Crostini (toasted bread slices)

I was trying to modify my recipe for vegan crab dip to make it better. Which I did. But I didn't have any crackers. So I just made some quick-and-dirty crostini... Traditionally you would use like an Italian baguette or french bread. But I didn't have any. So, I used some sandwich bread.


Ingredients:

• Bread (cut into 20 strips)
• olive oil

• STEP one!
  Pre-Heat Oven to 350° F
  
  Place strips of bread on baking sheet.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • STEP two!
  Brush each slice with olive oil.
  
  Bake about 10 minutes until golden brown.
  
  
  
  
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    • STEP three!
  Remove from oven and use in dips or cut into croutons for salads.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  -Jordan Halliday
  

Vegan "Jello"

 

So my friend/co-worker Meagan was bummed when she found out she couldn't eat jello the other day.

So I decided to make a recipe to show you all how easy it actually is to make "jello" vegan. 

The hardest thing you will need to find is "agar agar" which is available at most asian markets and some grocery stores.

You can also throw in chopped fruits into this, But I was never a fan of that.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Cups -- Juice
  (I used Limeade, which is kinda like a juice, you can use koolaid or whatever you want really)
• 4 Tablespoons -- Agar Agar Flakes
• Food Coloring (optional)

Step One!

Add agar to juice and bring to boil in pot.
Step Two!

Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until agar is dissolved.
Mix in food coloring and chopped fruit if you want at this point.

Step Three!

Pour into tray, chill overnight or until firm in fridge. Enjoy!

-Jordan Halliday

Captain Chaos Smoothie

I have a plan to make a bunch of unorthodox recipes off of random forms of media I have. This is my first submission in that regard.

There is this song called "How to make a smoothie" by an individual known as "Captain Chaos". I couldn't find it online. Nor could I find the lyrics. But, I remembered them all because they are so catchy. I have been meaning to try this recipe for years. But, just haven't gotten around to it. It makes a ton. So bring friends. I don't know what to do with all the smoothie I have left over right now. *sips*

But the lyrics are as follows. I will try posting an mp3 on here as well when I pull it off my computer.

RECIPE/LYRICS:
"You're gonna need to large bananas, 3 cups of soy milk too, 1 cup of orange juice, 2 cups of frozen fruit. Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Cherries. Any fruit will do. Just use what you like, Pineapples and mangoes, taste good too. Please. Oh Please. Please don't freeze the bananas. You're gonna need a spoonful of peanut butter as well & a little splash of vanilla. Peel the bananas & break them up. Put them in the blender with the liquid stuff. Blend it until it's smooth. Slowly add the fruit. Put in the peanut butter and the vanilla and that's all that you have to do."

-Jordan Halliday

Vegan Cake Pops

So everyone has been talking about these amazing cake pops that they started serving at starbucks. Obviously they needed to be made vegan.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 -- Vegan Cake (I used a strawberry boxed cake mix)
• 16 oz -- Vegan Frosting (I used plain white vegan frosting)
• 1 lb -- Vegan Chocolate (I used bittersweet)*
  *It is better to have too much than not enough. 
  
  
  
  STEP ONE!

Make Your Cake and Allow to fully cool.

STEP TWO!
Soften frosting by nuking for a few seconds. Add to bowl and crumble cake into it. Mix with hand (or a spoon... I suppose).

STEP THREE!
Roll into balls and place onto a baking sheet. Chill for several hours. Insert sucker sticks after about an hour. or leave them out for Vegan Cake Balls. Then continue to chill.

STEP FOUR!
Once chilled, melt your chocolate, and roll cake pops into it making sure they are fully coated. Use a spoon if necessary to drizzle chocolate on. Place finished pops on a aluminum or wax paper covered baking sheet. Chill for another hour or until chocolate is hardened.

 

STEP FIVE!
Effing Profit! Enjoy!


-Jordan Halliday

Really Quick and Easy Banana Ice Cream

A lot of people already know how to do this. But for those that don't... you are in for a surprise.
I decided the picture needed a garnish, but as I went to find one the ice cream started to melt. So I just said Screw it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 -- Large Banana (chopped and frozen)
• 4-6 oz -- Soy Milk

STEP ONE!
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend.
STEP TWO!
Garnish! Enjoy!

Use less soy milk for a thicker treat, or more for something more like a milkshake.
You can also add spirulina to make a tasty healthy green treat.
Also, Peanut Butter and Chocolate go awesome with this.

-Jordan Halliday

Crispy, Crunchy, Roasted Chickpeas

This recipe is freaking easy, and incredibly customizable.
These crunchy balls of goodness are a healthy alternative to popcorn & are great on salads.
Replace the salt and nutritional yeast with whatever you think you want on it. Anything goes great really. Experiment with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or spice it up with some hot pepper. REALLY ANYTHING GOES ON THESE BABIES.

INGREDIENTS:

• 15 oz (1 can) -- chickpeas
• 2 TBS -- Olive Oil
• Salt*
• Nutritional Yeast Flakes*
• *(optional) any spices of your choosing can be substituted.

STEP 1:

Preheat oven to 400°F







STEP 2:

Add chickpeas & olive oil (and wet spices if using them) to a shallow pan and toss until coated.

Spread chickpeas in a single layer on the sheet and sprinkle salt (and/or other dry spices if you are using them) over chickpeas.





STEP 3:

Bake, Tossing chickpeas every 5-10 minutes, Until they begin to brown. (About 20 minutes)








STEP 4:

Remove from oven and cool.


Sprinkle with nutritional yeast & more salt (or other spices) if desired.






STEP 5:

Enjoy.









-Jordan Halliday

Mock 'Tuna' Chickpea Spread

I love chickpeas. Maybe not as much as my buddy Meagan (The Snarky Chickpea). But almost as much.
This recipe is simple. Especially if you are just using a can of chickpeas.

INGREDIENTS:

• 15 oz (1 can) -- chickpeas
• 1 -- dill pickle spear (dill relish can be substituted)
• 1 1/2 TBS -- vegenaise
• 1 tsp -- yellow mustard
• 1 tsp -- ketchup
• 1/2 tsp -- minced garlic
• squirt -- lemon juice
• to taste -- salt
• to taste -- pepper
• (optional) -- half stick of celery

STEP 1:

Put all ingredients in a food processor











STEP 2:

Process
(a few chops will do)










STEP 3:

Put in a fancy dish and serve with pita chips or spread over toasted bread.

STEP 4:

Enjoy.










-Jordan Halliday

Spicy Nutritonal Yeast (Nacho) Cheese Dip

Back before there were the many vegan cheese varieties of today, we had our nutritional yeast. I still really enjoy this cheese alternative. This is of the spicy variety. Perfect for dipping tortilla chips in or pouring over chips for nachos. If you hold out on the hot sauce it is less spicy and still tasty and can be used for mac & cheese, or over broccoli or a pizza.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup -- Cold Water
• 1/4 Cup -- Unbleached Flour
• 1/4 Cup -- Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon -- Vegan Margarine (I used smart balance light for this, but I prefer earth balance) 
• 1 teaspoon -- Salt
• 1/3 teaspoon -- Minced Garlic (can substitute with garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon -- Yellow Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon -- Favorite Hot Sauce (I used Tapatio)
• (optional) -- diced tomatoes, jalapenos, salsa, etc. (I like a less chunky sauce)

STEP 1:

Melt margarine in a small sauce pan over low heat.








STEP 2:

In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients.








STEP 3:

Whisk in water until there are no clumps left.








STEP 4:

Stir in remaining ingredients (hot sauce, garlic, and mustard).








STEP 5:

Add mixture to sauce pan and heat over medium setting.









STEP 6:

Stir frequently until desired thickness is reached.










STEP 7:

Put in fancy cup & enjoy.










As I said before you can add additional ingredients to your liking. If you prefer a chunkier, spicer cheese dip adding sliced jalapenos & tomatoes go perfect in this and can be added after or during step 4.

Stores & reheats easy.

If it solidifies adding a tiny amount of water and reheating should fix the problem.

-Jordan Halliday