Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I was just lukewarm on the black bean burgers. But I've tried about 15 bean burger recipes and I'm always just lukewarm on them. I've had awesome bean burgers in restaurants, and it makes me sad that I can never recreate them at home.

I'm making the smoky black bean soup tonight.

Yeah, so far so good for me. I think this book will get more rotation in the fall/winter since they are 'warm comfort' type foods.

I want to try the eggplant parm soon. And some of the breakfast/brunch recipes.

Okay so my bad, it was the creamy black bean soup I made today. I thought it was good, but could use a dollop of tomato paste (and so I added one).

I'm not big on eggplant, so I didn't love this recipe when I tested it, but the breading is really, really good on seitan.

I have made the Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream twice. I am in love with it. So easy to make.

Oh, I HAVE to make this ^

Last night we had brinner...breakfast for dinner. My partner made me promise to do this at least once a week. There are a ton of brunch foods in this book, so I can do that.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes
Wow these were good. I used lowfat soymilk, and when I used a calorie caculator they came out to be way less than 117 calories listed in the book? Cool. More for me! I did use fresh blueberries like the book advised. I also froze a bunch, and will try them out this weekend, reheated in the oven.

Oven Hash Browns
So...I have not attempted to make hash browns at home. Ever. I used to like the frozen kind you put in the toaster though. These were good. A little to crispy, but that is easily remidied, I'll just make them bigger next time!

I was going to try the black bean sausage, but I was tired and bought gimmie lean instead. Next time the black bean ones!

I am diving into for my Julie/Julia project.
Something is wrong with me that all I want to do is make the popcorn recipes. lol

Just bought this book. I'll post my reviews as I make various things.

I've never ever been a whipping creme kind of girl,so while I'll attempt to hunt for it, I'll need to know: is it generally sweet? I found a cashew creme version (and tonnes of coconut creme ones). do you think that will swap easily?

Also - this week's menu:

Breakfast:
Almond Granola with Pumpkin Seed Milk.

Lunch:
Gingered Brussels Sprouts with Oven Hash Browns & Black Bean Sausage
with storebought applesauce.

Dinner
Black-bean Quesadillas with roasted Tomatillo Salsa.
with frozen grapes.

Snack
BBQ Popcorn

Total Low Cal Vegan Calories:
1208

How amazing is that? Calorie counting never really looked so delicious.

That's assuming you can stop at the portion sizes - which is hard when the food tastes so good! ;)

Oh yum! I'm looking forward to the results of this, I see a whole lot of my must trys list there.

I made the Gingered Brussels Sprouts last night (as a side to my curry)

OMG so good. They could go with pretty much ANYTHING. (Picky omni partner loved them as well!)

I tweaked a little, I didn't have as much ginger as I would have liked, so added in some garlic, and cooked the sprouts cut in half (instead of whole), then browned the cut side down after steaming.

I love brussel sprouts, tired of roasting them. This will be in rotation often!

Okie dokes, so I did the sausage tonight (so I can let the flavours develop). and ...

I think something is missing from the recipe. There's no real "binder". No gluten flour, no flax-seed egg, no chia egg, no nut binder, zilch. So i wet my hands and really squished them and THEN patty-formed them.But I found that peculiar.

daisysunshine do you mean the black bean sausages? I want to try those, thought they sounded kinda funny that there was not really a binder in them either. How did they hold up with your 'wet hands method'?

I froze the cornmeal blueberry pancakes, then reheated in the oven on Saturday morning. Success! They were still really good. Maybe just a slight bit drier than they were originally, but still very very good. I used fresh blueberries and they were still awesome.

It's nice to have a 'frozen' pancake I can just pop in the oven for a fast breakfast. I might even start taking them to work for a microwaved breakfast (not sure how those will be though)

Have you tried the toaster? That's how I usually reheat my pumpkin waffles.

Cooked and blended rice actually makes a really good binder for burgers.

Sadly, I just didn't love the black bean sausages. To me they were like oddly spiced bean burgers. For breakfast.

Okay I've made everything - (I'll take a picture of the finished quesadilla, and the hash browns) - a little write up is on the blog and so are the finished pictures. (they are HUGE that's why I didn't post it here).

I wish that Alicia was available via email or something. I think I'm friends with most of my favourite cookbook authors, but Alicia - nada. Anyway. The Black Bean Sausage: AWESOME. (DO make them sit for the 3 days, because I feel that makes the difference). But these blew up. the minute they hit my skillet. (well to be fair, three blew up, so i just "scrambled" everything else.). I think i'd make these again and toss it in a tofu-scramble.

Hashbrowns: are okay. I think personally I'd just buy them. Or. add more salt. they are very bland. This is why I love ketchup.

Brussels Sprouts: MAKE. THESE. NOW.

Pumpkin Milk: ditto. this was actually really yummy with the Almond Granola. (Almond Granola needs a pinch more salt).

Chickpea Cheese (just call it hummus, Alicia). was delish, as well as the salsa. (I added chipolte in adobo sauce, not seranno... because i lost my serrano peppers).

Basically, everything was a great to go except the hashbrowns.

I'm planning next week's menu right now. (I've also discovered canning, ooo). :) I was contemplating making the spiced jam, but eh.

If you want to contact her, her email is on her 'contact me' page on her blog: http://aliciacsimpson.com/contact.html

Well, I thought of that, but since I used fresh blueberries, I am afraid it would make a mess in the communal work toaster.

They would probably fire me for getting vegan food all over the place.

Thanks. CLEARLY, I'm blind.

Okay - I've decided what I am making for next week:


Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes. (this will be a test because I am so. not. a blue-berry-ish person). I am still contemplating if I want to make the spiced jam.

Baked hush puppies

Sesame broccolini with chicpea cattactorie

baked risotto. (if i can find summer squash).

next week will be something tofu-ish or seitan ish.

I am not a huge blueberry person either, but definitly get fresh blueberries. it was really tasty. The cattachtorie and the broccolini are on my list too!

Okay - made hush puppies.
I didn't have a 18 mini muffin pan (and will probably get one when I get my doughnut pan).

I made ONE little tweak. I've never had a hush puppy that didn't require garlic. and she didn't add ANY. So I used my trusty roasted garlic powder. (so yummy). and added a teaspoon in there.

These. are.good. y'all. Nice and crunchy! :)

Okay - the pancakes - forking awesome. the blog post is up, with all the pictures of the menu this week. I have to say, Alicia's popcorn recipes taste a lot better making them the stove-top version (because of the oil)rather than the air-popper. And nowit's time to fluff the quinoa and get some eating done :)

Okay - I'm going to make the following this week:

White Lasagna
Jalapeno Poppers
sweet & chili peas
oatmeal flapjacks
lemongrass soda...
sugar cookies!