People often ask how I adhere to a vegan diet ALL the time. It's all about changing your mindset. Every time I approach my meal planning, I think about what I CAN eat, never what I can't.

Also, most of the time it's very easy to make simple modifications. Case in point, cheese grits.

Simon came home from his dad's house a few weeks ago and asked for cheese grits. He said he heard someone on TV talking about it and wanted to know how they taste. We eat grits often but usually with a little vegan margarine and all-season salt.

With one simple modification, he enjoyed a bowl of cheesy grits.

Prepare grits on the stove top like normal and stir in desired amount of vegan cheese.

I used the Follow Your Heart brand

Yummy!

Challenge me to veganize your favorite dish! Leave a comment below or connect with me on Twitter.

November 4, 2011

Monique

Desserts, Veganize It

Veganize it: The Neelys' Apple Crisp

November 4, 2011

Monique

Desserts, Veganize It

Veganize it: Taking a popular food or recipe and making it vegan

Vegan food is all about eating what you know and love in a more compassionate and healthy way. I just had to make a few adjustment to veganize this delicious dessert.

Adapted from The Neelys' recipe

Served with vanilla So Delicious ice cream

Apple Crisp

by Brown Vegan

Ingredients

Filling

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped small
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled vegan butter, cut into pieces (I used 3 tablespoons of Earth Balance)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Instructions

For the Filling

Mix all the ingredients together. Place into 7-8 oz ramekins (I used a glass cooking dish).

For Topping

Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Blend the butter into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps. Stir in pecans and spindle over filling.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

October 25, 2011

Monique

Veganize It

Veganize it: Popeyes Biscuits

October 25, 2011

Monique

Veganize It

Veganize it: Taking a popular food or recipe and making it vegan

This isn't the healthiest recipe, but I do like that there are only 4 ingredients. There was a time I went to Popeyes just for the biscuits and cajun rice. I was instantly in love when I came across C'est La Vegan's recipe for Popeyes biscuits.

Since I don't own a biscuit cutter, I used a cup to form the biscuits.

Simple and very good. Let me know what you think, once you try it.

Popeyes Biscuits

by Brown Vegan

Ingredients

2 cups Bisquick (you can make your own version here)
4 ounces vegan sour cream (I used Tofutti)
3 ounces club soda
2 – 4 ounces vegan margarine

Instructions

Brush some melted margarine in the bottom of a round cake pan [see Notes]. Mix the Bisquick, vegan sour cream and club soda together in a large bowl. Sprinkle some Bisquick on your counter or board to keep the dough from sticking. Dump the dough out and pat it down by hand until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a biscuit cutter, and place them into your “buttered” cake pan. Brush the tops with some of the melted margarine.

Bake them for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Just before the biscuits are done, brush the tops with more melted margarine, and let them finish baking.