Still Talking About Cheese!

I feel like I have been posting a LOT about vegan cheese lately...sorry.  It's just that, like I said, for most people, cheese is one of the hardest things to give up!  My husband recently started making his OWN homemade vegan cheddar.  I have to admit that I was very, very skeptical.  So far we have tried just about every vegan cheese under the sun.  Vegan Gourmet is very good when shredded, and Daiya is just about the best "melty" vegan cheese I have come across.  And if you love nachos, you cannot go wrong with Nacho Mom's Vegan Queso (see previous post).  But he actually found a good recipe, and far be it from me to discourage my husband from doing ANYTHING productive around this house (translation: he would typically rather lay around and do nothing...sound familiar?).  When finished, this cheese is very yummy on crackers or sandwiches!  The only problem is that the ingredients are honestly a bit pricey...uh, pricier than just buying the stuff already made.  But hey, if you are feeling industrious and you want to experience the novelty of making your own cheese, I am sharing this recipe via YouTube!  Enjoy!

Nacho Mama's cheese!

My shipment of vegan Easter candy came in only TWO days after I ordered it...I plan on visiting the store in person very soon, but ordering from Pangea has been a dream come true.  Tucked away under chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks was the coveted jar of Nacho Mom's Vegan Queso dip.  It was worth it, because I haven't have nachos like that in years!  It was a little spicy, which made it even better.  We happened to have some omni (translation: they eat meat, milk, and eggs) friends over and they sampled the queso dip.  One said that even though it was good, it was weird because she expected it to taste just like regular cow's milk cheese, which of course it does not.  I hear that a lot from omnis...they expect vegan stuff to taste exactly like the real thing...mock chicken, veggie burgers, soy ice cream...you name it.  I think that we just shouldn't compare, because they are made out of two different things.  If you have this problem, just let them know that it will not taste exactly the same as the original because it is BETTER than the original.  That ought to produce a few smiles.  Anyhow, Nacho Mom's was a great buy and I am looking forward to getting more in the future...they say it makes a killer quesadilla...yum!  Very versatile, great taste, ships easily...how could you go wrong?  Give the kids a bit before you eat the whole jar yourself.

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Here Comes Peter Cottontail....

I just finished ordering a GREAT selection of Easter candy for the Easter bunny to bring to our house this year!  Usually we do the best we can with Nerds and whatever vegan candy bars are available at the grocery store.  But in the 4 years since we went vegan, I have been meaning to order some very nice vegan chocolate candy EVERY YEAR and haven't.  Well, this is the year!!!!  I purchased vegan peeps (can't have marshmallow with gelatin in it, that's not even vegetarian!), chocolate eggs and bunnies, peanut-butter eggs, jelly beans, truffles (for me, haha!), and a jar of Nacho Mama's vegan queso (ok, not really for Easter, but I have been DYING to try this stuff!).  So after Easter I will review all this candy.  If you are feeling adventurous and want to order your own, go to Pangea Vegan Store's Website.  The pretty much have it all.

Ready for Spring

Wow, I cannot believe that I have not posted since January!  The last few months have been so busy, from birthdays to other events, it seems as if we have not stopped moving.  The kids have swimming and scouts and all sorts of activities.  I have been so busy at school, and every day is chock full!!!  On top of that, check out the photo of our "little" guy Ollie the Mini Potbelly...he's growing and growing :)  In light of all this, you may think...what in the world!?!?!  How can you possibly stay vegan in spite of barely having enough time to think!?!?!  Simple answer is: ROUTINE!!!  Some people may equate routine with BORING, but now me.  I demand it, and my kids thrive better when we know what to expect.  I was having such a hard time with meals and making sure that I was not doing the same thing week after week, so I typed up all of the meals that I am willing to make and my husband and the kids check off what they want and I then I take that to the grocery.  I can zip through the grocery store at high speeds when I know exactly what I am going for.  I also have a handful of staples that I get for the kids for lunch (see the post that I did on school lunches!).  So now that our busy season is slowing down, I am starting to think about gardening and community gardens...in spite of the rather unseasonal snow we had this morning!  We are making a lot of changes this year, moving the tomatoes to the back garden and such.  Anyhow, I want to send out a word or two of encouragement for anyone out there who is just getting started of their vegan adventure!!  We are coming up on our four-year vegan anniversary, and it just keeps getting better.  It's nice when your diet not only keeps you healthy (NO, I repeat, NO major illnesses for us this year!!), but is your cause as well.  Here is a quickie recipe to try (all the stuff is available at a health food store or your local grocery), and stay tuned for more...the Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary Run For The Animals 5K is coming up, as well as the Valley Earthfest.  Till next time!
Vegan "Pups in a Blanket"
1 Pillsbury Garlic Butter Crescent Rolls (yes, it's vegan!)
1 package Smart Dogs or Tofu Pups
1 package of Tofutti "cheese" slices
Roll out a crescent roll triangle flat.  Unwrap a slice of cheese and fold it corner-to-corner so that you have two triangles.  Place one of the triangles on the crescent roll along with a tofu pup or a smart dog.  Start at the wide end and roll toward the pointed end.  Repeat this process till you run out of "dogs".  Place each "Pup in a Blanket" on a baking sheet and follow the baking instructions on the package for the crescent rolls.  Cool and enjoy with soup or vegan chili!

We Love Brunch!

 Sundays are the perfect day for a good, hearty brunch.  If there is one word that I use a lot on the blog, it is "hearty"...I like to be full.  DO NOT believe what they tell you...vegans are not all a bunch of skinny waifs that only eat lettuce.  Read all posts here at Vegan Family Values and you will see that!  What is our mission?  To be kind to the Earth, the animals, and ourselves.  It's that simple.  And it is VERY doable.  Like this fantastic brunch that you have to make.  Make a good tofu scramble....get creative.  Crumble your tofu, add vegetables.  We did frozen spinach, onions, bell peppers, peas, and some broccoli.  You know you can add whatever you want.  The important thing is to add the following: nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, pepper, and garlic.  OK, the garlic is optional, haha.  Make some toast, put Earth Balance vegan butter on it, and then COVER it with Bush's vegetarian baked beans.  Perfection!  Also fry up some potatoes with onions (we love onions) and salt and pepper.  My husband wanted me to post a picture of his brunch, which requires taking all the same stuff and making a sandwich.  He will eat anything if it is on a sandwich.  Serve with a cup of coffee and some juice.  Eat this around 10:00 and you will be full till dinner :) 

Veganism Hits "On Point"

Recently I took notice of a feature on the NPR program "On Point".  Host Tom Ashbrook looks at the increasing trend of veganism in America and the fact that it is becoming more and more mainstream.  What a concept!  I listened to the program three times, and while I did not necessarily agree with everything that I heard, I think that it is amazing that being vegan is not as obscure as it used to be.  And I think that I have proven through this blog that it does not have to be extreme at all!!!!  I would not say that I am extreme.  As a matter of fact, I still think that eating dead bodies and enjoying it is extreme.  Mr. Ashbrook mentions in the introduction that ,"... things change, and suddenly vegans and veganism seem to be everywhere. Some Americans going all the way.  Some toe-dipping. It’s a remarkable moment, a remarkable shift."  PLEASE take a few minutes to listen to this interview, and let me know what you think!  You can email me at jocelynshaffer@hotmail.com!
Here is the interview:
Vegans Take America

Chili Pot

Woah baby, it's COLD outside!  Wherever you are in the world, veganism is a super choice.  In this part of the world, right now, it's cold.  Like, really cold.  When I lived in New Zealand, it never got this cold.  But now that I live in Northern Virginia in the US, the winters are mighty frozen.  One of my favorite meals to put together on a cold winter day is a large pot of chili.  Homemade chili is delicious, hot, and one of the most filling meals I have ever had.  I have tried many different recipes, and my own is my favorite!  Try playing around with it, it is fun to experiment.

Anti-Winter Chili

2 cups of sauteed bell peppers and onions

1 16 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes

2 packages of Tempeh

1 can each of black beans, red kidney beans, and white beans

1 package of mild chili seasoning mix 

olive oil

  First, put a little olive oil into a pan and saute your onions and peppers...DO NOT limit yourself to just onions and peppers though!  Sometimes I throw in whatever leftover frozen vegetables I have in the freezer.  They are all good, especially mushrooms.  Leftover hash browns are also good! 

  Then, put all the beans, undrained, into a big pot.  Don't over-think it, just use a big pot.  I use the liquid from the beans instead of water because it is thicker and my husband likes a hearty chili.  Pour about half the liquid from the tomatoes in and cut each tomato into 2-3 pieces.  Put 'em in the pot.  Crumble the tempeh and add that to the pot along with the sauteed veggies.  Stir really well and then add the chili seasoning.  The prep time on this meal is SUPER fast and the results are amazing.  I like to cook a pot of elbow macaroni to go with it.  Put about a half cup of macaroni in the bottom of the bowl and then cover it with chili.  You can also serve this with some choice vegan cornbread.  I use Jiffy cornbread mix and veganize it with EnerG Egg replacer.  It is very, very good!

Warm Wishes

 We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you a happy new year, wherever you are!

Interview: Vegan Nutritionist

While I was at the Green Festival in Washington D.C., I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark E. Rifkin, MS, RD, LDN.  He is a vegan nutritionist at Preventative Nutrition Services, which provides in-home and other nutrition services to the Baltimore-Metro area.  He gave me some sound advice for vegans, the same advice that he gives to his clients.  One of the most important tips was to plan meals ahead of time and cook on the weekends.  I mentioned that I never seemed to have time to cook whole foods during the week and on busy nights I often will rely on veggie burgers, stir-fry, or spaghetti.  While these things are fine, we can optimize our nutrition by cooking larger portions of whole foods on the weekends and then freezing or storing them for meals throughout the week.  Collard greens, tofu, beans, and other grains should store well and it will save a lot of time to prepare them in advance.  One grain the Mark recommended highly was Barley, which has way more fiber and protein than brown rice.  Another tip that most vegans have heard is to take that Vitamin B12.  I mentioned that I am always tired on weeknights!  Well, I am super-busy (c'mon, who isn't?) but cooking ahead and making sure vitamin levels are in-check is really important for energy levels!  Take a multi-vitamin, your body will thank you in the long run.  Also, get more iron (read: eat beans and spinach!) and be sure you are getting plenty of vitamin C along with that to aid iron absorption.  Finally, those kids will always wear you out, whether you are a parent, caregiver, teacher, or ALL OF THE ABOVE!  Kids likes change frequently, so keep trying new dishes several times before you completely rule them out.  My kids do that all the time.  They will refuse to eat something the first 3-4 times I try it, but then something will change and they all of a sudden cannot get enough.  If you are in the Baltimore Metro area and would be interested in Mark Rifkin's services, email him at preventative_nutrition@verizon.net.