the Kitchen Sink

who doesn't like a carnival?!?

2012-01-16T09:47:00.001-08:00

Stuffed Carnival Squash with lentils, kale, balsamic vinegar, onions, brown rice, fresh local cranberries...wowed them all at the staff potluck! And aren't they the cutest things ever!!

and this is what I came up with

2012-01-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

Just using up what I have....wanted to add some cabbage to a soup recently (remember the brothy noodley bit?!?) well, apparently the only cabbages grown in the area are MONSTROUS BEASTS!! seriously, I almost broke myself carrying that thing home. Needless to say, I had some leftovers.

So what do you do with a plethora of cabbage??? Make Asian Slaw, of course!

A very easy and mostly raw recipe. One thing is...man oh man, wish I had a mandolin for that job. Spent a lot of time cutting. oh well. We got some cabbage, carrots, apple in there, along with a marinade/dressing which consists of lime, scallion, Bragg's/tamari, and spices. I serve this dish (as you can see) with brown rice, fresh tofu (with a hint of sesame oil drizzled), and sesame seeds. very light and satisfying. chew chew chew!

I felt something needed to accompany the "salad" for those ultra-hungry moments. I figured just a simple pureed vegetable soup would do the trick. And what did I have around....oh yes, beets! I steamed a whole lot of beets...a parsnip also fell into the steamer...just happened to be hanging around the wrong crowd. Added minimal spices....good to go...or you're just made to believe that! Alright, not quite finished yet. I ended up adding a mystery cucumber casserole filling i had thrown in the freezer a while back. yes, that's right. A BEET AND CUCUMBER SOUP!

before you go all crazy leaving my blog, let me tell you, strangely and surprisingly good. Actually that's all I'm gonna say. talk amongst yourselves. good night!

it's all about the spacing

2011-12-31T05:20:00.000-08:00

cold time, soupy time

2011-12-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

A quick brothy, noodly, yummy soup I whipped up last night for my sick self.

8 tsp Better Than Bouillon Veggie Base
confetti of local veggies I had around (thanks New Beat Farm!), diced 'em up
carrots
rutabaga
onion
mushroom
cabbage
1/2 block local tofu, cubed
couple Tbs Maine seaweed
instant whole grain rice vermicelli
several Tbs of grated local ginger root (oh yes....local and delish)
sesame oil

Sauteed veggies (except mushrooms and cabbage) in large soup pot with coconut oil for several minutes. Add 16 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then add the veggie base. Amongst the boil and adding, get some separate water boiling in the kettle for the rice vermicelli. Soak it in a large bowl under boiling water for 4 minutes. Drop in the seaweed, mushrooms, cabbage. Let it all blend together for a couple minutes. Add the tofu, vermicelli, and ginger. Serve in a bowl with spoon and chopsticks. Add a drizzle of sesame oil for garnish. and enjoy!

Kale oh Kale....cracked out on KALE

2011-12-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year. My internal clock must know that fresh local yummy produce's days are numbered. I cannot get enough of kale. Steamed kale, baked kale, kale casserole, kale stir fry, kale chips...yum! Last night, I was not too hungry. What did I want??? Steamed kale, little hint of salt and fresh squeezed lemon. Roasted some local sweet and blue potatoes on the side. Satisfying dish if i ever saw one!! (Miss Asha enjoyed the kale and potatoes too!) How do you like your kale crack?

I'll Wait for the Molasses Drip Any Day

2011-11-06T11:58:00.001-08:00

Wanted something a little different for breakfast this morning...decided on Granola Pancakes. Original recipe comes from Joanne Stepaniak's "The Vegan Sourcebook" (Lowell House, 1998). I added Grandy Oats Maple Granola (local!), a little raisins, and a bit more soymilk to compensate for the dry fillings. Oh and look what's over there...a lonely bottle of molasses I got out the other day for some suecakes! (http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tinyman#!/pages/Suecakes/128471837259660). oh molasses. you are worth the wait...

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbs flaxseed
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup nondairy milk (more as needed, I used soy)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

molasses (maybe 1-2 Tbs)
granola
raisins

Grind flaxseeds either by pestle and mortar (if you're cool like me) or a dry blender. Mix with water until a gummy mixture is achieved, about 30 seconds. put off to side. Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Add milk, molasses, and vanilla to the flaxseed slurp, and process til frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Pour into dry mixture and mix just until everything is evenly moistened. Heat skillet over medium heat. Melt around a teaspoon of coconut oil and pour batter according to size of pancakes desired. flip pancakes, etc, etc....if you're unsure about proper pancake making procedure, just ask my grnadfather...kidding. he's an excellent pancake maker. hit me up, if you have any questions.

I topped these filling cakes with complimentary applesauce. oh yeah.

Apparently Tahini is Out to Get Me!

2011-11-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

I'm in the kitchen...making a little dinner: heating up some Tuscan Kale Soup with Barley I had made the night before accompanied by steamed Brussel Sprouts in Tahini Dressing. Minding my own business, listening to NPR, stirring the ever-separated tahini when it all of the sudden the quick-as-a-ninja tahini lunged out of the jar, flying at the speed of light into my eyeball...as well as my sleeve, shoulder, over my shoulder and onto the floor. Have you ever had tahini oil in your eye????

So to counteract, I passively tranformed the tahini into a dressing with a few minced garlic cloves, fresh parsley, salt/pepper, water (to thin), and lemon juice. Ate it up before it could seige war against any other bodily part.

I do have to say Tahini Dressing and Brussel Sprouts were a marvelous marriage. yum!

One of These Days I'll Be As Cool As Cauliflower!

2011-10-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

What beautiful colors! What divinely awesome geometric shapes! How art thou, dear cauliflower!! You continue to amaze me.

This week....needing to utilize this gorgeous head of purple cauliflower. I tried out a Curried Cauliflower Soup....secret ingredient...well, no oil - that's cool, yet the secret ingredient is...apple! How i love me some apples!

2 Tbs water, for sauteing
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 medium tart apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 Tbs curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lg head cauliflower, chopped into somewhat inform-sized pieces
4 cups vegetable stock
salt, to taste

Heat water in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes or until soft and translucent. Stir in apple, curry powder, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer or until the curry powder turns a deep yellow. Add a little more water as necessary to keep the contents from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add the cauliflower and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool a bit, then blend in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and serve.

I put various garnishes on this particular soup: fresh arugula, toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted cashews...pick your flavor. And enjoy!
Recipe came from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's "Color Me Vegan" Fair Winds Press, 2010.

freaky 13th....and it's not a Friday

2011-10-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

Well...hello again.

I has been an ENTIRE year since a post. how lame of me. However, I'm much the wiser...moved, shattered my wrist, lost two cats, laughed, cried, danced. Yup...still truckin'.

I just needed to mention the diggity bomb meal a "kitchen sinker" and I prepared the other night, complete with Dark n' Stormies and a travel Scrabble game....and Ween. lots and lots of Ween.

We both have a everlasting love for Silly's of Portland, Maine's Vegan Thai Pie Pizza...peanut sauce, tofu, scallions, optional vegan mozzarella. simple, yet yum. I have made many attempts to order this delicious meal from the restaurant recently with as many failures for diverse reasons. So....I made Sue's version.

Home-made whole wheat parsley crust, peanut sauce (from scratch), tofu, broccoli, roasted red peppers, fennel, "hen of the woods" mushrooms, local ginger!, carmelized onions. I do have to say....wow! was amazing...though I've got a little project which is called improving my pizza crust recipe.

I love me some appetizers to munch on while I'm cooking. Therefore, we roasted up some delicata rings and whipped up a roasted garlic creamy olive, parsley dipping sauce. Equally yum!

I'll hit you up with recipes in a few.
Viva la kitchen sink!!

On another note....interested in holiday vegan baked goods??? Coming your way to mid-coast Maine soon! give me a shout!!

Pear Tarts for All!!

2010-10-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's pear season, and I mean it's pear season. juicy miniature reminders of exotic lushness. aka those wicked magical temptresses.

So, yeah. I had some. Then I had some more. Eventually, I got carried away and didn't know what to do with them all. And so....
there was a birthday, and a gathering, and a farm, and a festival, and another farm... and, some dogs.

Pear Tart with Toasted Almond Crust and Orange-Ginger Glaze
2 cups raw almonds, toasted
1/2 cup dates, pitted
4 pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 Tbs + 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar or natural sweetener
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

In a food processor, coarsely grind the almonds. Add the dates and process until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into a lightly oiled 9-inch tart pan (pie plate or springform will do). Toss the pears with 2 tsp lemon juice and arrange in the crust in a cute, circular pattern. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and ground ginger and bake on the center oven rack until the pears soften (about 30 minutes). Let cool to room temperature. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the marmalade, the 1 Tbs lemon juice, and the fresh ginger, stirring until blended. Brush on the pear slices and serve.
From "Vegan Planet" by Robin Robertson (Harvard Common Press, 2003)

The night got sloppy so unfortunately no pics were taken. However, when I say Pear Tarts for All... awww, yeah. Select few got to sample this eye-pleasing dish, and when you turn your back (or go hug a chiminea), a Rascal devours it. Need I say more.... dogs. love. pear tarts.

shift in season, shift in flava'

2010-09-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yup. A short but a quickie.
That's what I got for you...

Crisp Autumn mornings makes my head spin and coffee steam. While the leaves change, I fantasize about Apple Crisp and fall goodies. Just the other night, I made a Roasted Veggie Savory Tart with Roasted Garlic Dip. Sure, roasting adds to the cooking time but what a better way to heat your home (though this time of year leaves me desperately missing my wood stove).

I haven't made many tarts YET!! (and I do stress yet. I feel it coming on. the tart explosion.) This one was a free-forming beauty (and sadly the battery died in my camera). I would say about 95+% of the ingredients were local AND organic (which is so sexy to me). The crust needs some improvement, which a-okay with me - just means that I will have to make more! It was super fragile, made with hand-ground walnuts, sesame seeds, flaxseeds along with buckwheat, whole wheat pastry flour, and sun-dried tomato oil.

The garlic dip I feel will be a staple of mine this season. Super delish, super easy. Roasted garlic, ground almonds, and balsamic vinegar... oh my.

For those of you who needs recipes (and I know who you are...) all I can say is, workin on it.
Happy Autumn.

Boo...

2010-09-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

Anyone notice that I've been MIA this summer?!? Just checking... (while putting a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp in the oven)

Pesto is for the People

2010-07-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

I LOVE pesto. Smother me in pesto... seriously.

So I'm continuing on with my CSA-friend theme here. As we were liberating the winter squash last weekend, we discussed her possible allergic reaction to walnuts. I, personally, was heartbroken by just the sound of this. Along with pesto and good music, I LOVE walnuts. My dog does too. Watch out!

The topic of pestos came up - with the smell of basil was in the air. She asked about nut alternatives: pine nuts, being a little pricey; walnuts, making her tongue itch. She mentioned almonds. and I thought.... hmmm, interesting choice, I suppose. And then it just popped in my head like alfalfa sprouts gone wild. (drum-roll please) Sage Almond Pesto. What a delightful idea. Ever since that afternoon, i have not been able to put it out of my mind.

So naturally I snagged a bunch of sage from her farm and quickly picked up some organic almonds from the co-op, toasted them up right and started grinding away.

The finiish product was (the obvious) Sage and Toasted Almond Pesto, using farm garlic scapes. I made a Penne dish with the last of the broccoli rabe, sun-dried tomatoes, beet greens and the magnificent pesto. Delish!

Specifically, in terms of the pesto: I found it to be a tad on the bitter side. Now there are multiple theories circulating in brain as the cause and what to do. Could have been the simple fact that I used it up right away. Pesto tastes oh so good when all the flavors have the time to marinate and get cozy together. Also, next time I might try cutting the sage with a little parsley - that always does wonders. And a few other tricks up my sleeves I wish not to mention at this point in time.

Bottom line is... I LOVE PESTO.

Tempeh... what?!?

2010-06-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

My friend started a CSA this year, specializing in fermented goodness. As trade for helping at her farm, she gives me tasty samples from time to time. Ex. Soy Oatmeal Tempeh. yum!

Here's one of the many tasty dishes I've explored with the local tempeh from Proud Peasant Farm.
Thai Tempeh Pilaf with Kale and Basil.

description to follow. anticipation can be so much fun! :)

Enough is Enough... then there were Coconut Thai App Bundles

2010-06-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

So.... A life of a socialite (meaning, I like my friend time) equals no blog time! I've thought about this spot for some time, and then some more. And low and behold - still no posts. I've decided that photo shoots are not mandatory for posts and just share my cooking... regardless.

I've got a lot of catching up to do. With that in mind, I'll just share my most current cooking delight. From now on, if someone (meaning YOU) is in dire need of a visual and/or a recipe i have not provided, let me know. That will get my ass moving to actually post pics and also let me know people are reading. :)

Yes, yes. Thai food! This refreshing appetizer dish was inspired by my wonderful, monthly potluckers. Thai was the theme, and Thai it was. ACTUALLY... it ended being Tie Night for Thai Night, but that's a whole nother story.

Leaf-Wrapped Coconut Cashew Bundles with Dipping Sauce.

Yup. I haven't eaten in over a month.

2010-01-20T03:47:00.000-08:00

JK... though you would think that since there hasn't been a peep from the Kitchen Sink. (I really did not intend for that to rhyme.)

But just like my blog of a sister wrote... time to break the seal.*

Last night wasn't entirely vegan fare, which I can deal with, it's more about the process that goes in it and the people you're with. I've been visiting with dear, out-of-town friends in the past week or so. Ole Wool Socks Carey and I invaded a friend's kitchen with plucked-from-the-Kennebec-River-the-night-before smelt, roasted buttercup squash, asian greens stirfry, and balsamic marinated tempeh. And did I mention the 3 bottles of wine?!?

*Reference to this comment made possible by http://www.booknboob.com/my_blog

my Mexican friend

2009-12-13T04:12:00.000-08:00

Alright, that's not true (but I'm sure I have a Mexican friend somewhere out here)... this post was requested by a personal favorite of mine who casually mentioned her husband being Mexican (which is also not true). Vague references to personal jokes... got to love them.

So, this is the truth. I was feeling like some sort of casserole when I was invited to a Mexican potluck (I know - casserole and Mexican?!?). However, I found this recipe in Crescent Dragonwagon's "Passionate Vegetarian" ginormous cookbook and tweeked it for my tastes. Everyone was pleasantly satisfied with the dish... and amazed that it was vegan (sorry no pics - I baked it at my friend's, cause that's how I roll, and was too embarrassed for a photo shoot). Enjoy, Sly and Kevin.

Calabacitas Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Crust

Calabacitas:
2 tsp veg oil
1 onion, diced
1 finely minced serrano or jalapeno pepper, may include membrane and seeds (but watch out!)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs water or veg stock
1/2 to 1 sm butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-in cubes
3-6 sm zucchini, stems removed, cut into 1/4-in cubes
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oil in skillet over med heat. Add the onion and saute until onion starts to give aroma (2 min). Add the pepper and cumin seeds, and saute until onion begins to soften (2-4 min). Add the squash and water/stock. Cover and steam until the squash starts to soften (4-8 min). Uncover, raise the heat slightly, and add the zucchini. Saute, stirring often, until the zucchini is crisp-tender (5 min). Season with salt.

Salsa Verde y Blanca with Tofu:
1 10 1/2-oz box soft silken tofu
2 serrano chiles, stems removed, seeds included, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, quartered
1/2 cup nondairy milk

Combine all ingredients except the milk in a food processor and work your magic to make a chunky puree. Add the milk and buzz a few more times.

Cormeal Biscuit Topping:
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tbs veg margarine, veg shortening, or applesauce (if you're conscience of fat)
1 tbs veg oil (see line above)
3/4 - 1 cup sourmilk (1 tbs vinegar + 3/4 c nondairy milk)

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Add the shortening item and oil and cut the fats into the flour mix. Add the sourmilk and stir until mixture forms a ball (more milk may be needed if too crumbly). Knead 4-5 times... just a lil firming (so don't over knead).

So now to make a union...
Preheat oven to 425oF. Combine the calabacitas and salsa in a nonstick pan over low to med heat and cook slowly, stirring often. Spray 8 1-cup ramekins or an 8-in square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the heated calabacitas mix into the ramekins or dish. Top with the biscuit mix and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the topping is brown and the calabacitas mix is fragrant and bubbling.

Onions and Spinach

2009-11-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

I have had many a complements on this recipe for French Onion Soup, which comes from Joanne Stepaniak's "The Vegan Sourcebook" (my first ever Vegan book). Easy and quick... and oh so satisfying. I waited on making this soup til I could pick up some of the delicious bread (and produce) at Chase's Daily in town. Unfortunately, they ran out of their classic French Baguette before I arrived so I settled for Rye Caraway.

French Onion Soup

1 tbs olive oil

3 med. onions, sliced

1 large garlic, minced

1/4 c. whole-wheat pastry flour

4 cups water

1/4 c, tamari

French Bread, for serving

Heat the oil over med-high and add the garlic and onion. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, mixing well. Then stir in the water and tamari and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the onions are tender (about 20 minutes). To serve, place a slice of bread in a bowl and ladle soup on top.

Flipping through the recipe section, I gazed upon a Sour Cream and Onion Dip recipe. Honestly, I sometime get excited when I stumble upon these kinds of foods... maybe because they relate to the "other" world (Meaning: before I even gave up dairy, I didn't even LIKE sour cream. So why would I even attempt to make a "sour cream" dip??? Sounds like something those ordinary folk eat... :) ). Now that I offended most of my family and friends... I ended up adding some chopped, steamed spinach to the mix BEFORE blending (but in hind sight, next time (ehhh), I may add the spinach after).

Sour Cream, Onion and Spinach Dip

1 c. silken tofu (firm)

2 tbs canola oil

1 tbs dried onion flakes

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tsp tamari

1 tsp date sugar or other dry sweetner

1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined. Transfer to a covered container and cool several hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

sunday brunch = pumpkin pie pancakes and sauteed kale

2009-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

Had some leftover roasted pumpkin. I also went to a restaurant recently that served Pumpkin Pie Pancakes - not vegan, of course. So I made my version.... umm, so good. Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice - topped with sliced almonds and maple syrup.

I had been craving some scrumptious kale... steamed, then sauteed with a little olive oil, garlic, and salt. Squirted with fresh lemon juice. (A little nutrition side note: besides being incredibly tasty, lemons are rich with vitamin C which help absorb the abundance of iron found in kale. yum.)

A very simple, satisfying meal.

dinner for two

2009-11-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

The long awaited dinner with my culinary-like-minded friend, meaning that she would (and does) spend all day in the kitchen if she could. She's also the one that always inquires about potluck themes, which is something I do as well, when my other friends either just look a me weird or think I'm anal.

Now that time is slowing down to the winter months, there seems to be more opportunities for dinner arrangements. We set our "theme" around root vegetables, which are most abundant at the moment (meaning she has MOUNDS stored away for the coming months). What better to go with roasted root vegetables than polenta! I'm forever intimidated by the idea of polenta for some reason, but every now-and-then, feel obliged to try to ignore that feeling. I found a recipe for "soft polenta" that is a mixture of cornmeal and quinoa (for a protein punch and additional nutty flavor... oh yeah, and finely chopped leeks) topped with a made-from-scratch spicy tomato sauce. I ended up having time to set the polenta, which is my preferred way to serve it. The sauce was very tasty with portobello mushroom, cooking sherry, and onions.

My friend took care of the root veggies and also wanted to try out a spicy carrot soup recipe she had. Soup was great... really it was (though ask her about the red lentils I brought for her!). Let's just say sometimes, especially when you're cooking with a headlamp, sometimes just call it quits.

So I'm fully aware that pictures are needed... also recommended to me by my sister. They are coming.
In the meantime, up next... Butternut Squash and Wild Mushroom Lasagna, anyone?

strike that, reverse it

2009-11-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

So over this past week, I transitioned from thinking about this whole blog idea into creating it... with help along the way, of course. Most recently, friends of mine have dove into the food industry arena, not thinking twice. I love it! and am most envious of their fearless spirits. I too have thought many a times into making something I enjoy doing ALL THE TIME into career reality. And maybe, I suppose, this is my first baby step.

I do have to give a little warning that I am in no way a writer or poet... me likey food talkey.

Moving on...

I feel I want to do some catching up on the dishes I had made recently that put me over the blogphobia edge. First, was the kicking-into-the-season Ladies Night Potluck dish I prepared. I love my ladies night - for the company, of course, and the almost-fact that most of our nights revolve around food. I brought Beer Stew featuring the amazing Deep Purple Rauchbier from Marshall Wharf Brewery (Belfast, ME, USA; http://marshallwharf.com/). A very simple dish but simply delicious. I chose this recipe for the mere fact that I had some tasty beer gone flat and could not part with it any other way than to cook with it. The stew was accompanied by homemade Pumpkin Biscuits. Both dishes were a hit - I'm not sure if the stew was loved for the tasty goodness or the beer. The biscuits did not rise as much as I was anticipating, so maybe I rolled them out a bit too much, but they were tasty nonetheless.

Birthday Surprise...

I was busy towards the end of the week, even though I had been looking forward to my friend's birthday potluck gathering for a month now. When it came to it, I was scrambling to put together something decent. I had made another soup earlier in the week - Tuscan White Bean Soup. Thinking back, most everything in the soup was local... which I am most passionate about. The soup was excellent - slow cooked with fennel and carrots, but after enjoying it a couple times, needed a little revamping. I concocted the idea of converting the soup into a vegetable pot pie, which I had never attempted before. Primarily, I knew that the stock would need to be thicken... I made a whole wheat crust for bottom and top, ladled the soup into the casserole dish, added some chopped Swiss chard (for some greens I thought would be missing), poured the stock on top, and finished with the crust. The pot pie turned out very well and loved by all.

I had this bright idea to bring the main dish, dessert, and appetizer (once I get going, I can't stop!). I found a simple pumpkin peanut butter ball recipe which called for dipping these molded forms into chocolate. Rushing around like I was, I only found carob chips quickly, and so some odd reason, the chips were not melting in the double boiler. In the meantime, I worked on the apps... I had leftover pumpkin seeds I wanted to use up, so I found a recipe that had a maple syrup-based seasoning. In a frantic raid of the kitchen, I did not bother to check the amount of seeds/nuts the recipe called for... they turned out way to sticky to present to a birthday girl. Most frustrated I thought I might call it quits for the night. But just then, I had the notion to marry the two flop dishes into one. I do say that I was a bit apprehensive about this since the pumpkin seeds were a little spicy (cayenne pepper) but I thought I'd give it a shot. And boy, were those balls loved most appreciated!! (and on a side note, I think they might have turned out better than the original recipe... as far as I am concerned. I'm not that big of a fan of chocolate... I know it's a sin.)

Tonight, I'm thinking some vegan cheesy veggie casserole....