50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: Delaware crab puffs

May 18, 2013 at 10:00 am | Posted in 50 States 50 Vegan Dishes | Leave a comment
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Photo by Bethany Fehlinger

Photo by Bethany Fehlinger

(This recipe was first featured for Meatout Mondays on the No Sweat, York, blog.)

Delaware has a special place in my heart.

My family would vacation in Delaware (Bethany Beach!) often when I was growing up. We stayed in Ocean City, Md., quite a few times, but I remember the first time we stayed at Bethany Beach at a condo complex. It was pure bliss for me. I miss going down there, and I am hopefully planning a trip for this summer.

Delaware, like any coastal city, is known for its seafood. This is why I chose crab puffs for this state.

When I made this dish, it was for a Thirty-One party I had in January.

I didn’t have a lot of time to create these crab puffs, and if you wanted them to look more like hushpuppies, that wouldn’t fly. (Hushpuppies remind me of Long John Silver’s!) Then I stumbled upon this recipe by Pillsbury and rejoiced. Many of Pillsbury’s products are vegan friendly, which is helpful for making a last-minute pizza or finger food for a party.

These cute little puffs can be a great dish for dinner, paired with a fresh salad or sauteed veggies. It only dirtied two bowls and a cookie tray, and took about 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet or (1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, plain variety)
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and mashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • A dash of hot sauce or chili powder
  • 1/2 cup of Vegenaise (vegan mayonaise alternative)
  • 1 fake egg (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon kelp or other seaweed powder (optional)
  • 3/4 cup of shredded vegan cheddar cheese (Daiya brand used)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped plum/Roma tomato
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
  • 1 tablespoon vegan margarine (Earth Balance used)

Recipe:

  1. In a medium bowl, pour in drained chickpeas and mash until desired consistency.  Add garlic and hot sauce or chili powder and stir. (If you have kelp powder or another seaweed powder and want a more sea-like taste, add a generous teaspoon.)
  2. If using fake egg, follow directions on the container and make one egg. (I usedVegg, which gave the dish an eggy flavor. But it is not needed to keep the filling together.) Add Vegenaise to the bowl and mix.
  3. Pour egg/mayo mixture into chickpea mixture. Stir.
  4. Add chopped tomato, green onions and vegan cheddar cheese. Stir until incorporated. Set the bowl aside.
  5. Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix melted butter. Wipe your cookie pan with oil or use a vegan nonstick cooking spray.
  6. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough on sheet; press into 12×8-inch rectangle. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough on sheet; press into 12×8-inch rectangle, firmly press perforations to seal.
  7. Cut into 2-inch squares. Brush with butter.
  8. Bake 4 to 6 minutes or until puffed. Take out and let cool for 1 minute.
  9. Spoon a generous tablespoon of chickpea mixture on each square.
  10. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer or until golden brown and tops are set. Serve warm.

See other 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes recipes.

2012 was a year full of surprises; hello, 2013!

December 31, 2012 at 11:16 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
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Yup, this was quite an event for 2012.

Yup, this was quite an event for 2012.

Wow. I can’t believe it has been a full year already. 2012 went by so quickly, and many things have happened.

January – March: The weather wasn’t so frightful here, and the warmer winter helped my seasonal depression and running. I went out on the trail a lot. I didn’t get stuck at the bottom of the hill near our apartment. I also tried to give up technology on Sundays. That eventually failed.

April: I tried 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes. It was my 26th birthday.

May: Three years with Batman. We went to Virginia. What a trip.

Summer: I trained and raced a 10-miler. I loved it, most of the time. I decided to run a half marathon next. I also switched jobs in my office, moving to days and finally having weekends and nights off for the first time in five years. Also, I had my first yard sale. My dad almost had a second heart attack.

Fall: The new schedule made working on the farm that much more difficult. Earlier in the summer, I decided to take a break from blogging, but came back for Vegan MoFo. That didn’t go as successfully as I would have hoped. Plus, I burnt apple butter. We moved into a new apartment, and realized it wasn’t the best decision we ever made; it was quite possibly the worst of the year.

Winter: I tried NaNoWriMo and realized that I can’t write on a timeline. I prefer reading on a timeline. My Pop wasn’t doing so well and he went into a nursing home. I got ENGAGED!

YES, Batman is marrying Wonder Woman. Watch out, world.

2012 was quite an eventful year, with a few changes. I am hoping 2013 will be even better, with a wedding to plan (not until 2014, so hold off, people), pounds to lose, races to race, books to read, posts to write and trips to take. Also, I hope to check things off my bucket list.

Happy 2013, everyone!

50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: Arkansas Green Beans

November 1, 2012 at 6:00 pm | Posted in 50 States 50 Vegan Dishes, VeganMoFo | Leave a comment
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I love green beans. I have come to love them more fresh from the organic farm. They can be a pain to pick, as they like to hide and blend in. But they are so easy to cook and so yummy, too!

When I started by 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes challenge, I chose this recipe because it was quick, simple and included green beans.

Since I have more green beans than I know what to do with them, I figured I would do this recipe for a Vegan MoFo challenge.

Traditional Arkansas green beans call for sugar and bacon. Bacon isn’t very vegan-friendly, but there are great alternatives now. This might not be as low in calories because it still uses sugar and the Earth Balance can get fatty, but it is definitely a good alternative. I cut back on the sugar and made it quicker by pan sauteing instead of putting it in the oven. I guess that’s the perks of no meat. I also used fresh beans instead of the canned.

It wasn’t hard for me to put this together, so whip it up as a side dish for dinner!

Ingredients:

  • A bag full of fresh green beans, probably about three cups if cut in half
  • 5 to 6 slices of LightLife Smart bacon, ripped into pieces
  • 3 tbsps of white sugar
  • 2 tbsps of Earth Balance or other vegan spread
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Recipe:

  1. Pluck the ends off the green beans, and cut in half if you want an easier way to eat them. (I kept them long.)
  2. Boil the green beans in a little water for about 7 to 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, melt a tablespoon in a skillet, and add the crumbled Smart Bacon to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes.
  4. Drain the green beans and add to the skillet with the Smart Bacon. Add the garlic powder, tamari and the other tablespoon of Earth Balance. Saute for a few minutes to let flavors meld.
  5. Serve!

How do you like to eat green beans?

50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: New Jersey

June 5, 2012 at 10:00 am | Posted in 50 States 50 Vegan Dishes | Leave a comment
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Oh, Jersey. You don’t represent yourself well. Look at the MTV show Jersey Shore.

I hate that show. It is most offensive because I am Italian, born and raised. My great-grandfather Silvio immigrated in the early 1900s to pave a better life. And then these … people (for lack of a better word) disgrace the ethnicity.

I also grew up with the joke, “Let’s bomb Jersey and give Pa. a beach.” LOL. (Sorry to all those from New Jersey.)

I will say this, though, they know how to do french fries (and apparently tanning and clubbing.)

When I saw the words “disco fries” on my list, I was intrigued. I LOVE fries. No, I L-O-V-E fries. I loved getting cheese fries when I was younger, and I bet I would still love them now. And I have never had gravy fries, let alone CHEESE, gravy fries!

Continue Reading 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: New Jersey…

50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: Virginia

May 21, 2012 at 9:00 am | Posted in 50 States 50 Vegan Dishes | 1 Comment
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Projects get out of hand, time slips away. This has been my life since I posted the original 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes post!

I have started farming again, thinking about decluttering my apartment, hosting a yard sale, among so many other things.

The finished Brunswick Stew, in my crockpot

But I DID start the project, and it was with Virginia: Brunswick Stew.

This was in honor of my three-year anniversary trip to Damascus, Virginia, at the beginning of May. You can read all about that adventure here.

When I did an online search for recipes to veganize, I was confronted with a problem: Both Virginia and Georgia claim they were the creators of the stew. You can read about the history at this Wikipedia page.

The main difference I concluded was the Virginia variety was more tomato-based and was more soup-like. Also, they prefer chicken (also rabbit. ew. ) Also, there are a variety of vegetables each person says to put in, weather it is succotash, lima beans, okra, potatoes and corn, to name a few.

Continue Reading 50 States, 50 Vegan Dishes: Virginia…

50 States 50 Dishes, and veganizing them all!

April 15, 2012 at 11:00 am | Posted in 50 States 50 Vegan Dishes | 4 Comments
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Flickr photo by Marxchivist

I have basically waited wayyy too long for The Cooking Channel’s blog to update its results on the “50 States, 50 Dishes” post. You can read it here.

My plan was to gather the results and then veganize each one once a week. What a neat idea for ongoing blog posts, right?

Well, The Cooking Channel has been taking too long and I am letting my blog posts lag, as usual. (What, I am a boring person!)

So, without further ado, I am going to pick my OWN recipe from the choices among the states and then veganize it.

This is my list:

Alabama

  • Deep-Fried Crab Claws
  • Lane Cake
  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • West Indies Salad (Crab Salad)
  • Hummingbird Cake

Alaska

  • Salmon Bake
  • Halibut Sandwiches (“Buttwiches”)
  • Caribou Stew
  • Baked Alaska
  • Hot Crab Salad (King Crab)

Arizona

  • Chimichanga
  • Sonoran Hot Dog
  • Fritos Pie
  • Chile Verde
  • Frybread

Arkansas

  • Fried Chicken
  • Fried Dill Pickles
  • Arkansas Green Beans
  • Biscuits
  • Fried Catfish

California

  • The French Dip
  • California Roll
  • Mission Burrito
  • Fish Tacos
  • Cobb Salad

Colorado

  • Denver Omelets
  • Denver Sandwich
  • Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout
  • Chile Verde
  • Grilled Colorado Lamb

Connecticut

  • Chicken Pie
  • White Clam Pizza (or New Haven-Style Pizza)
  • Deep Fried Hot Dogs
  • Connecticut Clam Chowder
  • Election Cake

Delaware

  • Crab Puffs
  • Dover Cake
  • Crabcakes
  • Softshell Crab Sandwiches
  • Vinegar French Fries

Florida

  • Key Lime Pie
  • Cuban Sandwich
  • Fried Shrimp / Coconut Fried Shrimp
  • Stone Crab Claws with Mayonnaise
  • Conch Salad

Georgia

  • Peach Pie
  • Boiled Peanuts
  • Pimento Cheese Sandwich
  • Country Captain
  • Braised Collard Greens

Hawaii

  • Ahi Poke
  • Lomi Lomi Salmon
  • Loco Moco
  • Spam Musubi
  • Shave Ice

Idaho

  • Idaho Nachos
  • Spudnuts (Potato Doughnuts)
  • Grilled Trout
  • Finger Steaks
  • Huckleberry Ice Cream

Illinois

  • Deep Dish Pizza
  • Chicago Hot Dogs
  • Italian Beef
  • Chicken Vesuvio
  • Gyros

Indiana

  • Sugar Cream Pie (Hoosier Cream Pie)
  • Persimmon Pudding
  • Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (or BPTs — Breaded Pork Tenderloins)
  • Beef and Noodles
  • Popcorn

Iowa

  • Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
  • Sour Cream Raisin Pie
  • Loosemeat Sandwich (or Taverns)
  • Iowa Pork Chop with Pan Gravy
  • Cinnamon Roll

Kansas

  • Sliders
  • Burnt Ends
  • Corn Pudding
  • Kansas City-Style Ribs
  • Bierocks

Kentucky

  • Mint Julep
  • Burgoo
  • Kentucky Hot Browns
  • Raceday Pie
  • Bourbon Balls

Louisiana

  • Jambalaya
  • File Gumbo
  • Muffaletta
  • Po Boy
  • Beignets

Maine

  • Whoopie Pie
  • Lobster Roll
  • Fried Clams
  • Blueberry Pie
  • Baked Beans

Maryland

  • Crabcakes
  • Old Bay Steamed Blue Crabs
  • Pit Beef
  • Smith Island Cake
  • Maryland Fried Chicken

Massachusetts

  • Fluffernutter Sandwich
  • Boston Cream Pie
  • Boston Brown Bread
  • Hermit Cookies
  • Beans and Franks

Michigan

  • Sour Cherry Pie
  • Coney Island Dog
  • Gyros
  • Pasties
  • Apple fritters

Minnesota

  • Wild Rice Soup
  • Walleye Sandwich
  • Potica
  • Hotdish
  • Seven-Layer Bars

Mississippi

  • Catfish Po Boy
  • Hot Tamales
  • Mud Pie
  • Cheese Straws
  • Pecan Pie

Missouri

  • Slingers
  • Toasted Ravioli (St. Louis)
  • St. Louis-Style Ribs
  • Gooey Butter Cake
  • St. Louis-Style Pizza

Montana

  • Finger Steaks
  • Huckleberry Pie
  • Smettanick pie
  • Bison Burgers
  • Elk Stew

Nebraska

  • Runzas
  • Popcorn
  • Duck with Sauerkraut
  • Eskimo Pie
  • Corndogs

Nevada

  • Nevada Cocktail (Rum Martini with Grapefruit)
  • 99-cent Shrimp Cocktail
  • Basque Cake
  • Basque Lamb Stew
  • All-You-Can-Eat

New Hampshire

  • Corn Chowder
  • Pancakes with Maple Syrup
  • New England Clam Chowder
  • New England Boiled Dinner
  • Maple Candy

New Jersey

  • Rippers (Deep-Fried Hot Dogs)
  • Tomato Pie (Trenton-Style Pizza)
  • Pork Roll
  • Disco Fries
  • Italian Subs

New Mexico

  • Sopaipillas
  • Bizcochito
  • Chile Verde
  • Carne Adovada
  • Green Chile Cheeseburger

New York

  • Reuben Sandwich
  • Bagels and Lox
  • Black & White Cookie
  • Buffalo Wings
  • New York Cheesecake

North Carolina

  • Moravian Spice Cookie
  • Sweet Potato Pie
  • Hummingbird Cake
  • North Carolina Pulled Pork
  • Country Ham Biscuit with Egg and Tomato

North Dakota

  • Lefse
  • Fleischkuekle
  • Strudel
  • Kuchen
  • Frybread

Ohio

  • Cincinnati Chili
  • Sauerkraut Balls
  • Potica (Slovenian Nut Roll)
  • Buckeyes
  • Pierogis

Oklahoma

  • Barbecued Bologna (Okie Sirloin)
  • Chicken and Corn Pudding
  • Onion-Fried Burger
  • Fried Okra
  • Sausage and Gravy

Oregon

  • Crab Louis
  • Oregon Clam Chowder
  • Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies
  • Marionberry Pie
  • Poached Pears

Pennsylvania

  • Philly Cheesesteak
  • Stromboli
  • Sticky Buns
  • Shoo Fly Pie
  • Soft Pretzels

Rhode Island

  • Johnnycakes
  • Coffee Milk
  • Stuffies (Baked Stuffed Clams)
  • Frozen Lemonade
  • Rhode Island Red Chowder

South Carolina

  • Hoppin John
  • Shrimp ‘n Grits
  • Perloo (Carolina pilau)
  • Frogmore Stew
  • Lady Baltimore Cake

South Dakota

  • Chislic
  • Wojapi (Sioux Fruit Pudding)
  • Knoephla Soup (Dumpling Soup)
  • Kuchen
  • Kolache

Tennessee

  • Memphis Dry Ribs
  • Tennessee Mountain Stack Cake
  • The Elvis Sandwich (Fried Peanut Butter and Banana)
  • Barbecue Spaghetti
  • Nashville Hot Chicken

Texas

  • Chili con Queso
  • BBQ Brisket
  • Frito Pie
  • Kolaches
  • Chicken Fried Steak

Utah

  • Green Jell-O
  • Funeral Potatoes
  • Utah Scones (Mormon Scones)
  • Pastrami Burgers

Vermont

  • American Chop Suey
  • Ploughman’s Lunch
  • Indian Pudding
  • Maple Cream pie
  • Cheddar-Crusted Apple Pie

Virginia

  • Braised Collard Greens
  • Brunswick Stew
  • Oyster Stew
  • Peanut Soup
  • Ham Biscuits

Washington

  • Steamed Dungeness Crab with Melted Butter
  • Cedar-Planked Salmon
  • Oysters on the Half-shell with Mignonette
  • Geoduck Clam Chowder
  • Apple Candy (Aplets)

West Virginia

  • Pepperoni Cheese Rolls
  • Chicken and Dumplings
  • Apple Stack Cakes
  • Strawberry Pie
  • Chow Chow

Wisconsin

  • Fried Cheese Curds
  • Chicken Booyah
  • Beer Cheese Soup
  • Wisconsin Fish Boil
  • Sheboygan Brats

Wyoming

  • Buffalo Burger
  • Chicken-Fried Steak
  • Wyoming Pudding
  • Drovers Stew
  • Milk Can Supper

I promise to not make it totally easy on myself, but sometimes veganizing certain dishes then loses the meaning of the dish (Bison burgers, anyone?)

So, now onto the first challenge!

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