3.26.2013
I Love Dips
Feeling accomplished - just whipped up burgers for the boys and for me (well I shared some with them) - fresh cut shoestring french fries with 3 dipping sauces all from scratch (1)Ketchup (2)Honey Horseradish Mustard and (3)Creamy Rasberry Sriracha - and, brace yourselves, 4 loaves of French Bread! Take that Betty Crocker - you have got nothing on me! Recipes on all three vegan dipping sauces will be forthcoming.
Rainbow Bean Salad
Easiest thing to whip up - this salad is a real crowd pleaser. The combinations are limitless. Take the flavor journey. You will feel so satisfied adding this into your meals. Although it would be ideal to make this using all fresh ingredients from the farmer's market, you can enjoy it year round with a few inexpensive grocery store staples as follows.
Rainbow Bean Salad
8 ounces frozen sweet corn
8 ounces frozen edamame (shelled)
1/2 fresh red bell pepper (finely diced)
2 large fresh carrots (finely diced)
1 fifteen ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup minced curly parsley
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup minced cilantro (optional)
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (red or white)
1/4 cup canola oil
(Olive oil okay but solidifies in refrigerator so suggest serving salad at room temp if used)
Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon Agave syrup (or sweetener of choice)
In a medium sized jar add vinegar, oil, agave, salt and pepper. Put a lid on jar and shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning levels to preference). Set aside.
Drain and rinse black beans and put into a large glass bowl. Add frozen edamame and corn. Add red bell pepper, carrots, parsley and cilantro. Gentle toss mixture to combine.
Give your jar another good shake and pour over salad. Stir to coat and leave on counter (covered) for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately or keep covered and refrigerate until serving.
Will keep in fridge for up to a week.
Serving suggestions: Scoop over mixed greens for a hearty salad.
Great as a relish on tacos and burritos.
For non-vegans enjoy alongside chicken, beef, fish and hard-boiled eggs.
Enjoy!
Rainbow Bean Salad
8 ounces frozen sweet corn
8 ounces frozen edamame (shelled)
1/2 fresh red bell pepper (finely diced)
2 large fresh carrots (finely diced)
1 fifteen ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup minced curly parsley
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup minced cilantro (optional)
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar (red or white)
1/4 cup canola oil
(Olive oil okay but solidifies in refrigerator so suggest serving salad at room temp if used)
Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon Agave syrup (or sweetener of choice)
In a medium sized jar add vinegar, oil, agave, salt and pepper. Put a lid on jar and shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning levels to preference). Set aside.
Drain and rinse black beans and put into a large glass bowl. Add frozen edamame and corn. Add red bell pepper, carrots, parsley and cilantro. Gentle toss mixture to combine.
Give your jar another good shake and pour over salad. Stir to coat and leave on counter (covered) for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately or keep covered and refrigerate until serving.
Will keep in fridge for up to a week.
Serving suggestions: Scoop over mixed greens for a hearty salad.
Great as a relish on tacos and burritos.
For non-vegans enjoy alongside chicken, beef, fish and hard-boiled eggs.
Enjoy!
Celebrating Motherhood and Veganism
Thirteen pounds down in one month and I have never felt better. I am finding new meaning in veganism that is so much larger than losing weight. My skin looks better. My mind is clearer. My sleep is more restful and I don't wake up feeling tired. Even my house is cleaner because I'm not finding daily tasks like sweeping, dishes and laundry to be quite as daunting as they seemed before. It's funny because I read about some of these things that other folks had mentioned when they made the switch and here I am living it. The manifestations of a plant based diet are more real than I ever imagined.
I am not blogging so that the world turns vegan. But, the choices I am making are definitely having a major impact on my family for the better. Our fruit and vegetable drawers have never been fuller. My 2 and 3 year old boys are scarfing down quinoa pasta coated in nutritional yeast. Neither my husband nor my children are going vegan but they are eating more of real food because I'm doing my best to not buy the processed crap that used to occupy my pantry. It is tough though. I wish there were more organic or at least less processed options for everyday staples.
Luckily, I am in a food mecca capital of the world so my options are wide. I just wish every corner store would start stocking my faves. A girl can dream. This summer is going to be a big challenge with vacations on the horizon. I'm not so much concerned about temptation as I am just options while I am traveling in places like airports and roadside stops. Anyone have any good suggestions outside of bring your own food and seek out undressed salads?
Creating new recipes has continued to be a fantastic way for me to keep my momentum going. Not to mention all the lovely non-ill side-effects. I look forward to providing you with a colorful new recipe for you to try at home on my next post. For now, have a lovely day and I will talk to you all soon.
P.S. I need a T-shirt that reads "Got Vegan?" [Any vendors out there?]
I am not blogging so that the world turns vegan. But, the choices I am making are definitely having a major impact on my family for the better. Our fruit and vegetable drawers have never been fuller. My 2 and 3 year old boys are scarfing down quinoa pasta coated in nutritional yeast. Neither my husband nor my children are going vegan but they are eating more of real food because I'm doing my best to not buy the processed crap that used to occupy my pantry. It is tough though. I wish there were more organic or at least less processed options for everyday staples.
Luckily, I am in a food mecca capital of the world so my options are wide. I just wish every corner store would start stocking my faves. A girl can dream. This summer is going to be a big challenge with vacations on the horizon. I'm not so much concerned about temptation as I am just options while I am traveling in places like airports and roadside stops. Anyone have any good suggestions outside of bring your own food and seek out undressed salads?
Creating new recipes has continued to be a fantastic way for me to keep my momentum going. Not to mention all the lovely non-ill side-effects. I look forward to providing you with a colorful new recipe for you to try at home on my next post. For now, have a lovely day and I will talk to you all soon.
P.S. I need a T-shirt that reads "Got Vegan?" [Any vendors out there?]
3.24.2013
Vegan Lasagna Extravaganza
I am in the mood for Italian food and so I turned to one of my favorite comfort foods of all time. Let's get this Vegan Lasagna Extravaganza underway! I present....
Vegan Roasted Vegetable & "Beef" Lasagna
Vegan Roasted Vegetable & "Beef" Lasagna
1 package lasagna noodles
1 jar tomato basil marinara sauce
1 yellow onion
6 cloves fresh garlic
3 zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tub of vegan cream cheese
1 bag vegan mozzarella shredded
1 block vegan teese mozzarella cheese
1 small package of silken tofu
1 cup fresh parsley (flat leaf or curly or a combination)
1 cup fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Juice of 1 lemon (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit. Put a large pot of water on to boil the lasagna noodles.
Begin by cleaning and chopping uniformly the onion, zucchini, bell pepper and garlic and and put into a large casserole dish. Coat vegetables and aromatics with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes tossing occasionally to ensure even cooking. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
In a new medium mixing bowl prepare "ricotta" cheese filling by combining cream cheese, silken tofu (mashed with fork) and about half of the parsley and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mixture should look and taste like ricotta. If you want it more tangy add a squeeze of lemon juice and set mixture aside.
Is your water boiling yet? Put your noodles in with a heavy pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and set timer for 12 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl prepare the "meat" sauce by adding the TVP to one cup of bowling water and allow to hydrate. Once hydrated mix "meat" with marinara sauce.
Grate Teese cheese block and toss with bag of pre-grated mozzarella. You do not have to use both types of cheese if you only have one variety available. I just really like the way the Teese cheese melts.
To assemble lasagna (no hard rules here) put last tablespoon of olive oil in a casserole dish and coat the dish for easy serving. Layer noodles, veggies, meat sauce, cheese mixture, grated cheese. I like to alternate a pure cheese layer, then a veggie meat layer but again there is no perfect way. Top final layer with any remaining sauce and a sprinkle of grated cheese and nutritional yeast. Cover tightly with foil and bake for at least 45 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Allow lasagna to cool at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh herbs.
3.22.2013
Vegan Ice Cream Experiments
Since going vegan I have enjoyed a tasty mint chip ice cream by So Delicious (Coconut Milk Base). It was good as I figured it would be and I practically ate the entire (and pricey) container in one sitting. I knew the day would come when I embarked on making my own ice cream. Today I decided to try my hand at a couple of different versions that I made up after perusing a few recipes folks had out there. I'm not going to post the actual recipes because I didn't measure anything so I don't want it come back and haunt me if someone out there decides to try these out. Nonetheless, you will get the gist and I'll be sure to follow up with recipes once I have perfected some of these concoctions. The flavor list and milk base selections is sure to grow and grow.
First up, Peanut Butter Vanilla Ice Cream (Almond Milk Base). I used a couple cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, squeeze or two of agave syrup and a good two or so heaping tablespoons of smooth creamy salted unsweetened peanut butter. This got blended up in my blender at the highest speed possible and then transferred to glass jar where it now sits in my fridge while I wait for my ice cream maker vessel to freeze. I am hoping it is sunny in San Francisco tomorrow so I can truly enjoy a large bowl of this on my outdoor deck. Let it be known, however, that the mixture tasted so good, I probably could have just drank it all as is. It was so much creamier than I expected it to be and clearly when it comes to calories this will have far less than the usual pint of Ben and Jerry's I would have downed in the past.
Second round, Peanut Butter Vanilla Ice Cream (French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer Base). Ok, so with this bad boy I was a little less patient. I wanted ice cream today and I had it. And then, I had some more. As did my children who slurped it down without batting an eye. Pats on the back Mom! For this one I did a couple unorthodox things, in my opinion, when it comes to making authentic ice cream. Number 1, I put ice in the actual blender (oh dear) so I could have ice cream as fast as possible. Number 2, I used Jif peanut butter instead of the natural unsweetened stuff because I was out of the other kind. Used it all up on batch number 1. I was shocked at how good this came out.
I thought I was going to dislike it because I assumed it was going to be too sweet and too laden with ice crystals to even resemble ice cream (oh and because I DO NOT LIKE, or so I thought, French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer). But in this application, it worked and the payoff was fantastic. So let me rephrase, I don't like French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer in my morning coffee, but, as an ice cream base, come to Mama!
Ingredients are as follows: 2 or so cups of French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer, vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, and a good two or so heaping tablespoons of Jif creamy peanut butter. Repeat high speed Blender on high speed until desired consistency achieved. The result was definitely surprisingly good. I mean, we are talking, could not stop eating it good. It reminded me of soft serve more so than a shake and I'm sure it would be amazing thrown into my ice cream machine (minus the ice cubes of course).
So after today's random Vegan Ice Cream Experiments, it got me to thinking that I am going to go nuts with my flavor combos. I can't wait to make some really strong espresso vegan ice cream and cream of coconut vegan ice cream, naturally, oh, and Kahlua and cream vegan ice cream. Anyways, I'm rambling, let's do this again soon because seriously folks, I think I may have found my new crush - vegan ice cream (LOL) Oh, that, and Justin Timberlake. You too?! Awesome. Happy Friday Folks! See you on the flipside. xoxo
Pics soon.
First up, Peanut Butter Vanilla Ice Cream (Almond Milk Base). I used a couple cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, squeeze or two of agave syrup and a good two or so heaping tablespoons of smooth creamy salted unsweetened peanut butter. This got blended up in my blender at the highest speed possible and then transferred to glass jar where it now sits in my fridge while I wait for my ice cream maker vessel to freeze. I am hoping it is sunny in San Francisco tomorrow so I can truly enjoy a large bowl of this on my outdoor deck. Let it be known, however, that the mixture tasted so good, I probably could have just drank it all as is. It was so much creamier than I expected it to be and clearly when it comes to calories this will have far less than the usual pint of Ben and Jerry's I would have downed in the past.
Second round, Peanut Butter Vanilla Ice Cream (French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer Base). Ok, so with this bad boy I was a little less patient. I wanted ice cream today and I had it. And then, I had some more. As did my children who slurped it down without batting an eye. Pats on the back Mom! For this one I did a couple unorthodox things, in my opinion, when it comes to making authentic ice cream. Number 1, I put ice in the actual blender (oh dear) so I could have ice cream as fast as possible. Number 2, I used Jif peanut butter instead of the natural unsweetened stuff because I was out of the other kind. Used it all up on batch number 1. I was shocked at how good this came out.
I thought I was going to dislike it because I assumed it was going to be too sweet and too laden with ice crystals to even resemble ice cream (oh and because I DO NOT LIKE, or so I thought, French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer). But in this application, it worked and the payoff was fantastic. So let me rephrase, I don't like French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer in my morning coffee, but, as an ice cream base, come to Mama!
Ingredients are as follows: 2 or so cups of French Vanilla Silk Coffee Creamer, vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, and a good two or so heaping tablespoons of Jif creamy peanut butter. Repeat high speed Blender on high speed until desired consistency achieved. The result was definitely surprisingly good. I mean, we are talking, could not stop eating it good. It reminded me of soft serve more so than a shake and I'm sure it would be amazing thrown into my ice cream machine (minus the ice cubes of course).
So after today's random Vegan Ice Cream Experiments, it got me to thinking that I am going to go nuts with my flavor combos. I can't wait to make some really strong espresso vegan ice cream and cream of coconut vegan ice cream, naturally, oh, and Kahlua and cream vegan ice cream. Anyways, I'm rambling, let's do this again soon because seriously folks, I think I may have found my new crush - vegan ice cream (LOL) Oh, that, and Justin Timberlake. You too?! Awesome. Happy Friday Folks! See you on the flipside. xoxo
Pics soon.
3.21.2013
Mocha Mix Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer. Yay or Nay?!
Clearly, due to the chemical makeup of this product, I will not be incorporating it into my daily morning coffee. I did, however, decide to give it a try on my quest for creating the perfect non-dairy creamy cup of Joe. It's not tasty enough to justify daily use based on the chemicals in contains that are likely cancer contributors. In any case, in so far as I can tell, it is actually a vegan product. Interesting and good enough for an occasional substitute but not recommended for long term use in my opinion. I was surprised to not find more research on this product as it seems to have been around for a very long time. Perhaps fellow vegans wouldn't even consider purchasing such a product. Oh well, let it be known, I did. Judge away. *smiles*
Vegan Cheese Review #2 - Teese Mozzarella
One word. YES! I had high hopes of this one and it delivered in terms of taste, texture and melt ability. I admit it doesn't taste like much but when combined with aromatics (i.e. roasted garlic and italian herbs) it delivers where it should. I agree with what I have read on other reviews that it does not stay melted for very long. So, eat it fast. That generally is no problem for this little piggy. I whipped up some mac n cheese and I was sent to vegan cheese heaven. Thank you Teese, you had me at hello. I look forward to trying all of your products in the near future.
3.19.2013
I Dream in Cream
Ok, that blog post title sounds particularly racy but that is just fine with this liberal chick over here. I have been LOVING all of the blogs and websites out there dedicated to vegan cooking. I mean, I knew they existed, but now, that I am lovingly creating new vegan dishes in my kitchen every day, they are a mainstay. I promise to put credit where credit is due when I "steal" other people's recipes. Unless I am baking, it's pretty unusual for me to follow a recipe to a tee. In fact, it's an issue I have.
I figure that if there is wiggle room (as many vegan recipes permit) then I am free to wiggle and wander and usually that ends up towards something extra delicious. Tonight's menu - aside from incessant snacking on all things good like my homemade almond cheese, I have a huge vat of vegetable broth simmering on my stove top with herbs from my garden and plenty of veggie and fruit pulp from my juicing today.
Juicing is awesome. I felt kind of guilty the first few times I pitched the pulp into my compost bin (certain I was discarding some kind of miracle food) but then realized that at the rate I am juicing, pulp is going to be as plentiful as ever, so, I need not worry about utilizing every damn batch. I also do not have a dehydrator so making crackers at this point is probably not an option but perhaps a low temp oven would work? Anyway, I'll get there. Let's get on to all things cream and why I dream in cream!!
Okay, so ever since I was very young I have incredible memories of things like cold butter, half n half, heavy whipping cream, and my love for them. I've got more than enough stories about these things so I'll just start with one random memory that stands out at the moment (if you are interested). I remember my Grandmother (Mother's Mother) eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes which I served her that she specifically asked me to pour heavy whipping cream over. This memory stands out because she didn't visit us very often. It also just so happens that while she was requesting this 1000 calorie bowl, the power had gone out in my rural home and so it was dark while she sat and ate her cereal. Now I am pretty sure I had a bowl of it too. I never found using cream and half n half in place of milk as strange, just indulgent. My Mom taught me that sometimes using the richer milk fat can make all of the difference. And she was right, it does.
So here I am, just under a month into My New Vegan Life and I have vowed that I will make rich, creamy, delectable food so that I never feel like I am missing out on ANYTHING. Indulgent, after all, is my middle name. Well, not really, but my parents should have thrown it in there somewhere. I require indulgence. It's my lifeblood. So far here are the creamiest things that I have found on my new vegan quest (not in any particular order):
Coconut (duh!)
Cashews (and her wonderful nutty sisters)
Avocados (best fruit ever)
Beans
Tofu
I am sure this list will grow and grow but for now, it's a start. I will see you soon and let me know what you'd like to see in the way of recipes for the coming Spring holiday. I am planning on making an UnBird like I saw on the Vegan Mashup. Roasted veggies with cashew cream gravy wrapped in filo dough! Um - yes please!!! Anyone done that before? It looked splendid. Cheers!! Time for wine.
I figure that if there is wiggle room (as many vegan recipes permit) then I am free to wiggle and wander and usually that ends up towards something extra delicious. Tonight's menu - aside from incessant snacking on all things good like my homemade almond cheese, I have a huge vat of vegetable broth simmering on my stove top with herbs from my garden and plenty of veggie and fruit pulp from my juicing today.
Juicing is awesome. I felt kind of guilty the first few times I pitched the pulp into my compost bin (certain I was discarding some kind of miracle food) but then realized that at the rate I am juicing, pulp is going to be as plentiful as ever, so, I need not worry about utilizing every damn batch. I also do not have a dehydrator so making crackers at this point is probably not an option but perhaps a low temp oven would work? Anyway, I'll get there. Let's get on to all things cream and why I dream in cream!!
Okay, so ever since I was very young I have incredible memories of things like cold butter, half n half, heavy whipping cream, and my love for them. I've got more than enough stories about these things so I'll just start with one random memory that stands out at the moment (if you are interested). I remember my Grandmother (Mother's Mother) eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes which I served her that she specifically asked me to pour heavy whipping cream over. This memory stands out because she didn't visit us very often. It also just so happens that while she was requesting this 1000 calorie bowl, the power had gone out in my rural home and so it was dark while she sat and ate her cereal. Now I am pretty sure I had a bowl of it too. I never found using cream and half n half in place of milk as strange, just indulgent. My Mom taught me that sometimes using the richer milk fat can make all of the difference. And she was right, it does.
So here I am, just under a month into My New Vegan Life and I have vowed that I will make rich, creamy, delectable food so that I never feel like I am missing out on ANYTHING. Indulgent, after all, is my middle name. Well, not really, but my parents should have thrown it in there somewhere. I require indulgence. It's my lifeblood. So far here are the creamiest things that I have found on my new vegan quest (not in any particular order):
Coconut (duh!)
Cashews (and her wonderful nutty sisters)
Avocados (best fruit ever)
Beans
Tofu
I am sure this list will grow and grow but for now, it's a start. I will see you soon and let me know what you'd like to see in the way of recipes for the coming Spring holiday. I am planning on making an UnBird like I saw on the Vegan Mashup. Roasted veggies with cashew cream gravy wrapped in filo dough! Um - yes please!!! Anyone done that before? It looked splendid. Cheers!! Time for wine.
3.18.2013
Savory Vegan Christmas Cheesecake
On my quest of producing some tasty vegan cheeses using nuts and herbs, I decided this baked cashew cheese came out more like a perfectly crumbly New York style cheesecake, hence, the inspiration for a savory holiday dessert was born.
Cheesecake Base
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 8 hours in cold water, rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Blend all ingredients in food processor or high powered blender until completely smooth and creamy. Place mixture in an oiled dish (I used a small 3 by 5 inch rectangular shaped oven safe dish). Place in 300 degree oven for about 40 minutes until edges pull away from side (top will be a little bit crispy). Allow to cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator over night or until completely cool and firm to touch.
Green Christmas Topper
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (or fresh basil would be delicious too)
1 bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup raw cashews or other nuts of choice (soaking not necessary)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon agave (optional)
Blend all ingredients in food processor or high powered blender until completely smooth and creamy. Store in a jar in refrigerator and serve by the dollop on the cheesecake base.
Red Christmas Topper
Large handful of sun dried tomatoes slices into bite size pieces (Any variety would work fine. I used Trader Joe's brand that come in the ziploc style bag)
To assemble your individual plate, slice desired size piece of chilled cheesecake and scoop a dollop of green topper and finish with red topper. This could also be made family style by assembling the entire cake and serving individual slices (but you might want to double the recipe for the cake!). Dish can be served at room temperature or chilled. It would be a fantastic addition to a cheese course for a holiday party.
Makes 4-6 servings. Can be made up to a week in advance and stored in refrigerator. Clearly one can be very creative with their toppings and could easily make this sweet or savory depending on the mood. Next time I make this I will probably make my pesto with basil for a more Italian flair. I just didn't have any fresh basil on hand and I adore the flavor of the tangy cilantro paired with the sun-dried tomatoes. Let me know how it turns out! See you soon!
Cheesecake Base
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 8 hours in cold water, rinsed and drained)
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Blend all ingredients in food processor or high powered blender until completely smooth and creamy. Place mixture in an oiled dish (I used a small 3 by 5 inch rectangular shaped oven safe dish). Place in 300 degree oven for about 40 minutes until edges pull away from side (top will be a little bit crispy). Allow to cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator over night or until completely cool and firm to touch.
Green Christmas Topper
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (or fresh basil would be delicious too)
1 bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup raw cashews or other nuts of choice (soaking not necessary)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon agave (optional)
Blend all ingredients in food processor or high powered blender until completely smooth and creamy. Store in a jar in refrigerator and serve by the dollop on the cheesecake base.
Red Christmas Topper
Large handful of sun dried tomatoes slices into bite size pieces (Any variety would work fine. I used Trader Joe's brand that come in the ziploc style bag)
To assemble your individual plate, slice desired size piece of chilled cheesecake and scoop a dollop of green topper and finish with red topper. This could also be made family style by assembling the entire cake and serving individual slices (but you might want to double the recipe for the cake!). Dish can be served at room temperature or chilled. It would be a fantastic addition to a cheese course for a holiday party.
Makes 4-6 servings. Can be made up to a week in advance and stored in refrigerator. Clearly one can be very creative with their toppings and could easily make this sweet or savory depending on the mood. Next time I make this I will probably make my pesto with basil for a more Italian flair. I just didn't have any fresh basil on hand and I adore the flavor of the tangy cilantro paired with the sun-dried tomatoes. Let me know how it turns out! See you soon!
3.15.2013
Mama Ash's Peanut Sauce
Amounts vary based on taste preferences...
1/2 cup peanut butter (unsweetened and unprocessed is best. I used Trader Joes Creamy Salted)
1 cup coconut cream (I used coconut cream also unsweetened from Trader Joes)
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon Agave nectar
Fresh grated ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon sambal or sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes (i used sambal because i love it)
Blend it all together with a whisk - so yummy!!! Serve warm or room temp.
Photograph shows peanut sauce drizzled on tofu lettuce tacos.
3.14.2013
Soy This and Soy That, Let's Make Coconut Something.
I am a huge fan of soy and now that I am vegan that is certainly to my benefit, however, I am going to do my best to not over do it. There seems to be a great deal of mixed reviews on soy and two things I don't want to encounter are any hormone imbalances (aside from any I'm already experiencing naturally as a 35 year old woman) and anything that might produce too much mucous. Ever since I can remember I have always adored tofu, also a very good thing. I actually grew up eating a lot of vegan food it was just often served with a side of meat and always some dairy snuck in there, usually, in the form of butter. Oh butter, how I do miss you and remember you fondly! It's fantastic that there are many soy alternatives and I am on a mission to study up and incorporate these into my daily routines. Any suggestions out there?
Current obsession, COCONUT. In every form. It's another one of those things I have always loved, now I'm just finding a lot more ways to eat and drink it. Today I found an excellent raw coconut ice cream recipe online. When I give it a go (I'm sure I'll be making some modifications) I will post the recipe with my additions/subtractions. I was thinking it would be awesome to make some ice cream using pure coconut cream (not the watery milk) and some really tender young coconut meat. Seriously. I am drooling right now. I better get my ice cream machine dusted off...
In fact, I'm having an epiphany right now, I make an incredible Peanut Sauce using coconut cream. How does a Peanut Sauce Ice Cream sound!? OK, maybe without the tamari and garlic...but maybe not. It could be killer. I know, maybe a little strange, but, then again you haven't tried my peanut sauce. I made it the first couple days I went vegan and I was literally licking my plate. It tastes like pure creamy, fatty, luxuriousness... on it's own and served aside everything.
Time to make some and get a recipe up for you guys for both Peanut Sauce and Coconut Ice Cream and likely a fusion of the two. The more unique the better, right?! Blogging = Creative Juices Flowing. You have been so very patient for new recipes and the new blog format with recipes in their own corner.
I will get on that ASAP but can you find me a Nanny or something?! My 2 and 3 year old boys are a little demanding of Mama Ash's time. Well folks out there, it is almost TGIF! I hope you all have some great weekend plans. I will be going to farmer's markets and hanging out with my pregnant BFF who is coming to visit me. Yay for house guests! Did I tell you I LOVE to entertain? I am an amazing hostess. I actually was planning on starting a supper club this year. Now I'm thinking of starting a bay area vegan supper club. Anyone local to the San Francisco area interested in joining up? Let's brainstorm! See you soon.
Time to make some and get a recipe up for you guys for both Peanut Sauce and Coconut Ice Cream and likely a fusion of the two. The more unique the better, right?! Blogging = Creative Juices Flowing. You have been so very patient for new recipes and the new blog format with recipes in their own corner.
I will get on that ASAP but can you find me a Nanny or something?! My 2 and 3 year old boys are a little demanding of Mama Ash's time. Well folks out there, it is almost TGIF! I hope you all have some great weekend plans. I will be going to farmer's markets and hanging out with my pregnant BFF who is coming to visit me. Yay for house guests! Did I tell you I LOVE to entertain? I am an amazing hostess. I actually was planning on starting a supper club this year. Now I'm thinking of starting a bay area vegan supper club. Anyone local to the San Francisco area interested in joining up? Let's brainstorm! See you soon.
3.13.2013
Figuring out my Coffee
By far one of the most challenging aspects to my new vegan life has been not having real half n half in my coffee. However, I have not given in. I did try a non-dairy creamer (rod's brand) just for the heck of it. I pitched it because the partially hydrogentated oils were not sitting in my system well. Never again!
So far my favorite is a combination of original coconut creamer and unsweetened soy creamer. I find it gives me the depth of richness I desire without adding unwelcomed sweetness.
I am finding myself going a little overboard on carb heavy snacks like pretzels and popcorn. My new approach will be to do more kale chips and more juicing. As much as I adore snacking on raw veggies, my chronic TMJ gets in the way.
I tried adding asparagus and fennel to my juice mixes and love the results. Next up will be to get a nut milk bag and experiment with making some of my own creamers for my beloved coffee. For now I am keeping my cheese addiction in check with the discovery of Daiya brand. Thank you Vegan community for that suggestion!!!
So far my Hump day is off to a very good start! It is sunny in beautiful San Francisco and I am feeling my transformation continue. I'll post some new recipes for all of you very soon. In the meantime, stay well and show the people you love how much they mean to you. You just never know what could happen tomorrow...
So far my favorite is a combination of original coconut creamer and unsweetened soy creamer. I find it gives me the depth of richness I desire without adding unwelcomed sweetness.
I am finding myself going a little overboard on carb heavy snacks like pretzels and popcorn. My new approach will be to do more kale chips and more juicing. As much as I adore snacking on raw veggies, my chronic TMJ gets in the way.
I tried adding asparagus and fennel to my juice mixes and love the results. Next up will be to get a nut milk bag and experiment with making some of my own creamers for my beloved coffee. For now I am keeping my cheese addiction in check with the discovery of Daiya brand. Thank you Vegan community for that suggestion!!!
So far my Hump day is off to a very good start! It is sunny in beautiful San Francisco and I am feeling my transformation continue. I'll post some new recipes for all of you very soon. In the meantime, stay well and show the people you love how much they mean to you. You just never know what could happen tomorrow...
3.11.2013
Break the Mold
I can't stand this notion that all vegans are sometimes clumped together by the public to be of a certain type. I am so happy there is finally an effort to "break the mold" so to speak in the media. Images of body-builders and movie stars who have plant-based diets, for example, is very cool. I like the idea that folks are working to revise the image that all vegans are tree-hugging, for lack of a better word, hippies. Believe me when I tell you, I know hippies and they are not all vegan. Okay I'm sure some of you who know me and my liberal views are thinking that I, with a name like Ashley Rachel Rainbow Honey Bunny Hunt (yes that is my real name) am a total hippie myself. And you wouldn't be entirely wrong, I told you I knew hippies. I know hippies. But I also told you I don't like labels. Enough said.
My vegan life has little to nothing to do with my moral beliefs, sorry, I said it. Back to labels though because I cannot stand them. Vegan, Omnivore, Carnivore, Pescatarian, Ovo-Lacto, Raw, enough already. We are all just effing human, period. Regardless of what you eat, you, like every other human being eat food and that is something we all have in common. It's a universal connection we all share. And if you are anything like me, you are fascinated by it and are always on the quest for new and interesting dishes you can whip up in your kitchen. Especially these days when the cost of eating out has skyrocketed.
I have always dreamed of having my own cooking show. I applied to be on Master Chef once but didn't get a call back. I have not applied to Next Food Network Star but have fantasized about it. Ok. So now I'm vegan. Have my dreams been crushed because I'm in some elite (hippy, just kidding) club!? Hell no! I thought it was quite random that there is a new PBS show on DeliciousTV called Vegan Mashup. I was thinking, I am so there. And I did catch an episode the other day (thank you to my sister who alerted me of the airing) and I'm thinking, Oh, I am so going to get on that show!
Just because I have gone vegan doesn't mean I have lost my appreciation for all food. I love food and whether it's prepared by me or in a restaurant, I'm usually always out to try the next big thing. Did I mention that I submitted over 250 flavors to the Lay's DoUsAFlavor contest. Oh man, was that fun!? I swore I'd get a call and then sadly (like millions of others) was shocked to see how flat the flavors they chose were. In all honestly I only tried one, the Chicken & Waffles (pre going vegan), and I thought it tasted pretty damn good but original? Hell no.
So last note before heading out, I am reconfiguring my blog so there will be a new page to capture all of my recipes. Eventually I will put them in a more easy to read format for all of you to enjoy. And also so you don't have to sift through all of my babbling to find them. If I keep up at this rate, I will likely have a novel by summertime. Mmmmmmmmmm.....summertime.....it can't be here soon enough. Have a great night and stay tuned for revamped recipes and more cheery banter. Toodles.
My vegan life has little to nothing to do with my moral beliefs, sorry, I said it. Back to labels though because I cannot stand them. Vegan, Omnivore, Carnivore, Pescatarian, Ovo-Lacto, Raw, enough already. We are all just effing human, period. Regardless of what you eat, you, like every other human being eat food and that is something we all have in common. It's a universal connection we all share. And if you are anything like me, you are fascinated by it and are always on the quest for new and interesting dishes you can whip up in your kitchen. Especially these days when the cost of eating out has skyrocketed.
I have always dreamed of having my own cooking show. I applied to be on Master Chef once but didn't get a call back. I have not applied to Next Food Network Star but have fantasized about it. Ok. So now I'm vegan. Have my dreams been crushed because I'm in some elite (hippy, just kidding) club!? Hell no! I thought it was quite random that there is a new PBS show on DeliciousTV called Vegan Mashup. I was thinking, I am so there. And I did catch an episode the other day (thank you to my sister who alerted me of the airing) and I'm thinking, Oh, I am so going to get on that show!
Just because I have gone vegan doesn't mean I have lost my appreciation for all food. I love food and whether it's prepared by me or in a restaurant, I'm usually always out to try the next big thing. Did I mention that I submitted over 250 flavors to the Lay's DoUsAFlavor contest. Oh man, was that fun!? I swore I'd get a call and then sadly (like millions of others) was shocked to see how flat the flavors they chose were. In all honestly I only tried one, the Chicken & Waffles (pre going vegan), and I thought it tasted pretty damn good but original? Hell no.
So last note before heading out, I am reconfiguring my blog so there will be a new page to capture all of my recipes. Eventually I will put them in a more easy to read format for all of you to enjoy. And also so you don't have to sift through all of my babbling to find them. If I keep up at this rate, I will likely have a novel by summertime. Mmmmmmmmmm.....summertime.....it can't be here soon enough. Have a great night and stay tuned for revamped recipes and more cheery banter. Toodles.
Vegan Biscuits & Gravy....
Yes please! From scratch recipe will be shared at a later date. Stay tuned....
3.10.2013
And then tacos...
Round 2 recipe, my Super Versatile Savory Seitan ground up in food processor with taco spices and voila! We have soy free taco meat for dinner. This vegan thing is way too much fun. Let's eat.
Super Versatile Savory Seitan
Super Versatile Savory Seitan (meat substitute)
1 T Spike
1 T seasoned salt
2 T nutritional yeast
1 t allspice
1 t black pepper
1 t black sesame seeds
1 t coffee grounds
1 t agave
1/4 c molasses
Juice from 1 lime
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 cups water
2 cups vital wheat gluten
Put water, bouillon cube, yeast and spices into bread machine (***see note below). Add vital wheat gluten flour. Set pizza dough setting and hit start. Meanwhile bring 10 cups water to boil and turn down to simmer. Remove seitan dough from bread machine. It should be wet and rubbery. Cut into 1/2 inch strips, chunks or cubes and add one by one into simmering water. Give it a gentle stir. Leave lid cracked so steam lets out and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove peices using a slotted spoon and allow them to rest to cool to room temperature. Use in a variety of recipes. Slice thin for sandwiches, leave in chunks for stirfry or whatever strikes your fancy. Store unused portions sealed in refrigerator. You can also skip the boiling and fry small peices of dough in hot oil until they puff slightly and become golden brown. I did some like this and coated them with a little barbecue sauce. They reminded me of burnt rib tips! Yum! I can't stop eating it. I just tried a peice sliced thinly with all of the following sauces and applications individually. Wow. Seriously.
-Bbq sauce
-Steak sauce
-Peanut sauce
-Vegan cheddar spread
-Avocado cream sauce on flax bread
***you do NOT need a bread machine! Just mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine and knead dough for a few minutes. I only used a bread machine so I would have less dishes to wash.
1 T Spike
1 T seasoned salt
2 T nutritional yeast
1 t allspice
1 t black pepper
1 t black sesame seeds
1 t coffee grounds
1 t agave
1/4 c molasses
Juice from 1 lime
1 vegetable bouillon cube
2 cups water
2 cups vital wheat gluten
Put water, bouillon cube, yeast and spices into bread machine (***see note below). Add vital wheat gluten flour. Set pizza dough setting and hit start. Meanwhile bring 10 cups water to boil and turn down to simmer. Remove seitan dough from bread machine. It should be wet and rubbery. Cut into 1/2 inch strips, chunks or cubes and add one by one into simmering water. Give it a gentle stir. Leave lid cracked so steam lets out and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove peices using a slotted spoon and allow them to rest to cool to room temperature. Use in a variety of recipes. Slice thin for sandwiches, leave in chunks for stirfry or whatever strikes your fancy. Store unused portions sealed in refrigerator. You can also skip the boiling and fry small peices of dough in hot oil until they puff slightly and become golden brown. I did some like this and coated them with a little barbecue sauce. They reminded me of burnt rib tips! Yum! I can't stop eating it. I just tried a peice sliced thinly with all of the following sauces and applications individually. Wow. Seriously.
-Bbq sauce
-Steak sauce
-Peanut sauce
-Vegan cheddar spread
-Avocado cream sauce on flax bread
***you do NOT need a bread machine! Just mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine and knead dough for a few minutes. I only used a bread machine so I would have less dishes to wash.
3.09.2013
Vegan Cheese Review #1 - Soy Bleu
Vegan cheese review #1
Soy Bleu (pictured)
Not bad. Smells like the real thing and has subtle flavor notes resembling bleu. I look forward to experimenting with it further. Next up: see how it fairs in a vegan bleu cheese salad dressing. I have yet to cook with it so I can't comment on it's mouth feel when heated. Stay tuned for more vegan cheese reviews and please share with me your favorites.
Signed, I Dream in Cheese...
Serving suggestion: Roasted Golden Beets with Vegan Bleu and Cracked Black Pepper
Soy Bleu (pictured)
Not bad. Smells like the real thing and has subtle flavor notes resembling bleu. I look forward to experimenting with it further. Next up: see how it fairs in a vegan bleu cheese salad dressing. I have yet to cook with it so I can't comment on it's mouth feel when heated. Stay tuned for more vegan cheese reviews and please share with me your favorites.
Signed, I Dream in Cheese...
Serving suggestion: Roasted Golden Beets with Vegan Bleu and Cracked Black Pepper
Jonesing for Real Cheese
Today was a little tough because I was really craving some real cheese. I felt like a serious addict as I drove away from my house on a quest for "cheese". I had to make a mad dash to the Rainbow Coop and hunt down a few vegan cheese options (full well knowing I was probably going to be on a fruitless mission). Nonetheless I came home armed with a plethora of, let's call them, pretend cheeses. Now I haven't tried very many of them so I can't offer ratings yet as I will save that for a future post. I promise to be candid and include specific brand names and photos so you can give me your opinions on my selections. One I did try, however, blue soy something or other, managed to stave off my craving, for now.
I told my husband that I might just have to be a cheese-eating vegan (I realize that makes no sense at all). But for now, I'm not going to give into the temptation. Prior to becoming vegan, cheese was basically all I ate. I mean, I'm kidding of course, I ate EVERYTHING. But there were very few snacks and meals that didn't include cheese in some form or another. Having formerly been a big fan of Atkin's diet plan, cheese was what I reached for when I needed a snack.
I've already embarked on making my own cultured nut-cheese. So far (I have some aging in my refrigerator) they actually taste pretty darn good but seem more like a nutty hummus than an actual cheese but, that's not a bad thing. I adore hummus and anything resembling it. It's likely I'm one of the most creative folks in the kitchen but this is a double-edged sword. My creative creations either come out really amazing or super strange tasting. Generally the former. I am a great home cook. I'm using this blog in part to help me document my creative endeavors so when I make something really good, I can recreate it, step by step and share it with all of you. Who knows, maybe one day I'll start a youtube channel so you can see my creative juices in action.
Speaking of juicing, we did a lot of that today. First up was an awesome meyer lemon orange juice that we mixed with champagne and sipped Mimosas while lounging in our hot tub in the backyard. Being a vegan sure is tough! Sarcasm! Ok.... then some more heavy lifting with a fresh line-up of organic apples, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, kale and more meyer lemons. Yum. Did I tell you how much I heart my new juicer?
Have a great night! See you tomorrow! Oh one more thing, today I made roasted golden beets, have you tried those? Delish! 'Night.
I told my husband that I might just have to be a cheese-eating vegan (I realize that makes no sense at all). But for now, I'm not going to give into the temptation. Prior to becoming vegan, cheese was basically all I ate. I mean, I'm kidding of course, I ate EVERYTHING. But there were very few snacks and meals that didn't include cheese in some form or another. Having formerly been a big fan of Atkin's diet plan, cheese was what I reached for when I needed a snack.
I've already embarked on making my own cultured nut-cheese. So far (I have some aging in my refrigerator) they actually taste pretty darn good but seem more like a nutty hummus than an actual cheese but, that's not a bad thing. I adore hummus and anything resembling it. It's likely I'm one of the most creative folks in the kitchen but this is a double-edged sword. My creative creations either come out really amazing or super strange tasting. Generally the former. I am a great home cook. I'm using this blog in part to help me document my creative endeavors so when I make something really good, I can recreate it, step by step and share it with all of you. Who knows, maybe one day I'll start a youtube channel so you can see my creative juices in action.
Speaking of juicing, we did a lot of that today. First up was an awesome meyer lemon orange juice that we mixed with champagne and sipped Mimosas while lounging in our hot tub in the backyard. Being a vegan sure is tough! Sarcasm! Ok.... then some more heavy lifting with a fresh line-up of organic apples, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, kale and more meyer lemons. Yum. Did I tell you how much I heart my new juicer?
Have a great night! See you tomorrow! Oh one more thing, today I made roasted golden beets, have you tried those? Delish! 'Night.
Sunshine and Green Shakes
It is simply fascinating the amount of veggies one can consume when juicing. This morning the cornucopia included: carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, kale, apples, oranges and meyer lemons. Superb combo!
It is a beautiful sunny San Francisco Saturday morning and I am 10 pounds lighter than I was 2 weeks ago. I am sleeping better and my mood is enhanced. I am still on a quest for finding the right creamer for my coffee. So far I have tried various forms of soy, coconut and hemp milks/creamers. None of these are bad but I would really like to find something that doesn't add sweetness to my morning cup of Joe. Any suggestions out there?
It is a beautiful sunny San Francisco Saturday morning and I am 10 pounds lighter than I was 2 weeks ago. I am sleeping better and my mood is enhanced. I am still on a quest for finding the right creamer for my coffee. So far I have tried various forms of soy, coconut and hemp milks/creamers. None of these are bad but I would really like to find something that doesn't add sweetness to my morning cup of Joe. Any suggestions out there?
3.07.2013
Vegan Rainbow Veggie Calzones (In the zone....)
This is a super versatile recipe as the combination for calzone filling is limitless. I was in the mood for my Mama's famous vegetarian spinach pie but since that has 4 kinds of cheese in it, I decided to come up with a vegan twist to satisfy my craving. The result? Exquisite. Honestly I got full just eating the filling before I even rolled out the dough. Now having stuffed my face with one of these monstrosities, I'm pretty sure I'm well on the road to being a very fat vegan. But jokes aside, I think you will find this recipe well worth the effort and there are a few shortcuts I'd recommend if you have the proper equipment.
Device #1 - a bread machine and Device #2 - a food processor. Of course the recipe does not require such devices but it did make for an easier prep since most of my time was spent on tasting and shaping the dough. Please be aware that I didn't measure everything precisely so how much you use of each spice is really a matter of personal preference. Just taste as you go and make adjustments to your liking. I'm sure they will turn out delicious.
Vegan Rainbow Veggie Calzones
1 batch of pizza dough***buy premade or make your own (I just used a basic recipe in my bread machine)
Olive oil (for sauteing and brushing on the finished product)
1 cup raw spinach (I'm sure you could substitute frozen but I'm not a fan of frozen spinach)
1 cup raw kale (I used Lacinato but any kale would do)
1 sweet yellow onion
1 medium zucchini
1/2 red bell pepper
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (preferably not packed in oil)
3 cloves garlic
10 ounce-package high protein, super firm tofu (pressed dry if packed in water)
2 meyer lemons (or 1 regular lemon)
1/2 tub vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese plain variety)
2 Tablespoons vegan sour cream (I made my own using cashews but bought stuff would be fine too)
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 Vegetable bouillon cube (I used Rapunzel brand)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Spike seasoning(optional, to taste)
1 teaspoon salt(optional, to taste)
Instructions: In batches appropriate for your size food processor, gently pulse spinach, kale, onion, zucchini, and garlic to achieve a fine dice. If you don't have a food processor, chop by hand and toss into a large bowl to mix. Begin warming a large saute pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and add mixture stirring occasionally over a medium low flame. Add bouillon cube, oregano, marjoram, dill, black pepper, nutmeg, Spike and salt. Add vegan cream cheese and vegan sour cream and lemon juice to the pan and stir to coat. If you are feeling creative with your firm tofu then go ahead and cut the block in half and add half of it to the pan by crumbling it with your hands (so that it resembles feta cheese) and half of it can be grated on a box grater (to resemble mozzarella). Turn off heat and pour mixture back into the large bowl. Gently fold in finely diced sun dried tomatoes, red bell pepper (raw) and nutritional yeast. Taste mixture to adjust seasoning level.
Putting it all together: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease two large cookie sheets and set aside (or use parchment paper). Cut pizza dough into eight triangles and roll each into a ball and set aside. Roll each ball to make an 8-inch round and spoon a fistful of mixture onto half of the moon shape. Fold dough over and crimp with your fingers (I suggest using a rolling motion of curling the bottom crust over the top crust and pinching consecutively to ensure the pocket stays shut). Brush with additional olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt (optional). Make a few small slits on the top of each calzone. Place calzones so they are not touching on greased cookie sheets and bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Let calzones cool for at least 5-7 minutes before eating as the pockets trap steam and will be very hot when you bite into them.
Serving suggestion: serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Makes 8 medium size calzones.
Note: feel free to add some of your favorite vegan cheese or faux meat products. Get creative. You won't be let down. It is a lot of work but the payoff is supreme.
Device #1 - a bread machine and Device #2 - a food processor. Of course the recipe does not require such devices but it did make for an easier prep since most of my time was spent on tasting and shaping the dough. Please be aware that I didn't measure everything precisely so how much you use of each spice is really a matter of personal preference. Just taste as you go and make adjustments to your liking. I'm sure they will turn out delicious.
Vegan Rainbow Veggie Calzones
1 batch of pizza dough***buy premade or make your own (I just used a basic recipe in my bread machine)
Olive oil (for sauteing and brushing on the finished product)
1 cup raw spinach (I'm sure you could substitute frozen but I'm not a fan of frozen spinach)
1 cup raw kale (I used Lacinato but any kale would do)
1 sweet yellow onion
1 medium zucchini
1/2 red bell pepper
3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (preferably not packed in oil)
3 cloves garlic
10 ounce-package high protein, super firm tofu (pressed dry if packed in water)
2 meyer lemons (or 1 regular lemon)
1/2 tub vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese plain variety)
2 Tablespoons vegan sour cream (I made my own using cashews but bought stuff would be fine too)
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 Vegetable bouillon cube (I used Rapunzel brand)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Spike seasoning(optional, to taste)
1 teaspoon salt(optional, to taste)
Instructions: In batches appropriate for your size food processor, gently pulse spinach, kale, onion, zucchini, and garlic to achieve a fine dice. If you don't have a food processor, chop by hand and toss into a large bowl to mix. Begin warming a large saute pan with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and add mixture stirring occasionally over a medium low flame. Add bouillon cube, oregano, marjoram, dill, black pepper, nutmeg, Spike and salt. Add vegan cream cheese and vegan sour cream and lemon juice to the pan and stir to coat. If you are feeling creative with your firm tofu then go ahead and cut the block in half and add half of it to the pan by crumbling it with your hands (so that it resembles feta cheese) and half of it can be grated on a box grater (to resemble mozzarella). Turn off heat and pour mixture back into the large bowl. Gently fold in finely diced sun dried tomatoes, red bell pepper (raw) and nutritional yeast. Taste mixture to adjust seasoning level.
Putting it all together: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease two large cookie sheets and set aside (or use parchment paper). Cut pizza dough into eight triangles and roll each into a ball and set aside. Roll each ball to make an 8-inch round and spoon a fistful of mixture onto half of the moon shape. Fold dough over and crimp with your fingers (I suggest using a rolling motion of curling the bottom crust over the top crust and pinching consecutively to ensure the pocket stays shut). Brush with additional olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt (optional). Make a few small slits on the top of each calzone. Place calzones so they are not touching on greased cookie sheets and bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Let calzones cool for at least 5-7 minutes before eating as the pockets trap steam and will be very hot when you bite into them.
Serving suggestion: serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce. Enjoy!
Makes 8 medium size calzones.
Note: feel free to add some of your favorite vegan cheese or faux meat products. Get creative. You won't be let down. It is a lot of work but the payoff is supreme.
3.06.2013
Mama Ash's Meaty Vegan Chili
It's very cold here in San Francisco and I was craving something warming and spicy. One of my favorite foods to prepare, vegetarian or otherwise, is hearty, meaty, salty, succulent chili! Unfortunately, my husband won't eat it. Not because it's vegan but because he doesn't like chili. Oh well, his loss. More for me and the kiddos!
I challenge you to prepare this for any chili loving carnivore and see if they can tell the difference. Just don't tell them it is vegan. Wait until after they have eaten it (providing they don't have a soy allergy as TVP, a key ingredient resembling ground meat, does contain soy).
I have played around with lots of vegetarian chili recipes and came up with this one because I find it simple to prepare yet complex in body and flavor. It is so hearty and filling. Please let me know how it turns out. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am Mama Ash, a nickname bestowed upon me in my college days in Humboldt County long before I actually had children of my own.
Mama Ash's Meaty Vegan Chili
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
4 Tablespoons chili powder (I used Whole Foods Market 365 brand, Valle del Sol Chili Powder)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon oregano
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel brand, Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt & Herbs flavor)
1 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein. I used Bob's Red Mill brand)
4 cups water
Saute onion, red pepper, garlic and carrot over low heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and bouillon cubes. Stir to coat and then add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of TVP. While it is simmering add 1 can of pinto beans and tomato paste. As it reduces slightly, add remaining 2 cups of water and stir. Allow chili to simmer covered on very low heat for about 20 minutes. Voila!
Serving suggestions: top with a dollop of vegan sour cream, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Makes about 8 servings.
I challenge you to prepare this for any chili loving carnivore and see if they can tell the difference. Just don't tell them it is vegan. Wait until after they have eaten it (providing they don't have a soy allergy as TVP, a key ingredient resembling ground meat, does contain soy).
I have played around with lots of vegetarian chili recipes and came up with this one because I find it simple to prepare yet complex in body and flavor. It is so hearty and filling. Please let me know how it turns out. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am Mama Ash, a nickname bestowed upon me in my college days in Humboldt County long before I actually had children of my own.
Mama Ash's Meaty Vegan Chili
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
4 Tablespoons chili powder (I used Whole Foods Market 365 brand, Valle del Sol Chili Powder)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon oregano
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel brand, Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt & Herbs flavor)
1 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein. I used Bob's Red Mill brand)
4 cups water
1 fifteen-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 six-ounce can tomato paste (I used Whole Foods Market 365 brand, Organic Tomato Paste)
Saute onion, red pepper, garlic and carrot over low heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and bouillon cubes. Stir to coat and then add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of TVP. While it is simmering add 1 can of pinto beans and tomato paste. As it reduces slightly, add remaining 2 cups of water and stir. Allow chili to simmer covered on very low heat for about 20 minutes. Voila!
Serving suggestions: top with a dollop of vegan sour cream, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Setting Up Camp in My Body
Every since I was little I never liked being in a body very much. No this isn't because I have been overweight (at least I don't think so). I'll admit that may have contributed to my clumsiness growing up but it's not the reason. Frankly, I'm just more at peace in my soul, head, and heart than I am in my physical form. I've always been a dreamer. Someone who finds comfort in visions of all things non-earthly. I connect with people based on energy and while body language may play a close second, it's got nothing on the etherial complexities I thrive on in myself and others.
This week has been an excellent test of my will power and of my ability to think outside the box. I was always one of those people who never even considered going vegan. I have a brother who has been vegan for over twenty years. I can't tell you how many times I urged him to taste one of my culinary creations that contained meat or dairy. I used to wonder how he did it and now I'm learning just how. Wow! How life can change overnight! My father and step-mother are also 95% vegan and they are excellent resources for me on this journey. I feel truly blessed to have such an incredibly supportive family.
Yesterday I joined an online vegan community and immediately received positive reinforcement from fellow vegans. I am so happy to live in the electronic social media era where free, unbridled human support is just a click away. It was refreshing to hear from others who like cheese as much as I do and folks who, like me, are newbies to this new way of life. I am thrilled there are so many supportive folks out there who have been exactly where I am now.
Maybe once I've been at this for awhile I will actually start enjoying being in my body more. Up until now, I have always found the body to be so restricting. It's starting to dawn on me I just may have never pitched the tent. So now I'm clearing a spot to do just that. Next up, the fire pit!
Yesterday I also made vegan sour cream using cashews. Now while it really doesn't taste like actual sour cream, it certainly has qualities that are reminiscent of this creamy goodness and I can't wait to put a big old dollop on a bowl of vegetarian chili or whip up some vegan cheesecake. Hooray for nuts and their creamy qualities. Interestingly, I was inspired to make this sour cream because I found a recipe for vegan aged swiss cheese that called for it. I'll keep you posted when I tackle this. I need cheesecloth stat!
Happy Hump Day Universe! Let's Rock N' Roll and make this body-life camp our bitch!
This week has been an excellent test of my will power and of my ability to think outside the box. I was always one of those people who never even considered going vegan. I have a brother who has been vegan for over twenty years. I can't tell you how many times I urged him to taste one of my culinary creations that contained meat or dairy. I used to wonder how he did it and now I'm learning just how. Wow! How life can change overnight! My father and step-mother are also 95% vegan and they are excellent resources for me on this journey. I feel truly blessed to have such an incredibly supportive family.
Yesterday I joined an online vegan community and immediately received positive reinforcement from fellow vegans. I am so happy to live in the electronic social media era where free, unbridled human support is just a click away. It was refreshing to hear from others who like cheese as much as I do and folks who, like me, are newbies to this new way of life. I am thrilled there are so many supportive folks out there who have been exactly where I am now.
Maybe once I've been at this for awhile I will actually start enjoying being in my body more. Up until now, I have always found the body to be so restricting. It's starting to dawn on me I just may have never pitched the tent. So now I'm clearing a spot to do just that. Next up, the fire pit!
Yesterday I also made vegan sour cream using cashews. Now while it really doesn't taste like actual sour cream, it certainly has qualities that are reminiscent of this creamy goodness and I can't wait to put a big old dollop on a bowl of vegetarian chili or whip up some vegan cheesecake. Hooray for nuts and their creamy qualities. Interestingly, I was inspired to make this sour cream because I found a recipe for vegan aged swiss cheese that called for it. I'll keep you posted when I tackle this. I need cheesecloth stat!
Happy Hump Day Universe! Let's Rock N' Roll and make this body-life camp our bitch!
3.04.2013
Rainbow Garden Burgers
Rainbow Garden Burgers
2 cups cooked rice (I cooked mine in vegetable broth steeped in green pulp leftover from juicing)
1 cup oatmeal
4 slices toasted bread (crushed up to crumble. I used organic flax and chia seed bread)
3 large spinach leaves (finely chopped in food processor)
3 kale leaves (finely chopped in food processor)
2 grated carrots
1 can northern white beans, drained (1/2 can finely chopped in food processor, 1/2 can kept whole)
1 clove minced garlic
Splash olive oil
Splash red wine
Soy sauce (to taste)
Lawrys seasoned salt (to taste)
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
Mix all together to form ground beef texture mixture. If mixture seems too wet, add more bread crumbs. Roll into large cylinder in saran wrap and freeze for 4-6 hours. Slice into 3/4 inch patties and store individually in freezer. To heat up, pan fry 3-4 minutes per side in olive oil or bake in oven at 375 for 15-20 minutes. Serve on a bun or over a bed of greens.
18 Rainbow Garden Burgers
Chia Seeds. Hemp Seeds. Flax Seeds. Quinoa. These are words you might start to know well when becoming vegan. Mmmmmm baby, love me some hemp seeds. Today I made a hardcore experimental from scratch garden burger. I can happily relay what I put in these puppies but please don't ask for specifics. If you know me well, you know that recipes are hard to follow to any precise measurements when you are dying to be a truly CREATIVE home cook. I just created these after over cooking some green rice (I made the rice green by using my pulp left over from juicing soaked in some organic veggie broth as the liquid for the rice - GENIUS). I was enjoying my soy sauce and earth balance drenched rice when it dawned on me. This frigging rice is reminiscent of ground beef. Or maybe veal. Maybe I should just throw a bunch of flavorful goodness together and make a patty of sorts.
12 hours later (I let the loaf freeze up in a cylinder before slicing my perfectly round patties) I had burgers. 18 of them. So now my freezer is stocked for a quick burger (kind of) whenever the mood strikes me. Ok, ok, so they didn't taste anything like actual beef but they did turn out delicious. Somewhere of a cross between a traditional garden burger and falafel. And yes they were fully equipped with chia seeds. Unfortunately I didn't have any hemp seeds handy. I'll go ahead and post the mash up that I used to create these bad boys. Let's just make it a separate post for continuity sake. Check ya later.
12 hours later (I let the loaf freeze up in a cylinder before slicing my perfectly round patties) I had burgers. 18 of them. So now my freezer is stocked for a quick burger (kind of) whenever the mood strikes me. Ok, ok, so they didn't taste anything like actual beef but they did turn out delicious. Somewhere of a cross between a traditional garden burger and falafel. And yes they were fully equipped with chia seeds. Unfortunately I didn't have any hemp seeds handy. I'll go ahead and post the mash up that I used to create these bad boys. Let's just make it a separate post for continuity sake. Check ya later.
Juicy, Juicy, Lucy, Goosy
Yesterday was a milestone. I went to a birthday party where the fare was the furthest thing from vegan and I managed to resist all temptation.....well almost. I did try the "Jungle Juice" but as soon as the artificial high fructose corn syrup entered my system, I knew I wouldn't be finishing my cup. Fortunately there were tortilla chips and salsa and a small veggie tray so I was able to eat something. It tripped me out to eat a carrot stick and resist dipping in the ranch, it's like second nature. Auto pilot. But I didn't do it.
I thought about bringing some of my own vegan fare to the event but decided it would be a good experience to test myself since this is going to be part of my life now. I better get used to it. My husband of course was in meat heaven. The buffet offered hot links, baked beans covered in bacon, buttery corn, chicken wings, thick ham slices and get this, freshly roasted turkeys!
Now I'm not going to lie, the turkey smelled incredible but as tempted as I was, I refrained. A week into my new life, I'm not going to let any bird get the best of me. It helped that there were live geese roaming the grounds of the event location. One look at those geese and I was fine resisting the turkey. Now we will see what my tune is come Thanksgiving, but that is months away. Obviously I will be roasting a turkey for my family. I think one of the hardest things about being vegan now, is NOT that I am still cooking meat (no issues there) but that I can't TASTE it as I'm preparing it. As a home cook, tasting your food is key, so my husband is just going to have to fill this role. Poor him! LOL.
Now on to juicing, finally put the new Breville to the test. We juiced a whole cacophony of things and some tasted better than others. I've decided that for now, I'm not going to just juice for sustenance. I like chewing too much. That time may come but it's not now. My ideal intention is to juice at least once every other day. Today it was 2 apples, 10 carrots, broccoli, kale, swiss chard stems, golden beet stems, spinach and carrot greens. Wicked cool. Hubby and I are officially excited about all the new creations.
Last note, super stoked, 9 pounds officially gone! On to week number 2.... now I'm really craving a bowl of chumbutt.
I thought about bringing some of my own vegan fare to the event but decided it would be a good experience to test myself since this is going to be part of my life now. I better get used to it. My husband of course was in meat heaven. The buffet offered hot links, baked beans covered in bacon, buttery corn, chicken wings, thick ham slices and get this, freshly roasted turkeys!
Now I'm not going to lie, the turkey smelled incredible but as tempted as I was, I refrained. A week into my new life, I'm not going to let any bird get the best of me. It helped that there were live geese roaming the grounds of the event location. One look at those geese and I was fine resisting the turkey. Now we will see what my tune is come Thanksgiving, but that is months away. Obviously I will be roasting a turkey for my family. I think one of the hardest things about being vegan now, is NOT that I am still cooking meat (no issues there) but that I can't TASTE it as I'm preparing it. As a home cook, tasting your food is key, so my husband is just going to have to fill this role. Poor him! LOL.
Now on to juicing, finally put the new Breville to the test. We juiced a whole cacophony of things and some tasted better than others. I've decided that for now, I'm not going to just juice for sustenance. I like chewing too much. That time may come but it's not now. My ideal intention is to juice at least once every other day. Today it was 2 apples, 10 carrots, broccoli, kale, swiss chard stems, golden beet stems, spinach and carrot greens. Wicked cool. Hubby and I are officially excited about all the new creations.
Last note, super stoked, 9 pounds officially gone! On to week number 2.... now I'm really craving a bowl of chumbutt.
3.02.2013
Day 5, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Cream!
I know I'm capable of continuing to be a vegan so long as I can emulate creamy, rich, full-body flavors in my culinary creations. Ways I have discovered how to do this thus far: nuts, coconuts, soy, legumes and vegetables. One might be shocked at how easy this actually is if you know what you're doing in the kitchen. It's amazing the creamy textures that can be achieved with these natural ingredients. Let's start with Hummus, one of my personal favs. Yesterday I created a layer dip of hummus (Trader's Joes brand but making your own is easy too), my creamy green sauce and finely diced caramelized onions (deglazed with red wine, of course). Consuming this creamy deliciousness was every bit as satisfying as a bowl of ranch dressing, french onion dip or, dare I say it, blue cheese (something I never thought I would say about anything). I figure that so long as I can continue to have rich foods while eating vegan, this will be a piece of cake.
Now let's switch gears and discuss what I bought today at the Farmer's Market to begin juicing Please note, I have not yet used my new Breville juicer. I opened it. I looked at it. I admired it. Soon it's parts will be sudsy and I will put it's magic to use. When I do, I'll be sure and let you know.
Today's organic scores: Pink Lady Apples, Lacinato Kale, Red Chard, Spinach, Broccoli, Golden Beets, Carrots and Lemons. I have washed and prepped all produce for raw consumption and I'm sure much of it will end up being juice. My husband is excited to start juicing with me. He's been so supportive of my new endeavors. Feeling really blessed right now just to be where I am and continuing to be motivated. The Western Diet was way too easy to follow but was definitely not going to afford me the years on my life I'm confident the Vegan Diet will add.
But now back to reality and why I'm so totally not perfect. I'm still smoking cigarettes, about a half a pack a day. I decided I wasn't going to tackle quitting smoking while I'm busy changing everything else about my daily injest routine. To date, I only quit smoking cigarettes when I was pregnant. I have smoked since I was 13 so that means I have smoked for about 22 years. God that sounds awful. Certainly it's fluctuated over the years but if I'm being honest, let's just say I'm seriously disgusted by myself. This addiction has power over me in a sickening way. Why the hell do I love to smoke so much? Yuck.
Perhaps after I've gotten veganism down I will tackle this nasty habit. For now, I'll just admit it and tell you how so totally not proud I am of myself. And in the news with my other vices, morning cup of the strongest coffee you can imagine with cream (currently soy creamer, though I hear coconut variety is good too) and very rich, robust, red wine in the evenings. I adore any good Cab but my tastes have gotten a bit more snobbish in my older years. As long as it costs more than ten dollars a bottle, I'll probably drink it. And Merlot. And Pinot Noir. And Petite Shiraz. And Zinfandel. And Meritage. Ok you get the point, I like red wine, not white. Thank 'effing God wine is vegan.
Seeing a theme here?! I am a VERY indulgent human being. I like my food rich. Coffee rich. Wine rich. Now if only my husband were rich too.... Now that would be dangerous. Day 5, in the bag. One thing at a time. Breathe baby....Breathe....
Now let's switch gears and discuss what I bought today at the Farmer's Market to begin juicing Please note, I have not yet used my new Breville juicer. I opened it. I looked at it. I admired it. Soon it's parts will be sudsy and I will put it's magic to use. When I do, I'll be sure and let you know.
Today's organic scores: Pink Lady Apples, Lacinato Kale, Red Chard, Spinach, Broccoli, Golden Beets, Carrots and Lemons. I have washed and prepped all produce for raw consumption and I'm sure much of it will end up being juice. My husband is excited to start juicing with me. He's been so supportive of my new endeavors. Feeling really blessed right now just to be where I am and continuing to be motivated. The Western Diet was way too easy to follow but was definitely not going to afford me the years on my life I'm confident the Vegan Diet will add.
But now back to reality and why I'm so totally not perfect. I'm still smoking cigarettes, about a half a pack a day. I decided I wasn't going to tackle quitting smoking while I'm busy changing everything else about my daily injest routine. To date, I only quit smoking cigarettes when I was pregnant. I have smoked since I was 13 so that means I have smoked for about 22 years. God that sounds awful. Certainly it's fluctuated over the years but if I'm being honest, let's just say I'm seriously disgusted by myself. This addiction has power over me in a sickening way. Why the hell do I love to smoke so much? Yuck.
Perhaps after I've gotten veganism down I will tackle this nasty habit. For now, I'll just admit it and tell you how so totally not proud I am of myself. And in the news with my other vices, morning cup of the strongest coffee you can imagine with cream (currently soy creamer, though I hear coconut variety is good too) and very rich, robust, red wine in the evenings. I adore any good Cab but my tastes have gotten a bit more snobbish in my older years. As long as it costs more than ten dollars a bottle, I'll probably drink it. And Merlot. And Pinot Noir. And Petite Shiraz. And Zinfandel. And Meritage. Ok you get the point, I like red wine, not white. Thank 'effing God wine is vegan.
Seeing a theme here?! I am a VERY indulgent human being. I like my food rich. Coffee rich. Wine rich. Now if only my husband were rich too.... Now that would be dangerous. Day 5, in the bag. One thing at a time. Breathe baby....Breathe....
3.01.2013
Cheese Lovers Anonymous
Had anyone approached me about becoming a vegan even two weeks ago I would have had the same response my girlfriend had when I mentioned it to her earlier. That response is "no way could I do it". This response would have boiled down to one word in my case, "CHEESE". I have loved cheese since forever. I'm always going to love cheese, whether I'm ingesting it or not. Cheese is in every way, shape and form simply a food from the Gods. I have decided that it will be my quest to find every possible vegan cheese recipe and experiment until I create something that resembles the real thing. So far I have found interesting looking "nut-based" recipes for cheddar, cream cheese and my absolute fav, blue cheese. So you can bet when I get my hands on some blue algae powder and dairy-free acidophilus I am going to attempt to make this smelly goodness - and bathe in it.
I guess it is technically day 4 of my vegan quest and so far, so good. I'm actually a lot fuller than I thought I would be even though I haven't really been eating all that much bulk. If all those movies are right then I guess this is because I was actually "starved" on the western diet and now that my body is getting the right nutrients it says "I don't need to eat constantly". Who out there has a love affair with food like I do? Who thinks about food from the minute you wake up until you pass out on your nice cold pillow? Am I crazy? I think not. Besides, we do need food to survive right?! And if I was anything like my own children, then before I could even eat actual food, I was eating all day, all night.
Today was a very good day. My juicer arrived. I bought a Breville - of course. I mean who hasn't seen the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and then promptly purchased a Breville juicer? I adore the impact media can have on society. I also seriously love when I get things from Amazon in the mail. The box remains unopened. Until my husband gets home from work and can admire it's shininess and until we have bought pounds and pounds of veggie goodness to put in the damn thing, in it's box it shall remain. There seems no point in unwrapping all that bubble wrap until I can use the monstrosity.
So next quest, juicing. Mmmmmmm.... green juice. I have no clue if I could actually subsist on just juice. I mean I suppose never say never as I am telling myself and perhaps others along the way regarding veganism and other things. The movie sure makes juicing looks glamourous and people swear by it. I am all for trying new things. If nothing less I will incorporate fresh juice into my regimen, I'm just not sure it can hold a candle to my vegan masterpieces on the plate, but we shall see.
-Ash (7 pounds down. Werd!)
I guess it is technically day 4 of my vegan quest and so far, so good. I'm actually a lot fuller than I thought I would be even though I haven't really been eating all that much bulk. If all those movies are right then I guess this is because I was actually "starved" on the western diet and now that my body is getting the right nutrients it says "I don't need to eat constantly". Who out there has a love affair with food like I do? Who thinks about food from the minute you wake up until you pass out on your nice cold pillow? Am I crazy? I think not. Besides, we do need food to survive right?! And if I was anything like my own children, then before I could even eat actual food, I was eating all day, all night.
Today was a very good day. My juicer arrived. I bought a Breville - of course. I mean who hasn't seen the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and then promptly purchased a Breville juicer? I adore the impact media can have on society. I also seriously love when I get things from Amazon in the mail. The box remains unopened. Until my husband gets home from work and can admire it's shininess and until we have bought pounds and pounds of veggie goodness to put in the damn thing, in it's box it shall remain. There seems no point in unwrapping all that bubble wrap until I can use the monstrosity.
So next quest, juicing. Mmmmmmm.... green juice. I have no clue if I could actually subsist on just juice. I mean I suppose never say never as I am telling myself and perhaps others along the way regarding veganism and other things. The movie sure makes juicing looks glamourous and people swear by it. I am all for trying new things. If nothing less I will incorporate fresh juice into my regimen, I'm just not sure it can hold a candle to my vegan masterpieces on the plate, but we shall see.
-Ash (7 pounds down. Werd!)
Its All Gotta Go...
Purging your pantry is always a very good thing to do. Particularly when you have not been grocery shopping for a week and are running out of things. Things that you don't want to buy anymore. Today's task: purge Monsanto and all of it's slimy cousins. For most of my life I have ascribed to the "Ignorance is Bliss" way of thinking. Even though I am the furthest thing from an ignorant human being. I chose to play ignorant out of laziness, laxidaisical attitude, and because I had more important things to focus on then learning where my food comes from. I grew up eating very healthy. Sure, my food was smothered in butter but it was still healthy. In Arcata, my hometown, our community was eons ahead of the rest of America about words like "green", "organic", "sustainable", "communal" and the true meaning of "raw". Now 30 some years later it cracks me up that these things sometimes come across as being thought of as trendy when really they are just plain right. Thank heavens for trendiness. What my parents taught me was actually all true.
P.S. day 3 of vegan living is a-maz-ing. I have never felt fuller or more satisfied in my entire life. I can't wait to start making my own vegan cheese. The store bought stuff is kind of booty. Let's do that soon. xox
P.S. day 3 of vegan living is a-maz-ing. I have never felt fuller or more satisfied in my entire life. I can't wait to start making my own vegan cheese. The store bought stuff is kind of booty. Let's do that soon. xox
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