Menu: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

As previously mentioned, Oskar, the nine-year-old boy in this book is a vegan.  Now I can finally implement my professional vegan-cooking skills into my personal life by utilizing my recipes to share among friends.  Oh glorious use of my job!

By the way, this book has made me laugh, cry, laugh some more and then weep in a corner of my room while shoving my face with licorice.

In this menu I am using like ingredients in all of the dishes to cut on costs:

Appetizer-  Sundried Tomato-Basil Hummus served with Crudites

In a food processor, blend

• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tsp tahini (tahini is blended sesame seeds..if you don't have it, use 1 tsp peanut butter)
• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 tbsp FRESH squeezed lemon juice (whoever invented the plastic-bottled lime and lemon juices should be jailed)
• 2 oil-packed sundried tomatoes
• Handful of fresh basil (usually a "handful" means a handful)
• Dash of salt  (usually a "dash" slightly exceeds a pinch)
• Drizzle of olive oil (usually a "drizzle" doesn't exceed a tablespoon)

Salad- Pesto Quinoa
Quinoa- make according to boxed directions then cool and set aside

Blend in processor or blender:

• two handfuls of basil 
• one garlic clove
• 1/4 cup of cashews
• juice of half lemon
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Mix with quinoa

Add chopped tomatoes, spinach, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, peppers...anything your taste buds desire-- more garbanzo beans

Entree- Baked Pasta

Boil pasta of your choice (i'm using quinoa rigatoni) three minutes under instructed time

Faux Ricotta-  Crumble firm tofu with "dash" of dried oregano, basil and thyme (or 3 dashes of Italian Seasoning)

Mix with jar of your favorite tomato sauce, veggies such as zucchini, chopped and wilted spinach, ripped basil, and the faux soy Italian sausage.  Mix in "al dente" pasta, pour in casserole dish and bake covered on 350 for 20 minutes.

Dessert courtesy of my friend Jen:  Guilty Chocolate Chip Fudge Heaven Muffins

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips
• 1 dash cinnamon

Mix in ONE BOWL!!! That's the best instruction EVER given to someone who can't bake.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes in a nonstick or sprayed muffin sheet rotating halfway through.


Voila!  Vegan food is delicious....although ice cream, cheese and pizza with sausage will never allow me to delve into that diet completely.

Snacking on vegan chocolate chips,
Danielle