Vegan Cook-a-Long

Penny (pinching) loafer

Ever since I read about Jennifer's Magical Loaf Studio, I've been dying to try it, though I might have waited until winter rather than in the middle of a heat wave. Little did I know how much it would hit the spot! And how exciting to get to eat the food of a fellow vegan AND knitter!

What was especially great about this recipe was how well it adapts to what you want to eat and what you have in the fridge. I didn't have to make any runs to the store to make this, and I got to use my leftover carrot, celery, bokchoy, napa, red pepper, celery, and tofu from previous cookalong recipes! So it felt like it was for free!

My choices were:
Protein: Chickpeas [and Tofu]
Carbohydrate: Cooked Brown Rice [I used a blend of 7 brown rices by Lundberg]
Nuts or Seeds: Walnuts
Vegetables: I put in garlic, carrot, celery, and mushrooms into the program, but I actually used garlic, carrot, celery, bokchoy, napa cabbage, and red pepper.
Liquid: vegetable broth (though it didn't end up needing it)
Herbs and Seasonings: parsley, cumin, nutritional yeast, and black pepper
Binder: I put in soy flour into the program, but I actually used chickpea (besan) flour
Salty seasoning: salt
Oil: olive oil

So, I started by putting the walnuts into the food processor.

1/2 cup ground walnuts. I was really impressed with how well the processor handled them.

2 tbs oil plus vegetables

1 cup garbanzos and 1 cup mashed fresh tofu from last recipe added to the ground walnuts

I started cooking the rice at the very beginning so that it would be ready once the vegetables were done cooking. Added the vegetables after sauteing, nutritional yeast, cumin, chickpea flour, parsley, black pepper and salt, and rice.

When I mixed it together, I found the mixture to be quite wet so no broth was needed.

Before cooking (sprinkled with paprika)

After cooking (and left out to cool)

Ready to eat!

We were really satisfied with this meal, and it wasn't too heavy as other loaves tend to be. That is me talking there, cause when I asked how it could be improved, AA said I should "add tahini." Maybe if I make it during the winter I could, but during the summer, I don't think I could have handled anything heavier than it already was. I liked this a lot, but then again, I've liked everything!

posted by Michelle @ 9:20 PM