Rainbows of Vegan Love: recipe 4

Ok,
So I started the process of the vegan T-Rex Split yesterday (which was Saturday) I have been feeling really under the weather lately but I still have to press on. My Saturday was insane. I got finished all the stuff I had to get finished, almost got lanblasted by a brown recluse who was just trying to live her life, and treated myself to a home-made seaweed wrap... but in the middle of all of that I made english muffins.
For some reason in my lil brain, I didn't think making of an english muffin was even possible.. but I did it, and wow are they ever easy and yummified!
Just like every other bread I've made during this blog, I had to knead like crazy. I want you all to see what a bread makers muscles look like:

a lifetime of kneading bread

Ok, well I lift some too.. but I'm telling you (ignore Pippen there in the background) kneading has probably given me huge workouts.
I digress.. the birth of a english muffin is an amazing thing. It starts as dough, then goes into a big puff of dough, then it goes into little balls which pat down into flat little pancake-like pieces which you then throw into a skillet.

The birth of an english muffin

Now keep in mind they're not perfect like the kind you are going to find in the grocery store.. but once these little puffs of love have been sitting in the skillet for their allotted amount of time then let out to cool.. I'm telling you - I don't think I'll ever go back to eat another store bought english muffin ever again. These are so good.. and made 12 muffins.. I'm going to be eating english muffins for a while... but even so - look at the beautifous muffins that are sitting here on this plate:

hello muffin!

Anyway - now to the whole kit and caboodle.. the vegan t-rex split.. also known as vegan eggs benedict.
Here's how the whole thing took place, this Sunday morning in my kitchen after my four mile.
Shall we?

So, I've completed my four mile.. I've completed my Kundalini practice. I've EVEN completed my sisters under-eye cream she asked for! (and laundry and a few other things.. I'm on a role) I wanted to get this as close to noon as I could make it.. This is calories enough for two meals so skipping lunch or making it 'brunch' is a good idea in my head. Anyhoo.. I got the ol tofu ready. (now, this recipe is FILLED with soy, group. So, if you have an issue at all with soy - you may wanna skip it.) Otherwise, make sure you get the non GMO stuff.. seriously. If you are health conscious at all.
Got it ready - the recipe suggest four pieces of the tofu block... which made this kind of a 'big' egg. Lol, but I did it. Cut them up, and made my 'cheese' sauce which would also be considered the yolk of the 'egg'... without possible baby chickie ever to be born from it.

The birth of a vegan 'egg'.

So.. the cheese sauce was easy peasy.. and then - wait for it.. I get to use my flavor injector! My ex wife and I got a flavor injector EONS ago - I guess I assumed I was going to be a flavor injecting fool. I can only recall using it for vegan hostess cupcakes at the time.. if that. Maybe I didn't? I don't know. All I know was that I was about to get rid of that flavor injector for taking up space back when I was cleaning out my cabinets. I'm glad I didn't, because it came in handy! So I injected these raw pieces of tofu, full of "yolk". Then popped them in the oven!
While they were baking I put together the rest of my sandwich. Home made english muffin on the bottom, a piece of Ives veggie canadian bacon on each half, followed by a quarter of an avocado, spinach and a tomato. Then got to work on my hollandaise sauce. Mmmm.. super duper easy peasy too! As I waited, I created myself a virgin mimosa to enjoy with my brunch in my trusty EPCOT food and wine festival wine glass from the year 2001 I do believe. (Was a gift.. I've unfortunately never been the the fwf.) Then - the chicken timer goes off.. my 'eggs' are ready. I plop those babies down onto their sanwich topper and pour on the hollandaise... mmmmmm... I'm ready for this, I just 4 miled off a bunch of calories for this - BRING IT ON!

It's hard to get a pic of yourself with food.

Ok, so gimme a break.. I had time to do everything but make myself look like Donna Reed to pose for a picture.. be lucky I'm making my un-makeuped self available to the general public, and most of you know me! Only a few of you have seen me w/o makeup and my hair just so! Anyway - I digress. It was yummy. If I had to do it all over again though I'd slice the tofu much thinner.. it looks like I'm about to enjoy a big mac or something with those big ol' squares sitting atop all of that other magic!
Well though - since I cooked for myself this time.. did I like it? Would I suggest it to you my dear friends?

Does the empty rooster plate ever lie??

So, now that this week is done - as I sit here and watch another weekend go by and it's barely even noon. I'm enjoying blogging about this in my skychair on my deck. It's gorgeous outside. I'm sure something will come my way today to do. I have no other plans. I may sit here for a while. Next week I'll be making a vegan cheesecake with a peanut butter crust for my sister - as we'll be celebrating her 39th on Monday (she's really a Sept. 22 baby, but since we get together to run on Mondays she's getting it then!) She suggested a 'cheesecake' so that is what she's getting. :)

Til next week everyone. Be kind to yourselves and others.

Music Enjoyed while cooking and writing this blog.

Current Craving - OMG nothing I am FULL of T-Rex Split!!

Current Motivation - A beautiful day - and no I didn't forget - It's 9-11. I had a peace prayer for today in my Kundalini Practice. <3

Ok,
Most of you that know me, know that I've got a small obsession with dinosaurs, lions, Johnny Depp, Jodie Foster and avocados. But let's not dwell on that, shall we? I'm going to give you a little history lesson.

An adolescent female Tyrannosaurus rex died 68 million years ago, but its bones still contain intact soft tissue, including the oldest preserved proteins ever found, scientists say.
And a comparison of the protein's chemical structure to a slew of other species showed an evolutionary link between T. rex and chickens, bolstering the idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs.
The collagen proteins were found hidden inside the leg bone of the T. rex fossil, according to two studies published in the journal Science. Collagen is the main ingredient of connective tissue in animals and is found in cartilage, ligaments, tendons, hooves, bones and teeth. It yields gelatin and glue when boiled in water.

Whaddya know? So that last bird you put in your oven.. that last leftover fried chicken you ate - 68 million years ago, would have considered YOU dinner!

EAT ME! ROAR!

Ok, regardless of who's eatin' who, I'm not into eating my friend T-rex anymore, even though that crispy skin is making me rather hungry right now... *fans self* But no, no no no... it's a known fact that those chickens you see on the grill, or in your local market (even when they're 'cage free' or free roaming, or anything else 'free' and 'organic' those words that make you think there's no cruelty there) most of their lil beaks are heat seared off so they don't peck their neighboring chickens either - to death, or give them sores.. can't have sores on a chicken you're about to eat! Same with 'cage free' eggs. Unless you know the chicken that laid it - say, maybe Aunt Joan has 4 chickens that are pets and she sells their eggs to local markets, or perhaps she gives you her eggs.. (this is the most cruelty free of all, and if I should ever eat an egg again, I'll know the chickens that laid them, because I'll tour their lil homes and get to know their moms and dads) But as far as right now, being a vegan, means eggs are not an option for me... and thus, my favorite breakfast dish (which also would include our friend Ms Piggy

< Yeah there she is in what is MY favorite poster of her!) Is not an option either.
What is this breakfast I speak of though? Eggs Benedict! Naturally! It is a non-deal for me anymore.   That is, until I realized.. "What the heck? I can make vegan eggs benedict!!"
The original calls for hollandaise (which is in effect.. butter by the poundful and more egg..) Then we've got eggs, we've got Canadian bacon.. this is about the most un-vegan, calorie-laden breakfast one could ever come up with, and I'm about to veganize it.. and i'm so very excited!!!

Let's look at some numbers, shall we?

Eggs Benedict: (this is for the whole breakfast - the eggs, the bacon, the sauce, the tomato, spinach, avocado, and english muffin.. so if it all looks a little high, well - this is probably one of those things you can't knock a whole lotta calories out of in general - but there is still a difference!) These numbers are also based on a split two - meaning two eggs, one whole muffin split in half.

My Eggs Benedict is going to be affectionately called The "Vegan T-Rex Split" (it just worked for me)
So here we go: (thank you to the sister for the weight watchers point breakdown)

Traditional Eggs Benedict                         The Vegan T-Rex Split
Calories - 800     699
Fat -       36g                                                     30g
Cholesterol - 470mg                                         0mg
Sodium -   2106mg                                           1051mg
Carbs -    30g                                                    45g
Protien - 35g                                                      31g
Fiber -   2g                                                         6g
WW Points - 16 15

For Vegan T-Rex Split, I am going to make the english muffins, the hollandaise, the eggs, everything but the veggies (obviously) and the veggie bacon (which is Yves, because it's just easier after making muffins - I COULD make the bacon - I've made a vegan ham before (for Easter this year).. but for this one, I'm going to make it easier on myself.. because I'm the only one I gotta impress with this. When I make this for someone else someday - we'll talk about making a darn vegan ham again. ;) )

Regardless, I'm ready. I've got the goods. After my 4 mile on Sunday - guess who's treating herself to a big ol' fattening breakfast!?! That's right, you got it. (In my best Piggy voice) "MOI"!

I'll fill you in on Sunday folks... and should you try this recipe when you buy my cookbook - Ms. Piggy, Kermit The Frog, Gonzo's chicken girlfriend Camilla, and all of Teddy the T-Rex's buddies from back east will thank you by giving you not only Muppet Show karma, but cruelty free karma as well! :)

Let me leave you with one last word on the subject:

OVO!!!

:)

Music enjoyed while writing this blog:
Subsonic Radio's Background 96k (Background music from the Disney Parks!)

Current Motivation:
The second star to the right. <3

Current Craving:
A cruelty free - somewhat unhealthy, yummy, breakfast!

Rainbows of Vegan Love

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Of Eggs and Mr. Benedict - or Recipe four - The Vegan T-Rex Split - Brunch/Breakfast

Friday, September 9, 2011

What came first? The dino or the egg?!

The Veganizer

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