Spicy Popcorn

Popcorn is good. Spicy popcorn is even better. This version is vegan and makes a great snack.

• 1 Tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
  
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  
• 4-6 cups of popped popcorn
  

Combine all ingredients except popcorn. Place popcorn in a large bowl or brown paper grocery bag. Drizzle spice-spread mixture over popcorn and toss or shake bag to coat well.

Jezebel Sauce

This sauce is sweet with a kick.

2 cups peach jam (or about 1 medium sized jar)
2 tablespoons horseradish
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon white pepper

Mix all ingredients together and allow about 4 hours for all the flavors to combine. When ready to serve, pour over a layer of cream cheese and serve with crackers. To make vegan, use Follow Your Heart or Tofutti cream cheese.

Not So Beefy Crescent Roll-Ups

This recipe is sort of like egg roll meets crescent roll. Don't omit the water chestnuts as they really pull this recipe together.

• 1 package Morningstar Recipe Crumbles or Gimme Lean / Smart Grounds (about 8 or so ounces is all you need)
  
• 1 can water chestnuts
  
• 1/2 chopped onion
  
• 1 clove garlic
  
• 1 package onion mushroom soup mix
  
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  
• 1 can bean sprouts or 1 cup fresh sprouts
  
• 2-3 packages crescent rolls
  Sauce - mix together the following:
  
• 1/4 cup spicy mustard
  
• 1/3 cup vegenaise or soy mayo
  
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
  

1. Cook crumbles according to package directions.
   
2. Add water chestnuts, onion, garlic, soup mix, soy sauce and sprouts and simmer until onions are translucent.
   
3. Spread crescent roll dough out and press the perforations together to seal the two halves together making a rectangle.
   
4. Spread about 2 tablespoons mixture on one half of the rectangle. Fold the other half over and seal the edges with a fork all around.
   
5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes and serve with dipping sauce.
   

Did you know that both Lipton Onion Mushroom soup mix and Pilsbury Crescent Rolls are vegan? Surprised? I certainly was. Many foods that you enjoy are already vegan.

Shifting Gears

Just wanted to drop a note that I'm sorry I haven't been posting here much. Over the last year or so, my cooking and my diet have taken on some changes. I stopped eating meat except for fish. Then I had some relapses. Then I got completely sick of cooking and really didn't have much to post. I think I was just disgruntled with food and was having a hard time figuring out what I really wanted out of my diet. I was trying to figure out ways to please my palate, my schedule, my health, and my life.

I became injured and have been battling that for a lot of this time. Surgery was two Fridays ago and now, having been unable to walk, I'm raring to get in that kitchen again!

Now, I've gone vegan. So, some of the recipes that you have enjoyed here in the past are just not relevant to my life any longer. Or maybe they are. Maybe I will revisit those recipes in the future and adapt them to life as I know it these days.

Come visit me over there: Newly Vegan. I'm going to make an effort to start posting over here again, too, though, so if that's not your thing, that's all right. I think I can still come up with a recipe every day that we can all enjoy.