vegan soul food

i did it!

vegan black eye peas

i made black-eye peas...vegan/soul-food style...now bare with me here...i'm sure vegan black eye peas seems like an oxymoron...but understand something here...when black-folks make black-eye peas it usually isn't vegan. i hate to stereo-type...and i'm not...but i know i am (another oxymoron). take for example...when i was talking to my grandma last week and mentioned to her i had a craving for some black-eye peas...she started telling me how to cook it...and of course the ingredients list included salt-pork. my mom...said "you don't have to use pork...you can use sausage" hmmm....another oxymoron? technically yes and no...i could use turkey sausage...but anyway...i'm off on a tangent.

so i set out to veganize my grandma's recipe...and boy did i succeed!

i will attempt to end this post with some recipes...but bare with me...i don't measure except when baking.

along side those yummy peas...are some fried green tomatoes...too good for words.

i also baked an apple pie fromscratch with apples i got at the farmer's market (click on the link to read about it)

apple pie...fromscratch. picture courtesy of mr.e


more pie(food) porn. picture courtesy of mr.e

look at my crust...is it just me or can i get-down on shaping my crust? the more i do it...the better i get. but i won't lie...i'm not that good at the lattice top...i always have to work at it...to weave them right.

fresh biscuits monday morning...these were soooooo fluffy and good!

so i had a pretty "fruit full" weekend...all and all. lots of success. lots of cooking. well not really.

on eating beans:

this is for those of you, who are transitioning into veganism or vegitarianism like me and may not be easily able to digest beans. i too have/had this problem and i think i am on to a solution. here is what i did:

• double-soaked the beans (total of almost 48 hours) and rinsed the beans really well between the soaks and before i cooked them
• skimmed off any foam that rose to the top during the first few minutes of cooking (while bringing to a boil)
• cooked with kombu the beans become more easily digested
• take a digestive enzyme with the first bite of food...to make it easier to digest also

i hope this helps...i have been unable to eat beans and some of my other favorite veggies for a while now, i am on a mission to find a way to make them easier for my body to eat these veggies (broccoli, cabbage, onions, beans, etc.) i found that with all the tips above, i was able to eat them with very little if any discomfort what's so ever. so far...one veggie down...

okay on to the recipes:

let me start this by saying that when i cook...i don't measure. i don't really know a cook who does. i have a weird ability to be able to smell the food and know what it needs. i know sounds weird...but i do season my food by smell...and eventually by taste.

don't worry, i won't be forcing you to smell your food...not a bad idea though. but i will say that you must taste your food while your cooking it and flavor it to your liking.

seasoning tips:

• season your food in layers. season each layer (don't over do it) and that way you won't end up with bland food.
• don't depend upon salt to make your food tasty...use salt as the last bit of punch...and let the eaters control the salt at the table.
• learn your spices. learn about the different spices...what they taste like...what they do and how they will affect your food. learn which spices go together.
• read the packages. read the packages of some of your favorite foods, condiments...and see if there are any seasonings there that you may try.
• study different recipes. honestly,  i read cookbooks like novels...in bed, at night and all throughout the day. really i love cookbooks. even if i don't make the recipes from the book...i learn different flavoring combinations that i use later.
• don't be scared! what's the worse that can happen...you under season it? you over season it? it's okay...lesson learned. did you season in layers? did you taste often? did you rely to heavily on salt and pepper and over do it?
• lastly...don't double dip...unless your cooking for just yourself...don't taste directly out of the dish...it's just....not nice. use the two spoon method. use your stirring/cooking spoon to pour the food into the tasting spoon/fork. you get the point...just don't double dip...even if its just for you...its a bad habit to break.

okay off to the recipes...finally..!

ki-ki's veganized southern black eye peas

1 package of dried black eye peas
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 half strip of kombu
1-2 tbl. of liquid smoke (i use hickory)
1-2 tbl. of soy sauce
1 capful of vegan bacon bits plus more for garnishing
2 bay leaves
1-2 tsp. onion powder
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
spike *salt-free seasoning to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1. about a day an a half before you plan on eating the beans...sort through your beans get rid of any bad ones...or rocks (which i've never found...but you never know) then, completely cover the beans in a bowl with water. soak the beans overnight, or for 6-8 hours. after the initial soak, rinse peas well and start a second soaking. soak for another 8 hours...or longer if you can. after the final soaking. rinse again really well.
2. chop up the onion and bell pepper. saute in a soup pot with a little bit of canola oil until soft and translucent. i also like to season my onions and peppers with spike, salt and pepper. not a lot..just add some flavor here.
3. once the veggies are cooked, add beans and cover with water. if you want more of a soup...add lots of water...less soup/broth add less. just make sure the beans are well covered.
4. add the kombu, smoke, soy sauce, bay leaves, "bacon" bits and seasonings. bring to a rolling boil.
5. once beans begin to boil, turn heat to low and cover.
6. cook for about 3-4 hours...depending on how you like your beans. i cook mines as long as possible. stir fairly often.
7. after the first hour and a half....taste the beans and add more seasonings if you prefer. keep in mind that the bay leaves and kombu will season the broth as it cooks...so the flavor will develop over the cooking period.
8. before serving, remove the bay leaves and kombu (you can leave this if you like but not the bay leaves...they will continue to season). next taste and adjust seasonings to your liking...adding more smoke will increase the smokiness and meaty flavor...soy sauce will make it saltier...and the other seasonings will enhance their respective flavors also.
9. serve over rice...or on the side of another dish...and serve with "bacon" bits on top.

make it your own: this is a recipe you can make your own. add more or less of the onion and bell-pepper as you wish. i tend to add half or less of an onion and bell-pepper, but in the past i've done all. also, adjust the soy sauce/smoke to your liking along with the other seasonings. these are just the flavors i used...you can use them as much or as little as you like. you can also add vegan meat crumbles (make sure you season them). Have fun...and enjoy.

grandma's fried green tomatoes

green tomatoes (how every many you can get your hands on)
1 c. cornmeal
3/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbl onion and garlic powder
1-2 tsp. salt and pepper (this is to taste...i just usually eyeball it)
oil for skillet frying (i use canola)

1. slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. sprinkle a pinch of salt & pepper on one side if you like...but don't dry them.
2. mix together the dry ingredients in bowl.
3. pour enough oil into a non-stick pan to halfway cover each tomato slice...not too much...we're not deep frying them and heat up your oil.
3. while waiting for your oil to be ready, place a few "wet" tomatoes in cornmeal mixture...and evenly coat both sides...don't shake off too much. try to flour them in batches...just as they are about to get fried.
4. make sure oil is hot. you know its ready when a bit of the cornmeal mixture fizzles around when dropped into the oil. carefully place the floured slices in the oil. don't over crowd them.
5. fry each side for a couple of minutes...or until golden-brown. try not to turn them more than once.
6. drain well. and serve anyway you like. these are best eaten while hot.

note: this mixture should coat about 2-3 medium sized tomatoes...if you run out...just shake a little more meal and flour into the bowl and mix well. there really isn't much need to measure...you just want a little more cornmeal than flour...a bit of sugar...and some seasonings so it don't taste like flour. i never measure...i just do like grandma says...and put some cornmeal...flour and seasonings together. now her recipe doesn't call for sugar...but then again she don't put sugar in her cornbread either...this is where i differ from grandma...i like my cornbread sweet.

so there you have it...two recipes...if you'd like the apple pie recipe that i've adapted let me know...and i'll be sure to write it up...drop me a comment (i'm desperate for comments...i ain't gone lie). and if you try any of the recipes...let me know how it comes out.

eat well...

paz,

ki