greenlight district

Websites I wish were mine!

You know how your mom is always like, "I totally already invented that and should have patented it and made millions off of my genius idea!" while watching late night kitchen gadget infomercials? Probably the JoBro generation's* version of that is "I totally already came up with the idea for that website and should have bought the domain and become a web star"? (Can also sub in, "I totes already came up with that iPhone app in my head!") 

Well, I had that thought tonight when going through my emails. Being the rockstar baker that I am (also, see: humble) I'm helping a friend with a gay bake sale. He has decided to make Twinkies (DUH) and sent me a link to a devil's food cake/peanut butter Twinkie recipe featured on this site that I am now in food lust with: the chocolate peanut butter gallery! Tagline: "a site dedicated to the world's two best ingredients." Yesyesyesyeyseyes! Not to make greenlightdistrict.typepad.com jealous, but wow. Talk about my wildest web dreams. I will most likely be making everything on that site, veganizing/healthyfying much of it. My best chocolate peanut butter recipe would have to be a peanut butter chocolate cheesecake (VEGAN) that I still stand by today as being the most delicious cheesecake in the history of the world.

What are your favorite peanut butter chocolate recipes??

*Yes, I am including myself in the "JoBro generation" since I am desperately clutching onto my early 20's. And the Brothers Jonas have become a part of my daily life, so I'm allowed to use their name/image to prove my "cool" factor with the "kids these days" when I so choose.

Photo: Courtesy of the delish cpbgallery.com

Save a turkey, eat tofu!

Last Thanksgiving was my first meat-free holiday so, knowing that there was going to be lots of meaty options, I threw on my mom's apron and basted a Tofurk fit for...just me.

Here are a few of the most delicious Tofurky recipes I've come across in my Google pursuits, starting with the one I made last year:

Maple Pecan Tofurky Roast
A real hit with...yeah, me, but ALSO my carnivorous brother and Dad who I guilted into trying a bite. They liked it.

Ginger Garlic Tofurky Roast
 An Asian theme on the original, the g&g work together and are begging for a hearty side of sweet potatoes (sans marshmallows - and with some fakin' bacon instead!!)

Sweet Southwestern Glazed Tofurky
This may stray from your average pumpkin pie-spiced Turkey-day plate, but the sweet and spicy flavors in this just recipe might make it 2008's winner. If I use this one I'll plan on adding some Dinosaur Bar-B-Q sauce to the marinade - maybe some Roasted Garlic Honey BBQ Sauce or Cajun Foreplay Spice Rub??

For the underachievers: The official Tofurky site has a few easy recipes for last minute dishes (just at least remember to thaw the bird pre-baste)
For the overachievers: Any enterprising veg cook can whip up a faux turkey, right? Well, at least with the help of recipes from Vegetarian Times!

All my vegan treats bring the boys to the yard.

No, really. They do! I had a little get together to introduce some old friends to my new roommates and I brought out the big vegan baking guns: a spread that included Apple Crisp Pie, peanut butter cookies, and pumpkin pie brownies. Someone actually REQUESTED one of my recipes, which inspired me to spend the next few posts until Tofurkey day sharing some ideas and recipes! 

I Google for most of my recipes, and usually figure out what I can do with what I have - and of course, how I can make them healthy enough to stuff my face guilt-free.

I nabbed the Pumpkin Pie Brownie recipe from the same vegoddess that brought Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World to my kitchen. It was DELICIOUS. I was nervous that it would be too much - chocolate, and punkin goodness? It's delish though, check out the recipe on the site but here are my recipe card-like notes on it:
-I used whole wheat flour in the brownies just to make them a little healthier, they were definitely "heartier" but I don't think they took away from the sweetness/brownie-ness of them
-I think I also used like beet sugar or something weird in the brownie mix and again, fine.
-I used cornstarch, not tapioca flour in both layers
-with the pumpkin pie layer I was left feeling like it needed a little more spice? I did use "real" (and organic) sugar in this and even vanilla soy milk, but maybe it needed a little more vanilla and a little more of the pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, ginger - i guess too much more might throw off the taste with the brownies) Maybe it would even be more delicious with brown sugar?
-and store in the fridge before serving or if there are leftovers, I thought it was best a little on the colder side.

It would be a fab addition to your family's Thanksgiving dessert menu - my aunt/mom usually make apple, pumpkin, and pecan pie, but this would be a nice change, especially if you need a little chocolate with your fall fruits.

Vegan for a Week

It's coming ya'll. I just wanted to warn you. As I go on my eco (and even newly veg) journey with all of you, one person has decided to follow along - for a week.

My roommate Joe moved in in August with a small UHaul truck filled with his dance clothes, a couple fannypacks, and a Costco supply of: Easy Mac and other Kraft noodle/cheese varieties, Chef Boyardee for days, instant taters, Crystal Light, hot dogs, Dunkaroos, etc. This was all complimented by our other roommate Kellyn's selection of similar products plus chicken noodle soups, Goldfish, Gushers, and an interesting concoction known as Que Bueno!. Their cabinets look like a screenshot straight out of my wildest nightmares/dreams/starchy carby heaven. Soon Oscar Mayer lunch meats, Wonder bread, and white pasta (prepared with ketchup and garlic salt) joined the troops. My previous roommate Mouse was veg so we lived the entire year with no meats in the apt, and even before I went vegetarian I ate pretty healthy so this was new to me.

I've been slowly introducing J to the veg scene, enticing them both with vegan baked goods every week - not wanting to pop his or her V-card too hard with an excess of tempeh and seitan masquerading as meats. Recently, he volunteered to go vegan for a week - all for the sake of greenlight! And your voyeuristic pleasure! What a sport! We'll spend a week keeping food journals (yikes! that's so eating disorder, I know, but chill out, peoples, it's for the sake of experimental blogging) of his usual habits then take a trip to the farmer's market and some health food grocery stores and embark on our journey. Any of you ever "converted" people or shocked friends and family with secretly meat-free meals? or egg/dairy-free desserts? The latter should pretty much be my j.o.b.

Stay tuned for Joe's journey through the unchartered territory void of animal bi-products!