Have a Happy Vegan Mother's Day

What better way to spoil Mum on Mother's Day than breakfast in bed or a relaxed brunch ? Being Vegan doesn't mean that breakfast needs to be a simple meal of just ordinary cereal and fruit. There are so many fabulous, tasty and nutritious recipes on the Net, that I found it hard to select only a few for today's blog entry. Make this a very special day for that very special person, your Mother.

Mothers are the place where love
Emerges from the earth,
And happiness rings out like bells
In honor of our birth.

Mothers are the sun that lights
For life our inner sky,
So we may know that we are loved
And need not question why.

Mothers are the moon that shines
Upon our black despair,
So even when we weep, we know
That someone's always there.

Whatever fear, or stress, or pain
Might them to anger move,
We know that underneath the storm
We have, always, their love.

Nicholas Gordon

Watermelon Strawberry Cooler
From Mothering Magazine
By Cathe Olson Author of Simply Natural Baby Food
This vivid pink smoothie makes a light and refreshing snack and provides calcium and vitamin C.

3 cups diced watermelon, seeds removed
1/2 cup plain yogurt (dairy or nondairy)
8 to 10 frozen strawberries

Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Makes 2 servings (Also makes makes great popsicles.)

There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.
Chinese Proverb

A.C.'s Crunchy Raw Cereal
From Hallelujah Acres

1 small organic sweet potato (grated or flaked)
1/4 cup raw almonds or walnuts (chopped & soaked)
1 banana (sliced)
sweet almond milk

Mix first three ingredients together and pour Sweet Almond Milk over it. It’s crunchy, delicious, and won’t get soggy in the milk.

Sweet Almond Milk
From Rhonda’s Recipes for Life

1 cup raw almonds
3-4 Medjool dates (other type dates can be used)
6 cups distilled/filter water

Soak almonds overnight and drain. Pit dates. Blend half of the almonds, half the dates, and 3 cups of distilled water until creamy. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour through a very fine strainer or cheesecloth. Refrigerate.

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
Jewish Proverb

Spinach Mushroom Quiche
From 101 Cookbooks

For the crust:
1/2 cup rolled oats
3 tbsps sesame seeds
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or whole spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsps sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly milled black pepper
1/3 cup unflavored soy milk or water
1/3 cup light sesame oil or pure olive oil plus more for brushing the pan

For the filling:
7 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
10 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tbsps dry white wine or water
1 1/2 tsps coarse sea salt
3 garlic cloves, slice crosswise into 1/8-inch rounds
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 pound firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry
2 tbsps freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 pounds fresh spinach
Paprika for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350F. To make the crust, spread the oats and sesame seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 minutes. Transfer the toasted oats and sesame seeds to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and process until the oats are finely ground. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy milk and oil. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the dry ingredients to form a dough. Lightly brush a 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan with oil. Put the dough in the tart pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the dough and press down evenly, making sure to fill in the fluted sides of the pan. Trim the tart of any excess dough and refrigerate while you make the filling. To make the filling, in a wide saute pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and mushroom, raise the heat to high, and saute for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan until the vegetables are caramelized. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and continue to cook until dry. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the vegetables into a mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes or until the garlic is golden. Do not let
the garlic brown or it will become bitter. With a rubber spatula, scrape the garlic oil into the bowl of a food processor. Crumble the tofu into the bowl of the food processor. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and puree until smooth. With a rubber spatula, scrape the puree into the mushroom-onion
mixture. Remove and discard the tough stems of the spinach. Wash the leaves in a large bowl with several changes of cold water. Transfer the spinach to a pot and cooke, covered, over high heat for several minutes, just until wilted. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to arrest the cooking. Drain well and squeeze
dry. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and chop fine. Add the spinach to the rest of the filling and stir well to combine. Fill the tart shell with the tofu and vegetable mixture and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Dust with Paprika. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes,until firm. Let the tart cool for 8 to 10 minutes before
slicing and serving. 4 to 6 servings. From: Peter Berley's The Modern Vegetarian, Regan Books (October 1, 2000)

I'd like to be the ideal mother, but I'm too busy raising my kids.
Unknown

The Best Breakfast Scramble Ever!
From VegWeb
Submitted by little2ant, 01/12/07

Cheez sauce:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
2 cups water
1 tsp yellow mustard
4 tbsps or less of vegan margarine
Stir fry:
1/2 onion
1/2 green pepper
1 tub drained and crumbled extra firm tofu (not silken style)
cooking oil
turmeric (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Make Cheez Sauce:
Mix first 3 ingredients together in sauce pan. Add H2O and mix thoroughly. Heat on Med until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add mustard and margarine (I like Earth Balance). Set aside.
Stir Fry:
Saute up some onion, and green pepper in oil. When they are good and soft, move them to the sides of the pan and form an empty circle in the middle for your tofu. Add more oil to the middle of the pan, then add your drained, crumbled tofu (don't use silken, use extra firm). When it starts to get golden, mix in the peppers and onion and keep frying. You can add some turmeric for color if you like. When it looks like you could eat it, add the nutritional yeast sauce and mix it all in to coat until that becomes golden brown too. I saute this for another couple of minutes. You might not need all of the sauce. I save the leftovers for pizza or
nachos.Add salt and pepper to taste (this makes all the difference!)

Eat! This is SOOOOO good and it’s great on toast or English muffins (I use Matthew's brand). I don't miss eggs at all after discovering this! Serves: 3-4

Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.
Robert Browning

Coconut Banana Vegan French Toast
From About.com
Jolinda Hackett's Guide to Vegetarian Cuisine

2 bananas
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 cups soy milk
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
bread
oil or vegan margarine for frying

Mash the bananas well and whisk together with the coconut milk, soy milk, sugar and cinnamon. Pour into a shallow pan or pie tin. Dip both sides of the bread into the mixture, and cook in a lightly greased skillet over medium heat. French toast should be lightly golden brown on both sides.

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me but I think she enjoyed it.
Mark Twain

Portabella Mushroom Steaks
From All-Creatures.org

portabella mushrooms
garlic powder or crushed garlic
oregano
black pepper
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

This recipe can be prepared in a microwave or conventional oven. If you intend to broil the mushrooms, use a metal cookie sheet, otherwise you can use a glass baking pan. Lightly oil the metal cookie sheet. Thoroughly wash the portabella mushrooms and remove the stems. Place the mushroom caps on the cookie sheet or the baking pan up side down. Split the stems lengthwise and place on the cookie sheet curved side down. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Place the prepared mushrooms in the oven at 375F until tender. If the oven is electric and has a "preheat" setting with turns on both the lower and upper elements, use that setting. If the oven is gas, place the mushrooms under the broiler when about ¾ done. These portabella mushroom steaks also make excellent burgers and sandwiches. Enjoy!



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