I Am Siam

My boyfriend and I tried a wonderful restaurant called I Am Siam.

I am Siam
1 Huntington Lane
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847)419.0698

I Am Siam is a wonderful restaurant that caters to vegetarians. Last night we started out with amazing vegetarian eggrolls which I highly recommend. For $3.95 we got 4 large homemade eggrolls that were nothing less than wonderful. For the main dish, I tried the Yellow Curry Fried Rice (with Tofu) and my boyfriend tried the Green Curry. This place is great if you love spicy dishes but are made to order if you do not.

Our waitress was eccentric and fun and at the end of the date our bill was only $23.95.

And if you are still looking for some dessert, there is an Oberweiss about 2 minutes up the road.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Recipes: Drinks for the Adult Vegetarians

*These are some of my favorite drink recipes (from www.fineliving.com) for the adult vegetarians and are a wonderful addition to any of the meals or desserts*

Canton Ginger Passion Punch

By Stephen Phillips

4 oz. vodka
4 oz. Canton ginger liquor**
4 oz. sake
12 oz. passion fruit
4 oz. fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients and chill well. Serve over ice.

** Canton ginger liqueur is a hand-crafted infusion of cognac and ginger. Check cantonliqueur.com for retail stores.

Serves 8

Caribbean Cruise Punch

By Stephen Phillips

Is that the theme song from The Love Boat I hear? Get away from it all with a glass of this sweet, tropical punch.

6 oz. Malibu Mango Rum
6 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum
8 oz. pineapple juice
8 oz. pomegranate juice (to soften the sweetness of the liquor and the pineapple)

Combine all ingredients and chill well. Float four orange slices in punch bowl as a garnish. Serve over ice.

Serves 8

Champagne Punch

By Stephen Phillips

1 cup triple sec
1 cup brandy
1/2 cup Chambord
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 quart chilled ginger ale
2 chilled 750-ml bottles dry champagne

Combine triple sec, brandy, Chambord and pineapple juice. Chill the mixture for at least 4 hours. Combine triple sec mixture, ginger ale and champagne in a punch bowl. Add ice cubes and serve immediately.

Serves 12

Champagne Ginger Punch

By Stephen Phillips

1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup vodka
1 bottle champagne, chilled

Boil water, add sugar and ginger. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool mixture then add vodka. Chill sugar and vodka combination overnight. Strain ginger from vodka and pour into the punch bowl. Add chilled champagne when guests arrive and serve. You can add an ice ring or ice block.

Serves: 12

Deee-Litchi Pomegranate Punch

By Stephen Phillips

24 oz. litchi juice
16 oz. ginger ale
8 oz. pomegranate juice
2 limes, cut in thin slices
8 oz. vodka
4 oz. cane liquor (Try the South African brand Mainstay or the cane-based rum Starr African Light Rum. For a less rum-like taste, the Brazilian cane spirit cachaca is a great way to go. Sagatiba is a good brand.)

Combine all ingredients and serve over ice.

Serves 12

Momma Price's Great Old Fashioned Texas Punch

By Stephen Phillips

This punch comes from Hondo, Texas. It's an old family recipe I adopted from a dear friend of mine. The friend's mother, a preacher’s wife, would make it for neighborhood functions. All I can say is, that must’ve been one happy neighborhood.

1 3-oz. package of fruit-flavored Jello, like strawberry
1 3-oz. pkg strawberry-flavored drink powder, such as Kool-Aid (sweetened)
2 qts. water
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 46-oz. can pineapple juice
2 pts. pineapple sherbert
16 oz. orange-infused vodka
10 oz. 7-Up

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water, put in punch bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Add the 7-Up just before serving.

Serves 35

Rum Punch

By Stephen Phillips

You can never go wrong with a solid rum punch. Just make sure your guests like rum.

6 oz. lime juice
12 oz. simple syrup
18 oz. rum
24 oz. water
Grated nutmeg
A few dashes of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients and serve over ice.

Serves: 8

Summer on the Porch Punch

By Stephen Phillips

Here’s a single-serving punch that's flavorful, and fun for the spring and summer. It's also very easy on the taste buds.

1 ½ oz. vodka
1 ½ oz. sweet red vermouth
1 oz orange curacao
½ oz. gin (Tanguary No. 10, if possible)
½ oz. cherry brandy
Assorted summer fruits, sliced (peach, apricot, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
1-2 dashes bitters
2 oz. ginger ale
2 oz. lemonade (sparkling, if possible)
Splash club soda (only if sparkling lemonade is unavailable)

Combine vodka, vermouth, gin, curacao and cherry brandy in a pitcher. Fill with ice and stir to chill. Strain mixture into a highball glass filled with ice. Add one or two small slices each of peach, apricot and strawberry and two or three of each type of berry to the middle of the glass and some on top. Add bitters. Add ginger ale and lemonade. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon rind.

Serves 1

Watermelon Champagne Punch

By Stephen Phillips

15 cups cubed and seeded watermelon
3/4 cup sugar
3 bottles champagne
Ice block

Combine fruit, sugar and champagne. Mix in punch bowl over ice block. Serve immediately.

Serves: 15-20

Vegetarian Recipes: Dessert

From TryVeg.com

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Makes 16 small squares

* 2 cups whole raw cranberries
* 1 1/2 cups white flour
* 1/4 cup cornmeal
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
* 5 tablespoons canola oil
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (the outermost part of the orange peel)
* 3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

Chop the cranberries into quarters (may use a food processor) and set aside.

Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin, canola oil, orange zest, and water. Then gently stir in the dry ingredients and chopped cranberries.

Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9"- x 9"-inch baking pan, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow bread to cool for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan, then place bread on a rack to completely cool before serving.


Chewy Fudge Brownies
Makes 20 brownies

* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients. If desired, add chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts to the mix.

Pour mixture into a greased 9"- x 13"-inch baking pan, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. (For moister brownies, bake 20 to 25 minutes.)

Let the brownies cool slightly before serving.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 25 to 30 cookies

* 1 cup of softened soy margarine
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup soy milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 1/4 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 12 ounces dairy-free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

In a large bowl, mix the margarine, sugar, and brown sugar until it's light and fluffy. Slowly stir in the soy milk then add the vanilla to make a creamy mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the creamy mixture and stir well. Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop small spoonfuls onto non-stick cookie sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Makes 6 to 8 servings

* 1 12-ounce package non-dairy chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
* 1 16-ounce package firm tofu
* 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, crunchy or smooth (or more to taste)
* soymilk (to desired texture)
* 1 vegan graham cracker crust, such as Keebler’s Graham Cracker Ready Crust
* 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (optional topping)
* 1 cup chopped nuts (optional topping)

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, saucepan, or microwave.

In a food processor or high-powered blender, add the melted chocolate chips, tofu, peanut butter, and ½ cup of soymilk. Blend until very smooth, adding more soymilk if desired.

Pour the filling into a graham cracker crust and refrigerate for 2 hours.

For a Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with a hard chocolate topping, after the pie has been chilled for 2 hours, melt 1 cup of non-dairy chocolate chips. Pour the melted chocolate over the top of the pie. If desired, add chopped nuts. Refrigerate for 2 additional hours.

Lemonilla Cake with Fluffy Lemon Frosting*
Makes 1 9- x 13-inch cake

* 3 cups unbleached flour
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1 tablespoon baking soda
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup lemon juice
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 3 tablespoons vanilla
* 1 tablespoon lemon extract (or more to taste)
* 2 tablespoons cider or white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350oF.

Lightly oil a 9- x 13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and baking soda. In another bowl, place the water, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, and lemon extract, and whisk well to combine. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients and whisk well. Drizzle the vinegar over the top of the batter and whisk quickly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting with icing (recipe below).

For the frosting

* 1/2 cup softened soy margarine
* 3 ounces tofu cream cheese, softened
* 2 tablespoons nondairy milk
* 2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, place the soy margarine, tofu cream cheese, and nondairy milk, and cream them together.

In a blender or food processor, blend the sugar and cornstarch for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and blend for an additional 30 seconds.

Add half of the blended sugar and cornstarch to the creamed margarine mixture and beat well to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

* This recipe was adapted from The Vegan Chef

Creamy Chocolate Pudding
Serves 4

* 1 1/2 cups soy or rice milk
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the vanilla extract. Whisk rapidly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the pudding is thickened.

Stir in the vanilla and pour into individual serving dishes. Chill and serve.

Very Berry Cobbler
Serves 9

* 5–6 cups fresh or frozen berries (boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries, or a mixture of these)
* 3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup sugar or other sweetener
* 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
* 2 tablespoons sugar or other sweetener
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup soy or rice milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Spread the berries in a 9- × 9-inch baking dish and mix with 3 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 cup of sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar with the baking powder and salt. Add the oil and mix with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the soymilk or rice milk and stir to mix.

Spread the mixture over the berries (don’t worry if they’re not all covered). Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Tip: Great with nondairy ice cream.

Vegetarian Recipes: Breakfast

From TryVeg.com


Easy Vegetarian Recipes:

Breakfast

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
Egg-Free Breakfast Scramble
Carrot Muffins
Fluffy Pancakes
Tofu French Toast


Roasted Breakfast Potatoes
Serves 2 to 4

* 4 medium baking potatoes
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon onion salt
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 1 tablespoon cumin
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley
* 1 teaspoon cayenne (or more to taste)
* 1 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Wash the potatoes well and chop them into small chunks. Place them in a bowl with the spices and the olive oil. Toss well. Spread the seasoned potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and crispy. Serve immediately.
For added flavor, top with salsa or picante sauce.


Egg-Free Breakfast Scramble
Serves 2

* 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped (optional)
* 1 green onion, finely chopped (optional)
* 1 bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)

Using a fork or potato masher, crumble the tofu into small pieces and then sauté in oil in a frying pan. After a few minutes, add the remaining ingredients, turmeric through bell pepper, if used. Lightly toss in the pan until well-cooked. Serve warm.

Carrot Muffins
Serves 6 to 8

* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1 cup oat bran
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon all-spice
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2/3 cup grated carrots
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 375oF.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) and the grated carrots. Add all of the wet ingredients, maple syrup through oil. Mix well.

Pour the batter into a lightly oiled muffin pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Fluffy Pancakes
Serves 4

* 1 1/2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 1/2 cups soymilk or water
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix together the dry ingredients and then stir in the wet ingredients. If the batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until reaching the desired consistency.

Pour onto a pan with a nonstick surface and cook over medium heat, turning once when the edges begin to bubble and brown.

Tofu French Toast
Makes 6 pieces

* 8 ounces silken tofu
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 teaspoon sweetener (molasses or maple syrup)
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 banana
* 6 slices of bread
* fresh berries (optional)
* maple syrup

Mix all the ingredients except the bread in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, dip the bread, and cook on a non-stick pan, turning once when the edges begin to brown.

Serve with fresh berries or maple syrup.

Primarily Primates: Trying to Change the World one Bumper Sticker at a Time

This is my favorite website. Looking for purchasing some Animal Rights tee shirts, sweatshirts, bumper stickers, etc to try to make an impact on the world.

Stickers & Decals

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=Decal

Anti-Fur:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=AntifurShirts


Vegan:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=VeganShirts


Sweatshirts:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=swt


Pins & Patches:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=Pins

Books & Booklets:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=Books


Bumper Stickers:

http://friendsofanimals.org/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FOA&Category_Code=Decal

Great Places to Eat in Chicago

My boyfriend and I are vegetarians and love to try new places to eat. We have found more than a couple hotspots.

Chowpatti
1035 S Arlington Heights Rd,
Arlington Heights, IL
847-640-9554

Chowpatti is worth the travel. We have eaten there on a number of occasions mainly because the menus is so diverse. It is everything from Indian to Mexican. The organic drinks are also wonderful with a list of 20 different choices of freshly
squeezed fruits. This is a relatively expensive restaurant and will cost about $50 a visit...but it is more than worth it. The hours are also finicky so check it out before you make the drive!


Bamboo Garden
1004 W. Golf Rd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
847-885-3777

This is by far one of my favorite restaurants. It is a undiscovered hot spot...just be careful if you choose to go late Saturday night. The wait is about 2 hours. It is a cozy restaurant. If you are in a relationship and want a romantic night out...this is the place to go. There is a mix of Chinese and Indian (very unique!). If you can't handle at least mildly spicy foods, this is not the place for you. This place will cost around $40 per couple.

Noodles & Co.
Lots of Locations

If you are on a budget, this is the place for you! Almost everything on the menu is vegetarian friendly. It costs about $10 a person. This is more fast food-ish usually attracting teenagers with the low prices. If you want romantic conversation, this is not the place for you to try.

Sweet Tomatoes
Lots of Locations

Sweet Tomatoes is wonderful. It is like Old Country Buffet but more a selection of friuts, vegetables, and great salads. If you have gained a lot of weight becoming a vegetarian and need to drop a few pounds try this place. It is very family oriented.


Chicago Diner
3411 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 935-6696

By far this is my favorite place. Parking is hard, its about a 20 minute wait, and it is fabulous. If you have a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion...GO! It is a completely vegetarian menu and is very romantic. My boyfriends birthday is on Valentines Day and it was amazing. They have great drinks, awesome variety in their menu, and most of the meals are healthy for you.


Stir Crazy
Lots of Locations. One located in Woodfield Mall.

Stir Crazy specializes in Thai food. It is for the ones that love spicy and those that don't. One perk is the "create your own stir-fry" where you get to customize your sauce and meal. It is very romantic with a great atmosphere and decoration. The drinks are great. I recommend the mango spritzer, vegetarian spring rolls and a make your own stir-fry. This is moderately priced and will run you different amounts depending if you do lunch or dinner. Dinner portions are larger and therefore cost more. If you are on a budget, go for lunch!