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Juicy

For Christmas we got a juicer.  My husband had been wanting one for a very long time, he was pretty much convinced that it would change his life.  Like, that serious.  So when we opened that box with the juicer inside, he was...well, like a KID at Christmas.  Update: It's now June.  I am not a big fan of the juicer, personally.  My biggest problem is that I just don't understand why we need to even have juice.  I prefer to eat my fruit whole, honestly.  And drink water or tea.  I felt like we had to have a LOT of fruit to get a wee little bit of juice.  What the heck, juicer!?!?  And the kids hated it.  Like, they genuinely would rather have water than the "weird" juice that Mommy made.  Sigh!  Ok, so picky kids and thrifty mom aside, if you watched the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead like I did, you can kind of see how the juicing lifestyle would be a life saver for those who are currently eating themselves to death.  For us, it just didn't fly.  Plus, juicers are hard to clean and kind of messy.  You be the judge.  In my PERSONAL opinion, you would be wise to borrow one and try it for a couple weeks before investing the money.  I am not knocking what could be a potentially very healthy choice, but it is quite a commitment if you want it to "change your life".  PS: Guess who has NOT made any juice as of yet?  Husband.  Nuff said.

Sticky Fingers For All!

 I recently took the kids on a trip to Washington, D.C. to see the museums.  No trip away is complete without checking where vegans go to eat!  The last time we went we wanted to go to Sticky Fingers Bakery and cafe, but did not have time.  Well this time it was at the top of our destination list for the day!  When we walked in it seemed small, but had a nice vibe and there were other folks eating there, too.  So not creepy at all, as some places in D.C. tend to be.  The menu was OUTSTANDING.  We all had a hard time deciding what to get, since we are not used to having so many choices.  I decided on a tempeh Reuben and sweet potato fries.  Delish!  My daughter had the TLT (tempeh, lettuce, and tomato).  And of course we all had desserts and shakes.  Like, delicious, cold, creamy "milk" shakes.  They were of course, non-dairy milks.  We stuffed ourselves and even took some home.  They had a variety of products for sale, including some vegan Easter chocolates.  I waited till the kids were distracted and then stocked up.  Overall, the experience was amazing, the food was phenomenal, and I recommend Sticky Fingers as a place not to be missed if you enjoy exploring the veg scene as much as we do!  

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!

I know...really?

Sleepover Solutions

Mobs of kids take over my living room.

So my kids are at the age where sleepovers have become pretty common.  Sometimes they are even last minute, which would drive any parent over the edge, but when you have a vegan kid, it poses a whole new set of problems.  I always make sure that I know the families where my kids are spending the night.  I have actually refused to let my kids spend the night somewhere because I didn't know them very well.  I know, I'm totally uncool...but I'm OK with that!!  Anyhow, because I know the families, they are usually aware of the fact that my kids have dietary restrictions.  Pretty often, they are kind enough to buy things like veggie burgers or Oreo cookies to have on hand.  Typically, though, I send an "overnight survival pack".  In addition to the sleeping bag and change of clothes, I pack something for them to eat for dinner, something for them to have in place of birthday cake if needed, and something to eat for breakfast.  And I always make sure well ahead of time that they know that I intend to send stuff.  I have NEVER gotten any grief from the host family...ever.  And if I did, I would really question who my kids were hanging out with.  I think having an emergency food backup is a great idea for ANY vegan on the go, cause you just never know what is going to happen.  Life is frustrating enough...don't tackle it hungry :-)

Big Fat Vegan Radio

I have posted about podcasts before, but not since the inception of my new favorite, Big Fat Vegan Radio!  I have been listening to this podcast since the summer, and not only is it informational, but it is so so SOO funny.  The hosts are Laura Yaz (entertainment writer and former stand-up comedian) and Ben Strothman (AKA Honey LaBronx, The Vegan Drag Queen).  Laura and Ben have a great thing going, for sure.  Some vegan podcasts can be a little dry, but this one will keep you listening because they speak to each other with the warmth and humor of old friends, and I always feel like I am sitting down with some good vegan friends who just want to talk.  I often listen to BFVR while I am cooking.  And let me tell you, after a long day of wrangling elementary school children, they are the perfect comic relief!  I LOVE their reviews and interviews as well.  Now, as far as kids are concerned, this might not be one that you would want you kids to listen to.  It is not explicit, but it is not really kid-friendly either.  Listen to a few episodes before you play it around children.  As always, you know your kids best.  To find out more about BFVR, click here.  And enjoy!

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.

Hello, Cupcake!

A few years ago I met Isa Chandra Moscowitz at the D.C. VegFest.  She was amazing...she did a demonstration and shared vegan gumbo with everyone.  I love Isa and I love her cooking!  Which is why I love Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.  This is her book that is devoted entirely to cupcakes and cupcake icing.  I actually brought my personal copy to the VegFest and she signed it for me!  Anyhow, I have made her recipes over and over again, with my favorite being the golden vanilla cupcakes with classic buttercream frosting.  They are fantastic and not difficult to make.  My family and friends ask for them all the time.  If you have to have this book, you can get it at most major bookstores, or yo can order it from Isa's website, Post Punk Kitchen.  Yeah, the photo below is not stock footage....I made those babies and they ROCK!!

Thanksgiving with the Turkeys 2013

 Here are some photos from our annual trip to Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD, USA to have Thanksgiving with the Turkeys.  This is always a great opportunity to meet other vegans, eat without worrying what's in our food, and enjoy time outside with the animals.  To visit Poplar Springs' website and find out what else they have going on, click here.

 

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!

Veggie Awards Flash!

I LOVE VegNews Magazine!  I love it so much that I begged my local grocery to carry it for two years and they finally started carrying it a year ago.  For over five years I have waited in anticipation of VegNews' yearly Veggie Awards...the best of the year for the Veg world.  You must pick up a copy or subscribe for the full details (so worth it), but here are some of the highlights from the 2012 awards, as voted for by VegNews Readers!

Person of the Year: The Vegan Athlete (Many were profiled in the article)
Restaurant of the Year:  Vedge in Philadelphia
Product of the Year:  Victoria Vegan Sauces
Company of the Year: VEGA (like, the vitamins)
NonProfit of the Year: Humane Society of the US
Book of the Year:  The Lucky Ones by Jenny Brown
 There was also a section of the Veggie Awards dedicated to highlighting some of the newest vegan celebrities on the scene, which I found interesting!  New to the vegan list this year are:
Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor
Anne Hathaway
Scarlett Johansson
Mischa Barton
Michelle Pfeiffer
Larry Hagman (of Dallas fame!)
Rosie O'Donnell
Chaka Khan

Read Your Labels!

I am a busy mom and a full-time teacher...I love to cook and do it regularly, but it absolutely thrills me when I find a product that is yummy and makes me proud to serve it to my family.  That's why I read labels!  It's like a treasure hunt at the grocery store, and I typically find what I am looking for.  For example, recently I started craving cinnamon rolls.  Made a batch from scratch...took forever.  I felt good about it but I cannot do that frequently, I just do not have time.  So I kept thinking that there MUST be something at the grocery store...I was right!  After reading the labels for several different brands of easy bake cinnamon rolls, I found that the store brand was exactly what I was looking for.  You see, many of the everyday products that people eat are, in fact, vegan and they do not even realize it.  Potato chips, oreos, pastas, you name it.  So I read a LOT of labels, and it does take time.  But that's OK, because finding those products that are quick and easy but good for my ethics saves me time in the long run.  I love it when I can whip up a hot and wholesome meal...after working all day, picking up the kids from swim training, and squeaking home around 5:30 pm.  Just be careful, when you are reading those labels, there are a few key words you want to avoid that a lot of people do not usually recognize: sugar, rennet, lard, sodium, bha, caffeine, caramel, carrageenan, calcium disodium, lactic acid, maltol dextrin, modified food starch, mono-and diglycercides, monosodium glutamate(msg), nitrites, polysorbate, propyl gallate, red dye 40, saccharin, aspartame, & GUMS-arabic,cellulose,xanthan gums.

Ice Cream Dreams

Every once in a while I come across some new product at the grocery store that I didn't even know existed...this is one of my new favorites!  Yours Truly cones are remarkable, they taste delicious and they are reasonably priced.  When I was a kid, I was a big fan of drumsticks, and these are even better.  Instead of nuts, it has cookie crumbles on top of hard chocolate on top of soy ice cream on top of a cone.  There is even solid chocolate in the tip of the cone.  My kids love, love, love these, and I can get them to do just about any chore around the house if I bribe...errr...REWARD them with a Yours Truly cone.  These are not at most grocery stores yet, but it is worth taking a look in your store's organic section or taking a trip to a whole foods type store.  I mean, I love a pint of soy or rice milk ice cream, but this is just a different experience altogether...yumm...

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!
 

Time Flies!

I cannot believe it, but this month marks our FIVE year anniversary as vegans!  I guess five years in kid years is a long time...my two don't remember being omnivores.  My youngest was breast fed for a year, and when we went vegan he was only two, so this lifestyle is pretty embedded in him.  It's certainly not always easy, and we do miss out on what the "Joneses" are doing every once in a while (although we have never been too concerned with what the Joneses are doing...they don't look like they are having any fun and they are always a little grouchy), but it's just such a part of now that I cannot imagine living any other way!  Everyone benefits!  Let's put this into perspective with a handy-dandy statistic (from Vegan Heights):

Water saved in one year by being vegan - 1,400,000 gallons

Water saved by 4 people being vegan for 5 years - 280,000,000 gallons

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 Blueberry Muffin Obsession

This is not the first (or the second, even) time I have posted about blueberry muffins.  I don't know what it is about a delicious, warm blueberry muffin that makes any morning so much better!  So I have posted recipes for muffins before (search breakfast), but I do not usually have time to make muffins from scratch.  Surprise!  Most of the time I have not given much thought to the muffin mixes at the store until now.  Duncan Hines has a Blueberry Streusel muffin mix that is amazing.  Not only do they use real ingredients with nothing artificial, but they also include a can of REAL, wild blueberries.  Fast, simple, but you will need to make sure you have a box of egg replacer handy.  If you try this mix, please let me know what you think, my kids gave it two thumbs up!

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.