Alicia Silverstone's Blog, page 113

Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cupcakes

Last summer Kind Lifer Steph shared her PB&J Cupcakes, which looked insane! She’s back to share some more cupcakes, this time they’re Valentine’s Day inspired. Try them out and let me know how it goes!

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Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cupcakes

by Steph

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I love baking. I love the results of baking a little too much. So, whenever I have the opportunity to make confections for other people (so I don’t eat them all), I’m in. This is the second year in a row that I’ve made vegan Valentine’s Day cupcakes for my office and everyone loves them (and no one ever complains about them being vegan. I mean, what kind of rude person complains about a free cupcake?).

This year, I decided to get a little extra adventurous on the decorations. I found this video on Youtube on creating chocolate decorations:

So, I took some Trader Joes semi-sweet chocolate chips and melted them in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water. Then, I followed the Youtube lady’s technique to create these little chocolate things.

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I decided to put them in the fridge to make them cool faster, but they still weren’t as stiff as I would have liked. If you try it, I’d recommend using a baker’s chocolate and possibly one with a higher percentage of cocoa. They still worked, though!

Then, the cupcakes! In honor of Valentine’s Day, Red Velvet seemed like an appropriate choice. Years ago when I worked at Trader Joes, a customer gave me a secret tip for these goodies that always makes them sensational: as the very last step, grate about 2 tbsp. of semi-sweet chocolate with a cheese grater and stir it into the batter. My secret is now yours. Mmmm.

 

Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes Recipe

Source: egglesscooking.com

Prep time: 20
Mins Cook time: 17 Mins
Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (I used organic sugar from Trader Joes)
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil (I used canola)
2 tsp red food coloring (I’ve never tried it, but supposedly you can also use beet juice… which is more natural so probably better)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
n a medium size bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar allowing it to curdle. This will take about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar too.

Once the milk has curdled, stir in the oil, food color and the extracts. Whisk it well to combine.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet ingredients to it, stirring it until all the ingredients come together. Small lumps are okay. Take care to see that you do not over mix it otherwise you will not get fluffy cupcakes.

SECRET TIP (see above)

Fill each muffin tin 3/4ths full of the batter. (I filled them a little more full so that I would have exactly 12 cupcakes)

Bake it for about 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with very little crumbs is okay too.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it remain there for 5 minutes. After that remove the cupcakes from the pan and let it cool completely before you can frost it. Be patient! I was excited to get started on the frosting, but if you don’t wait, the cupcakes will absorb your frosting and it’ll be a mess.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Modified from Food.com
Prep time: 10 minutes
Yields: enough for 12 cupcakes

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My #1 rule for baking: you should never buy frosting. Even if it were vegan, which I doubt exists, homemade is so easy, cheap, and 3 MILLION times tastier.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (softened)
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (I used "This Is Not A Tub Of Cream Cheese" from Trader Joes)
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Using a stand-up mixer (or a handheld one), cream together the margarine and cream cheese until well combined and a little fluffy. Add the sugar ½ cup at a time and beat for about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for another 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

NOTE: This frosting is creamy and a little heavy so if you prefer something lighter and fluffier, I highly recommend this Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting.

I wasn’t sure if I loved the chocolate do-hickies, so I also tried sprinkles:

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You can do both, if you want! (See the photo above, just before my boss devoured it).

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Thank you, Steph! These look yum!

Are you making a sweet treat for Valentine’s Day? What’s your favorite?

 

Lindsay’s Thai Pineapple Curry

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Lindsay, the Happy Herbivore, is sharing with us her Thai Pineapple Curry recipe. It looks good!

Thai Pineapple Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 green onions, sliced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4cup vegetable broth
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/2-1 red finger pepper, seeded and sliced
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 8-oz can diced pineapple (in juice, not syrup)
1 1/4 tsp mild yellow curry powder
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
green onions (garnish)

Instructions:
Set aside a few dark green onion slices for garnish. Transfer the rest of the onions to a skillet with ginger and garlic Add enough broth so there is a thin lining on the bottom of the skillet and sauté over high heat for a minute or two, until onion, ginger and garlic are fragrant.

Add red bell peppers and red finger pepper (or red pepper flakes as desired) and sauté until bell peppers start to soften, adding splashes of broth as necessary to prevent sticking. Once bell peppers start to soften, add pineapple with juices, stirring to combine. Cook another minute, until peppers are cooked but still somewhat crisp and pineapple is warm.

Meanwhile, in a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk curry powder into coconut milk, then pour into skillet and stir to combine.

After 30 seconds, add basil and soy sauce, stirring again to combine.

Taste, adding more soy sauce or basil if desired. Garnish with green onions, lime wedges and a basil leaf or two.

Per serving: 155 calories, 3.6g fat, 30.7g carbohydrates, 3.7g fiber, 20.3g sugars, 2.7g protein

You can find Lindsay’s cookbook Happy Herbivore Abroad, full of dishes from around the world, on Amazon.

If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!

Do you have a favorite curry recipe?

Leave them in the comments so I can try those too!

Flowers, Chocolate, Jewelry, and Lingerie!

Right now, Christopher and I have no Valentine’s Day plans. We’re not really big gift-givers. Every year for Christmas, Christopher gets me the Zagat Guide and I’ve been totally nerding out over it. And I get him some Dr. Brommers Peppermint body soap because he loves it. For your male friends, it might be a nice idea. He swears by the tingly peppermint deal… it's a guy thing I think.  I might do that for Valentine’s Day too. Or maybe some of this great body wash from John Masters.

For those of you who are exchanging gifts with your loved ones for Valentine’s Day, here are some ideas for making your gift choices kind:

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This photo is from my local farmer’s market and they grow all of the flowers just down the street. So pretty!

If you can, buy organic flowers from the farmer’s market. Local, organic flowers are the healthiest choice for your body and an important ethical choice to support the health of your bigger home and other humans. Regular flowers are laden with tons of chemicals (insecticides, fungicides, growth regulators) to achieve perfect flower status. No, you won't be eating them, but they will be in your home. Plus, if they’re shipped by plane from overseas (which about 70% of flowers in the U.S. are), think about that giant carbon footprint! And, when you shop local, you’re supporting local businesses, which I love! You get the idea… try for local, organic flowers when possible.

If you're in New York, check out Gardenia Organic Flower Shop. If you’re in LA, Silver Lake Farms is great.

If you need to get them delivered, try one of these sites:
Organicbouquet.com
Californiaorganicflowers.com

If you can, plan ahead for next year and learn how to grow your own flowers (check out my homegrown bouquets!).

You can always skip the cut flowers and get a beautiful bouquet that lasts like these really cool and pretty upcycled, eco-friendly fabric bouquets from Kind Lifer BeautifulAgainBridal.

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With people becoming more aware of the negative effects of dairy, vegan chocolatiers are popping up everywhere! Here are some really good ones. Most have sugar and some sugar is better than others, but it all gives me a headache… but it’s soooo delicious as a rare treat!

Endangered Species Chocolate Vegan Collection: You can find these in many local natural food stores. Check out their Valentine’s Day collections are here.
Lagusta's Luscious: They have some cute seasonal goodies
NibMor: organic with no refined sugar
Allison's Gourmet: Find all of their Valentine’s Day goodies here
Rescue Chocolates: 100% of the profits are donated to animal rescue organizations
Black and Blanco: These are cookies, but I had to include them. They’re all good but the marzipan one and the chocolate are yum!!
Chocolate Inspirations: Make sugar to get their vegan treats because they do make veg and non-veg ones. But, insane! They have some cool and crazy flavors like Cinnamon Toast Toffee. Yum! Seriously amazing chocolate!
Amore di Mona: the chocolate-covered caramel is insane!!!! The caramel (made with agave) with fruit is nice too—they have cherry and cranberry.
Conscious Chocolate is raw cacao 60% and is the best raw chocolate I’ve ever had. It’s creamy and soft and delicious!!!!
ChocAlive: They’re so good, I wrote a whole blog about them here. The truffles are raw, vegan, gluten-free and organic. My favorite is the Pistachio flavor.
Cocoa Camino: This is a fair trade chocolate and my favorite is the mint dark chocolate. It’s delicious!
Nicobella truffles: These are all vegan, organic, dark chocolate truffles. The yummiest truffle flavor from Nicobella is the Walnut Flaxseed Crunch...but they are allllllll delicious. Check out their Valentine’s Day boxes.
Sweet and Sara: My favorites are the chocolate Biscotti and cinnamon hazelnut biscotti.
Vegan Divas: Their brownie is so good… really moist. You can buy it from my OpenSky store!
Alter Eco: It’s organic and fair trade. Their Dark Quinoa Chocolate crunch is so yum!  It has a good, nice crunch.
TCHO: All of their chocolate is packaged really nice and everything is fair trade. Their PureNotes Dark “Fruity” 68% is very smooth and gourmet. Yum!
Pure Sweet: This is also packaged really nice and the woman who owns it is such a sweet lady. My favorites are the dark chocolate sables, “the Dingo” almond butter cookie, “the Frog” pistachio espresso cookie, “The Cuckoo” peanut butter cookie, the macaroon, “The Bat” which is chocolate with cayenne! This is also available in my OpenSky store!

And of course, you can also make your own dessert! Try the Coffee Fudge Brownies from my book (p. 181) or make the Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies (p. 187) and cut them into heart shapes before baking.

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Vintage and upcycled jewelry is very nice looking…and happens to be very much in style. And that’s wonderful because it’s also eco-friendly. Here are some great resources for finding a unique and special something for your special someone:

Tumbleweed Bead Co. makes all their jewelry from recycled materials and natural stones
Nola Singer makes jewelry out of vintage pieces she finds all over the world.
Alex and Ani creates American-made jewelry with a positive message from recycled materials. Really cool looking!
Chime makes jewelry from used drum cymbals

There are a ton of great local vendors on places like Etsy selling recycled goodies, including some Kind Lifers!

Kind Lifer Lori D. sells her handcrafted jewelry at Lofted Designs.
Kind Lifer Tamara makes eco-friendly jewelry using fair trade gems and recycled materials at McFarland Designs
Kind Lifer Rachelle sent me a sweet herbivore pendant from her jewelry store Zoe + Piper. They donate a portion of their proceeds to animal sanctuaries. Thank you, Rachelle!
Peach Tree Designs has sweet upcycled and nature-inspired jewelry
RomantiquarianDesign has great upcycled vintage pieces
Alexandra Keller repurposes antique and vintage pieces into cool new ones.

There are so many more on Etsy.com. If you have an Etsy shop, or have a favorite place to buy eco-friendly jewelry, leave the link in the comments so I can check it out.

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Designers are now making some great cruelty-free and organic lingerie. Embodies makes organic cotton nighties and if you’re looking for something sassier, Urban Fox and Purrfect Pineapples are other cruelty free options (from left to right in the photo above).

More Ideas

Of course, one of the best things is to make a nice meal together. Make a dish with your loved one’s favorite foods. Maybe try mixing in one of these vegan aphrodisiacs? And try a yummy dessert from The Kind Diet. You can even give some treats from The Kind Diet as gifts.

Another really sweet thing is to make a card. Here are some great ideas for making a handmade card.

Here are a few more of my favorite gift ideas.

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? Do you keep your gifts eco-friendly?
Share your suggestions for the rest of the Kind Lifers in the comments.

“My Sweetheart’s Favorite” Alfredo & a Giveaway

Kind Lifer and creator of Allison’s Gourmet, Allison Rivers Samson, is here to share a yummy-looking recipe that would be great to share with any loved one for Valentine’s Day! Plus, she’s offering a $25 gift certificate for Allison’s Gourmet to one lucky Kind Lifer…

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My Sweetheart's Favorite Alfredo

By Allison Rivers Samson

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Going out to dinner can be sweet and romantic, but honestly, to really connect with and appreciate my Sweetheart, I prefer a home-cooked meal eaten in the quiet and privacy of our own dining room. And just because it's homemade doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the elegance and decadence of restaurant fare.

Fettuccine alfredo was an oft-requested dish when my husband was a kid. Since becoming vegan many years ago, he'd given up on his old stand-by. As he is ever the pasta fan, I developed my vegan version of creamy Alfredo sauce as an expression of my adoration for David. This is a relatively simple recipe that doesn't require hours in the kitchen and it still uses whole-foods ingredients. So, spend some quality time with your Love this Valentine's Day, and then impress him or her with your awesome sauce!

 

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My Sweetheart’s Favorite Alfredo
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons raw pine nuts
1 1/2 cups water
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 cups cooked fettuccine (or other pasta of your choice)
3 tablespoons freshly minced parsley

Directions:
1. In a blender, grind cashews and pine nuts into a fine powder. Add water, lemon juice, garlic, nutmeg, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.
2. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk as you bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes, whisking regularly. Stir in black pepper.
3. Serve over hot pasta and garnish with parsley and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Recipe created by Allison Rivers Samson, Maven of Mmmm… at www.AllisonsGourmet.com.  Originally printed in her award-winning column, ‘Veganize It!’ in VegNews Magazine. Reprinted with permission.

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Looks good!

THE GIVEAWAY

Allison is offering a $25 gift certificate to Allison’s Gourmet. You can pick out some artisan truffles, caramels, cookies, or all kinds of yummy sweets for your partner for Valentine’s Day, or for a little gift for yourself!

TO ENTER:

Visit allisonsgourmet.com and pick out your favorite sweets. Then, post in the comments below what you’d most like to try! Hurry, this giveaway only lasts 3 days!

• You must be a registered thekindlife.com member to enter. Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
• This contest is open to residents of the USA only.
• Winners will ONLY be contacted via private message to their thekindlife.com inbox and by email. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in your place.
• Limit one comment per entry. Multiple comment entries will not be considered.
• This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on February 6, 2013.

New York Fashion Week’s First All-Vegan Show

Our kind style blogger Leanne will be putting on the very first all-vegan fashion show at New York Fashion week on February 6th! She shares all about it in the post below. She’ll also be giving away tickets to 10 Kind Lifers! Read on for more info…

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Vaute Couture All-Vegan Collection at New York Fashion

By: Leanne Mai-ly Hilgary

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For some vegans, being "vegan" isn't just about what you eat, but it's about what you wear too. It's a whole lifestyle revolving around eliminating the use of any animal products -- and it’s how I’ve been living for over 13 years. If you just do what you can plus a little more here and there, it really adds up to make a difference for the animals. And you’ll feel it inside too—there’s a peace that comes from knowing you’re doing what you can to not intentionally harm others.

ABOUT VAUTE COUTURE

About 4.5 years ago it became clear to me that people were still using cold weather as an excuse to wear animals (fur, wool, leather) and that if I could come up with an alternative that was no sacrifice at all, then there would be no excuse left to wear animals. To do this right, my aim had to be to create outerwear that was—I dare say—MORE gorgeous and warm than wearing animals could be. I spent 8 months of fabric research to develop the first winter dress coat that is at once totally vegan and warm enough for below freezing weather (warmer than wool). That was my line VAUTE (I wrote all about how I stared Vaute Couture here).  .  I’ve always cared a lot about the earth too, so I also work hard to innovate in sustainability, and use a lot of recycled, recyclable, closed loop, zero waste, and organic fabrics, and also we make almost everything locally in the NYC fashion district. My cut and sew team is comprised of amazing people that I see and know personally.

Of course, this isn’t cheap, but it’s important to me that the people who make my coats are able to afford to live in the same city I do, and I won’t make a cheaper coat so that someone can afford it if it means it’s not fair to the workers. But, I know that they aren’t cheap. So, every year I have two kinds of sales. One is when you preorder the newest upcoming styles and your patience and foresight are rewarded with an awesome deal (sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of our site not to miss it this year!). The other is in the middle of winter, when you can nab one of the last of our limited edition (like now).

GET A DISCOUNT

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The all vegan & super warm BOOK and LORI coats, named after two of my favorite customers.

Our coats are currently on winter sale and shown at 25% off-50% off, and starting TODAY, Kind Life readers get an ADDITIONAL 20% off with code {KINDLIFECOATS}, now through March 1st! It’s the perfect time to invest in a piece to wear now and again next year.

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Check out all the coats here in our coat shop, and we also have cute sustainable tops here too & organic printed bows (which aren’t part of the sale, sorry!). As a small independent label, we sell out quickly so hurry if you find one you love-love-love.

I also sell the Vaute Couture sweatshirt in my OpenSky store… if we have any left!! It's so hard to keep her stuff in the store because it goes so fast! - AS

VAUTE AT FASHION WEEK

And... (deep breath), I have BIG news. I am showing our first SOLO show at New York Fashion Week!! And, we were chosen to be on the official Fashion Week Grid, as one of the highlighted shows... I’m so thrilled/terrified/and thrilled. This is a big step for Animal Rights, as we are the first all-vegan/animal rights fashion label to show at New York Fashion Week and I can’t wait to show the fashion world that there is absolutely no reason to wear animals again. I’m showing my first Ready to Wear Collection, so in addition to our signature coats and winter accessories, I’ll be showing skirts, dresses, pants, and blouses, using the latest in sustainable eco and vegan fabrics—fabrics I’ve been sourcing all year. Most designers create from fabrics that they can just grab at a store, and they have so many options! I only design from the latest innovations in eco and vegan fabrics and often work with mills to create custom fabrics for my line, so we can show the world the next step in ethical fashion.

And so, one more thing! More exciting news!

JOIN US AT FASHION WEEK!
We are showing at New York Fashion Week, and inviting a few of you!

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Fashion Week is usually exclusive to press and buyers, but we are breaking the rules and would love to invite the biggest fans of kind fashion to the Vaute Couture fashion show (assuming you can get to NYC)! It’s February 6th, 11:30am 12:30pm and we are giving away 10 pairs of tickets for a winner and their guest to come to the show. If you’d be able to take off work, or an early lunch to come, and would like to be considered…

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment below as to why you’d love to come to the show.  We’ll pick our favorite 10 entries, and you can get dressed up and bring your BFF, Mom, sis, whoever you’d like.

(Please don’t enter unless you can make it to the show)

(P.S. we might also have a few canine models there who will be available for adoption! But that's a surprise so shh!  Please check out Petfinder.org if you’re in the market to adopt a new best friend.)

SUPER excited to hopefully meet you!

warmest,

Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Founder/President of VAUTE (www.VauteCouture.com)

 

Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart is a kind fashion expert for TheKindLife.com& the Founder & President of VAUTE COUTURE, the first fashion house to focus on developing high style vegan apparel that does not yet exist on the market, especially for cold weather. With no background in apparel, she spent her life savings and a year developing the first and only true winter dress coat line that is at once vegan & warmer than wool to prove that there is no reason to wear animals. The label has been featured in Marie Claire Magazine, WWD, & Oprah.com. Bust Magazine said Leanne is a "Badass business woman, informative and inspiring" & Teen Vogue said "We can't think of a better way to keep warm this winter."  Visit VauteCouture.com to learn more.

 

Kalem’s “Hot Damn! Meatless Chili”

I’m really excited to have Kind Lifer Kalem guest blog about his chili recipe, just in time for the Super Bowl! It looks really delicious. Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think in the comments!

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Hot Damn! Meatless Chili
by Kalem

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With the New Year just behind us, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start. For many, it’s the time to take those first steps towards realizing our hopeful resolutions. For some, there is one thing on their mind. The Super Bowl!

Try as some may, it’s very difficult to escape the American psudo-holiday. For months, offices across the U.S. have bubbling with excitement over whose fantasy football team was #1 in the office league. People huddle in their cubicles, whispering as they crunch the stats form the previous night’s game, keeping quiet from the boss as they are still on the clock. While I myself am not really into football, with my Hot Damn! Meatless Chili recipe, I can join in on the messy comfort foods that will adorn the tables of many Super Bowl spreads.

As a born-and-raised Texan, I am very much aware of all the rules of "real" chili, but rules are meant to be broken, especially when it tastes so good! My girlfriend Steph and I have made this chili for several parties, and veg and non-veg alike rave over the flavor. Combine with some chips and homemade vegan queso (I really love this Salsa con Queso recipe from fellow Kind Lifer John), and you got yourself some frito-pie or nachos. And for those non-veg friends who are a little nervous about "vegan" chili, it's super easy to have a little cheese or sour cream on the side. Everyone wins. So, give the recipe a try, break some rules, and when you are up for it add your own ingredients to make this recipe your own!

Kalem’s Hot Damn! Meatless Chili

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 60 min
Serves: makes 4 generous helpings

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (preferably no salt added)
2 15-oz cans of beans (at least one black bean with options of black, pinto, or kidney for the other)
½ medium onion, minced
1 bell pepper, minced—it’s best to use the food processor to retain the liquid from the pepper (green or red; if you use red it can eliminate the need to use sugar, depending on taste)
1-2 jalapeños diced (depending on desired level of spice), seeds removed (or leave in 3-5 seeds for more of a kick)
½ cup salsa verde
1 cup “not chicken” broth or vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp +1/2 tps cumin (or more, to taste)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
½ tsp pepper, or more to taste
2 bay leaves

Instructions

 

 
 

1. Start by pouring half of the can of black beans with some of the juice from the can into a food processor or blender. Puree. Empty the remainder of the can and the additional can of beans into a colander and rinse. Set aside.

2. Sautee onions and garlic in a large pot until the onion becomes translucent.

3. Add the bell pepper, jalapeño, and salsa verde and cook for about three minutes with the lid on. Then add all other ingredients and cover.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low-medium heat and let simmer for at least 40 minutes.

 

Top with…

Vegan Sour Cream

Source: variation on Kozmic Blues’ food.com recipe 
Prep time: 5 min
Makes: 1.5 cups

Ingredients
16 ounces of silken tofu
1 tablespoon olive oil (canola oil ok too)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar (or your favorite sweetener)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2-1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor

2. Process 2 minutes, or until very creamy and smooth.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour to thicken.

 

 

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Looks great! Yay! Thank you so much, Kalem! I can’t wait for your next post!

What’s your favorite veg dish to share with your non-veg friends?

Share your recipe in the comments below, or add it to your profile to submit it to the recipe gallery!

Why I Love NYC

 

 

Ok, I’m leaving New York. I’m very sad. I have loved being here with my family for three and a half months. We lived next to Washington Square Park, which is my favorite park in NYC. And they don’t have horse-drawn carriages.
 
Bear conquered the park. He danced with people, wandered around saying hello to everyone, spent some quality time with Hari Krishnas drumming and chanting and made a friend named Scotty, a man in his 50s or 60s who is a great musician with a beautiful voice. Scotty just hangs out in the park and plays, and his different friends come around and play or sing. Bear and Christopher spent a lot of time there. He met a grand piano guy, a trumpet guy, and just so many bands. He loved it, everyday!

 

 

This, of course, is not my first time in NYC. I have been coming here since I was 14 almost 3-4 times a year, depending on the year. But this time really got to me again. There’s a wonderful spontaneity I feel there. I love how I can feel maybe a bit off one moment and start to walk and immediately feel better just walking and being amongst people. I feel much more flexible with my plans… there is such a sense of play there.
 
I have always loved the subway and walking everywhere, oh yes, and the food!! I will miss the aesthetic in the restaurants and in the streets. Places like The Butcher’s Daughter and Pure Food and Wine are just so swanky.
 
I’m working on my ultimate guide to dining in New York! It includes tons of yummy places so be sure to check it out before your next adventure in NYC.
 
What do you love most about your city?

Share in the comments below.

Photo source: flickr.com / Leo Newball, Jr.

A Special Valentine’s Day Giveaway

 

Hey Kind Lifers! I’m happy to be able to give away some decadent and sexy kind products for Valentine’s Day.

My Valentine’s Day Giveaway includes…

 

 

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Kne ipp Sensual Seduction Bath

The smell of Jasmine is known to deeply relax the body, creating desirable and romantic moments, while melting away any negative feelings. The sweet almond oil will hydrate your skin and leave you feeling soft and smooth.

Leaf Vibrator by Swan

When you’re getting it on (with a partner or solo style) sometimes it may be nice to have a little extra… something. This personal massager is inspired by nature… I like that they look natural and feminine and not scary. Plus, the design makes it very discrete. They're made from phalate-free, super-soft (and safe) silicone, and they use rechargeable batteries. I love that! This is a great product.

Shave Love Weekender Kit for “Care Down There” by Project Fig
We’ve all been there with the red bumps and razor burn and ingrown hairs and all of the other no fun stuff. Project Fig makes this 4-step kit dedicated to preventing all of that and giving you soft, pain-free skin. This kit includes Groom, a gel that softens the hair and prepares your skin; Prevent, an exfoliator that helps to prevent ingrown hairs; Soothe, a nice serum that minimizes bumps and redness; and Tame, a hair “inhibitor” that buys you a little extra time in between shaves or waxes. The ingredients are all-natural and make your skin feel nice! 

Plum Hill Body Oil
The oil makes your skin feel silky… it works great as massage oil! It’s made from natural, paraben-free ingredients like cane sugar, apricot oil, shea butter, and almond oil. The scents are natural blends--no artificial fragrances here. What a nice little gift for you and your partner!

One lucky Kind Lifer will win all of these goodies for Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day Kind Lifers! Whether you are single, in a relationship, or if you boycott the day altogether, these goodies are fun and good for anyone. Sending you all my love!

 

TO WIN:


Comment below and tell me one kind thing you and your loved one (current or previous) have done together to help the planet. Extra points if you share this post on twitter (http://bit.ly/ecovdaygiveaway) with the hashtag #ecovdaygiveaway

 

• You must be a registered thekindlife.com member to enter. Learn how to sign up by clicking here.
• This contest is open to residents of the USA only.
• Winners will ONLY be contacted via private message to their thekindlife.com inbox and by email. If our team does not hear back within 24 hours, a new winner will be selected in your place.
• Limit one comment per entry. Multiple comment entries will not be considered.
• This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on February 4, 2013.

 

Vitamins with the Goodness of Orange Juice

 

 

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How often do you think about your beverage choices?

Did you know that by choosing healthier beverages, you can help meet your daily vitamin intake while quenching your thirst?

Tropicana Trop50 contains 50% less sugar and calories, and each 8oz glass provides 100% of your daily amount of Vitamin C to help support a healthy immune system. It’s as simple as that! Plus, it’s a good source of potassium and vitamins A and E.

You can opt for the goodness of Trop50 in one of four fun flavors: No Pulp, No Pulp Calcium + Vitamin D, Some Pulp or Red Orange.

Each one is made with real, fresh oranges and contains no artificial sweeteners. Opt for classic orange, or try something different and more exotic with the Red Orange flavor. Red Orange combines traditional oranges with Italian blood red oranges.

 

 



 

 

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Increase your vitamin intake with Trop50 today!

Visit Trop50 on Facebook right HERE.

 

Today’s post is proudly sponsored by

 

Read With Me and Go Green!

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This month’s book club selection is Ed Begley, Jr’s Guide to Sustainable Living: Learning to Conserve Resources and manage an Eco-Conscious Lifestyle. I love this book! It’s so well-written and well put together. The information Ed shares is really important for your health and the planet. And, an awesome side effect of implementing his advice is that you save a lot of money. I’m constantly referring back to it. It’s such an amazing resource and it’s easy to understand. I LOVE IT!!!! Read with me!

You can get a new or used copy of Ed’s book here or you can download the kindle edition. Of course you can always see if your local library has a copy first!

As you read, leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below. At the end of the month, we’ll discuss what we learned.