Thing 001: Good food is not "convenient"

[omteddy2006]

Webster's dictionary defines "sauce" as "a flavorful liquid dressing or relish for food." So why did I think anything that came in powder form to which you just added water and stirred continuously would be acceptable?

Second clue I should have heeded: It was a vegan alfredo sauce.

No. Not right. Not good at all...

Comments

[alesh101.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally agree with you. I tried a powdered alfredo sauce several months ago (not vegan, but same principle) and my family still has not let me live it down. Chalky, bland, pretty much just gross. Powder should really be left to sugar and to cover up oily spots on the face.

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

And snow. I can't believe I had to remind YOU about snow.

*shakes head*

[alesh101.livejournal.com]

I hang my head in shame for forgetting beautiful powdery snow. *clucks at myself*

[shinysparks]

Second clue I should have heeded: It was a vegan alfredo sauce.
I've tried a few vegan/vegetarian things, and it seems to me that when they try to make something taste like it's milk or meat-based, they often fail miserably. Things like cheese or milk are often acquired tastes, and (as I recently learned) if you don't eat them for a while, they start to really taste foul. So, what they try to mimic is actually something you might not like any longer, if that makes sense?

If you need it, I have a recipe for veggie chili stew (the name is a work in progress, but it's basically chili with whatever veggies I have in the cabinet or the freezer. LOL!)

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. We love chili. We can pretty much cook ours without a recipe now and we're always tinkering. I love to try new stuff, though, so....

I'll show you mine if you show me yours!

[roh-wyn.livejournal.com]

LOL. I avoid powdered sauces like the plague, but honestly, the prepackaged ones in liquid form aren't all that great either.

You can make a pretty decent vegan alfredo with unsweetened almond milk, fwiw. It doesn't taste like odd and when heated, it keeps its consistency, much like the real thing (and unlike soy-based sauce). If you're interested, let me know and I'll pass on the recipe.

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Yes please, on the recipe! I love almond milk. What I am searching for is an alternative to a tomato-based sauce because the acidity bothers me sometimes. It's hard to find "creamy" and "vegan" together in a sauce.

[alesh101.livejournal.com]

If you add a little sugar or molasses to tomato sauce, it cuts the acidity a bit. There is a little bit of sweetness, but it's not too noticeable.

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Did not know that. Molasses is a wonder that is greatly underappreciated.

[alesh101.livejournal.com]

It is. I use sugar in just about anything with a heavy tomato base (spaghetti, chili, even burritos) because it's easier for me. But using it has cut down on the instances of heartburn for me. It's personal choice.

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Molasses is going into my next batch of chili or marinara sauce, whichever comes first. Thanks for the tip. :)

[roh-wyn.livejournal.com]

Ok, this recipe is adapted from somewhere on the internet, but I no longer remember where, lol

1/3 cup raw cashews
1 garlic clove (optional)
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy margarine (or other non-dairy butter)
1 tbsp Dijon (optional)
Pinch of nutmeg
Kosher salt, paprika, black pepper (to taste)
Herbs of your choice (to taste)
Pasta of your choice

1. While your pasta is cooking, take all the other ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend. (If you want, you can soak the cashews in a couple of tablespoons of almond milk ahead of time).

2. Drain pasta and put back in pot. Add sauce. Heat over medium heat with frequent stirring. This is where you add any veggies that you're using in your recipe. Broccoli works particularly well with this sauce.

3. Cook until heated through. Sauce will thicken as it stands.

You get about a cup of sauce from the above recipe. I'm told it keeps pretty well if you make more ahead and refrigerate it, but I've never tried.

(You can cut the sauce with a bit of lemon juice or Tamari, if needed).

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I will have to try this. Have you ever used cashew butter instead of raw cashews? I have some of that in the fridge.

[whytewytch4.livejournal.com]

Nor is convenient food always good... Wal-Mart's powdered chili mix is pretty good, though, but then I like a very mild chili. That's actually tomorrow night's dinner with some Italian bread & salad, 'cause it's a run here, run there night with the kids.

I don't know--you kinda lost me on the word "vegan" anyway. I might could do the vegetarian thing. Maybe. If the doctor said "become a vegetarian or die". But vegan is right out the door. Far too strict for me.

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

Vegan is far too strict for me, too. I can't commit entirely (cheese and ice cream are necessary on occasion). Hubby has gone completely over to the vegan side, though, so I have to make our evening meals work for him. Otherwise, what's the point of cooking it?

[jagnikjen.livejournal.com]

Good food in not convenient

Oh, how I wish it were. I hate cooking, but am trying to eat healthier. It's really the inconvenience factor that kills me more than anything. I use the oven *a lot* even in the summer 'cause I'm too lazy to really cook a meal. :)

[omteddy2006.livejournal.com]

One word... salad.

I love salad and I'm trying to find more ways to make them that doesn't involve using my oven in the summer. They aren't extremely filling. That's where the bread maker may come in handy. It doesn't heat up the kitchen much at all.

[alesh101.livejournal.com]

We got a countertop toaster oven and use that a lot to cook simpler meals. It cuts down on overheating the house a lot in the summer. Crock pots are genius, too.

[spectralis.livejournal.com]

I think I'll leave that one off our Sunday lunch menu...