flavorvegan

Anatomy of an apology: Daiya makes nice

2011-12-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

I was so furious when Daiya Cheese posted a video entitled “Being FAT is now illegal in Japan”. Each fat hating comment and stereotype fueled this anger, which is why I quickly wrote up a blot post about it (and posted on facebook and emailed the company). The only thing I was seeing on their facebook page was empty apologies that clearly did not understand why people were upset.

When I got an email from Daiya Cheese requested my phone number so the CEO could give me a call, I knew it was a good sign. When I talked with Greg, CEO, and Andre from the company, my fire was completely put out. While Greg had a good explanation for not being around when the controversy started and being unaware of it, he did not use it as an excuse. Instead, he sincerely apologized for what happened. He told me exactly how he was going to remedy the situation. They were creating a code of conduct for facebook and would delete the really hateful posts by others. He was clearly frustrated with the social media employee, who up until that time had done a good job. He promised to give her training to understanding why the video post was so insulting to others. Andre shared with me his past of being bullied and they both shared how the hateful message from the video post goes directly against what they believe and what the company is about. What a relief!

I felt listened to. The apology was heartfelt. There were no excuses, just accountability. They were being proactive to remedy the situation and were addressing people’s concerns. They kept asking for my feedback and made sure I knew that their doors were open for further communication. I was impressed! Here is a video of Greg apologizing for the incident so you can see for yourself.

Companies have a human component, especially the smaller ones. I understand mistakes can happen. We all make them. To me it is more important how a mistake is handled, than what the mistake itself was. My hope it that this is a learning opportunity for everyone involved, especially the social media person. Daiya Cheese has won me back as a customer and I have new respect for them as a company.

Although there was a lot of hate being smeared across their facebook page, there was also a lot of people speaking up and showing me that fat vegans and their allies are out there and have a beautiful voice. It was nice feeling connected to them and even made some new facebook friends and was introduced to a new blog. I can’t convince every one to be open to the truth and be considerate, but at least I could find others who live like my motto; health at every size, respect for every body.

Daiya Cheese posts video that promotes fat hate - Updated!

2011-12-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Today I talked with Greg, the CEO, and Andre from Daiya cheese and I left our conversation feeling the company is in the process of taking appropriate measures to resolve the hurtful video posting on facebook and make sure situations like this do not happen again. I will be sure to blog about follow through of these measures and feel very confident that the company is sincerely good and will remedy the situation.

Daiya cheese just posted a video on their facebook page titled “Being FAT is now illegal in Japan” and then asked, “Should this be adopted in North America?” People have been commenting like mad, both upset and agreeing. Many comments were downright insulting and inappropriate. Daiya then did a post saying they did not want to offend anyone, just encourage a discussion. They obviously still do not get it.

By posting this video, Daiya is leading a discussion that promotes hatred. The idea of making fat people illegal contributes to stereotypes that we are all lazy and eat unhealthy. It contributes to the shaming of fat people and tells us they we need to change. It does not ask important questions; such as can you be fit and fat? The answer is YES!

You can see this when reading the comments by others. I get so enraged seeing how rampant fat hatred is and how quickly our concerns are dismissed and made fun of. People are not just speaking their mind; they are attacking me. I have been fat as long as I have been conscious of my existence, been fit majority of that time and vegan over 15 years. I have experienced people’s stereotypes and have been targeted for my size in ways you could not imagine. This includes, ironically, having a hamburger thrown at me during a mcdonalds protest and names slung at me by a car passing me as a bike up a huge hill.

Corporations have been profiting from people’s insecurities and promote unhealthy diets and unattainable bodies. As a result, our society is filled with eating disorders and bad body image. There is a solution. Promoting a healthy diet and exercise, along with body confidence, will contribute to a healthier population. A person’s size has no relevance in the talk about health. As a society, we should focus on health at every size and respect for every person.

On Daiya’s wall I posted that they should educate themselves about this issue, and even volunteered myself to be contacted to do so. Their response? A thank you for my post and that I can email them at any time. What! Wasn’t I already contacting them? And isn’t it their responsibility to educate themselves and correct their ignorance? I try to give companies a chance for a positive response since I have been at the other side of controversy before, but their response it not acceptable. Please join me in telling Daiya their post and behavior is irresponsible and not acceptable. Daiya should educate themselves why this post is considered offensive to so many and make a true apology. Email them at cr@daiyafoods.com.

And if you personally would like to know more about this topic, feel free to contact me, or check out some of the links below.

Big Fat Facts

Health At Every Size

Dances with Fat Blog

Pumpkin Baking

2011-12-05T14:26:00.001-08:00

I went to a housewarming party last month and had been wanting to try and make pumpkin bundt cake. Well, I couldn't find my bundt pan so I ended up using the same recipe I developed to bake into cupcakes. I then glazed them simply with powdered sugar whisked with a little vanilla and coconut milk. I am not a huge pumpkin fan, but I do love ginger so I made sure to add just as much ginger as cinnamon and I think this helped me enjoy the cupcakes, along with the extra moisture from the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

3 Tb. Flaxseed Meal
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Soy, Almond or Coconut Milk
1/2 cup Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar
1/4 cup Molasses
2 1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp ground Ginger
1 Tb. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Combine the flax and water and let stand a few minutes. Cream together the oil and sugar, then add the molasses, vanilla and milk. Add the flax/water mixture to the other wet ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients and add to wet and mix until just combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes for cupcakes. Bake 40 minutes for 9-inch cakes and 50-60 minutes for a loaf pan.

* For gluten free, use 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour, 3/4 cup sweet white rice flour, 1/4 cup potato starch and 2 tsp guar gum for flour. This has not been tested in this recipe, but it has worked in other cake recipes.

A Thanksgiving story and some favorite recipes

2011-11-22T17:53:00.001-08:00

Looks like Obama's daughter may get there is something wrong with eating turkey.
- Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images North America

My very first all vegan Thanksgiving was about 15 years ago. I was in college and talked my family into allowing me to make the entire meal, so it would all be vegan. My sister picked me up in Eugene to head to Portland and she broke the news that my parents had a "thanksgiving" meal the week before since they would be missing out that year.

I was devastated! I loved my family and was glad to be visiting, but the whole point of me working so hard to create a delicious vegan meal was to save a turkey! This is the biggest fight I can remember having with my parents as an adult. I was over the top agry, and they were apologetic. The next 10 years, I don't think they ever ate turkey, so it may have made up for the life taken so many years back.

My parents are not vegan, or even vegetarian, but I will say they have been tremendously supportive of my activism over the years. This even includes when I get arrested or clubbed by a police officer (during the Seattle WTO protests)! Ok, that last part actually made my dad super proud!

Anyway, in case you are still desperate to find the perfect Thanksgiving recipes, here are some of my personal recipes I use every year.

Stuffing (my personal must-have Thanksgiving dish)

Thanksgiving Gluten Roast (bottom of post) or Miso-Maple Tofu

"Buttermilk" Biscuits

Pumpkin Pie

Creamy Cannellini and Kale Soup

2011-10-10T12:48:00.001-07:00

I discovered small sun dried tomato bits in the bulk spice section of a local market and thought they would be great to use in all sorts of culinary applications. The first thing I thought of was soup! I wrote out this recipe on a whim during the summer months, and finally the weather is cooling down to give me the opportunity to actually give it a go. Yum! The flavors go well together and are simple enough that they do not compete. Hope you enjoy it as well!

Creamy Cannellini and Kale Soup

1 Tb Olive Oil

1/4 cup Shallots, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

2 – 15 oz. cans Cannellini Beans

4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 head Kale, chopped

½ cup Sun Dried Tomato pieces

Salt to taste

Sauté the olive oil, shallots and garlic until golden. Place the beans in a food processor along with the sautéed shallots and garlic and blend. Add broth until it's a smooth consistency. Add contents into a large sauce pan on medium heat. Add the remaining broth, kale and sun dried tomatoes. cook for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat. Add salt to taste before serving.

* If you are unable to find smaller sun dried tomato bits, you can use the regular size and just use scissors to cut them a little smaller. Using sun dried tomatoes that are not in the oil works best.

An inside perspective

2011-09-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

I’ve been having trouble writing this, but I think it is important. I am not sure if I can express the frustration I feel about this issue, but I will try my hardest. I don't want people to think I am attacking, but I hope my inside perspective can be helpful. Not everyone will agree with me, but that is ok. I have worked at Bob’s Red Mill for over 8 years and I know Bob personally. I know he has a big heart, is compassionate and truly cares about his employees and people’s health. When it was announced the other week that Bob donated $25 million to form an institute of nutrition and wellness through OHSU, I thought it could be a really good thing. The idea that any money could go to animal research did not occur to me, until The Oregonian quoted OHSU referring to the Primate Research Center. I don’t think Bob himself considered that OHSU would use some of the money to fund animal research.

“The Informed Vegan” blog posted an article titled “Bob’s Red Mill Funds Animal Testing”. Suddenly all over the web, animal rights activists were responding by commenting on Bob’s Red Mill facebook page, sending emails, calling and writing letters. Everyone took the blog post face value, which was filled with misinformation. For one, Bob and Charlee Moore made the donation, not Bob's Red Mill. They may be the founders, but a couple years ago Bob announced he was giving the company to the employees. This transition is still ongoing, but employees due now hold stake in the company.

Knowing Bob, it broke my heart to see all the negative reactions from activists. As an activist, it broke my heart that people did not educate themselves more or try and approach their concerns in a manner that was more productive, rather than just react and vent. Bob isn’t directly involved in facebook, yet a post about a fundraiser dog wash for Dove Lewis Animal Hospital where employees were volunteering that weekend were taken over by comments concerning this issue. When a post suggested people send Bob a letter to be most effective, a response was that Bob’s Red Mill was trying to silence the public. People were assuming the worse, when in fact, writing a letter was the best way to get through to Bob. The company was encouraging feedback so Bob could hear from the public and make a decision about this issue in a responsible way. People were calling for a boycott of Bob’s Red Mill products before Bob could even respond to the question of animal testing.

Bob and Charlee did announce this week that no funds would go towards animal research. The main goal of the institute is outreach and education. I heard many activists vocalizing concern that the donation would free up money so OHSU could spend more on animal research anyway. This was not a blanket donation. The donation will create a new institute and will only fund it specifically. There was also concern OHSU would not honor the Moore's decision, but it is a legally binding. I completely understand how people hate OHSU. It is sad that the top-notch medical schools are so wrapped up in animal testing. These same schools have more access to the public, however, so education programs through them can reach more people and have a larger impact. I’ve personally had both my sisters saved by the medical doctors at OHSU when no other hospital could help them. They were not saved by animal testing, but they were saved by the hospital’s status and ability to hire good doctors.

It is really easy to hate. It is really easy to tell people what they should or shouldn’t have done. But the problem is when a response is so negative, then those targeted for the message may miss what you are saying. Bob may have heard that there are a lot of people against animal research, but he may have also seen animal rights activists as mean and unreasonable. I personally felt I was in the middle of trying to calm down activists to communicate concern effectively, while try trying to calm down coworkers getting frustrated with being attacked.

There are times when anger and yelling your message is needed for a campaign. And then there are times when a more diplomatic approach is needed. The best approach to an issue needs to be considered before action, both on an individual level, as well as an organized effort. Bob has supported the vegan community in the past and donates to a lot of animal sanctuaries and other community organizations. Communicating with respect and giving him a chance to respond would have been more effective for the desired outcome, and represented activists in a positive light. Although there are people who will never be happy about Bob’s donation, he’s giving up his life’s work to invest in the future wellbeing of others. Even if you don’t agree with where the money is going, hopefully you can acknowledge his generosity.

Goodby Friday Harbor Labs, Hello Vida Vegan Con!

2011-08-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

I did not want to leave San Juan Island! No matter how much I complained about the cafeteria food, being around nature everyday, having close encounters with killer whales and learning a subject matter that I care so much about, felt incredibly right. I had envisioned myself being on the island doing work with the whales, and having just a taste, I know I will be back. I made many friends who I’d never guess I would connect so well with. I was shocked to find myself in a place of sadness when I got home. Of course it was great seeing my beloved kitties and rats. It was wonderful sleeping in my own bed. I am looking forward to cooking a real meal. But the experience was so profoundly amazing and exactly what I wanted to be doing, I mourned that it was over. There will be more of these experiences. The class at Friday Harbor Labs was just the beginning, but I am missing being there greatly.

Where I spend many hours looking for and watching Southern Resident Killer Whales

My transition to Portland started off with all those feelings, and I had the Vida Vegan Con blogger conference to attend the next day. I had been looking forward to the conference, but I never had a chance to really process my feelings of being back. I had a momentary breakdown when I first got there and started to talk with people. But I collected myself and went to a panel on positive blogging. Before the talk began, a woman saw my nametag and told me she had been looking for me. She had read my guest post on the conference website and complimented me on it. This random compliment from a stranger transformed me, and suddenly, being home wasn’t so bad after all. I enjoyed the positivity panel and looked forward to more talks. The next day, I gave a talk about activism and was again feeling great being back in Portland. Everyone was so incredibly nice and knowledgeable and welcoming. I talked with Jasmin Singer from Our Hen House and did an interview for a pod cast. I was impressed by her eloquent speaking ability and how nice she is. The whole experience was a wonderful reminder that there is community all over the place if you just open your heart to it. And my depressing transition back home suddenly became an empowering experience.

Thanks to all the organizers of the conference. Jess, Michelle and Janessa are all fabulous hard-working women who know how to create an amazing event. I was able to make up for the 5 weeks of bad food in the two days I was at the conference, eating a lot of flavorful meals and sweet desserts. It was also fantastic to see so many of my friends at once while being welcomed back home. And the swag bag from the conference is also something to talk about! Damn! I never received so many free things before. I am now the proud owner of a pepper grinder. I love pepper!

Once again it is all about whales and cafeteria food

2011-08-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

It is hard to balance criticism and appreciation sometimes. I really appreciate how hard the cafeteria at Friday Harbor Labs works to provide for all the different dietary needs of the students and staff. I am however, tired of no thinking outside the box. No tofu scramble or even a potato veggie medley. Everything is so carb heavy and I have only seen whole grains for lunch or dinner maybe twice. They were not kidding that I would want to supplement my protein since there is vegan protein available in meals less than 25% of the time. And 90% of those times it is garbanzo beans. Variety please!

Sadly, I don’t always trust what they make for me. Majority of the cafeteria staff has been super nice. One woman, however, gives all cafeteria a bad name. She once grabbed a bowl of strawberries I had for dessert from my tray to give to a gluten free person, and told me I could have the angel food cake. I had to argue to convince her it was not vegan and so she then told me gluten free people never get dessert so I should still relinquish my strawberries. I only get dessert if they have sorbet and can tell me the ingredients. That has happened twice. Gluten free people can have ice cream and they even have special gluten free cookies for them. Just saying.

One gripe I have with the cafeteria actually has nothing to do with me. I believe that if someone has a deathly allergy to an ingredient (such a one student's peanut allergy) they should not cook with that ingredient while the person is needing the dining services. The student doesn't feel comfortable eating there for the entire day due to cross contact concerns alone, which is completely understandable.

I am sure you can tell that I am getting tired of over 3 weeks of just cafeteria food. I miss my cooking! And choice! I hope to borrow my TA’s kitchen this weekend to make a tofu scramble, and am looking forward to it.

In other news, San Juan Island is still awesome! I am doing a behavioral project of orcas and their breaching behavior, so that means driving out to the west side every day and look for them. The beginning of August they headed west and left town for almost a week, but suddenly they are back and I have had extreme luck in seeing them for a few days in a row now, while sitting out in the beautiful (but not too hot) sunshine. The other day a cool thing happened. A very small pod of orcas (about 4 of them) headed south and they seemed to have different behavior than I am use to seeing and a male orca has a super large curved dorsal fin. A classmate suggested these were transients, and she was right. After watching them for about 15 minutes, suddenly a large pod of resident orcas headed north into our view. The transients were kinda boring, but the resident orcas put on a show right away. There were breaches all over the place and then they started to forage for fish and did more breaches, and tail slaps and spy hops. It was great!!!

Week 1 at Friday Harbor Labs (with Orcas)

2011-07-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

I have been on San Juan Island for a week now and it was been an adventure! I have done prey sampling in False Bay, surveys for marine birds and mammals from the ferry, identified all the different types of gulls and cormorants, and most excitably; watched a pod of orcas pass by the cliff we were on very close to shore!

I went from an 8–5 office job to field trips, going out on boats, experiencing nature on a daily basis, walking through the campus a lot and trying to stay awake during lecture. I love it! It is fun to push my boundaries and do new things. It is empowering to drive a motor boat for the first time. It is exciting to learn so much about the wildlife around me.

The campus is centered fairly close to Friday Harbor along the water. Deer roam freely and eat all day long. One morning I saw 10 deer before breakfast. I get to see kingfishers fly by and barn swallows all over the place. I heard a rumor that river otters frequent the campus as well, but I won’t believe it until I see it.

The dining staff has been incredibly accommodating for my vegan diet, along with other people’s various dietary needs. I have seen everything from vegan pizza to stuffed peppers to roasted sweet potato. The sad thing is, so much of the food is incredibly carb-heavy. It has already been a week and I am getting tired of it. Who knew I became so whole grain based! I am missing my quinoa! Although I am missing much more than quinoa, whole grains is what I am lacking the strongest it. I might even have to talk with the cafeteria to not only suggest using whole grains, but ask her to not make me special lunches, and just give me hummus for the salad bar.

Considering how great everything else is here, that issue pales in comparison. I look forward to the many more weeks ahead of me learning more about birds and mammals and exploring the island! And of course any opportunity to see orcas. That can be a matter of luck, and today I had a lot of it, spending 3 hours at Lime Kiln Park and seeing pods of the killer whales almost at all times. Check out more of my photos at my flickr account.

My wildlife adventure begins!

2011-07-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

The next 5 weeks I will be living in a dorm on San Juan Island taking a class on ecology and conservation of marine birds and mammals. I am fulfilling a dream of mine to get back into wildlife biology and pursue a career in which I hope to help animals, especially marine mammals. This is the first step and in the fall I am going to school full time and quitting my day job.

I will not have access to a kitchen at all. Even though I have not been cooking as much lately due to a hectic schedule, I hate the idea of not having that option. I will instead be eating dorm food. They have a vegetarian option, but not vegan, although they know a vegan will be staying there. I have been assured there will be hummus every day and a salad bar, and oatmeal, so I can't do too bad. I am also bringing up some marinated tofu, tofurky, almond butter, trail mix and dandies to help supplement my food supply. I really hope I have a chance to roast those dandies!

So I will report back on the dorm food, but most importantly, my adventures on the island. I plan to see lots of orcas and spend many nights watching the breathtaking sunset at San Juan Island park. I hope to meet lots of great people and make connections for my future career. I want to take lots of pictures of the deer, porpoises, eagles and foxes that grace the island (or shores). I will allow this time to reinvigorate my passion of animal rights and trying to create a world a better place. And I am so excited to see if all transpire!

Oh PETA, how you annoy me!

2011-07-08T16:08:00.001-07:00

PETA is sexist and fatphobic. They degrade anyone they can in order to further their message of animal rights. I could go on for days (or pages) about how PETA hurts the animal rights community (and message) with their use of women to “sell” animal rights, or how degrading fat people with their hate hurts their chances of people listening, and how as a fat vegan I am completely disgusted with their treatment of people.

I have heard the arguments about how so many people got involved in animal issues due to PETA, and how the fact they are so accessible allows animal rights to reach more people. There are organizations that can do all the good things PETA does, without all the bullshit. Whenever discrimination and hate is used in a campaign to support animals- it is not effective and harms the movement.

But this isn’t even what I want to discuss today. I read an article about how vegan food is being provided in San Francisco prisons- that is great! Regardless of where a person is on earth, they should be given the option of eating vegan. However, PETA was given credit for this change due to a large protest in the 90s that resulted in mass arrests. PETA had nothing to do with this action, which was a sit-in at Neiman Marcus because they sell fur.

I was arrested that day along with individuals from a large community of smaller animal rights organizations wanting to see the end of the fur trade and made their way to San Francisco for support. We did not have funding from a large organization and we were coming together as a collective to make a difference. PETA was not involved in any way, and them getting credit for this action corrupts what we were doing. PETA is not a community player. If you try to talk with them about the hateful message they perpetrate through campaigns, they will respond by ignoring you, sending form letters or attack.

I felt I had to say something because so often in the media (or assumptions by prison officials), those with the money get the credit. This happens in the corporate world all the time, and happens with PETA way too often. There are so many hard working individuals (and smaller groups) who really care about animal rights and want to make a difference for the world. To me, individuals make a larger impact than non-profits who spend half their revenue on fund-raising. You don’t need to put up a billboard with naked women and controversy to get a message across.

The presence of all the smaller organizations that day, coming together from all over the west coast to form such a strong community was amazing! I miss those days where a united effort drew people in from all over to take a stand and make a difference. There are still lots of organizations out there, so please find one that resonates with you and not let PETA represent what animal rights is all about.

White Beans & Cream Chili

2011-06-08T22:59:00.001-07:00

Even though the summer is thinking of coming to Oregon (at least it is finally spring weather!) I was still craving something warm to eat. I discovered when I had pneumonia earlier this year that consuming warm foods really did help, and when I drank ice water (my favorite!) my body was not too happy. The last few days I’ve been feeling like I am fighting to stay healthy, so this chili seemed like a good answer. I get bored with soups and chili sometimes, but the addition of green chilies and the vegan sour cream really brought out the flavors. Enjoy!

White Beans & Cream Chili

1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 medium Zucchini, chopped
1 medium Yellow Squash, chopped
1 Tb Olive Oil
28 oz. White Beans (any variety)
14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
1 Vegan Bouillon Cube
2 cups Water
8 oz. Diced Green Chilies
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Garlic Granules
½ tsp Cumin
6 oz. Vegan Sour Cream

Sauté the chopped vegetables in the oil over medium-high heat until almost soft. Add the beans, tomatoes, bouillon cube, water, green chilies and spices. Cook about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add more water if you would like it to be more of a soup consistency. Add the sour cream and blend into ingredients. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the chili is the desired temperature.

Portland Folks - Blind Cafe is Back!

2011-05-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

This week, The Blind Cafe comes back to Portland, and I highly recommend the experience! Read about my first experience from December to see what to expect. I think I especially love this idea since it introduces people to a new perspective. It challenges you to find comfort in an unfamiliar place using different senses than usual- all while enjoying vegan and gluten free food.

I really appreciate the fact that the entire menu is vegan (since otherwise I would not be able to participate) and that some proceeds benefit the Portland blind community. To find out more and to purchase tickets, check out their website.

http://www.theblindcafe.com/portland-blind-cafe.htm

Portland's 2011 Vegan Iron Chef

2011-05-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last year’s Vegan Iron Chef in Portland was quite the event! Three amazing vegan chefs competed for the 1st annual competition, which was sold out and enjoyed by many. Prizes were given away to audience members, excitement was in the air in anticipation as to what the contestants would prepare, and the vegan community was celebrated. The organizers of Vegan Iron Chef out did themselves by putting together such an exceptional event. And that was just the first year!

July 10th will be the 2nd annual Vegan Iron Chef, and the tickets are selling fast! Make sure to get yours before they are all gone, since I guarantee they will sell out. This year’s contestants include Piper from Kitchen Dances, Jeff with Homegrown Smoker and Morgan with Dovetail Bakery.

The new website for Vegan Iron Chef was also just announced, and it is beautiful! Check out my Vegan Joys recipe featured on the website, since I am sure you will love them if you didn’t see them originally posted on my blog. There are also instructions for making your own vanilla; something I’ve been meaning to try for quite awhile.

www.veganironchef.org

Vegan Celebrity Smackdown

2011-04-13T12:42:00.001-07:00

Natalie Portman recently told the world that she is no longer vegan, sighting her pregnancy and the difficulty to curb cravings with sweets and getting proper nutrition as the reasoning. While Natalie admits that people do have successful pregnancies as a vegan, I guess she doesn’t care enough to give it a go. Getting proper nutrition, regardless of diet, can be difficult in a world of processed foods, and even more so for a pregnant woman. However, eating a vegan diet is a great way to eat a healthy diet and just a little bit of planning will allow you to get all your needed nutrients.

It appears to me that Natalie is sidelining her morals for pure laziness. Celebrities have the money and resources to be successfully vegan, no matter the circumstances. Vegan indulgences such as cake, cookies and ice cream would be easy for her to obtain as well. She has the privilege to make a conscious decision to continue following her previous decision to not contribute to animal suffering.

I think the reason this makes me so mad (besides the fact she is contributing to the suffering of animals and knows better) is that fact she is saying to the world that veganism is difficult, that having morals is not enough to be successfully vegan and that it is okay to harm animals with your choices. Maintaining a vegan diet may be hard in some circumstances, but being pregnant in Hollywood definitely does not count.

Natalie is the second celebrity within the last six months to admit to cheating or going off a vegan diet. Late last year, Al icia Silverstone admitted to cheating on a vegan diet by eating cheese while drinking at parties. Al icia has claimed herself as a spokesperson for veganism and profits from talking and writing about a vegan diet. While some people argue that she is human and her cheese-eating just shows people that mistakes can happen and that is okay, I think she is demonstrating that veganism isn’t that significant. She is downplaying the important decision of choosing a vegan diet for the animals, the planet and our own bodies.

No one is perfect. We are all human. Al l we can do is the best we are capable of. I would rather someone be mostly vegan than not vegan at all. But I do think celebrities who stamp themselves vegan have a responsibility to not give veganism a bad name. Or dismiss it by cheating when they feel like it. These individuals are turning their back on a decision to treat animals with respect by not eating them or contribute to their suffering. This gives a message that you don’t need to take veganism seriously, which is not true at all. Hopefully the public can recognize the faults in these people, not a vegan lifestyle.

Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup

2011-03-29T19:44:00.001-07:00

I was the last at my work to get sick this season, but I didn't just get a cold, I got pneumonia. I am still not 100% yet, but am doing much better. While sick, I did not eat too much, but soups were a staple. Mostly I ate canned soups (which I don't think are very good) but when I had a little more energy I did get around to making my own. My original idea was a potato dill soup, but somehow that turned to this instead. Get your soup on before the sun comes back.

*Please excuse the bad photo. I forgot to take a pic with my good camera before eating the last of it at work.

Creamy Potato Vegetable Soup

3 cups Potatoes, chopped
1 Red Onion, chopped
2 medium Zucchini, chopped
3 small Squash, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tb. Vegan Margarine
1/2 tsp Garlic Granules
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
3 cups Coconut Milk (I used So Delicious)
2 cups Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until soft. Drain off liquid until there is about 1/2 cup of water still in pot. Mash potatoes until half mashed, half has some texture. Add half margarine, garlic granules and nutritional yeast. Set aside.

Saute the onion in half the margarine until soft. Add the garlic, zucchini and squash and cook until slightly browned. Add the potato mixture, coconut milk and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat until hot and serve with bread or a salad.

Miso-Maple Tofu

2011-02-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

A while back I somehow acquired a cookzine called "Kitchen Witch: Vegan Magic" filled with unique vegan recipes. One recipe really stood out, but it never had quantities, just of list of ingredients. I've been able to find a good flavor combination of all the ingredients every time I made it, but finally wrote down my version so I could share it. I made this during my last family visit and served it along with stuffing, roasted potatoes and a mustard greens dish. Hope you enjoy it as my family and I did.

Miso-Maple Tofu

1 1/2 blocks Tofu*
1 cup Walnuts
2 Tb Miso
1 Tb Maple Syrup
1 Tb Sesame Oil
2 Tb Tamari

Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch slabs. Combine the sesame oil and tamari. Coat the tofu in the oil/tamari combination and place on baking sheet. If any oil/tamari is left, pour over top of tofu. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, flip tofu and bake an addition 10 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, miso and maple syrup until it is a paste-like consistency. Spread the paste evenly over the baked tofu. Bake an addition 15 minutes.

*High protein tofu from Trader Joes is the perfect size.

Weekly Cooking Ritual

2011-01-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

All of November I did not eat any sugar, processed foods or alcohol, and then in December I ate whatever for my birthday and the holidays. I had an eye opening experience since I felt way better while eating healthy. Of course this should not be surprising, but the amount of difference I felt was.

Currently I am trying to get back into eating really healthy like I did in November, but it is not an easy task. Sugar seems to be in everything, convenience food often involves processed foods, and I like to get drinks with my friends. I have also become addicted to these unhealthy foods, just like most people have, even if they don’t want to admit it.

Now is a time to remind myself of the flavors and benefits of wholesome foods. It is easy to get in a rut and just rely on certain foods that you know are tasty, but may not be the healthiest option. Vegetables, whole grains, beans, tofu, etc. has so much potential to create amazing meals, but sometimes you have to be a little creative.

A friend of mine is also staying away from sugars and processed foods for the next few months, so we started to get together once a week and prepare food. Last night was our third week together and everything we have made so far has been excellent.

Week 1:

Spaghetti squash with Tofu Ricotta (new love for squash!)
French Beans & Berries Salad using kale instead of spinach and tomatoes

Week 2:

Miso Vegetable Soup
Tofu Maple-Walnut Bake (recipe coming soon)
Wild Rice
Steamed Kale with lemon juice & tahini

Week 3:

Quinoa Protein Bars
Vegetable Whole Wheat Cassoulet

The Quinoa Protein Bars are a great option for a quick breakfast or snack. Sometimes I do not have time to cook up my oats in the morning (which I fill with fresh fruit, chia seeds and nuts so I don’t miss the sugar). These bars are a great alternative!

Quinoa Protein Bars

2 cups Quick Cooked Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Quinoa Grain
1/4 cup Flaxseeds Meal
3/4 cup Hemp Protein Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut
1/2 cup Date Sugar
1/2 cup Oat Flour
1/4 cup Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Water
2 cups Berries

Cook dry quinoa according to directions. While this is cooking, combine oats, flax, protein powder, baking soda, date sugar, flour, walnuts, seeds, coconut and sea salt in a large bowl.

Once quinoa is cooked, add to the pan the oil, vanilla and water. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together. More water may be needed. Add the berries and mix to combine.

Spread mixture into greased 9 x 13-inch pan, pressing down with hands to fit into pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool and cut into pieces. Makes 15 bars.

* Add spices, apples, raisins, cranberries, other seeds and nuts to mix up flavors to make variety of different types of bars.

Fork Over Knives - A Documentary To Check Out

2011-01-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

Forks Over Knives is premiering in Portland at Regal Fox Tower from January 7 -13. Please check it out and bring family and friends! Although the film was not perfect, overall I highly recommend checking it out.

I was actually not sure I was going to like it when the film first began. As a fat vegan who gets frustrated with the spreading of fat hate, scare statistics used by the “obesity epidemic” and the dehumanizing images about fat people, I am on high alert for further fat negative talk. The very first fact presented in the film was about Americans carrying around extra weight. There were images of faceless fat bodies and a lot of concentration about weight. This type of focus is detrimental to people and society. Luckily after that beginning segment, things got better.

For a documentary dealing with the health crisis in America, I am impressed that it mainly stayed on focus discussing heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, the over use of medication and our overall well being as a nation. The film was really about nutrition as medicine since the influx of our biggest killers is correlated with the increase of meat, dairy and sugar consumption.

The government often commits to taking on a specific health crisis. For Nixon, it was the war on cancer. These days it is the obesity epidemic. Never in all these wars do we actually look at the cause of the disease (often diet and lifestyle). Research and medicine is encouraged rather than healthy living. Studies support that only 2% of cancers are genetically predisposed, meaning the rest of the cancers can be prevented, if we make the commitment to do so. Unfortunately the food, lifestyles and chemicals which cause cancer are supported by big money industries (meat, dairy, corn, pharmaceutical, Monsanto, etc.).

Dr. T. Collin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn used their years of research, clinical experience and observations to separately come to the realization that a plant based diet will increase human health and be beneficial, and that the standard American diet leads to disease. Research has further shown that a plant based diet will not only keep you healthy, but it can actually RESERVE health conditions, especially of the heart.

Have you ever heard of endothelial cells? These cells keep your arteries healthy by promoting blood flow, properly dilation of the blood vessels and inhibit plaque build up. Eating a meat-based diet actually destroys these cells, which contributes to the high percentages of heart-related diseases. If someone with clogged arteries switches to a plant-based diet, these cells actually start to heal. I had no idea about this, and appreciate being introduced to this knowledge by the movie.

Some people say that a vegan diet is extreme. The documentary makes a great point that what is really extreme is open-heart surgery, which is now commonplace. What else is extreme is the lack of nutrition in our diets, the amounts of medications we take and the lack of acknowledging what is really contributing to our unhealthy state.

I truly appreciate all the information the film provided and the undeniable facts concerning our food choices in America. The mixture of science and case studies of individuals saving their life by simply changing their food choices are astounding. I truly hope people take the good health message and take back their health. Check out this film when it gets to your area since there is so much more to learn! To find out more about this film visit forksoverknives.com.

Coconut Almond Cake Balls

2010-12-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

I was hosting a thank you dinner for people who helped me move recently, and I wanted to create the best possible menu. I heard about cake balls and decided I needed to make this for dessert and make my own recipe for doing so. I actually made two batches (one gluten free) and it took me a lot of time. When I finally got to try the results of my time in the kitchen, I decided it was definitely worth it! These were a major hit and it shouldn't take you as long since you will only be making one batch and have a recipe to follow.

Coconut Almond Cake Balls

Coconut Cake:
1 cups Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
½ cup Earth Balance Margarine
½ cup Silken Tofu, blended
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla.
2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tb Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1 cup Shredded Coconut

Cream together the sugar and margarine. Beat in the tofu and then the coconut milk and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and blend until just combined. Add the coconut and combine it using a spatula, careful to not over mix. Spread into 2 greased 9-inch round baking pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool.

*For gluten free, use 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour, 3/4 cup sweet white rice flour, 1/4 cup potato starch and 2 tsp guar gum instead of the white flour.

Almond Frosting:
2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
2 – 4 Tb Coconut Milk
2 tsp Almond Extract
¼ cup Earth Balance Margarine

In a large bowl, blend together the sugar, almond extract and margarine. Add the coconut milk until the frosting is a consistency that is slightly softer than traditional frosting.

Chocolate Glaze:
2 cups Vegan Chocolate Chips
2 Tb Earth Balance Margarine
2 Tb Coconut Milk (or soymilk)
1 tsp Vanilla

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat on medium heat. As the chocolate melts, combine the ingredients to a smooth consistency with a fork. Turn down heat to the lowest temperature. Allow to cool on the lower heat so the chocolate is not hot. A double broiler can also be used.

Creating the cake balls: Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside. Crumble the cakes into the frosting bowl. Combine the crumbs and the frosting with a spatula. Once the frosting is evenly distributed to the cake crumbs, form it into cake balls and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate about 1 hour to harden slightly. Take one cake ball at a time from the sheet and dip it in the chocolate with a toothpick, allowing all but the bottom of the cake ball to be covered. Set on parchment paper and continue with the rest of the cake balls. Once all cake balls have been chocolate covered, return to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. After 4 hours, store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.

This Year It's Pecan Cake!

2010-12-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

It's my birthday again! Although friends are always quick to offer making cake for my birthday, at work we are responsible for bringing in our own treat to share with others (if we choose to do so). I like to bake, so I don't mind this at all. I started to think of flavors early on, and decided on a pecan cake with caramel frosting (and filling). I have made caramel sauce successfully many times, but some tweak I did this time made it so it didn't work out, so I quickly whipped up a basic vanilla frosting. Although I was sad for no caramel sauce and frosting, the results were still awesome! A week later I was still being told how much people enjoyed the cake.

Vegan Pecan Cake

1/2 cup Margarine, non dairy
1 1/2 cups Organic Raw Sugar
1/2 cup Silken Tofu, blended
1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour
1 cup Pecans, ground
1 Tb Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the tofu and vanilla and blend. Slowly add the coconut milk as the beaters continue mixing. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and blend until just mixed. Put in the pecans and stir in with a spatula until incorporated, careful not to over mix. Fill two greased 9-inch cake pans with equal amounts of the batter. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. When cakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Once cooled, assemble cake with frosting of choice between layers and all over the surface of the cake layers. Yum...

Birthday at Portland Blind Cafe

2010-12-09T09:48:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Portland Blind Cafe, a dining experience in the dark, to bring awareness to the blind community. I decided it would be an interesting way to spend my birthday and challenge myself to a new perspective. Luckily I had many friends on board with the idea as well.

This was the most amazing dining experience I have ever had. That whole night came alive since you have to concentrate on senses that are usually secondary to sight. While being seated, you had to feel the chars and figure out where your friends were seating. Then you had to feel for your dishes and discover the appetizer waiting for you on your plate. Luckily before we were seated, we were told what to expect. There would be a cold tea drink in a cup with a lid and straw to our right. A water jug was in the middle of the table, along with the salads and casserole dish since this was family style dining. I knew the open chutney container for dipping the southern dolma appetizer was gonna be trouble, and as I grabbed the casserole dish to pass it around, the chutney spilled all over my lap. Luckily people were not staring at my mishap since no one saw, and I was able to coordinate with others to find extra napkins to clean myself up. No worries. I was actually impressed with myself for dealing with the situation so well in the dark!

Passing around the food took good communication and actually serving yourself and getting the food on your plate, was a bit of a challenge. But that is what the night was suppose to be about after all, and I was loving it! One of the salads contained fruit and nuts and tasted very light and fresh. The casserole dish had a polenta base with other vegetables and parts of it tasted similar to gravy. Everything tasted amazing and vegan chef Ivy Entrekin was quite impressive!

The cello is one of my favorite instruments and I was telling others that if I could magically play one instrument, that would be it. When the cello started a solo piece, I could feel the music much more intensely and I could imagine myself being the person actually playing it. Suddenly my wish of instantly playing the cello came true (even if for only one song). The music of Rosh and The One Eye Glass Broken Band were incredible and I was truly appreciative of the experience.

I was extra fortunate that evening since someone mentioned in was my birthday while checking in, so I was treated to the entire room singing me happy birthday in the dark. People kept saying I must have been red from embarrassment, but I wasn't at all. No one even knew who they were singing to, although I did sheepishly say thank you when the song was over.

After the decadent chocolate mousse dessert and the music ended, a candle was lit and we could see around the room for the first time. I think we all imagined something different and were sad to see it come to an end, but I left feeling very blessed by the events of the evening. I look forward to the next one!

Dinner with the Fam - Part 2

2010-12-01T20:09:00.001-08:00

My family amazes me on how open they are to trying new foods. My dad actually told me that he misses my cooking on Thanksgiving! This is coming from a person who loves his turkey (and if I am cooking, everything on the table must be vegan).

My nephew loves my cooking and it is great! I am impressed by his ability to eat raw bell pepper to the green stem and he love jicama (as everyone should). When I decided to make a kale salad, I wasn't sure what he would think. After the salad was prepared, I suggested he try a piece of the kale, so he did. He loved it! Everyone loved it!

Kale Salad

2 bunches of Kale
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
1 bunch Green Onion, chopped
1 tsp Olive Oil (or sesame oil)
1 Tb Braggs
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Rinse the kale and tear the stems off. Chope the kale and place in a pan with water. Bring to a boil and cook until kale is slightly cooked. Drain water and place kale in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain off water and rinse off kale as needed.

Add the chopped peppers, green onion, oil, braggs and lemon juice in a medium bowl with the drained kale. Toss to mix all ingredients together and serve.

Dinner with the Fam - Part 1

2010-11-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

I had to post this recipe right away since my mom kept asking me about it after making it for my family. Although I spent Thankgiving day with friends, I brought an extra gluten roast up to my parents for a visit. I also make a kale salad and this coconut veggie soup. Funny thing is, my mom had just bought some coconut milk for the first time since she has seen it in so many recipes, and then suddenly could not find one to use it. Now, here is a recipe!

This soup was eaten quickly at dinner with no left overs, not even enough to save some for my sister who was not there since she was sick. I made a different version for lunch the next day with broccoli, red onion, yellow squash and orange bell pepper. Again, there was no leftovers to share with my sister. Good sign! Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as my family!

Coconut Veggie Soup

1 head of Cauliflower, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Leek, chopped
1 tsp Olive Oil
3 cups Vegetable Broth
1 can Coconut Milk
1 tsp Garlic Granules
1 tsp Onion Granules
1 Tb Parsley Flakes
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute the cauliflower, carrot, leek and garlic in the olive oil until the vegetables start to soften. Add the broth, coconut milk and seasoning and cook about 15-20 minutes. Squeen the lime juice into the soup along with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes, or until vegetables are to desired texture. Makes 6 servings.

Coconut Red Curry Vegetables and Tofu

2010-11-22T22:52:00.000-08:00

Eating my restricted diet has been a little challenging, but that is how you learn new dishes and get creative. I've eaten a lot of beans, tofu scrambles, avocados, salsa, whole grains and salads (with hummus instead of salad dressing- a new favorite). I now have a new appreciation for raw almonds which have a wonderful sweet flavor to them and great for a snack.

When I realized that I could make a Thai red curry dish on my limited diet, I got really excited. I love coconut milk, the flavor of red curry, how the grains soak up the mixture and the tanginess of the lime juice. You can use your own veggies, but pretty much any taste great in this dish. I served this over brown rice, but buckwheat, quinoa or another grain would also be great.

Coconut Red Curry Vegetables and Tofu

½ lb Tofu, diced
1 tsp Olive Oil
½ cup Red Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Zucchini, chopped
1/2 bunch Kale, chopped
1 – 14 oz. can Lite Coconut Milk
1-2 tsp Red Curry Paste
2 Tb Braggs (or to taste)
Juice of one Lime

Sauté the tofu in the oil until it starts to brown. Add the onion and garlic and heat a few minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper and kale and cook until soft. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, braggs and lime juice. Cook for about 5 minutes to let the flavors blend. Serve over brown rice or grain of choice.

A Change and a Challenge

2010-11-03T21:18:00.001-07:00

Can I live without sugar and white flour and nutritional yeast? When I was told by my naturopath to forgo these food items, strictly, for a month, I almost had a panic attack. This is the time to bake! I had grand plans of sweet potato and cherry chocolate chip crescent rolls and pumpkin bundt cake and, well. I’m freaking myself out again so I better stop. It is not as much that I need to eat all the foods, but I want to bake with them and create these recipes, but I’d also have to be able to taste them. Otherwise, that is just torture!

So I am switching to a new way of thinking. I am gearing myself up for a challenge. I like to think of myself as a bit of a recipe master, so I should be up to the challenge of limiting my diet even more and still creating tasty food. So for the next month my focus will be on vegetables. I am thinking eggplant lasagna, barley risotto, soups galore, stuffed peppers, kale salad….see those all sound delicious! It will not be the end. Send me support and I will start working on some great recipes.

In case you missed this recipe I previously posted, click on the link below. You’ll be surprised by how good such a healthy soup can taste!

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup

Pizza Burritos

2010-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

I know this may not be a ground breaking recipe, but I was really excited about it! One of my favorite foods is simply chili and vegan cheese wrapped up in tortillas and baked. A friend was going to come over for dinner to make pizza and since I was in the process of packing for a move, pizza dough seemed like too much work. And then it hit me- what if I wrap pizza toppings in tortillas and bake them? That is how my pizza burrito was created. I am sure others have made this before, but this was the first time I thought of it and it was great!

Vegan Pizza Burritos

1 pkg vegan pepperoni, sliced in half
½ cup Olives of choice, sliced
½ Green Bell Pepper, sliced
4 Mushrooms, sliced
½ - 1 cup Pizza Sauce
Vegan Daiya Cheese
6 Wheat Tortillas

Mix together the pepperoni, olives, bell pepper and mushrooms. Add the pizza sauce until ingredients are just covered. Place about 1/3 cup of the topping mixture in the middle of a tortilla and place cheese evenly on top. Fold short sides of the burrito in and fold long side over the middle of the burrito. Fold the last side over securing the insides. Place, folds down, on top of a cookie sheet. See my post about Chili Cheese Burritos for pictures on this folding if needed. Bake the burritos for 15-20 minutes at 350 ºF.

EGGS ARE TORTURE

2010-08-30T13:47:00.001-07:00

With the recall of eggs in this country causing fear and concern, I thought this would be a good time to discuss why I DON'T EVER EAT EGGS. Salmonella is the least of my concern, but the conditions of farms that raise chickens increase the likelihood of outbreaks such as this. This morning the media showed a short clip of a chicken in these conditions and you can immediately notice something is a little different about her than the ones you would see if you were to look into someone's back yard farm. The chicken had her beak clipped off. The front of her beak is distorted by a cruel practice called debeaking, which cuts through bone, cartilage and soft tissue. This is done since these birds are placed in such unnatural conditions that they will peck each other and do harm. The unnatural conditions also cause their feet to grow into the cage wires and lay eggs more often due to stress of artificial lighting. Their bodies are covered with bruises and abrasions, have feather and psychological disorders since there are commonly 4 hens in a 16-inch square wire cage.

A chicken at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary.

Before I went vegan, I thought the animals used to produce eggs and dairy were unharmed since they weren’t being killed. I was so wrong. The consumption of eggs not only supports this type of cruelty, but these chickens are killed for their meat as well, after one year, since their bodies are so taxed they are considered “spent” and do not produce enough eggs for profit. Many people believe that egg laying hens are the most abused of all farm animals. The torture they endure is unimaginable. The conditions of the farms produce an unimaginable amount of waste as well. There is nothing ok about these farms.

Male chickens being dumped in the trash (literally) since no use to chicken farming. Photo compliments of Farm Sanctuary.

“Free range” or “cage free” eggs are really no better. These chickens may not be in the wire cages, but they are not free, they are still debeaked and suffer from bruises and abrasions and their bodies are just as taxed producing all those eggs in such close quarters and they too, will be killed for their meat at the end. I once visited one of these “cage free” egg farms, and there is no daylight for these chickens. The farm was under so much security and fear of exposure that cops were called on me, when I was visiting as a representative of a restaurant purchasing the eggs. They didn’t want people to know the truth. Even backyard chickens are not cruelty-free, since the males born in this industry are usually killed right away.

Photo compliments of Farm Sanctuary

Eggs are not necessary in your diet. They are not needed for cooking or baking. Tofu makes a great scramble, and eggs in baking are easily replaced. Even if they weren’t, to me it is not worth the suffering of others just for a pleasurable food experience. Please consider taking eggs out of your diet if you have not already or at least cut back considerable. For every one egg consumed, a hen has to endure hours of absolute misery.

Photo taken at Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary

Please support farm sanctuaries that give animals a second chance of a truly free and wondrous life. In Oregon, Lighthouse Farm Sanctuary and Out to Pasture are both great places to support. Farm Sanctuary has farms on the east and west coast and does a lot about education concerning animals used in agriculture. The Humane Society of the United States also has a lot of great information about the cruelty of farm animals (and other animals) on their website as well.

"It tastes like milk chocolate"

2010-08-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Liz (left) wanted me to quote her about the chocolate frosting tasting like milk chocolate. Chelsea (right) was the birthday girl.

I enjoy making cupcakes for people when I have the time. When my friend Chelsea asked me to make some for a birthday gathering, I was sad to say no cause I was just too busy. Luckily she was having two celebrations and I could help out for the other one. I try to come up with slightly different flavors and I knew she liked chocolate and disliked fruit. I was going to go with coconut, but then realized she is not a fan of coconut (expect when it is in my cookies I found out). I did have almond slices though and a little bit of cocoa powder. I made 18 cupcakes and brought them to a bar where the birthday fun was to happen.

There were more cupcakes then people though, so Chelsea went table to table offering strangers the cupcakes. People loved them, and I loved them loving them! It makes me want to bake stuff once in awhile just to give to strangers and see their happy faces. A friend recently made some cupcakes and left some on my doorstep to greet me from my day at work. It made me so delighted! Cupcakes really do have the power to make people joyful, and I am going to have to use that power more often. It is just the right thing to do.

Almond Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Almond Cake:
½ cup Soy Margarine
1 cup Organic Raw Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Silken Tofu
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla (or 1 tsp Almond Extract)
2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tb Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds

Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup Margarine
3 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tb Cocoa Powder
2-5 Tb. Coconut Milk

Cake: Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and blend, then the tofu and blend some more. Pour in the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. Add the flour, baking power and salt and blend until just mixed in. Fill greased muffin tins, or cupcake cups about 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. When cupcakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Frosting: Blend the powdered sugar, cocoa and margarine together. Add coconut milk, a little at a time, until you reach the desired texture. Frost cupcakes and add a few almond slices on top if desired. Makes 18 cupcakes

Baking without Dairy & Eggs Class

2010-08-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

I forgot how exciting it is to hear new or possibly new vegans talking around you. That exploration into something new that helps the animals, the planet and yourself can be extremely rewarding. The talk I gave last night concerning baking without dairy and eggs will hopefully give people some more tools to be successful at their new lifestyle.

One thing I heard discussed last night is whether you will actually see a personal difference when adapting to a vegan diet. The truth is, we are all so different and our bodies react in their own special way, it is hard to say. When I went vegan I was young, I was not as in tune with my body and I didn’t really care about health since it was all about the animals for me. I was too distracted trying to change the world. I do know that now, I have good cholesterol readings. I was such a cheese addict I know that would not be the same case if I was not vegan. I have become more aware of nutrition. I look younger than my age. Whether a person has a noticeable change when they go vegan may not always happen, but I guarantee, that all individuals will reap benefits by switching to a plant based diet. And most importantly to me, I can live with my conscious of knowing my life (mostly) did not cause the suffering of others through my dietary choices.

Here are some links to recipes I thing you will enjoy.

Non-dairy cheese class (ricotta, cheese sauce and my roasted red pepper cashew spread).

Cheesecake!

Gluten Free & Vegan Recipes!

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup (It is so good!)

Buckwheat Stuffing (also gluten free)

Fresh Collard Wraps

Mango Mint Salad

Cannellini Herb Spread

There are lots more recipes on my blog for biscuits, pancakes, cupcakes, cakes, sour cream lasagna, cookies, gluten and so much more!

Here is the information from the class:

Dairy Free Baking

• Any recipe which calls for milk, a replacement can be used. These include “milk” made from soy, rice, almond, oat and even hemp. Soymilk works the best as a replacement.

• To replace butter in a recipe, use a non-hydrogenated margarine or shortening. Earth Balance is a non-dairy margarine which works really well and Spectrum has a shortening made from palm oil. Using a regular oil may not work properly for the recipe.

• If a recipe calls for buttermilk, simply add 2 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar per one cup of milk replacement. Stir, and let stand a minute.

• If a recipe calls for milk powder, you can use a non-dairy milk equivalent in a powdered form. Two brands which work well in baking includes “Better than Milk” Soy Powder and DariFree Milk Powder Alternative made from potato. If a recipe calls for less than 2 Tb of the milk powder, you can simply omit the ingredient.

Egg Replacers

• Flaxseed Meal: 1 Tb. flaxseed meal + 3 Tb. water = 1 egg. Mix together flaxseed meal and water, let sit a couple of minutes, then add as you would egg. This is a useful egg replacement that works for most applications, but will add some color specs to your baked goods.

• Chia Seeds: Combine 1/3 cup of seeds with 2 cups water and let sit a few minutes. Use ¼ cup gel per egg. Very versatile and works for most baked good, plus it adds nutrition.

• Starches: Combine 1 Tb. of starch (corn starch / potato starch) + 3 Tb. water = 1 egg. Eggs are mostly used as a binder in cookie recipes, so this works best with cookies.

• Bananas: Use ¼ cup of mashed banana per egg. Great for muffins or sweet breads that benefit from a banana taste.

• Apple Sauce: Use ¼ cup of applesauce per egg. Works best in muffins and sweet breads.

• Blended Silken Tofu: ¼ cup tofu = 1 egg. Blend before adding to the recipe. Great for cakes! This will gives cakes a moist texture without being too dense.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I am happy to help!

Egg and Dairy Free Baking Class Tonight!

2010-08-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

As part of Try Vegan Week here in Portland, OR, I am teaching a class on egg and dairy free baking. Learn to veganize your favorite recipes and why vegan baking is so much more fun! Plus, I will be available to answer any questions you have about egg and dairy free alternatives, whole grain baking, gluten free info, veganism, how cute my rats are (especially eating tofu) and so much more!

Baking Without Dairy & Eggs
8 pm at Bay Leaf (4768 SE Division St.)

For more information please go to http://www.tryveganpdx.com/ or here is a link to the whole week’s schedule.

Biscuits made with a veganized buttermilk.

Camping requires cookies

2010-08-11T16:54:00.001-07:00

The other Chelsea eats the cookie while waiting for the ferry.

Baking cookies the night before a camping trip has become a ritual and I like it. The trip to San Juan Island included a 5 hour drive, 2 hour ferry wait and 1+ hour ferry ride, so the cookies made good snacking. The plan was to use the cookies as a sandwich with roasted vegan Dandies marshmallows as well, but sadly, the marshmallows were placed in the cooler and got ruined. It really was sad. I’ve only gotten to roast marshmallows twice in the last 15 years, since vegan versions are still fairly new to the market. Luckily there were orcas and beautiful landscape, deer and friends to distract me from this flaw in the trip. And the cookies were great by themselves.

Chocolate Chip Oat Coconut Cookies

2 cups Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
½ cup Vegan Margarine
½ cup Almond Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Unbleached White Flour
1 cup Quick Rolled Oats
2 tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Shredded Coconut, unsweetened
½ cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

Cream together the sugar and margarine until smooth. Add the almond milk and vanilla and blend some more. Add the flour, oats, baking powder and salt, and mix until mostly combined. Add the coconut and chocolate chips and finish mixing until combined, but careful not to mix too much. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Form into balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before cooling on rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Lemon Coconut Cake

2010-07-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

A little bit tart, occasionally sour and lots of sweet. That sums up my friend Liz who just celebrated her birthday, and the cake I made for her. Looks like the cake was a success and I love the different flavor combination. And it is always great to celebrate with a good friend!

Lemon Coconut Cake

Lemon Coconut Cake:

½ cup Soy Margarine

1 ½ cups Organic Raw Sugar

½ cup Silken Tofu, blended

1 cup Almond or Coconut Milk
½ cup fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Vanilla

2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
½ cup Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)

1 Tb Baking Powder

½ tsp Salt

Lemon Frosting:

1/2 cup Margarine

3 cups Powdered Sugar

3-5 Tb Lemon Juice

1 cup Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)

Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the tofu and blend. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and blend some more. Slowly add the almond or coconut milk as the beaters continue mixing. Add the flour, baking power and salt and blend until just mixed in. Put in the shredded coconut and stir in with a spatula until incorporated. Fill two greased 9-inch cakes pans with equal amounts of batter. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. When cakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Frosting: Blend the powdered sugar and margarine together. Add lemon juice, a little at a time, until you reach the desired texture.

To assemble the cake, frost the top of one 9-inch cake. Add the other cake layer on top and frost it as well. Go around the sides with more frosting making sure to cover the entire cake. Sprinkle the coconut flakes onto the frosting (top and sides), patting it into the frosting to make sure it sticks. Serve with a birthday.

Curry Veggie Split Pea Soup

2010-07-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year that I can really get into veggies! I am trying to visit the farmers markets and check out all the local offerings at my local natural food store. I have been eating a lot of salads and have found that making bean spreads work great in place of a traditional salad dressing. I have used hummus, bean & artichoke dip and I even had success blending up black beans with a green tomatillo salsa.

Soups are also great for veggies. Although I avoid making soup when the temperature is above 90°F outside, the summer here has been mild and soups can be so easy to conjure up. Here is my latest creation.

Curry Veggie Split Pea Soup

1 ½ cups Green Split Peas
4 cups Water
4 cups Vegetable Broth
2 Potatoes, diced
2 large Carrots, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
1 bunch Kale, chopped
2-inch piece of Ginger, minced
2 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Garlic Granules
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast (optional)

Bring the water and split peas to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. Add the broth, potatoes, carrot, onion and ginger and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add the spices and kale and simmer until kale is soft, about 10 minutes.

These spices are how I like it. You may find starting with less salt and pepper and adding more as you go will cater to your own taste buds. I really like ginger, so cut down on this is you are not as much of a fan. Soups are great in that they can easily be altered to your own liking.

Rats are Rad!

2010-06-17T12:12:00.001-07:00

Devi and Anatidae being held by auntie Liz

People just do not understand rats. I have spent most of my adult life in and out of relationships with rats, since their one downfall is a short lifespan of 2-3 years. Even with this in mind, it is worth the love investment in these tiny furry creatures regardless of the heartbreak you will later suffer.

What does this have to do with veganism? Part of me being vegan is my understanding of animals and their feelings and personalities and knowing who they are, not what they are. Animals in general are misunderstood as an object, something put on earth to use or something that can’t feel. Rats are especially subject to these misconceptions where they are readily used in animal research and so many people hate the idea of them being companion animals.

I personally describe rats as being like very small dogs, but smarter. I’ve even had a rat who once out-smarted my dog who was confused for days after she moved her nest to get away from his insistent curiosity. They are very loyal and loving as well. My rats Nicademus and Sadhu were brothers adopted at the Oregon Humane Society. I went in there with only $2 planning to not take anyone home. But there was a special, 2 for 1 deal, and rats only cost $2. It was fate that brought me so much joy and love and laughter. I remember them running up to me everyday when I would get home to greet me. They would often sleep in my arms at night or sit on my shoulder while watching tv. They were with me often and shared many wonderful moments together.

When I was faced with a decision to adopt more rats who needed a home, I asked myself what to do? I did not want any more pets at home with my two needy cats already getting so much of my attention. But then I remembered all that affection from my previous rats and knew the answer once I stopped asking my brain, and asked my heart what to do.

Devi and Anatidae are about 2 months old and already their individual personalities are shining through. Devi was named after Amrita Devi, who gave her life in the 1700s to save the forest her village relied on from being cut down. Although many people died that day in the effort Devi started, the forest was spared. This little rat is a sweet heart who is more social and more adventurous. Anatidae is the family order for ducks and geese which I did a report on for a biology class. I call her little Ana and she is much more shy than Devi, but has moments of bravery which is cute to watch.

I am so excited for years of experiences with these two adorable rats. They are a good reminder how sometimes two species can get along so amazingly well.

Portland's Vegan Iron Chef 2010

2010-06-09T12:19:00.001-07:00

I have never seen an iron chef competition on TV so I was excited my first experience would be with Portland’s first Vegan Iron Chef competition organized by friends with Try Vegan PDX. Liz did an amazing job with the art direction and all the posters and everything was top notch. I was impressed with Jess’ directing abilities shouting for action to the runners to make sure everything got done. Who knew she could be so authoritative. I liked it! Of course there were tons of other volunteers for the pantry and donations and the venue and other things that Deanna, Tina, Cindy, Val and people I did not know got done. Personally, I enjoyed just being able to take a seat and enjoy. It was quite the show!

The competitors included Aaron Adams from Portobello who is opening at his new location this month. This is where I have found the best lasagna I have ever eaten and his friendliness and culinary knowledge is impressive.

Wes from Blossoming Lotus excels at raw foods in my opinion and has unique vegan options to choose from.

I have never eaten at Quasu’s Asaase Ital Palace food cart by PSU, but somehow I found myself routing for her. Maybe it was her mystery or the fact she was the closest to me on the stage with no formal training or maybe it was that I found her poster to be the most compelling.

The competition was fun to witness and the stage was hectic with chefs and their assistants trying to get everything done in the 75 minutes allotted and volunteer runners were busy trying to help and not be in the way. I think they did a great job. I was so jealous I did not get to taste anything since everything looked so tasty.

I especially appreciated Joanna from Yellow Rose Recipes since she explained more what she tasted rather than stating the obvious one judge did. In the end, Quasu was announced the winner, but I think the whole Portland vegan community were the winners that night.

I am addicted to Black Eyed Peas and Greens (Soup)

2010-05-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

I bought some black eyes peas since I have found I really like their flavor thanks to a variety of dishes including the Portland Bye and Bye bar's side dish on the BBQ platter. Yum! I have never tried mustard greens before so I decided to try them in a soup and carrots sounded like they would go well with it all. As I was cooking up the soup, I decided it needed a little more of something, and decided to add lemon juice. After it was all cooked and ready for eating, I was surprised by my enjoy of this fairly simple soup. I hope you have the same surprise.

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Soup

1 1/2 cups dry Black Eyed Peas

10 cups water

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Vegetable Bouillon Cubes

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Granules

1 bunch Mustard Greens, chopped

Place the black eye peas in 4 cups of the water and bring to a boil in a large pot. Lower heat to a low simmer and cook 30 minutes. Add the rest of the water, carrots, bouillon cubes, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic and cook an additional 15 minutes. Place the greens in the pot and stir to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, until the greens are cooked down and flavors could be absorbed.

Betty White Party with lots of food

2010-05-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

Betty White has done a lot for animals in her lifetime and she has also delivered a great amount of laughs. When a campaign to see her host Saturday Night Live appeared on facebook, I joined right away. And when she was finally announced to host SNL, I organized a party right away. When I throw a party, what food I will serve becomes my first planning task. I have a few friends that eat gluten free, so I did know I wanted a least most of it to be safe for everyone to eat.

I decided on a host of dips and stuffed stuff. This included my popular Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Spread, White Bean Artichoke Heart Dip and Tofutti Sour Cream with a Frontier Organics French Onion Soup dry mix.

I also served zucchini stuffed with a garbanzo tahini mash and small red potatoes stuffed with tofu celery salad. I served multiple veggies as well including cherry tomatoes I had hoped to stuff with guacamole but that became too much work, so I offered them for snacking instead.

For dessert I offered strawberries, a vegan whipped cream, sweet mini biscuits and cheesecake bites with an almond meal crust (gluten free).

Vegan Cheesecake Bites

Filling:
1 – 8 oz container Tofutti Cream Cheese
½ cup blended Silken Tofu
1/3 cup Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
2 Tb Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla

Crust:
1 ½ cups Almond Meal
1 Tb Cornstarch
2 Tb Margarine, melted
1-2 Tb Almond Milk

Filling: Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Crust: Combine the almond meal and cornstarch. Using a fork, blend in the margarine. Add the almond milk until the meal starts to hold together when pressed.

Place about a tablespoon of the crust in a greased mini cupcake holder and press down. Filling the cupcake holder until about full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Luckily SNL with Betty White was hilarious and wondrous and the food was enjoyed between the laughs.

Brownie Bites (Gluten Free)

2010-05-03T10:33:00.001-07:00

I made these for a bake sale to benefit SPECIEES. I wanted to offer something that was gluten free since there seems to be more and more demand for it. This recipe uses almond meal flour and cornstarch instead of white flour so it has a great taste and no xanthan gum was needed. I have found that blended silken tofu is best egg replacement in brownies. The resulting product is rich in choclate taste and decadent in texture. Yumm!

Brownie Bites

1/2 cup Non-Dairy Margarine, melted
1/2 cup Cocoa, unsweetened

1 cup Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar

½ cup Silken Tofu, blended

1 tsp Vanilla

2 Tb Corn Starch

1/2 cup Almond Meal Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

In a food processor, blend the silken tofu until smooth. Scoop out ½ cup and reserve left over for other baking or for making a “pudding” by blending the tofu with melted chocolate chips and sugar or make a “creamsicle”.

Combine the melted butter and cocoa, stirring to combine. Add sugar, blended tofu and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Scoop the batter by the spoonful into a greased mini muffin pan, filling each space about 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes and then let cool 15 minutes. Makes 32 brownies bites.

Mac & Cheese like my mom use to make

2010-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

As a child, macaroni and cheese was my favorite. I really didn’t if it came from a box, or served at school, or a microwave dinner. However, the few times my mom made it from scratch were a special treat. I remember her heating the milk and adding the butter and melting in the cheese and the decadent flavor it created. The prepared vegan cheeses on the market were not designed for this type of creation, but then Daiya brand vegan cheese showed up.

Daiya cheese has been impressing vegans since its arrival. It has a head up in the vegan cheese world since it actually melts and has some stretchiness. It is not my favorite for every application, but it is opening up the possibilities. I decided it would be a good candidate for the old fashioned mac and cheese my mom use to make. It has a pretty strong flavor, however, so I knew I didn’t want to rely on it all by itself, or the flavor would be too overwhelming. This is where the old stand by nutritional yeast comes in to equalize the flavors and the results were great!

“Old Fashioned” Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. Pasta
¼ cup Earth Balance Margarine
2 cups Almond Milk (plain, unsweetened)
2 Tb Corn Starch
½ - ¾ Salt
½ tsp Black Pepper
½ tsp Garlic Granules
1 cup Daiya Cheese
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast

Bread Crumbs (optional):

2 cups cubed sourdough bread
1 Tb Olive Oil
2 Tb fresh Sage, chopped
¼ tsp Garlic Granules

Bread Crumbs: Place the oil, sage and garlic in a bowl and stir together. Add the cubed bread and stir to incorporate into the bread until it seems equally distributed. Set aside.

Macaroni and Cheese: Cook and drain the pasta according to directions; set aside. In a large cooking pot, melt the margarine and then add the almond milk and cornstarch and whisk together. Heat the sauce on medium heat until thick, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and add the Daiya cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and garlic granules. Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and the Daiya cheese has melted into the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to cover it; then place in a 9-inch square baking pan. Spread the bread crumbs on top to cover evenly. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite veggies such as asparagus like I did.

*For a soy-free version, just use the soy-free version margarine from Earth Balance (or another brand if you can find one).

Non-Dairy Cheese Class

2010-03-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I taught a cooking class on non-dairy cheeses for NW Veg's Veg 101 series. This series is a great introduction to vegan living since every class including an informative talk about an inportant topic and a cooking demonstration. Here is what I taught and shared.

Recipes

Tofu Ricotta

1 lb. Tofu
1 Tb Olive Oil
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tb Tahini
½ tsp Garlic Granules
½ tsp Basil
½ tsp Oregano
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
Salt to taste

Crumble tofu in a medium bowl. Place oil, lemon juice, tahini and spices in the tofu and use a fork to blend. Add the nutritional yeast and blend until fully incorporated.

* I used this recipe to make the lasagna pictured above. I simply sauted portobello mushrooms, zucchini and garlic in a little olive oil, and then added a tomato sauce. I placed half this sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 9-inch square pan, stuffed cooked manicotti noodles with the tofu ricotti, then topped them with the remaining sauce. Baked at 350°F for 30 minutes. Yum!

Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce

½ cup Nutritional Yeast
½ cup Unbleached White Flour
½ tsp Garlic Granules
2 cups Water
2 Tb Braggs
1 Tb Margarine
2 tsp Mustard

Place nutritional yeast, flour and garlic granules in a medium size cooking pot. Whisk in the water and heat on medium-high heat. Whisk occasionally and when sauce starts to thicken, whisk often. Once thick, remove from heat and add Braggs, margarine and mustard.
* Works well for mac & cheese, on top of pizzas and lasagna, burritos and more. When refrigerated, sauce will solidify and can be used for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Spread

½ cup Cashews, unsalted
2 Roasted Red Peppers
1 Tb Lemon Juice or Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Salt
½ cup Nutritional Yeast

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
* Enjoy on bread, in sandwiches, on top of pizzas and so much more.

Commercially Available Non-Dairy Cheese Products

Daiya Cheese

Follow Your Heart

Cheezly

Sheese

Teese

Galaxy Vegan Cheese

Yumm! Sauce: Found in Fodd Fight!, New Seasons and other local markets.

Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

Tofutti and Follow Your Heart both offer vegan sour cream and cream cheese on the market.

Ramblings of Recipes and Looking for Input

2010-03-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

Spring is about new things, changes and nicer weather, right? I am thinking of changing some things for my blog, even though it will still have a concentration of vegan food and recipes, but wanted to get input from others. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvement or if you would like to see anything specific on the blog. Thanks!

I do not have pictures to share (sorry) but I made some cupcakes for a friend’s birthday recently and the frosting was so yummy I could not stop eating it. I am normally not like that. This frosting used about 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, 2 Tb cocoa powder and a few tablespoons of coconut milk to get it to the correct consistency. The coconut milk gave the frosting an amazingly rich and smooth texture. I highly recommend trying this at home.

For two recent events, I brought my Amazing Cashew Spread and people talk about it so favorably, I wanted to share it again. Here you go!

Amazing Cashew Spread

2 Roasted Red Peppers, whole
½ - ¾ cup Cashews, unsalted
½ cup Nutritional Yeast
1 Tb Balsamic Vinegar or Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt

Place all the ingredients in a food process and blend until smooth. I served this with bread and it can be used for sandwiches, pizza, a dip, or a pasta sauce if you add more water.

For a thicker consistency, use more cashews. I buy roasted red peppers in a glass jar from Trader Joes so it is inexpensive and it has the exact quantity for this recipe, so not measuring required, you just need to drain off the excess liquid.

Shortbread Cookies

2010-02-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Some friends of mine hosted a candy party so I wanted to try and make twix. Then, the day I needed to start making stuff, I was not in the mood for chocolate. So my twix became shortbread cookies topped with caramel and pecans. I have a recipe for making a caramel sauce which I have done many times, but I’ve been cutting down on my soy intake and used the soy-free Earth Balance margarine and Coconut creamer, instead of soy version. Once you combine all the ingredients, you allow them to boil for quite awhile, so that way when it cools it will harden. The soy-free ingredient versions took a lot longer to boil down, so the caramel sauce ended up being softer than I intended. The cookies were great, but I do need to work more of the caramel recipe before sharing.

The shortbread cookies did turn out nicely, so I would love to share this recipe. The cookies can be rolled out and cut into rectangles or squares, as I did, or you can use a cookie cutter and get different shapes. You can also decorate these cookies with frosting and sprinkles if desired, to liven up the cookies. They are really good on their own as well.

Shortbread Cookies

1 ½ cups Margarine
1 cup Organic Cane Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
3 cups Unbleached White Flour
½ tsp Salt

Cream together the sugar and margarine. Add the vanilla and beat together some more. Add the flour and salt and mix until incorporated.

Form the dough into two balls and refrigerate one as you work on the other. Roll the ball out to ¼-inch thickness. Cut the dough into squares, or cut with cookie cutters. Place dough on a cookie sheet at bake at F for about 10-15 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the cookie. It should just start to brown on the sides of the cookie.

Another option to cut the cookies: Instead of rolling out the dough, form the dough into a long log. Slice the dough into ¼-inch disks and place on cookie sheet and bake as directed.

I do plan to share a Twix recipe in the future using this recipe as the cookie base once I perfect the soy-free caramel sauce. Yay!

BOYCOTT Whole Foods Market

2010-01-28T15:55:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I learned about a new program being implemented at Whole Foods Market called “Team Member Healthy Discount Incentive Program”. Although the sound of it may sound nice, it is based on discrimination. I have been livid since hearing the news about this program and so upset that a company would think this program is acceptable. The program gives further discounts than the standard 20% off for those who fit certain criteria. The amount of the additional discount depends on your health scores based on if you are a non-smoker, cholesterol level, blood pressure reading and your BMI.

BMI (Body Mass Index) is determined in a formula using your weight and height. It does not allow for consideration of your actual body health. Studies have even shown the category of “overweight” is statistically the healthiest category. Most athletes would be considered overweight and even some obese.

You may be wondering what all this can to do with vegan recipes. I have been vegan for about 14 years now, but I have been fat for 34. I have been a dedicated animal rights activist, but I have also been a dedicated fat acceptance activist. All through these years I have been a very active individual. As a child you could usually find me either hiking in a local park or playing sports. As an adult I’ve biked a lot including a bike delivery business and a century ride around wine country. I did all that I was “supposed” to do of eating well and being active, and I am still a fat girl. This is who I am.

I have had to deal with a lot of stereotyping of my behavior due to my size. I have been called a “fatass” while biking up a very steep hill. I have been told I am not a good vegan because of my size. I have had food thrown at me during protests while being called fat names. I have had to put up with a lot of bullshit due to other people’s ignorance.

I believe in health, and I believe in size acceptance and I do think these two things are important to go together. There is too much hatred in this world of ourselves and others to accept this type of behavior, so I need to speak up when I see people/government/companies further fat hate and stereotyping. What Whole Foods is doing is not okay. There are fit and fat people who will watch unfit and thin people get further benefits than themselves. Below is my letter to Whole Foods. I encourage everyone to write one as well and until this program is changed, please BOYCOTT Whole Foods. Do not support a business who contributes to discrimination. It is just not acceptable.

Dear John Mackey,

I just learned about you “Healthy Discount Incentive Program” for team members. This program discriminates against people who are larger in size and doesn’t take into account true health. Studies have actually shown the healthiest population is from the “overweight” category of the BMI determination scale. Majority of athletes are considered overweight on the BMI scale as well, since these measurements do not account for muscle, which you would hope healthy people would have.

Personally, I am considered obese according to my BMI. I have always been a fat girl, and I have always been active. When I was working at Whole Foods myself, 8 years ago, I biked to work every day and everywhere else I traveled to. I worked out often and I was fit. I was also fat. That is who I am. I have been vegan for about 14 years and although I am not perfect, I eat fairly healthy, and definitely healthier than the average person. If the program went in effect while I was working at Whole Foods, I would have been one of the fittest people there and I would have seen people who eat unhealthy and never exercise get more of a discount than myself. This is an example of why this program is discrimination. We are not all created the same size. It is called diversity.

A person’s health should be none of a company’s business. This should not be a factor in rewarding or punishing employees. Although all employees will still be allowed the 20% employee discount, giving other employees more of a discount is punishing those who do not qualify under their determining health factors. Although the program may be “voluntary”, it is not an option for your fit and fat team members.

I am whole-heartily disgusted by the implementation of this program. I plan to boycott Whole Foods until this program truly rewards ALL healthy individuals by taking out the BMI criteria, or changing the program entirely. I will encourage others to do the same.There are so many other options to reward healthy living, without discriminating or engrossing on employee’s personal health information. Try giving further discount on vegetables and whole grains, give discounts for biking or walking to work, or joining a gym. I encourage creating a workplace of not only health, but also acceptance of all people. I do hope I hear you reconsider this program and find a way to reward health to all.

Sincerely, Chelsea Lincoln

This weekend in Portland...

2010-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

For those of you in Portland, the must go-to event of the month is this Saturday at Multnomah County Library, central location from 1 – 2:30pm. Jess of get sconed! blog will talk all about her blog, eating locally, and being a Portland vegan. Samples will be available! Jess is one of the nicest people I know and her blog is fun and personal with amazing food pics and recipes. She knows more about the Portland food scene than anyone else I know.

Another must-see event is Margin of Certainty: from Veganism to Activism is an interactive workshop which will be led by Jasmin Singer, Farm Sanctuary’s campaigns manager. This one is on Sunday at 1pm located at Matt Dishman Community Center (77 NE Knott Portland, OR 97212) Classroom A. Let Live is putting on the event so show your support and learn something new!

I wish I could go and show my support for both of these events but my weekend is filled with volunteer work and studying. School is great but definitely takes a lot of time and commitment. My volunteer commitment is entirely worth it since I get to have so many precious interactions with wild creatures we're hoping to help at Audubon Wildlife Care Center.

I love cupcakes!

2010-01-15T12:43:00.000-08:00

When I visit my family for the holidays, I really get into planning the dinner and dessert that I will be making. I usually try new and exciting things and mostly, this has worked really well for me. This year when trying to decide what dessert to make, all I could think about was peppermint cupcakes with chocolate frosting. It wasn’t the most creative thing, but I had to make them. I forgot my sister doesn’t really like cupcakes, but she did eat it and I think she enjoyed it. Everyone else loved them and when taking photos of the cupcakes, my mom insisted on including some holiday cheer in the form of frosty the snowman and in the far distance, my dad’s addition of a teddy bear with a santa hat.

Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

Peppermint Cupcakes:

½ cup Margarine
1 ½ cups Organic Raw Sugar
½ cup Silken Tofu, blended
1 ½ cups Almond Milk
1 – 2 tsp Peppermint Extract
2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tb Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt

Chocolate Frosting:

½ cup Chocolate Chips, melted
2 Tb Margarine
2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
4 – 6 Tb Almond Milk

Cupcakes: Cream together the margarine and sugar. Add the silken tofu and blend. Add the peppermint extract and the almond milk slowly as you mix the batter.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend until just combined. Pour into greased cupcake pans or liners about ¾ full. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until cupcake top springs back when lightly tapped.

Frosting: Melt the chocolate chips and margarine together. Add this to the powdered sugar and blend until incorporated evenly through the sugar. Add the almond milk until you reached the desired frosting consistency. Spread on the cupcakes once they have cooled.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-01-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

I made these mushrooms for Christmas dinner with my family. Since I was feeding two kids (my niece and nephew) I didn't think these would be a big hit, but after the first bite, we all realized I had made a mistake. We all wanted more than the 2 each I prepared. Luckily there was much more other food to go around; however this was the surprise hit.

Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

1 small Leek, sliced and chopped
2 stalks Celery, thinly sliced

2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tb Olive Oil
1 Tb fresh Thyme
½ cup Bread Crumbs, ground
18 Crimini mushrooms, stems removed
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Braggs
2 Tb Water

Prepare the mushrooms by removing the stems. This is easily done by moving the stem around forcing it to go in the different directions, and then pulled out.

Sauté the leeks, celery and garlic in the 1 Tb olive oil until soft. In a medium bowl, add the bread crumbs and fresh thyme and pour in the cooked veggies and combine. Using your hands, push as much of the filling into the mushroom as it will allow. Place mushroom with the filling faced up in a baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms.

Combine the 1 tsp oil, braggs and water and pour into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden. Pour in more water if needed so the mushrooms do not dry out.

My Top 10 List

2009-12-31T09:24:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be doing top 10 lists, so I decided to join since it is always good to think of all the notable things from the year passing. I am sure I missed some great stuff but my memory only goes so far and my phone died so I can no longer access my calendar.

10.) Vegan Prom/Try Vegan PDX – Every year, Try Vegan PDX hosts a week of education and fun times encouraging a vegan diet. The classes were well done and the party at the end, the vegan prom, was a blast! Try Vegan PDX is hosting a Vegan in the New Year event this Sunday, January 3rd at 2pm at Peoples Co-Op. Please join!

9.) Juice Cleanse – In February my naturopath suggested I do a juice cleans which I hesitated to do. I was surprised how easy 4 days of just juice was to sustain and was thankful to my friends Deanna for joining me on the fast and Liz for lending me her juicer. I plan to do another one soon.

8.) Mentorship – The girl I have been mentoring for over 6 years graduated from high school and turned 18, all within a few days of each other in June. It is great to see her become a responsible adult and work hard to do something with her life. She has always amazed me with her strength and spirit! As a graduation gift I took her to San Juan Island and we got to kayak, camp, whale watch, pet alpaca and so much more. I love that place!

7.) Everyday Cuteness – My cats Roy and Loki mean the world to me. They are constantly available to be cute or give love or be a pain. Regardless, I am so happy to have them in my life and appreciate them tremendously.

6.) California – I took a trip to California with my friends Deanna and Mark and visited Yosemite, Mono Lake and San Francisco. This was such an amazing trip with the beauty of nature all around us. Mono Lake was a dream it was so astonishing. San Francisco we stayed with my friend Kate and enjoyed the California Science Academy where butterflies can land on you in a three-story simulated rain forest. Truly an experience!

5.) Photo Blog – I finally started a new blog, AnimalKind, focusing on my wildlife photography. I have been enjoying taking photos for a couple years now and even got a new camera this year to help improve my photo quality. It is fun to share my wildlife adventures with others!

4.) Cake – This was the year of cake. My sister does not like cake so I must have taken that trait all to myself since it is my favorite dessert. I made Coconut Cloud Cupcakes for my friend Jenn’s wedding and again for a friend’s house-warming party by request. I appreciate when someone tells me exactly what they want and my friend Liz insisted I make her an Orange Spice Cupcakes for her birthday. My friend Jax requested Carrot Cake and this was my favorite of the year! I also made bundt cake for a neighborhood block party and peppermint cupcakes with chocolate frosting for my family at Christmas; recipe to be posted soon.

3.) The Cove/Sea Lions/Marine Mammals – Marine mammals have been in the news a lot this year. The Cove is a must-see documentary about the Japanese killing dolphins for their meat and it is heart-breaking but important to see. Seals are still killed for their fur in Canada and elsewhere, sea lions are subject to death in the Columbia River for eating fish and a record number of marine mammals have been affected by various human-caused ailments. When in California I visited the Marine Mammal Center who is doing wonders for the animals they can help. The Sea Shepherd Society also has a television series and documentary focusing on stopping the whale hunts every year in the Antarctic.

2.) Going back to school – I decided to change my career and am going to school part time and plan to be a full-time student next fall. Animals have always been my first love, which is why I am vegan. I believe I’m a great cook and plan to still do it a lot, but for a career I am looking at either wildlife sciences (preferably with marine mammals) or an animal rehabilitator. I got an A in my biology class, my first class in over 10 years. I am on my way to new and better things!

1.) Audubon – In the spring, I started to volunteer with the Portland Audubon Wildlife Care Center. The experience has been life changing! I have been able to give fluids to owls, feed red tails, handle northern screech owls, care for swifts, witness necropsies and so much more! This experience has strengthened my resolve to work with wildlife as a career.

Gingerbread Men Veganized

2009-12-24T08:40:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine gave me some really cute cookie cutters for gingerbread men for my birthday. I’ve made sugar cookies the last few years and gingerbread years before that, so I was excited for gingerbread men. This base makes a good cookie and allows a good playing ground for decorating the cookies with candy or frosting.

This recipe comes from Joy of Baking and then I veganized it. Veganizing can be so easy! This recipe I simply used vegan margarine instead of butter, switched the white sugar to organic cane sugar and instead of the egg, I used cornstarch and water. Usually only one egg is used for cookie recipes as a binder. Cornstarch and water is a good substitute for this since the starch will work as a binder and the water will replace the liquid from the egg.

Please note, these cookies need 2 hours or overnight to refrigerate in the refrigerator. I forgot and made them late last night and had to wake up early to roll them out and bake them for my co-workers. The funny thing is people keep thinking someone took a bite out of a cookie, until they realize ALL the cookies have a “bite” taken out of them. You can use any cookie cutter for these cookies although gingerbread men are always fun.

Gingerbread Men

3 cups Unbleached White Flour
¼ tsp Sea Salt
¾ tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Ginger, ground
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Cloves
½ cup Vegan Margarine
½ cup Organic Cane Sugar
1 Tb Cornstarch
3 Tb Water
2/3 cup Molasses

Place the flour, salt, soda and spices in a bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and margarine until smooth. Combine the water and cornstarch in a small bowl and add it to the sugar/margarine mixture along with the molasses and blend until fully incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture until fully blended. Split the dough in half and wrap in plastic; refrigerate 2 hour or overnight.

After refrigeration, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters and place on a grease cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F. Decorate as desired. Enjoy!

Got any good recipe ideas?

2009-12-17T16:47:00.001-08:00

I am taking input! Anyone have some recipes they would like to see on the blog? Please share some recipe ideas to get my creativity going. Thanks!

I am in planning to make Crescent Rolls which are super yummy and a great addition to a holiday meal. For my family’s Christmas dinner this year, I am thinking of making a biscuit-topped pot pie with stuffed mushrooms, salad and dessert. For dessert I am thinking of a peppermint cupcake or a frozen ice cream cake if I can find a good vegan peppermint ice cream. Gingerbread men will be baked as well since I got some fabulous gingerbread men cookie cutters, with a twist, for my birthday.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

2009-12-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

It's my birthday! At my work we have a policy we have to bring in our own birthday treat, which I think was created because they didn't know how to buy or make vegan cake for me. Not everyone like cake either, so some birthdays we get a unique display of food to share.

This year I did not have too much time and had just bought some White Chocolate Peanut Butter and remembered making a yummy peanut butter pie in the past, so I decided to recreate this tasty treat with some modifications. My co-workers love it!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

3/4 cup White Chocolate Peanut Butter
1 1/2 - 12.3 oz package of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (Extra Firm)
1/2 cup Organic Cane Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Pie Crust

2 cups ground Sugar Cookies
1 Tb Cornstarch
2 Tb Earth Balance Margarine, melted
3-5 Tb Almond Milk

Combine the ground cookies and cornstarch. Pour in the melted margarine and combine it with the dry ingredients using a fork. Add the almond milk a tablespoon at a time until the consistency is not wet, but when pressed together it sticks together.

Pour the pie crust "dough" into a greased pie pan. Press the crust into the sides, turning the pie pan to cover all sides. With the left over crust, press it into the bottom of the pie pan. Pour the pie filling into the center and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

Optional Topping:

1 cup vegan White Chocolate Chips*
1 Tb Earth Balance Margarine
2 Tb Almond Milk

Melt the ingredient over medium-low heat. Whisk together when melted until smooth. The white chocolate chips take away to cook down, so patience will be needed. Pour over pie filling and refrigerate overnight.

*Vegan white whocolate whips can be found at Food Fight! in Portland, otherwise, vegan regular chocolate chips can be used instead. Regular peanut butter can replace the white chocolate peanut butter as well.

Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving

2009-11-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has meant a lot to me over the last 10 years or so, pretty much since I became vegan. After an argument with my parents concerning their consumption of turkey, they agreed to not eat turkey and I agreed to visit them and my sister on the holiday and we all enjoyed a delicious meal together that I cooked. Luckily my sister being vegan as well helped my side quite a bit. I started out with a veganized version of a traditional meal and eventually decided on food themes to further my culinary curiosity and skill. Just recently I started to spend more time with friends rather than family on Thanksgiving, but I appreciate and recognize the uniqueness of my family forgoing turkey out of respect for me. Obviously I wish they would forgo the turkey out of respect for the animal, but we haven't gotten there quite yet.

Recently I received a request for a traditional vegan pumpkin pie recipe and realized I could not find mine which was probably written down on some abscure piece of paper from years ago that somehow disspearred in the mean time. I remember most of what I did, so I decided to go back in the kitchen and share the recipe before I forgot.

I was never much of a fan of pumpkin pie myself, but I like this recipe since it is not overwhelmingly pumpkin. It uses moderate spices so feel free to up the amounts if you like alot.

Pumpkin Pie

1 - 15 oz can of Pumpkin Puree

1 - 12.3 oz package of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu (Firm)

3/4 cup Organic Cane Sugar

1/4 cup Cornstarch

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground Ginger

1/4 tsp ground Cloves

1 prepared Pie Shell

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Spread into a pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Allow to sit a couple hours before serving.

If you are looking for other Thanksgiving recipe ideas, I have many more to share.

Thanksgiving Gluten Roast

Flaky Pie Crust

"Buttermilk" Biscuits

Traditional Stuffing

Buckwheat Stuffing (Gluten Free)

Basic Bundt Cake

2009-11-12T21:57:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry for neglecting all my recipe developing, and enjoying, for the last month. I have been so busy with school my culinary time has been cut down considerably. But I have so much more flavor to create! I will try harder. And have fun doing so.

The last thing I baked up was some Orange Spice Budnt Cake. This is such a great recipe to base a zillion variations on. I have also made blueberry, strawberry and chocolate chip bundt cakes and have many more ideas to implement. Here is the basic recipe and some variations you can try.

Basic Bundt Cake

3 Tb Flaxseed Meal

1/2 cup Water

1 cup Alternative Milk (Soy, Almond, Coconut, Rice)

1 1/2 cups Organic Cane Sugar

1/2 cup Oil

2 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour

1 Tb Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Combine the flaxseed meal and water, let stand a few minutes. In a large bowl, combine the milk, sugar, oil and vanilla and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients together. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine, careful not to over mix. When the batter is mostly mixed, add any extras and finish mixing. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes.

Variations:

Orange Spice- Add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground clove, zest of one orange, replace 1/2 cup orange juice for milk alternative.

Berries- Add 1 cup berries of choice (blueberry, strawberry, cranberries).

Lemon Poppy seed- Add 2 Tb Poppy seeds and replace 1/4 cup lemon juice for milk alternative.

Double Chocolate- Add 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Raspberry White Chocolate- Add 1/2 cup vegan White Chocolate Chips (if available) and replace 1/2 cup fresh raspberry juice for milk substitute.

Apple Walnut- Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and 1 cup finely chopped apple.

Coconut Almond- Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup sliced almonds.

You can also be creative, or basic, with a topping for the bundt cake. You can simply combine powdered sugar with milk alternative until you reach the consistency you desire. Or you can use orange/lemon/raspberry juice instead of a milk alternative with powdered sugar. The cake can also go bare since it can stand alone.

What other flavors can you think of?

Seitan 101

2009-10-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

I taught a class about seitan through NW Veg and their Veg 101 series. A class about seitan is great to teach since there is so much more involved than just a recipe. Seitan has a certain texture you are looking for, so seeing it first-hand can make a difference.

Gluten is the protein found in some grains, especially wheat. Vital Wheat Gluten is a flour made from a concentration of the protein in wheat and contains 75-85% protein. Do not get this mixed up with high gluten flour which is used for baking.

There are many different types of recipes you can make using gluten. Seitan is basically a gluten dough which is cooked through a boiling process, while gluten is when you bake the dough. For this class, I sampled and shared recipes for basic seitan, thanksgiving gluten roast (including a buckwheat stuffing) and restuarant veggie burgers; recipes below. You can also make BBQ gluten strips which are always popular at potlucks.

Basic Seitan

2 ¼ cups Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
2 cups Hot Water
2 Tb Tamari

Broth:
8 cups Water
3 Tb Tamari
2 Tb Molasses

In a medium bowl, blend together the gluten flour and seasonings. Add the hot water and tamari and blend with a sturdy spoon until combined. Knead the dough for about a minute, making sure all the flour is absorbed, but there no excess of water in the dough. Cut the dough into two-inch pieces.

Combine the ingredients for the broth and bring to a boil. Add the cut pieces of gluten to the broth, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 1 hour. The gluten will float to the top, so stirring the gluten often will allow the pieces to cook evenly. Drain the liquid and use for stews, stir fry, sandwiches and so much more.

Restaurant Veggie Burger

1 ½ cups TSP (Textured Soy Protein)
6 oz Tomato Paste
1 ½ cups Hot Water
2 Tb Braggs
1/3 cup Olive Oil
½ tsp Liquid Smoke (optional)
¾ cup Gluten Flour
1 cup Quick Oats
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tb Onion Flakes
2 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Granules

Combine the hot water and tomato paste. Pour into the TSP and mix; let stand 5 minutes. Add braggs, oil and liquid smoke to the TSP mixture. *TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) can replace TSP in any recipe.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix until all is combined. Form into patties and place on a greased baking sheet.

Bakes at 350°F for 20 minutes, flipping burger after 10 minutes. Makes 8 burgers.

Thanksgiving Gluten Roast

Gluten:
2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
1 ½ tsp Marjoram
1 ½ tsp Onion Powder
1 ½ tsp Sage
1 ½ cups Water, warm
2 Tb Tamari
2 Tb Oil

Tahini Mixture:
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 tsp Paprika
2 Tb Oil
½ cup Tahini
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
2 tsp Salt

Basting Liquid:
2 Tb Sesame oil (toasted)
1 Tb Tamari

Gluten: Mix together all wet ingredients in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring quickly. This will form a sponge-like dough. Squeeze out any excess liquid.

Tahini paste: Fry onion in oil until soft and golden. In a small bowl, combine the cooked onion and the paprika, tahini, nutritional yeast and salt.

In food processor, process ¼ of gluten dough and ¼ of tahini mixture. Set in bowl and do the same with the rest of the gluten dough and tahini mixture. Place dough in a greased bread pan if baking alone. If forming dough over stuffing, or to bake with vegetables, place is a 9-inch square baking pan. Pour basting liquid over the roast and bake at 375°F for 1 hour.

Buckwheat Stuffing

2009-10-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was preparing for a cooking class all about seitan and gluten making when I decided I wanted to make stuffing for the Thanksgiving Gluten Roast. The roast dough is wrapped around the stuffing and it works wonderfully for a Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t have any breadcrumbs though, so I looked around my pantry. I recently discovered Buckwheat Groats even though I knew of them for many years. Buckwheat is almost circular in shape, has a mild flavor, cooks up in a jiffy and is a super nutritious whole grain. The class participants demanded I include the recipe on my blog so here you go!

Basic Buckwheat Stuffing

1 cup Buckwheat Groats, dry
2 cups Vegetable Broth
2 Tb Earth Balance Margarine
3 stalks Celery, chopped
½ cup Onion, chopped
1 tsp Sage, rubbed
1 tsp Parsley
¼ tsp Black Pepper

Cook the buckwheat in the broth until absorbed, about 15 minutes. In a frying pan, melt the margarine and add the celery and onion and cook until soft. Add the cooked buckwheat groats to the celery/onion sauté and add the sage, parsley and pepper, stirring to combine. Serve by itself as a side, or in the recipe for the Thanksgiving Gluten Roast.

The seitan and gluten recipes will be posted next!

Cookies for camping

2009-09-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

I leave this afternoon to go camping and since I had the day off, I decided to make some cookies for my trip. I bought some Dandies Marshmallows for the campfire and white chocolate chips for the cookies at Food Fight! today. I am not a big chocolate fan, so the white chocolate chips are especially great for me. I also made some Artichoke & White Bean Sauce from my last post for sandwiches and a dip.

Vanilla Fan Cookies

1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar

2 Tb. Earth Balance Margarine*

3 Tb. Vegetable Oil

1/3 cup Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla

1 3/4 cups Unbleached White Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup vegan White Chocolate Chips**

Cream together the sugar, oil and margarine. Add the vanilla and almond milk and blend well. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend until barley combined, then add the chocolate chips and blend until combined.

Place by the double tablespoon on a grease cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Makes a dozen cookies.

*I used the new soy free Earth Balance in the red tub since I am trying to cut down on soy.

**Regular chocolate chips or vegan peanut chips can be added in this recipe since the white chocolate chips are hard to find.

Portland this weekend

2009-09-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

So much potential fun this weekend! All day Saturday is Veg Fest which will be bigger and better than ever! Music, food to eat and plenty of samples, food demos and talks galore. Admission is only $5 for all this. There will be something for everyone at this event!

The weather for Sunday is suppose to be nice. When summer starts to go away I get a little sad, until I remember the great things about fall. One of my favorite things to do in the fall is going to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Gardens because there are less people in the park and the migrating water birds are showing up. The most diverse combination of birds are seen around this time of year and I get so excited trying to find some less common sights such as mergansers, ruddy ducks and shovelers. The air is also fresh and leaves start to change color and it reminds me how beautiful life can be.

Have a great weekend!

Artichokes & Beans

2009-09-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

I am trying to cut down on my soy intake. I have a long love affair with soy ever since going vegan, but too much any anything can be a bad thing. I think if there is one thing I was told I couldn't eat, soy would have the biggest impact on my food choices. Luckily, I am just cutting down, not giving it up.

Almond milk is my favorite milk alternative and there are so many great coconut based vegan ice cream treats will be easy. However, less soy options for my proteins will be an issue, especially since me and beans are not the best of friends. Due to this, I am trying to re-develop my relationship with beans and decided to start off with a creamy sauce for pasta. So far, the new relationship is going well.

Artichoke & White Bean Sauce

1 - 15 oz can Great Northern Beans*

1 - 14 oz can Artichoke Hearts, drained**

1 Tb Lemon Juice

2 Tb Olive Oil

1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. If you want a thinner sauce, add some water to desired consistency.

* Cannellini Beans or another white bean will also work great.

** I have found the canned artichoke hearts in water from Trader Joes are good quality and affordable.

I mixed the sauce with 12 ounces of prepared pasta and cooked up a variety of vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, garlic and spinach) to go on top. I really enjoyed the combination and look forward to eating more of it this week for my lunch. This recipe can also be used as a dip or spread.

Carrot Cake!

2009-08-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Birthdays are always a great excuse to celebrate, even if the person isn’t excited about the new number to their age. I remember when I was young, age didn’t really mean much. It was all about doing something fun which was all about me on a certain day. And I got to eat cake. Cake has always been the symbol of celebrating another year of living and with good reason. It is sweet, and moist and soft (hopefully) and can be an adventure since there are so many flavors and ways to dress up it up. For my friend Jacqueline, she requested Carrot Cake and I am so glad she did. I like to add pineapple and a little coconut to my carrot cakes, and no raisins! The results were so perfect I ended up eating two slices that day and getting a little sick from all the sugar. But it was worth it!

Carrot Cake Deluxe

1 ½ cups Organic Raw Sugar
¾ cup Oil
¾ cup Silken Tofu, blended
2 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Unbleached White Flour
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
2 cups Carrot, shredded
8 oz crushed Pineapple, crushed & drained
½ cup Coconut, shredded (unsweetened)
½ cup Pecan Pieces

Mix together the sugar and oil. Add the tofu until smooth. Add the vanilla and mix again. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until barely combined. Add the pineapple, coconut and carrot. Mix until just combined. Spread the batter into two greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz Tofutti Cream Cheese
¼ cup Soy Margarine
2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar

Cream together all the ingredients until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if needed for a thicker consistency. Spread on cake and enjoy.

It is never easy to say goodbye.

2009-08-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Tasha was the best dog and lived an amazing 16 years. Even though we never lived together, she always knew I was family. She liked her freedom and got loose quite frequently. Getting her back was quite a challenge, but my favorite way was tiring her out by driving around the block in which she’d chase the car. You’d look in the rear view mirror and she was keeping up even at 25 miles an hour! Another time she got loose a neighbor complained and my parents had to fight a dangerous dog charge. The judge dismissed the case so quickly when he learned about how she’s the nicest thing in the world. We had a rabbit who would often wander the house and you’d find them in the hallway, Tasha laying down with Licorice between her legs while she just licked him. She will be greatly missed!

Yes, the chili is good.

2009-08-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

I decided to make a large pot of chili and made so much, I had enough for 4 lunches and to bring it to a potluck. Normally when chili shows up at a potluck I am not excited, but I've experienced many boring chilis in my time. So I was not too surprised when a friend asked me if it was good (of course!) and didn't touch it at first. As soon as she found out the chili contained the Gimme Lean Vegetarian beef, she was reaching for her share. Luckily, she and many others, did enjoy this chili and I hope you do as well. It will make a lot so either cut the recipe in half or plan to have it for lunches for awhile, or bring to a potluck, or both.

So this is the part where I share the recipe. Um... I have a bit of a problem. I am horrible at not losing my recipes. There are so many other recipes I have wanted to share, but then when I sit down to enter them in my computer, the nice piece of paper with all my notes has disappeared. I don't believe my house is haunted, so there must be little fairies who take them and enjoy them too much to give back. So, this is what I approximately did. It is always best to use spices to your own liking anyway.

Exciting Veggie Chili

1 Tb Oil

1 tube of Gimme Lean "Beef"

1 medium Onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bell Peppers, chopped

1 15 oz can Kidney Beans

1 - 25 oz can Pinto Beans

1 - 28 oz can Tomatoes, diced

1 cup Tomato Sauce

3 - 4 cups water

1/2 lime, juiced

1 - 4 oz can Green Chiles, chopped

1 Tb Chili Powder

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Garlic Granules

2 tsp Onion Granules

1 tsp Salt

In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat. Break apart the gimme lean into the pot. I keep my hands wet so it does not stick to my hands. Cover the gimme lean pieces in oil. Once it starts to brown, add the onion and cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and allow to cook a few more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook about 20 minutes to combine flavors. For a thicker chili, use less water.

Last Minute Notice

2009-08-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am giving a talk as part of Try Vegan Week. It is about dairy free cooking, baking, pie making and dairy free living in general. Since egg-free baking is a popular inquiry, I will also be discussing that. The best part is, there will be samples!

Details:

Hungry Tiger Too (207 SE 12th Ave in Portland)

"Waste of Dairy" talk at 7pm
"Cooking without Dairy" at 8pm.

Here is what I will be samping:

Chocolate Silk Pie

Amazing Cashew Spread

Heavenly Biscuits

Go vegan!

Report Back From San Juan Island

2009-07-31T09:35:00.000-07:00

This last week I was on vacation. I went to San Juan Island just north of Seattle where you have to take a ferry to get there. I visited Bellingham, WA first to look at a school there. I am planning on going back to school so that was my first stop. Just a few miles south of Bellingham is a beautiful state park that borders the bay. On the rocks you can find purple starfish. One got caught out of the water and was near death when we found it and put it back in the water.

The ferry in Anacortes was our next stop. A view of a quaint shore with rocks and old piers and wildlife allowed our wait to go quickly. There were blue herons flying and dancing all over which I tried my hardest to catch on camera. I had never seen so much activity from these beautiful creatures before.

Under every other rock was a crab or tiny hermit crabs. The algae the lined the rocks and piers and everything else along the shore was intricate and colorful, displaying a different world the shore sometimes sees when the tide is in.

While on the ferry, but not yet moving, we discovered a rookery for comerants in the metal framework for the ferry gates. Nests were crammed into tiny spaces while older babies and their parents interacted. I find these birds to be intriguing, but as babies they aren’t the cutest.

The baby seagulls on the other hand, were adorable. We had to rush to the top of the ferry to get a decent shore of these birds and we got there just in time, since the ferry was off for the islands.

San Juan Island is my favorite, since the west shore is a great spot to look for orcas. Once we got to town, we headed in that direction. Almost as soon as we could start looking for orcas, we saw one. He was just swimming by, but it’s an orca! Just seeing this breath taking animals enough to make your day. We followed the orca, running to a good viewing spot of Lime Kiln Park, also know as whale watch park. We got there just in time to watch him go by and get some more pictures.

That night we went back to town in Anacortes after setting up tent at San Juan Park. We read about a pizza place which offered a vegan option, but they only took cash so we ended up going to Golden Triangle, a Thai place. Last time I went to a Thai restaurant I was unfamiliar with, I discovered there was only one menu item I could eat. My first question at the restaurant was vegan options. I was so happy when the owner knew the word vegan, and when I ordered, let me know if something was not vegan. We ended up getting vegetables and tofu with peanut sauce and vegetables and tofu with a garlic sauce. This was the freshest tasting Thai food I’ve had in a long time! The vegetables tasted like they came right out of someone’s garden and included a wide variety of mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and more. I recommend anyone who is looking for a good place to eat while in Friday Harbor, Washington, go to this place! So good!

The rest of the trip we ate sandwiches. A ban on campfires was announced the next day so the other food I was planning was out. I love campfires so I don’t have propane or anything else. Luckily I like sandwiches.

The last full day on San Juan Island was spent with a tour guide from The Whale Museum. She was so knowledgeable and I asked her questions about her field and she was so inspiring to pursue a new career (I’m looking into aquatic sciences). This island and this environment brings me to life so the idea of spending a career around this is thrilling. I didn’t get my close ups with the J-pod (orca family) like I did last time while kayaking, but this was a really great trip!

ORANGE!

2009-07-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

This is the month of orange. I was thinking it was just an orange day, with my friend Liz's birthday and I was making her an orange purse and orange spice cake. Then I realized orange is all around me. My cat is orange, my bike is orange, my water bottle is orange, I recently sewed an orangish-yellow top, I got an orange toothbrush from the dentist, the sun, which is orange at time, has been shining strong. See, lots of orange. Plus, Liz loves orange, which is why I decided to make her an orange purse for her birthday. She also loves purses.

Liz requested a long time ago for me to make her an orange spice cake for her birthday. Some time long ago I guess I made one and she's been requesting it ever since. I don't remember making that cake she fell in love with, but when I made this cake I re-fell in oranges. I decided to use fresh squeezed oranges and they were so good! I accidently ate too many of the oranges so I had to go back to the store to get more.

Orange Spice Cupcakes

1/2 cup Soy Margarine

1 1/2 cups Organic Raw Sugar

1/2 cup Silken Tofu, blended

1 1/2 cups Orange Juice

Zest of One Orange

1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/4 cups Unbleached White Flour

1/4 cup Cornstarch

1 Tb Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Cloves

Orange Cream Frosting:

1/3 cup Soy Margarine

2 cups Powdered Sugar

4-6 Tb Orange Juice

Orange Zest for topping

Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and tofu and blend some more. Pour in the orange juice and blend until incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and spices. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and blend until just mixed in. Stir in the zest with a spatula since it will cling to beaters. Fill cupcake cups about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Frosting: Blend the powdered sugar and margarine together. Add the orange juice, a little at a time, until you reached the desired consistency. Apply the frosting to cooled cupcakes and sprinkle orange zest on top.

Cool Down With Creamsicles

2009-07-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

Although now the weather is fairly mild, last week the sun was shining and I had to get out my fan to find comfort in me house. I know it was time to start creating desserts to help cool me down.

This photo does not really give this sweetness justice. The creamsicle has a mild sweetness, creaminess and really allows the flavor of the fruit you use to come through. The first time I made this I used strawberries. So yummy! For this trial I used cherries. I don't think you can go wrong with what fruit you use and you can get creative with what you add. Maybe next time I'll try pineapple and coconut.

Cherry Creamsicles

1 Box Nori Silken Tofu (Firm)

2 cups Cherries (or fruit/berry of choice)

1/2 cup Organic Unrefined Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Pour the mixture into a cup, ice cube tray, popsicle holders and place in freezer. Allow to freeze for several hours.

Fresh Collard Wraps

2009-06-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago my friend Liz made some raw collard wraps which I really enjoyed. I had only made steamed collard rolls before, so I was a little reserved about using it raw. When I was on my way home from San Francisco this month, we stopped by Green Go's in Redding and I got a collard wrap with veggies and tofu with a sweet pepper sauce. It was a great reminder about eating raw collards so I decided to make my own when I got back home.

Almost-Raw Collard Wraps

4 Collard Leaves

2 Carrots, shredded

1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced long

1/4 Red Onion, sliced long

1 Avocado, sliced

1/2 cup Hummus

Cut the large middle stem from the collard leaf so you will have two pieces of the green. Each side will provide a separate roll. About the middle of the collard half, spread out the hummus. Add a few slices of the bell pepper, onion, avocado and about 2 Tb of shredded carrot. Roll one side over the insides and continue rolling the leaf until the insides are fully contained. Repeat this with the rest of the collard leaves. Makes 8 rolls.

*Use a raw hummus or spread of choice if you would like this to be 100% raw.

Report back from Yosemite

2009-06-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I went on vacation to Yosemite and San Francisco. I had tons of fun! I ate some great vegan food at a vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant called Andy Nguyen's. I love camping food so I got to eat lots of sandwiches, kabobs, veggie burgers and even nachos. Here are some pictures from my Yosemite and Mono Lake visits.

I think this photo is hilarious! There were numerous little forest squirrels and chipmunks in Yosemite. On one grueling uphill hike to Vernal Falls (it was mostly hard since I had been hiking for days) squirrels were posing all over for me. It was nice to break for the uphill trek to capture their poses.

This photo I took while eating lunch at a stream just past one of the famous waterfalls in Yosemite Valley. It was such a tranquil spot to stop and take a break from the crowds, which luckily weren't too bad.

This is Half Dome from a distance. With binoculars you could see what looks like little ants climbing up the mountain. We didn't have time to attempt this. Ha! Like I would try. My friend Deanna would have loved to, but hiking as much as we did was enough for me.

Most people spend most of their time in Yosemite valley where all the picturesque waterfall photos are taken. The rest of Yosemite is quite beautiful as well. The east side of Yosemite had many amazing mountain sights.

Mono Lake! Wow, what a place! I describe it as a photographer's dream. This was all of our favorite place on the vacation. The tufas (calcite rock) in the lake are so mesmerizing and reading about the unique ecosystem to the lake was fascinating.

The weather was perfect for reflections on the lake. It was hard to see where the lake ended and the sky began. I couldn't stop taking photos of all the tufa formations, along with the clouds and blue skies.

Beautiful! Can you ask for any more than tufas and mountains and clouds reflecting in the water? Visiting Mono Lake is an absolute must!

Swallows and lizards could often be seen at Mono Lake. We also saw a pair of osprey who may have had a nest on top of a tufa in the lake. This little swallow was allowing me to get closer and closer to get the perfect shot.

I refer to these flowers as death flowers since they grow from decay. They are actually called snow plants. These were pointed out to me to take some photos since they are so unique and only bloom between May-July at certain altitudes. We had just stopped to join the side of the road commotion of taking photos of a bear. I got to see a bear!

Coconut Cloud Cupcakes

2009-06-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

I went to a friend's wedding on Sunday and it was beautiful! The decorations were hand-made and so creative! On the tables there were magnets made from old scrabble tiles with pretty designs on them for the guests to take home. The centerpiece were white puffs that looked so cute! The cupcakes were displayed on color-coordinated and decorated tiers. I felt privileged to have my cupcakes among them. My friend is not vegan, but she is super vegan friendly and wanted me to bring vegan cupcakes and food for people to enjoy. When I was there I was worried she just asked me to bring the food so I would have something to eat, but then people started to come up to me asking for my Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Spread which I brought with marinated tofu, veggies and bread.

I was super excited for these cupcakes since I had never baked with coconut milk before and found that it allowed the margarine to mix better with the other ingredients and the cupcakes turned out ever more moist and soft than usual! I will definitely be using the coconut milk in my baking again.

Coconut Cloud Cupcakes

Vanilla Cake:
½ cup Soy Margarine
1 ½ cups Organic Raw Sugar
½ cup Silken Tofu
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
2 ½ cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tb Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt

Coconut Frosting:
1/3 cup Margarine
2 cups Powdered Sugar
½ cup Shredded Coconut
2-5 Tb. Coconut Milk

Cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and blend, then the tofu and blend some more. Pour in the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. Add the flour, baking power and salt and blend until just mixed in. Fill greased muffin tins, or cupcake cups about 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. When cupcakes are done, the top should spring back when lightly touched.

Frosting: Blend the powdered sugar and margarine together. Add coconut milk, a little at a time, until you reach the desired texture. Add in the shredded coconut. When frosting the cupcakes, dip the frosted top in more shredded coconut.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Playing with Rhubarb

2009-06-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

One of my co-workers brought in a lot of rhubarb from his garden for people to take home. I don't know if I've had rhubarb as an adult, so I was excited to grab myself a good amount of it to make a pie. I was going to a potluck that weekend as a part of Try Vegan PDX, so I decided to share. I had no idea if the pie worked out until I tried it and I loved it! I will definitely be playing with rhubarb some more. Often times there are people at the potluck who are gluten free, and I have another friend who is soy and cane sugar free as well, so I ended up making two pies.

Rhuberry Pie

Crust:

2 cups Unbleached White Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Margarine

8-10 Tb Ice Water

Filling:

3 cups Rhubarb, cut

1 cups Strawberries, sliced

1/3 cup Unbleached White Flour

1 Tb Lemon Juice

1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in the margarine with a pastry cutter to pea sized pieces. Slowly add the water a tablespoon at a time to the desired consistency. The dough should not be sticky, but it should also hold together in a ball. Divide the dough so one ball is 2/3 of the dough and the other is 1/3 of the dough.

Roll out the 2/3 part dough to be a bit larger than a 9-inch pie pan. When the dough is placed in the pie pan, it should slightly hand off the sides.

For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place the filling inside the pastry crust and set aside. Roll out the reserved dough to a circle just a little larger than the circumference of the pie pan. Place carefully over the pie filling and side. Combine the top and bottom crusts with your fingers and design as desired, or just leave plain. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Gluten Free, Soy Free and Sugar Free Rhuberry Pie

The insides of this pie were good, except it needed a little more thickener which I have already added to the recipe for you. the crust held the pie fine, but it was a bit tough and wanted to stick to the pie pan. I would recommend greasing the pie pan well.

For the dough, I used 1 1/4 cups Sweet White Rice Flour, 1/4 cup Organic Coconut Flour and 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour instead of the flour. I also used Spectrum Shortening instead of margarine so it would be soy free. The directions are mostly the same for the dough except that I used wax paper to roll out the dough.

For the filling, instead of sugar I used 2/3 cup Agave Nectar and Tapioca Flour instead of white flour. The dough pieces was harder to form together but it worked out fine.

A Refreshing Salad

2009-05-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

I was first introduced to jicama when I was in college. I was on a camping trip and a friend had brought some along. I hesitatingly tried a piece of the jicama and fell in love. Since then, I have been introducing it to many more people and have not found a single person who did not like it.

I went to a potluck recently and didn't really have time to make something so I just brought a bunch of fresh jicama slices. A friend had never tried jicama raw and by itself, so I had to show her its true magic. Someone else made something with jicama that tasted so wonderful I had to go home and try and make something similar. I don't think it's exactly the same, but it tastes nice and refreshing.

Mango Mint Salad

2 cups Jicama, diced

1 cup Mango, diced

2 Tb Mint, minced

1 Tb Lime Juice

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate before serving. I used spearmint for the mint and the diced jicama and mango were cut into bite size squares. If you want something sweeter, use more mango.

Vegan Potluck Meet ‘N Greet!

2009-05-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

Baby rats gathered for a vegan meal at the Rhododendron Gardens in Portland.

This Saturday is a Vegan Potluck Meet ‘N Greet! It is all about connecting with other vegans and eating good food so it should be fun and yummy! There will be different activities which I know nothing about, but I am excited to see what it will be. I want tons of people to come since I’d love more interaction with other vegans. And the more people, the more food options!

Details: Saturday, May 30th from 6pm-8pm at Sunnyside United Methodist Church (3520 SE Yamhill St in Portland, OR).

This event is put on by Try Vegan PDX. This is a local organization which puts on Try Vegan Week which will be in August this year. The organization offers vegan mentorship and resources for the new and old to the vegan lifestyle (or even those just thinking about it). Get involved! Become a mentor, help with planning, or become vegan!

A Tasty Brunch

2009-05-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

The girl I have mentored for over 5 years just moved into her own place and is about to turn 18 and graduate high school. I can't believe how fast the time and gone and what an amazing young adult she has become. I asked her to come over for brunch so I can show her some alternative foods to prepare.

I often make myself a tofu scramble over the weekend. It is a great break from my usual green smoothies which I have every weekday morning. Tofu scrambles can be so versatile. You can add different vegetables and different add ins to make every scramble unique. When I am not adding salsa to my scrambles, I usually use Braggs liquid aminos instead of salt to give the scramble more moisture. With the tomatoes from the salsa in the scramble, salt does better.

I am somewhat particular with my scrambles. I would be very annoyed if I went to a restaurant and ordered a scramble and the tofu came cubed. This is simply not a scramble. So make sure to crumble up your tofu for cooking scrambles. This does not need to be disintegrated though, which I have also seen. Having large parts of tofu crumble works really well.

Here is what we had for breakfast and both enjoyed.

Seasoned Potatoes

3 cups Red Potatoes, cut bite-size

1 Tb Olive Oil

2 tsp Fresh Thyme

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Garlic granules

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread out onto a baking sheet at bake at 400 degrees. Bake 10 minutes, toss potatoes and bake another 10 minutes.

Tofu Scramble

1 lb Tofu

2 tsp Olive Oil

5 slices Tempeh Bacon

8 Mushrooms, sliced

1 small Zucchini, halfed and sliced

1 cup Onion, chopped

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Onion Granules

1/4 tsp Garlic Granules

1/3 cup Pineapple Salsa

2 - 4 Tb Nutritional Yeast

Saute the onion in the olive oil in a large pan. Once the onions are golden, add the mushrooms, zucchini and tempeh. Cook for a few minutes to get the vegetables soft. Crumble up the tofu into the frying pan and cook for a few minutes. Use tofu that is meant for frying, but on the softer side. Add the spices, salsa and nutritional yeast. Heat until everything is warm. Serve with potatoes and toast if desired.

Asparagus is in season!

2009-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

A friend was coming over for dinner and I was having cravings for spaghetti, which I don't eat too often. I had a coupon for free sauce, so I decided to take advantage of it. I had to include a vegetable, so I looked to see what was available at my local market. I remember hearing asparagus was in season and I found some that was grown locally from a transitional farm. This ended up being a perfect choice!

For the spaghetti sauce, I sauteed some mushrooms, garlic and sliced a tofurky beer brat I needed to use up. After the mushrooms were browning and soft, I added the spaghetti sauce and lowered to heat to warm. This was served on top of a thin spaghetti noodles.

While the sauce was heating up, I prepared the asparagus. Usually I just steam asparagus, but I wanted to try something different. The results were tangy and salty (but not too salty) and just right. I could have eaten all of the asparagus myself, but I had to share. Here is what I did.

Tangy Roasted Asparagus

25 Asparagus Stems

1 Tb Olive Oil

1 Tb Lemon Juice

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

Rinse off and chop off the ends of the asparagus. Spread the stems on a baking sheet. Combined the oil, lemon juice and minced garlic. Spread this on top of the asparagus and toss to cover all over the stems. I used my hands to do this. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on top and toss again to cover the stems well. Place this in the oven at 400 degrees and cook for 15-20 minutes, tossing the asparagus to cook evenly on the sheet.

*Asparagus is also great raw! Try some in your next salad.

Stroganoff

2009-04-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

New year’s day I went to a great brunch at a friend’s house. I made some great pancakes and there was also grilled cheese, fruit and lots of other stuff I can’t remember since it was so long ago. My favorite was not very brunch like, but oh, so good. My friend Liz brought Stroganoff which was so rich and creamy and savory and I could not get enough of it. I demanded to know how she made the dish and wrote it down to try to recreate it at a later date.

When I visited my parents house, my mom asked me if I was going to make dinner. I decided it would be a good opportunity to make the stroganoff. When my nephew was informed that I would be making dinner, he was happy. He is a really picky eater and I know if he likes it, anyone will. He also seems to be a big fan of my vegan cooking which pleasantly surprises me. My niece helped me with dinner by making the salad to go with the main meal.

My nephew ate up all the food on his plate and even went for seconds. Everyone really enjoyed the dish and even I was really happy with the recreation. I am so glad I wrote down everything I did so now we can all recreate it. Thanks so much to Liz for this recipe and sharing the savory secret- fresh thyme!

Stroganoff

12 oz Pasta of choice

1 Tb Olive Oil

1 medium Red Onion, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

12 oz Veggie Protein Crumbles (such as Light Life Smart Ground)

10 Mushrooms, sliced

2 Tb Fresh Thyme

3 Tb Lemon Juice

1 Tb Tamari

1 container Tofutti Sour Cream

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ cup Water

Cook the pasta according to directions, drain and set aside.

Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the oil. Cook until the onion is tender. Add the veggie protein crumbles, mushrooms and fresh thyme and continue to cook an additional 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, tamari, tofutti sour cream, black pepper and water. Cook for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors.

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Serve warm with a nice refreshing salad. My salad had romaine lettuce, chopped jicama (a favorite!) and sliced red pepper with goddess dressing.

Burritos and MORE Burritos

2009-04-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have been craving burritos A LOT lately. I try to mix it up once in awhile with different fillings and last night I had the greatest burrito, so I had to share.

The night before I suggested to a friend to make burritos instead of going out to eat. The sun was shining and we could sit in my front yard while eating. Then my cat Roy could beg for food since sometimes he thinks he's a dog. He'll actually grab for food out of your hand, especially if it has anything to do with corn.

My friend mentioned she's never actually made burritos, unless you include heating up a frozen one. I do not. That evening, I had a crazing for tempeh so we enjoyed burritos with tempeh, great northern beans, pinto beans, green chilies, red onion, bell peppers (green and orange), spices and nutritional yeast. This was spread on top of a warmed tortilla with the options of toffuti sour cream, pineapple salsa (which we discovered is both of our favorite) and guacamole made from the perfect avocado. It was delightful.

Last night I had a couple tortillas left and was making rice. I was thinking of making something Thai, but also was thinking of burritos, once again. What won me over is the discovery of Mexican Chipolte Field Roast sausages. I had to have them! Normally I am not a black bean fan, but I decided they would pair best with this flavoring. I also got a bell pepper, green onion, a tomato and I always have fresh garlic at home.

The black beans I bought are Truitt Brother brand, which is Food Alliance certified. Although this is not as good as organic, it is a certification honoring a farm's work towards sustainable agriculture and fair working conditions. This is also a local company so it is nice to know the beans weren't grown far away.

These burritos were so good! The sausages had the BEST flavor! I was thoroughly impressed. Here are more details of what I did in case you want to try and duplicate. This made the perfect amount for two medium-sized tortillas.

Mexican Chipolte Burritos

1 Tb Oil

1 Field Roast Mexican Field Roast Sausage, sliced

1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 small Tomato, diced

2 Green Onions, chopped

3/4 cup Black Beans

1/2 cup Brown Rice, cooked

1/2 tsp Garlic Granules

1/4 tsp Onion Granules

1/4 tsp Chili Powder

2 Tb Nutritional Yeast

Tofutti Sour Cream

2 Flour Tortillas

In a medium pan saute the sausage, bell pepper and garlic in the oil. When the sausage starts to brown, add the tomato, green onions, black beans, rice and spices and heat until warm; about 5 minutes.

Warm a tortilla either in a large pan that the tortilla fits in or fold into quarters and carefully warm it in your toaster. This method you will want to make sure not to let it be in the toaster too long since if it starts to brown, it is harder to fold the tortilla.

Place the desired amount of sour cream on the tortilla and place half the cooked insides on top. Fold the burrito and enjoy!

Recipes from the Gluten Free Class

2009-04-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday was my first time to teach gluten free baking and luckily it went well with 14 people in attendance. A very special thank you to NW Veg for their support getting the word out about the class!

Gluten free flours include amaranth, millet, quinoa, rice, tapioca, almond, hazelnut, corn, oat, coconut, garbanzo, fava and white bean. Not all flours are made in a dedicated gluten free facility, so you may want to double check that with the company which produces it. It is best to use a combination of flours for best results. A starch such as Potato, Corn or Arrowroot should also be added to help hold together the baked goods. Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum is also added to help with the texture and rise of the baked good.

The first recipe I made was my Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies. These cookies used the newer to the gluten free world Organic Coconut Flour which is a unique flour not like any other. It has about 6g of Fiber in just 2 Tb of flour. That is a lot! It also means it absorbs water more than most flours so it can't just be substituted for other flours.

Here are the other two recipes I demonstrated-

Gluten Free Biscuits

1/2 cup White Rice Flour

1 cup Millet Flour

1 cup Tapioca Flour

2 Tb Sugar

1 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 Tb Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 cup Soy Margarine

1 cup Soy Milk

2 tsp Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Measure out the soy milk and add the lemon juice; set aside. Combine the dry ingredients. Cut the margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas. Stir in soy milk mixture to form a soft dough. Place dough on top of wax paper and press to 1/2 to 1 inch (depending on how high you want them). Cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 12 biscuits.

Sunlight Yellow Cake

1 1/2 cups Organic Unrefined Sugar

1/2 cup Soy Margarine

1/2 cup Silken Tofu, blended

1 1/3 cups Soy Milk

1 1/3 cups Sorghum Flour

3/4 cup Sweet White Rice Flour

1/4 cup Potato Starch

2 tsp Guar Gum

1 Tb Baking Powder

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp Salt

Cream together the sugar and margarine. Add the tofu, soy milk and vanilla and blend to combine. In a separate bowl, mix together the flouts, salt and baking powder. Using a whisk to blend ingredients works well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet blend until just combined. Pout into 2 greased 9-inch round baking pans. Bakes at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until middle of top springs back when lightly touched.

* For both recipes, a different milk alternative such as rice or almond milk can substitute for the soy milk. You could use Spectrum Shortening instead of the margarine which is non-hydrogenated and made from palm oil. The sugar in the recipe is for taste and can be omitted to cut down on sugar.

If you were at the class and I promised you some information, please remind me. If anyone had any questions about gluten free, don't hesitate to ask!

Thanks to Chris for the photos from the class.

Upcoming Gluten Free Baking Class

2009-04-12T20:51:00.001-07:00

This week I am teaching a gluten free baking class which I am excited about. I have taught other classes but this will be the first gluten free one. I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge about this type of baking and wanted to share the information with others. Here are the details if you want to join!

Gluten Free Baking Class

Thursday, April 16th at 7pm

Sunnyside United Methodist Church

3250 SE Yamhill Street

Portland, OR 97214

* Learn the basics of gluten free baking

* Explore the different flour options

* Recipes for cakes, pancakes and biscuits

* Samples will be provided!

$10 supply fee. Pay online or bring cash or check to the class. For more information and to pay online, go to www.tryveganpdx.com

This weekend I visited my family in Cathlamet, WA. One of my favorite things to do when I go there is to drive through a wildlife refuge just a short distance away. This weekend I saw an immature bald eagle (pictured), red tail hawks, always great blue herons, a raccoon, northern pintails, shovelers, wood ducks, wigeons, lesser scaups, killdeer, white-tailed deer, common merganser and a shore bird I think is a surfbird. I was especially excited to see all the common mergansers, about a group of eight of them, since I never see them and I think they are such fascinating birds. I also got to see osprey and bald eagles from my parents back yard which faces the Columbia River. So beautiful!

Sometimes being vegan isn't enough

2009-04-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

For me, I am vegan because I love animals and it hurts me to see them suffer. I haven’t been very active lately, besides living vegan and encouraging good food. Recently I started to get very upset over so many things happening in this world which affects animals. It can be so overwhelming and depressing sometimes! I knew I had to make a choice; be depressed about it, or do something more. I decided to do something more.

My parents live along the Columbia River. I have seen sea lions swimming along the river and was mesmerized by them. When I would visit Astoria, my favorite place to visit was the pier next to Safeway which you could easily find listening to the barks of the sea lions. They were lined up along the different docks, sleeping and arguing and swimming and sun bathing. They were great!

Then I heard they are being killed at the Bonneville dam, and potentially anywhere else they were deemed a threat to salmon. The truth is, sea lions eat less than 4% of the salmon while fishermen catch an upwards of 12%, which was recently raised. I guess the state feels fisherman catching fish are more important than the lives of sea lions! This issue is so misunderstood by the public, due to lies from government agencies. The news reports that animals are being killed since they are sick and have cancer. The truth is about 40% of sea lions have a virus which can predispose the animal to a form of cancer, but 82% of these animals never contract cancer. The virus does not affect them living normal lives. Other sea lions were killed because they were considered overweight. The sea lions traveling up the Columbia are primarily male, trying to fatten up for mating season. Once again, the state is punishing the sea lions for doing something that is normal and natural for them.

The government is suppose to work from a lethal removal list, which are sea lions identified as “repeat offenders” (i.e., eating). Recently, the government was caught capturing and potentially killing a sea lion not on the list. This should be something that could be stopped, since by law, it is not suppose to be okay. Unfortunately a judge recently ruled that In Defense of Animals could not even bring the issue to court since the sea lion himself did not have standing and IDA could not represent the sea lion since it did not affect them. So crazy!

I am not the most educated about this issue, although I am trying to learn all I can. I encourage you to do the same! Please visit http://www.sealiondefensebrigade.org/ for more information.

What you can do!

* Write letters to the editor
* Educate your neighbors and co-workers
* Volunteer with Sea Lion Defense Brigade
* Donate money and other needs from their wish list
* Get on the “cool bus” April 16 for a field trip to Salem
* Contact the following agencies and people and let them know you want the sea lions left alone.

Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife Rick Hargrave 503-947-6020and cell 503-559-1592

Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife Craig Bartlett 360-902-2259

US Amry Corps of Engineers Diana Fredlund 503-808-4514

NOAA Fisheries Garth Griffin 503-231-2005

Contact your legislators! To find out who they are and their contact information, go here http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

There is something everyone can do. Allow your voice to be heard!

Brownies

2009-04-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

When I am asked to teach a baking class, if I have time, I like to create new recipes for the event. It is a great excuse to add more recipes to my file and learn more about baking. Brownies can be difficult to make vegan from an original recipes since for some reason the results sometimes don't work with commercial egg replacers. So I decided this would be a great recipe to veganize. I looked at a recipe with eggs and decided to try using blended silken tofu as the egg replacer. I decided on this egg replacer since it is flavorless and has a good texture. I hoped it would allow the brownie to have the correct consistency and possibly make it more moist, in a good way. The original recipe called for 2 eggs, so I used 1/4 cup blended silken tofu for each egg. It is important to make sure you use silken tofu, which has a very different consistency than a regular tofu you might use for a stir fry. The results were just like I was hoping for!

Brownies

1/2 cup Soy Margarine, melted

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa

1 cup Organic Cane Sugar

1/2 cup Silken Tofu, blended

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan; set aside. Combine the melted margarine and cocoa. Add the sugar, silken tofu and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Spread into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Makes 16 brownies.

Blueberry Muffins

2009-04-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

Flaxseed Meal is one of the most versatile egg replacers of them all. I can't think of anything it doesn't work for, plus you get the added nutrition. For every one egg, combine 1 Tb Flaxseed Meal + 3 Tb Water. If a recipe contains 3 or less eggs, it usually works to use an egg replacer.

I recently taught a baking class and developed this muffin recipe using flax instead of eggs. the results were very tasty. Blueberries are my favorite muffin fruit, but strawberry is close behind. A co-worker recently told me she had never heard of a strawberry muffin before and that just boggled me mind! So next time I make these it will be with strawberries, which is now in season.

Blueberry Muffins

2/3 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar

2/3 cup Soy Milk

2 Tb Flaxseed Meal + 6 Tb Water

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups Unbleached White Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 cup Fresh Blueberries

Combine the flax and water and let sit a couple minutes. Mix together the sugar, soy milk, oil, vanilla and flax blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries, careful not to over mix. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

*This recipe contains an egg replacer for 2 eggs. Instead of the flaxseed meal, you could also use 1/2 cup of applesauce, non-dairy yogurt, tofu sour cream, mashed banana or blended silken tofu. Egg replacers usually make up about 1/4 cup quantity to equal 1 egg.

Tofu Buffalo Sticks

2009-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't been cooking or baking much lately, but that going to change. For one thing, I am teaching two different cooking classes within the next month, and I always make a practice of creating new recipes for this. My friends have also been asking me to cook for them and teach as I go along. I recently made my friend Spicy Tofu Triangles which was served with brown rice and steamed collards with a raspberry red wine vinegar sprinkled on top. Tofu is one of my favorite foods to play with, since it can be so versatile and absorbs flavor so nicely.

Last year I decided I needed to create a recipe to make something similar to buffalo wings. I looked up a variety of recipes and used them to give me a start. I played around with different hot sauces and using fresh onion, or dry, and how much of this and that to use. The final recipe was made for my parents and niece and nephew. Kids are such great food tasters since they won't lie to you if they don't like something. Luckily, no lying was needed and everyone gobbled up all the tofu I made by the end of the night.

Buffalo Tofu Sticks

1 lb Tofu, firm

2 Tb Oil

Batter:

1/3 cup Unbleached White Flour

2 tsp Paprika

Sauce:
1/4 cup Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

2 Tb Tabasco Chipolte Hot Sauce

2 Tb Ketchup

1/4 tsp Salt

1 Tb Agave Nectar

1 Tb Lemon Juice

Place all the sauce ingredients into a blender. Blend until the sauce has a smooth consistency and set aside.

Cut the tofu block into 32 sticks. Mix together the flour and paprika for the batter in a wide mouthed bowl. Place the tofu sticks in the batter, a few at a time, to cover the tofu with the mixture. Set aside and finish covering all the tofu sticks with the batter.

Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. You may need to cook these up in two batches. Place the battered tofu sticks in the skillet and cook until all sides are golden. Add the sauce and cook until all the sauce is absorbed and adhered to the tofu sticks.

This is great served with Mac & Cheese and steamed broccoli!

A Visit to Eugene

2009-03-17T16:43:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I visited one of my favorite food places in the world, Pizza Research Institute (PRI) in Eugene, OR. I love this place for so many reasons and feel personally connected to the people who run it, even though we have barely talked in the many years I have eaten their fabulous creations. I hadn't been in for a year, but the owner still recognized my face and sincerely asked how I was doing. Many, many years ago, my picture showed up in the Eugene newspaper after my involvement in a fur protest in San Francisco. They cut out the photo and told me how they had it displayed on their home refrigerator, and did so for many years. The first time I saw them after the newspaper photo, I was given a free homemade soda as a reward for my involvement.

PRI offers the best a vegan could ever hope for. Their vegan "cheesy" topping is a tofu base which is creamy and tasty. I don't know any statistics, but I am sure they sell more vegan pies than ones made with cheese. The basic pizza comes with marinara sauce, spinach and more, so even if you did not want to splurge on additional toppings, you will still be happy. PRI is not afraid of trying new and different flavor combinations as well, although I am not always game to try it since I can only get down there every once in a long time and know what I like. Their "Chef choice" pizza is usually topped with more vegetables than imaginable and usually includes corn on the cob which looks really interesting in disks around the pizza surface. If you are in Eugene, you must go to this place. But I must warn you, you will be addicted!

I also visited a place with lots of amazing memories for me, Morning Glory Bakery & Cafe. It is hard for me to sit down and order from this place, because it is not the same as when the original owner had control over the quality of the food and service. I was the first employee that original owner first hired, when her business was a very popular bakery which delivered baked goods around town. I did order one of my old favorites, The Fushion. It is a potato omelet folded over an amazing array of tofu, tomato, onion and spices topped with a fabulous homemade sour cream. This was not as good as I remembered (and had way too much tumeric which I am not a fan of anyway) but even with these issues, it was still very enjoyable. Oh, and the Dill Roll that came with the breakfast was luckily, just like I remembered it. I was saddened when I looked in their pastry shelves, though. When I worked there the shelves were lines with the most surprising visual of scrumptious vegan baked goods including flaky croissants, gooey cinnamon rolls, muffins, coffee cake, cookies and so much more. This was the place where my vegan baking skills were developed and my life in activism was supported. I will always have very fond memories of the place.

Luckily Eugene now also offers The Sweet Life Bakery with many vegan options including cheesecake, cakes of all flavors, cinnamon rolls, cookies and more. I usually go for the cake. They had a Chocolate Pistachio Rum cake with layers of their vegan cream cheese frosting which was so delightful I didn’t want to share (but I did a little). I definitely had my fill of great vegan treats on my visit down to Eugene which was suppose to have little to do with food.

Mac & Cheese with Gluten Free Options

2009-03-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

Most vegans have a version of Macaroni & Cheese that they like to make. There are so many different recipes to make a vegan version, you could have a new mac & cheese every night of the week.

When I first started to eat vegan, there weren't all the hip cookbooks now available. Luckily there was one which I found to have lots of flavor. The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook helped me appreciate a vegan diet and all the possibilities with my new diet. There are some great recipes for baked goods, what to do with nutritional yeast and make it taste wonderful and even how to make your own tempeh and soymilk. The recipe for Macaroni and "Cheese" Casserole showed me a new love for this old time favorite dish.

For most of my vegan life, I have made the cheese sauce for the noodles and baked it as directed in the original recipe. Recently I started just mixing the sauce with the noodles and have found this to be a creamier version I am really enjoying. There is also less fat used in my version of the recipe which I will share with you today. I am no longer on my gluten free diet, but luckily last month I was so I have gluten free options to share as well. Now this dish can be enjoyed by even more people!

Mac & Cheese

1/3 cup Soy Margarine

1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour*

3 cups Water

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Garlic Granules

2 Tb Braggs

2 Tb Oil

1 cup Nutritional Yeast

16 oz. Pasta*

*For gluten free options use 1/3 cup White Bean Flour instead of the unbleached white flour and rice, quinoa or corn pasta instead of wheat pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain and set aside.

In a medium pan, bring the water to a boil. In the mean time, melt the soy margarine on medium heat. When melted, add the flour and blend with a whisk to make a roux and allow to cook until smooth and bubbly. Add the boiling water (carefully) along with the salt, garlic granules and braggs. Continue to heat until the sauce starts to thicken. When it reaches a good consistency, add the oil and nutritional yeast and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the cooked pasta to the cheesy sauce. Serve right away or add your own twist and then serve.

Other options: Some people like adding a pinch of tumeric for a more orange color. You can also add chipolte tabasco sauce for a unique flavor, add hickory smoke, add tomatoes or other vegetables, add tempeh, tofu or setain to the dish, use flavor themes such as a mexican twist and even use different types of pasta shapes. Be creative!

The Triple Threat Dessert

2009-02-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been a little long since my last post. When I started my blog in the summer, the sunshine allowed me to get some great lighting for my food photos. Ever since the fall, when the sun was not usually available, especially when at home, I have been struggling with getting decent photos. I am very particular with my photos and want them to look really nice. I don't have the set up for inside photography, so I just can't seem to get good enough photos lately. I am doing research for some creative and cheap lighting ideas, so hopefully I won't let me photo quality get in the way of my postings for much longer. Until I figure it all out, please forgive my less than ideal photography. Just know that I will only post truly tasty recipes on here.

This recipe is not the most beautiful no matter how you frame it. I entered this recipe in Northwest Veg’s monthly potluck for a valentine bake off. There were about 15 baked goods entered in the contest and almost 80 people in attendance at the potluck. There was an award for the prettiest dessert. If there was an award for the ugliest, mine would have probably won, especially after cutting it so everyone could have a sample. Luckily, it won the most original and fan favorite instead.

Gluten Free Cheesecake Cherry Brownies

8 oz. Frozen Cherries, defrosted & blended

Cheesecake:

2 - 8 oz containers Tofutti Cream Cheese
1 - 12.3 oz pkg Silken Tofu
3/4 cup Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Set aside for use later in the refrigerator. This can be store for a few days if needed.

Brownies:

1/3 cup Sweet White Rice Flour
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Soy Margarine
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Cocoa
2 cups Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cup Sweet White Rice Flour
1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Guar Gum

To make the brownies, whisk together the 1/3 cup Sweet White Rice Flour and the 1 cup water in a shallow pan. Heat on medium heat and whisk until thickened. Take off the burner and let cool. In medium sauce pan, combine the margarine and chocolate chips, place on stove burner and heat on medium until melted. Add the cocoa and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Take off the burner and allow to cool.

Combine the sugar, salt and vanilla with the cooled flour mixture. Then, add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend until fully combined. In a separate bowl, mix the flours, baking powder and guar gum. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and with a spatula or spoon, stir to combine.

Spread the brownie batter in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Spread the cherries on top of the brownie batter. Slowly spread the cheesecake batter over the cherry layer and spread to evenly cover the baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 40 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight for the cheesecake to set.

Soyrizo Chili with Cheesy Waffles

2009-02-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

The other day a friend came over with some soyrizo to use for tofu scrambles. We used a little for that purpose but I still had half of it left. She mentioned making chili with it and I can't believe I hadn't thought of it before. Luckily I had all the ingredients at home and needed something for dinner which would also provide some leftovers for lunches at work. I really enjoyed the results and the lime juice added a little something different.

I have been missing bread the most with my gluten free eating. I had two frozen waffles in the freezer so I decided to try something a little different and melt some cheese on them. I baked them up and gave them a taste and was pleasantly surprised. The waffles provided a great surface for the cheese to melt into. I could see these waffles be very versatile with making garlic bread, mini pizzas and so much more.

Soyrizo Chili

1 Tb Oil

1/2 Onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Bell Peppers (any color), chopped

1/2 container (6 oz) Soyrizo

28 oz can Crushed Tomato

1/4 tsp Garlic granules

1/4 tsp Onion granules

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Chili Flakes

1/2 tsp Cumin

2 Tb Nutritional Yeast

25 oz can Pinto Beans

1/2 of a Lime, juiced

2 cups Water

1 tsp Salt

Saute onion and garlic until clear on medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and cook a couple more minutes. Add the soyrizo and spices and cook a little longer. Add the pinto beans, tomatoes, water, lime juice and nutritional yeast. Heat until the chili starts to boil and turn down heat to a simmer. Cook an additional 15-20 minutes. Adjust salt and spice to your liking.

Top with a spoonful of tofutti sour cream or a gluten free cheesy waffle on the side.

Cheesy Waffle

Shred Follow Your Heart cheese on top of a gluten free frozen waffle (I like the brand Van's). Sprinkle the top with a little garlic granules. Bake at 400ºF until half melted, about 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil and heat until the cheese is melted.