Greens, Cucumber, and Pineapple Smoothie

Here's a second smoothie from Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas, which I have checked out from the library. I made the Greens and Apple smoothie earlier this month but found it too pulpy. That's not a problem here, thanks to my new Vitamix blender. The blender processed the challenging produce (kale, apple, and pineapple) perfectly.

Greens, Cucumber, and Pineapple Smoothie
Nava Atlas calls this smoothie "incredibly refreshing and hydrating" and I must concur. The tropical pineapple added a nice level of sweetness without requiring agave or other sugars. I used coconut water rather than juice for the liquid. And I added the red raspberries to the top for color. They didn't sink! That's proof of a thick yet well-blended smoothie.

Greens & Apple Smoothie

I made another green smoothie over the weekend. This one is from Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas, which I have checked out from the library. (I really enjoyed Nava Atlas' Vegan Holiday Kitchen, the VegCookbookClub December pick.) This leafy greens cookbook has a full chapter of green juices and smoothies.

Greens & Apple Smoothie

For this smoothie, I used curly kale, green apple, and cucumber--all from the local farmers' market. Plus unsweetened vanilla almond milk, chia seeds, agave, and lemon juice. This was a nice combo but my blender really couldn't handle the pulp from the apple. I'm going to have to try making this one again when my new blender arrives. Yes, I've ordered a high-powered, refurbished machine from Vitamix. Maybe it'll arrive before Vegan Mofo concludes?

New Year's Eve cookies

Chocolate Nut Cookies

Here's my final recipe from the VegCookbookClub December pick, Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. I made these spicy chocolate nut cookies for a weekend party but still have some extra for New Year's Eve. I used granulated sugar for topping rather than powdered sugar. It gives the cookies a snowy, sparkly look--very fitting for the holiday.

I enjoyed Nava Atlas' cookbook and will surely return to it for special occasions. But I'm eager to quit overindulgent, seasonal eating. Next up is January's book, Crazy Sexy Kitchen. I scored a copy from the public library and am excited to dig into it. Kris Carr's motto is "Make juice not war!"

Holiday drinks

Here are two holiday drink recipes from the VegCookbookClub December pick, Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. I used some Kraken Black Spiced Rum for these but they'd be excellent virgin too. Cheers!

"Vegg" Nog
I couldn't find cheap cashew butter, so I made the drink base from raw cashews, blended in my food processor. Just add almond milk, agave, vanilla extract, and nutmeg to taste. I can't remember what egg nog is actually supposed to taste like, but this is a sweet, creamy, and rich treat.

Hot Spiced Apple Cider
When my parents visited last week, they left me some apple cranberry cider, which worked well with this recipe. It calls for a spicy simmering mix of orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. I skipped the cloves (and the cheesecloth), adding an orange slice to each mug and plenty of nutmeg. It seemed sweet enough, so I didn't add any extra sugar.

Pot pie and dilly dip

Here are two more recipes from the VegCookbookClub December pick, Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. The cashew chocolate mousse pie that I made last week turned out great! My parents were impressed and I had a left-over pie crust. So this time, I tried a savory pot pie recipe and a quick appetizer.

Hearty Vegetable Pot Pie
Above and below are two photos of the vegetable pot pie. I'd never made a pot pie before but I remember them from my childhood. This recipe had lots of room for play. I got to choose 3 veggies: collard greens, broccoli, and mushrooms. Then I swapped Japanese sweet potatoes for the regular white potatoes. I "made" the breadcrumbs as directed, which wasn't hard at all. And used a Penzeys salt-free seasoning blend called "Forward!," instead of Spike or Mrs. Dash. Overall, I was happy with this recipe. It didn't slice perfectly, but I really stuffed it with ribbony and chunky veggies. I'm certain to make the pot pie again with other variations.

Pot pie cross-section

Dilled Miso-Tahini Dip
This creamy, versatile dip was a cinch to make with soft tofu, tahini, and white miso blended together with lemon juice, dill, and scallions. I left out the optional nutritional yeast but added garlic, giving it a "hummus flavor." This recipe makes a thick dip that really clings to your crudités. (I recommend raw broccoli.) It also makes a nice sandwich spread and a handy dressing for massaged salads.

VegCookbookClub for December

My library hold finally became available for the VegCookbookClub's December selection, Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. This cookbook is a hardback collection of over 200 recipes with some great photos by Susan Voisin. It has a charming introduction with sage advice for vegan holiday meals, such as "If you're going to be the lone vegan..bring a main dish, at the very least. Bring plenty of what you'll be eating, because everyone will want some..."(ix). How true! I'm interested in trying some of Atlas' go-to holiday fare. I decided to start with these two simple recipes.

Cashew Chocolate Mousse Pie

This chocolate tofu pie, from Chapter One: Thanksgiving, was a breeze to assemble. It requires soaking cashews, then blending the cashew butter with silken tofu. You heat that mixture, melting in chocolate chips and adding maple syrup to taste. I used a store-bought whole wheat pie crust, and topped it with some stray mini chips before baking. I'll have to report back on the results because I'm saving it for my parents' visit this weekend, as a belated Thanksgiving treat.

Baked Tofu-Tortilla Extravaganza 
I did taste this dish, which comes from the small brunch section in the final chapter of the book, Chapter Six: Brunches, Appetizers, and Potluck Dishes. Perhaps this casserole should be called Extra-Vergüenza because, much to my shame, it looked solid in the pan but fell apart when served. Maybe I should have used a shallower dish? It was an easy recipe to throw together, almost like making a tortilla lasagna but without all the fuss of layering. It has tofu, onion, garlic, corn tortillas, tomatoes, chili peppers, spices, and some grated vegan cheese on top. Next time, I'd leave off the fake cheese and add nutritional yeast.