Whole Wheat Agave Coco Bread

I’m the type of person that really (I mean really) likes knowing what’s in her food.  So a few years ago I started making my own bread.  I’m not going to lie to you here, I’m a huge cheater when it comes to bread-making.  I use a bread machine that my dad bought sometime during my childhood.  This thing is no spring chicken, but it gets the job done!  If only everything in life were so easy.

After reading a book about bread (yes, I am THAT cool) I tweaked a recipe I was already using to the point that it is nearly unrecognizable as the same thing.  I also added coco.  With so much information all over the place about how amazing coco (not the delicious sugar and fat laden chocolate bars everyone is looking for an excuse to eat) is for you, and how it’s a great antioxidant I decided to just add it to something I already eat on a daily basis.  It only adds a subtle flavor, don’t be thinking you’re going to get a brownie for breakfast here.

Every morning I start out with toast with natural peanut butter and jelly.  It’s a great high-protein start to my day!  I also like eating most of my fats earlier, because I’m going to be up and moving all day, rather than later, when it’ll be sitting in my gut all night.  It doesn’t always work that way, but I try.

Vegan eats in Sandusky, Ohio: Jo Wok

Jo Wok, a Thai restaurant in Sandusky that is open year-round, is located in the plaza next to Sandusky High School.  It’s next to a video rental place and a TSC.

419.621.0040
709 West Perkins Avenue # 8  Sandusky, OH 44870

The people working at Jo Wok are incredibly sweet, though the last few times I went in there it took me a little while to explain what vegan meant.  They had vegetarian down 100%, but vegan was a little iffy.  So, while I was eating my massaman curry I decided to write it down for them.  After a short explanation, the lady working seemed very excited and immediately taped it to the wall beside the register!  Jo Wok is now vegan-friendly!

Every time I’ve been there I have ordered the “Yum Apple”, seaweed salad and massaman curry.

“Yum Apple” is comprised of green apples, sliced into matchsticks then covered with a few peanuts, coconut shavings, cilantro and a spicy chile-sauce.  Make sure you specify that you don’t want fish sauce, as I believe a regular order contains.

The seaweed salad is presented on a bed of cucumber and a few carrot shavings.

The massaman curry is pictured below.  It has great flavor, but is more of a cheat meal for me.  They fry the tofu.  I haven’t asked for it non-fried yet, primarily because I always forget, but if you like it that way, it’s done very well.

A friend of mine ordered Pad Thai, vegan.  It was just noodles, so I would specify that you want vegetable pad thai.

Again, they are very sweet people and very accommodating, as long as they understand what you’re saying.  But, they have a guide now!

When ordering Thai food:

• No Fish Sauce
• No Meat
• No Seafood
• No Cream Cheese (she suggested crab rangoon with no crab)
• No eggs
• No dairy
• No butter
• No cream
• No chicken broth

I specify each of these things.  Yes, I know it seems redundant, but a lot of times people (even fluent English-speaking-people) don’t make the connection between chicken and chicken broth.

Maple Tempeh

Tempeh.

Maybe now some of you who are not familiar with this protein-rich food will make more sense of the fact that I spelled “tempest” incorrectly.  Get it?  Okay.  Cool.

Temeph sounds, like most other fermented things when you try to explain what it is, kind of gross.  It’s soy (or other grains) that has been cultured, much like yogurt.

To be honest, it took me a while to like tempeh.  It has a bitterness that I wasn’t a huge fan of.  However, I’ve found if you use a bit of salt directly on the temeh, it helps a ton.

“Where do I find this tempeh?”, you ask?  They usually have it in the refrigerated section at Kroger (around here), and at any health food store.

Tempehst Revival

Tempehst has a new look, a logo and is being repurposed!  Since there is so much more to life than food (weird, I know), and the whole food blog thing has been so neglected, we will be posting anything that may be of interest.  Anything from recipes to product or restaurant reviews to music to exercise (stuff?) to events to interviews to spotlights!  (Pretty much anything I want.  This sort of thing kind of works that way anyway, really.)

So prepare yourself.

Also, if you would like to guest blog, please contact me!

Black Bean and Yam Burritos

These got rave reviews.  Apparently they are a “life-changing event”. 😀  I enjoy this.

This post was initially made for Facebook, so it is much less precise, but now is your chance to be adventurous.  Have at it with reckless abandon

Sorry about the lack of image.  AND for the ridiculous amount of burritos and tacos.  This will all change soon, I assure you.

Stuffed Shells

Super good! Super easy!  Awesome and way lighter than the non-Vegan alternative!

Red Beans and Rice

This was the most home-grown herbs I’ve used in one dish, and it turned out very
well.  Pretty easy to prepare and, if you use “minute” (9 minute, actually) brown rice it’s pretty quick to prepare.

Scrambled Tofu

 

Scrambles Tofu is a Vegan breakfast staple.   Excellent eaten alone or even topped with ketchup, maple syrup, horseradish or anything your little heart desires (Okay, so I made up that horseradish bit, but seems like it wouldn’t be bad, no?  Let me know if you try it).  It’s nice to enjoy some egg.less egg.ness on a dreary-type Sunday morning.  Ingredients beyond the spices and tofu are simply suggestions.  Try anything you’d like in your scrambled tofu.  The Carrots add a nice contrasting texture to the tofu that can also be achieved through chopped nuts.

Taco/Burrito

I love tacos (and burritos)!  As you can tell… since I’ve posted two different ones here already.

I’m not sure these would officially be called tacos… Hence the burrito addition,  but they’re T(st)-style. Make an effort to find re-fried black beans!  They are quite amazing.  MAKE SURE you read the label.  A lot of re-fried beans have LARD in them.  Feel free to adjust this to your own tastes.  Most of the recipe is the TVP.  Everything else is pretty fresh!  Corn tortillas as a nice authentic-ish touch and are super delicious.  Be sure to heat them up a little.

Split Pea Soup

To be completely honest, I had never made split pea soup before this.  It turned out awesomely!  The smoke seasoning adds a little bit of ham-less-ness, and the white pepper is a great addition to the curry and cumin.  Mildly spicy and amazing flavor!