Ⓥeganism Science

Posted on by jeffreylatty

  
Earlier this year, I turned 30. Earlier this morning (9.19.15), I threw out my back from standing up from a sitting position. My back pain is horrific. I can still ride a bicycle. So, all is (mostly) well.

   
 Yesterday, I tried another from scratch Vegan Burger sandwich. It was not perfect. It has been quite a few days since this blog draft started. And when you smell it… Today is Monday Monday Monday, Monday (as in Monday September 21, 2015.) I freaking love Mondays. As far as my knowledge goes, it’s not a holiday. I usually am off of work on Mondays and that has been my go-to day for 5-10 years. Even back in the day working for the Sicilians, we were closed on Mondays! Every holiday on a Monday puts more assholes in the streets, in my yard, and I’m usually wishing assholes weren’t such assholes, but once an asshole-always an asshole. And it usually sucks to have to share the roads with them.

  
My back still kills. I’m trying to spin it off. Today was mostly hard gravel and overall super strenuous. I feel I need a good baseball bat to the back. And I mean a real baseball bat, wooden not aluminum. I rode on gravel because it is awesome, because it’s usually low traffic roads and three because I roll well somehow some way. I am guilty of riding road tires on the heaviest, densest and brutal gravel. (Now yesterday) It was busy with dogs, tractors and vehicles. It (I am the king of Procrastinate Island) reminded me of a summer Monday holiday with people just wanting to drive all dangerously and fast. I found a Gravel Matrices in the middle of corn (GMO) country where there aren’t stop signs not even yield signs at the Gravel Matrix intersections.

  
I am in no way scared of dogs, but on a bicycle around free dogs (which is great) has me severely stressed and anxious of being bit, getting hit by a car and/or falling. And swimming through gravel on my 32 road tires at 30-34 km/h (20+ mph) trying to go faster than the dog while the dog constantly switches sides like he’s hunting dinner and myself constantly looking back while passing through a gravel intersection was just about the worst combination of events I can think of. Gratefully, no one was injured.

   
   
And then the same thing happened just three minutes later with a giant John Deere tractor. This dude seemingly was gonna run me over until I (I often ride with music in my ears) finally noticed this bone crushing machine directly behind me and I immediately pulled over and stopped. I gave him a good stare, but felt he did nothing wrong really, hence no middle finger. And there were cars driving on all of this gravel like it was a party. One was a mailman, but I’ve never seen so much gravel traffic.

  

Bean Concoction ingredients:

  • Garlic, diced
  • Ginger, diced
  • Lentil/Split Pea, cooked
  • Red and Pinto Beans, cooked
  • Noodles
  • SeaSalt/Pepper/Sugar
  • Soy Sauce
  • Celery, sliced
  • Carrots, whole baby carrots
  • Onion, diced
  • Spinach, baby
  • Hot Pepper, diced
  • Corn
  • Salsa
  • Grilled Eggplant, diced
  • Oil

To-Do List:

  • Heat Oil and sauté Garlic and Ginger before adding Onion, Celery & Carrots.
  • I cooked everything else together and Beans were not pre cooked.

  
I enjoyed a plate and then the next day decided to try Vegan Burgers from scratch. I named them Herbivores Outsmart Carnivore. Other than the consistency, they were amazing.

  

Herbivores Outsmarts Carnivore ingredients:

  • Bean Concoction, NutriNinja pureed
  • Tofu, soft
  • Nutritional Yeast & Chipotle Powder
  • BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha
  • Mashed Potatoes, instant (experimental)
  • Buns, gourmet & grilled
  • Eggplant, grilled and sliced
  • Tomato, garden fresh (if possible) and grilled
  • Portabello Mushroom Cap, sliced & grilled
  • Daiya, mmmmmm
  • Potato/Radish/Carrot, grilled for the side (if applicable)
  • Spinach, leafy and baby

   

   
Spin Class:

  • Pureed the Bean Concoction and combined Tofu, Nutritional Yeast, Chipotle Powder, BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha and Instant Mashed Potatoes in hoping to solidify the mixture.
  • I grilled the Bun, Eggplant, Portabello and Tomato before hand on a cast iron skillet.
  • Then I grilled the Potato, Radish and Carrot on the cast iron skillet.
  • I formed patties out of the mixture and put them on a pan lined with parchment paper and baked.
  • Instead of flipping, I broiled the top. The patties were’t as solid as I would’ve liked. I broiled Daiya on inside of Buns on top of Spinach and on top of patties with Mushroom and Eggplant on top.
  • I made this a Dubbel sandwich combining two patties and enjoyed with a Saison Dolores from Almanac out of San Fran.
  • It was very good and the consistency of the patty could be stronger, but very edible!

  
And this is where my insanity comes out to play.

  
I am absolutely addicted to potatoes and Colcannon. I had left over Herbivore Outsmarts Carnivore which on its own is basically superfood and added to it to basically make spontaneous Ⓥ Superfood.

  

Ⓥ Superfood ingredients:

  • Herbivore Outsmarts Carnivore mixture
  • Roasted potatoes, mashed
  • Salsa
  • SeaSalt/BrownSugar
  • Instant Mashed Potatoes, still experimenting as a thickening agent

This is pretty self explanatory as I don’t attend to teach anyone how to cook, just sharing my ideas and trying to take away your sanity 🙂 It was very good and very powerful!

  

Ⓥ Superfood Upgraded ingredients:

  • Ⓥ Superfood, powerfully
  • Water, mmmmm
  • Rice, brown and white (real Rice)
  • Radish, sliced
  • Garlic/Ginger/Onion, minced
  • Oil
  • Spinach, leafy and babyish
  • Daiya

Superman approved processes:

  • I’m guilty of insanity and having too much fun sometimes. This was very enjoyable.
  • I brought water to a small boil and simmered the rice for quite sometime infusing that rice with flavor and SUPERNESS!
  • I sautéed Garlic/Ginger/Onion in Oil obtaining color before adding Radishes and Spinach.
  • I plated the Superfood Rice and put sautéed gravy sauce (?) over top and broiled with some Daiya.

  
I’m truly not sure if I can ever surpass this entire process, but it kept me not hungry and entertained for a few days. And parents tell their children not to play with their food. I say PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD & HAVE FUN WITH IT! Recipes are guidelines. Do not follow them to a T. Take some pics, have a beer and ride your bicycle. Be safe, be healthy and blog off:)


(Apologies, I’m not ordering you to do anything, just recommending.)

Damnit, I almost forgot to share this Dubbel Boca idea…

  

Tom Relly ingredients:

  • Tomato, garden & deseeded and diced (save the guts!)
  • Garlic/Ginger/Onion/Oregano, minced & lightly toasted
  • Oil/Sriracha/BalsamicVinegar
  • Celery Seed
  • Eggplant, grilled & diced
  • Bun or Bread, grilled heavily and super diced

Mix

  

Dubbel Boca ingredients:

  • Boca, vegan & baked or pan-fried
  • Bun, gourmet and grilled on inside
  • Tom Relly, mmmmm
  • Mustard
  • Chipotle Powder
  • Daiya, mmmmmm

  

Brain Surgery:

  • Have your Tom Relly, ready. If everything else is grilled and ready before hand, life is easier to construct your edibles to be destroyed by you plant eating herbivorous monsters! I created a massive thunderstorm above theⓋ Boca patties. There was heavy winds, loud thunder and not a drop of rain until right before the climax of the evil storm squirted out flavorful Organic Mustard followed by the precise light mist of smoky Chipotle Powders and then vanishing into muggy humid Illinois air (sound effect (of your choice)), these ridiculous sentences are gone.
  • I grilled another Potato for the side. I constructed the Dubbel Boca onto the bottom (already grilled (on the inside)) Bun creating a tight seal of Chipotle Mustardation between the Boca’s. I then piled Tom Relly (it’s short for Tomato Relish, ok…)
  • I put as much Daiya possible on top of this erected edible Ⓥ tower of power and BROILED
  • Serve as hot as your (my) evil soul for inflicting cruel evil torturing pain on this plant based food before I devour it like I hate plants.

  
Happy Tuesday, y’all.

Grilled Daiya

Posted on by jeffreylatty

  

Grilled Daiya sandwich ingredients:

  • Daiya, ‘Cheddar’ & ‘Mozzarella’
  • Wheat Bread, toasted on one side
  • Hummus
  • Vegenaise Upgraded
  • Grilled Eggplant, NonGMOProjectVerified & diced
  • Seitan, NonGMOProjectVerified/Chipotle&Diced
  • Tortilla Chips & Sriracha, for side or something else

IMG_9581

Vegenaise Upgraded ingredients:

  • Vegenaise, mmm
  • Mustard, organic
  • Cucumber, diced without seeds
  • Onion, diced
  • Tomato, diced and strained

MIX

   

 Lunch Bells:

  • Toast one side of Wheat Bread and smother bottom with Hummus and top with Vegenaise Upgraded w/ eggplant on top of Hummus and Seitan on top of Vegenaise Upgraded & broil
  • Add Generous amounts of Daiya to both sided and broil
  • Put sandwich together and grill (cast iron skillet) on both sides
  • Cut in half diagonal if you dare
  • Serve with a side or Tortilla Chips with Sriracha

  
Super quick and super easy is ideal for a solid lunch. Happy Wednesday!

Ⓥegan Comfortisms

Posted on by jeffreylatty

  
Vegan comfort food might not be as readily available as say fast food or other animal product junk. It is, however, easy to create with help from great non animal products. Any Vegan ‘junk’ food is healthier and Better for the world than animal base junk food.

  
I’ve been a big fan of Apple Music the last couple of months and I decided to check up on some bands that I have not been keeping track of in the recent years like I used to. One of the bands that I have been keeping track of since day 2 is deftones. I’ve been purchasing albums since 1997. They are single handidly my favorite band and have been since probably 1998. Their first album, Adrenaline, came out in 1995. And it would have been one of my first albums ever purchased. If I remember correctly, this would be my first five CD and Cassettes:

  1. The Doors – Greastest Hits
  2. Ozzy – The Ozzman Cometh
  3. Limp Bizkit – Three Dollar Bill, Y’all
  4. Rage Against The Machine – Evil Empire
  5. Deftones – Adrenaline

  
I’ve learned over the years that in order to gain use out of your ingredients, you’ll (me) have to plan around bulk ingredients. And as I’m blogging these (all over your face) there is an overlap of ingredients. Use it or Lose it! I came up with a Ⓥlattaco, grilled apple ampersand The Post-Apolacalyptic Zombie Butcher VeggHead.

   
   
Just today I used Apple Music to check up on the band Korn and their new music. They really went downhill after Follow The Leader. Deftones have kept themselves very good and still make very interesting music and they appear to continue to. And because of this, I’m going to share a favorite song off of every album.

  1. FIST
  2. Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
  3. Knife Party
  4. Deathblow
  5. Simple Man
  6. BEWARE
  7. Beauty School
  8. ROSEMARY

  
I really hope at least one music lover that has never experienced deftones took at least five minutes to click on one of the above links to enjoy. Now onto the food. I was impressed with the look and the simplicity of a grilled apple, but it wasn’t as tasty as I was hoping.

   
   
Ⓥlattaco ingrediets:

  • Whole Wheat Tortilla, Grilled on one side
  • Hummus
  • Guacamole, spicy 🙂
  • BrownRice/Lentils/SpiltPeas/dicedNonGMOfrozenGrilledEggplant:) cook in below seasonings
  • Sugar/SeaSalt/Pepper/GarlicAmpersandOnionP/ONEBayLeaf/ChiliP w/ water to cook above ingredients in
  • Daiya, ‘Cheddar’ & ‘Mozzarella’ mmmmmmmm
  • Fishless Filets, baked and sliced
  • Seitan, Chipotle Seitan 🙂
  • Onion, grilled for garnish
  • Fiesta Pico De Gallo w/ Pineapple, strained

  

Rocket Science:

  • This is a Taco Cookie, Flat Taco or better yet an open Quesadilla. It is very easy and very tasty! Smear the living shit out of the already grilled side of Tortilla with Hummus and Guacamole.
  • Generously, but carefully, place a layer of BrownRice/SplitPeas/Lentils/GrilledEggplant
  • Cover with both types of Daiya, Seitan and Fishlessness’
  • Place in nonstick pan and cook over low-medium heat while covering to murder and melt that Daiya
  • Garnish with grilled Onion and Pico De Gallo on top:)

  
I’ve been trying to come up with a name for this monster sandwich. And like many great Craft Beers, this sandwich deserves a unique and basically dark and disgusting name. It only took a couple of minutes of concentration. It has been named The Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Butcher VeggHead. I feel that is a name that confidently names this beastwich.

  
  
Vegenaise Upgraded ingredients:

  • Vegenaise, mmm
  • Mustard, organic
  • Cucumber, diced without seeds
  • Onion, diced
  • Tomato, diced and strained

MIX

  

The Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Butcher VeggHead ingredients:

  • Buns, multi-grain Ciabatta
  • Boca, Vegan
  • Daiya, ‘Cheddar’ & ‘Mozzarella’
  • Grilled Eggplant, NonGMOProjectVerified if possible
  • Seitan, NonGMOProjectVerified & Chipotle
  • Onion, Grilled then sliced
  • Hummus
  • Guacamole
  • Sugar/SeaSalt/Pepper/GarlicAmpersandOnionP/ONEBayLeaf/ChiliP w/ water to cook above ingredients in
  • BrownRice/Lentils/SpiltPeas/dicedNonGMOfrozenGrilledEggplant:) cook in below seasonings
  • Grilled Eggplant
  • Pico De Gallo, Fiesta w/ Pineapple
  • Potatoes, grilled
  • Sriracha, cock saucy and splashy
  • Vegenaise Upgraded, mmmmmm
  • ChipotleP

   

   
Survival to sanity:

  • Either toast or grill inner sides of Ciabatta Bun and save for later consumption.
  • Pan fry Boca and after flipping add Daiya, Grilled Eggplant and Chipotle Seitan. Cover and lower heat. Dash of Chipotle Powder on top:) 
  • Heat BrownRice/Lentils/SpiltPeas/dicedNonGMOfrozenGrilledEggplant
  • Grill Potatoes and Onion
  • Hummus on bottom Bun and Guacamole on top Bun (inner, inner Vegan DINNER of top and bottom)
  • Once everything is ready, build the masterpiece of death (LIFE)
  • From the floor it goes (architecturally) bottom Bun, Hummus, BrownRice/Lentils/SpiltPeas/GrilledEggplant, Vegenaise Upgraded, two Boca patties with greatness melted on top, Grilled Onion slices, Pico De Gallo w/ Pineapple, Guacamole and the top Bun.

   
    
 A deftones song, You’ve Seen The Butcher, my fandom of Vegan Zombie, my partial WordPress name VeggHead and the scary darkness of Post-Apocalypse helped mosh pit into the name of the beast which I did eat.

  
Happy Monday! Happy 50th Blog to me. Thanks for the likes and follows! Stay healthy, my friends! And have fun!

Vegan Ⓥhinese

Posted on by jeffreylatty

  
In a recent blog, I briefly shared an easy Chinese-style concoction that is super easy to make however you’d like. I made a massive batch and decided to go out with a bang and fix it up just a bit in the end.

  
I tell ya what, Non GMO Project Verified Food sells me every time. And I usually pay more, but for the pride it delivers me, it’s well worth it. I wrapped my handlebars with new Bontrager tape. And I’m loving the new look.

  
  
Ⓥegan Ramen ingredients:

  • Ramen Noodles, seasoning discarded
  • Potatoes, diced and boiled (or roasted)
  • Broccoli, fresh or frozen florets-blanched
  • Garlic, minced
  • Ginger, minced
  • Soy Sauce, Vegan
  • SeaSalt/Pepper
  • BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Peanut Oil
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Sunflower Seeds, shelled
  • Fishless Filets, baked & sliced
  • Grilled Eggplant, baked

  

Chopsticks to mouth:

  

  • Cook Ramen slightly undercooking, draining and leave separate seasoned with Soy Sauce and Sriracha.
  • Cook Potatoes and blanch Broccoli and leave aside.
  • Add Oil/Garlic/Ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding everything else and mixing.
  • This time around I baked Fishless Filets and Grilled Eggplant and just sliced the Fishless Filets and put on top
  • I could have brought more Broccoli to top, but I’m lazy and I was hungry!

Eat healthy to be healthy! 

  

Vegan Ⓥuesadilla

Posted on by jeffreylatty


Spontaneous cheffing is often extremely successful for me. Spontaneity isn’t for everyone and often kicks my ass, but not all the time. I had a long day at work and got off around 2000 (8:00pm) and commuted home and broke my THIRD damn spoke in two months and had an urge to buy beers and good food.


And out of know where, I had the idea of making Ⓥegan Quesadillas. Here is my shopping list (not premeditated):

  • 6-pack 16oz. PBR
  • 12oz. Funky Pumpkin
  • Bomber Thunderstruck IPA
  • Daiya ‘Mozzarella’
  • Daiya ‘Cheddar’
  • Hummus
  • Guacamole
  • Fiesta Pico de Gallo
  • Buns
  • Whole Wheat Tortilla
  • Lightlife Smart Dogs
  • Chipotle Seitan
  • Gardein Fishless Filets
  • Woodstock frozen Grilled Eggplant
  • (2) Vegan Nugo Dark Chocolate Pretzal



Ⓥuesadilla ingredients:

  • BrownRice/Lentils/SpiltPeas/dicedNonGMOfrozenGrilledEggplant:)
  • Sugar/SeaSalt/Pepper/GarlicAmpersandOnionP/ONEBayLeaf/ChiliP
  • Whole Wheat Tortillas, pre grilled
  • Daiya, yellow and white-mmmmm
  • Pico De Gallo, strained
  • Hummus, spreadily readily
  • Guacamole, readily spreadily
  • Chipotle Seitan or Fishless filets (sliced) or party hard and do both!


40 ounces to freedom:

  • Quesadilla makers are for cowards and T-Rex armed godzillas (not that they would have weapons shooting T-Rexs, just their ARMS BEING SHORT)
  • Cook Legumes and Brown Rice with the seasonings below where I mentioned above? Throw diced Eggplant in, also.
  • Grill Tortillas before hand, the tops on both sides and the bottoms just on the inside. Cast Iron with a Grill?
  • On the inside (grilled side tortilla), smear hummus, Legumes/Rice/Eggplant then add Daiya, Seitan or Fishlessness, Daiya, Pico De Gallo
  • Place completed Quesadilla on non stick surface and cook readily. you could even build the Ⓥuesadilla on your non stick pan. I did cover with a lid to help melt the Daiya. I cut with my sharp ass chef knife into four.


DO NOT CUT YOURSELF ON ACCIDENT


Also, hopefully not in person, planned. (I became a little tipsy last night and again couldn’t finish a blog)


Last year I bought a low end FatBike. It was a Corsa Mammoth. I bought it for like $650. I basically rode it into the ground. It’s existence made it almost 1,000 km. And now I plan on either eventually fixing that FatBike up and buying a new one or selling it for cheap, but still buying a new one. And I think I’m gonna go with a Charge Cooker (pronounced Koker). I just need to get some cash together. A FatBike brings permit-smiles and winter cycling easier.


Happy weekend! Be safe! Have fun!

Labor Day Mayhem

Posted on by jeffreylatty

  
The thing that I miss most about not being Vegetarian and even not being Vegan is, I think, that gross euphoric sense of accomplishment of consuming something that took time off of your (my) life. I believe I’ve been trying to recreate that sense with Veganism, but any way I go about it, Veganism is super healthy without that sick feeling. Even Vegetarianism provides that sense that ultimately contributes to obesity and copes with horrible days.

  
I’ve been Vegan for over two months and this Monday (Labor Day) brought myself urging for that disgusting sense that would make a bad day, good? I had the worst ride of my life.

  
I lost a screw to one of my cleats to one of my cycling shoes right off the bat and I also was stranded with a flat tire and a failed patch kit in BFE. I chose to be dropped off 60 minutes from home and ride home in round-about fashion. I had a gravel climb that made me stop and change my auto-pause speed to 2 km/h instead of 12 on my Garmin Edge 1000. 

  
That climb also made me want to quit cycling forever. And that was part of an oncoming gravel ride later this month. Being labor day, most assholes didn’t have to work and were all driving around like assholes. I had to cross a bridge over a bigger sized river with no freaking shoulder. I took the wrong way on a highway without a shoulder where it was super busy. I had to backtrack and I saved my life by walking back on the nonexistent shoulder.

   
 I found a really cool area of rolling gravel roads and obtained that flat. I believe it was a pinch flat… And made sure to bring tools, but when i was ready to use my patch kit, the glue was all dried up. I had to walk (of shame) with a bicycle on my shoulder for 90 minutes before I could even get service where I could call to be picked up in the closest town. 

   
 The entire time I was pissed that I used my only spare tube in order to replace a slow leak in an old tube putting different tires on and keeping tubes in my (now off) road tires and dreamed of justifying the day by crushing a cheese pizza.

  
I brought just enough water and two Smart bars and was eventually picked up.

  
It’s set in stone that I’ll be Vegetarian for the rest of my life. Not so much with Veganism (yet). I did not crush a cheese pizza, but made a big batch of chinese-style noodles and a Vegan Mayhem sandwich. I found squeezable ginger that had me super excited until I saw the bullshit preservatives added. I still had to buy it.

I was so hungry and exhausted that I had energy to make a huge batch of Vegan Ramen. Noodles are Vegan, seasoning is not.

  
Ⓥegan Ramen ingredients:

  • Ramen Noodles, seasoning discarded
  • Potatoes, diced and boiled (or roasted)
  • Broccoli, fresh or frozen florets-blanched
  • Garlic, minced
  • Ginger, minced
  • Soy Sauce, Vegan
  • SeaSalt/Pepper
  • BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha
  • Vegetable Broth
  • Peanut Oil
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Sunflower Seeds, shelled 

Chopsticks to mouth:

  • Cook Ramen slightly undercooking, draining and leave separate seasoned with Soy Sauce and Sriracha.
  • Cook Potatoes and blanch Broccoli and leave aside.
  • Add Oil/Garlic/Ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding everything else and mixing.

  

    Vegenaise Upgraded ingredients:

    • Vegenaise, mmm
    • Mustard, organic
    • Cucumber, diced without seeds
    • Onion, diced
    • Tomato, diced and strained

    MIX

      

    Ⓥegan Mayhem:

    I then panfried two Vegan Boca patties and a Ciabatta bun (insides down). I put the two patties on the bottom bun and added noodles without any Broccoli and put a scoop of Vegenaise Upgraded on top and broiled for three minutes.

      
    It was tasty and still healthier than anything animal based. Perhaps I didn’t achieve that early death feeling, but I honestly didn’t need it. My ride was horrible, but I took a few good pictures, rode in the rain and wasn’t hurt in any way. #RideOn

      

    Vegan Tacoisms

    Posted on by jeffreylatty

      
    I am absolutely in love with this trifecta of Tofu, Soyrizo and Tempeh. I decided to mad scientist together Taco.

      
    Password is Taco.

      
    Perhaps it won’t be as entertaining as Frankenstein to most or as sweet as Willy Wonka’s Chocalote Factory, but Gene, it’s wild and almost Wilder..

      
    If there is a such thing as a past life or multi universe, I’d be a Mexican culinary artist with a big mustache, painting edible masterpieces on people’s plates. Garnishing with cilantro, of course.

    I have decided to not do any fantasy football this year, but to do a The League marathon instead. And have THAT being my fantasy football. If you ever get a chance, FIND and WATCH Safety Not Guranteed (2012). It is an outstanding flick starring Mark Dupless and Aubrey Plaza and also produced by Mark and his brother Jay.

    Safety Not Guaranteed

    Has anyone seen these Chicago Cubs lately? Has anyone ever seen the Cubs dominate and click with chemistry like this club?

       
     I have made tacos in the past with store bought hard shell tortillas and they never fulfilled what I needed. I saw somewhere someone making hard shell from soft tortillas and I had to try it. I made two before even making any tacos. I also just ate them as is and they were delicious. I wanted them to open bigger so i cranked the heat and made the mistake of making four.

      
    They cooked and hardened, but were basically closed. I draped all of these tortilla attempts over an oven rack and baked until golden brown.

      
    I brainstormed for a minute and concluded that they need to open wider and so I made four draped over two oven rack grills. The results gave me a permi-smile.

      
    I made tacos with hash browns that I had leftover uncooked from a past concoction. I also made a taco salad with the untacoable shells.

      
    Ⓥegan Trifecta Taco w/ HashBrowns ingredients:

      

     HashBrowns ingredients:

    • Potato, hash brown style (homemade or store bought)
    • Onion, diced
    • Carrot, sliced halfly
    • Celery, sliced
    • Lentils/SplitPeas/BrownRice, cooked at once
    • Broth/BalsamicVinegar
    • ChipotleP/OnionP/GarlicP/SeaSalt/Pepper
    • Corn/BlackeyedPeas, canned
    • Cilantro, fresh and chopped
    • Oil

    I did not have any fresh garlic or I would’ve used it.

    • Cook Rice/Lentils/SplitPeas in water seasoned with Sugar/SeaSalt/OnionP/GarlicP/Pepper, drain
    • Sauté Onion, Carrot and Celery in oil for a few minutes before adding Hash Browns and BalsamicVinegar
    • Season and add broth, simmer for a good 20 minutes
    • I did broil to add a little color.

      

      Ⓥegan Trifecta ingredients:

      • Soyrizo
      • Tempeh, diced
      • Tofu, crumbled
      • Lentils/SplitPeas/BrownRice, cooked
      • Corn/BlackeyedPeas, canned
      • Onion, diced
      • Celery, diced
      • Broth/Sriracha/BalsamicVinegar/Honey
      • CajunSeasoning/Cayenne/ChiliP/Oregano/NutritionalYeast/Cumin/Paprika
      • Oil
      • Cilantro, fresh and chopped

      Break Dances:

      • Sauté Onion and Celery in oil before adding Tempeh and Soyrizo. Sauté for 7 minutes and add Sriracha/Balsamic and seasonings get hot add Broth, Tofu and Honey stir and cover simmering for 12-15 minutes.

      Other ingredients:

      • Tortilla, hardened by baking
      • Lettuce, Iceberg and chopped
      • Tomato, diced
      • Onion, diced
      • Cilantro, fresh and chopped
      • Vegenaise, mmmm

        

        Taco Construction:

        • When everything is prepared awaiting your constructing, life is good.
        • Construct how you think is best!
        • Same with the Taco Salad!
        • Enjoy and have a good week! Cheers 🙂

          

          Mexican Breakfast Ⓥiesta

          Posted on by jeffreylatty

          I’m going to attempt to blog this blog in one day, today! Do you think that I can do it!?


           It’s Friday and it’s going on 0830. It is also September 4th, 2015, incase you didn’t know.


          I took this whole week off of work. I needed to get some things done and I wanted to do some serious riding. I requested these days off in early August when I thought for sure it would be a nice low 20 C degree days, but good ol’ Illinois has been in the 30s C ALL WEEK. Which in our ridiculous style of USA measurements, it has been in the 90s F ALL WEEK. There, in my mind, is nothing more simplistic than zero degrees being freezing.


          I might be one of the few Americans who rides kilometers and gets their weather in Celsius. Celsiuses? Celsius’s? Celsius’? Google has helped me vastly in the transition. Anyways, I haven’t been getting a lot done and it’s a little too hot for massive riding, so I’ve been cooking more this week. I’ve been enjoying good beers too 😉


          I did ride a Strava Gran Fondo on Tuesday with temps in the 30s. I ran into a few really awesome roads, being exactly what I needed. It was a very mixed surface ride. The ride diversing from Road, soft gravel, hard ocean-like gravel, dirt, loose dirt, grass into small rocks. Truly being a large variety of riding surfaces.


            
          I’m doing an organized metric century in a few weeks. It’s my very first organized ride and I’m actually somewhat training for it. I will never be a just road cyclist. Where is the fun?


            
          I do have 200+ kms already for the month of September, so I’ve been riding a decent amount.


            
          Gran Fondo #ProveIt Strava 

           I started this Breakfast around 9:45 and went about it at a casual pace. And eating the breakfast for lunch around noon was still amazing and well worth it! And for the first time ever, I had a Ⓥegan Trifecta of Tofu, Tempeh and Soyrizo.


          Mexican Breakfast Ⓥiesta ingredients:

          • Lentils, cooked
          • Split peas, cooked
          • Brown (REAL) Rice, not instant-cooked
          • Corn Kernels, canned or frozen-slightly warmed (especially if frozen)
          • Blackeyed Peas, canned or dry-cooked
          • Celery, dicely sliced
          • Onion, julienne sliced
          • Habanero, diced
          • Garlic, diced
          • Tomato, diced
          • Carrot, sliced
          • Cilantro, chopped
          • Kale, I used NONGMO frozen 🙂
          • Potatoes, stringy hash brown-style (I used already prepared frozen)
          • Lime, just the juiciness
          • Tofu, strained
          • Soyrizo
          • Tempeh, sliced & grilled
          • DAIYA, mmmmm
          • Rye Bread, Grilled and cut at a 45 degree angle 30 or 60 degree cuts are acceptable
          • SeaSalt/Pepper/Sugar/OnionP/GarlicP/BayLeaves
          • BalsamicVinegar/Honey/VeggieBroth/Oil

            

           The Decent with a Tailwind:

          • I first prepared the Lentils, Split Peas and Rice. I cooked them together for around 25 minutes and seasoned with Sugar, Sea Salt, Pepper, Onion and Garlic Powder and a couple of Bay Leaves. I added the canned Corn and Blackeyed Peas for a few minutes before straining and setting aside. REMOVING BAY LEAVES. I’ll never forget that nightmare that I had of eating Bay Leaves…
          • I used a machine to dice the Garlic and Habanero together. Habanero on the hands is asking for discomforts…
          • Sautéed the Garlic and Habanero in Oil before adding Celery, Onion, Carrot and then covering sautéing for a few minutes.
          • Saute Soyrizo with everything. Add Lime Juice, SeaSalt/Pepper & Balsamic Vinegar and stir.
          • Add Beans/Rice/Corn, HashBrowns, Kale, Tofu, Cilantro, Tomato, Honey and cover and simmer for a good 15-20 minutes
          • Add VeggieBroth (not a lot, but a decent amount), stir and Add Daiya on top. I baked in pan for 10-15 before Broiling
          • Garnish with Tempeh and Toast, and Cilantro (if you live life on the EDGE)

          I made enough to eat a heaping serving for lunch and for dinner. Simply, yet complex, BUT Ⓥegan greatness all the same. Food and Cooking is fun and should never be taken seriously unless it is your job. Recreational Cheffing is a hobby that everyone should partake and enjoy. Whatever your level of cooking, it’s fun, others enjoy, it’s HEALTHIER and it provides excellent photo criteria. And when you throw in a good Beer or glass of Wine and progressively make it an art, it’s a Lifestyle. A FEEL-GOOD lifestyle.


           Just be careful when using Hot Peppers and Drink responsibly. It is easy to get carried away with confidence while chopping Romain after one too many Beers. Still better me than any animal:)


          Happy Friday!

          Comeback Kid

          Ⓥegan Fall

          Posted on by jeffreylatty

            
          As most of you should know, Fall is upon us, being almost September. This is when I am in my cycling prime and the weather is usually outstanding. That is, in Illinois, anyways. Sometimes it’s literally freezing in November. The month September is always great.

            
          (I also, as most should know, I suck at finishing my blogs as it is now September third:)

            

          (Also, this week has been in the 90’s F or 30’s C, but that’ll be in the next blog)

            

          Along with the amazing cycling weather brings Fall-style beers. Whether it be Oktoberfest or Pumpkin/Yam beers, I am a big fan.

            
          I am not a fan of short days and “Daylight Savings”. “Daylight Savings” does nothing other than waste electricity. People do not wake up like they used to. Farmers are just about extinct. I can’t even get myself started on factory farming-I will go on forever. The majority of people are awake and about in the evening. Let’s cut our electricity costs?

             
           In later September, I will partake in my very first organized ride. It is basically a metric century (110 km) of gravel and rough/tough terrain. I’m super excited! I’ve been kind of on the fence about Veganism… Not, on the fence, maybe it’s just not been as easy as I thought it would be. Consciously, it’s easy, but it’s when you’re not checking ingredients when ya (me) fuck up.

          • Chipotle BBQ Sauce containing anchovies
          • Chewable Vitamin C tablets containing Lactose/Milk

          I’m not a beer prude who reviews beers like I can distinctively taste and smell the different notes. I’m not a poser and I only bullshit about things I do know.

            
          Go listen to the album High Country by The Sword. It’s basically New Age Classic Rock? 

          Mammoth Ⓥurger

            

          Mammoth Ⓥurger ingredients:

          • Mexican Concoction
          • Morning Star Roasted Garlic & Quinoa, Vegan & NONGMO baked and diced
          • Hash brown patty, baked and diced
          • SeaSalt/GarlicP/OnionP/Pepper
          • Corn Starch, starchy
          • Sriracha/BalsamicVinegar/PeanutOil/Honey/Broth
          • Go Veggie! “cheese”, non-dairy
          • Daiya, mmmmm
          • Tempeh, grilled
          • Zucchini, grilled

          IMG_8937-1

          Mexican Concoction ingredients:

          IMG_8957-1

          To the best of my knowledge Mexican Concoction ingredients:

          • Brown Rice
          • Lentils
          • Split Peas
          • Potato
          • Carrot
          • Scallions
          • Cilantro
          • Eggplant, iThink
          • Onion
          • Japonica Rice
          • SeaSalt/Pepper/GarlicP/OnionP/Cayenne
          • Parsley
          • Pinto Beans

          Slightly overcook everything.

            

          Colossal Mammoth footprints:

          • Mix everything together to a nice consistency.
          • Save Daiya, Tempeh & Zucchini for later usage.

            

          I decided to take a different approach to a sandwich. I basically wanted to make a cake and turn it into a sandwich.

          • I sprayed a pan with some oil. Which when it claims to be fat free, it’s complete bullshit. It’s fat free with the serving size being basically nothing.
          • Cake formed the tasty mass and baked, flipping with a inverted pizza pan over top after a good 12 minutes.
          • If the 12 minutes were not good drink a beer in three minutes and then flip with the pan science.
          • Bake another 10.

            

          I do not not keep times, timers and measurements in mind. I’m basically bullshitting these times 🙂

          • Sprinkled with “cheese” and broiled.
          • Add grilled Tempeh and Zucchini
          • Cut like a pizza and stack on bottom bun
          • Broil Daiya over top and enjoy

            
          These are the recent Fall beers that I’ve enjoyed. They were all tasty. The best being the Pumpkin Smasher from Big Muddy. Go for a ride, enjoy a beer and take a few pics! Be healthy 🙂