Potato, Roasted Corn and Black-Bean Enchiladas

While you can't see the filling in these yummy enchiladas, trust me, they'll be a huge hit!

I usually make them in the summer when I have several ears of roasted corn leftover from a BBQ, but they work just fine with "regular" corn (canned or frozen) too.

The recipe looks lengthy, but it's actually really easy, they go together fast and are a great way to use up leftovers! Sweet potatoes seem to be popular in enchiladas these days, but this recipe uses plain old white potatoes - usually my leftover breakfast homefries. You can also make these "red" or "green", depending on what type enchilada sauce you prefer. Enjoy.

Potato, Corn and Black-Bean Enchiladas

1 onion (chopped)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced fresh (or pickled) jalapeño (or to taste)
2 cups leftover cubed, fried, white potatoes (or frozen "Potatoes O'Brien" work well)
2 ears fresh corn, roasted on the BBQ grill and cut off cob (OR 1 can corn, well drained - you can add a drop or two liquid smoke if you want the "roasted' flavor)
2 cups drained, cooked black beans (or 15 oz. can of black beans, well drained))
1 envelope/package (or two tablespoons) your favorite taco seasoning blend (or cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic and onion to your taste)
2 cups green or red salsa
24 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1 - 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 14-oz. can green enchilada sauce (I prefer "Hatch" brand)
3/4 cup soy or whatever milk.
1 8-oz bag shredded Daiya vegan cheese, or whatever 'cheese' product you prefer (any of the varieties work well here, but I LOVE the new Daiya Pepperjack!!)

garnish: chopped green onions or olives

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.

Filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in 1 Tbsp. oil. When onion is soft, add corn, jalapeños and potatoes and cook about five more minutes.(If using frozen potatoes, cook until heated through.)
Add black beans and "mash" beans into potatoes a bit (I use a potato masher) until beans just start to break apart, incorporate with potatoes and get sticky.
Add taco seasonings and 1 CUP of the salsa. Stir together until heated. Remove from heat.

Prepare tortillas: Place a small skillet over medium heat, and add a bit of oil. One at a time, heat tortillas in skillet until pliable, turning with tongs several times if needed. Stack on a plate and cover with damp towel. I do half and then fill them. Then do the other half.

Mix sauce: Mix remainder 1 CUP salsa, enchilada sauce and soy milk to make a sauce.

Fill tortillas:Place a heaping spoonful of the potato and bean mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

When all tortillas are filled, spoon sauce over the rolled tortillas, spreading to cover all the tortillas even if it's a thin layer.
Bake for 20 minutes covered with foil, then uncover and bake another 10 min. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle 'cheese' over the top. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, or until 'cheese' is melted and bubbly.

Garnish with chopped green onions or chopped black olives if desired.

A Tale of Two Scrambles

I'll warn you ahead of time, this is a long, wordy, picture-filled post with no recipe - just so you know! Keep reading though, there are some great local restaurant ideas!!

OK, so, this weekend brought the unexpected blessing of 70-degree temperatures, clear blue skies, a free schedule, and a few tax-return dollars in the bank. What to do but spend it in as fun and frivolous a manner as possible...

So, the Sprouts and I headed up to Seattle for a few hours Friday afternoon, doing some window shopping and randomly hitting up Wallingford Center, Trophy Cupcakes (not vegan but then, my cupcake-obsessed daughter isn't either, and they do have some amazing flavor-combinations I need to copy), Mighty-O Doughnuts (winners of Food Network's recent 'Doughnut Challenge' and definitely vegan!) and the novelty-toy emporium of awesomeness known as Archie McPhees.

(As you can see, I made fast friends with Mr. Bacon, an Archie McPhee invention, while there. We discussed tempeh and other bacon-like step-cousins of his.)

After an afternoon of fun, quirky browsing, we headed to a Seattle icon, The Five-Point Cafe, to meet my friend Jen (AKA "Jane Danger") for supper.

I love the history of this place - they're the one of the oldest bars in town dating back to Prohibition!

They also proudly hold the well-deserved title as one of the "world’s best dive bars and diners". Don't go expecting bubbly service or fancy garnishes, this is basic food and lots of beer. They have several options for vegans (and more for vegetarians) and I'd been told they had an "awesome" tofu scramble.

So, of course, even though it was dinner time, we both decided to try this awesome-sounding Curry-Tofu-Scramble concoction.
Sadly, though it LOOKED lovely, it didn't quite live up to the hype. And I'm bummed, because it has a LOT of potential. I'm hoping this was an 'off' day for them, I've had many other good (previously non-vegan) meals at Five -Point.

See, the first problem was that Five-Point claimed it was the "Best Scramble In The World". This must be a bit of an exaggeration because I (humbly) have it on good authority that I make the "best tofu scramble in the world". Sorry, what can I say? I've spoiled my own tastebuds apparently.

Second, though the scramble was bright yellow (indicating there should be curry in there somewhere?) and the vegetables were beautiful and crisp, neither my friend nor I could detect ANY curry, or any other spices or seasoning flavoring the tofu. In a word it was plain tofu and vegetables, bland-bland-bland. :cry:
Third, while the carrots and broccoli were perfectly tender-crisp (they do get high points there) the potatoes were distinctly under-done. Almost crunchy in the middle. It's a pity, because it LOOKED great and I wanted very much to like it, a lot.

I'm willing to give Five-Point the benefit of the doubt. And even try the scramble again soon. Doctoring with the provided soy sauce, Aardvark sauce, salt and pepper improved it somewhat, and while I understand some people prefer things more seasoned than others, I still would have preferred SOME flavor, and having to do less of my own adjustments. And it wasn't just me, Jen concurred that there seemed to be no seasonings evident.
All that said, the scramble, once I fussed with it, was edible. Aside from the potatoes, the other veggies were perfectly done, and the tofu was fresh-tasting (also a plus) and crumbled in large, firm chunks (another preference) rather than mashed into mushy oblivion, or cubed.

I hate to be critical, because while Seattle IS very vegan friendly, there isn't a huge selection of tasty breakfast options and I appreciate every offering I run across. I'm especially appreciative of those dishes available at otherwise omni-focused restaurants because those are the places I invariably end up with family and friends. Five-Point has a large menu, and several obvious concessions made for vegans and vegetarians, (they have an "No-Huevos Rancheros" with soyrizo I'd like to try, and vegetarian bacon available!) so I DO applaud their efforts. My daughter had a beautiful, fresh, green salad and some perfectly delicious, crispy, salty, greasy diner-fries made from REAL potatoes. As I said before, I hope our bland, unseasoned scramble was a fluke, I've eaten at Five-Point before, I KNOW they can do better.

So, on to better things: The next day, with sun still shining (two days in a row!) we decided to venture out again, this time to Tacoma.

First we picked up coffee and treats at my favorite coffee spot of all time, the delightful, FABULOUS, all vegan/vegetarian Caffe Dei. They will blow you AWAY with awesome coffee, tea and wine - plus their (recently expanded) menu has something for everyone, even several pages of beautifully executed raw-items!!

I can't say enough about how much I love this place. I only wish it wasn't 25 miles from my house! I plan to devote an entire blog post to their wonderousness, very soon!!

So.
After fortifying ourselves with caffeine, we went in search of the city's recently completed graffiti mural - we'd only heard rumors, but were delighted when we discovered it was an amazing rendition of the "Alice-in-Wonderland" characters.

There's no way to take a decent picture so you can really appreciate this thing unless you see it in person!

Locals, if you're ever on Market Street, keep your eyes open!!

We then continued our explorations (discovering yet another cupcake bakery, still not vegan) and random exploring.

After considerable time absorbing warmth, sunshine and people watching on Tacoma's beautiful waterfront, we headed back downtown to Shakabrah Java, another little diner that supposedly had a "really good tofu scramble". Hmmm, I've heard that before somewhere...

But this time I was completely happy, Shakabrah managed to get the whole scramble thing JUST RIGHT.

I will say, their menu doesn't list vegan selections but don't let that throw you - it does say in large letters "Ask Your Server About Vegan Options". Which I did.

Any of their egg dishes can be made with their completely delicious (and SO flavorful!!) marinated tofu subbing for eggs. Definitely a must-try.

My spinach-mushroom-tofu was absolutely delicious and one of the best I've had. (Sorry Portland!)

The spinach was NOT overcooked, the potatoes were perfect and the tofu had a GREAT flavor!

If I were being picky, I'd still prefer my tofu crumbled rather than cubes, but that's simply a personal preference and easily overlooked, as this stuff was seriously GOOD!!

A tip: Go to the back and order straight from the counter, they don't do table service.
While you wait, there are plenty of used books on the cafe's shelves should you be needing reading material (which apparently my children did!).

I was not a huge fan of the slight bacon-smell to the air in the cafe, but, oddly, my (vegetarian) kids LOVED it, saying it reminded them of their Grandma's kitchen. To each their own, and it wasn't overpowering, just making a note...

So there you have it. Two scrambles in two diners in two days in two cities. (Oh, and some AMAZING coffee too!!)

Good, bad, average or otherwise, I don't get out much, but when I do, I definitely appreciate all the efforts, and am SO GLAD that more places are offering vegan options! If you live in or around Seattle or Tacoma, please check one of these places out!!

Here's hoping everyone had a perfectly wonderful Easter weekend too. I'll leave you with proof positive that the Easter Bunny (and his helper-bunny-pal) really DO exist!!
My daughter's friend and classmate caught them in the act, the little guys even have the eggs, and muddy paws to prove it!!

Easy Vegan "Buttermilk" Biscuits

I have a sick 'Sprout' at home today, and she's ordered that I not cook anything that "smells like food" (which pretty much means 'stay out of the kitchen' I guess). So I've resorted to simply LOOKING at my files of food pictures on the computer, and catching up on a few recipes I should have posted ages ago.

This recipe, for basic, easy and fluffy biscuits, is a favorite for breakfast, with gravy, (yes, everything needs gravy, haven't you learned anything reading this blog yet?).

I also use it as a rustic "shortcake" layer when making Strawberry Shortcake (which should be happening soon!) or to top fruit for cobbler.

Biscuits are versatile and go together fast. Once you've made them a few times, you'll be adding them to your dinner (or breakfast) often! No, they're not the epitome of health-food. Stop reading my blog if that's all you eat. They ARE a perfect warm, cozy (and cheap!) way to fill out a meal. Enjoy.

Easy Fluffy "Buttermilk" Biscuits

2 cups Self-Rising Flour (yes, this time I really think "Self-rising flour" is crucial to the success of the final result. Buy it anywhere you buy regular flour. I especially like "Martha White" and "King Arthur")

2 Tbsp. wheat germ (or sometimes I use flax seeds)

1/4 cup chilled or FROZEN Earth Balance Margarine (or 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, chilled, works great here too)

3/4 cup So Delicious plain, unsweetened Coconut Milk (or other thicker plant milk)

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix lemon juice into coconut milk and set aside.
It should begin to "curdle" in 5 - 10 min, but even if it doesn't, it still works here.
Heat oven to 450° F. Lightly grease baking sheet.

Place flour and wheat germ in a large bowl. With pastry blender or two knives, cut Earth Balance into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk; stir with a fork just until soft dough forms and mixture begins to pull away from sides of bowl.Do NOT over-stir.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently about 10 times. Pat out to about 3/4 inch thick. The less you handle the dough, the fluffier the biscuits will be!
Cut with floured 2-inch cutter. Cut straight down, do NOT twist the cutter.
Place on greased baking sheet with sides touching.

Bake at 450° F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12-14 biscuits.

Enjoy with margarine, jam, syrup, on top of pot-pie or cobbler, or, of course, gravy!

Pineapple-Ginger Tofu

Another one of my super-quick, go-to meals when I'm brain-dead and cooking on auto-pilot.

This is SO good, with a nice "tropical" touch, and (like pretty much everything I make) can be varied according to what vegetables you have in the 'fridge.

It also works deliciously with faux "chicken" products like Gardein or homemade seitan/gluten.

(And yes, for those of you who know my loathing for molasses, it blends nicely in this dish, and doesn't even taste very "molasses-like".)

Pineapple-Ginger Tofu

1 package water-packed extra-firm tofu
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp peanut oil
1 - 2 cups cut up stir-fry vegetables of your choice (sometimes I use a frozen bag of veggies, or a couple red peppers and onions)
2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks
2 Tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger root
3 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 cup pineapple juice (if canned) or other fruit juice (apple, orange, whatever)
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
8 scallions, cut lengthwise into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

4 - 6 cups cooked brown or white rice or cooked Asian stir-fry noodles

Directions

Pat or press tofu to get out excess moisture (You can wrap in paper towels and set in the fridge over night if you prefer it more firm and dry, personally I don't bother)

Cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with cornstarch.
Warm the oil in a large non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron fry pan, over high heat.

Add tofu cubes and fry over medium-high heat until crispy on several sides, about 3-4 min per side, as desired - turning carefully. You may need to add a bit more oil.
(They won't really "brown" but the cornstarch will make them crispy.)

Remove tofu cubes to bowl and and set aside. Add vegetables to pan and sauté quickly over high heat until barely tender-crisp (slightly under-done is good) - 3 - 5 minutes.

Remove vegetables and set aside.

Add pineapple, pineapple juice, ginger and molasses to pan and stir-fry until the pineapple is brown and tender and juice has evaporated somewhat. Stir in the lime juice, red pepper flakes, scallions and vegetables.

Sauté until scallions are bright green and the vegetables are warm, about 3 - 5 minutes. Toss in crystallized ginger and tofu, stir carefully and serve over rice or noodles.

You can garnish with sesame seeds or chopped peanuts if you like!

Vegan (and Soy-Free) Matzoh-Matzo-Matzah Ball Soup

This is one of the most-requested (and searched) recipes in my repertoire. Matzoh-ball (or "Matzo" or "Matzah" however you grew up spelling it) soup is such a classic recipe, but finding a vegan one can be tricky.

So I'm re-posting for those who would like to try one of the best, warm, cozy, comfort-foods around. I'm not Jewish and don't profess to making it like anyone's Grandma; it might not be "authentic" and we don't reserve it for any particular holiday or celebration. But it always seems perfect for the all-too-frequent chilly, rainy early days of Spring. And it must taste OK, since it's long been a favorite around this house, even though I've drastically changed up the recipe from it's original egg-filled dough.
I admit I originally struggled with veganizing the recipe and getting those tricky matzoh-balls to turn out anything CLOSE to the "original" - but I think we're pretty close here, finally. (Of course, even more traditionally, those matzoh-balls are cooked in chicken-broth, but obviously THAT part is easy enough to veganize). The secret ppears to be firming them up by baking in the oven JUST a little while. See? Like I said, not real "traditional", but they DO turn out, so don't complain...

My photos do not do this soup justice - but I'm an amateur, and it's difficult to make yellowish dough balls in a yellowish broth look like anything much, even on good days. Use your imagination and trust me that it DOES taste good.

I should also point out, that while I am not Jewish, the history and customs do fascinate me. I have several close friends who are Jewish, and we were discussing (mostly LAUGHING at) my matzoh-ball-veganization trials and I mentioned using tofu. Well! Evidently for Ashkenazi members, keeping Kosher at Holidays means no legumes... including tofu.

Back to the drawing board. (I've since learned that some rabbis allow tofu for those following vegan and Kosher but I don't really profess to know how all that works exactly.)

At any rate, to make things more difficult or maybe just in the interest of a challenge, and because I also know people allergic to soy - I decided to try making vegan AND soy-free matzoh-balls! What is wrong with me?

At any rate - Finally, with a lot of gooey, crumbly, mushy, trial-and-errors, I think we have a winner. Or maybe at least a fair substitute...

Soy-free, Dairy-free Matzoh Balls

1/2 cup matzoh meal
2 Tbsp potato starch (yes, this is the only thing that works here, I tried other things, don't ask me what else you can substitute, because nothing else worked out for me, but hey - try whatever you want...)
2/3 cup water (minus about 2 tsp.)
1 tsp. oil
pinch (literally JUST a pinch) of baking soda
pinch of onion powder
pinch of salt
pinch (or two or three) of parsley

*If you miss the "eggy" flavor of original matzoh-balls, you can also add 1/4 tsp India Black Salt here. Optional, but I like it. Do what you want.

Mix all the above ingredients together until a good consistency dough for rolling into balls.

Should be like a soft, slightly sticky play-dough, softer if you want - the dough firms up as it sits and the matzoh absorbs liquid . Add a little more matzoh or liquid if needed for the right texture - and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Roll into about 16 small (walnut size) balls and drop into gently boiling vegetable or vegetarian-"chicken" broth or your own choice of homemade broth or any salty, seasoned water.

(Any bigger and they start to fall apart. Sorry for those who like them bigger and doughier.)

Turn down heat and simmer gently for 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove from water with slotted spoon and bake on an oiled rack (over a cookie sheet) for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees until they start to dry out.

Refrigerate at this point, out of broth, if you're not ready to use.**

When ready to use, warm in the oven covered with foil (or in the microwave *gasp*). Add to soup of your choice, heat through and serve.

My actual "soup" is nothing fancy - I usually throw a bunch of veggies - often just plain old frozen mixed veggies - in some simple vegetarian "chik-flavored" broth, cook 'till veggies are done and add the matzoh balls. There you have it - Matzoh Ball Soup!

**If you leave the matzoh balls in the broth very long, they start to soften and fall apart, but then the broth thickens up nicely too. So do whatever you like.

Field-Roast Chipotle-and-Veggie Fajitas

My Aunt has a lovely tradition called "Mexican Monday" and I'm always hearing about the tasty-sounding creations she and her family have come up with for dinner that night.

Reading her FaceBook makes me hungry (and feel slightly LESS creative, sometimes!)
So, in keeping with the whole "Mexican Monday" idea, and in honor of my Auntie Jill (just because she's my favorite Aunt, can whip up amazing vegan goodies when she wants to, and is a FREAKING AWESOME COOK!) I thought I'd share one of my own family favorites - quick and easy Field-Roast Veggie Fajitas!

These were a suggestion - no - almost a DEMAND from my youngest Sprout.

She'd been begging me to use the Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausages I had stashed in the freezer. According to her, they're her "favorite thing in the world and it wasn't FAIR to see them sitting in the freezer every time she opened the door and we needed to use them because they'd been there FOREVER".

Well, things don't need to be quite as dramatic as all that; the sausage freezes wonderfully and had only been there a week, but it was a good suggestion, and as you'll see, her idea had DELICIOUS results.

Do you have Field Roast products in your area? Oh, I hope so! I feel blessed because they're made right here in Seattle and most grocery stores carry them. Worth trying to find, ABSOLUTELY!!!
I promise I'm not trying to sound like an advertisement, but can I just say this is the PERFECT use for the Chipotle flavor sausages? Yummy indeed! I may have to have Mexican Tuesday, and Mexican Wednesday and... Well. You get the idea.

No exact recipe, but I do think we stumbled on a great blend of spices and veggies. Of course, feel free to sub any veggie protein source here if you prefer, this works equally well with tempeh or tofu strips too...

Field Roast and similar products can be a stretch for my budget some days, but I consider them a fairly good deal because two 'links' (only half a package) easily provides dinner for the four of us (combined with all the veggies and other goodies, of course!).

Besides. They're local. And the people who work there are just a WHOLE LOT of fun (I know, I've toured the factory, so cool!!)

But I digress. This is as close to an actual "recipe" as I can do...

Veggie Fajitas

2 FR sausages, cut into strips (which sorta crumbled, but my daghter specifically wanted "strips" I don't know why...) and fried (yes, I said FRIED, deal with it or substitute the word "saute" if it makes you feel more virtous) in a non-stick, or cast-iron pan with strips of veggies;
1/2 an onion,
1 zucchini,
1 red bell pepper,
1 medium carrot, sliced paper thin so it cooks quickly
minced garlic and some tomatoes.

Have your pan HOT and throw everything in, stir gently until tender-crisp and browned in a few spots. No oil needed, the veggies and sausages have enough liquid. (So maybe that IS sauteeing instead of frying? Nevermind.)
You can use any vegetarian meaty thing you want here, but you may need to add spices and seasonings to taste, unlike with the Field Roast, which, as I raved about above, is seasoned JUST PERFECT for this dish. Perfect.
Add the tomatoes at the last, just let them soften a bit, and for heaven's sake, don't let the sausage get dried out, you paid too damn much to let it do that!! (Add a little tomato sauce, salsa or even broth if needed, but not so much that you make a sloppy mess).

Serve in warm, flour tortillas with some vegan sour cream and/or guacamole (not pictured here because little Sprout isn't a fan of the guac and this was HER idea, after all). I usually do Spanish Rice on the side. I have a great recipe for that, I'll have to post it next time Mexican Monday rolls around...

Grilled-Spaghetti-Garlic-Bread Sammich

So, I have crazy Sprout children.
Of course I love them to death in spite (or because) of their craziness, but they keep me on my toes never knowing what to expect next.

I present the following evidence:
My Middle Sprout's latest and current most favorite Panini Sandwich invention:

The Grilled Spaghetti-Garlic-Bread-Sandwich

(I told her I was going to blog about it and she didn't believe me. It's really pretty good, and if nothing else, it's a rather original use for leftovers.)

Should you choose to try this, here's what you do:

• 2 slices hearty French or Sourdough bread (the bread pictured really wasn't as "thick" as it should be)
• 2 tsp vegan margarine
• 1 clove pressed garlic
• 1/2 cup cooked spaghetti or angel hair, chopped up - aprox 1 inch pcs.
• 2+ Tbsp. favorite sauce
• 1 Tbsp olives, chopped
• 1-2 slices "meltable" vegan cheese slices, or a 1/4 cup shredded (We used Teese, it melted PERFECTLY!)

Mix pressed garlic with margarine. Spread thinly on bread.
Mix sauce into spaghetti. Stir in olives.
Crumble the cheese and mush it around into the spaghetti.
Lay 1 slice bread, buttered side down, on heated Panini Grill.
Heap spaghetti mixture onto bread and spread evenly to edges.
Lay remaining bread slice on top, buttered side up.

Grill until sandwich is toasty and cheese is melty.
Dip in additional sauce if you want. YUMMMMMM

Have a great week.

Creamy Spring Asparagus Soup

Saturday marked the beginning of the local (like, right here in the park) Farmer's Market, and I was first in line to grab some beautiful asparagus and tons of wonderful and mysterious greens. So excited to see the great variety right here in our little town!

I know, I've raved many times how much I love fresh asparagus. Often just steamed or roasted.
But with such an abundance available right now, it's the inexpensive green-veggie of choice in our kitchen for at least a few more weeks, and I tend to get a little more creative.

This soup, with minor modifications, has been a family favorite for years now; I remember my oldest 'Sprout' (now 19!!) when she was very small and could barely manage soup with a spoon. She would crumble a ton of crackers into her serving and then cheerfully eat the resultant green "mush". Not as appetizing to the adults that way maybe, but she LOVED it and always asked for "Green Mushy Soup" when she saw asparagus in the store.

I promise it's delicate flavor doesn't really NEED crackers or croûton, but dress it up however you'd like.

Spring Asparagus Soup

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, snap the tough ends off where the cut stalks naturally break to avoid "stringy" bits
• 3/4 cup chopped onion (sweet, Walla Walla, etc)
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 Tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup Plain, So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (UNsweetened, of course)
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt or soy sour 'cream'
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan (optional)

Rinse asparagus and break at their natural breaking point so you just get the most tender part (usually about 2/3 of the stalk). Chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook asparagus and onion in a saucepan with the 1/2 cup vegetable broth.

Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Remove several tablespoons asparagus tips with a slotted spoon. Reserve for garnish.

Place remaining vegetable mixture in an electric blender and puree until smooth, or use a stick (immersion) blender, adding a little more broth if needed to get a thick, smooth puree.

Melt margarine in the pan that was used for simmering the asparagus and onions. Turn heat to low.

Stir with a wire whisk, (this is important) while sprinkling flour, salt, and pepper into the butter. Do not let the flour brown. Allow the mixture to cook only 2 minutes. Slowly (VERY slowly!) stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth and increase the heat. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.

Turn down heat. Stir the vegetable puree and plant milk into the saucepan and heat gently.
Whisk yogurt or sour cream into the mixture, followed by lemon juice. Stir until barely heated through, (if it boils, it will curdle) then ladle into bowls.
Garnish with reserved asparagus tips. Sprinkle with vegan cheese or garnish with some fresh herbs if desired.

Vegan Vacation Eats: Grand Canyon and beyond...

I was recently treated to a wonderful trip through the Southwest with my youngest Sprout, and my favorite, generous, adventurous vegan friend Shaun.

As many of you know, eating healthy and cruelty-free while on vacation is often one of the biggest challenges a vegan may face...

What to do, what to do.

While vegetarian/vegan restaurant guides like

"Happy Cow" can offer some help, they are usually limited to all-vegetarian/vegan restaurants, or at least those with a specific vegetarian focus. And in the case of our trip, there was only one listing out of all the towns we'd be going through.

With a little research (reading reviews on Yelp, Urban Spoon, Travelocity and just Googling "Vegetarian Restaurants" in whatever town) and some calling ahead, we managed to find vegan options for the duration of our week-long trip.

I'll list our "finds" in hopes that they help some other vegan vacationers who, like us, may be headed to Arizona and New Mexico destinations or passing through remote towns like Tuba City, Farmington, Los Alamos, Farmington, Tusayan. (As well as parts of historic Route 66, Four Corners Monument -->>, Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument and the Grand Canyon).

Yes, like good little vegans, we packed some food along, but it's hard to pack an entire week's worth in the trunk of a Prius!! My travel partners chose hotels with breakfast buffets (usually had the option of potatoes, dry cereal and oatmeal), and packed our own almond milk and granola, thus, breakfasts were never a problem.

Vacation Vegan Options:

Holbrook, AZ: Mesa Restaurant Italiana

This restaurant offered a small selection of pasta dishes for lunch (more choices for dinner). Their pasta noodles, marinara, pomodoro, Arrabbiata, and aglio e olio (garlic and oil) sauces are all accidentally and happily vegan.

The bread is vegan (ask for olive oil to dip) and the salad is fresh and crisp, NOT from a bag (I was impressed). The only dressing that's vegan is oil and vinegar, but they get extra points for actually offering balsamic vinegar. The sauces we tried were really good; better yet, they actually taste very "homemade" and the staff followed our instructions carefully, appearing to know what the word "vegan" meant.

Tusayan, AZ (Entrance to The Grand Canyon): We Cook Pizza and Pasta

Keep in mind a couple things:

You're miles from civilization, you're at the Grand Canyon for the experience - NOT the food! AND you're in a "resort" or tourist town.

That said, "We Cook Pizza" was a nice little surprise. Their menu has a large selection, and vegans can choose a cheeseless pizza (they'll load on lots of fresh veggies!) , pasta with primavera sauce, or they'll make an all-veggie sub sandwich (the French rolls are vegan).

Plus there's a nice salad bar with loads of selection and truly fresh veggies (something I don't always find at home!).

Casual atmosphere and the expected "tourist" prices, but the food is good, and again, the staff know what the word "vegan" means, bonus points for that. **I called them later, and they confirmed that if I brought in my own vegan cheese, they'd make me a pizza with it. Good to know.

Tusayan, AZ: Sophie's Mexican Kitchen

Again, remember, you have few choices up here... This is basic, hearty Mexican food; Ask to be sure, as it seems ownership changes now and then, but when we visited, the whole beans are vegan, as is the rice. There are a good number of vegetarian selections on the menu, many of which can easily be made vegan by leaving off the cheese (veggie fajitas, Indian taco, burritos, etc.). The food is good and filling, but basic, the service is the slowest ever, and the salsa is dreadful, canned and tasteless. Your other choices in town are a steak house and a burger joint, and hey, the margaritas here are REALLY good, so that counts for something, right?

Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim: Arizona Room

They have seasonal menus and seasonal hours, so you may want to check ahead, but when we went, (along with my fabulous friend Sunny who is lucky enough to WORK at the park), we were very happy with the wide variety of choices that could be easily made vegan (leaving off the sour cream or cheese) - which the staff did willingly. Tofu tacos, portabello-avocado sandwich, sweet-potato fries, a southwest penne with ancho chiles... all of it delicious!!

Spendy, as the park tends to be, but memorable and SOOO worth it for the experience, the people watching, and the spectacular view. Cheaper and a shorter wait than other restaurants in the park too.

Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim: El Tovar Dining Room

We did not eat here, so I can't vouch for the knowledgability of the staff, but I peeked at the menu and there were clearly five or six options that, if the cheese was removed, went far, far beyond the standard "vegan salad" options we sometimes settle for, and several options were clearly marked vegan too! Nice! More "fancy" and expensive, but might be an awesome experience.

Farmington, NM: Boon's Family Thai BBQ

OK, no one is sure what the "BBQ" stands for in the restaurant's title, but this little gem was the surprise highlight of our trip!! They had a vegetarian section on the menu (always a surprise in a small town), plus options scattered throughout that aren't specifically marked, you'll have to read carefully - some things say they can be made with tofu (instead of beef, chicken or pork) and others can't.

Those that don't offer tofu as an option have other ingredients that make them non-vegetarian.

We had the vegetable-filled wontons, the spring rolls, the special Mango-Red-Curry and several vegetable based dishes (Ginger Vegetables, Phud Prik King, etc). All of it was AMAZING, made exactly as we requested, vegetables were fresh and tender-crisp, and again, major points because the waiter knew exactly what we needed as vegans. SO YUMMY! I'd drive all the way back, just to go here again!

Tuba City, AZ: Kate's Cafe

Tuba City is on the long, lonely highway to "Four Corners" and Monument Valley, and is one of the largest urban areas on the Navajo Indian Reservation.

Kate's Cafe is the only non-chain food establishment in town. There IS a Subway if you prefer, but we ventured here instead... Don't read the reviews, you may be a little alarmed at a couple reviewers complaints, but we had really good luck.Yes, it's classic 'greasy-spoon' diner food, but remember - you're in the middle of nowhere, options are few and far between!

Not a lot of options, but better than the veggie sandwich at Subway, in my opinion.

A couple pasta dishes with marinara, salads and sandwiches which can be made vegan with little or no re-arrangement. Also, very exciting, their Navajo Fry Bread is surprisingly vegan, made with vegetable shortening (hard to find and definitely worth trying).

The onion-rings are crisp, not greasy, and actually vegan too. Worth it for the local culture and lack of "fast-food" atmosphere. Staff were fairly helpful, knowledgeable about ingredients, and followed our requests accurately, but I wouldn't guarantee they'd ever heard the word vegan before.

Los Alamos, NM: El Parasol New Mexican

This small, local chain has some great Mexican/New Mexican items like burritos, tacos, enchiladas and a number of vegetarian/vegan options, but most important... CHEESE-FREE (vegan) tamales! Delicious ones filled with calabacitas (zucchini-type squash), and green chile! Vegan tamales. Yes, really, that's all I need to say.

Albuquerque, NM: Thai Vegan

This place is an absolutely awesome Thai restaurant, the fact that it's ALL VEGAN is a bonus. It's also one of Shaun's favorite places, so there was no way we would pass it up! So yummy!
I admit I'm spoiled, living in shouting distance of many all-vegan places here in the "big city", but Thai Vegan is equally as good, if not better than many Seattle/Portland restaurants! We loved every single item (and we ordered a LOT!) but if you get a chance, ask for the Massaman Curry. It's not on the menu, but the gracious owner, Pat, will happily make what is undoubtedly the BEST curry you will ever have. Go here, even if it's out of your way!! The mock meats they use are quite good, better than many I've tried, and you can get dishes with tofu as well, if that's what you prefer. Non-Thai loving youngsters will probably like the veggie-burger and perfect French fries too. Of course, this was my favorite of the entire trip!

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Here's hoping something in this list helps some lost, wandering vegan out there. The Southwest is an AMAZING place, vegan options are out there if you just keep an eye open!