Air Fried Vegan Chickpea Burrito

If I need to take something to eat on my next airplane trip, this will be my go to food to put in my purse. It is portable not gooey and it is satisfying. The  ancho guajillo chile sauce coats the chickpeas, you do not need extra sauce. No fussy drips. The refried beans glue the other stuff of the filling together. No dribbling at all. I have tested its portability by eating it in the car while driving and it performed well as a no fuss hand held food. More importantly it is good and easy to prepare.

You do not need to air fry it but if you're consuming it right away, do take that extra step.

Air Fried Vegan Chickpea Burrito

1 can garbanzo or chickpea beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp dry onion flakes
1\2 tbsp dry garlic flakes
3/4 cup ancho guajillo chile sauce
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp green peas from can
Salt to taste
4 large tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 cup cooked rice
Carrot julliened
Bunch cilantro
Chopped green onions


In a skillet add the ingredients up to the salt and allow the mixture to boil till most of the liquid evaporates.

Microwave tortillas 8 seconds.

Spread refried beans on tortilla. Top the beans with the rest of the ingredients.

Fold the two sides of the tortilla and then fold over the side closest to you and roll into a cylinder.

Air fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.

Let It Be

Sometimes it is best in time of sorrows, anger and helplessness to let it be for awhile and just allow oneself to grieve . Prayers for those who we lost on the recent shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh PA. Our prayers go to their loved ones and thanks to those who helped in during this moment of crisis.

When A Name Triggers Tender Memories

As I was driving to work, I heard on my car radio a familiar name of a nursing home. Immediately memories of our search in the late 1990's for a suitable one for my mother in law, who had failing health, came back.  Included in these flashes of events was a certain feeling in my heart for a tender moment that occurred during this challenging but inevitable part of my whole family's lives.

My two daughters were with me as I searched everywhere for the best nursing home close to where we lived. We got to a place about thirty minutes from our house where a nursing home with the name I heard on the radio was located. The rooms were clean but small and dark. The residents looked neat but glum.

My first born daughter, Wendy,  is a quiet, soft spoken and not an opinionated person. I was surprised at the end of the visit when she exclaimed, "Do not put grandma there." sounding like a command. It was out of character of her to be that bossy.
I knew then how much she loved her Grandma Beaty who lovingly helped me raised her and her sister, Bettina. She wanted the best place for her and this one we visited was not up to her standards.

Her Grandma sold her house in Alma, Wisconsin and moved in with us when Wendy was born in 1982 in Ames, Iowa where Bob my husband, her son, and I finished our graduate work,  She was with us in Kansas City, Missouri where Bob worked at his first job and finally in Monroeville, PA where we have been since 1989. Wendy was a senior in high school in 1999, when my mother in law moved to a nice bright nursing home  near our house.

In 2000, we would be in Alma where in the only funeral home in this town of less than 900 persons, my mother in law was laid to rest. My quiet, shy daughter, Wendy, unabashedly sobbed as her casket was taken away. I watched then and was touched and now remember with tears in my eyes this great love of my daughter for her grandma who had lovingly helped raised her.

In a way I was grateful that name of the nursing home triggered  back these memories. I needed to take that journey back when I got to witness my daughter show both her vulnerability  and strength and I, in turn, receive the precious gift of knowing her more.

Memories like this also  help tenderize  a cynical heart. It did these past few days when I have been in an overwhelmed and "angry at the world" state. As I shed tears as I was writing this post, I felt my heart soften, feeling more understanding and empathy for others who were in a rotten state as I have  been. You really do not know the power of a word or name sometimes and the memories they evoke. I am grateful they were consoling ones in this case.

The Question

Comfort or growth? Hmm.
Shun the fear. Take the leap. Just
do it. No what if's.

Vegan Veggie Laden Thai Soup

This is an easy soup to prepare. The combination of spices found in most cupboards give it that characteristic taste found in spicy Thai soup.  Since most of my vegan friends prefer not to ingest coconut milk, I used non dairy milk to tone down the spiciness of the soup.  The toppings make the soup. Do use them.  As for the vegetables, you can add any vegetable you like. Any one you choose will work with the delicious broth. I used straw mushrooms and bamboo shoots from a can.  Both are available in any Asian store or even in large grocery stores.

Vegan Veggie Laden Thai Soup

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced 
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp miso paste
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
•  1/2 cup straw mushrooms
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots from can
• 1/2 cup pea pods, sliced
• 1/2 cup red pepper, julliened
• 1 cup non dairy milk
• 1 stalk green onion, chopped 
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, torn

Place  the first eleven ingredients from salt to red pepper flakes in a medium sauce pan. Boil at medium high till the ginger cooks.  Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pea pods and milk and continue to simmer.  When serving top the soup with green onions, juice of the lime and cilantro leaves.

Vegan Cauliflower Tacos with Ancho Guajillo Chile Sauce

I first had ancho guajillo chile sauce when it was used to cook the sausage filling of the mixed plate of taco, burrito and enchilada I ate at the Madero Cantina Restaurant in Murrysville, PA. I fell in love with it and decided to find a recipe for this sauce to prepare a vegan version of the taco using cauliflower. I found the recipe for it in this site and the rest is history. My craving has not stopped for the cauliflower filling especially with rice and refried beans. No need for the tortillas actually or any cheese. Cilantro do help enhance the dish. The filling was even better the next day.

Btw I found the dried ancho and guajillo chiles at the Giant Eagle Hispanic food section. Each was less than three dollars for a packet of a dozen or so.

Madero Cantina's mixed plate.

Here is my vegan version of the tacos prepared with this incredible sauce. Double the recipe for the taco filling. I wish I did.

Vegan Cauliflower Tacos with Ancho Guajillo Chile Sauce

Ancho Guajillo Chile Sauce

Adapted from this site.

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded
• 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded
• 1 1\2 cups hot water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1\8 tsp oregano
• 1\4 tsp salt

Soak the chiles in the hot water right in tbe blender for 30 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree the mixture till smooth. Set aside. Store any  leftover in the fridge.

Cauliflower Tacos

Filling

• 1\2 onion, chopped
• garlic clove, minced
• 1\4 cup vegetable broth
• 1\2 head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup ancho guajillo chile sauce prepared above
• 1\8 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp green peas
• 1\2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil the onion and garlic in the broth in a skillet till they are cooked.

Add the rest of the ingredients and allow the mixture to boil till the cauliflower is cooked and most of the liquid is evaporated.

Assembly

• 8 small soft corn tortillas
• cilantro and green onions for garnish
• more ancho guajillo chile sauce
• refried beans
• cooked rice

Warm the tacos for ten seconds in the microwave. Add the filling. Add cilantro and green onions.  Serve sauce on the side. Eat with rice and refried beans on tbe side.

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CSJA Maxim 86 St. Bernadette Group Sept Meeting

This was the thorough handout prepared with a lot of thought by Natalie for our September 20th, 2018 Meeting held at the St. Bernadette Convent, Monroeville, PA. Natalie gave three versions of the suggested readings. Pick and choose which one appeals to you or the one that hits the message best.

Maxim 87 St. Bernadette Prayer Group October 15, 2018

Here is the wonderful  handout on Maxim 87 prepared by Natalie for our October prayer meeting at St. Bernadette Convent. Thanks Natalie for putting your time and much thought in preparing this excellent handout.

Dance in the Dark

Embrace the black space
with gladness. Wait with hope the
message it would bring.

Glorified Aldi's Cream Puffs

One of my favorite desserts that my former high school classmate from St. James Academy, Malabon Philippines, Josie Almassy, served to us, Lita, Lulu and myself, during our visit at her fabulous mansion/museum house in Dixon, Illinois, was the Cream Puffs from Aldi.

I developed a craving for them and when I arrived in Pittsburgh I bought some.  They come frozen, as shown below, and can be eaten unthawed or thawed. My granddaughter, Maddie, fell in love with this treat and we both ate them frozen.  When I learned they can be eaten thawed, I decided to look for ways to glorify it.

Here are pictures from our visit at the Almassys in Dixon, Illinois. Thanks Josie and Imre for your hospitality.

I got the idea of glorifying the cream puffs from the ones served at the Mad Hatters Tea event at the Flowers in the Attic Restaurant at Penn Hills, PA. See photos below. You will find it is easy to embellish the cream puffs with the help of readily available items in your pantry.

Easy peasy and elegant. They would not know you had help from your friends, Aldi and your pantry.

Coconut Frosted Cream Puffs

• 1\2 cup powdered  sugar
• 3  tsp milk
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Mix the first two ingredients. Dip the whole cream puff in the mixture and roll in the coconut.

Chocolate Covered Cream Puffs

• Bottled chocolate fudge
• Sprinkles

Dip  top of cream puff in bottled chocolate fudge and then add the sprinkles on top.

One Fine Day

Happiness is something you do not seek at times. It just comes along the way. Yesterday was one of those days. I was happy and it came as a delightful surprise. Nothing spectacular or epic occurred  It was just one fine day.

For the first time I enjoyed being back teaching again at a place I retired from for an emergency semestral long assignment. I was joking with my students during the prelab lecture and during the lab. It was a so called dry lab wherein no chemicals were used. Instead students were connecting sticks and colored balls to make three dimensional models of molecules .This process is supposed to help them tackle the difficult topic of stereochemistry, an important part of organic chemistry. It helps them visualize the molecules instead of just seeing their two dimensional structures on paper.

The day before, I spent hours reviewing the concepts, reading the manual and viewing excellent Youtube videos on the topic. I felt confident and well prepared going into my class. This particular lab activity was less hectic than a wet lab where students are abuzz with preparing set ups made of glass and handling chemicals. In this dry lab no unpredictable things could happen like spilled reagents, glass wares breaking and equipment not working. I did not have to deal with students ' questions of why things are not working as expected either. Questions were also asked in this wet lab or model building exercise which were challenging but predictable and I was well prepared to answer them.

Yesterday I finally was able to enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the school cafeterias. The lab finished an hour early. My friend, the dean of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division, suddenly popped beside me at my table.  At the next table, I engaged a couple of nursing faculty members for a chat. The vegan dishes I had and the pork loin entree were delicious. Everything was coming up roses for me food wise too.

When I walked from the cafeteria to my office and into the building corridors, happy memories started coming back including the giddy feeling that came with it. Have I finally adjusted to getting back to work after three years of being retired or was it because the glands in my body were spewing endorphins all over my brain and were just making me see everything rosy pink?

No matter what the reasons were, it was one fine day to cherish. Perhaps happiness cannot be figured out as some chemical equation or formula. It should, if it comes, just be enjoyed to the fullest until another one comes along the way.

Happy Meal

Four chicken nuggets,
french fries. Ate them all. Drank his
juice. Then more fries please.

Receive Like Your Breath

The mystery of
God. Contemplate and allow
in, the unknowing.

Note:

Inspired by Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation for today.

Vegan Air Fried Mushroom Eggplant Empanada

One of the highlights of my trip to New York with my daughter, Wendy, after Labor Day, was eating at the kiosks that line up Broadway. Nuchas, which specializes in artisan hand held foods, was one of them. It peddles empanadas including the delicious Vegan Curry Shitake Mushroom Empanada in Turmeric Pastry.

This recipe in this blog post is based on the ingredients enumerated in the Nuchas menu for their vegan shitake empanada. I guessed the amounts of the ingredients and how they were prepared.

The filling came together easily and was pretty close to how the ones from Nuchas tasted. The pastry dough is another story. I used the recipe from this website. However I did not use almond meal given in the recipe and that was the cause of my difficulty kneading the dough. Almond meal has its natural oil which helps in the texture of the dough to be pliable. In any case I was able to handle the dough using all purpose flour by using more water.  It did not give a  pastry with some crunch to it but still was delicious.

Vegan Air Fried Mushroom Eggplant Empanada

Inspired by New York City Nuchas' Vegan Curry Shitake Mushroom Empanada

• 1\2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1\2 medium eggplant, microwaved (note 1) and chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut into small cubes
• 2 potatoes, microwaved (see note 2), peeled and cubed
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1\2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1\2 tsp coriander powder
• 1\8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Add the onion and garlic in the broth and allow the broth to boil at medium heat till the onion and garlic are cooked. 

Add the mushroom and eggplant to the mixture and cook in the broth till the mushroom pieces are cooked. 

Add the rest of the ingredients and heat the mixture till the zucchini is barely cooked and still crunchy and the spices are blended.

Cool and spoon into prepared vegan pastry dough, recipe shown below.

Notes:

1. Slice the eggplant lengthwise and place the pieces on a paper towel and cover them with another paper towel. Microwave on high for three minutes.

2. Make three shallow slits on both sides of the potato and microwave at high setting for 2-3 minutes  for each potato or 4-6 minutes for two.

Vegan Three Ingredient Pastry Dough

Adapted from this website

• 1 1\2 cup all purpose flour (original recipe used almond meal)
• 1\3 cup cornstarch
• 2 tbsp flax meal in 6 tbsp water (allow to bloom for 8-10 minutes)
• 1\4 tsp salt
• 1 to 1 1\2 cup water or as needed (might need less with almond meal because it has its natural oil)

Mix flour, cornstarch, flax meal in water and salt in a bowl. Add water as needed till the dough can be kneaded and stretched. 

Form into a cylinder and cut into 12 discs. 

Assembly of the empanada

Roll each pastry dough disc into a circle. Place about  1 tablespoon of the filling on one half of the circle and fold the other half over. Crimp the edges.

Air fry the empanadas in the air fry basket in batches at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

This is a dump it and forget it Slow Cooker recipe. An easy comforting soup for this fall weather. Spicy and hearty.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili with Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce

• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1\2 lb green tomatoes, chopped coarsely
• 1 tbsp jalapeno from bottle, chopped
• 1\2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 whole boneless and skinless chicken breast, about a pound
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1\2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1\4 tsp black pepper
• 1 - 14 oz can white beans or any beans, drained
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• Cilantro and sliced green onions for toppings

Place all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook for three hours at high setting or six hours at low setting. I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for two hours at slow cooker setting. 

At the end of cooking, take out the chicken breast and shred or chop coarsely and return the pieces back to the crock pot.

Serve topped with cilantro and sliced green onions.

Vegan Air Fried Green Tomatoes

Crrrunchy! Delllicious! OMG goodness. Should I add healthy.  Oil free, dairy free. I am singing my song of praise for these air fried green tomatoes.

After several attempts creating a batter for the green tomatoes from our garden, I finally found one that made my day.. My picky taster, my husband, who is the obsessive grower of these tomatoes gave these air fried green tomatoes two thumbs up. He loved it especially with the sauce.

After researching the internet, I found a site which suggested using cornstarch instead of flour to help absorb the moisture from the tomatoes. I think this is the key to the success of this batch I made in terms of texture and taste. I had coated the tomatoes before with cornmeal but found the taste too strong.

I added the spices directly into the cornstarch. I found that cumin was needed which I added but it is just my personal preference. You can add whatever spice or herbs you want. I used plain almond milk instead of vegan egg substitutes like flax seed or chia seeds in water. Almond or any non dairy milk is convenient and does not give a pasty result while doing a good job in making the Panko crumbs adhere to the tomatoes. Btw you can check this same site for a more decadent alternative to Panko crumbs, potato chips!

I am falling in love with my air fryer, a gift from my friend, Seville during our mini reunion with our former office mates in the Philippines. Thanks Seville!

The very hospitable Seville at her huge kitchen, scene of  many memorable parties and reunions.

Nini and France, my two other former office mates in the Philippines, who came for the mini reunion this past August at Seville's place. Look at those delicious Maryland crabs being packed as our baon to take home with us.

 Vegan Air Fried Green Tomatoes

Inspired by this site.

• Green tomatoes
• Cornstarch
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin
• Almond milk or any non dairy milk
• Panko crumbs

Cut your  green tomatoes into slices.

Into a small bowl, add the cornstarch. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin into the cornstarch and mix well.

Set a station with the seasoned cornstarch in one bowl, almond milk in another, and Panko crumbs in a third bowl.

Dip each tomato slice in the seasoned cornstarch shaking off any excess, then dip it in the almond milk. Again allow any excess milk to drip then dredge the tomato in the Panko crumbs patting them down to make the crumbs stick.

Place the tomatoes in the air fryer basket in single file.

Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8  minutes.

Serve with the sauce.

Sauce

• Vegan mayo or Vegenaise or your homemade vegan mayo
• Sriracha to taste

Mix the ingredients.