National Sandwich Day

Every St. Patrick's Day, my kids and I try a new corned beefless recipe. They've been pretty hit or miss, honestly. But this year I decided to try a new recipe, with a new twist. Instead of just the regular corned beefless as part of a meal, I decided to make reubens. Since none of us have ever had a reuben sandwich, this was definitely new to us.

Vegan Reuben Sandwiches

2 pkgs. extra firm tofu, frozen, boiled, pressed, sliced into 1/8" slices
8 c. hot water
2 large beets, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. Balsamic vinegar
2 T. Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 cube no beef bouillon
6 bay leaves, crumbled
2 cinnamon sticks
12 allspice seeds
1 t. salt
1 t. agave syrup
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. liquid smoke
1/4 t. ground cloves
Olive oil for sauteing
Vegan thousand island dressing
Sauerkraut

Lightly brown the tofu slices in the olive oil. Drain. Mix everything, except the dressing and sauerkraut, in a crockpot. Make sure to submerge the tofu slices as much as possible. Cover and let cook on high for about six hours.

Spread some of the dressing on a slice of rye bread. Top with 2-3 slices of the tofu, add some sauerkraut and another slice of bread. Serve. Enjoy!

I like my bread toasted, but a couple of my kids used untoasted bread. Your choice. The tofu by itself is somewhat, surprisingly, bland. Suffice it to say the flavor is very mild, so eating it alone isn't as yummy. But added to bread with the dressing and sauerkraut, OMG! It is DELICIOUS! The picture does not do it justice!

I got the original recipe here. I had everything except the mustard seeds, and I doubled the recipe. My family absolutely loved this recipe, and I will definitely be making it again!

BTW, if you've never dealt with raw beets before, peeling them reveals a beautiful ruby red color. It will stain, so wash everything the red comes in contact with.

National Potato Day

Today is National Potato Day. We eat a lot of potatoes in my house, just because they are so versatile and pretty darned delicious. People are surprised I will eat a baked potato all by itself with only a little salt and pepper, as if that is sacrilegious! LOL! But sometimes I eat them with butter, too, so, it's cool. My youngest son is truly the potato aficionado, though. He is always trying new ways with potatoes, with often amazing results.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

One 5 lbs. bag of potatoes of your choice
5 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 c. non dairy milk
10 peeled garlic cloves

In a Dutch oven, cover the potatoes and garlic with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain. In a large bowl, add the cooked potatoes and garlic, and add the olive oil, salt and pepper. With a hand mixer or potato masher, start mashing the potatoes while slowly adding the milk. Serve. Enjoy!

For fun, I will often add a single sweet potato to the mix. Feel free to try that!

National Cucumber Day

Today is National Cucumber Day. I like cucumbers. I find them refreshing and summery. They are a common feature of tea sandwiches. You can find a couple of nice cucumber tea sandwiches here and here. Heck, you can even use them on your face, like this very lovely rinse for the face. My son likes to add cucumber slices to water during the hot summer months.

Some people just can't abide them, though. Makes them gassy. Those poor, unfortunate souls!

If you aren't a fan, but don't hate cucumbers, here's a nice little finger food to enjoy them.

Tortilla Bites with Sesame Soy Sauce

One container vegan cream cheese
One package whole wheat flour tortillas
1-3 c. cold, cooked long grain brown rice
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into strips
1 avocado, thinly sliced
One bunch organic spinach leaves
1 carrot, cut into strips
One can vegan tuna
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 T. sesame oil

Spread the cream cheese over one tortilla. I lightly sprinkled granulated garlic on top of this, but you can leave out if you want. Close to one edge of the tortilla, layer some rice, cucumber, avocado, carrot, spinach, and tuna. Roll up and tightly as possible, then slice the tortilla into one inch or so rounds.

Mix the soy sauce, red pepper, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl. Serve this alongside the tortilla bites to dip in. Enjoy!

National Corn on the Cob Day

Today is National Corn on the Cob Day! Seriously, who doesn't love corn on the cob? It is such a summer food, in my mind, but with frozen cobs available year round, it can be enjoyed any time. And there is just something fun about eating it.

Corn on the Cob with Parsley Flavored Butter

Corn on the cob, fresh or frozen, as many ears as you like
Vegan butter
1/4 t. onion powder
1 T. dried parsley or 1/2 c. fresh parsley

Boil the corn in the manner you normally do. I tend to cover the corn with water in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until done. Frozen takes longer, but I boil it the same way.

Soften the butter, then mix in the onion powder and parsley, until blended well. Serve the butter alongside the cooked corn.

Serve. Enjoy!

National Cheese Day

Today is National Cheese Day. I know for many, every day is cheese day. I can't even count how many times I've heard people say how cheese makes everything better! And, I also know all too well how difficult it is to give up cheese when you become vegan. The vegan alternatives do a pretty good job, though, especially when made into sauces or baked into something. This is one of those.

Hot Garlic Cheese Puffs

One package vegan shredded cheddar
1/2 c. vegan butter
1 c. all purpose flour
1 t. chives
1/2 t. garlic powder

Mix cheese into softened butter, and stir in the flour, chives, and garlic powder. Make sure it is mixed well. Shape this mixture into 1" balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. When ready, bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, until a light golden brown. Serve. Enjoy!

Here's another cheese recipe, if you want something more than a nibble: Beer and Cheese Potato Chowder. And if you want something more in the casserole category: Cheeseburger Rice (think Hamburger Helper for vegans).

National Olive Day

Today is National Olive Day. I just love olives, especially the black ones! If I open a can of them in my house, they disappear quickly, because everyone in my family loves them, too! My oldest will occasionally buy stuffed green olives, and those can be almost as addictive. If you want to try something a little different, but omg-can't-stop-eating, try these:

Baked Olives

6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 t. dried thyme
1 t. crushed red pepper
1 c. olive oil
2 cans large black olives, drained

Mix everything in a bowl until well coated. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 300 for about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use a slotted spoon to lift them from the oil and into a serving dish and serve. Trust me, you will enjoy!

International Hummus Day

Today in International Hummus Day. Hummus is an ingredient often used in making vegan sandwiches, but I like it best as a dip, especially with pita bread, but vegetables are good, too. My daughter-in-law practically inhales the stuff, she likes it so much. There are many versions, and it is so easy to make. Try this one, but definitely experiment.

Mediterranean Dip

1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 t. cumin
One can chickpeas, drained
1/2 t. salt
1 T. lemon juice
One container plain vegan yogurt

Saute the garlic in the olive oil until fragrant, and remove from heat. Stir in the cumin and chickpeas, and coat well. Add this mixture, along with the salt and lemon juice to a food processor, and whirl until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a bowl and stir in the yogurt. Serve. Enjoy!