Chick Pea Pie

One of our favorite recipes that we make for lunches or dinner at least twice a month is-- you guessed it, Chick Pea Pie! It tastes like Thanksgiving, and chicken pot pie and any other old school comfort meal you can think of that normally features meat. It is super easy to make and if you have a mandolin slicer it comes together even faster. 

The most time consuming thing in this recipe is chopping your vegetables. Other than that you simply combine all the ingredients, mash them up a bit and place in the oven. It is just that easy! This is a recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance that we simply could not live with out! We've always added nutritional yeast to ours to give it a bit of a cheesy flavor but it's just as good without it. 

What to do:

Use 3 cans of Chick Peas (we use the low sodium kind) and soak for about 20 minutes in the largest bowl you own -- trust us you'll need the room later!

Once the soaking time is over preheat your oven to 350°F. Then drain the beans and place back into the huge bowl. Using a potato masher, mash the chick peas until there are no whole beans left.

Grab a cutting board (and here's where your mandolin slicer comes in handy!) and a larger sized sweet onion. Cut the onion into four quarters. Slice each quarter so you have very thin onion pieces and place into giant bowl. If using  a mandolin slicer you can do this step right over the bowl!

Grate 3 large carrots into your bowl (again mandolin slicer is handy for this step).

Cut one head of broccoli (NO STEMS) into small florets (yes we're lazy and yes we use the mandolin for this step too).

Slice up some chives (about 2 teaspoons or more depending on flavor preference) into nice thin slivers-- add to humungous bowl.

Add a 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 1 cup of vegetable broth, 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast,  1 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl and mix all around.

Transfer ingredients to a very large casserole dish or two regular sized dishes. Then cover with tin foil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes. Once that time is up remove the foil and place back in the oven for 15 minutes.

Let cool a bit and then serve with some hot sauce!

Here's to staying Meat Free in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Surprising Stuff Saturday!

When you find yourself under the weather and working so hard at your part time job for minimum wage (which is a whopping $7.25 p/hour these days-- sure it hurts the wallet and our ego but at least it's something!) and swimming in as much school loan debt as we are, you're always on the lookout for a cheap, quick and meatless meal!

We give you this Saturday's surprise stuff-- the FRESCO BURRITO at Taco Bell. Obvi, we aren't fans of fast food as it can be most unfriendly to one's waistline and complexion BUT these little beany burritos are definitely a lesser evil when you're too tired and/or sick to cook! Each one is only 8 grams of fat and 340 calories-- again these aren't going to help you get rid of any "lunch lady arms" but if you find yourself out with friends who love to think outside the bun you'll still want to make sure you order this item as it has no meat, dairy or egg product and it is actually THE LEAST FATTENING MEAT FREE ITEM ON THE ENTIRE MENU!  Prices will vary by sales and your location, but they run between $0.99 and $2-- and trust us we won't argue with that!

For more information about ingredients check out this link:

http://www.tacobell.com/menuitem/Fresco-Bean-Burrito

Here's to Staying Meat-Free (not broke) in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

 

 

Nom nom nom= Beany Burrto!

Christmas Content!

As a team we survived the treachery that is working retail on Black Friday. But like all of those wide eyed midnight shoppers, we're eager for a bargain and a way to find everyone the perfect gift-- especially for our vegan brethren!

Here's just a few of our favorite gift ideas for the vegan/vegetarian in your life. Have a look see!

Stocking Stuffers:
Vegetable Soap- Available @ Ten Thousand Villages. Cost- around $4 (they have some really great scents which will leave the stocking smelling amazing!)

Peta Donations-Click the link below and give your loved one the gift of a donation to help animals! This has become one of our Christmas traditions-- why not start it as well? Check out Peta's site or click here: https://secure.peta.org/site/Donation2?df_id=6680&6680.donation=form1&set.custom.Campaign_Code=H11LWAXXXXJ&s_src=FACEBOOK&s_subsrc=113011?utm_campaign=1111%20Doghouses%20Winter%20Campaign%20Promo%203&utm_source=PETA%20Facebook&utm_medium=Promo

Gifts for Under the Tree (slash just to buy if you don't do Christmas!):

Vegan Cook Books-Any and all of Isa Chana Moskowitz's Cook books to be exact! For Meatless Fleet Vegan Pie in the Sky is at the top of our list! We also highly suggest Appetite for Reduction  and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! Her books are not pricey and will be beloved by your friend for years to come! She makes Vegan cooking fun and delicious- what's not to love? Order them online @ http://www.theppk.com/books/ 

T-Shirts/Prints- The adorable scene below is brought to you by Threadless.com! It's also available in a print and is at the top of our list!

Aww we like the Long Neck who's bringing Hummus!

Find the T-Shirt @ http://www.threadless.com/product/2733/Who_Invited_the_Herbivore/tab,girls/

We can't give away much more for fear that our significant others will figure out their gifts!
Here's to Staying Meat Free in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Tofurky or Not Tofurky?

For us here at Meatless Fleet that is the question! 

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we struggle with our love of all things traditional (hello apple pie!) and the crazy reality that is the odd life of a turkey and the atmospheric change up at the dinner table when one family member abstains from eating said bird. 

We've been scouring our recipe books, envisioning ourselves gorging on Pecan Crusted Seitan cutlets as the day's bird stand in, and then we hit a wall. Not literally, as did "The Situation" upon his visit to Italy but figuratively as in we just want to enjoy the holiday this year with little to no fuss or muss. 

With that in mind this past weekend our plan was to head to the Super Giant on Lititz Pike and get ourselves a Tofurky Vegetarian Feast (which would enable us to focus on the sides and dessert-- hello apple pie!). Anyway, the head of Natural Foods over there is always helpful and was the only person who had "The Feast" at all last year. But alas and alack this year despite all of their pre-ordering efforts the veg. feast is not yet in. We've got high hopes that it will be in-- and of course we will post if we get word that it has arrived but it could be as late as tomorrow Wednesday, November 23rd.

The only "turkey" we're hunting this holiday season

In the mean time, we're going to focus on finalizing our ideas for desserts and sides. Sure it's last minute but sometimes the best recipes take form that way. For more Vegan Thanksgiving ideas check out this great article found by one of our favorite relatives in Maine. http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/18/8877285-vegan-thanksgiving-it-can-be-done-deliciously
The author of the article can come off a tad skeptical of the meatless masses but the vegans and the recipes featured are awesome. We're desperate to try out the easy looking but oh-so-bad-for-you cheesecake recipe!

So whatever you and your stomach end up filled with this Thursday (whether Tofurky or Turkey) it's nobody's biznass but your own! We encourage vegans/vegetarians and omnivores alike not to be Judge Judy's this holiday and to just enjoy your family's company. Just keep in mind that you never know when you might next get the chance to hear them berate your lifestyle -- again.  ; )

Here's to staying Meat Free for the holidays - The Meatless Fleet Team

Fun Fact Friday!

This week's fun fact stems from a favorite Meatless Fleet quote, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

We asked some of our meat eating friends who they thought provided this quote and here are some of our favorite responses:

Somebody over at Occupy Lancaster

A hippy dippy well meaning earth mother

An angry member of Peta

Dwight Schrute- you know, 'cause of his beet farm...

... While all of these reminded us how funny are friends are but none are correct. 

The pro vegetarian lifestyle quote was actually said by none other than ALBERT EINSTEIN.

Since he's the smartest man ever to have lived on the planet we find it fascinating that he not only supported meatless dietary ideas but that toward the end of his life actually followed them as a vegetarian!

For more meat-free Albert Einstein mind blowing awesomeness check out this site: 

http://www.ivu.org/history/northam20a/einstein.html

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Für Amanda (Potato Version)

My my it's time for some Sweet Potato (Spicy Casserole) Pie!

There are two things we don't like to mess with here at Meatless Fleet; Chocolate and Sweet Potatoes. But when either is done right the possibilities of joyful indulgence can be endless! 

On the sweet potato end of things we found a recipe we really liked about three years ago in the Vegan On the Cheap Cookbook. Over the years we've added our own je ne sais quoi, called it a "casserole pie" to cover all of our culinary bases and finally had to share the delicious, healthy and oh so affordable end results!

Sweet Potato (Spicy Casserole) Pie 

Ingredient List:

5 Sweet Potatoes

1-2  Chipotle Peppers* (find these canned and in adobo sauce at C-town on the cheap!)
*We like the amount of spice we get from using 1½ peppers, the number used depends on your heat preference. Also, the more seeds you leave in your peppers the spicier the dish will be. In order to decrease the spice, use a knife to scrape out as many seeds as you can. Be mindful of not touching your eyes with your fingers and thoroughly washing your hands after this step!

2 Tablespoons of Water

2 Tablespoons of Butter (veganize it using best life buttery spread!)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Large Sweet Onion diced

3 Carrots peeled and chopped (chop small for time efficiency)

2 Cans Black Beans

3 Cans Zesty Diced Tomatoes (Giant brand saves $'s!)

1 ½ Cups Corn (thaw frozen corn before using)

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Aleppo Chili

Pinch of Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

What to do with everything:

1. Steam the sweet potatoes for about 12 minutes. Peel and cube them and put them in your largest pot with a steamer apparatus.

2. While you're steaming the sweet potatoes, puree the chipotle chiles with the two tablespoons of water and set aside (we use the amazingly huge food processor we got for Christmas last year, if your family remains unaware of your evolving culinary prowess and your need for one of those bad boys, don't be too sad because you can use a regular blender for pretty much the same results!).

3. Using a potato masher, mash up the sweet potatoes. Pour one half of the pureed chipotle/water mixture over the potatoes as you continue to mash them. Then add in the butter and salt and pepper. Leave the other half of the puree in the food processor (or blender) for later use.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly cover a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray. 

5. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and carrots then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer your veggie mixture to the casserole dish. Add in the black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, crushed aleppo chili and the remainder of the chipotle puree. Stir all around until combined!

6. Spread the delicious mashed sweet potatoes over the top of the veggie/bean mix.

7. Place in the oven for 50 minutes

8. Enjoy creamy yet spicy mashed sweet potato goodness (as seen below)!

Mmmm sweet and spicy deliciousness!

Additional Notes:
 
-If the mash sweet potatoes are too thick you can thin them with a little veggie broth in addition to the butter. Just add it in one tablespoon at a time.

-This reheats wonderfully and makes for amazing leftovers! 

- Due to our love of a good play on words and the classic rock we were brought up with, we almost titled this blog "Sweet Yam O' Mine." 
However since we consider this particular casserole pie to be a symphony (albeit a culinary one) much like Beethoven's Für Elise, the title "Für Amanda (Potato Version)" won out. It is in honor of the divine Ms. Dita Forry who loves her some of our Sweet Potato (Spicy Casserole) Pie!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Ipso Facto Saturday. A Tale of Two Chocolates.

To go along with the strangest week we've ever had here at Meatless Fleet- we've decided to post this Friday's fun fact on Saturday. You're welcome for the dose of spontaneity.

This week we write to let you know that it is OK to ad lib when utilizing a vegan recipe. We know it can be scary to change up things you may not know much about-- can I replace sugar with agave? can you substitute tapioca flour for arrow root? We also know the substitution questions are endless and worry not because we will get to all of that later but for now we want you to focus on the fact that switch up results are fantastic fun!

For example we got our paws on a lovely little double chocolate chip cookie recipe that we found on Pinterest and just knew we had to make our own adjustments to enhance the chocolatey goodness. The results were a crowd pleasing batch of brownie cookies and a Meatless Fleet vegan cookie star was born. 

Here's our adjusted recipe for all to enjoy :

Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly coat two non stick cookie sheets w/ cooking spray

2. In one large mixing bowl combine the following ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Regular Unbleached Flour
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (Bob's Mill Brand is only about $3.00 @ Giant!)
2 tsp. Baking Soda 
1 Cup Sugar (or raw sugar)
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

3. Combine the following in a separate medium sized mixing bowl:  
1/4 Cup Butter Substitute 
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1/4 Melted Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (Ghiradelli's Chips are milk-fat-free) To melt the chocolate chips use a small glass ramekin and place in the microwave for about one minute. Mix chips to a good melted consistency with a rubber spatula and pour into the medium sized mixing bowl with the oil, milk and butter.
Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Use a rubber spatula to mix well.


5. Fold 2/3 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips into the mix.

6. Spray an ice cream scoop with non cooking spray and use to scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets. 


7. Place cookies in oven for about 15 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so we recommend checking on them after 10 minutes. 


8. Remove cookies from oven and let sit 5 minutes to cool.


9. Enjoy with a cool glass of almond milk and/or a scoop of Rice Dream Ice Cream!
 

Here's to changing up recipes and staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Don't get your pretzels in a twist - or do!

Before you head off for the various Friday adventures that await you, we'd like to give you our weekly factoid.

Auntie Anne's At-Home Pretzel Baking Kit is VEGAN.

We know it's exciting and trust us this random nugget of truth also blew our minds too!

We loved Auntie Anne's pretzels and lemonade but never knew for certain if there was egg or milk fat in the pretzel batter. 

Now we can all rest a little easier knowing that all you have to do is pick up one of their At-Home Baking Kits and there's no dairy involved! Simply add your own vegan butter to the dough (reminder about our recommended Best Life buttery spread!) and follow their step by step instructions. In no time you will have the deliciously warm and oh so perfect pretzels we all know and love at your finger tips. 

The box shown below makes 10 pretzels and here at MFT we have big plans to make "bread bowls" using our pretzel dough. Hopefully we'll have time for a soup with bread bowl night this weekend so we can show you our meat free finished product!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Vegan cat is not included in Auntie Anne's Baking Kit

A vegan and a vegetarian walk into a bar...

... Well technically it was a restaurant and bar.  For tonight was a family dinner night here at the Meatless Fleet Team and we happily got our meat-free grub on for the amazing cost of $FREE.99!

For me a typical family dinner usually means really involved conversations about crazy weather patterns, baseball, football, the Beatles, the 3 Stooges and/or W.C. Fields, the list goes on! 
But most importantly- successful family dinners must avoid any and all politics (trust the vegetarian living in Lancaster on this one!)
 
Tonight no real political talk was discussed and so it was just what we needed as we came out of an intense sickee stupor. Family, food, and crazy Park City Mall fun was just what the doctor ordered (you take your pap to the Apple store and tell me it isn't the cutest thing ever!)

As for the food, we went to J.B. Dawson's and were treated to a delicious meat free dinner! 
While Pap and Dad happily chomped away on their meaty burgs, my partner in crime and I ordered the Meatless Fleet way: one of us ordered the Veggie Burger (made with brown rice, mushroom, and onion) and the other ordered the Tomato Basil Flatbread (full of garlic, mozzarella, tomato and basil.) Both dinners were delicious but truly, the veggie burger wins this one! Order it with a side of BBQ sauce and you won't be disappointed!
 
So if you're getting treated to a dinner and need the restaurant to be a place that your whole family can enjoy (IE they can order steak and other animals) I would recommend J.B. Dawson's.

It is a bit pricey for our blood so we won't be dining there too often (reminder- I just said it's a good place to go when someone's treating you- unless you're a veggie baller in which case well played!)

If you have the cashola to splurge on a meat free menu item and have slightly more adventurous meat eating companions please do yourself a favor and visit TULSI. More to come on that later (suffice it to say that you must not let yourself be tricked by the Travel Lodge that this amazing restaurant is for some reason connected to.)

In the mean time, if ever you should find yourself at the mall against your will (which sounds like something a family member would lead you to do) stop in at J.B. Dawson's with them and get your meat free grubbin' on!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the (Park) City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Veggie Burger. $10.99 @ J.B. Dawson's

Roasted Tomato & Basil Flatbread. $12.99 @J.B. Dawson's

Fun Fact Friday!

Do you hate charlie horses?

Do you wonder what possible reason your toes have for cramping up and making your feet feel like they're experiencing the worst pinching pain ever?

 

Do you get charlie horses anywhere other than your feet? (seriously we did a team poll and we've only ever gotten them in our feet-- we don't like the idea of other body parts scrunching up like that- yeck!) But we digress...

...This weeks Fun Fact Friday is brought to us by the amazingly lovely, smart and oh so talented Ms. Shehan! She and her nursing school brain informed us that if you have a charlie horse you can remedy the situation by getting your potassium on! Simply eat a banana and you'll be in the clear! 

This fact is so awesomely accurate that when we tested it the results were instant! 

You're welcome.

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Because who doesn't want Banana Doctor's seal of approval?

Main Entry: protein [proh-teen] Part of Speech: noun Synonyms: albumen, beans, casein, creatine, kashi cereal, enzyme, fibrin, prolamin

Let's talk about protein! We all need to have it but it can be hard when you don't eat the meat... one cheap Meatless Fleet suggested solution is KASHI CEREAL!

What's that you say? Kashi cereal isn't cheap? 
WELL, one of our savviest team members happens to love Amelia's and found a whopping 25oz. box of Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal there for only $4.99! It costs more than that for a much smaller box at any grocery store!


AND this cereal is not only crunchy and delicious with almond milk (mmm almond milk) but it also has 9 grams of protein per serving Hooty hooo! 


So go ahead and skip the eggs and bacon tomorrow morning-- instead have your Kashi Crunchy Cereal and end up with a little extra money in your pocket to make it a fantastic protein filled start to your day (without all the fat and cholesterol!)

Here's to staying "Meat Free"  in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Mr. Popper of the Meatless Fleet Team wants YOU to get your kashi grub on!

Chilly Chili Days

For lunches this week the Meatless Fleet team will be chowing down on some delicious Jimbo's Gumbo (aka Vegan Chili). It's not at all a gumbo, but we can't stop calling it that!  

We know everyone and their mom has "the best" chili recipe, and we also know that there are lots of ways to veganize your often meat filled chili dishes- so we thought it couldn't hurt to offer up our version to the meatless masses! 

Here's what you will need to recreate this chili:

Carrots- We buy the large 2lb bags (buying in bulk saves in this case!)

Onion- Sweet yellow onions are great but you can use a red or white onion as well.

Giant Brand Spice Packet- Purchased because it's cheaper and deelish! (Do note that this is not a gluten free spice mix.)

Olive Oil- what recipe doesn't need a little Olio?

Garlic- Minced up and ready to fry!

Zesty Diced Tomatoes- Again we went for store brand (Giant) because its less cost without sacrificing taste.

Salsa- We like Medium on the salsa hot scale and find Nature's Promise to be an affordable organic choice!

Beans- This time around we're focusing on Kidney beans (buy 1 can small beans and 1 large)

Boca Meatless Ground Crumbles- On sale at (where else) Giant for only $2.50!


Here's a picture of the 
prepackaged foods you will need


Easy Peasy Vegan Chili Recipe (AKA Jimbo's Gumbo) Makes 8-10 servings:


First you'll want to heat your chili pot (aka largest cooking vessel.) 
Once it is warmed up to a medium heat setting add one tablespoon of Olive Oil.  
Then add two large carrots and one yellow onion (both diced into smallish cubes-no need for perfection just keep it on the small side and you'll be fine.) 
Saute these ingredients for about 5 minutes. 
Then add one package of Boca Meatless Crumbles and one and one half packages of Chili Spice Mix.

Stir often for 4-5 minutes. 

Next add in one jar of salsa.  

Immediately after adding your salsa, add two cans of  zesty diced tomatoes and the two cans of kidney beans (we recommend one can of smaller beans and one of larger for a little variety- but two cans of the same sized bean will also work fine!)

Stir and cover. 

Once covered lower heat to a simmer. 

Let simmer for 40 minutes. 

You'll only need to stir occasionally so it doesn't burn/stick to the bottom.

Eat delicious vegan chili for lunch that is low fat, way better than anything your office vending machine has to offer and that you didn't even have to break a sweat to make!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" and warm! in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Smore's on Sunday

To slowly ease ourselves back into a 9-5 frame of mind the Meatless Fleet team gets ready for the upcoming work days by preparing our lunches for the work week. We always make a delicious somewhat "less bad for you" snack as well to munch on as we make the healthy stuff (otherwise what would be the fun in having a day off?!) 

After spending a wonderful day outside cheering at the top of my lungs at my nephew's soccer game (they won big time by the way!) all I wanted to do was relax and get caught up on some bid'ness class assignments. IE- I was ready to let my teammate get his bake on.

And get his bake on he did! 

Using the following recipe @ http://texascottage.blogspot.com/2011/08/smore-cups.html we now have at our disposal some of the most delicious Smore Cakes ever!

He veganized the recipe by using the Dandies brand vegan marshmallow (which are a treat all by themselves!) and semi sweet Ghiradelli brand melting chocolate chips. And you know we used Best Life Butter Spread for the graham cracker crusts! Find the Dandies Marshmallows at Rhubarbs- but be warned a bag of these beauts is not cheap! For around $5.00 you can be in the gelatin free zone and loving it. As for the chocolate chips, Giant is currently having a two for $5.00 sale which at only $2.50 per bag is a steal!

Here's our end result with vegan marshmallows and chocolate minus the milk-fat:

MMMMM Smore's on  Sunday!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

Fun Fact Friday!

It's time for TGIF! 

As you count down the hours before you're free from the grip of the daily weekday grind here is this Friday's Fun Fact:

Did you know that most cats are lactose intolerant?   

Wait Whaaaat?

It's true. Poor kitties love their milk but it hurts their bellies.
So next time you lovingly give your cat a saucer of milk and they upchuck all over your carpet- don't say we didn't warn you!

We found a good solution to this by giving our kitties soy milk. Their favorite drink by far tends to be the almost-milkshake-thick Almond Milk. Find Blue Diamond Almonds Unsweetened Almond Milk in the regular Milk Freezer Aisle at Giant. Purchase the Original & Unsweetened flavor to use with ease in any of your cooking. That version has zero grams of sugar and only 40 calories per one cup serving.

Note: Vanillla flavored Almond Milk is fine for baking but gross with mac n chreese (that's right mac n "chreese" the cheese free boxed mac!) so just be sure you remember which one you bought before mixing it in to your dinner!

For more information on why your cat has a love hate relationship with lactose check out this handy site-

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/cats-and-dairy-get-the-facts

PS This seems like the best time to introduce the Meatless Fleet Felines! Below on the left (you can just make out his almond milky chin) is Max the Cat! Max likes sequins, almond milk, outdoor boy cats, and ribbons. Max dislikes Tupperware containers and thunderstorms. 

On the right is Mr. Popper getting his almond milk grub on. Mr. Popper likes being dapper, meowing in the guise of Flipper, and nibbling on plant leaves (such a veg!). Mr. Popper dislikes the street cleaning machine, and sharing the bed.

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

What Would Tom Haverford Do?

Wednesday's suck and "rainy today" was no exception. 

Between our forgotten (packed) lunch bags, umbrella's that decided to turn inside out in the rain, and important-document-eating printers, MFT was more than ready for a delicious home cooked vegan meal. 

When the nutmeg was unknowingly subbed in for the cumin needed in our zucchini tacos, we decided it was time to turn things around. In the words of Parks and Recreation's Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford, it was time to "TREAT YO' SELF!"

And so I called Rice and Noodles for pick up. Their food is and always will be out of this world! They serve a variety of vegetarian dishes that are made to order at warp speed, and everyone on staff there is super nice, accommodating and friendly. 


Some of their Meatless Fleet must haves are:
1. Goi Cuon Chay (or in lazy American terms, "tofu spring rolls") 
Only $3.75 for two rolls!
They fry their tofu to perfection and bundle it up in a handy spring roll with some vermicelli noodles and veggies. These are perfect for dipping into their extremely addictive peanut sauce!


2. Banh Dau Hu Chien (for the confused, "steamed vermicelli patties w/ tofu"). 
These are $7.50 and therefore only ordered when we want to look like ballers (or when we just really really want them!) 
When you order this platter you get to make your own lettuce wraps with tofu and vermicelli noodles and top it with as much delicious nuoc mam sauce and cukes as your little vegan heart desires.


3. Bun Dau Hu Chien (for those who refuse to try and improve their Vietnamese pronunciation skills, "tofu and vermicelli salad bowl") 
A sweet sized portion is only $6.25!
Every time I look at their menu I go back and forth in my head  between this dish and the one listed next at #4. The only reason this tasty treat of warm lettuce, noodles, and tofu doesn't win out is usually due to the price point- but it definitely pleases my veggie taste buds in the colder months!



And now for the Pièce de résistance! 
4. Bahn Mi Chay (otherwise known as a "Vietnamese Hoagie w/ Tofu") 
Coming in at only $3.75 per hoagie, this delicious monstrosity of deep fried tofu, pickled carrots, cucumbers and jalapeños on french bread will make any and every Wednesday the best night of your life! We like to order ours with a side of peanut sauce (as seen below) so we can dip the tofu-less ends of the baguette all up in it.

So remember when you've got the Vegan Wednesday Blues- just "TREAT YO SELF!" to a little deep fried tofu goodness at Rice and Noodles. You can always make dinner with extra veggies and no deep fried sides on Thursday.

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team
 

BANH MI CHAY!
AKA THE BEST TOFU SUB YOU WILL EVER HAVE IN YOUR LIFE-PERIOD.

"More Better Butter"

After shoveling Mac N Chreese into our faces for dinner tonight- we here at Meatless Fleet realized we must write about the importance of BUTTER.

Now that you're eating MeatFree do you miss its pale yellow sweet milky goodness? Of course you do! It's delicious and it sits atop every good breakfast food (show us a waffle without butter and a vexed Meatless Fleet we will be). 

So what's a good VEG to do?

Worry no more butter loving friends, Meatless Fleet has your solution and it comes in the form of a tub of

bestlife buttery spread.

With only 6 grams of fat per tablespoon and 60 calories, this butter substitute with zero trans fat will not only knock your socks off because it's made with plant sterols (which can help lower cholesterol) but also because it tastes ridiculously good! 

For the fact finders among us you should know this-most regular butters have 100+ calories in just one tablespoon and 7 grams of trans fat- that's a hell of a lot of artery clogging!

Moving on, many well intentioned meat eaters assume that if a brand of butter does not use milk fat or anything that comes directly from a cow you might as well be eating plastic... but serve them a platter of chocolate chip cookies made from this stuff and they truly won't know what hit them (seriously they won't, one meatless fleet member has a brother who swears the chocolate cookies made for him have real butter in them-nope bestlife buttery spread-sorry big bro.) So for any would be vegan bakers out there- you can thank Meatless Fleet for your new found lease on buttery life by baking to your hearts content and knowing that this little "heart healthier" spread (how heart healthy can any "butter" really be?) is the best vegan butter substitute for baking- hands down.

You can find bestlife at Giant in the regular Dairy aisle for about $2.50 a pop! No need to search amongst the pricey butters in the expensive vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free organic section for this little butter spread. One tub should last you about two weeks but if you've got some serious baking to do stock up and grab two.

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

PS a conversation about butter just wouldn't be complete without mentioning The Buddha of Budda herself, Ms. Paula Deen. She's got a new flavored chap-stick that we're sure her target audience will just want to eat right up... with some mashed potatoes on the side!

Fun Fact Friday

Greetings from the Meatless Fleet Team! 

We're about to go get our Friday on but before we do it's time for this Friday's Fun Fact:

Did you know that eating 7 walnuts each day can help lower your cholesterol?   

Just let that nugget of knowledge marinate for a bit- we know it's a doozy.

We must request a sidebar because we know that as a rule most of us who refrain from the meat eating should not have any cholesterol issues BUT if you're like the lucky member of our team who has familial cholesterol issues, eating 7 walnuts a day is a great vegan way to address the problem!

Just make sure your walnuts aren't salted or coated in sugar (and not only around town when you're eating baked goods) and you'll be fine. Now go eat your walnuts and be amazed at how smart you are!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

You Say ReeCoatUh and I Say RuhCottAh

Tonight's Meat-Free Meal- A Mound of Gooey Goodness

On any given rainy night we likes to have our comfort food, and tonight's dinner was no exception.

Meatless Fleet cured our chilled to the bone blues by making the Vegan Lasagna featured in the Appetite for Reduction (Low-Fat Vegan Recipes) cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.  
Her recipes are always easy to follow, never filled with pricey ingredients, and absolutely delicious! 

The best part about this dairy free lasagna dish is hands down the Roasted Cauliflower Ricotta--we love it so much we use it as a filling for stuffed shells, and manicotti (and maybe one or two extra lasagna noodles get slathered with it and "taste tested" along the way.)
  
Roasting the cauliflower is the most time consuming portion of creating this dish. Other than that it's easy-- just layer the sauce, noodles, "ricotta", chopped spinach and repeat!

Tucking into this recipe gets even better when you remember that it cost you less than $8 to make the whole thing! Assuming you've previously stocked your pantry Meatless Fleet style of course. Frugal Frans everywhere can further rejoice because the end result is a dish huge enough to provide packed lunches for two for an entire 5 day work week. And trust us when you're bored out of your gourd at work and almost convinced to join in for a co-worker pizza lunch, having this little gem in your lunch box will keep you from making any rash mozzarella infused decisions. 

Here's to having an Appetite for Reduction and staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

We'll Show You Our Pantry If You Show Us Yours

Tonight Meatless Fleet attended its first small business mixer! 

Here's what we learned; pasting your paper business cards onto a clear plastic backing with rubber cement is not a good idea, people in Lancaster really like blogs and they're interested in learning more about vegan/vegetarian cuisine!

What better way to get the (meatless) ball of your new found cooking knowledge rolling than by starting to stock your pantry?

Here's a list of some Meatless Fleet spice essentials:

Chile Powder

Coriander

Cumin

Marjoram Leaves

Paprika

Peppercorns (grind your own fresh!)

Rosemary

Sea Salt

Thyme

You can purchase most of these spices for less than you think! Shop for the BADIA brand and pay less than $1 per spice! We also like to keep it local here at Meatless Fleet so when we purchase Thyme, Paprika, or Peppercorns we only go to the Spice Guy at Lancaster Central Market. If you love fresh ground pepper like we do and cannot afford the beautiful pepper grinders at William Sonoma, save yourself some dollars by buying the cheapest pepper grinder there is, the McCormick Black Peppercorn Grinder. It's an affordable way to grind your own pepper that also eliminates waste. Simply remove the cap after use and add in new peppercorns anytime you run out.

We would also die without the following in our kitchen:

Saracha Sauce-hot and spicy

Nutritional Yeast- flaky and cheesy

Olive Oil!

Minced Garlic/and or Garlic Cloves

Apple Cider Vinegar- binding agent in egg free baking

Red Wine Vinegar- great for sauces and salad dressings

Sesame Oil- use when making Meatless Fleet style hummus

Chile Oil- spicy

Lemons/Limes for Juicing

BEANS! (chick peas, black beans, and navy beans are in our cupboards at all times)

You can find the saracha, chile and sesame oils at our favorite Asian Market in Lancaster! (Located on Franklin Street, across from McCaskey School)

For the cheapest and freshest lemons/limes head to Market Street Produce at downtown Lanc's Central Market.

I said it before and I'll say it again, buy beans cheap! Everybody carries Goya these days so you won't ever have to pay more than $1 for any of your favorite beanies.

Find affordable Apple Cider Vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar by purchasing the store brands.

Nutritional yeast is hard to find in general in the 717- and when you do find it the prices can be outlandish. Ignore all of this and simply remember to pick some up during your travels. Every time the Meatless Fleet team goes to Philly or Baltimore you can bet your bonnet that we always stop to stock up on Nutritional Yeast at a Whole Foods (two words-bulk bins.)

Familiarity with these items are a great way to ease into the world of vegan/vegetarian cooking and baking. Don't be scared to ask for help when you shop after all you are on your way to becoming a vegan culinary master!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team

HUMMMMMMMMUS!

Today I taught a group of women in transitional housing how to make hummus. Why you ask? Because it's a delicious and cost effective treat that provides some serious protein whenever you're having an intense SNACK ATTACK and will leave you feeling fuller longer. Oh and it's super easy to make once you get the hang of it.

This recipe was tweaked from the original one created by Mrs. Cleaves-- an amazing Hummmist!

Ingredients (for 6-8 servings):

1.) 2 Cans Chick Peas Drained and Rinsed well*( I use the canned Low Sodium ones from Goya- .80 @ Giant)

2.) 3 Teaspoons Minced Garlic ( I use IBERIA brand "Chopped Garlic in Water" a 32 oz. jar lasts me about two months and costs only $2.99 @ C-Town Grocery on East King Street)

3.) 1/3 Cup Sesame Tahini ( I use JOYVA Brand about $5.00 @ SaveMart)

4. ) 2 Whole Lemons squeezed for juice ( I buy lemons 4 for $1.00 at Market Produce at Lancaster's Central Market)

5.) 2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil (I use Mong Lee Shang (brown bottle) a 6 oz. bottle of pure sesame oil is only $2.29 @ The Asian Market on Franklin Street Across from McCaskey)

6.) 2 Whole Roasted Red Peppers (If you have time to roast your own peppers- how nice for you! For everyone else I recommended my "sneaky cheat" which utilizes jarred roasted red pepper ( find a large INEXPENSIVE Giant Brand jar in the pickle aisle @ Giant)

7.) 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt (Find Morton brand Coarse Kosher Sea Salt @ Giant)

Kitchen things:

You will need; measuring spoons, measuring cups, a small rubber spatula (for scraping), and a food processor or blender.

 Steps:

1.) Pulse the chick peas in the food processor until broken up and somewhat smooth

2.) Using rubber spatula scrape down the sides of your food processor

3.) Add Garlic, juice of ONE lemon (watch out for seeds!), tahini, sesame oil and salt

4.) Blend until smooth

5.) Mixture should be thick! Using your hands, rip the roasted red pepper into pieces and add to the food processor. Also, now is when you add in that extra lemon juice.

6. Blend and taste for salt.

7.) Eat with celery, carrots, pita bread etc and ENJOY!

 *The more you rinse your chick peas the less likely you are to have the toots. So unless you're planning a night in alone, this step makes all the difference!

Many of the women I worked with today weren't sure how to pronounce several of the items on the ingredient list above. They didn't know what they were, the health benefits this snack offers versus a typical chip and dip, or where these ingredients could be found  in Lancaster, PA. These hesitations and similar conversations with friends are what led me to start this blog. I am a relative newbie to vegan/vegetarian) cooking and I know first hand what its like to be perplexed by a list of ingredients that sound and look intimidating. With this in mind, I will always list where in Lancaster I prefer to get my ingredients. I shop to save money and hope I can help you do the same!

Here's to staying "Meat Free" in the City- The Meatless Fleet Team