Mofo Monday: Food I Eat

Mondays are reserved for random food I make and eat. These are a baked seitan burger that I tested for Joni over at Just the Food. I make these a lot but since acquiring a metric tonne of Daiya I decided to use her original suggestion with these and stuff them. The first picture shows the burger mixture being divided into top and bottoms and getting a sprinkle of Daiya in between.

And here is the finished product, covered with the amazing Bar B Cutie sauce and a side of sauteed kale and carrots. Served up on 50/50 burger buns from American Vegan Kitchen. The buns will make a few appearances this month.



A side note for the day: The good man at I-40 Vegan has posted a picture of the scalloped corn and okra casserole I blogged about last week. Get your okra on, my friends. Also, send some of those rolls he made for today. They look fab.

Vegan Product Sunday: Chirp Cards

I thought I would take my mofo Sundays to post about some small businesses that are both vegan and run by vegans. Panda With Cookie is never paid for endorsements because we like to keep it classy.

Today's shop is Chirp Cards on Etsy.
How can you resist the turtle?
Cards are $3.75 each and can also be bought in packs of 5 of your choice. Each card is hand cut and assembled and adorable. You will need that 5 pack so you can send me weekly missives about your backpacking adventure in Siberia.

Cookbook Favorites: Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from Vegan with a Vengeance

I don't know how many times I have made this recipe, but it never gets old. In the picture above I have added some Daiya cheese but it is most delightful made according to the recipe. From Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. This is one of the first vegan dishes I made.

Three 16-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
3 large carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1/2 cup bread crumbs (preferably whole wheat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas well, using a potato masher or firm fork. It takes about 2 minutes to get the right consistency. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add the bread crumbs and mix; then add the oil, and mix again. Finally, add the vegetable broth and salt, and mix one last time.

Transfer all ingredients to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (preferably glass or ceramic). Press the mixture firmly into the casserole. Cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Panda With Cookie at the Grover Fall Festival Saturday

Panda With Cookie will be at the Grover, North Carolina, Fall Festival from 10-5 on Saturday, November 6. Stop by and say hello!

Tasteless Tablescapes

Tablescapes! Such a hot topic these days. Now if you are like me you don't have the cash to buy a bunch of pretty, fancy dishes to suit the multiple tablecloths, vases and outfits you plan to decorate your table with. So I will provide you with some simple ideas that anyone can use to make their next dinner party fun!

Today's tablescape is what you get when you realize you are single and writing blog posts about your cat baking with Bisquick. A simple plate and glass with a vase full of liquor. Feel free to substitute in whatever alcohol is your preference.


I think the nice gold and black bottle caps really pop against the blue tablecloth. You can also omit the vase and simply place the bottles on the table but it will be a bit classier with the vase.

Mr. Bran Bakes with Bisquick

Mr. Bran, top chef, has decided to help me out for Vegan Mofo by offering up some of his favorite recipes! Now, as we know thanks to Calpernia Addams, there is no shame in Bisquick. So each Thursday Mr. Bran will don his wee chef hat and mix up some breakfast in the kitchen while I laze about on my chaise and get lightly fanned by the pool boy.

Today's recipe is super easy. Mix
2 c Bisquick
1 c soymilk
1/2 c soy yogurt

and then ladle onto a hot pan and cook. Flip when the pancake is gently bubbling on top. So easy even a cat as lazy as Mr. Bran can do it!


Verdict: Not bad. I ate these with apricot and ginger preserves which were good, but I prefer my Vegan with a Vengeance pancakes. But for Mr. Bran, I am pretty impressed.

Scalloped Okra and Corn Casserole

A few people asked in previous comments about the okra corn casserole I mentioned. I got the recipe from the good man over at the I-40 Kitchen and it comes from the 1958 Unity Vegetarian Cookbook. Check out his blog for a month long trip down ye olde vegetarian path.
I have no pictures of the casserole I made, but it was quite tasty. There is nothing finer than okra in the summer.

3 c sliced okra
4 T shortening
2 c corn
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
2 T flour
1 c milk
1/4 lb cheese, shredded (I used some of my giant bag of Daiya)
1 c bread crumbs

-Fry okra in 2 T of the shortening for 10 minutes
-Mix a cream sauce with 2 T shortening, flour and milk
-Add salt, pepper and cheese
-Layer corn and okra in baking dish
-Cover with sauce and the bread crumbs
Cook at 350 til brown and bubbly