Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 205
February 14, 2014
Everyday Is Like Valentine's Day!
Happy Valentine's, loves! Here's a happy Vday cupcake for you. I made these to share with my co-workers and to try the new Vegg Baking Mix, but I'll save one for you too. (By the way, expect a full review of the Vegg Baking Mix next week ... I've got another recipe to try first).
And I have a very special Valentine's Day announcement that should send sheer delight into the hearts of all Mid-South vegans — Morrissey is coming to Memphis!!! For the first time ever!!! The show is set for May 27th at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets go on sale February 21st at 11 a.m. on Ticketmaster and at the Orpheum. (Did you like my clever Moz reference in the title of this post?)
This blog post was a little delayed because I wasn't allowed to tell the world until exactly 11 a.m. on Friday, when the announcement was scheduled. But I'm working with Green Machine Concerts to get the word out here, on social media, and in an article in the alt-weekly I write for, The Memphis Flyer . Anyway, if you live anywhere around these parts, you need to go. Morrissey is basically the God of That Is Vegan. After all, he and The Smiths gave us "Meat Is Murder." When he played at the Staples Center in L.A. last year, they agreed to make all the concessions vegan because when Moz asks you to do something for the animals, you do it.
Anyway, I've got one more Valentine to share. My mom and dad both mailed me Valentine's gifts this year. Mama sent money, and you know what that looks like. And daddy ordered a delicious vegan treat from Allison's Gourmet. I knew he was going to order something from Allison's line of delicious, handmade, cruelty-free chocolates, but I didn't know what. The surprise arrived in the mail yesterday.
I ripped off the purple paper to find this! Salted Mac Daddy Bark!
This is dark chocolate bark with sea salt and macadamia nuts (my favorite nuts), and it's perfectly delectable.
I'll share more Valentine's Day fun after the weekend. Happy Valentine's Day! I'll leave you with this...
And I have a very special Valentine's Day announcement that should send sheer delight into the hearts of all Mid-South vegans — Morrissey is coming to Memphis!!! For the first time ever!!! The show is set for May 27th at the Orpheum Theatre. Tickets go on sale February 21st at 11 a.m. on Ticketmaster and at the Orpheum. (Did you like my clever Moz reference in the title of this post?)
This blog post was a little delayed because I wasn't allowed to tell the world until exactly 11 a.m. on Friday, when the announcement was scheduled. But I'm working with Green Machine Concerts to get the word out here, on social media, and in an article in the alt-weekly I write for, The Memphis Flyer . Anyway, if you live anywhere around these parts, you need to go. Morrissey is basically the God of That Is Vegan. After all, he and The Smiths gave us "Meat Is Murder." When he played at the Staples Center in L.A. last year, they agreed to make all the concessions vegan because when Moz asks you to do something for the animals, you do it.
Anyway, I've got one more Valentine to share. My mom and dad both mailed me Valentine's gifts this year. Mama sent money, and you know what that looks like. And daddy ordered a delicious vegan treat from Allison's Gourmet. I knew he was going to order something from Allison's line of delicious, handmade, cruelty-free chocolates, but I didn't know what. The surprise arrived in the mail yesterday.
I ripped off the purple paper to find this! Salted Mac Daddy Bark!
This is dark chocolate bark with sea salt and macadamia nuts (my favorite nuts), and it's perfectly delectable.
I'll share more Valentine's Day fun after the weekend. Happy Valentine's Day! I'll leave you with this...
February 12, 2014
Beyond Meat Swag Giveaway!
I recently became a Beyond Meat Ambassador. What that means is I'll create some recipes using Beyond Meat from time to time. It's not a paid gig, just a little partnership with a company I totally believe in. If you've not tried Beyond Meat, get your hands on some if you can.
Their vegan chicken is eerily realistic, and if you're into plant meat that looks and tastes like meat-meat, that's a huge win. I didn't go vegan because I hated meat. I loved the taste of meat. I went vegan because I believe eating animals is morally wrong (and when you think about it, pretty sick). You wouldn't eat your friends. Or your dog. So why would you eat a pig? Or a chicken? Or a cow? It just doesn't make sense.
Speaking of cows, Beyond Meat just came out with new Beef-Free Crumbles. I haven't seen them sold around here yet, but I'll definitely be blogging about those when I can find them. In the meantime, Beyond Meat sent me some sweet swag — tees, a cap, stickers, butttons. But problem is, I don't wear caps. And the tees are unisex sizes in small and medium, both of which are too big for me. I'm really picky with my tees — ladies' fit only.
So I wanna share my swag! There's one small unisex tee. (By the way, my favorite thing about these tees are the very well-placed commas. God, I love a good comma).
And one medium unisex tee.
Both would fit dudes very well. Or they'd also be great for ladies with boobs! (I have no boobs ... ) And the cap is an adjustable trucker's cap, so it'll fit anyone who likes to wear caps.
I'll throw in some stickers and buttons too!
Leave a comment letting me know which item (small tee, medium tee, or hat) you're interested in winning, and I'll randomly select three winners. Please leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you!
Oh, and by the way, if you're wondering who won the Comfortably Yum e-cookbook giveaway, that would be Christina Tyrakowski! Congrats!
Their vegan chicken is eerily realistic, and if you're into plant meat that looks and tastes like meat-meat, that's a huge win. I didn't go vegan because I hated meat. I loved the taste of meat. I went vegan because I believe eating animals is morally wrong (and when you think about it, pretty sick). You wouldn't eat your friends. Or your dog. So why would you eat a pig? Or a chicken? Or a cow? It just doesn't make sense.
Speaking of cows, Beyond Meat just came out with new Beef-Free Crumbles. I haven't seen them sold around here yet, but I'll definitely be blogging about those when I can find them. In the meantime, Beyond Meat sent me some sweet swag — tees, a cap, stickers, butttons. But problem is, I don't wear caps. And the tees are unisex sizes in small and medium, both of which are too big for me. I'm really picky with my tees — ladies' fit only.
So I wanna share my swag! There's one small unisex tee. (By the way, my favorite thing about these tees are the very well-placed commas. God, I love a good comma).
And one medium unisex tee.
Both would fit dudes very well. Or they'd also be great for ladies with boobs! (I have no boobs ... ) And the cap is an adjustable trucker's cap, so it'll fit anyone who likes to wear caps.
I'll throw in some stickers and buttons too!
Leave a comment letting me know which item (small tee, medium tee, or hat) you're interested in winning, and I'll randomly select three winners. Please leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you!
Oh, and by the way, if you're wondering who won the Comfortably Yum e-cookbook giveaway, that would be Christina Tyrakowski! Congrats!
February 11, 2014
Roasted Root Veggie Tartare
One of my New Year's resolutions for 2014 is to wrap up recipe development for my "vintage vegan" cookbook project. I'm veganizing trendy foods from the last century — stuff like 1970s fondue, Mad Men-style cocktails from the 1960s, war time staples of the 1940s, and crazy fusion cuisine from the 1990s. But I have quite a lot of work to do before I can even think about securing testers and such. This year is all about getting caught up.
Steak tartare, minced raw beef or horse meat (bleh) served with onions and raw egg yolks on rye, was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It sounds perfectly disgusting, and I'll admit that I've never had (or even seen) steak tartare. But still yet, I wanted to recreate it. At first, I considered using raw nut meat to replace the raw beef. But nut meat on rye didn't sound very delicious.
After a little internet research, I found that Portland's famed Portobello Vegan Trattoria serves a beet tartare appetizer with cashew cheese and toast. And there are a few vegan recipes for beet tartare online. I hesitated at first to make something that has already been done, but it just sounded so good! And of course, I put my own spin on it by adding roasted carrots too. Here's my Roasted Root Veggie Tartare with Cashew Cheese on Jewish Rye.
It's an elegant dish, but honestly it's super easy to prepare. Just roasted beets (I used red and yellow beets, but they all turned red) and carrots tossed with a little marinade and served atop a simple cashew spread. I got the Jewish Rye from the Whole Foods bakery.
Sticking with the 1920s theme, I also created a recipe for a tomato-based French Salad Dressing, which according to the Food Timeline, was a popular dressing back then. I kept my salad simple with just cucumbers and romaine.
This dressing has both chopped olives and pickle relish, and it's based off an old 1920s recipe that I found on the Food Timeline website (an amazing resource for this project!). The recipe on that page was taken from Bettina's Best Salads and What to Serve With Them by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron (1923). I stayed within the framework of that recipe, but I made mine much healthier.
Steak tartare, minced raw beef or horse meat (bleh) served with onions and raw egg yolks on rye, was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It sounds perfectly disgusting, and I'll admit that I've never had (or even seen) steak tartare. But still yet, I wanted to recreate it. At first, I considered using raw nut meat to replace the raw beef. But nut meat on rye didn't sound very delicious.
After a little internet research, I found that Portland's famed Portobello Vegan Trattoria serves a beet tartare appetizer with cashew cheese and toast. And there are a few vegan recipes for beet tartare online. I hesitated at first to make something that has already been done, but it just sounded so good! And of course, I put my own spin on it by adding roasted carrots too. Here's my Roasted Root Veggie Tartare with Cashew Cheese on Jewish Rye.
It's an elegant dish, but honestly it's super easy to prepare. Just roasted beets (I used red and yellow beets, but they all turned red) and carrots tossed with a little marinade and served atop a simple cashew spread. I got the Jewish Rye from the Whole Foods bakery.
Sticking with the 1920s theme, I also created a recipe for a tomato-based French Salad Dressing, which according to the Food Timeline, was a popular dressing back then. I kept my salad simple with just cucumbers and romaine.
This dressing has both chopped olives and pickle relish, and it's based off an old 1920s recipe that I found on the Food Timeline website (an amazing resource for this project!). The recipe on that page was taken from Bettina's Best Salads and What to Serve With Them by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron (1923). I stayed within the framework of that recipe, but I made mine much healthier.
February 10, 2014
Sweets for Your Sweet
If you'd asked me my favorite candy in my pregan days, I'd have no doubt said "gummy bears." I freakin' loved gummy bears. And gummy worms. And gummy peach rings. And giant gummy alligators. So imagine how very sad I was when little vegan me learned that most gummy candy is made with gelatin, and gelatin is made from collagen extracted from animal skin, bones, and connective tissues. Gross!
I soon learned that Sour Patch Kids were vegan though, and that gave me some relief. But Sour Patch Kids are loaded with artificial colors and corn syrup. It wasn't until I discovered Surf Sweets that I could snack on gummys guilt-free. Surf Sweets Fruity Bears are vegan, sweetened with organic fruit juice, fortified with vitamin C, and they're made with natural colors and flavors. I've been enjoying these for years.
But now, just in time for Valentine's Day, Surf Sweets has come out with Organic Fruity Hearts! They sent me a care package to sample.
These organic cane sugar-coated gummy hearts are a mix of cherry and watermelon, which just happen to be my two favorite gummy flavors! Plus, they're kind of adorable. I opened these at work and shared some with my non-vegan desk neighbor Toby. And he declared, "Man, these are damn good."
Although I discovered the Surf Sweets bears could ease my gummy cravings years ago, there is one vegan candy that I've never found a replacement for — Starburst! Those contain gelatin too. But TruJoy Sweets, the same company that makes Surf Sweets, also makes vegan Organic Original Fruit Chews.
And they're like vegan Starburst, y'all!!
These are sweetened with fruit juice, contain vitamin C, and they're corn syrup-free. Score. These are delightfully chewy, and they come in strawberry, cherry, orange, and lemon flavors.
They also sent me some little single-serve bags of the original Surf Sweets Fruity Bears and the Surf Sweets Sour Berry Bears.
For those who love Sour Patch Kids but don't love all the artificial stuff and nasty ingredients, these Berry Bears really hit the spot. They're sweet and sour at the same time, and they come in black raspberry, sour cherry, and raspberry flavors.
I soon learned that Sour Patch Kids were vegan though, and that gave me some relief. But Sour Patch Kids are loaded with artificial colors and corn syrup. It wasn't until I discovered Surf Sweets that I could snack on gummys guilt-free. Surf Sweets Fruity Bears are vegan, sweetened with organic fruit juice, fortified with vitamin C, and they're made with natural colors and flavors. I've been enjoying these for years.
But now, just in time for Valentine's Day, Surf Sweets has come out with Organic Fruity Hearts! They sent me a care package to sample.
These organic cane sugar-coated gummy hearts are a mix of cherry and watermelon, which just happen to be my two favorite gummy flavors! Plus, they're kind of adorable. I opened these at work and shared some with my non-vegan desk neighbor Toby. And he declared, "Man, these are damn good."
Although I discovered the Surf Sweets bears could ease my gummy cravings years ago, there is one vegan candy that I've never found a replacement for — Starburst! Those contain gelatin too. But TruJoy Sweets, the same company that makes Surf Sweets, also makes vegan Organic Original Fruit Chews.
And they're like vegan Starburst, y'all!!
These are sweetened with fruit juice, contain vitamin C, and they're corn syrup-free. Score. These are delightfully chewy, and they come in strawberry, cherry, orange, and lemon flavors.
They also sent me some little single-serve bags of the original Surf Sweets Fruity Bears and the Surf Sweets Sour Berry Bears.
For those who love Sour Patch Kids but don't love all the artificial stuff and nasty ingredients, these Berry Bears really hit the spot. They're sweet and sour at the same time, and they come in black raspberry, sour cherry, and raspberry flavors.
February 9, 2014
Ghost Peppers & Coconut Oil
This was supposed to be a standard review post for LouAna Coconut Oil. They sent me a jar to try, an offer this coconut oil fanatic couldn't refuse.
I typically use coconut oil for sauteeing veggies, so that's what I planned to use when I made a curry Friday night using this sauce.
See that little warning label. They weren't kidding. I bought this awhile back because Paul LOVES hot peppers. We grow ghost peppers at the house, as well as habaneros and other hot varieties. Paul's always convincing people to take his "pepper challenges," in which some poor soul dares to eat an entire raw ghostie or an even hotter Naga Viper. And though I'm not dumb enough to take that challenge, I do love cooking with hot, hot peppers. And I used to think warning labels on spicy foods were for pansies. But this sauce changed that attitude.
Anyway, I sauteed some potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and peas in the LouAna oil, threw in some Beyond Meat chicken, and poured the entire jar of ghost pepper curry sauce into the skillet. Oops. Big mistake. Paul came home from work, and since this was a hot pepper dish, he agreed to have a real sit-down dinner with me (we rarely ever eat together at home). I presented this — Ghost Pepper "Chicken" Curry Over Red Rice.
Paul took two bites and declared it too hot to eat. He was right. But dammit, I spent a lot of time chopping those veggies and cooking everything. And the Beyond Meat isn't cheap. I wasn't about to let my bowl go to waste. So I suffered through it. My mouth was on fire, but I ate every bite, only stopping to wipe my runny nose and chug water and coconut milk to ease the pain. Paul even made a video of my misery and posted it on his Facebook page. Ass.
Anyway, the curry had a great flavor, but it was too hot to enjoy. And the veggies sauteed in coconut oil were fantastic before I dumped the sauce in. I like using the refined coconut oil for stuff like this because it doesn't have a coconut taste at all. But you still get the great health benefits. Coconut oil can positively affect hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control, and it can help increase digestion. It's also amazing on your skin! I sometimes use coconut oil instead of lotion or moisturizer. Oh, and it's the best oil for popping popcorn! That's what I always use.
As for that curry, well, you know me. I can't stand to waste food. So I poured the remaining chicken curry into a colander and rinsed away the ghost pepper sauce. Then I made a new sauce using the coconut oil and coconut milk thickened with flour and seasoned with curry powder, garlic powder, and shoyu. I poured the washed veggies into the new sauce and let it heat through. Saved! Coconut oil saves the day! The new curry still retains a tad bit of spice from the old sauce. I guess those ghost peppers marinated into the food. But I think the spice level is totally doable now.
I typically use coconut oil for sauteeing veggies, so that's what I planned to use when I made a curry Friday night using this sauce.
See that little warning label. They weren't kidding. I bought this awhile back because Paul LOVES hot peppers. We grow ghost peppers at the house, as well as habaneros and other hot varieties. Paul's always convincing people to take his "pepper challenges," in which some poor soul dares to eat an entire raw ghostie or an even hotter Naga Viper. And though I'm not dumb enough to take that challenge, I do love cooking with hot, hot peppers. And I used to think warning labels on spicy foods were for pansies. But this sauce changed that attitude.
Anyway, I sauteed some potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and peas in the LouAna oil, threw in some Beyond Meat chicken, and poured the entire jar of ghost pepper curry sauce into the skillet. Oops. Big mistake. Paul came home from work, and since this was a hot pepper dish, he agreed to have a real sit-down dinner with me (we rarely ever eat together at home). I presented this — Ghost Pepper "Chicken" Curry Over Red Rice.
Paul took two bites and declared it too hot to eat. He was right. But dammit, I spent a lot of time chopping those veggies and cooking everything. And the Beyond Meat isn't cheap. I wasn't about to let my bowl go to waste. So I suffered through it. My mouth was on fire, but I ate every bite, only stopping to wipe my runny nose and chug water and coconut milk to ease the pain. Paul even made a video of my misery and posted it on his Facebook page. Ass.
Anyway, the curry had a great flavor, but it was too hot to enjoy. And the veggies sauteed in coconut oil were fantastic before I dumped the sauce in. I like using the refined coconut oil for stuff like this because it doesn't have a coconut taste at all. But you still get the great health benefits. Coconut oil can positively affect hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control, and it can help increase digestion. It's also amazing on your skin! I sometimes use coconut oil instead of lotion or moisturizer. Oh, and it's the best oil for popping popcorn! That's what I always use.
As for that curry, well, you know me. I can't stand to waste food. So I poured the remaining chicken curry into a colander and rinsed away the ghost pepper sauce. Then I made a new sauce using the coconut oil and coconut milk thickened with flour and seasoned with curry powder, garlic powder, and shoyu. I poured the washed veggies into the new sauce and let it heat through. Saved! Coconut oil saves the day! The new curry still retains a tad bit of spice from the old sauce. I guess those ghost peppers marinated into the food. But I think the spice level is totally doable now.
February 6, 2014
Some (Raw) Stuff I Ate (and Drank)
Remember when, after I wrapped up my 21-day Crazy Sexy Diet cleanse, I said I'd try my best to balance alkaline goodness (like juices and smoothies) with my favorite comfort foods. Well, I've showed y'all lots of comfort foods lately, but I promise I'm still keeping my clean-eating promise to myself.
I've been loving the grab-and-go raw desserts from Co-Motion Studio (where I take hoopdance classes). The Memphis-based Raw Girls make healthy desserts and entrees, and they're sold in a cooler at the studio. Last night, I picked up this Meyer Lemon Icebox Pie with Raspberry Coulis.
It was pretty big, and since raw desserts are filling (this one has a nut crust and a coconut butter-lemon topping), I cut it into four bite-sized servings.
Each morning, I wake up to a fresh juice or a green smoothie from Crazy Sexy Juices & Succulent Smoothies . But I balance that with a light breakfast of something with whole grain and protein to keep me powered through the morning. This morning, I had a Going Green Ormus Smoothie.
This is made with all veggies and no fruits, so it's super savory. There's spinach, carrots, red bell pepper, celery, Oriya Organics SuperGreen Medley powder, and sea salt. On the side, I had a whole wheat bagel thin with garlic hummus.
Earlier this week, I made Pear-Apple-Beet-Ginger Juice to enjoy with a bowl of hot muesli.
I love having these raw treats mixed in with my normal fare. It helps me stay balanced, and I don't have to feel so guilty when I have this awesome sandwich for dinner!
This was Imagine Vegan Cafe's special of the week, which I had tonight. It's a reuben with vegan salami, vegan mozzarella, vegan Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut on toasted rye. YUM! They may be adding this to their new menu soon.
Hey, speaking of raw, my pal Casey Taft at Vegan Publishers informed me of a new crowd-source fundraising campaign that VP has launched. They're raising money to put out a new book, How to Eat a Rainbow: Magical Raw Recipes for Kids. Check it out.
Oh, and don't forget that I'm giving away a copy of Comfortably Yum by Allison Rivers Samson on my blog!
I've been loving the grab-and-go raw desserts from Co-Motion Studio (where I take hoopdance classes). The Memphis-based Raw Girls make healthy desserts and entrees, and they're sold in a cooler at the studio. Last night, I picked up this Meyer Lemon Icebox Pie with Raspberry Coulis.
It was pretty big, and since raw desserts are filling (this one has a nut crust and a coconut butter-lemon topping), I cut it into four bite-sized servings.
Each morning, I wake up to a fresh juice or a green smoothie from Crazy Sexy Juices & Succulent Smoothies . But I balance that with a light breakfast of something with whole grain and protein to keep me powered through the morning. This morning, I had a Going Green Ormus Smoothie.
This is made with all veggies and no fruits, so it's super savory. There's spinach, carrots, red bell pepper, celery, Oriya Organics SuperGreen Medley powder, and sea salt. On the side, I had a whole wheat bagel thin with garlic hummus.
Earlier this week, I made Pear-Apple-Beet-Ginger Juice to enjoy with a bowl of hot muesli.
I love having these raw treats mixed in with my normal fare. It helps me stay balanced, and I don't have to feel so guilty when I have this awesome sandwich for dinner!
This was Imagine Vegan Cafe's special of the week, which I had tonight. It's a reuben with vegan salami, vegan mozzarella, vegan Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut on toasted rye. YUM! They may be adding this to their new menu soon.
Hey, speaking of raw, my pal Casey Taft at Vegan Publishers informed me of a new crowd-source fundraising campaign that VP has launched. They're raising money to put out a new book, How to Eat a Rainbow: Magical Raw Recipes for Kids. Check it out.
Oh, and don't forget that I'm giving away a copy of Comfortably Yum by Allison Rivers Samson on my blog!
February 5, 2014
Comfortably Yum E-cookbook Giveaway!
At my first Vida Vegan Con in Portland in 2011, I had the pleasure of standing in line with Allison Rivers Samson for vegan pizza and other treats at the Galarama. Allison is the creator of Allison's Gourmet chocolates and a gifted cook who, for years, has written the "Veganize It" column in VegNews.If you've never had Allison's hand-crafted chocolates, well, I'm a little sad for you. You should get over to her site and treat yourself to an order as a Valentine to yourself. But if you want Allison's delicious comforting home-cookin', you can look no further than your computer or iPad. Allison recently released Comfortably Yum, a colorful e-cookbook with recipes for some of our favorite comfort foods. And now she wants to give a copy to one lucky Vegan Crunk reader (details at the end of this post).
Allison sent me a copy to review, and honestly, I want to try everything in it! There are 10 recipes, so eventually I'm sure I will make them all. Each one is illustrated with a gorgeous full-color photo. I opted to try two for this review. Allison is vegan-famous for her mac & cheese recipe. You know the one — it ran in her VegNews column years ago, and it's become a vegan standard. Well, she's changed it up a bit, and now it's even better — Magic Mac 'n' Cheese.
This is unlike any other vegan mac recipe out there. There's no faux cheese and no nooch (nothing against either, but sometimes it's fun to mix things up). Instead, the cheese sauce is made from cooked, pureed veggies and chickpeas. And yet somehow, it tastes like cheese! I used gluten-free spiral pasta for my dish because I'm finding that I prefer the texture of gluten-free pasta over wheat pasta.
On the side, I made the Caesar Salad.
God, I love a Caesar, and this one is just perfect. Those are homemade croutons that I made from leftover sesame seed bread. They're roasted in garlic-olive oil. The dressing is what really makes this recipe though. I've never had a vegan Caesar that tasted so much like the real thing. It contains a bit of nori to replace the anchovies in non-vegan Caesar, and there are lots of other ingredients that make it rich and creamy.
Other recipes include Beet Burgers, Vegan Egg Salad, (Save the) Tuna Melts, Home-Style Veggie Pot Pie, Clam-Free Chowder, and Meltable American Cheese Slices (you can make a grilled cheese sandwich!!!). And you know Allison can't leave out dessert! The Chocolate Salted-Caramel Pudding Parfaits and the Chocolate-Glazed Fudge Cupcakes have me drooling.
If you'd like to order a copy, it's only $20 on Allison's website. Or you can try to win a copy here! Just leave me a comment letting me know which Comfortably Yum recipe (they're all listed in this post) you'd like to try first. Be sure and leave your email address in your comment if isn't linked to a Blogger profile. I'll randomly choose a winner on Monday!
February 4, 2014
Feast of Brigid
Sunday wasn't only Superbowl Sunday and Groundhog Day. It was also Imbolc, the Gaelic festival honoring the impending return of spring. It's the mid-way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and traditionally the Celtic goddess Brigid is honored. She's the goddess of poetry, arts, blacksmithing, medicine, and spring.
When the Christians took over ancient pagan customs long, long ago, they turned the holiday into the Feast of St. Brigid or Candlemas (when Catholics celebrate the presentation of Jesus at the temple). I prefer the old ways though, and a few friends and I celebrate Imbolc this time of year as a way to psych ourselves up about winter ending and spring beginning. Only a few more weeks folks. I can't take this cold weather anymore.
We had a bit of a potluck at my friend Cindy's house (a.k.a. Moon Lake, named for the amazing view of the moon over a lake at the edge of her backyard). No one else was vegan, but everyone made vegan stuff!
I always, always bring Hummus and Bread to Cindy's gatherings. Omnis LOVE hummus almost as much as vegans do. One can never go wrong with hummus. I brought sesame seed bread because Imbolc is a good time to eat seeds since it's a symbolic way for us to think about the fertility of the Earth. Everything seems dead right now, but soon the seeds will sprout and plants will come alive again! (And yes, I was totally lazy and brought storebought stuff, but that's because I made dessert from scratch).
Sonya and Leif brought a Kale, Mushroom, & Squash Salad from the Whole Foods salad bar!
Cindy made a Poppyseed Lemon Cake, and she made it vegan just so I could eat some too. How sweet! This was delightfully fresh and summer-y, and it really made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I loved that it was sprinkled with powdered sugar rather than loaded with frosting. She used poppyseeds because ... seeds!
And also for dessert, I made Kheer, an Indian rice pudding.
Dairy was another traditional food eaten this time of year, and that's because back in the day, when folks were hosting Gaelic festivals in the winter months, not much was left in the way of fresh produce. So people ate lots of dairy. But dairy is a big no-no for vegans. So I used my kind "dairy" — coconut-almond milk — in this creamy pudding of cooked rice, evaporated cane juice, currants, coconut, and almonds.
Happy Almost Spring!
When the Christians took over ancient pagan customs long, long ago, they turned the holiday into the Feast of St. Brigid or Candlemas (when Catholics celebrate the presentation of Jesus at the temple). I prefer the old ways though, and a few friends and I celebrate Imbolc this time of year as a way to psych ourselves up about winter ending and spring beginning. Only a few more weeks folks. I can't take this cold weather anymore.
We had a bit of a potluck at my friend Cindy's house (a.k.a. Moon Lake, named for the amazing view of the moon over a lake at the edge of her backyard). No one else was vegan, but everyone made vegan stuff!
I always, always bring Hummus and Bread to Cindy's gatherings. Omnis LOVE hummus almost as much as vegans do. One can never go wrong with hummus. I brought sesame seed bread because Imbolc is a good time to eat seeds since it's a symbolic way for us to think about the fertility of the Earth. Everything seems dead right now, but soon the seeds will sprout and plants will come alive again! (And yes, I was totally lazy and brought storebought stuff, but that's because I made dessert from scratch).
Sonya and Leif brought a Kale, Mushroom, & Squash Salad from the Whole Foods salad bar!
Cindy made a Poppyseed Lemon Cake, and she made it vegan just so I could eat some too. How sweet! This was delightfully fresh and summer-y, and it really made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I loved that it was sprinkled with powdered sugar rather than loaded with frosting. She used poppyseeds because ... seeds!
And also for dessert, I made Kheer, an Indian rice pudding.
Dairy was another traditional food eaten this time of year, and that's because back in the day, when folks were hosting Gaelic festivals in the winter months, not much was left in the way of fresh produce. So people ate lots of dairy. But dairy is a big no-no for vegans. So I used my kind "dairy" — coconut-almond milk — in this creamy pudding of cooked rice, evaporated cane juice, currants, coconut, and almonds.
Happy Almost Spring!
February 3, 2014
CandyGrams!
Warning: This is a shameless plug. But don't worry — it's for an awesome vegan company that, if you're a vegan, you probably already love.
Full disclosure: I'm an ambassador for Vegan Cuts, meaning I run their ads on my blog and I make a few cents from each sale that happens when they click through a link on my page. Vegan Cuts is the only website I allow ads for because it's a totally vegan company that I fully trust. Plus, I know the owners and some of the staffers in real life!
Okay, enough with the disclaimers. I don't typically post straight-up ad posts, but I wanted to let y'all know about Vegan Cuts CandyGrams because the deadline to order for a Valentine's Day delivery is February 4th (Tuesday!). And these are super cute!
For $9, Vegan Cuts will mail your loved one a personalized, adorable vegan Valentine's Day card and a fine vegan chocolate. I already requested one from Paul as my V-Day gift, and I even sent him the link. (Yes, I prefer to pick out my own presents. Always. I'm that much of a control freak.).
There are six card designs and six sweets, and you don't get to choose. It's a surprise! So even if you're a control freak like me, there's a teensy element of wonder. The sweets include Bixby Bar Heart's Delight (strawberry, almond, cinnamon chocolate bar), Manos Chocolates Helio Cup (a sunflower seed butter cup!), Lulu's Chocolate Maca Chunk Bar (low glycemic and raw), and Rawxies Lemon Poppy Seed Minis (raw lemon cookie).
Alright, shameless plus is over. But get over there and order something sweet for your sweet!
Full disclosure: I'm an ambassador for Vegan Cuts, meaning I run their ads on my blog and I make a few cents from each sale that happens when they click through a link on my page. Vegan Cuts is the only website I allow ads for because it's a totally vegan company that I fully trust. Plus, I know the owners and some of the staffers in real life!
Okay, enough with the disclaimers. I don't typically post straight-up ad posts, but I wanted to let y'all know about Vegan Cuts CandyGrams because the deadline to order for a Valentine's Day delivery is February 4th (Tuesday!). And these are super cute!
For $9, Vegan Cuts will mail your loved one a personalized, adorable vegan Valentine's Day card and a fine vegan chocolate. I already requested one from Paul as my V-Day gift, and I even sent him the link. (Yes, I prefer to pick out my own presents. Always. I'm that much of a control freak.).
There are six card designs and six sweets, and you don't get to choose. It's a surprise! So even if you're a control freak like me, there's a teensy element of wonder. The sweets include Bixby Bar Heart's Delight (strawberry, almond, cinnamon chocolate bar), Manos Chocolates Helio Cup (a sunflower seed butter cup!), Lulu's Chocolate Maca Chunk Bar (low glycemic and raw), and Rawxies Lemon Poppy Seed Minis (raw lemon cookie).
Alright, shameless plus is over. But get over there and order something sweet for your sweet!
February 2, 2014
Superbowl Tempeh Wings!
I'm not a huge football fan, but I never miss the big game. That's largely because it's an awesome excuse to make vegan wings and stuff my face with chips and guac. I always pick a team (usually the underdog or sometimes the team from the coolest city or with the best colors/mascot) to root for. This year, I went with the Seahawks for two reasons: 1) Everyone was predicting the Broncos would win, and 2) I'm going to Seattle in March to demo at Seattle VegFest (come see me, Northwestern friends!).
Anyway, as y'all know, I'm currently veganizing trendy recipes from the past century for my new vintage vegan cookbook. And hot wings were supposedly invented in the 1960s. The history behind hot wings (or Buffalo wings) is sketchy to say the least, but most stories trace their roots back to Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, owned by the Bellissimo family. The owners either invented them using scrap chicken wings when they were snowed in at the bar one night, or they invented them for their son and his friends as a late-night snack, or they were invented for the mostly Catholic patrons to enjoy after midnight on a no-meat Friday.
Whatever you choose to believe, vegan wings are awesome. Hot sauce + butter + vegan protein. How can you go wrong with that? For my new book, I'm converting the Seitan Hot Wangz recipe from Cookin' Crunk into a tempeh wings recipe.
If you have Cookin' Crunk and want to give this recipe a try, here's what I did: I cut a package of tempeh into eight triangles. I steamed and marinated the tempeh using my Tofu Chicken marinade from Cookin' Crunk. Then I used the Seitan Wangz recipe but subbing out the tempeh triangles. And voila — new recipe!
That ranch on the side is also from Cookin' Crunk, by the way. Most recipes in my new book will be totally new recipes. But since I already had a pretty awesome seitan wings recipe, I figured I shouldn't mess up a good thing. And honestly, as much as I love my seitan wings, I think I like the tempeh ones even better. And they're much easier to make since you don't have to make the tempeh from scratch.
On the side, of course, I had to have Guiltless Gourmet blue corn tortilla chips (you can eat way more for less calories with these!) with Wholly Salsa Guacamole & Spicy Pico and Nacho Mom's Vegan Queso (a Christmas present from my parents). I washed it all down with Lights Out, the new dark Belgian wit from Memphis Made Brewery.
Anyway, as y'all know, I'm currently veganizing trendy recipes from the past century for my new vintage vegan cookbook. And hot wings were supposedly invented in the 1960s. The history behind hot wings (or Buffalo wings) is sketchy to say the least, but most stories trace their roots back to Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, owned by the Bellissimo family. The owners either invented them using scrap chicken wings when they were snowed in at the bar one night, or they invented them for their son and his friends as a late-night snack, or they were invented for the mostly Catholic patrons to enjoy after midnight on a no-meat Friday.
Whatever you choose to believe, vegan wings are awesome. Hot sauce + butter + vegan protein. How can you go wrong with that? For my new book, I'm converting the Seitan Hot Wangz recipe from Cookin' Crunk into a tempeh wings recipe.
If you have Cookin' Crunk and want to give this recipe a try, here's what I did: I cut a package of tempeh into eight triangles. I steamed and marinated the tempeh using my Tofu Chicken marinade from Cookin' Crunk. Then I used the Seitan Wangz recipe but subbing out the tempeh triangles. And voila — new recipe!
That ranch on the side is also from Cookin' Crunk, by the way. Most recipes in my new book will be totally new recipes. But since I already had a pretty awesome seitan wings recipe, I figured I shouldn't mess up a good thing. And honestly, as much as I love my seitan wings, I think I like the tempeh ones even better. And they're much easier to make since you don't have to make the tempeh from scratch.
On the side, of course, I had to have Guiltless Gourmet blue corn tortilla chips (you can eat way more for less calories with these!) with Wholly Salsa Guacamole & Spicy Pico and Nacho Mom's Vegan Queso (a Christmas present from my parents). I washed it all down with Lights Out, the new dark Belgian wit from Memphis Made Brewery.
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