the pattypan and yellow squash, Vegetarian Times introduced a recipe called "Summer Cymlings." A simple easy consisting of 3 ingredients, Artie and I were surprised at how much flavor it produced, while being so light. We decided to serve it as a side to a meal of gardein beef tips and rice. The squash went so well with the meal that we couldn't stop eating.

Pattypan may be hard to find. However, you should definitely ask around your local farmers' market or even specialty grocers. The best local farmers will point you in the right direction and teach you a thing or two about veggies.

Summer Cymlings
Source: Vegetarian Times Farmers' Market Cookbook and VegetarianTimes.com
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

4 lb. pattypan or yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (8 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced (3 cups)

Directions:

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add squash, and cook 3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and cool under cold running water.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and squash, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are soft. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and season with salt, if desired. Simmer 5 minutes. Uncover, and cook 5 to 10 minutes more, or until liquid has evaporated and squash are beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Season generously with black pepper.
To freeze and enjoy later: Allow cymlings to cool completely, then measure into resealable plastic bags. Press out excess air, seal, and freeze flat. Thaw before reheating. For best reheating results: coat skillet with cooking spray, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through.

Cupcakefest 2011 - This Saturday - Rutherford, NJ

2011-06-15T17:00:00.023-04:00

Image from Cupcakefest.com

If you're in the NY/NJ area and have no plans for this Saturday, check out Cupcakefest 2011 in Rutherford, NJ! Brought to you by the awesome folks at Sweet Avenue Bake Shop and Planet Verge, this event is a benefit for John A. Bukowski Shelter for Animals in Bloomfield, NJ. There will be bands, vendors, a cupcake-eating contest and a lot of fun! So why not have a good time and do what you can help the animals!

For more info on Cupcakefest, please visit www.cupcakefest.com

For more info on the John A. Bukowski Shelter for Animals, find them on Petfinder.com

Fried Zucchini Flowers

2011-06-12T10:48:00.000-04:00

When I was 17, many moons ago, I got to spend an entire summer with a family in Italy. My host mother, Flora, was an innkeeper, a winemaker and a great cook who could put together the most simplest ingredients and turn them into a 5-star dining experience. Not one time, did I ever have a bad meal while living with her and her family.

One day, I was outside with Flora's daughter, Ilaria, picking vegetables from their garden. Ilaria had asked if I had ever had zucchini flowers. I had never even seen them. I asked her something like "Zucchinis have flowers and you can eat them?" Ilaria laughed and grabbed a handful. They were pretty in shades of green and orange.

When we were finished in the garden, we brought the veggies back into the house. I pointed to the zucchini flowers and Flora just smiled. She took them from me and said to watch her. She made a simple batter of flour and water, dipped in the flowers and fried them in pan. She let them cool for about a minute and handed one to me. They were the best things I've ever eaten. To this day, I've never forgotten her recipe and whenever I see zucchini flowers, which is rare, I have to make them.

At a farmers' market in Montclair yesterday, we found them. I couldn't wait to get them home and fry them up. We did just that, and ate them with some Flour City Pasta's "Rasta Pasta" blend with sauteed Swiss chard.

Fried Zucchini Flowers

Source: Mac's Memories of Italy

Serves: However many you with whom you wish to share the flowers

Ingredients:

1/2 c. unbleached flour
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. extra virgin oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
15-20 zucchini flowers, stems removed
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the flour and water. Line a plate with 2-3 paper towels. Set both aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. When hot, add the minced garlic and saute until lightly browned
Dip the zucchini flowers one-by-one in the flour-water mixture and add to pan
Fry battered flowers about 3-5 minutes on each side
When done, place fried flowers on lined plate. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving

Jolo's Kitchen - New Rochelle, New York

2011-06-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

Dinner turned into a picnic

When Artie and I initially turned vegetarian in 2009, we checked out this spot called Jolo's Kitchen on North Avenue in New Rochelle. Vegan Caribbean food in Westchester County gave us some hope after being disappointed by the dearth of healthy vegan options in the Bronx. We were pleasantly surprised by the great food.

It had been almost 2 years since we had been to Jolo's. We would often say to each other that we should go back one day, but we never got around to it. It wasn't like Jolo's was so far away from home either. We've driven along North Avenue so many times! Shoot, my aunt used to have a bookstore around the corner from there. It wasn't like we didn't know how to get there. No excuse! Bad Macaroon & Artichoke!

Friday evening, I said I wanted some food from there. I even posted about it in my Facebook status to get Artie's attention. He was totally on board and out we went.

How glad was I to finally get back there. Artie wanted some patties. He was hoping for peas, but they were out. So we settled for their jerk tofu ones. Artie and I each ordered a medium "small" take-out plate with one main dish and 2 sides for $8.00 a piece. I got the veggie chicken with plantains and cabbage and collard greens. His was the same, except he got black beans instead of the plantains. Even though the plate is labelled as a "small," you get good-sized portions for the price.

I have to point out that what makes Jolo's a great spot is how they stress the importance of natural and fresh ingredients, even down to their sodas. Their menu is extensive, but not overwhelming. You can easily find what you want, be it a sandwich, burger, a juice mix, or something off of the steamer for a take-out plate.

Green along Pelham Parkway - Great picnic spot!

On our way home with our plates and patties, Artie and I were getting overwhelmed by wonderful aroma coming from our bag of food. We started talking about eating outside. We didn't even make it home. We headed over to Pelham Parkway and had a impromptu picnic at dusk on the green. We sat on my fleece jacket I had in the car and enjoyed our meal, sharing a bottle of Ginseng Black Bull Black Current juice and a can of Hansen's Mandarin Lime soda.

Next time, we won't put off our next visit to Jolo's for so long!

Jolo's Kitchen

412 North Avenue

New Rochelle, NY 10801

(914) 355-2527

http://joloskitchen.com/

Flour City Pasta - Fairport, New York

2011-06-09T15:15:00.000-04:00

Mac and I love farmers’ markets. There’s nothing like strolling along a phalanx of booths boasting fresh fruits, veggies, breads, pickles, jams, soaps, etc. The array of colors and aromas can overtake your senses. When we found out that Rye, New York was hosting a weekly one, we had to hop in the old 4-door and check it out.

Despite this market’s modest size, there were some quality goods to be snapped up. As we ambled along, Mac and I came across a stall for Flour City Pasta from Fairport, New York. After the obligatory question “Are your pastas, vegan?” was posed, the vendor assured us that all products were vegan and organic. Time to pounce!

Flour City Pasta makes handmade traditional and specialty pastas. They use a wide range of ingredients and pasta types, many of them being vegetable-based. With their unique offerings, the $10.00 per pound price (2 pounds for $18.00) didn't seem overpriced for the quality. I have to say we're glad they came down to Rye! You also can order from them online at http://www.flourcitypasta.com

After ogling a myriad of colorful and fragrant pastas, we settled on 1 lb of “All Mixed Up” (spinach radiatore, parsley dill rigatoni, plain fusilli and beet spinning tops) and 1 lb of “Rasta Pasta” (sweet potato shells, lime rigatoni, carrot thyme radiatore and cayenne fusilli). Naturally, I dominated our homeward conversation with talk of how good this pasta will be and what to use for substitutions for the recipes that were included with each pound. Several hours later, I whipped up a salad using their "All Mixed Up" pasta. We'll be making a "Rasta Pasta" dish really soon!

Our "All Mixed Up" Pasta Salad

Source: Flour City Pasta with a Vegan Flare

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pkg. gardein Crispy Tenders, prepared according to pkg directions
1 lb. Flour City Pasta’s All Mixed Up Blend, cooked and rinsed with cold water
1 c. peas
½ c. Vegenaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. of sea salt
3 tsp. of paprika
2 tsp. of dried thyme

Directions:

Roughly chop the Crispy Tenders and place in a large bowl
Add pasta, peas and Veganaise. Gently toss
Stir in spices
Serve as a side or main dish

Green Lemon = Lime?

2011-06-08T18:00:00.002-04:00

Artie found these at a grocery store near our home. Mind you, the sign is attached to a bucket of kiwis. They were also on sale!

What is a green lemon? Is it a lemon? Is it a lime? Is it a fruit that gushes Sprite, 7-Up or Sierra Mist?

You be the judge.

My First Time...with Escarole and Beans

2011-06-07T22:41:00.000-04:00

Escarole and beans is a traditional Italian dish often served with pasta. Leafy greens with cannellini beans, sauteed in garlic and oil, the combination is true to form "peasant food" with a "rich" taste. It was a surprise to Artie that I never tried it, or even just escarole, in my life. What kind of half Italian was I? Apparently, a clueless one until tonight.

Artie had been talking about cooking escarole since our salad challenge. As much as he talked about it, I found out that he never made this dish before. His memories of his grandmother making it was his motivation. With that, Artie gathered up the ingredients and even got a nice crusty loaf of seeded Italian bread to sop up the deliciousness!

Rather than call his parents, Artie found the below video clip with steps to make escarole and beans, leaving out the pasta. We had pasta 2 nights in a row. So, we could do without it for this dish.

Artie made another excellent meal, closely following the video instructions. We didn't need the pasta. I was completely full after the dinner and very happy.

Here's how our dinner turned out:

Want some?