Tom Kha Soup

Try this gluten free veggie packed variation of a classic Thai dish.

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1/4 head Green Cabbage

4 ribs Celery

2 medium Carrots

1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion

2 cloves fresh Garlic

2 stalks Lemongrass

Knob of fresh Galangal

1/4 bunch fresh Cilantro

1 pouch Massel Brand Liquid Stock (Chicken Flavor)

4 Cups Water

1 can full fat Coconut Milk

Dash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 Jalapeno Pepper (or other hot pepper of choice)

Lime juice (add at the end)

Additional Cilantro (for garnish)

Cooked Jasmine Rice (optional, for ladling soup over)

Begin by washing and finely chopping cabbage, celery, carrot, onion, jalapeno pepper and garlic.  Set aside.  Remove outer woody two layers from lemongrass and chop into 2-inch chunks.  Next rough chop Galangal into large peices.  The lemongrass and galangal will add depth of flavor to soup but are not meant to be eaten so you can remove them before service if desired.

 Heat up oil over medium heat and add all vegetables and aromatics including galangal and lemongrass.  Saute just until garlic begins to brown and then add water and liquid stock concentrate.  Next add coconut milk, liquid aminos and finely chopped cilantro.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover pot.  Allow to simmer covered for 20-30 minutes.  During this time you can make some rice, if desired. Turn off heat, stir soup and taste test for seasoning level.  If you want it saltier, add a bit more Bragg's.  If you want it less salty, add a little more water.  Ladle soup in bowls over rice and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime and additional cilantro.

Coconut 5-Grain Sesame Crunch

1 Cup Bob's Red Mill 5-Grain Mix (Oats, Barley, Rye, Flax...)

2 Cups Bob's Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

2 Tablespoons Black Sesame Seeds

3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (Melted)

1 Tablespoon Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Combine all ingredients until evenly coated.  Spread out into even layer on a large cookie sheet on a piece of parchment paper.  Bake at 275 Degrees F for about 1 hour.  Check and toss every 15 minutes to ensure even toasting and browning.  Allow to cool completely before transferring to a quart size glass jar.  Store in refrigerator to preserve freshness.

Thai Style Rice Salad

If you have never cooked Jasmine Rice in coconut milk, you are in for a real treat.  Once you taste the creamy Umami of each grain of this dish, you may never look at rice the same.  The delicate touch of coconut flavor does not overpower the salad itself but rather cradles each perfectly cooked grain in a bed of mouthwatering goodness.  Read on.

Thai Style Rice Salad

1 English Cucumber

1/2 Red Onion

2 inch knob of fresh Ginger

1/4 cup Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1/2 bunch Scallions (Green Onions)

1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro

2 cups long grain Jasmine Rice

3 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon salt

Roasted Peanuts, for garnish

Sambal (Chili Garlic Sauce), for garnish

Begin by making the cucumber salad component so it can marinate while your rice cooks.  Grab a large mason jar and add fish sauce or soy sauce and sugar.  Next, thinly slice onions and ginger, add to jar.  I like to make 2 inch onion slices and go microscopic matchstick size on my ginger but suit yourself if you want to go bigger.  Just think bite-size.  Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and then longwise.  Remove seeds by gently scraping with a spoon and then cut halves longwise again, then slice into small chunks.  Add to jar.  Finely chop scallions and cilantro and add those too.  Now secure lid on jar and shake to your heart's content!  Set aside on counter.  Time to make perfect rice...

To a medium stainless steel sauce pan add 3 cups coconut milk and 2 cups rice.  Add a teaspoon of salt and stir while heating over high heat.  Keep stirring.  When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover with lid.  Set timer to 15 minutes.  Now walk away.

When timer goes off, remove pan from heat, turn off stove but DO NOT OPEN THAT LID!  I don't care how hungry you are!  Now set timer for 10 MORE minutes and walk away, again.  

Okay - time to EAT!  Open pot and fluff rice with a fork.  Scoop into bowl.  Top with cucumber mixture, roasted peanuts, Sambal and more cilantro.  Enjoy every last bite.  Okay, now REPEAT. :)

Vegan Coffee Creamer, Product Review

I love the So Delicious brand and if you have not tried this Coconut Milk Creamer, Barista Style, you are in for a treat.  I like it better than the original flavor that comes in the small red carton for two reasons.  One, because the flavor is a tad richer and two, because the container is much larger.  I like my coffee strong and I enjoy it with a good glug of creamer.  So far, this and Mocha Mix are my favorite vegan coffee creamers.  What are your favorites?

Decadent Mashed Potatoes

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite food in the universe is comforting classic mashed potatoes.  Growing up my Mom always made them pefectly because she made them with lots of love, butter and cream.  Though she never followed a recipe I would compare hers with those crafted by Joel Robuchon, equal parts potato, butter and cream.  When you are craving the ultimate in comfort, give these a go.  Your belly, heart and soul will thank you.

Decadent Mashed Potatoes

4 medium Potatoes (red, yellow or russet)

4 Tablespoons Earth Balance

4 Tablespoons Unsweetened Coconut Milk (from carton)

Sea Salt to taste

Finely Ground Black Pepper (optional)

Boil potatoes whole until fork tender.  Remove potatoes, discard water and allow potatoes to cool enough to handle. Peel skins and place potatoes back in pan.  Turn burner on medium heat and add butter allowing it to just melt.  Mash potatoes in pan with heavy duty whisk or potato masher.  Slowly drizzle in coconut milk and turn off heat.  Continue mashing until creamy consistency is reached.  Add more coconut milk if needed.  Salt to taste and serve immediately.  Add finely ground black pepper if desired.  Deliciously simple and delightfully decadent!

Coconut Bacon Bits

2 cups thick flaked unsweetened coconut

1 Tablespoon liquid hickory smoke

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Toss coconut flakes in a large bowl with liquid smoke and then sprinkle on dry seasonings.  Spread out coconut into one even layer on cookie sheet (put parchment paper under it if you have it for easy clean up).  Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Watch carefully as it will go dark quickly!  Allow to cool completely before serving for a true crackly crunch.  

Store in pantry in air tight container for up to 3 days.  Pairs beautifully with tofu scramble, salads and sandwiches.  Superb!  Now go make some!

Coconut Bacon Bits

Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

This Ice Cream will blow your mind.  I am sure you could make it using any non-dairy milk you prefer.  I just really like the creaminess that is achieved with the use of a combination of soy milk and soy creamer.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups Vanilla Soy Milk
1 cup Original Silk Soy Creamer
4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Agave Syrup
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 frozen Bananas
2 Tablespoons Coconut Spread Butter (I used Earth Balance brand)
1 small bar Dark Chocolate (crushed)

Place all ingredients in your blender (EXCEPT Coconut Butter and Dark Chocolate) and blend at high speed.  Add Coconut Butter and blend at low speed for a couple pulses (you want the butter to be a little chunky for texture).  Add mixture into ice cream machine.  Halfway through cycle, add crushed dark chocolate and finish cycle.  When it completes, it will be soft serve consistency.  If you want it more firm (as pictured) transfer to a freezer safe dish and freeze for several hours.  If frozen solid, I suggest letting ice cream sit out for 20 minutes prior to serving.  Enjoy!  This frozen concoction is one of a kind!

Soy This and Soy That, Let's Make Coconut Something.

I am a huge fan of soy and now that I am vegan that is certainly to my benefit, however, I am going to do my best to not over do it.  There seems to be a great deal of mixed reviews on soy and two things I don't want to encounter are any hormone imbalances (aside from any I'm already experiencing naturally as a 35 year old woman) and anything that might produce too much mucous.  Ever since I can remember I have always adored tofu, also a very good thing.  I actually grew up eating a lot of vegan food it was just often served with a side of meat and always some dairy snuck in there, usually, in the form of butter.  Oh butter, how I do miss you and remember you fondly!  It's fantastic that there are many soy alternatives and I am on a mission to study up and incorporate these into my daily routines.  Any suggestions out there?

Current obsession, COCONUT.  In every form.  It's another one of those things I have always loved, now I'm just finding a lot more ways to eat and drink it.  Today I found an excellent raw coconut ice cream recipe online.  When I give it a go (I'm sure I'll be making some modifications) I will post the recipe with my additions/subtractions.  I was thinking it would be awesome to make some ice cream using pure coconut cream (not the watery milk) and some really tender young coconut meat.  Seriously.  I am drooling right now.  I better get my ice cream machine dusted off...

In fact, I'm having an epiphany right now, I make an incredible Peanut Sauce using coconut cream.  How does a Peanut Sauce Ice Cream sound!?  OK, maybe without the tamari and garlic...but maybe not.  It could be killer.  I know, maybe a little strange, but, then again you haven't tried my peanut sauce.  I made it the first couple days I went vegan and I was literally licking my plate.  It tastes like pure creamy, fatty, luxuriousness... on it's own and served aside everything.

Time to make some and get a recipe up for you guys for both Peanut Sauce and Coconut Ice Cream and likely a fusion of the two.  The more unique the better, right?!  Blogging = Creative Juices Flowing.  You have been so very patient for new recipes and the new blog format with recipes in their own corner.

I will get on that ASAP but can you find me a Nanny or something?!  My 2 and 3 year old boys are a little demanding of Mama Ash's time.  Well folks out there, it is almost TGIF!  I hope you all have some great weekend plans.  I will be going to farmer's markets and hanging out with my pregnant BFF who is coming to visit me.  Yay for house guests!  Did I tell you I LOVE to entertain?   I am an amazing hostess.  I actually was planning on starting a supper club this year.  Now I'm thinking of starting a bay area vegan supper club.  Anyone local to the San Francisco area interested in joining up?  Let's brainstorm!  See you soon.