Vegan Sausage Pot Pie

 Hello. I have gotten inspired recently, (as usually is the situation, when I create something), to bake a Pot Pie. One can use a metal pie tin and make a dough that is lain on the bottom. I used a wide and deep soup cup that is oven proof, that work wonderfully! I only used a top layer my recipe. After I made this dish and tasted it, I instantly gave it my approval, with a, "yup". I was really surprised on how delectable this culinary concoction was and pretty much gourmet. If I were to make this recipe again, I would use pumpkin, instead of potato, or maybe sweet potato, celery, and mushroom.

Filling:
1/8 purple onion
3 tbs olive oil
1 cup vegetable mix
2 tbs flour
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/16 marjoram
1/16 Basil
1/16 Thyme
1/16 rosemary
1 medium size potato
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 vegetable broth
1 vegan sausage link

Dough:
1 cup of flour
1 tbs olive oil
1/4 coconut milk
1tbs brown sugar

 Prepare the onions with a fine dice. On low heat, place a pan, add the olive oil, and carefully place the onions to caramelize, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture and stir. Let cook for 5 minutes. Add flour, nutritional yeast, herbs, and stir a little. Let cook for 3 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium high and add the coconut milk as well as the vegetable broth . Stir to incorporate the flour and nutritional yeast to make a roux and turn down the heat to medium low to start reducing. Prepare the potato into medium dice size, an add to the pan. Stir and let continue to reduce on low for 7 minutes or so. Do check and stir occasionally, fore the top and bottom will dry out, and stirring will keep an even moist viscosity.
 Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl add the flour, brown sugar, coconut milk, and olive oil, and mix until combined. One may find to add more dry or wet. Use your discretion. The product will be a ball of dough. Roll it out on a smooth surface with light bench flour to keep the dough from sticking. Roll and flip the dough over and continue to roll it out, until the dough is about an 1/8 inch thick and the area is enough to cover the baking ware. One can place the baking ware upside down over the dough to check if there is adequate area, and it leaves a little indent where one should cut around leaving about an 1 1/2 inches to hang over the ends of the cup, to ensure a good seal.
 By this time the filling mixture has been reduces down to a thick and creamy consistency. Pour the filling into the baking ware and place the dough on top of the baking cup. Press the ends on to the cup to make a seal and make vapor vent on the top of the dough. Place in an oven at 475 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes. The filling may come out of the vapor vents, it did for mine, so I put an oven tray on the very bottom to catch the drippings. This however created lots of smoke from the oven. I just turned on the oven fan and opened a few doors. This is not really a big deal, though, if one has others in the house they may mind. If so, they will definitely forgive you after you give them a taste of this fantastic meal. Remove from oven and let set.
 An surprising aspect of this dish is that even though it has been removed from the oven, if the top layer of dough is still intact, it will stay very hot for about a 25 minutes. I was so surprised that the flavors were so savory, that I just kept wanting to eat it, without stopping. I did not eat it all, there was so much. I hope that this is a recipe that turns out scrumptious for anyone that tries it.

 Thank you very much,

 Eric M. Rangel

Healthy Vegan Meals: Sleepy Blueberry Pancakes

 Hello. I love pancakes! Ever since I can remember they have been a big part of breakfast. Though since I have decided to be a vegan, pancakes have kind of been out of my mind because of the use of eggs. Though I found this is not necessary. I read other peoples recipes and found that many peoples have been making pancakes without the dairy and eggs very often. Pancakes are a fave of mine. Though my pancakes may still be more comparable to that of the "Galloping Gourmet", I am getting more improved at the art of making pancakes! :)

Vegan Sleepy Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup soy milk
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 cup of blueberries

 In a large mixing bowl, sift in the flour. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Then add the wet ingredients into the bowl, and start to whisk the ingredients together until it is mixed. This is a crucial aspect of pancake making. With the whisker in the batter, lift it out to see it's consistency. I like to have it on the more non-viscous side, that way the batter can cook more thoroughly. Add the blueberries and gently fold them in (blueberries are a super fud high in antioxidants). Make sure the skillet is hot and oiled before the batter is poured onto it. I put the heat on medium/ high. Slowly pour the batter onto the skillet. One should see bubbles appear right away. That lets one know that that heat is on high enough and that the batter is of a good consistency. Let cook for about 1 and a half minutes, then flip them over to cook on the other side. The first side tends to be more presentable then the other. I put this side up and stack the pancakes. I used maple syrup and topped with confectioners sugar! :) Good luck and have fun making your scrumptious pancakes! :)

Thank you very much! :)

Eric M. Rangel

Fairy Princess Rule!

 I have been drawing a few gud gals lately. I like to refer to them as "Fairy Princesses" because I like mythical beings and female highnesses. Then I figured I would combined them both together and see how it would turn out. My first lady was one of love. I named she Tiffany. It means jubilee to me. Some people say it refers to God or something like that. Either way that is what I choose to name she.

She has that aspect love that she mostly helps in. These gals are helpers. They help the people with there magic endowments. The second lady I choose to draw is Serena. She is the princess of peace.

I liked drawing cool colored beads for her hair the most! She brings peace to those whom would like it.

Last but not least of that I thought I had vastly improved and did my best yet with, Victoria! :) She brings happiness to the table. The rabbit, "Maya", is a symbol of her kindness and she just likes fluffy animals. In the other hand she holds her favorite food, pizza! :) They both symbolize happiness in a neat and fun way! She is a vegan as well, so the pizza is doubly so! It makes her happy to share. She will share here gifts with the other Fairies and vice versa. The ladies will work together to have fun by helping others with their magic! :) Thanks you very much! :) Eric M. Rangel

Healthy Vegan Meals: Pistachio, Edamame, and Purple Cabbage Coleslaw

 Hello. I would like to mention this recipe I put together. Someone may have used these same ingredients though I have looked at at least 30 different kinds of coleslaws and they all kind of varied. So I used my years of experience experimenting in the culinary field, and my imagination, to compose a slaw that was unlike any I had seen before and omitting the ingredients, I thought might not be palatable for those who have similar interest in my taste. I had not seen any recipes with pistachios, that of a nut is super rich in flavor and high in nutrients. Nor have I seen edamame bean used. I had my doubts. Though when I took a bite, it was instantaneous satisfaction! :) I wanted to make it again, right after I finished eating the salad! I could feel my body laughing with glee from the amount of satiating nourishment derived from the "raw" ingredients! That is going to be a goal of mine, to use more "raw" ingredients in my recipes, just to note. Raw is a way of preparing foods that have not been processed and mostly gearing toward organic. The idea is that the fundamental nutrient composite is not lost in the cooking process, thus adding to a more maximum adequacy in the assimilation in the body creating more energy to use and boosting ones immune system.  Any food that is cooked above 104-120 degrees is not considered "raw" anymore. This subject is for a another time. That and not to mention smoothies! :) Though for now here is a simple recipe to conjure! :)


Vegan Pistachio, Edamame, and Purple Cabbage Coleslaw

Ingredients:
3 tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup pistachios
2 cups purple cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup edamame

 Boil a pot of water and cook the edamame for about 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Meanwhile, in a mixing food processor, puree the mayonnaise, lime juice, and the pistachios. It should have a consistency of a dip, though more viscous then not. Set aside. Rinse and prepare the vegetables in to length wise cuts. The vegetables are pretty hearty in and of themselves, so I like to prepare them thin. Strain and rinse the edamame a bit to cool them. In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients with salt and pepper to taste. Mix. garnish with whole pistachios.

Thank You very much! :) I do hope you enjoy this scrumptious salad! :)

Sincerely, Eric M. Rangel

Grilled Corn on the Cob

 Hello. I always enjoy making this food when the weather is more on the warm side then cold. It is great because one can use the outdoor grill and have some fun! Also corn contains a bunch of nutrients and has been a staple in America for a long time! :)


2 ears of sweet corn
1/8 purple onion
fresh cilantro leaves
1/8 cup of grape seed oil
2 limes
2 Tbsp of vegan mayonnaise
a pot of water

1. In a pot of water place the two ears of sweet corn to soak. This will help the corn to cook as the water will sort of steam up, as well as not allow the corn to over cook.
2. Prepare the purple onion by discarding the skin and using about an 1/8 of it, finely chopped. The cilantro leaves are then to be removed from the stem, and made a chiffonade. The lime is then juiced with a fork into a mixing cup. The grape seed oil is added along with the onion and cilantro, then mixed. Set aside.
3. Take the ears of corn and grill them on medium heat for about 10 minutes on each side. Then remove the corn from the grill and let cool for few minutes, so they are able to be handled. Remove the husk and the stem from the corn. Return the corn to the grill to cook on each side for 5 minutes. Check to see that they are a desired doneness.
4. Remove them from the grill. Cut the ends off and section the corn about 2/12 inched wide. Place the corn on a plate and spread the vegan mayonnaise on the top. Spoon on the lime oil mixture over along the length of the corn. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges! :)

 Thank you very much! :) Eric M. Rangel

How I made: Vegan Mozzerella and Spinach Lasagna

 Hello. I am starting to be more critical in my presentations of culinary works so I think I could try and make a book of sorts. In such case I will need more dinner wear and I am not talking about clothes. So I had gotten this new square dinner plate, made some Lasgna! :) I do my best to create something new, fun, and healthy! :)

Ingredients:
1 Jar of basil tomato sauce (organic
1 Package of Lasagna noodles
Vegan cheese
1 package of spinach

Materials:  8*8 glass oven proof baking dish

 Boil up some water to cover the noodles when placed inside. I used four at the base and second level, and for the third I only used three Lasagna noodles. That is 12 pieces into the boiling water.
Place the Lasagna noodles in the water to soften until "al dente".



 You may find that the noodles are to long to fit into the baking dish, if so, cut them to length. I like to spoon some sauce on the bottom of the baking dish with some grape seed oil so the bottom layer will not stick.



 Place the first layer of noodle into the baking dish over lapping one another.


Add a layer of spinach,

 then the tomato basil sauce (organic),

and then the vegan cheese.

Repeat by starting with another layer of noodle. When the third layer of noodle is placed (I only used three at the top), only add sauce and top with the cheese. *Save some sauce for plating.



 Place the spinach and cheese lasagna in a 475 degree oven for 7 minutes, with the rack on the bottom slot, to cook the spinach and marry the flavors.

 Then the oven is set on broil, the dish is then placed on the second from the top slot to "au gratin" a bit, about four minutes.



After the Lasagna dish has been baked and broiled, place it on a safe surface to cool and set a little, so the layers are more firm.



 Take a nice plate and have some fun and decorate the plate with the remaining sauce. Place a piece of the done Lasagna gently onto the plate. Finish with parsley to garnish! :)

Thank you very much! :) Eric M. Rangel

Excellent for January 2014

Hello. This is a personal skateboard documentary of compiled footage, some of that I have already shared. I find it better if I only share the still sequences of my skateboarding and save the film for a monthly compilation I will title "Excellent" and follow by the month. (The recent camera that I have does not focus well at night. I have to look into getting a new one. The camera does have more field of optical viewing then others that I have had). I like to produce short montages of my skateboarding. I find it is a performance art that is fun, exercise, and is very entertaining! Thank you very much! :) Eric M. Rangel

Addendum: The following are from previously written blogs about some skateboard tricks herein.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Trick of the day: Kick flip blunt stall to kick flip out

 Hello. This is a new trick I learned called,  kick flip blunt stall kick flip out. I think I could call these skateboard tricks I post, "trick of the day," because I share only one nowadays instead of creating a longer video. I also would like to film at different park to change the scene up a bit. The other night my camera gotten wet and damaged. Today I went and purchased another basic camera. I am pretty stoked I have one that works now! I wanted to try to land this trick and film it, despite forgetting my tripod. I used a piece of organic material to prop up my camera. As I went down the ramp, the camera moved a bit, so it was not centered. I had to keep the ball rolling so I did not really notice till after. Besides that I loved to land this trick! Another big accomplishment for me! Thank you very much! :) 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Believe to Achieve

Hello. I would consider this trick I just learned to be a pretty advanced skateboard trick. It is called a front side nose blunt kick flip out. I have not tried this trick much. I decided to try it. It was kind of difficult to pull off because the coping was sticky and the trick was not popping of the nose correctly. The nose of the board would stay on the coping and the wheels would come off the ramp. I had to give and little extra nudge like giving birth to a new born baby into this grand world, and voila! This trick is not the most technical in the skateboard world, though for me it is a step up. I love to skateboard and always do my best to progress (within the realm of reason). Sometimes I surprise myself with gifts. Any talent that is accomplished, to me is a gift. I will continue to have fun and achieve to the best of my abilities! Thank you very much!

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Ollie over shopping cart at skatepark

Hello. I went to a local skatepark at night to get some exercise and wind down after a long day! This is myself ollieing over a shopping cart! :) I would like to go again soon! There were a lot of cool stuff to skate over! My 

camera battery ran out of juice so I only gotten this. I need two batteries so I can film longer.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Hello. This Sunday was quite adventurous and fun! One place I went to was to a skate park that is out of my town. I have been wanting to do this kinked rail at this park for a while. I love it when I return to a skate park and am able to do a trick that was a challenge in the past but is doable now. Progression. Fun. Life. Thank you very much! :)

How I made: Anaglyph 3-D glasses

Hello. I have recently been inspired to make new anaglyph 3-D glasses! I have made a few in the past and find that making the specs in general is a fun art project to create, especially I find therein the design process.

1. Draw out a design layout of the design one has in mind. I kind of automatically think of the movie Mannequin and the character named "Hollywood" and get inspirational ideas, as well as within myself.

2. Use a ruler and a writing utensil to measure the design layout.

 3. Draw the design on the desired material. I use old cereal boxes or any cardboard that I think will suite the need.

 4. Cut out the drawn shape of the design.

5. Sometimes I use scissors, though a artist utility blade is better.

6. With the front piece of the specs cut out, the side pieces could be measured and cut to length.

 7. After the cutting to length and design out, the side pieces are now ready to tape to the front piece.

 8. I used clear tape that is wide to bridge the side pieces the front piece. Then remove the tape in the places where there the anaglyph 3-D material is going to be visible. Cut the anaglyph 3-D material to length and glue to the behind of the front piece, covering the openings. The glue should be applied in very small amounts as to not squeeze out of the sides, onto the transparent material. That is to let set for a minute or two.

The 3-D specs should be ready to wear. Have fun! :)

Thank you very much! Sincerely, Eric M. Rangel

Some art I made of a hat, shoes, and a skate trick.

Eric's Art Creative - Tiger hat

Sparkletastic

Hello. I made the design on these shoes. I tie dyed them first, then abstract paint blotted them, then I use sparkle glue. It reminds me of New Years glitter! Then I made this tiger hat from my old bear hat pattern. The pattern is the most important part of a fashion design. The assemblage is by hand. There are shoe laces at the bottom of ear flaps to secure the hat. The "ears" are on the top and only there to help in looking like a tiger. Then I went to the skate park with my fashionable gear on! The obstacle I was skating gotten wet because the sprinklers came on. Everything gotten wet, even my skateboard. Then my camera was wet also, and malfunctioned completely. I have to get a new camera, now. This is my 7th basic camera I've had. Well, in any case, I hope to take care of more things in the morrow. Sincerely, Eric M. Rangel