Pierogies Done Fast

 I used to LOVE pierogies when I was a teenager.  My brother, sister and I would make a whole box and just eat that for dinner on any given night, especially when we were in a hurry.  I wanted to make a vegan version for my own family, but all the recipes that I saw were a bit...ummm....complicated.  Ain't nobody got time for that!  So I mulled this one over and decided that if I could just make the dough, then I could fill the pierogies with instant mashed potatoes and then boil them.  This was very effective and turned out to be pretty quick and easy.  Here is the dough recipe that I used followed by my own assembly instructions: 
Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting the work surface
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1 cup water
• Box of instant mashed potatoes
• Optional: Diced onions, nutritional yeast

Preparation:

1. Combine flour, salt, oil and water in large bowl, and mix until dough forms a ball. If dough is dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until moist. If dough is sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's smooth.
2. On a floured work surface, knead dough 3 or 4 minutes or until elastic. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 
3. Make a pot of instant mashed potatoes, maybe about 4 servings.  You can dice up onions and add them if you want.  You could even mix in a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.  Let the potatoes cool before using.
4. Roll out the dough flat and cut into circles that are maybe 8 inches in diameter.  It depends on how big you want them.  I will leave that up to you.  Put a dollop of potatoes in the middle of each circle and fold the edges around the potatoes so that it looks like a semi-circle.  Pinch the edges together so they stick.  Once you have finished making the pierogies, put them in a pot to boil for about 3 minutes.  When they float they are done, but be careful because they don't always float.  That might be a myth even, I am not convinced.
5. You can serve them with vegan sour cream or even salsa or marinara.  Get creative, they are good with pretty much anything.  Some people fry them in oil once they are cooked through.  Before you fry them, you can actually freeze them and they keep for 3-6 months. 

Get the kids to help, it'd be hard to mess this one up!

When the moon hits your eye like a big...

Pizza Pie!  My family and I went on vacation to South Carolina, USA this year and we discovered a groovy new place to eat...Mellow Mushroom Pizza!  We checked out the menu online and were really excited to see tempeh, tofu, seitan, and Daiya cheeses on the "create your own pizza" list!  Woah, it was like my kids had died and gone to pizza heaven.  ANY cheese or protein could be substituted for something vegan.  They also can make salads, calzones, hoagies, and even have appetizers that cater to veg needs.  As you can see by the photo, my kids were so happy and we ate there more than once during our stay!  If you are living or traveling in the USA, there are many locations, especially on the East coast.  Check out Mellow Mushroom's website to see if there is a location near you and to view the menu.  If you aren't near a Mellow Mushroom, you can always gather ingredients at your local grocery and make your own :-)  Sometimes, your own is simply the best!

FireFly Fare, Roanoke, VA

 I was recently in Roanoke, VA for a conference.  I have been there before, but did not really take the time to find anything quality to eat.  This time, however, I did my homework.  I checked Happy Cow and found FireFly Fare in the historic downtown area.  It was just a little place and it not entirely veg, but I had a lovely time and had a delicious meal there.  I ordered the Indonesian BBQ Tofu and veggie stir fry.  There was plenty of Tofu and veggies.  With a cup of coffee on the side, it really hit the spot after sitting in the Roanoke Civic Center all day.  They also have salads, falafel, pitas, paninis, and more.  I recommend going out of your way to hit FireFly fare if you are in Roanoke...and I recommend checking Happy Cow no matter where you go to find nearby veg-friendly places to eat.  Also, when you are in Roanoke, be sure to check out Happy's Flea Market.  Think THOUSANDS of vinyl records.  I never go to Roanoke without stopping at Happy's to add some unique tunes to my collection.

Cold Weather Veggies

The season for tomatoes and summer squash ended months ago.  Now is the time for cold weather veggies that are filling and hearty!  If you planted them in the fall, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli should be waiting for you in your garden.  If you didn't plant them, they are readily available at your local grocery or even farm markets if they are open now.  Forget those tomatoes and cucumbers...save them for when they are in season!  But you might be thinking that they look so good sitting in piles at the grocery...think again.  They likely are not local and have been shipped from far away or sitting in storage for months.  Eat for the season, enjoy what winter has to offer!  Start with this delicious recipe!

Ingredients:

• 5 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 medium celery root, peeled (or 1 bunch celery, trimmed)
• 2 medium turnips, peeled
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled
• 6 small new potatoes, peeled (see note)
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed
• 8-10 shallots, peeled
• 1 whole bulb garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
2. Separate the garlic cloves and peel them.
3. Pull the little leaves off of the fresh herb stems until you have about a tablespoon of them. Set them aside along with another couple of whole sprigs of the herbs.
4. Cut the carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, squash and celery (or celery root) into about 1-inch pieces. Cutting the vegetables the same size will help ensure even cooking.
5. Transfer the cut vegetables, along with the shallots and garlic, to a large baking pan.
6. Drizzle with olive oil, season with Kosher salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the herb leaves and toss to combine. Place the whole herb sprigs in the pan with the veggies.
7. Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender but not too soft.
8. Remove the whole herb sprigs from the pan and let the vegetables cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

It's Tofurkey Time!

Just a quick reminder to pick up your Tofurkey as soon as you can!  Of course, you do not have to eat  tofurkey roast, but I have noticed that they go quickly at small stores.  At my grocery store, there is now an entire freezer case of single roasts and the Tofurkey Feasts!  I am getting excited about the holidays, I cannot wait to start cooking!  And, another reminder, if you live in the NOVA area, Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD is having their Thanksgiving with the Turkeys this weekend, November 17th.  It is the biggest vegan potluck I have ever been to, and my kids have a super time every year.  I have linked to it on the sidebar!

Lovely Puerto Rico

 I just got back from a wonderful trip to Puerto Rico to celebrate my sister's birthday...it was amazing and, of course, sweltering!  I loved it!  I cannot stand cold weather and snow, so I had the time of my life just baking.  I also ate some very good food.  I have the Happy Cow app on my iPhone, so I did some searches for some good places to eat!  The following is a photo diary of some of my culinary experiences while staying in San Juan, PR.  If you might be traveling to Puerto Rico in the future or are thinking of finding a place to vacation, check out the choices at Happy Cow.

The first thing I did was go to the grocery store, the Super Maxx.  NO JOKE this was the freezer section.  I decided that since there was an enourmous selection of vegan foods at the grocery (in addition to countless ethnic and local foods), I want to move to Puerto Rico.  That and, did I mention it's HOT?

We ate at a wonderful restaurant call the Cafe Berlin in Old San Juan.  I had the vegetarian "steak" with vegetables and it was so filling and delicious.  They had a LOT of vegan/veg choices on the menu, and if we had been there for longer, I would have tried to make it to the brunch.  Also, a little old man serenaded me with his guitar.  Bonus points.

At the Super Maxx, I bought a can of vegan "skallops".  I was curious, so I thought that I would take them home.  Well, they never made it home because one night we were so tired that we ate at the hotel restaurant.  I did not want to eat hummus again (yes, you can have too much of a good thing), so I went out on a limb and brought the waiter the can of "skallops" and asked him if he could do something with it.  This is what I got.  It was amazing.  Thank you Hosteria Del Mar!

For my sister's birthday, we ate at a lovely eatery called The Garden.  I had the curried tofu with jasmine rice.  It was so good, I am so glad that there are so many places that I can eat at in Puerto Rico.  Almost too many...I am seriously going to have to hit the gym hard this week.

Sidenote: There are some places that you should never eat.  This is one of them.  If you see a string of roadside "cafe's" that have their food sitting out and basically look shady, go to Subway of Burger King.  Your stomach will thank you.

While we were on vacation, I wanted to cook with my aunt and make a big meal for the whole family.  I know you're like, "Who wants to cook on vacation!?!".  Well, usually I don't, but I wanted to make a good impression on my family members that I had not seen in a while.  I got to go to the Navy Commissary, where I hadn't been in a while.  Decades, actually.  I decided to do a nice Italian Casserole, easy and cheap to feed a bunch of people.
Italian Casserole (Vacation Bum Slacker Style)
1. Sautee lots of vegetables...whatever you can find (squash, zucchini, muchrooms, peppers, etc.)
2. OPTIONAL: Heat up a bag of Gardein beefless tips, just sautee in a little oil and set aside.
2. Boil a box of pasta and drain.  Put in a LARGE bowl.
3. Add a jar of pasta sauce (check the label, make sure there is no cheese in it) and a large can of crushed tomatoes to the pasta.
4.  Add the sauteed veggies and beefless tips.  You can also add crumbled veggie burgers if you cannot find Gardein.  How many?  I don't know, like, 4 maybe?  Keep crushing and adding till it looks right.  Just make sure to COOK those veggie burgers first!
5. Add some fresh herbs like basil and oregano if you have them.  Crush two cloves of garlic into the bowl as well.
6. Stir well, put in a casserole dish.  Shred vegan cheese on top!  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.  
7. Go relax and have a glass of vacation juice (translation: whatever you want, especially if it's nice and boozy) while you're waiting. This is the most important step.
8.  Let cool and serve with bread if you like bread.  Belissimo!
 

Mediterranean in Virginia Beach

Vegan Moussaka

 We recently when on a vacation to Virginia Beach, VA.  Nothing complicated, but my aunt and uncle live there, so it was nice to visit them and have some fun, too!  We played disc golf at Munden Point Park, went to Croatan beach (where I got on a surf board for the first time in 10 years!), saw the state aquarium, and made/ate some great food!  One of the best things about going away for a vacation is eating food that you do not normally eat!  We are so busy that we quickly get into a rut with meals...spaghetti, enchiladas, mac and "cheese", stir-fry, vegan meatloaf...they are all pretty easy, and good for a typical week night.  When I am on vacation, though (as you know if you have been following this blog for a while!) I want to send my taste buds on vacation as well!  So one restaurant that we tried was Baladi Mediterranean Cafe.  It is pretty close to where all the action happend in VA Beach...the boardwalk, the beach, the carnival, etc.  I checked the website before hand (thanks again Happy Cow!) and was very pleased to see lots of green "V's" on the menu, indicating that a dish was vegan.  EVERYTHING (yes, I am serious!) on the starter menu was vegan, and they also had some nice entrees and wraps as well.  I tried the vegan moussaka...they brought me a huge plate of it and my first thought was that I would never be able to finish it all...well, it was gone in no time because it was THAT good.  I also had some really great baklava (vegans, when was the last time you had that!?!?), made with agave nectar instead of honey.  Oh, and some Turkish delight!  Overall, the atmosphere was great, the staff was so polite, and the chef personally came out to see how we liked our meal.  Do NOT go by Virginia Beach without going to Baladi!

Vegan Baklava with a Turkish Delight!

A Home Run Dinner!

Many people are familiar with the famous White Castle...a burger joint famous in the northeast for it's pint-sized, greasy burgers, also called sliders.  In my home town, we have a similar burger joint called the Snow White Grill.  It's burgers are about 3/4 of the size of a regular burger, but full of flavor.  I do not often miss things I used to eat before going veg, but I do occasionally miss those burgers.  They were just right, and I admit it, while I try to cook healthy most of the time, I LOVE a greasy burger.  Don't know why, I just do.  So whenever I miss something that I used to eat, my first thought is...I can totally veganize that.  So I did.
You can get slider-sized buns at the grocery store sometimes, OR you can use square rolls like the kind grandma used to serve for dinner.  Either way, you need something like a mini hamburger bun.  For the burger itself, I actually minced and sauteed onions (about one onion) and mixed them with GimmeLean vegan sausage.  It looks like sausage in a tube, but it makes a better, more flavorful burger than the "ground beef" style that I usually use for meatloaf.  Shape about a palmful of that mixture into a square-shaped patty.  Slice another onions into rings and also some mushrooms and throw into a large pan with some vegetable oil...sautee for about 5 minutes, shove to the side of the pan, and use the same pan to fry your patties.  You should have about a centimeter of standing oil in the bottom of your pan (for the "greasy spoon" experience).  Flip your patty after a few minutes and then put a slice of vegan American cheese on top.  Cover that with some mushrooms and onions and cook till the cheese is melty.  Put your buns on the counter (no, don't sit on the counter!), and put on patty on each bun.  Make as many as you are going to eat, although leftover taste AWESOME heated in the microwave the next day.  Before you put the top on, place it face down (the flat side that hugs the patty) in the oil you were just cooking in for about 10 seconds.  Greasy.  That step is optional.  Put the top on the burger and serve with fries.  This will taste so good, like something your doctor would tell you not to eat, but because of the fact that it's vegan and you are cooking with vegetable oil instead of animal fat, you can indulge and still rest easy.

Pesto!

We have been lazily enjoying our summer vacation here in Northern Virginia...wait...no, that must be some family from some other house because I have been "losing my mind" busy!  I have increased my tutoring hours trying to make a little extra dough, especially since those fine folks at the student loan institution insist on having their money.  Go figure.  We decided not to go on a big vacation, so that means lots of little trips here and there.  All is not lost for my adventures in the kitchen, though, because there is always time for pesto!  Man, this stuff is really easy to make and we will eat it on anything from Italian bread to plain old pasta.  Here is my quickie recipe, even quicker if you are growing your own basil like we are.
Quickie Pesto
What you need:
About a cup or two of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt
Walnut halves (Pine nuts...I am currently walnuts because, well, read the student loan line above)
Fresh garlic cloves...maybe 2-4, depending on how much you like garlic
What you do:
Get out your blender.  The best thing for a quickie recipe is a "Magic Bullet", but a blender works fine.  Crush your garlic into the blender.  Pour in about a quarter cup of olive oil and about a half cup of walnuts or pine nuts.  Throw in a half teaspoon of salt, less if you want less salt.  Blend for 10-15 seconds.  Put in all the basil, and pour another half cup of olive oil on top of that.  If using a blender instead of a magic bullet, you will want to use a wooden spoon to mash everything down before blending for about 20-30 seconds more.  Mix it up, add more oil to give it a syrup-like consistency.  Notice that this recipe is not terribly accurate...go with how it looks.  Taste as you go...that's the best part of cooking.  If it is too lumpy, add a little more oil and blend a little more.  Leave out the salt if you want.  Make it your own, and enjoy it right away, super-fresh!

Fast Dinner, Mixed Reviews

So I love Pinterest, I get a lot of ideas from friends, family, and others for all kinds of things from home decorating to vintage items to just stuff in general.  And I NEVER spend too much time looking for new things to post (you don't either, right?).  Well I also look for good gluten-free vegan recipes to try.  My latest was the Spinach Quinoa salad in the picture above.  The tempeh was easy enough...I mixed equal parts of maple syrup and hickory barbeque sauce together (about a half a cup or so...I'm not really big on measuring) and maybe a teaspoon or two of olive oil to keep stuff from sticking.  Then I just sliced up a few blocks of tempeh, coated them in the sauce, and broiled them for a few minutes of each side.  You could do that with seitan, tofu, or whatever.  I love to broil, as things get a little crispier!  The salad, on the other hand, was something that I had been wanting to try, so I purchased all the ingredients a week ago and thought I might give it a go tonight.  I was tired from working all day, so this was actually not a bad recipe.  It was pinned from the website Gluten-Free Goddess.  Here it is:

What you need:
1 cup organic quinoa (get instant, trust me)
Sea salt
2 good handfuls of organic baby spinach leaves, washed, drained
1 large ripe pear, cut into pieces (my pear went bad before I could make this, so I used apple)
1/2 cup chilled chick peas, rinsed, drained (forgot the chick peas, it was still great, haha)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A handful of pecans, pan toasted and salted to taste (my husband, bless his heart, bought walnuts instead of pecans...and because I was tired, I didn't toast...again, it was still good...this recipe is one you can get creative with)
Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
What to do:
Place the quinoa in a saucepan or a rice cooker. Add 2 cups fresh water, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook on a low simmer until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender- roughly 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and dump it into a large salad bowl.
Add the baby spinach, pear, chick peas, and chopped parsley to the quinoa and fluff.
Whisk together the vinaigrette, pour it over the quinoa salad and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.
Just before serving, add the toasted pecans and lightly combine.
Makes four main course servings, six side dish servings.

The review from the fam: half and half.  My daughter and I loved both the tempeh and the salad, it was very yummy.  My husband (even though he purchased the ingredients) would not even put the salad on his plate because he decided that he hates quinoa...plus, he put the tempeh between two pieces of bread.  Ten minutes later he had a plate of french fries...fail.  AND in turn my six year old also hates quinoa, now (gee, so suddenly)...but he's part mine so I MADE him eat some because it is so GOOD for you.  I am mean mommy now, of course.  If you have picky eaters, you may want to skip this meal and make veggie dogs and french fries instead.  For something different if you have a family with an adventurous palate, this was a winner in my book!!  Bon Appetite!

Valley Earth Fest Pasta Salad!

Wow, it has been SUCH a long day! I can't believe how much fun it was to table at the Valley EarthFest today...I met a lot of great people and passed out a ton of samples and literature. I want to post more, but being as tired as I am, I am just posting quickly for those of you that I promised the pasta salad recipe to! It cannot be easier...or tastier :) Chick'N Pasta Salad
What you need:
Two packages of Gardein Chick'n Scallopini (frozen food section)
 One box of pasta shells
 One jar of vegan mayo (I used Nayonaise, but Vegenaise would also be great)
Diced: cucumber (seeded), bell pepper, celery, black olives, spring onions
 Two TBSP olive oil
 Salt and pepper to taste
What to do:
 Cook your pasta and drain it well. Add olive oil to the water to prevent sticking. Put into a large bowl. Put some olive oil into a skillet and sauté your Chick'n Scallopini cutlets. What is nice about Gardein is that it caramelizes if you cook it for long enough! Once they are cooked, set them aside to cool for a bit. While the cutlets are cooling, add the veggies to the pasta. Add about half of the jar of Nayonaise and stir well. add the salt and pepper...I said to taste, but I add about a half of a teaspoon of salt and an entire teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir again. Dice your Chick'n, and put it into a container. Chill the rest of the salad. When you are ready to serve, add the Chick'n. If you add it too soon, it will not have the same chicken-like texture. Serve and enjoy! Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see me today, I hope you take the time to read some of my earlier posts, there is all sorts of useful information, especially if you are like me...working full time and trying to create a healthier lifestyle for my kids at the same time. If you were lucky enough to talk to my fantastic children today, you know what I mean!! Check back again soon for more about my experience at the Earth Fest today, including my thoughts on some of the topics that you lovely people brought up to me today!

Gardein Rules

 I am in LOVE with Gardein, and my love for it only gets stronger with time, haha!  My local grocery store has recently started carrying even more selections from this fantastic brand of mock meats.  IF you are a fan of plant-based meats and you are in an area that carries this brand, give it a try.  My personal favorite so far is the orange chick'n...I sautee it in a frying pan and then set it aside on a small plate while I cook a frozen vegetable stir-fry mix that I buy in bulk from the wholesale store.  After the stir-fry veggies are cooked, I put the chick'n back in and add the sauce that it came with.  One pan, unless you cook up a few packages of Ramen Noodles (minus the seasoning packets) to put the stir-fry on top of.  Be sure to use the plate that you put the chick'n on as a serving plate, less dishes.  After working all day at the school and squeezing in a workout before picking up the kids, it is nice to have a fast but really yummy meal to put on the table.  If there is no Gardein to be found near you, look back through to my 2010 recipes and mix up a batch of seitan for your stir-fry.  AND if meat analogs are not your thing (I understand!) then get some REALLY great mushrooms and pile them on top!  As soon as you are finished, rinse your plate, it makes the dishes easier to do :)

Don't Forget the Green Beans

Last year I posted the recipe for my grandmother's Baked Corn, and I felt really good about being able to bring something from my childhood to my vegan table.  That was such a cherished Thanksgiving memory that I have now passed on to my own kids.  Another Thanksgiving favorite for a LOT of people is the Green Bean Casserole.  If you have never had this, you have to.  It is delicious and gives green beans (which honestly do not need anything, but stay with me here) and interesting twist.  It's just comfort food at it's best for many folks out there, you know what I am talking about!  So I searched high and low for a great recipe that had been veganized.  I finally decided to go with a recipe from VegWeb.  I served this on Thanksgiving day, and my mom and dad joined us at our vegan table.  It was lovely.  My mom was actually the one who requested the casserole, and even though she is not vegan, she loved it.  Even more important is the fact that my kids ate it all!  Score!  Try this dish for your holiday potluck, and be sure to tell everyone where they can get the recipe!
You Need:
  1-1/2 cups nondairy milk (plain soy is best)
    1 (2.5-ounce) cube veggie bouillon (or teaspoon of better than bouillon)
    1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    1/2 medium onion, diced
    3/4 cup chopped mushrooms (button, crimini, portabella, whatever)
    1 carrot, diced
    1/2 teaspoon basil
    1/2 teaspoon garlic
     1/2 teaspoon oregano
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1/2 teaspoon sage
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon thyme
    2 or 3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
    2 or 3 tablespoons cold water
    1 (14.5-ounce) can French cut green beans
    1-1/2 (24-ounce) canisters vegan French fried onions
Do this:
 1. In a saucepan, heat the nondairy milk and veggie bouillon; stir until bouillon cube disintegrates. Just heat the milk, do not boil or scald it.
2. In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions, mushrooms, and carrots; saute until the onions are translucent. Add the herbs and spices (basil, garlic, marjoram, oregano, pepper, sage, salt, and thyme - and whatever other hearty herbs make you happy).
3. Make a thickener by combining cornstarch and cold water; mix well. Pour into the nondairy milk-bouillon mixture. Stir well and FAST, because this will coagulate pretty quickly (translation: LUMPY...and that's gross).
4. Quickly add the can of green beans, the sautéed veggies, and about half of the French fried onions; stir well. Pour that mixture into a casserole dish or pan and top with remaining French fried onions.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the French fried onions begin to brown.  Remove. Eat. Enjoy.
Makes: 4 to 6 servings, Preparation time: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Thanksgiving With The Turkeys 2011

Me and Will Tuttle

My crew in the food line.

Piggy Nose

We had another fantastic time at the Thanksgiving with the Turkeys at the Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD, USA.  It was a beautiful day, clear and brisk, and it was perfect to hang out on the farm with our friends the animals.  We always enjoy going out to Poplar Springs, but Thanksgiving is the best because they host the biggest vegan potluck I have ever seen.  Table after table of delicious vegan eats.  Since hundreds of people show up, there are hundreds of dishes to choose from.  There was a great selection of wine and drinks and desserts as well.  Even though I do not know most of the people there, I always feel right at home!  The turkeys always eat first, since they are the guests of honor.  They get long trays of corn and other things turkeys like to eat.  Then the people eat, and it is amazing.  Once we got our food and sat down, I got the surprise of the day...right over my shoulder, not more than 30 feet away, was the one and only Will Tuttle!  If you do not know who Will Tuttle is, you need to.  His website says, "Dr. Tuttle presents about 150 events yearly  at conferences, retreats, and progressive churches and centers throughout North America. A former Zen monk with a Ph.D. in education from U.C., Berkeley, he has worked extensively in intuition development, spiritual healing, meditation, music, creativity, vegan living, and cultural evolution."  He wrote the book "The World Peace Diet", which is "the first book to make explicit the invisible connections between our culture, our food, and the source of our broad range of problems—and the way to a positive transformation in our individual and collective lives."  He signed my copy and I got to meet and talk to him.  I was so honored!  The rest of our time at Poplar Springs was spent wandering around and visiting the other animals (especially our favorite, the pigs), talking to new friends, watching the kids run around and play, and digesting!  If you have the opportunity to make it out for this event, you really should!  Start looking for announcements on their website around September.

Quickie Soup and Sandwich

Another fast meal: Large can of tomato soup (store brand!) mixed with water or plain soy milk, and grilled "cheese" sandwiches. Just use soy cheese (Vegan Gourmet is pretty easy to find) and Earth Balance buttery spread. Serve with applesauce or some other quick veggie/fruit! This meal always gets two thumbs up from the kids!