Newman Improved

A New Year and a Rebirth

2012-01-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

I have been absent from reading and writing blogs in the past month. I have been quite busy with some life changes and the holidays. While things have not slowed down completely, I still plan on coming back. I have a lot of favorite blogs to catch up on as part of my return. I might be slow, but I'm still here.

As you know, it is the new year and time for resolutions and rebirths. I personally have not made any resolutions this year. I find it hard to choose a resolution that I feel committed too. Eighteen years ago, I made a resolution to go vegetarian. That resolution has evolved into becoming a vegan. I can't top that resolution, so I don't try any longer. Instead, I have a life-long resolution to stay vegetarian and continue to increase my compassion and commitment towards animals.

As part of my commitment, I have already made a significant change this year. I gave up my career in the corporate world to pursue my passion for animals. Starting on January 3, I will begin a position with an animal rights organization. (I would love to say more, but I am not sure how much I am allowed to say at this point, so I'll have to speak in general terms.) Words can't express how excited and honored I am to be working for an organization whose mission is similar to how I live my life.

I feel so fortunate to say that I will begin work each day with saving animals from torture, suffering, and pain at the forefront of my thoughts. So many of us go to work each day as drones, working for the weekends. It feels so surreal that I won't have to live my life like that any longer. It reminds me of a quote I saw recently by Confucius that encouraged me to take a chance and apply to this position.

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

I try not to kid myself as I know this job won't be perfect, as with any job, but I will always be able to fall back on the passion for animals that I feel. And, while your passions may be different, I hope you will consider the impact you have with each meal you choose to eat. Remember that with each bite you take, you have a chance to make a choice. You can choose to lessen suffering by eating a cruelty-free vegan meal. My wish is that more of the world will come to realize and accept this choice.

Here is to a New Year, a new start, and for pursuing our passions! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Adopt-A-Turkey: It Is Not Too Late!

2011-11-27T10:33:00.004-05:00

I have been absent from blogging for several weeks. The short of it is that I have been busy and have not had a chance to focus on blogging. I will get back into the groove at some point in the near future.

I wanted to share the Adopt-A-Turkey projec t from Farm Sanctuary. If you don't already know about this, I recommend you give this site a view. This campaign offers a humane alternative during Thanksgiving by offering a chance to donate money to sponsor a turkey. It is after Thanksgiving, but not too late to donate to help sponsor a turkey.

As a vegan I do not consume turkey, but felt I needed to do more. Each year John and I donate money to save a turkey. I like the idea of knowing that my money is going directly to the sponsorship of turkeys during this time of year. Not all turkeys are as lucky as those saved by Farm Sanctuary. There are more than 46 million turkeys that are killed each year so that those in the United States can celebrate Thanksgiving. These and all factory farmed turkeys are subject to cruel practices such as being packed into small cages, de-beaking, de-toeing, genetic manipulation, rough handling during transport, hanging from metal shackles, heads submerged in electrified water, throats slashed, and many other awful practices. I hope you will consider being part of the solution this year and future years by having a meatless Thanksgiving and donating to Farm Sanctuary.

I hope you all had a Happy Turkey-free and cruelty-free Thanksgiving!

Mint Hot Chocolate Almond Drink

2011-11-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

It is the time of year when you start seeing Silk seasonal creations such as Pumpkin Spice and Nog. I like those well enough, but I'm crazy about the mint chocolate flavor! Facebook has been buzzing with talk about the new flavors in the store (ok, maybe only for those of you with lots of vegan friends). John was at Whole Foods and I asked him to pick up the chocolate mint kind. Much to my dismay, they were out of that kind and only had the pumpkin spice.

I am not a fan of the pumpkin spice. I always expect it to taste like pumpkin and it doesn't. I know it is just the spices from a pumpkin pie, but I want it to taste like pumpkin. Instead of sulking, I decided that I would make my own version of the minty drink. I looked through our cupboards and felt like I had the right combination and got to work. I must say that this recipe is as good as the store bought version. Although, I'll probably still buy it once and a while for a treat!

Mint Hot Chocolate Almond Drink

1 cup almond milk (soy or coconut would work too)
3 Tbsp vegan, fair trade chocolate chips
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

Place the soy milk into a small saucepan and turn the heat onto medium. Whisk in the chocolate chips and cocoa powder and whisk until the chips melt. Add in the agave nectar and extracts and whisk again until warm.

Pour into a mug and serve warm!

One Year Ago

2011-11-03T17:10:00.003-04:00

One year ago in September I opened our mailbox to find a large envelope addressed to me from my Doctor. I knew some form of communication was coming from him, but my heart still raced as I was unsure of what the communication would say. I felt unsettled as I ran to the house. I stood on the porch and contemplated if I should open the envelope. Once opening it I knew my life would be different, although I did not know how. But I had to open it.

As my fingers trembled, I opened the envelope and read the note. Dear Amanda..... What came next, I could not even decipher because I was in shock as I read the words. The letter informed me that I had Celiac disease and that I would have to start a strict gluten free diet immediately.

I opened the door and walked in the house to John cooking Pad Thai (with wheat noodles nonetheless) and I burst into tears. Concerned, he ran over to me asking what was wrong. I handed him the letter and he read. I knew my life was going to change. I am accustomed to changing my diet as I had done it twice before. Once at the age of 14 when I became vegetarian and then when I became vegan about three years ago. This was different though, this wasn't because I wanted to save animals from a life of torture and suffering. This had nothing to do with a personal conviction. This was because I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

I did not even want to eat that evening because I knew that our dinner was what was making me sick. John tried to convince me that I should take gradual steps towards gluten free to help ease the transition. Those of you that know me know that when I make a commitment to something I go all in. This would be no different. The next day, I started my gluten free journey.

The good news was that despite having a disease, I did not have to take any drugs. I could control this through diet. When I put it into perspective, it did not seem as tragic as I first thought. I was not being given a death sentence, I was being given a chance to live. I was told that if I did not follow the diet, there was a possibility that I could die early from cancer or get osteoporosis and/or other issues. I am a fighter and I would fight this and win. I would not let Celiac disease defeat me.

It is now a year later and I have lived virtually gluten free for a whole year. I have had a few incidents where I accidentally consumed gluten unknowingly, but I have not once eaten it purposefully. While the feat may seem small to most, this is something that I am proud of myself for accomplishing. I have had many occasions where I have drooled over people enjoying vegan confections, breads, sandwiches, pizza etc. and I stayed strong. I have many flaws and shortcomings, but will power is not one of them. When I set my mind to something I stick with it and having a disease with consequences makes it even more important for me to stay on track.

This past year has been a challenge and I constantly realize areas of my life where I will always be different from others. I identify most with compassionate vegans, but still feel different from them- they can consume gluten. So I find myself in a strange and often lonely category- a Gluten free vegan. It becomes painfully obvious how different I am when folks (usually omnivores) say to me "what the hell can you eat?" I try to spin it in a positive direction.

Most of the people in my life have been supportive. Some of the people in my life have been nothing short of amazing in my journey. John has willingly removed almost all gluten from his diet at home as to make the kitchen a safe place for me. My vegan and vegetarian friends always consider me in making sure there is something gluten free for me to enjoy. My Mom has learned how to bake both gluten free and vegan. This is touching as she is neither gluten free nor vegan. Then there is the amazing blogging community which has shared so many recipes. Without the loving support of John, my parents, and friends I am not sure that I would have made it to a year of success.

Thank you to all of you who have been there with me this past year and have helped me through my journey. Thank you for not making me feel like an outcast and accepting this new version of me. Thank you for listening to my struggles, tears, and successes. I appreciate all of your open ears and hearts and for loving me.

Happy one year.

Breakfast Qunioa

2011-10-27T18:30:00.001-04:00

Post number 21 for VeganMoFo. I met my goal to have 20 blogs during Vegan MoFo! Now I am exceeding it!

I am not all that exciting when it comes to breakfast on weekdays. I would like to be, but I do not want to wake up any earlier than I already do. I generally eat something quick like dry gluten free oatmeal (that may seem gross to you, but wet oatmeal often makes me gag), gluten free English muffin with peanut butter and banana or other toppings, or gluten free cereal. As you can see, weekday breakfasts are not very inspiring.

After visiting a B&B recently, I was introduced to the idea of quinoa in the morning. It blew John and I away. It was so delicious, filling, and nutritious. We have now incorporated it into our routine and sometimes cook it the night before. Not only is quinoa delicious and versatile, it is also healthy. It is rich maganese, magnesium, iron, copper, and is low in fat. Having quinoa in the morning is a good way to add some nutrients early on in the day. I also plan on adding fruit and vegetable smoothies, but I am taking it one step at a time.

We buy mostly black and white quinoa based on the availability in our bulk section. This week we had black quinoa, which looks more purple when cooked. They probably all taste the same, but I tend to prefer the black and red. This is the recipe we make, but you could add in any nuts and fruits.

Breakfast Quinoa
1 cup of uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups of water
1 Tbsp chopped pecans
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp dried cranberries
Fresh organic raspberries
Blood orange infused olive oil (you could use regular)

Bring the water to a boil and add in the quinoa. Simmer covered for 15 minutes. When finished, fluff with a fork. Place a serving in a bowl and sprinkle in the pecans, walnuts, cranberries, several raspberries, and a drizzle of the olive oil.

Sweet Potato Nachos

2011-10-26T06:30:00.003-04:00

Post number 20 for VeganMoFo. I met my goal to have 20 blogs during Vegan MoFo! I might even exceed my goal by a post or two.

The concept of the sweet potato nacho is not a new one. I am sure I have seen it on other MoFo blogs and that it is in several cookbooks that we own. I am posting it here not as my own recipe, but just to share a fun idea.

Sweet potatoes are always in season in North Carolina, so we can find them every weekend at our year-round farmers market in Durham. This is a vegetable that I have only recently begun to like. I decided that when I became vegan that I would try to like everything that is vegan. Now that I am gluten free and vegan, I do not refuse any food as long as it comes under both categories. If I can eat it, I will eat it. In making myself consume sweet potatoes, I actually began to like them with the caveat that I only like them savory. Well, unless you bake a vegan and gluten free sweet potato pie. I think I would like that, although I never had the non-vegan or vegan version of it.

This week we had four sweet potatoes, two large and two small, and we decided to make sweet potato nachos. I am not going to post a recipe, since it is not mine to share. I will, however, tell you what I used. I roasted potato slices with smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and cumin. When the potatoes were crispy, I placed them on a plate and added the following toppings: vegan refried beans, tomatoes, salsa, black olives, hot red pepper, avocado, and cilantro. You could even throw on some vegan cheese to make this more fun.

Serve this up with some greens and you have a healthy and fun meal!

Raw Kale Salad

2011-10-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

Post number 19 for VeganMoFo. I'm one post away from my goal of 20 posts this month for MoFo!

I have had a cold for about a week now. It started off feeling like the flu, but now it has manifested into a cold. This feels like a long time to have a cold. I am wondering if my immune system is down a bit since I had some accidental incidences with gluten over the summer. I am trying not to be too concerned about it, but I can't help but wonder.

With these concerns, I have wanted to eat more greens. We purchased greens at the farmers market this past weekend and felt that a raw kale salad was in order. I have been on a kale kick all year. I can't get enough of that green! It is delicious and the most nutrient dense food available. To make the salad we use a whole pound of kale and share it, therefore we each eat a half a pound of kale. Because of the density, this salad is so filling. We normally switch up some of the ingredients, but kale, avocado, and the dressing always remain the same. We served this with a tempeh and bell pepper stir fry. The salad was so filling, that I only had a small serving of the stir fry.

Raw Kale Salad

1 pound of kale, washed, stems removed and leaves torn*
1/2 cup sungold tomatoes from our garden, washed and cut in half
1 avocado
1/3 c fresh squeezed lemon juice**
1/4 c flax seed oil
Few drops of Braggs liquid aminos

Place the prepared kale in a serving bowl and add in the tomatoes. Prepare the dressing before cutting the avocado. Place the lemon juice, oil, and Braggs in a bowl and whisk vigorously until mixed. Set aside. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the goodness. chop into small pieces and sprinkle on the salad. Whisk the dressing again and pour it over the salad. Toss to make sure that the dressing coats the leaves and the avocado. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes to soak in the flavor. Serve and enjoy!

*We used dinosaur kale as it is our favorite.
**The lemon was large, so we only needed one. If you have a smaller lemon, you will probably need two

Gluten Free Menu at Thai Spices and Sushi

2011-10-24T18:30:00.003-04:00

Post number 18 for VeganMoFo.

When I learned I had to be gluten free, I never thought that I would be able to dine at my favorite Thai restaurant- Thai Spices and Sushi. I was heart broken over this, but alas I did nothing about it. I did not email the restaurant, call, or stop by to see if they could handle gluten free. I just assumed that this my favorite restaurant, that understands vegan mind you, would have no clue. Lucky for me, someone else was contacting them and they did have a clue!

In late summer I received an email from a friend telling me that That Spices and Sushi had a gluten free menu. I was completely overjoyed and responded with tears in my eyes. This may seem silly to many of you, but those of you that are gluten free (and vegan) know what I'm talking about here. The smallest gestures of gluten free accommodation can be be so huge in our world.

At the same time, the restaurant had a Twongo deal. So, we bought the deal and started planning a group dinner with friends. Eight of us, four couples, met for dinner there this past weekend and we had a wonderful evening of delicious food, break dancing (one of our friends showed us her break dancing skills), and conversation. I ordered the Param Tofu with a lovely peanut sauce and a hot ginger drink. John ordered a sweet and sour tofu dish and a beer (both not gluten free).

The meal was delicious and I am dreaming of my next visit. They have the most amazing curry dishes there and several of them are on the gluten free list.

Saturday Morning Farmers Market

2011-10-22T15:30:00.000-04:00

Post number 17 for VeganMoFo.

I am lucky to live in a place with an abundance of farmers markets. We have a state run one which I would never waste my time at as they truck in produce from other states. It sort of defeats the purpose of a true farmers market. We also have many local markets. The one in Durham only allows farmers within 75 miles of Durham so that the food there is truly local. Many of the other smaller markets have the same restrictions and it really allows the residents to buy local.

The market also gives us the freedom to ask farmers questions and make educated choices in the produce that we purchase. John and I made the decision that we will only purchase produce from those farmers that don't sell meat. We also only shop at the stands that choose to care for their plants in a way that is compatible with the earth. We refuse to buy from those that use harmful pesticides and herbicides. We would choose only organic, but unfortunately the farmers are small and being certified organic is expensive.

Our market is open all year long and for that we feel fortunate. Every week that we are in town, we wake up and head to the market to get as much as we can local. We are approaching the end of October and we are still able to buy an abundance of produce for the week. This week we purchased the following: Swiss chard, kale, ginger, passion fruit, sweet potatoes, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and red leaf lettuce.

Below is a close up of the beautiful red leaf lettuce that we purchased. If you have never had lettuce grown in your back yard or from a farmers market, you are missing out. It is so much better than what you can get in stores. The same is true for tomatoes. Local food is healthier because it does not have to travel for hundreds of miles and therefore is given more time to ripen, increasing its nutrient value. It is also more flavorful!

Please remember to patronize your local and sustainable farmers!

Pad Thai and Sesame Cucumbers

2011-10-21T18:30:00.006-04:00

Post number 16 for VeganMoFo.

I seem to have caught a cold. This is my first cold since going gluten free. Before I was diagnosed, I got sick all of the time. My immune system was in shambles. Now that I've been gluten free, I have noticed that I am less susceptible. This, however, was hard to avoid. I feel as though half of my co-workers have been sick and have been coming into work when sick. I do notice that I am recovering quicker than I would have before going gluten free.

I was not much in the mood to cook last night, but I wanted something warm and filling and Thai food fulfills that for me. I have to warn you that this is not authentic Thai food. I am not Thai nor is any of my family from Thailand. I am Italian, German, and some other things. None of which come from Asian countries. Even with that being said, I pretty much always am in the mood for Thai food (Indian too!).

I am going to share my sesame cucumbers and Pad Thai with you. We served this with baked tofu. While they may not be authentic, we enjoy the flavors. So here is to soul warming and filling food!

Pad Thai

Stir Fry

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 small hot pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 or 2 carrots chopped
2 cups green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cucumber, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, and cut into moons
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
3/4 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 box of gluten free pad Thai rice noodles

Sauce

3 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp gluten free tamari sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp agave nectar
Juice of 1 lime

Cook the noodles per the package instructions, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix ingredients for the sauce. If the mixture is too thick, add some warm water. The sauce should be thick, but not too thick.

Heat the olive oil in a wok on medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic an stir fry 5 minutes until the onions become slightly translucent. Add in the peppers, carrots, and cabbage and stir fry for 3 minutes longer. Add in the cucumber, tomato, and noodles and stir fry 3 minutes longer. Then add in the sauce and stir fry for another 3 minutes or until heated through. Turn off the heat and mix in the peanuts and cilantro. Serve warm.

Sesame Cucumbers

1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise, and cut into moons
3 Tbsp rice vinegar (I use the kind that is no sodium and no sugar)
1 tsp ume plum vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp gluten free tamari
1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds (white or black)

Place the cut cucumbers into a bowl and add the rice vinegar, plum vinegar, sesame oil, and tamari. Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes. Then add the sesame seeds, mix, and let sit for another 15 minutes. Serve with the Pad Thai and enjoy!

Almond Brussels Sprouts and a Liebster Award

2011-10-19T17:30:00.000-04:00

Post number 15 for VeganMoFo.

The brussels sprout is a strange and cute looking little vegetable. It resembles miniature cabbage, but is part of the mustard family (or at least that is what Merriam-Webster says). When you mention the name of this vegetable, you generally get a strong negative reaction from folks. Not from me! Brussels sprouts made many appearances on the dining table of my childhood and I always enjoyed them. I would picture myself as a giant eating a tiny, delicious shrub.

John never had them as a child and I wanted to introduce them to him. Lucky for me, he like them! Now we use them in stir fries, steam them, and roast them. Growing up, my family roasted them with olive oil and garlic. The outer leaves become crispy and the inner leaves become tender, juicy, and sweet. To make them our own, John and I came up with a recipe that incorporated balsamic vinegar and almonds. I recommend that you give this recipe a try, you might just learn to love these sprouts!

Toasted Almond Brussels Sprouts

1 lb of brussels sprouts, washed, bottoms removed, and slice in half
Olive oil spray
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup of sliced almonds
3 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 375. Spray a baking pan with a couple of squirts of olive oil spray. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan and drizzle with the teaspoon of olive oil. Roast for 10 minutes. In the meantime, heat a small dry pan to medium heat and toast the almonds until crispy on each side. This process should take about 3-5 minutes. When finished, set aside.

When the sprouts have roasted for 10 minutes, remove them from the oven and sprinkle the balsamic over them and toss to coat. Use more olive oil or spray if needed. Add in the toasted almonds and roast for another 10 minutes until crispy. It is ok if some of the leaves become a bit crispy as they are crunchy and delicious!

Now....on to the award!

Kristen of Different Shades of Green, Theresa from The Vegan Version, and Dawn of Veg-am- were kind enough to pass on the Liebster award to me. Thank you so much! The Liebster award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers to show a little love to them. I appreciate the love and now it is time for me to pass some love around!

Here's how it works:

You show your thanks to the blogger who gave it to you by linking back to them.
You reveal YOUR top 5 pics for bloggers with less than 200 followers, and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
Post the award on your blog. (Right click on the image, and select 'save image as'.)
Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet! And in this case, fellow mofo'ers.
Have fun, and spread the love! :)

Here are my 5 MoFo blogs to share the Liebster with. I have really enjoyed reading all of them and they have made me inspired to be more creative. So, here they are in no particular order:

Cara of Fork and Beans- She makes the most amazing vegan and gluten free candy. Before her awesome blog, I never thought I'd have my favorite candies again.
GiGi of VEGANVILLE- The humor and creativity keeps me coming back to this blog each day. Often times I laugh out load when I read her posts.
Mandee of Cupcake Kitteh- She has been taking on cooking challenges and tackling recipes in several major cookbooks. I am usually drooling and dreaming of her recreations.
Kittee of Cake Maker to the Stars- This is Ms. xgfx! She was the first vegan and gluten free blog I came across. Her pictures, stories, and adventures are a delight!
Ashley of (vegan)(kitchen)(nuggets)- She has been delighting my taste buds with all of her fall inspired creations. I especially love all of her posts with peanut butter!

Please make sure to check them out and show them the love!

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

2011-10-18T18:30:00.008-04:00

Post number 14 for VeganMoFo.

I was not sure this post was even going to happen today. My camera has been acting up. One minute it will take a picture and the next, I cannot get it to turn on. Maybe it is my rechargeable batteries, maybe I need a new camera. We will see, but I'm glad to report that I got some picture of our delicious dinner last night!

It would seem that we have been in the mood for pasta lately as several of my MoFo posts have been pasta related. We go on these kicks sometimes. A couple of months ago it was rice, then kale, now pasta. I will admit, we are still on a kale kick. Maybe I should do a kale pasta dish sometime. Anyway, we decided to buy shiitake mushrooms this past weekend at the farmers market. One of our favorite local farms was selling them, so we bought a couple. I heart mushrooms, but shiitakes have always been at the bottom of the list. Then, recently I started to enjoy them. The only caveat is that I do not like them in Asian food. The texture and taste does not work for me in a stir fry.

We picked out these beauties and decided to make a creamy mushroom pasta. We wanted to add another mushroom flavor, so we added my favorite-->**crimini mushrooms**. If a recipe calls for shrooms, I almost always use criminis. They have what some people describe as a "meaty" texture. I just happen love the flavor. We enjoyed the pasta with roasted brussels sprouts and I promise to provide a recipe for those in my MoFo post tomorrow.

Creamy Mushroom Pasta

2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp Earth Balance or other vegan butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped small
1 small onion, chopped small
4 cups of mushrooms (I used a mix of crimini and shiitake)
1 tsp ground thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of soy/almond/coconut creme or milk
1/4 c nutritional yeast
Bag of gluten free pasta

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet on medium. Add garlic and onion and saute' for about 6 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 6 minutes more until mushrooms are tender. Add in the creme and nutritional yeast and simmer for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.

Meanwhile, cook your favorite gluten free pasta. Drain, pour the sauce over the pasta, and serve.

Rich and Creamy Spiced Hot Chocolate

2011-10-17T18:30:00.003-04:00

Post number 13 for VeganMoFo.

Hot chocolate is another one of things that I look forward to during Autumn. While it has been very warm during the days, the evenings have been cool. The colder air has put us in the mood for hot chocolate. My favorite element of our hot chocolate is the subtle undertone of heat. It is not very sweet and I have found that the beauty in this drink is the cocoa, vanilla, and cayenne. In playing with the recipe, I have learned the sweeter the drink, the less of the flavors that you taste. Have no fear, if you do not like spicy foods, you can leave out the cayenne.

So here is my take on hot chocolate.

Rich and Creamy Spiced Hot Chocolate
3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
3/4 c mimic creme (soy creamer would work here as well)
2 Tbsp vegan gluten free chocolate chips
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp Mayan cocoa (includes cocoa, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. If you don't have this you could add in more cinnamon and cayenne pepper to your cocoa to taste.)
1/4 tsp agave nectar
Vegan marshmallows (Dandies or Sweet and Sara)

Place the almond milk and mimic creme into a small saucepan. Heat slowly on med-low heat. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Then add in the vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa, and whisk vigorously until the cocoa dissolves. Add in the agave nectar and take a small taste to see if it is sweet enough to your liking. Don't forget that the sweeter you make it, the less you will taste the flavors.

When hot enough, pour into a mug and top with several vegan marshmallows. Enjoy your warm beverage!

Tofu Reubens Please!

2011-10-16T19:00:00.004-04:00

Post number 12 for VeganMoFo.

John and I seriously heart tempeh reubens. Whenever they are on a menu, we order them. Once I see it, I cannot really eat anything else and I just want the reuban. After going gluten free, I thought I was going to jump for joy and hug the owner when a local vegan friendly restaurant carried gluten free and vegan tempeh ruebans. Luckily, I behaved myself. I truly enjoy the flavors, especially the sauerkraut! Those that know me, know that I am a lover all salty picked foods.

We usually make tempeh ruebens, but we decided to try it out with tofu this time. It just so happens that I had a gluten free vegan ryless rye bread from the Gluten Free Galley and I just had to have a rueban (don't forget that they have a vegan/gluten free box!)! The bakery really does a great job of getting that rye flavor while still having a gluten free bread (note that rye is not gluten free).

This sandwich did not disappoint. It was warm, delicious, and rye-like with the caraway seeds in the bread. We served it up with purple sweet potato fries, and a salad. The meal was so good and I had to walk away after one sandwich because I knew that I would be too full if I ate a second. Needless to say, I had delicious leftovers!

Tofu Ruebans (4 sandwiches)

1 lb of tofu
Braggs liquid aminos- spray bottle
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Ground pepper
Olive oil spray or vegan butter
Sauerkraut
Thousand Island dressing- vegan/gf
8 slices of vegan cheese
Gluten free bread

Drain the tofu and cut into slices. Spray a baking dish with olive oil spray and place the tofu slices in the dish. Spray the slices with about three squirts of the Braggs, sprinkle with a little garlic and onion powder, and pepper to taste. Flip the slices and repeat. Bake in the oven at 400 for about 10-15 minutes on each side until they get a bit crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat a flat skillet to medium and prepare your bread slices by spraying or buttering one side of each piece. Lay 4 of the pieces of bread on the skillet buttered side down. Spread a dab of the dressing, then the cheese, then the sauerkraut, then 2-3 slices of the tofu, then another dab of the dressing. Top off with a slice of bread, buttered side up. Cook for a couple of minutes and then flip. Cook on the other side a couple of minutes and remove from the skillet when the cheese has melted and the bread has browned to your liking. ENJOY!

Down Home Vegan Cooking

2011-10-14T14:30:00.002-04:00

Post number 11 for VeganMoFo.

As you know from my recent posts, we went to Asheville last weekend. One of our stops included a meal at Rosetta's Kitchen. We did not get pictures of our food because we were in a hurry to get on the road. I had a yummy Pad Thai bowl with peanut butter tofu and John had a plate with peanut butter tofu, mashed potatoes and gravy, and greens. His plate was not gluten free, so I could not try it. I was a bit disappointed that the dish was not gluten free, so when we got home I decided to try and make it myself. I have never tried it before, but I felt confident that I could replicate the meal and possibly even make it better!

So, I came up with a recipe for the a peanut butter tofu and got to work. The result was a delicious and hardy meal. John said that it was better than the one he ordered, but he was probably being nice. I only have mine to go off of and I loved it. I could not get enough of the peanut butter tofu! The greens and the mashed potatoes were awesome as well. It almost made me want to open a vegan and gluten free down home cooking restaurant. Almost.

Baked Peanut Butter Tofu

1 lb of tofu
1/4 c nutritional yeast (also known as nooch)
1/2 cup of natural peanut butter
3 tsp low sodium gluten free tamari
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp agave nectar
1/4 to 1/2 cup warm water

Drain the tofu and wrap it in two paper towels. Place the wrapped tofu on a plate and top with a second plate. Use a weight to press down the plate and let the tofu sit for 15-20 minutes. While the tofu is pressing, make the sauce. Mix the peanut butter in a bowl and pour about 1/4 c of the warm water over the peanut butter. We use fresh ground, so it is a bit harder than the kind in a jar. Mix the two until creamy. Add in the tamari, rice vinegar, and agave. If the mixture is too thick, use more of the water. Set the sauce aside.

Preheat the oven to 420. Meanwhile, place the nooch on a plate. Unwrap the pressed tofu and cut it into about 1 inch cubes. Roll the cubes in the nooch and place them in a baking pan sprayed with olive oil spray. When they are all coated, place the tofu in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the tofu and let it bake on the other side of 15 minutes. Then add the sauce making sure that each piece gets coated. Bake for another 15 minutes, turning once. The tofu will get a little crispy and smell wonderful! I cannot wait for the cold weather so I can have this meal again!

Sauteed Greens

1/2 c onion, chopped
1 bunch of swiss chard, leaves washed and chopped and stems set aside
2 tsp of olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic

Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably an iron skillet. When hot, add the onion and red pepper flakes and saute' for 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute' for 3 minutes. While cooking, chop the stems small and add to the pan to saute' for an additional 3 minutes. When stems are tender, add in the chopped chard and cook until the leaves wilt. Serve hot.

Mashed Potatoes

3 large potatoes
3 Tbsp soy sour cream
1 Tbsp Earth Balance (vegan butter)
1/4 or more nut or soy milk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Wash the potatoes. Leaving the skin on, chop the potatoes into about 1/2 inch cubes. Place the cubes in a soup pot and cover with cold water. Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Allow the potatoes to cook, checking them for tenderness. When the potatoes are tender, turn off the burner, drain, and place back in the cooking pot. Place back on the burner, turned of. Add the non-dairy milk and Earth Balance and begin to mash. Add in the soy sour cream and powders and mash until you reach a desired creaminess. Serve this with your favorite vegan and gluten free gravy!

Roasted Red Pepper and Wine Sauce

2011-10-13T18:00:00.002-04:00

Post number 10 for VeganMoFo.

This is not another post about restaurants in Asheville...although I could continue to post about all of the lovely food. I think you get the point for now. John and I are home, settled in, and have gotten back into cooking. I enjoy eating out, but I prefer meals that we make. Maybe it is because I can always trust our kitchen the most.

We had some red wine in the refrigerator that had been used for cooking and for an occasional glass by John, so I thought I'd use it this week. One of my favorite sauce recipes uses roasted red peppers, shallots, garlic, tomatoes, and wine. I had all of those ingredients and decided to whip up a sauce. The only trouble was that I thought I had the right kind of tomatoes and more wine. Needless to say, this recipe did not come out as good as it normally does. We also had some elephant garlic and a mega shallot. Usually we have smaller garlic cloves and shallots.

Needless to say, I am going to post the recipe the way I usually make and love this dish. Keep in mind that the pictures mirror the what I made this week (with the mega garlic and shallots, less wine, and the wrong kind of tomatoes). Normally, the sauce would be smoother and there would be more of it. I served the sauce over gluten free pasta, with a slice of gluten free/vegan garlic bread, and a spinach salad with turnips and carrots.

Roasted Red Pepper and Wine Sauce

2 tsp of olive oil or olive oil spray
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped small
Small hot pepper, seeds removed and chopped small*
8-12 oz jar of roasted red peppers, chopped fine
1/2 to 1 cup red wine
8 oz of crushed tomatoes, no salt added
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil. Saute' the shallots, garlic, and hot pepper in a skillet until the shallots are translucent. Add the roasted red pepper and cook for a few minutes. Then add the wine and crushed tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Season with pepper and the herbs and cook a few minutes longer. Serve over gluten free pasta.

*If you do not prefer spicy foods, then leave this ingredient out

Asheville Weekend Continued- Laughing Seed

2011-10-12T18:00:00.004-04:00

Post number 9 for VeganMoFo.

Every visit that I have ever had to Asheville has included a trip to Laughing Seed Cafe'. It was among the first all vegetarian restaurants that I had visited. From the first bite, it didn't disappoint. There is usually a wait to be seated, so I'd say they are a pretty popular place. In thinking back through all of the meals I have had, I cannot think of a time where I disliked my food. In fact, I can only remember loving it!

This particular visit was no different and we had a delicious meal. My only complaint is that they have a couple of items marked on their menu as gluten free that are not acceptable for those with Celiac Disease. I plan on sending them a friendly email to inform them of this so that none of their gluten free patrons get sick.

Now that is out of the way.....our meal this past weekend was awesome! John ordered a local beer and I ordered a juice for our drink. The cafe' had several appetizer specials and we ordered the sushi fresh vegetables. With the sushi, they served a homemade pickled ginger. John and I both agreed that it was the best pickled ginger we had ever consumed. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! Unfortunately, we forgot to get a picture of the sushi before we started chowing down.

For our entrees, we ordered the Sloppy Jo which is a sweet and tangy tofu bbq with a tahini mustard sauce. They put the sourdough roll on the side for John and served it with a salad, pickle, and tortilla chips. We also ordered the Shiitake Corn Cakes which are made of organic potato, shiitake mushrooms, corn, and cashews served on a bed of greens with a basil-vinaigrette, hericots verts (green beans), and toasted almonds. This is all topped with their smokey tomato jam and cashew cream.

We had not ordered in the past and our conclusion was that we would order them again. We loved them! I especially enjoyed the corn cakes with the cashew cream and vinaigrette. And I can't forget the toasted almonds. I think I could eat their cashew cream every day! John's favorite was the Sloppy Jo. He liked the tangy bbq flavor and the heartiness of the Jo.

I can hardly wait until our next visit to Laughing Seed!

Asheville Weekend- Firestorm Cafe'

2011-10-11T18:00:00.005-04:00

Post number 8 for VeganMoFo.

Our weekend trips to Asheville are always focused on fitting in as many vegan/vegetarian restaurants as we can during our stay. The city has an abundance of all vegetarian restaurants and even if we ran out of options, many of the omnivore restaurants have vegan options. I am continuously amazed walking around the city and seeing so many restaurant boards that will have *vegan* highlighted.

In an effort to eat in as many of the vegetarian restaurants as we could, we prioritized the places we wanted to visit and it just so happened that we had to miss out on some places. High up in our priority list was Firestorm Cafe' & Books. The fare is mostly vegan with the only non-vegan option on the menu as a dairy milk creamer. Everything else is cruelty-free! They also can serve most of their menu gluten free because they make their own gluten free bread in-house. Yum!

The cafe' carries ome gluten free desserts and we ordered several of those. Oddly enough, we forgot to take pictures of them. Instead they were devoured! We ordered a blondie with chocolate chips and a blueberry coffee cake. They were just heavenly!

As for the meal, we ordered two sandwiches and split. We had the TLT- Tempeh, Lettuce & Tomato and vegan mayonnaise served with salt and pepper chips and the Maple BBQ made up of maple baked tofu, spinach, red onion served with a small salad with Goddess dressing.

They were both scrumptious, just like the menu said they would be! It is hard to say which one I liked more. I love a TLT and I also like baked tofu. The sandwiches were too different to compare. My recommendation would be to order both of them during your visit.

Plant- Vegan Awesomeness in Asheville

2011-10-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

Post number 7 for VeganMoFo.

John and I decided to have a weekend away in Asheville, NC. We found a green B&B that understood vegan/gluten free food and was close to downtown. We booked a room and headed to Asheville on Friday morning. We took our time and left later in the morning. We were not in any hurry to rush. It was out weekend and we wanted to relax. Our first meal in Asheville was dinner on Friday night and we decided that it was time to try Plant, the new vegan restaurant that opened in Asheville in late summer. I had contacted the restaurant in advance and learned that many of their dishes were gluten free. With that confirmation, we were off to have a nice, relaxing evening of delicious cruelty-free fare. I could hardly wait!

The restaurant was easy to find and had a nice modern decor inside. The kitchen was open, so you could see the chefs working tirelessly on their vegan creations. Every seat in the restaurant was taken. We arrived right before the rush and avoided waiting, but I'd recommend reservations in the future. The hostess seated us and provided us with a one page menu and a corresponding drink list.

Now it was on to the good part- VEGAN FOOD! John ordered a local beer and I ordered an iced mint tea. As a starter we ordered the cheese plate. It was composed of the homemade almond cheese with herbs sprinkled on top served with black garlic oil and vinegar, apples, olives, pea shoots (or some kind of small green), and shredded carrots. We were both impressed by the cheese plate. The almond cheese was soft and spreadable. It was delicious on the apple or eaten with the olives. The cheese is versatile enough to be eaten with a sweet or savory accompaniment.

For dinner I ordered the black pepper tofu which came with a jasmine rice and kaffir lime cake and a saute' of zucchini, and exotic mushrooms with spinach on top. I do not know the name of the mushrooms, but I had never had them before. To date they are my favorite mushroom. They had a nice chewy texture and a smooth flavor that is hard to describe. I asked the waitress the name and of course forgot it since. The rice cake was crispy and flavorful and I could have eaten a dozen of them. Luckily, they only put three on my plate!

John had the sweet corn risotto. It was a grilled tempeh with a green chili cream sauce, and a zucchini, cremini, red pepper, and okra mixture (which they called risotto) with spinach on top. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors in his dish. The creme sauce was rich, yet not over powering. It worked well with the "risotto" mixture. He absolutely loved it and wished he had had a full other plate of the delicious entree. I wished the same for mine.

The portions were not large, but we left feeling satisfied and happy. We decided to pass on dessert as we had picked up raw, vegan, gluten free macaroons as the co-op that we wanted to try. We headed out to a local coffee shop and enjoyed a hot cup of apple cider and enjoyed our raw dessert.

The night was a delicious success. I will recommend Plant to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. It is a place for anyone who would like a bit of upscale dining with a lot of flavor and creativity!

Simple Spanish Rice

2011-10-09T12:00:00.000-04:00

Post number 6 for VeganMoFo.

I love rice. It is comforting, filling, and can be somewhat nutritious if you eat brown rice. I enjoy rice warm or cold and find that it pairs well with vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans. It is a versatile grain that is a comfort food for me. One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is a simple dish that my Mom and Grandma made named Spanish rice. I don't know if my Grandma made it up or read about it somewhere, but when she makes it everyone eats it (well, except my Dad.) The simplicity of this rice dish lends it to being able to be easily modified to include additional flavor components. I make it a bit different then my family, so I'll give you my take on the recipe.

Spanish Rice

1 Tbsp of olive oil or vegetable broth for sauteing
1 small onion, diced
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
8 oz can of no salt added tomato sauce
1 cup water or homemade vegetable broth
1 cup of brown minute rice
Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp of garlic powder

Place oil or vegetable broth in a skillet and heat on medium. When the oil is heated add the diced onion and saute' until the onion is translucent. Halfway through the time to cook the onion, add the red pepper flakes, When onions are translucent, add in the can of tomato sauce and cup of water. I usually fill the can up with water and swish it around to get all of the sauce off the sides. Let the sauce come to a boil. Add in minute rice, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder and bring back to a boil with the lid off. When the mixture boils, time it for five minutes. After five minutes, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes. When finished, fluff with fork and serve.

We serve this side with many entrees, but on this particular night we made hard shell tacos with pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, vegan cheese, and served with a salad of red leaf lettuce, carrots, radish, olives, sunflower seeds, and goddess dressing. This meal was filling, delicious, and fast!

Blueberry Almondshake

2011-10-07T08:30:00.001-04:00

Post number 5 for VeganMoFo.

Lately, I have been in a mood for shakes and smoothies. Not the kind with ice cream, syrups, and a lot of fat. I want something healthy and nourishing that adds to my fruit and vegetable intake each day. I find myself getting bored with breakfast and I want a way to liven it up a bit.

We have been experimenting with different flavors and textures. Our experiments have shown me that our regular name-brand blender just isn't cutting the mustard any longer (or in this case, chopping the nuts/seeds/berries/etc). Sure, it is pretty with a silver base, but I need more than looks. I want something that will chop up ice without throwing a fit and scaring the dog. I want a blender than can handle turning seeds or nuts into a flour. I want to have a smoothie or shake without unpleasant chunks.

So, we find ourselves contemplating the Vita-Mix. It is way too pricey for a blender, but I have seen the magic that it can create and I want in! This is, after all, our health that we are investing in. BUT...it is still a lot of money to throw down for a small kitchen appliance. I'll save this debate for another day.

Even though we do not yet own a Vita-Mix, I have been making due with our current blender. This is a recent that I made that proved to be a satisfying and delicious breakfast. I enjoyed drinking a beautiful purple shake. It was delicious to boot!

Blueberry Almondshake

1 c raw almonds
4 dates
2 Tbsp raw sun flower seeds
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cold water (used ice cubes to cool the water)
1 frozen banana
1 quart of frozen or fresh blueberries (fresh are ok if you use ice)

Soak the almonds and dates overnight in water. Blend the almonds, dates, sunflower seeds, vanilla, and the water with ice. Once blended and the sunflower seeds are ground, add in the banana and blueberries. Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Quinoa Loaf

2011-10-06T07:00:00.001-04:00

Post number 4 for VeganMofo.

As the weather gets chilly, I crave heartier foods containing grains or potatoes. I generally do not prefer to have the two in the same meal because they are both starches. John could care less and every once and a while he wins and we have the two together. I feel better when the grain is quinoa because it is such a healthy grain. It is high in manganese, magnesium, iron, protein, and other vitamins and minerals- it is nutritional powerhouse.

With the weather getting a bit cooler, I felt it was time for a quinoa loaf. The recipe for the loaf was adapted from a recipe card that came inside a package of red quinoa that I purchased years ago. The recipe needed a bit of tweaking to get it to our liking and the result is nutty and delicious. To go along with the loaf I made a raw kale salad and purple roasted potatoes. The potatoes have a pretty design when cut open. They almost seemed too pretty to eat, almost. After cooking, the potato seemed to loose the purple, but it is still delicious.

Nutty Quinoa Loaf

3 cups of cooked red quinoa
2 scallions chopped finely
2 Tbsp low sodium tamari
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c chopped pecans
6 Tbsp cashew butter
3 tsp poultry seasoning*
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together. Oil a bread pan and fill with the mixture. Press the mixture into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Enjoy warm.

*Poultry seasoning does not contain meat. It has marjoram, sage, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg

xgfx Pasta Ponza xgfx

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

Post number 3 for VeganMofo!

One of my favorite things to do when I have spare time is watch cooking shows and veganize the recipes. Since going gluten free over a year ago, I now task myself with veganizing and gluten freeing recipes. Those of us that are vegan and gluten free like to call vegan and gluten free foods xgfx.

Half of my heritage is Italian and it can often be challenging to have an Italian xgfx meal. While I can think of some, very few dishes are naturally free of gluten, dairy, and meat products. Instead of becoming discouraged, I try and remake my favorites. Many of those favorites contain pasta. I'll admit it, I love pasta. I grew up with it at the table at almost every Baccari family occasion. When the family learned I had gone vegetarian, the fix was "roni" with butter (roni= macaroni). Since going vegan and then later gluten free, I have had to become a bit more creative.

Our garden this year has been more abundant than years past and has yielded a crop of tomatoes that are going strong. Our sungold tomatoes are still blossoming and yesterday I picked a quart full of ripe tomatoes. In addition, I purchased another variety of tomatoes from the farmers market, knowing this would be one of the last weeks that they were in season. Having so many tomatoes in the house, I thought it was time for a pasta dish that I had veganized years ago. It is a dish created by a Food Network star who feels that butter and cheese are essential to every dish. I disagree. Here is my version of Pasta Ponza.

xgfx Pasta Ponza xgfx

Olive oil spray
4 cups of tomatoes (sungolds, red cherry, grape, or yellow cherry will do)- chopped
1/4 c capers, liquid drained
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
pepper to taste
1/2 c gluten free breadcrumbs*
1 lb of gluten free ziti or short tube pasta
1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, olive oil, and pepper to taste in the baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the GF breadcrumbs* over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with additional olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add gluten free pasta and cook until tender, but still firm. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

pleace the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Thin out the sauce with a little cooking water, if needed. Season with more pepper. Sprinkle parsley and basil over the top and serve.

*To make the breadcrumbs, I ground up gluten free vegan bread and seasoned them with pepper and dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, etc)

Coconut, Curry, Ginger, and Cilantro Vegetables

2011-10-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

VeganMoFo is going strong! Here is post number 2.

If I have not said it before, I will say it now. Asian food is my favorite! Particularly Thai and Vietnamese food. The rich flavors of the herbs and spices they use delight my taste buds. As long as it is vegan and gluten free, I cannot ever imagine passing up a Thai or Vietnamese meal. The thought of ginger, cilantro, mint, Thai basil, rice vinegar, and chilli oils make my mouth water. I love my Italian/Jewish heritage, but for some reason Asian cooking says home to me.

I aspire to make this cuisine as good as you would find in your favorite restaurant. Sometimes I come close and sometimes I fall short. Either way, I keep trying. On a recent occasion, I had a success that I must share. This recipe is rich in ginger, cilantro, scallions, coconut, curry, and some of my favorite vegetables. As long as you use the base of the sauce, any vegetables could work in this recipe. I just happened to use my two favorites in stir fries- mushrooms and broccoli!

Coconut, Curry, Ginger, and Cilantro Vegetables

2 Tbsp vegetable broth (or oil)
6 scallions, chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, grated
2 Tbsp ginger, grated
3/4 c cilantro, leaves chopped
3 c broccoli, florets and stems choppped
2 carrots, chopped
3 bell peppers, chopped (I used red, purple, and yellow here)
3 1/2 c mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp low sodium gluten free Tamari
3/4 c coconut milk (I used lite)
1 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp lime juice

Heat the vegetable stock in wok or skillet until hot. Saute' scallions, garlic, ginger, and cilantro for two minutes. Add broccoli and carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and soy sauce and stir fry another two minutes. Add coconut milk and red curry paste. Stir the vegetables o that the curry dissolved. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Serve over steamed brown rice and enjoy!

(Cilantro, ginger, scallions, and garlic- Yum!)

VeganMoFo Celebration of Autmun- Hearty Potato Soup

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

We find ourselves in the month of October and the start of VeganMoFo. (If you don't know what it is, refer to this post.) VeganMoFo is always held in Autumn and I am delighted since it is my favorite season of the year. I wait for the season each summer with anticipation. Ever since I was a child, I have loved everything that makes up this season. The smell of the fall air, leaves changing, rain, October moons, cooler weather, hearty meals, and sweaters.

I feel that it is fitting that I start off this challenge with a post about a hearty soup to help you celebrate the fall. You will probably find a dozen or more potato soup recipes on the internet and this one might not be all that different from them. I am posting the recipe as it calls to mind what I love most about the season. The cooler weather and heartier foods.

Late September was a particularly busy month and two of my closest friends gave birth to their first child. Knowing that their lives have become extremely busy, we decided to make dinner for each family to help ease their burden. Jessie and Tim have very similar taste to us, so we thought that this soup would be a perfect hearty and healthy dinner as they spend time with their new little angel, Violet. Along with the soup, we made a salad consisting of lettuce, cranberries, and almonds served with a simple vinaigrette.

Hearty Potato Soup

4 large potatoes
2 Tbsp vegan margarine
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
2 tbsp gluten free flour
4 c homemade vegetable stock (if you use one from a store, buy low sodium)
2 c water
4 Tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dried chives
1 c non-dairy milk
Chives or scallions to garnish

Microwave the potatoes until soft enough to mash. Around 5-10 minutes depending on your microwave. Set aside and allow the potatoes to cool.

Melt the margarine in a large saucepan and saute' the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the GF flour and stir to make a roux. Add the stock, water, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the contents. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized chucks. Add half of the chunks to the pan and place the other half into a bowl. Mash the potatoes in the bowl and add them along with the non-dairy milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

Spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with chives or scallions.

I hope you enjoy this soup on a beautiful Autumn day!

VeganMoFo 2011

2011-09-20T18:30:00.002-04:00

Guess what time of year it is? VeganMoFo!

In case you are wondering, VeganMoFo stands for "Vegan Month of Food." The idea is for bloggers to post about vegan food for the month of October. The posts can be anything related to food such as "your love of tongs, your top secret tofu pressing techniques, the first time your mom cooked vegan for you, vegan options in Timbuktu"..

The goal last year was for MoFo'ers to write about 20 times during the month. I do not recall seeing a guideline like that this year, but I am going to make 20 blog posts my goal. And of course, mine will all be vegan AND gluten free. You will be able to find what you are looking for by category here.

Are you interested? If so, sign up here by September 28. Let's get the word out about veganism and how folks how easy, awesome, and beneficial it is our health, the animals, and the planet. You don't even have to be vegan to participate, you just have to dedicate all of your posts to veganism.

I had so much fun posting last year! I cannot wait for October!

Homemade Vegetable Broth

2011-08-29T18:30:00.000-04:00

For many years I purchased organic vegetable broths. These broths can run over $4 for about a quart of liquid. Many are high in sodium and even the ones labeled as "low sodium" have more sodium than I prefer to consume. I could have switched to a cheaper brand, but I would forgo the organic vegetables and gain filler ingredients. I'm not going to say which brand, but this is an ingredient list from a very popular vegetable broth label:

Vegetable Broth (Made from Water and Concentrated Juices of Celery, Celeriac, Onion, and Cabbage), Carrot Juice Contains Less than 2% of: Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Flavoring, Vegetables (Carrots, Onions, Celery), Dextrose, Monosodium Glutamate, Yeast Extract, Sugar, Potato Flour, Citric Acid, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Soy Lecithin, Celery Extract (Soy Lecithin), Dehydrated Carrots.

I am not interested in the high fructose corn syrup, MSG, sugar, disodium guanylate, or disodium isonate. Last I heard vegetable broth just contained vegetables. I was also confused as to why the broth was made from juices rather than cooking down the vegetables. No, this is certainly not an option for me!

Then it dawned on me that I could make vegetable broth for FREE (well, besides the cost of the water). We have been composting for years and so it is no more work to set aside our vegetable tops, bottoms, and skins. I just save them in the fridge until I gather enough for a large pot. I keep out vegetables that I think will overpower the broth, such as beets. I love adding adding ginger root skins and lemon peel for added flavor! I do not add any salt to the broth.

Many of my friends have asked me to explain how I make my virtually free vegetable broth. Here it is!

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Tops, bottoms, and skins (enough to fill a large soup pot)
Water
Fresh or dried herbs (optional)
2 fresh or dried bay leaves

Place the tops/bottoms/skins in a large soup pot and fill with water just to cover the top of the vegetables. Place in herbs and bay leaves. Heat over medium high and bring to a boil. When the contents boil, turn down to a low simmer, and cover with a vented lid. If you don't have a vented lid, tilt the lid so that some of the steam can escape. Let the broth simmer for about 45 minutes. When 45 minutes is up, you will have a rich dark broth. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. When cooled, strain and store. The broth will last about two weeks in the fridge. For a longer life, place in the freezer and defrost when needed. Don't forget to compost the strained vegetables!

And there you have it- virtually free and healthy vegetable broth! The broth will last about two weeks in the refrigerator or for several months in the freezer.

Letters for Violet

2011-08-26T18:30:00.001-04:00

As I have mentioned in previous posts, this is the year of babies for many of our friends. Two weeks after co-hosting the shower Craig and Rebecca, I co-hosted a shower/potluck for Jessie and Tim. I plan to blog about the shower later, but I need to get my hands on pictures first. In the meantime, this blog is about part of the baby gift.

Jessie and Tim are expecting a baby girl at the end of September and I wanted to make something special. Since meeting this lovely couple, we have become extremely close. Jessie is the long-lost friend that I had been searching for, but never knew I was missing. When I met her, I felt an instant connection and it didn't take long for us to get to know each other. I was so ecstatic for the two when they found out that Jessie was pregnant. This was their dream come true and I instantly knew they were having a girl (no one believed me)! :-)

Well, as luck would have it the tests showed that Jessie was in fact carrying a little girl and her name is Violet. As part of the gift, I thought that letters would be fitting. Jessie is like me and isn't a fan of pink, so I wanted to keep these letters relatively pink-free (I'm pretty sure Tim isn't a fan of pink either)! When I thought about the letters, I considered that the two like the outdoors and animals. So, I decided to create letters with a cartoon outdoor theme including friendly looking bugs and birds.

In hindsight there are some aspects of the letters that I would have changed, but overall I'm pleased with how they turned out. Jessie and Tim seem to really enjoy the letters and that makes me happy! Someday little Violet will learn to spell her beautiful name and she can use my letters as a guide.

Congratulations Jessie and Tim!

Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

2011-08-17T18:30:00.002-04:00

I have posted about risotto before and felt that it was worthy enough for another post. To me, risotto is comfort food. When I think of it, I think of a cold winter night and a steaming hot bowl of vegetable risotto to warm me up. Why would I have a post about this now? Well, it also works as a summer dish as so many vegetables are in abundance during this time of the year.

One of my recent creations was a mushroom and asparagus risotto. Risotto sounds complicated, but is simple to make. It just takes a little bit of time, but once you have the method down it is easy to do. I got out the homemade veggie broth (a post about that to come in the near future) and got to work.

Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

2 Tbs olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
1 bunch of asparagus
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 c of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbs chopped parsley
1 Tbs of basil (fresh or dried is ok)
1 Tsp chopped rosemary (dried)
4 c of homemade vegetable stock
1 c of Arborio rice
1/4 c white wine
1/4 c pine nuts
Ground black pepper

Place the oil in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the asparagus and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and herbs and saute about 3-4 minutes, enough for the mushrooms to get soft. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the meantime, heat the vegetable stock in a separate pan. Make sure not to boil the broth, but get it hot. Using the pan that you used for the vegetables, place the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat to medium-high. When heated, add the rice and stir until it begins to brown lightly. Begin to add the stock one ladle at a time (about a half a cup). Allow the rice to absorb the broth completely before adding another ladle of broth. Make sure to stir frequently so that the rice does not stick. Before adding the second ladle, add the wine and continue the process. It should take about 35 minutes until the broth is fully absorbed and the rice is creamy.

While cooking the rice, heat a small pan on over medium heat and add the pine nuts to the dry pan. Make sure to stir the nuts constantly so that they brown evenly. It should take about 3 minutes. When the pine nuts smell fragrant and they are toasted, remove them from the heat.

Now that the rice is finished, add in the vegetables and stir. Sprinkle in the toasted pine nuts and ground pepper and stir. Serve with a little fresh parsley on top.

Shower Celebration for Craig and Rebecca

2011-08-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

2011 has been the year of babies, especially among my friends. Five of my friends and my sister-in-law are due/have given birth this year. So many babies and with that comes baby showers. You might be surprised to know that I actually like baby showers. I tend to prefer showers that include both the Mom and Dad-to-be and have coed guests. I find it fun to have the male perspective at these things, it adds a bit of excitement!

Two of my cute pregnant friends- Jessie and Rebecca

Two weekends ago, I had the honor of co-hosting a shower for two close friends- Craig and Rebecca. We met them years ago at a walk for climate change. We were attracted to them through their adorable boxer mix, Rosie. Once we pet Ms. Rosie, we were hooked and spent the rest of the day with Craig, Rebecca, and Rosie. Through the years, we have fostered a close friendship and I was so happy for the two when they announced that they were pregnant. They are caring and sweet people and I wanted to celebrate them!

On the day of the shower, they were blessed to have about 40-some friends and family to help welcome their bun in the oven. It was a lovely, hot day! Thankfully, we decided to have the shower indoors. I'm not sure that 105 would have been bearable. Also, my cupcakes would have melted!

Rebecca and Craig opening presents

I worked with Rebecca's sister to make this day special for the parents-to-be. We had food, games, decorations, and presents. I was in charge of all of the food and the cupcakes. Per Rebecca's request, the event was all vegan. This worked out well for me, since I'm vegan. :-) The food was a hit and I was glad to be able to show folks that vegan food can be delicious and filling. I was especially proud of my gluten free/vegan cupcakes. Guests could hardly believe that they were sans animal products and gluten.

My gluten free, vegan cupcakes were a hit!

It is about a month away until they will welcome their new little boy and I couldn't be happier for the two of them. They deserve all of the joy that their new little boy will bring them. Congratulations Craig and Rebecca!

This weekend I'm co-hosting another shower (potluck style) for Jessie and Tim. Blog post to come soon.

Fresh Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Pasta

2011-07-12T18:30:00.001-04:00

It is summer and the farmers markets are filled with sun-ripened, organic tomatoes. It is hard to pass up the beautiful tomatoes each week. Even at $3 a pound, we still indulge. There really is nothing like a fresh grown tomato from the garden or the farmers market. When I come across someone who claims to dislike tomatoes, I usually ask them if they have tasted a tomato straight from a garden. The answer almost always a no. The flavor is just so different than a tomato from the grocery store. There really is no comparison.

Each week, we buy a bunch of tomatoes and savor each bite. Recently, we decided that we would make an old Italian favorite of ours. We love this dish it for the simplicity and freshness. It involves only a few ingredients and I probably change the proportions and ingredients each time I make it. There really is no wrong way to make this dish. We usually enjoy this pasta dish with a fresh spinach salad including seeds and various nuts.

Fresh Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Pasta

8 oz box of gluten free spaghetti
4 or 5 tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
10-15 basil leaves
10 leaves or oregano
Fresh ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. In the meantime, place the olive oil in a small skillet and let it warm over medium heat. When warm, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let the simmer for about 5 minutes. Make sure that the garlic does not burn, so watch carefully. Turn the heat off and let the flavors sit while waiting for the pasta to finish.

Stack the basil and oregano and chiffonade (you could chop here, but I prefer to chiffonade herbs).

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and place in a bowl. Mix in the chopped tomatoes, olive oil mixture, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the herbs and serve.

Meet Mr. Ollie!

2011-06-23T18:00:00.001-04:00

I mentioned in a previous post that we've been busy the past couple of months. One of the things that has been keeping us busy is our newly adopted furry companion named Ollie. Mr. Ollie was recently featured as the Pet of the Week over on the EtsyVeg blog. I'm also posting the interview below.

Meet Ollie Newman-Mitchell. He is a companion dog to Amanda Newman of Newman Improved.

What is your pet's name, birthday, sex, breed?
His name is Ollie and he is a about six years old. We don't know his birthday as he was rescued. His a male Treeing Walker Coonhound.

Where/how did you come up with their name?
When we got him, his name was Johnny. Unfortunately, my husband’s name is John and while we thought Johnny was a cute name, we thought it would be confusing. We thought a lot about his name and it took us a week after we adopted him to rename him. We wanted a name with an “ie” sound. We asked friends to submit suggestions and finally settled on Ollie. My cousin came up with the name because we were out at dinner and I had olive oil on my food.

How did you meet your pet? Were they Adopted, rescued or other?
We met him through the Independent Animal Rescue of Durham. We donate money to IAR and would often stop by to see the dogs available for adoption. We had been talking about getting a dog for years and one day came across this sweet face.

Ollie’s face was a bit too hard to resist and we had to contact IAR. He was lucky enough to have been found by a Rhonda and Todd who have rescued and adopted out many dogs. Rhonda and Todd gave him a great new start! Before being rescued, Ollie’s past was filled with what I can only imagine is sadness and void of love. He approaches most new situations with fear and hesitation. He has the branding on his ear to show us he was used by a hunter. As two vegans, we thought it would be symbolic of us to rescue a hunting dog and to give him a life of love.

Our furry friend has obviously had much abuse in his life as he is scared of so many things, he doesn’t seem to fit many of the characteristics associated with his breed. Noises tend to scare him more so than the average dog. And when the thunderstorms come, it is likely that he will be incapacitated in a closet for the whole day without any bathroom breaks.

In the beginning, it was a challenge to get him to eat and to come to us. I could tell he loved us by his sniffs and tail wags, but he always had a hesitation about him. He had a hard time making eye contact. With each week, we notice improvement and work with him daily. He has a sweet soul and a gentle spirit. We don’t want to give up on him and have begun work with a trainer to help make his life more enjoyable.

What are your pet’s favorite toys, foods, snacks, activities?
He doesn’t really like toys all that much and I think that part of that is that hunters don’t allow their animals to play with toys so that they don’t want them to play with the catch. We keep trying with toys and hope that he’ll find his playful side. He LOVES vegan wet food (yep, he is a vegan like we are and it is perfectly healthy for a dog). We have been delighted lately to learn that he will take treats when in the mood.

What are some things you enjoy doing with your pet?
I enjoy walking with him, cuddling, rubbing his belly, and hugging him. He seems to like (or at least he pretends) when I cuddle and rub him. :-)

Do you take them to parks or to see people? He is such a good boy and does well with other dogs. He is so afraid of the car, and we are working on that, so we often times ask our friends to bring their dogs to our house. He seems to enjoy other dogs and people. We have ventured out to the dog park on several occasions. He seems to enjoy himself, but doesn’t spend much time running around. He spends a lot of time at my side and others who will pet him. In time, I think he’ll warm up to the dog park.

Do you take your pet on vacations with you?
Yes, we do! If it is within driving distance and no one is allergic, we take him with us.

Does your pet have any special tricks or unique habits?
He is funny in that he never sits. He usually stands or lies down. Every once and a while he will sit and when he does we praise him. I’m assuming he was never taught to sit as a pup.

How does your pet like going to the vet? Do s/he *know* when it's time to see the vet & hide, or do they enjoy the extra attention? He is new to our family and has recently been to the vet, so I’m not sure. He doesn’t like a lot of people or crowed places, so I guess it depends on if there is a lot of activity at the vet. We are going to take him in July.

How do your family members get along with the pet? I don’t think anyone could ever NOT get along with him. He is very calm and chill. He has won the hearts of most everyone who meets him.

Do you spoil your pet?
Sometimes! We feel so guilty about his past and we want to make him happy. We are just so happy to see progress in him.

What's the most important/special thing your pet adds to your life?
He brings me happiness when I see his tail wag or when he gently comes up to me to sniff me. John and I often feel frustrated with some of his behaviors, but we never take it out on him as we know it isn’t his fault. It is slowly teaching me patience and unconditional love.

I'm Still Here!

2011-06-15T18:00:00.001-04:00

It has been a busy couple of months complete with my John getting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, adoption of a dog, and a family vacation. I'm still here and have many things to blog about. We have continued to cook and to create. It is just finding the time to sit down and blog that is the trouble. I promise I'll be back soon.

In the meantime....HAPPY SUMMER!

Meatless Monday, Earth Day, and Good Friday!

2011-04-22T15:27:00.006-04:00

Today is Earth Day and Good Friday. It is appropriate that they fall on the same day. It is also the day that the Triangle Meatless Monday initiative begins! A group of us have been working hard to get this initiative going here in the Raleigh-Durham area. The most credit goes to Ms. Eleni Vlachos who has worked tirelessly to bring this all to life.

And...here we are! We have done it! There are over 100 pledges to go Meatless on Mondays and many area restaurants are participating. Our list of places are growing as volunteers work to get businesses on board.

If you are wondering what it is, we are asking people to take a pledge to go Meatless each Monday. To make it easier for you, we have invited Triangle area restaurants to participate by offering a meatless, vegan dish on Mondays. Going meatless one day a week has so many benefits to you, the environment, and animals. Going meatless may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. It helps you reduce your carbon footprint. Go to the website and you can read more about the benefits.

I hope you'll hop on over to the website and take the pledge to go meatless on Mondays. It is such a small commitment for such a large impact.

Letters for Baby Izzy

2011-04-08T23:00:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned in previous posts that many of my friends are having babies in 2011. I'm so excited for all of them! I can't wait to welcome all of their little ones into the world.

I made letters for Baby Zach, who will be here very soon, and presented them to Kelly in February. I also made letters for Baby Izzy (short for Isadora), who will be here in late June, and presented them to Diana and Jason last weekend.

As always, I had so much fun thinking up an idea and painting each letter. Instead of a theme, Diana said that coral as the main color. I got my hands on a picture of the crib sheets and bedspread and got to work. The coral colored bedspread had small flowers in orange, brown, peach, and magenta. The pattern made me think of spring and that led me to butterflies, dragonflies, flowers, and ladybugs all in that same color pattern.

Here is the result! I hope Diana and Jason liked them (I think they did)!

Vegan. Gluten Free. XGFX.

2011-03-28T21:30:00.001-04:00

I'm now part of a gluten free and vegan blogging community called Vegan. Gluten Free. XGFX. This community was started as a resource for those of us who are gluten free and vegan. There are many vegan and many gf blogs, but this community is made of folks who are always gluten free and always vegan.

Please come and visit us whether you are gluten free, vegan, both, or neither. Most of you know someone who is at least one of those things. Come on over and check out our awesome xgfx blogging community. I'm so happy to be part of this supportive and understanding group of bloggers!

Cashew "Cheese"

2011-03-25T18:15:00.001-04:00

I’m a bit nutty and that might be why I like nuts so much. While I’ve eaten them my whole life, I never went far beyond the peanut until the past five or so years. Sure, I would consume mixed nuts at a party, but I never used them in cooking. Along the way, they became a larger part of my diet. Early on, I'm not sure I realized the wonderful nutritional benefits that they offered, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamin E, plant sterols, and so on. They are also rich in unsaturated fats, unlike milk, eggs, and meat (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nuts/HB00085/NSECTIONGROUP=2). Unless you are allergic, there is no reason they shouldn’t be a normal part of your diet.

Cashews are among my favorite nut and if I don’t watch myself, I can eat too many in one sitting. While nuts are healthful, they contain fat and I try not to consume an overabundance of fat in my diet. This is pretty easy since I’m vegan!

Some of my favorite ways to enjoy cashews is to add to cooked dishes, granola, oatmeal, and cereals. Every once and a while, I want the cashew to be the star of the show and when that is the case I dine on cashew cheese. There are probably hundreds of recipes for cashew cheese and if I repeat one here, it is by coincidence only. I’ve combined elements of cashew cheeses that I’ve had in the past to come up with the following recipe. I served it at a recent event and it was a hit!

Cashew Cheese

2 cups of raw cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours (if you need them quicker, you can go with at least 30 minutes)
¼ cup of water- use more or less depending on consistency.
¼ cup of lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
¼ cup nutritional yeast
Tahini to taste
½ tsp of salt or less to taste- I prefer less
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of chili powder

Drain the cashews and place them into the bowl of the food processor along with the clove of garlic and nutritional yeast. Pour half of the water, lemon juice, tahini, and blend. Add more water as needed for consistency and more lemon juice for taste. When it has almost reached the desired consistency add the ground pepper, salt, paprika, and chili powder. Give the cheese a final blend while being careful not to over process. The cheese should be smooth with texture. Taste and add more spices as needed.

Chill for about a half hour, or until ready to use. Serve with gluten free crackers or vegetables and enjoy!

Pickled Sunchokes? What's a Sunchoke?

2011-03-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

We have been buying sunchokes, also known as a Jerusalem artichoke, from our farmers market. It is a small root vegetable that looks like a cross between ginger root and a potato. I recently learned that it is neither from Jerusalem nor is an artichoke. The sunchoke is native to the United States and is a knobby tuber that comes from the root of a plant called Helianthus tuberosus. This tuber is healthy as it is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus, thiamine, iron, and potassium.

As a child, my Mom would buy sunchokes and we would snack on them raw or in a salad. This tuber has a very different flavor raw than it does cooked. When eaten raw it resembles the flavor of jicama, although not as watery, and a sweet turnip. When cooked, it resembles the flavor of a white potato. It is delicious!

Over the years, my Mom would bring up the sunchoke and I searched for the choke with no avail. When I came across sunchokes at the Durham farmers market, I was ecstatic to have them back in my life again. Piedmont Biofarm, one of my favorite local farms, had them in their booth one warm Saturday. I was so delighted to see the root after all of these years. John had never heard of them, but was willing to give them a taste.

We both loved their flavor and continued to buy them and add them to salad for a bit of crunch. Piedmont Biofarm was even nice enough to suggest a new way to eat the sunchoke by sauteing them with some olive oil and onion. We followed their advise and were not disappointed.

Recently, I came across a recipe to pickle the choke. I like cucumbers, okra, beans, and peppers pickled and I thought a sunchoke would be just as delightful pickled. I didn’t much care for the recipe that I found so, I used the recipe as a guideline and made up my own.

Sunchokes (about a pound and a half to two pounds)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 ¾ cup of distilled white vinegar
1 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
¾ c water
½ Tbsp of whole mustard seeds
1/8 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
½ onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Mix the lemon juice in a bowl of cool water (the sunchokes will rest in here, so make sure the bowl is big enough to hold the chokes). Peel the sunchokes and cut into rounds. Transfer as cut to lemon water.

Bring vinegar, salt, water, mustard seeds, turmeric, and cayenne to boil in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Cool brine to room temperature.

Cook sunchokes and onion in a large pot of boiling water for several minutes until tender. Drain and let sit to cool. Put vegetables in a glass/ceramic bowl or Mason jar and pour brine over them. Make sure that the veggies are submerged and chill. Stir once or twice a day and allow them to marinate for at least 1 week (to allow flavors to develop). You can start snacking on them whenever you like, but the longer they are in the brine, the better they will taste.

The end result is a homemade, crunchy pickle that makes a great snack!

Birthday Link Love

2011-03-07T18:00:00.001-05:00

Last week Deanna over at The Mommy Bowl was kind enough to shout out to her followers to send her vegan and gluten free recipes to share on her blog. It was her Birthday and she wanted to give back. It just so happened that we share a Birthday week. As a treat for myself, I submitted my last blog post and she accepted me. Yay!

It has been nice to connect with other gluten free, vegan bloggers. The support has been so crucial to my current success of being gluten free for five and a half months. The first thing that I learned as a gluten free, vegan is that you NEED support from others like you.

So a B-I-G thanks to Deanna! I appreciate the Birthday Link Love! :-)

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce

2011-02-26T23:05:00.000-05:00

Tomato sauce was part of my life and family gatherings as far back as I can remember. As a child, I didn't like tomato sauce and my grandma (Ma) would make me noodles or gnocchi with butter. I am not sure when I started to like sauce, but it is now one of my favorites. My Mom and Ma make their own slow cooked sauce (you probably already guessed they are Italian). The slow cooked sauce is great, but I also enjoy a quicker cooking sauce.

I never had bottled sauces until I left home and went to college. It was quicker and I didn't want to deal with the fuss of making sauce from scratch. By the time I got to graduate school, I realized that bottled sauces were not for me any longer. They are high in sodium, sugar, and contain unneeded ingredients. In an effort to cut out more processed foods, I cut out the bottled sauces. I quickly learned that making sauce does not have to be expensive and time consuming. The main ingredients are readily available in any grocery store and are affordable. One can make a quick sauce with plain, no salt added tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, sauteed onions, garlic, and spices.

If you are not a fan of canned tomatoes or want to go fresh, a quick sauce is still a delicious option. Organic tomatoes are available in most grocery stores and farmers markets and can easily be roasted and turned into a quick sauce. A sauce containing organic and roasted tomatoes is one of our favorite sauces to serve over gluten free pasta. The following dish is served with a fresh salad.

Three lbs tomatoes
1/2 onion, cut in half and sliced
2 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp dried thyme (if fresh, use more)
1/2 tsp basil (if fresh, use more)
1/2 tsp oregano (if fresh, use more)
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the core. Place the tomatoes face down on a rimmed baking sheet. Peel and crush the garlic cloves and add them to the sheet along with the onions and carrots. Sprinkle the spices over the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until they are tender, about 45 minutes.

When the vegetables are finished roasting, remove them from the oven and use tongs to place the vegetables and juices into a food processor or blender. Pulse several times until the sauce has reached the desired consistency. Serve warm over your favorite gluten free pasta and enjoy!

Homemade Letters For Baby Zach

2011-02-15T18:00:00.010-05:00

All of our nephews and niece have received name letters with hand painted designs by me. I usually use the theme of the baby room. If a theme has not been designated, then I paint what I like for them. I like the letters because is something they can play with or keep displayed. My hope is that it will help them to learn how to spell their names. Here are some examples of some that I have made. I haven’t taken pictures of all of them and I wish I would have!

It seems like 2011 is the year for babies. Many of my friends and some family members are pregnant. I know of at least six women who are pregnant right now. It is an exciting time! One of the first due is Kelly and she is having a baby boy named Zach. The theme for his room is monkeys and I couldn’t resist drawing monkey themed letters for his room. I had so much fun painting the letters for him.

This past weekend was Kelly's shower and it was fun to celebrate Kelly becoming a new Mom. I was delighted that Kelly and Jed (her fiancé) liked the letters. They even inspired Jed to start thinking about painting a mural in Zach’s room! Every little kid should have art in their life!

Kelly encouraged me to continue to create and wondered why she hadn’t seen art from me before in our friendship. As I thought about it I also wondered myself. Sometimes I am surrounded by other people who create and I feel there is no room for me. As a teenager and young adult, I used to spend hours drawing in my sketch books. The older I get, the less I crack open my sketch book and pick up an art utensil. Part of the trouble is the doubt that I succumb too as I tell myself that I am not any good. In reality, it doesn’t matter if I have any talent. It is something that brings me joy and I should do it without reservation and without judgment. I should do it for the peace that it brings me.

To those of you that have the same reservations, I hope you will find inspiration in your life for art. Thanks, Kelly!

Chocolate Lavender Cake by Wholesome Chow

2011-02-01T21:50:00.002-05:00

It is a new year and over the past four months, I have become a new me. More like an improved me. I hope to change my blog up a bit with a redesign, fresh image and logo, etc. One of the changes is to add a review of vegan and gluten free products. I am not sure a blog is the best place to do this. Maybe I should start a dedicated blog for this? Or maybe even a website?

I don't want to wait to make a decision before I highlight an awesome company that I came across last year. The company is Wholesome Chow and they make vegan decadent baking mixes. They use all-natural and organic ingredients. They are allergen friendly by excluding eggs, dairy/casein, and peanut/nut from their products. They even have a gluten free line of mixes!

I don't remember how I stumbled upon this company, but I am delighted that I did! During one of their sales, I purchased three gluten free baking mixes. Below is a picture of their new package design. I love the design and the best part is that their packaging is compostable!

John's birthday was in early January and I decided to make him a cake. Normally I would make a cake from scratch, but GF baking is still a bit of a challenge and an experiment. I have realized that it is ok to have help from mixes. Especially ones that don't contain chemicals, additives, coloring, high fructose corn syrup, and animal products. I can stand behind organic, vegan, and gluten free. So, why not?

I made the Chocolate Lavender cake and a homemade rich chocolate frosting. I served it to John (of course!) and my parents (who aren't vegan). My Dad would not try it because it was the dreaded v-word! That just meant more for me, John, and my Mom. Good thing for us because we all loved the flavor and consistency. The cake was light in texture, rich in flavor, and moist. The lavender was a perfect pairing with the chocolate. I had never had the combination before, but I most certainly want it again. The most exciting part was that the cake did not taste GF at all. Instead, it tasted like a normal and delicious cake! This may not seem like much to most, but many GF baked goods taste nothing like the original baked goods they attempt to mirror. They taste grainy, starchy, and crunchy. This cake was nothing like that and gave me hope. Maybe GF, vegan baking isn't so bad?

The only thing I would have changed was the flavor of the frosting, which was all my doing. It worked well with the cake, but a vanilla lemon icing would be perfect for this cake. I could see the chocolate, lavender, lemon, vanilla flavoring at a summer or spring gathering. I think I'll have to buy this mix again and try my icing idea.

Lucky for me, I have two more mixes to try. Now, I just need a special occasion to try them- OR- maybe not! :-) If you are looking for a GF, vegan cake mix (or just a vegan cake mix), I recommend stopping by the Wholesome Chow website and placing an order today!

Luna's Living Kitchen In Charlotte

2011-01-24T23:23:00.000-05:00

John and I spent a couple of days in Charlotte around Christmas before heading to New York to see my family. While our visit in Charlotte was quick, we were able to have a meal from Luna's Living Kitchen. John and his Dad headed to South Boulevard one evening to pick us up a healthy and delicious dinner. They arrived back home with three compostable boxes filled with vegan and raw goods.

Luna's is an all raw and vegan restaurant that uses local and organic food. Since hearing of this restaurant, I have been enticed. We do not have a place like this in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and I am envious of the Charlotteans that have access to this place on a daily basis. Having lived in Charlotte, I never expected that they would get a raw vegan restaurant. Especially not before this area.

The three gluten free meals that we tried exceeded my expectations. We shared the meal with John's parents, who also enjoyed the fare. Each dish had a depth of richness that you might not believe it possible from raw food. I am always amazed when I consume well-made raw meals because such care is put into the layers of flavors, presentation, color, and richness. The time and attention to each detail of Luna's meals was impressive and kept me wanting more of the heavenly flavors. The food was so rich in vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and protein that I felt an appropriate level of fullness and satisfaction when we finished. I have found that it is hard to overeat when dinning on raw foods. Even if one were to overeat, it would be on healthful foods that power your body instead of those that are filled with saturated fats, sugar, oils, and animal proteins that take away from your body.

Pictured in the order they appear in the bullet list below.

The three dishes on the menu that we tried were:

Lunasagna- Layers of zucchini noodles served with sun dried tomato sauce, spinach, crimini mushrooms, and a green cashew cheese.
Freestyle Wrap- Vegetables , sheered cabbage with almond sauce and a cashew crumbs wrapped in collard leaves
Nasturtium Heaven- Local greens served with salsa verde, sunflower pate, and veggie rice on nasturtium leaves.

While I loved all three of the dishes, my favorite was the Lunasagna. The green cashew cheese against the sun dried tomato sauce worked perfectly together. While I love vegan lasagna that is cooked, this lasagna was even better. It was pleasing both to my eye and mouth. Each bite was a burst of layered flavor. The thought of this dish makes my mouth water.

In addition to being impressed by the taste and presentation, I was delighted that many dishes on the menu are gluten free. The staff had an impressive knowledge of their menu and the items that did and did not contain gluten. It felt good to partake in a meal from a restuarant where I didn't have to worry about accidentally eating gluten.

Next time we visit Charlotte, we are sure to visit Luna's Living Kitchen. I am excited to try all of the gluten free options on the menu as well as the teas, juices, smoothies, and treats that they have to offer. I was impressed that this dinner was able to satisfy the palates of two vegans and two omnivores. If you are ever in Charlotte, I recommend stopping in for a meal!

A Long Lasting New Years Resolution

2011-01-11T18:00:00.005-05:00

It is the time of year again for New Years resolutions. They are made and then often quickly broken. I normally don't make New Years resolutions as nothing could live up to the resolution that I made 17 years ago.

In early 1994, I decided to make a resolution to give up meat and become vegetarian. This was all before I was even aware what it meant to go vegetarian. The Internet was still new to our house and I certainly did not get online and research the subject. I just felt a calling from God to be vegetarian and to fight against the suffering of other living creatures. The 14-year-old Amanda decided that she was in charge of the food she ate and that meant that her meals would no longer cause animals to suffer and die.

I started gradually by giving up processed meats, then red meat, then lastly poultry and fish/seafood. This was a shock to my whole family. I think they felt like it came out of no where. At the time I was not an animal lover (those who know me now, know how crazy I am about animals!). I just knew this was what I had to do. I felt immense guilt every time I consumed an animal and imagined the pain and suffering it endured. I couldn't live with that death in my body or on my hands. I felt something I might have never felt before, compassion.

This was hard to defend for a teenage girl with raging emotions. My parents were tame and accepted my new life quickly. My extended family.......is another story! In time they became some what supportive, but I still find myself defending my views during every visit. The first holiday with them after becoming vegetarian was a nightmare. Meat was waved in my face, there was name calling, and accusations.

I'm not a quitter and I pushed through the ridicule and grew stronger in my views. Many said it wouldn't last. That it was a fad that would fade in college, if I even made it that long. They were all wrong! I only got stronger in my views. In college, and more so in graduate school, I began contemplating veganism. I read all about eggs and dairy and saw that vegetarian meals weren't as cruelty free as I had thought. There was still death and suffering on my hands. I knew it was the right thing for me to progress to veganism, but it took me a while to get there.

So, I find myself in present day as a gluten free vegan.

As I contemplate other New Years resolutions, I can't think of one that I could feel this passionate about or show this much commitment. My resolution from 17 years ago still benefits my health, the environment, and animals.

Here is to powerful and long-lasting New Years resolutions!

Stuffed Artichoke Goodness

2011-01-06T08:00:00.005-05:00

Many find the task of making fresh artichokes daunting and for good reason. Trimming, clipping, and scrapping out the choke is not the most riveting thing one can do in the kitchen. It is tedious, prickly, and takes a while. The reason I engage in this almost torturous activity is because few things can compare the sweet and rich result of a freshly made artichoke. Sure, the premade ones in the store are good, but they don't even hold a candle to freshly made artichokes. Just thinking of the sweet choke center makes my mouth water.

I grew up eating artichokes, both jarred and fresh. We had them on pizza, in salads, in pasta, and made them fresh. One of my favorite dinners was when my Mom would make stuffed artichokes for the two of us (my Dad wouldn't touch them). I thought the prep took a while, but I loved the end result! Sometimes we would even dip the stuffed leaves in a buttery Parmesan mix.

John also shares my love of the choke. When I became gluten free, I was sad that I would have to forgo the stuffed choke. Then one day an idea popped into my head. I had horrid gf rice tortillas in the fridge that I couldn't stomach on their own. They were nothing like a tortilla should be and were too firm to roll up for a burrito or enchilada. Instead of throwing them out, I decided to make bread crumbs. I didn't have to wait for them to get stale as they already had that quality. I got out the coffee grinder and ground up the tortillas. And to my delight, the "bread" crumbs tasted a lot better then the whole tortilla.

Stuffed and Steamed Artichokes

2 cups of gf breadcrumbs (see note above)
3 medium sized garlic gloves, minced
Ground black pepper
Dried Italian spices
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large artichokes

Prepare the stuffing for the artichokes by mixing breadcrumbs, garlic, pepper, spices, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl. Save the cut lemon to rub on the cut artichokes.

Fill a large soup pot with an inch of water. Squeeze in 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Place the steamer basket in the pot and bring the water to a boil.

Now on to the chokes. Wash each choke in cool water. Trim an inch of the top of each choke. After each cut, rub the lemon on the cut choke to prevent browning. Use a spoon remove the center of the choke. The point is to remove the prickly hard leaves and the hairy stuff right above the heart of the choke. It will take a while, but keep digging! Next trim the stem off the bottom and rub the lemon across the cut to prevent browning. Compost all of your clippings.

Spread the leaves out so that they can easily be stuffed. Place the stuffing mixture into the center of each choke and within the spread leaves. Once you have stuffed all of the chokes, please them stem side down into the boiling steamer and place a lid on the pot. It will take about 15 to 30 minutes to steam you choke, depending on the size.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Vintage Dresses on Etsy

2011-01-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

Over the past few months, I have been trying to update my Etsy store. I am slowly adding products to and working on creating others. One of the things that I need to improve is the quality of the photos for the shop. It is hard to capture the essence of some of my pieces. It is a work in progress and I am on the look out for help and tips.

Recently, I have added several vintage dresses and aprons. The most recent additions were two dresses from the 1980's. Below is one of the examples.

Please stop by Newman Improved to see the other vintage dresses and aprons for sale.

Thanks for looking!

Thanksgiving Visit From Family

2010-12-21T10:15:00.004-05:00

I have mentioned before that I love being an Aunt, but I'll say it again. I love being an Aunt! We currently have five nephews and one niece. They are all such wonderful kids and we enjoy spending time with them. We are in the great position of getting to have all of the fun without all of the work!

It is a true delight any time we get to spend time with them. This Thanksgiving my brother David, his wife Rhea, and our niece Helena came for a visit. We were fortunate enough to have a full week with with them.

Every time I see Helena, I amazed by her ability to make everyone smile. She greeted us all with a hug and kiss. It had been a year since she had seen us, but she acted as though we saw her everyday. She warmed my heart. The whole week of the visit she passed herself back and forth to all of us to be held and hugged.

The sweet echo of her voice pronouncing my name will forever be ingrained in my memory...."Minda."

Vegan Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-18T13:53:00.007-05:00

For the past three years, John and I have attended the Triangle Vegetarian Society vegan Thanksgiving at Cafe' Parizade in Durham, NC. It is the largest vegan Thanksgiving celebration in the country. This year, we welcomed over 800 guests.

We had the pleasure of sitting with 12 of our friends, including three omnivores! To my delight, the three loved the food. It was proof that one can have a cruelty free gourmet meal and truly enjoy the experience. This event didn't turn them into vegetarians, but I know that it raised their awareness of vegan food and compassion towards animals.

This Thanksgiving marked the first year that I would attend as a gluten freer. I contacted the organizer several months beforehand and learned that they planned to have many GF dishes. As luck would have it, they were also going to mark the dishes that were GF. I was touched by the care and concern that was put into the preparation and the marking of the food. I am truly thankful to Dilip Barman and Cafe' Parizade. Check out the lovely menu that they put together. As usual, the food was amazing and I had so many tasty options. I enjoyed everything that I tried and even went back for seconds. My favorite item this year was the collard chips. They were crispy, simple, and delicious! My second favorite dish was the quinoa stuffed mushroom caps.

We always follow up this meal with a trip to see my parents and sometimes other family and friends. The emphasis becomes less about a dead turkey carcass and more about family and giving thanks. Which is, after all, the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

This year I am thankful for living in a community that is open enough to have a cruelty free Thanksgiving, a family that supports me and John in our veganism and my gluten free journey, great friendships, my family, strong support system of vegan friends, many evenings of laughter and smiles, and a wonderful husband.

Food To Celebrate A Jewish Heritage

2010-12-14T22:30:00.005-05:00

It is the time of year where I am cold and I want something comforting. We have been on a potato kick lately eating sweet, white, and yellow potatoes. Since white potatoes are on the Dirty Dozen list we buy them organic. If we can also get them from a local farmer, it is a major plus!

My Dad's side of the family is Jewish and while I was not raised religiously Jewish, I still consider it an important part of my heritage. I spent years trying to hide this because I went to an extremely bigoted school as a child. For many years, I cringed at the sound of my last name- Newman. I was so afraid the kids in my school would find out and I would be teased like the other "different kids."

If you were not anglo or catholic white, you were made fun of. While I was picked on non-stop in middle school, I seemed to escaped the Jewish ribbing- probably because my classmates saw me in church each Sunday. It didn't stop with religion, it also went to race. This blog, however, is not to talk about the racist classmates I went to school with, but to point out that I am proud of my heritage. It was one of the reasons I kept my birth last name when I got married and why I named my blog Newman Improved.

One of the traditionally Jewish foods that I loved as a child was latkes and homemade applesauce. John and I don't celebrate Hanukkah, but thought it would be a nice way to honor the holiday season. I came across a post by Hannah at BitterSweet and decided to try her recipe for latkes. Her recipe was for baked latkes and since we don't fry anything, we thought this was a much better option for a favorite comfort food.

Along with the latkes, we made homemade applesauce. We like to make foods like this from scratch because it is so much healthier and not processed! Unlike many store brands, we made ours without sugar and used organic apples. Here is my recipe.

4 granny smith, organic apples
1 cup of water
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
splash of lemon juice

Wash the apples. Peel two of the apples and leave the skin on the other two. Cut all of the apples into one inch cubes. Place the apples and remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a boil. When boiling, turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 20 to 30 minutes. The sauce can be left as it is or mashed. We served the applesauce with the latkes and a side of sauteed kale.

Here is to celebrating and being proud of your heritage! I am proud to be an Italian and Jewish American!

Etsy Listing- Recycled Bag

2010-12-11T18:30:00.002-05:00

I recently came across an extra large breast cancer awareness shirt that reads "I support healthy hooters." I thought about turning it into many things, but the idea of a reusable tote/grocery bag stuck out the most. The shirt seemed like it would make a great bag because of its size and material. I saw the potential of being able to carry around many pounds of groceries or goods. To top that, it would send a sassy and fun message!

My favorite part is that this piece is recycled! The shirt was in perfect condition and made from 100% sturdy cotton. While this was great as a tee shirt, I thought it would make an even better bag. The material allows for many groceries and other goods to be stored and toted around. There is no worry that this bag will break if something spills as it isn't fragile like a paper bag. One also needn't worry about the bag ripping or tearing from sharp edges like with a plastic bag. If the bags stains, just throw it in the washing machine. The best part is that you can treat it like you would any tee shirt!

If you want to support breast cancer awareness or know someone else that would, come on over to my Etsy store and purchase this recycled bag!

An Evolving Blog

2010-12-09T18:00:00.005-05:00

The Vegan MoFo challenge is over and I had so much fun, but also realized that I have been delinquent in blogging. I enjoyed reading posts of other MoFo bloggers and I even made some blog friends along the way.

The challenge made me also see that my blog requires a vocalized change. It started with a different purpose and it has evolved and it is evolving. I am now almost three months into my gluten free journey. If it wasn't for the blogging communities that I am a part of, I might have been lost in this journey. I feel extreme support from other bloggers who are going through something similar.

Sure, there are a lot of people out there that also have Celiacs and everyone seems to know someone who has this. The difference is that the gluten free industry is catered toward the meat eating Celiac. That isn't me. I want my food to be cruelty free. I am finding more support for gluten free vegans. I am glad that they are out there. The more vocal we are, the more products that will be catered to us and the more information that will be available to us.

The point of this post is to say that my blog is changing and I want to be a support to other vegans, vegetarians, and Celiacs, in addition to my involvement on Etsy. The title of my blog is Newman Improved, after all, and it would only be natural that my blog would evolve with my life.

Look Forward to Greeny Etsy Treasury

2010-12-07T18:00:00.003-05:00

I am included in a treasury on Etsy! Thank you to Tinarosa, who created the "Look forward to greeny" treasury and included me! Please visit the treasury and click on my listing. I am the "Vintage 1970's Picardo Knits Mint Green Dress." I am currently in the third row.

Consider buying a handmade, recycled, and vintage item for your holiday gifts this year! Happy Holidays!

Counter Culture Coffee

2010-11-30T18:15:00.000-05:00

Blog #21 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

It is the last day of the challenge and I met, and exceeded, my goal. I promised myself that I would post 20 blogs during the month of November to support the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge and I did it! Today is blog number 21.

In my last MoFo blog, I am focusing on coffee. There is an awesome roaster headquartered in Durham, NC called Counter Culture Coffee. They roast sustainable, organic, fair trade, and direct trade coffee. They go above and beyond most other roasters. They spend time with the growers on their farms to build long-lasting relationships. Through this they encourage ecologically responsible cultivation methods and excellent working conditions. They pay a high price for their coffee so they can get the best organic beans. In addition, they care about their carbon footprint by purchasing shade-grown, certified organic, and sustainably produced coffee and have also set goals for carbon neutrality by 2015.

Unroasted coffee beans

As if all of that wasn't enough, they also make the best coffee I have ever tasted! They pay special attention to the way in which the bean is roasted and brewed. Every detail from the type of machine used to the filtration of the water is important to them. And, it shows!

A friend works at Counter Culture and she informed me of the cuppings that they hold every Friday at 10am. I recently went with John, my Mom, and brother and found the cupping to be fun and informative. If you are in Durham or near any of the other training centers, I highly recommend that you attend a cupping to learn more about the nuances of roasting, brewing, and tasting.

Mom, bro-David, and John at the cupping

Me, be-David, and John at the cupping

The Counter Culture folks are crazy about coffee and it shows. This is the one thing that I enjoy every day and I want the time and attention paid to the beans that I drink. They have made two new customers out of me and John. I can't possibly imagine buying any other coffee after knowing what I know about the practices they use and the taste of the coffee! Lucky for us, Whole Foods carries their coffee in Durham.

Free shot of awesome espresso. Underneath it is my cupping form.

Check to see if a local store near you carries their coffee. If you can't find it, you can also order coffee directly from them on their website! Happy sipping!

Tofu Fried Rice and Stir Fried Broccolini

2010-11-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

I love Asian food. I think I could eat it almost every day. I can't think of an Asian dish that I haven't liked. Since going gluten free, I have found it difficult to eat Asian food out because soy sauce is in most dishes and it contains wheat. I have been pretty sad about Thai food because that is my absolute favorite type of food!

Even before going gf, we never went out for Chinese food. I enjoy the flavor, but it usually has too much oil or more sauce than I would like. I always feel very full and heavy after eating American made Chinese food. We make a fair amount of stir fries and noodle dishes at home and enjoy them more than going out. We usually don't use a recipe and make it up as we go along.

Now that Thanksgiving was over, we decided to decorate. John suggested that if I cooked dinner, he would get down all of the Christmas decorations and set up our faux Christmas tree. I gladly accepted because I would rather decorate than get out boxes and set up the actual tree. So, while he decorated I cooked. The following are the recipes that I came up with.

Tofu Fried Rice

2 cups of brown rice
2 cups of water
1 package of extra firm tofu, cubed
Vegetable oil or spray
3 scallions, chopped
3 carrots, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup frozen or fresh green peas
Gluten free, reduced sodium soy sauce

Prepare the brown rice per package instructions. We used a rice cooker and steamed the rice. Heat up a wok or a large frying pan on medium high heat. Non-stick works best. Add a small amount of oil or spray and add in the tofu when the pan is hot. Cook for several minutes and then add the scallions and carrots. Cook until the tofu is golden brown and the carrots are tender. When finished, remove the tofu mixture from pan and set it aside.

When the rice is finished cooking, set it aside and prepare your wok again. Heat the wok to medium high and add oil or spray (don't use too much or your rice will be greasy). Once the oil is very hot, add in the rice. Allow the rice to cook about a minute or so before stirring. When your rice is starting to get crispy, add in soy sauce. We don't like very salty foods, so we add in less than a tablespoon. The rice will continue to get crispy. When it is crispy enough for your taste, add back in the tofu mixture and add more soy sauce as needed. About a minute before the rice is finished, add in the peas.

Remove from heat and serve with vegetables!

Stir Fried Brocolini

Vegetable oil or spray
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1.5 inch chuck of fresh ginger, grated
1.5 teaspoons of cornstarch
1/2 cup of homemade, no salt vegetable broth or water
Gluten free, reduced sodium soy sauce
2 bunches of broccolini or broccoli, chopped stems included

Heat a wok or non-stick pan to medium heat. Add in a small amount of oil or spray. Less is better here. When the oil is hot, add in the garlic and ginger and let it cook for several minutes to become aromatic. Add in brocolini and cook for about 3-5 minutes. The broccolini should just become tender at this point.

In the meantime, mix the cornstarch with the broth. Whisk or stir to combine. When combined, add soy sauce to taste. We probably added about a teaspoon. When combined thoroughly, add it to the broccolini and cook for several minutes longer.

Remove from heat and serve!

We enjoyed the stir fried broccolini over the fried rice. We both enjoyed the meal and agreed to have it again soon.

Pumpkin Polenta

2010-11-28T17:00:00.003-05:00

Blog #19 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

I love Autumn and making meals with pumpkin. I came across a recipe for pumpkin polenta from a gluten free blogger and was enticed. It had a combination of coconut milk and pumpkin, topped with a tomatillo salsa. The pictures on the blog were so beautiful and the pairings of flavors sounded delightful. I am not a huge fan of pumpkin, or any squash for that matter, being made with a sweetener, so lessened the amount of agave nectar.

I got out all of my ingredients and got to work following the instructions. The recipe called for a full tablespoon of agave nectar, but I only used about a teaspoon. The end result of the polenta was just beautiful. It looked so rich that I couldn't wait to try it.

I then got to work on the tomatillo salsa. This recipe also called for agave nectar and I did not want to add it here either. I am sure it tastes great just as the recipe was written, but was not in the mood for a sweetened salsa. So, I just added a dash of the agave nectar.

After all of the preparation, I placed the polenta in a bowl and served it with several spoonfuls of the salsa. I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor of the polenta and salsa, but not together. I ate all of the salsa off of the top and then enjoyed the polenta alone. It had such a rich pumpkin flavor and warmed me inside. I can certainly see us making the polenta for a meal again. I also see us making the salsa in the summer to serve with chips.

Sometimes recipes and meals don't always work out as planned, but we learn from the ones that aren't perfect. After cooking for so many years, I tend to know what I like and when to leave out an ingredient. I am almost certain that if I would have put in the full amount of agave nectar, I wouldn't have liked the meal at all. My point is that the more you take the time to make meals, from scratch, the more you will learn.

Happy vegan and gluten free cooking!

Sugar Free and Raw Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-27T23:24:00.007-05:00

Blog #18 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

A friend told me about Dr. Furhman's recipe for raw cranberry sauce and I decided to give it a try the day after Thanksgiving. I watched the YouTube video, giggled a bit, and then made the sauce.

The preparation for the sauce made the house smell lovely and reminded me of fall. I love cranberry sauce and am always looking for a new recipe. I was enticed by this one because it has three ingredients, is raw, and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.

I got out all of the ingredients and put them into our food processor. Note that this can be a bit messy as some came out the top of the processor.

The end result was a vibrant and beautiful sauce for our family to enjoy. My Mom liked it but, felt that there was too much orange peel. John and I loved the sauce! It was fresh and bursting with flavor. I agree with my Mom's suggestion and plan to make it again with only using about half of the peel that I used. My niece, Helena, loved the sauce. She had several scoops of it. Upon first bite, she made a strange face, but then begged for more. It is a bit tart, but the tartness is what I love and expect from a good cranberry sauce.

This is the type of sauce you can feel good about. It is raw, has few ingredients, is sugarless, gluten free, healthy, and full of vitamins!

Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Pancakes

2010-11-23T15:00:00.004-05:00

Blog #17 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

I have posted about blueberry pancakes before, but felt it was time again. Before going gluten free, we used to make pancakes from scratch with wheat flour. Now that I have made the switch to gf, we buy Bob's Red Mill Pancake Mix. I prefer to make food from scratch, but it has gotten more complicated at times and it is sometimes nice to use a mix that is premade. With this mix, you just add in your favorite non-dairy milk, a little oil, and egg replacer. To make these cakes my own, I add in blueberries, chocolate chips, a dash of cinnamon, and vanilla.

The process is quite simple. You mix the egg replacer with water and mix it in with the remaining ingredients. I usually use organic frozen berries, so the mix turns a purplish blue. When the pan is nice and hot, you pour enough batter out for your first cake. Then, you let them roll.

The best part is taking them out of the pan and onto your plate to enjoy. We serve them with fresh fruit, vegan margarine, maple syrup, cut up raw veggies, and sometimes tofu or tempeh bacon. It is a sweet treat that we don't eat often, but when we do we love them!

Even if your not gf, give this mix a try sometime. It makes fluffy and rich pancakes and you would never know that they were gluten free!

Adopt a Turkey

2010-11-22T18:30:00.003-05:00

Blog #16 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Thanksgiving week is a difficult week for me. I am always reminded of my grandfather's death on Thanksgiving in 1999. It is also not in my list of favorite holiday weeks because I am saddened by the staggering number of turkeys that are slaughtered for this holiday. Several sources, including PETA, share that nearly 45 million turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving alone. That is just for one day!

I am always so disgusted that our way of giving thanks is by senselessly slaughtering millions of innocent birds. What a sad and disrespectful way to give thanks. I would think that we should be honoring life.

To do my part to reject this ridiculous tradition, I attend the Triangle Vegetarian's Society Vegan Thanksgiving celebration. This celebration welcomes over 800 people to share in an all vegan, cruelty-free meal. It is a pretty awesome event with wonderful food and great people.

John and I thought we needed to do more this year, so we decided to Adopt-A-Turkey through the Farm Sanctuary. The Farm Sanctuary rescues turkeys and places them into loving homes. Now, we didn't actually get a turkey to come and live at our home, we just donated money to have a turkey saved. The organization also has adoption events, educates the public, and provides resources for cruelty free holiday eating. I hope next year to save two turkeys, but this year we started with one.

As you think about giving thanks this year, consider adopting a turkey, eating a vegetarian/vegan Thanksgiving meal, and taking a stand against animal cruelty. I'll leave you with a quote from Bruce Friedrich from The Huffington Post.

"Vegetarianism allows me to live my values -- to "pray ceaselessly," as St. Paul puts it: Every time I sit down to eat, I cast my lot: for mercy, against misery; for the oppressed, against the oppressor; and for compassion, against cruelty. There is a lot of suffering in the world, but how much suffering can be addressed with literally no time or effort on our part? We can just stop supporting it, by making different choices"

Zucchini Pancakes (GF)

2010-11-19T15:50:00.002-05:00

Blog #15 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

I have fond memories in my childhood of going to Pittsburgh in the summer for a week to visit my great Aunt and other extended family members. My Mom, grandma (also known as Ma), Aunt Marcia, and several cousins used to join us there. My Aunt lived in an old city row house in the section of Pittsburgh known as Bloomfield. It was known for being the Italian section of the city. I have so many wonderful memories with my family. This was the Italian side of the family, so good food was always present and delicious! My great Aunt and great Grandma used to make gnocchi, homemade sauce, polenta, pizzels, aglio oglio, and many other special dishes that came from my ancestors in Italy.

One of my favorites were zucchini pancakes. It wasn't really a pancake, it was more like a zucchini blob. It was a tasty blob though! It had flour, eggs, zucchini, parmesan, milk/water, and spices. I used to help my great Aunt make them and they always remind me of her when I think of them. She passed away last Christmas.

I wanted to have them again and thought that it would be easy to veganize the recipe. However, when I learned I had to be GF, I thought that possibility of that was gone. Then I came across a fellow Vegan MoFo blogger named Mandee, from Australia. She runs a great little blog called Cupcake Kitteh. And guess what? She had a recipe for zucchini pancakes! I was so inspired by her blog and decided to use her recipe with several changes to remind me of the zucchini cakes I grew up with.

Following guidelines from her recipe, I tripled the portion because I wanted leftovers for lunch for me and John. I added a bit more liquid than her recipe called for and left out the salt. My additions included pepper and a pinch of Italian spices (basil, oregano, and parsley). I also added about a tablespoon of vegan parmesan.

The result reminded me so much of my childhood. The flavor took me back to a Pittsburgh summer, sitting around the kitchen table with family. I was in love with the pancakes and so was John. We both agreed that this recipe would come back in our dinner menus. I am excited to share this recipe with my Mom because I think she would enjoy it as well. I was pleased with Mandee's use of garbanzo bean flour. It gave the eggy flavor that I remembered from the ones I enjoyed as a child.

Goodbye great Aunt Sue- the happy and loving memories of you will live on in our kitchen in a vegan, gluten free way!

Fresh Rolls

2010-11-18T18:15:00.003-05:00

Blog #14 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Thai is my favorite type of food (Indian is a close second) and I love eating in Thai restaurants. Since going gluten free, it has been more challenging to find Thai places that can cater to me. I have not yet tried to go to my favorite Thai place because I am scared that my favorite dishes won't work for me any longer and then I'll be crushed.

I am not great at making Thai food as a whole, but I think we have Pad Thai as well as a few others down. Generally, we like it much better out. One of our favorite things, however, is to make are fresh rolls, also known as summer rolls, with tofu at home. We often make sushi, fresh rolls, and miso soup and call it a dinner.

We were recently craving these rolls and decided to make them for dinner. We generally vary our ingredients each time we make them. In this particular instance, we used the following for our rolls.

Rice paper wrappers
Thin bean thread rice noodles
Extra firm tofu
Carrots
Green leaf lettuce
Mint
Cilantro
Sauce- made of up gf tamari and agave nectar

In case you have never made them before, here is the process we use. Begin by cutting the tofu into strips, spray a little Bragg's amino acids on the tofu and bake until just starting to brown. While the tofu is baking, wash and prepare the herbs and lettuce and set them aside in separate containers. Follow the instructions on the package for the noodles. In the meantime, warm water in a tea kettle or on the stove. When it is hot, but not too hot to touch, pour it into a large bowl. The bowl should be big enough for the rice paper wrappers.

Now you are ready to begin putting the rolls together. Start by dipping the wrappers into the warm water. When they soften, pull them out. You don't have to let them get too soft. It takes about 10 to 15 seconds depending on how warm the water is. If you notice the wrappers are taking longer to soften, warm up more water and add it to the bowl.

Place the softened wrapper on a hard surface, and place the lettuce down and then top with the other ingredients. We usually do- lettuce, noodles, carrots, tofu, and then herbs on top. Any order will work, you just have to try it and see what works best for you. Make sure you place all of the ingredients in one section of the wrapper, close to the edge. Once all of the goodies are in place, it is time to fold.

I didn't take a picture of my best work here. The ingredients should be more towards
the edge of the wrapper towards the bottom of the picture

Fold the sides on the left and right over about an inch in. The sides folded in should not touch. Note that if you have too much on the inside, it will rip or fall apart. It might take you a try or two to get the amount correct. Don't worry, you can just keep using the same wrapper.

Again, not my best work. The ingredients should be more towards
the edge of the wrapper towards the bottom of the picture

Next, begin folding the end with the ingredients over toward the opposite side that is empty. When you get to the end, you don't need to do anything as the wrapper will be wet and sticky enough to hold together.

I usually tuck in any folds that are sticking out before serving.

Then repeat until you have finished all of your ingredients. It is good to let them sit for about 15 minutes before eating. You can use this time to mix your dipping sauce. Sometimes we use a peanut sauce. This time, we used a soy based sauce. I mixed a tablespoon or two of low sodium, gf soy sauce with a little agave nectar. Get creative and add in what you like to taste on your rolls.

And there you have it- completed fresh rolls! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Buttercream Frosting

2010-11-17T18:00:00.006-05:00

Blog #13 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Anyone else out there as obsessed with vegan cupcakes as I am? When I found out that I had to go gluten free (gf), my heart broke. I instantly thought to myself "no more vegan cupcakes!" At that point, I was trying to work my way through Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and was crushed to learn I'd have to give that up. I had gotten about seven or eight recipes in, even though I only blogged about four of them.

In taking a closer look at the cookbook, I located two gf recipes. So, I decided I would try the chocolate cupcake one. Most of the frosting recipes are gluten free, so I went with one of my favorites- Peanut Buttercream. I paired that with the chocolate gluten free cupcake recipe and we were good to go!

I have learned not to be optimistic about gf baking. It is so difficult, especially when you add in the vegan element. We have had our share of failures since trying vegan, gf baking. Luckily, this is a post about a success!

I had some female friends over for a clothing swap and I made the cupcakes for the group. Before deciding whether they were edible, John and I split one to make out own assessments of this experiment.

Hello! This cupcake is amazing! I would never be able to tell that this cupcake was gf!! I decorated the top with a carob chip and set them out for my friends. I got very positive reviews and compliments about the cupcakes. I am sure to try Isa's other gluten free cupcake recipe. Thank you, Isa!

Leek and Artichoke Risotto

2010-11-16T18:15:00.002-05:00

Blog #12 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Risotto is a dish that I enjoy, but never order it when out. Many restaurants refuse to make it vegan. (I say refuse because it is extremely easy to make vegan). Even one a local vegetarian restaurant has a risotto dish and it is the only dish on the menu that isn't/can't be made vegan. I have yet to find a vegan risotto on a menu.

Several years ago, we started making risotto. Since then, we have the main concept down and often make it without a recipe. It is made with about four to five cups of hot vegetable broth to one and a half cups of uncooked arborio rice. We have several favorite risotto's that we make such as leek and artichoke, sun dried tomato and basil, and pumpkin and sage. I tend to like risotto on a cool evening.

It had been a while since we made leek and artichoke risotto. The recipe is adapted from the weight watchers vegetarian cookbook. We used homemade vegetable broth, frozen artichoke hearts, two fresh leeks, rosemary, and vegan parmesan cheese. As a side to the dish we had sauteed garlic, lemon, and butter tempeh along with cut up bell peppers. I love the creaminess of risotto and it goes especially well with the sweet artichoke hearts.

Don't be afraid to get creative and put your favorite combination of vegetables, herbs, and spices together.

A Vegan MoFo Blogger Survey

2010-11-15T18:00:00.001-05:00

Blog #11 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Many of the other VeganMoFo bloggers have posted answers to a MoFo survey and I thought that I would do the same. It is kind of fun!

What is one food you thought you'd miss when you went vegan, but don't?

Cheese. After learning about all of the horrid treatment that dairy cows go through, it is hard to miss cheese. I can't even picture eating it without gagging.

What is a food or dish that you wouldn't touch as a child, but enjoy now?

I liked a lot of foods as a kid, but the one thing I disliked was kidney beans. I have learned to really like them as an adult.

What vegan food or dish do you feel like you should like but you don't?

This is a tough one, I like most all vegan dishes. The one thing I keep trying to like is sweet potatoes. I am getting much better at it and have been eating a lot of them recently. Yay for fall!

What beverage do you consume the most of each day?

Water and a bit of espresso in the morning!

What dish are you famous for bringing to gatherings?

Cupcakes. Since becoming gf I have found it more difficult, but I'm not giving up. I made killer vegan gf cupcakes last night for a gathering.

Do you have any self-imposed food rules (like no food touching on the plate or no nuts in sweets)?

Not at all. I don't mind my food touching or mixing. I am pretty weird about texture though.

What's one food or dish that you eat too much off when it's in your home?

Mac n Cheeze!

What ingredient or food do you prefer to make yourself despite it being widely available repackaged?

Vegetable broth. It is such a rip off in the store when it is virtually free to make at home and a lot healthier b/c I can control the ingredients.

What ingredient or food is worth spending extra money on to get the good stuff?

Organic berries and fair trade, organic coffee

Are you much of a snacker? What are your favorite snacks?

Ohh heck yah I am! I snack way too much. I love tortilla chips and salsa, gf pretzels, pickles, olives.

What are your favorite vegan pizza toppings?

Diaya cheese, pineapple, onion, and pickled hot pepper rings. It is the best combo!

What's your favorite fruit and vegetable?

Raspberries and spinach

What is the best salad dressing?

I adore goddess dressing. I am so happy to have found a gf version.

What is your favorite thing to put on toasted bread?

Soy cream cheese and tomatoes

What kind of soup do you turn to on a chilly day or when you don't feel well?

Lentil

What is your favorite cupcake and icing flavor?

I have several. Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, pumpkin chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon drizzle.

What is your favorite type of cookie?

Oatmeal raisin

What is your most-loved weeknight meal?

I don't have a favorite. I crave variety. We are always eating new things.

What is one food or dish you enjoy but can't get anyone else in your house to eat?

I can't think of any. John likes pretty much everything.

How long on average do you spend in the kitchen each day?

About 1.5 to 2 hours.

There was my survey! I would love to read yours too.

Vegetarian Restaurants- Asheville

2010-11-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Blog #10 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Several weekends ago, we went to Asheville with vegetarian friends. Asheville is one of my favorite places because it is so very vegan friendly. There are a few vegetarian restaurants and many veg friendly places in the area. I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about each place, but provide the highlights. I recommend you try all of those listed below, if you ever find yourself in Asheville, NC.

Firestorm Cafe. This is a book store, cafe combo. It is all vegetarian, it would be all vegan except they do offer milk as an option for their coffee drinks. Otherwise the rest of the place is vegan. This is a lovely tempeh sandwich that several of us ordered. Mine was made on vegan, gluten free bread. The picture shows the gluten bread.

Laughing Seed. This is a full restaurant with a lunch, dinner, dessert, and brunch menu. We went here twice while in Asheville. They are all vegetarian and mostly vegan. Almost everything on the menu can be made vegan. Many options are gluten free or can be made that way. I have never had a bad meal here and am always glad to return here. I will warn though that I ordered a gluten free dish one night and got sick afterward. I believe it was because they fried some of my dish in oil that wasn't gluten free. I would still eat there, but will ask more follow up questions even when something is labeled gf. The pictures below are from our brunch on Sunday.

Rosetta's Kitchen. Rosetta's has a counter where one walks up and orders. When the food is ready, it is brought to the table. They have a lot of American favorites that they have veganized. The food is all vegetarian and I think everything can be made vegan. They have a list of the food that is gf or can be made gf. I truly love this place. This is a place that I would recommend when you want comfort food. Pictured below is a grain burger with sweet potato fries, their vegan mac n cheeze, and my personal favorite- their pad thai with a peanut sauce. All around awesomeness!

Lentil and Spinach Soup

2010-11-11T18:00:00.003-05:00

Blog #9 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

I love lentils and spinach. I don't have a favorite food, but if I were to rank order my favorites I am sure they would both be in the top ten. Not only do I LOVE the flavor, I love how many vitamins and minerals that they provide our body. Spinach contains vitamins A, C, K, iron, calcium, magnesium, and folate. Lentils are high in protein, folate, iron, thiamine, magnesium, and phosphorus. They also contain other vitamins and minerals not listed here. Neither contain any saturated fats, they are not high in sodium, and don't contain any cholesterol.

For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed spinach. I think I was the only grade school kid who would proclaim "SPINACH!" when asked "what is your favorite vegetable?" Maybe I am a descendant of Popeye or maybe I knew good, healthy food as a kid. Even though my parents are not vegetarian (my Dad is not even close), we always had two to three vegetables at dinner along side meat. Vegetables were way more of a focus than meat and they were commonplace to me. When I became a vegetarian at age 14, I had a head start because I already liked my vegetables.

Lentils came into my diet after I became a vegetarian. I also loved them from first bite. It wasn't until I was in graduate school that I started cooking with them on a regular basis. I enjoy experimenting and pairing them with many other foods.

Now that the weather has started to get cold (although you wouldn't know it this week), I have been craving warm soups. They are hardy, easy to cook, and provide food for several meals. So, when we planned our meals last week, we were excited to incorporate a lentil soup into a dinner. There are really so many ways to make a lentil soup. Instead of posting a recipe, I'll just highlight the ingredients we used. You can get creative, put any vegetables and grains into your soup and let it simmer until ready to serve.

On this particular night, we used:

Homemade vegetable stock, no salt added
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Lentils (any color will do)
Spinach
Black pepper
Cumin

The soup was delicious and provided a dinner and several lunches for us. Go on now, get your soup on!

Gluten free and Vegan Mac n "Cheeze"

2010-11-10T18:00:00.003-05:00

Blog #8 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

Do you ever just want comfort food? I don't think it is a good habit to eat it on a regular basis, but sometimes it is just fun to have. Sometimes you want the fattening, even if it is fattening. Like many of you, I want the comfort food without the cruelty. I love it when we are able to recreate a classic comfort food to be vegan. My go to classic os veganized is Mac n Cheeze. I want it cheezy, warm, and baked. We recently came across and perfected a recipe that we love. I guess I can technically call it our recipe since we made changes. Note that it is adapted from The Virtuous Vegan cookbook.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of gluten-free or regular pasta, we used Quinoa spirals
1.5 cups shredded vegan Cheddar Cheese
1.5 cups shredded vegan Mozzarella Cheese
2 tablespoons vegan butter
2 cups unsweetened vegan soy or almond milk
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Couple of dashes of hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese
Slice of gluten free bread, ground to make crumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook the pasta for only half of the time listed in the instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. When melted, add in the soy milk and 3/4 cup of the cheddar and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Cook on low-medium heat until melted, stir frequently. When this is melted, remove from the burner and add the spices, nutritional yeast, and hot sauce. Pour the pasta into the sauce and mix together. Then add in the remainder of the cheese and stir. When combined, transfer the mixture to a prepared 8x8 pan or casserole dish. Top with the bread crumbs and back for 30 minutes uncovered. The top should be slightly brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with the parmesan.

The end result is a warm, comforting bowl of baked heaven. This is the closest recipe to conventional baked mac and cheese that we have made. It is ok to play around with the recipe. You can add more heat or spice to this recipe. It is also tasty with lightly steamed broccoli. Make sure to cut the florets small.

Whatever you do, just enjoy it and remember that it is comfort food!

The Green Owl- Madison, WI

2010-11-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

Blog #7 for the vegan MoFo 2010 Challenge!

In September, I went on a work trip to Madison, WI. I have mentioned before that I like this particular trip and client (actually, I like all of my clients). Madison is a nice city. It is a college town and a capitol all in one. It is also particularly vegan friendly. There are several restaurants that have large vegan menus. When planning for my trip this year, I found an all vegetarian place, mostly vegan called The Green Owl.

In between planning for the trip and getting ready to leave, I received the news that I had Celiac's and had to follow a strict gluten free diet. It was one of my lowest times. I felt despair, wanting to crawl up in a ball and hide. Reality set in and I had to go on this work trip. The trip was extremely difficult, but The Green Owl felt like a safe haven for me. Not only was the place mostly vegan, they had a huge gluten free menu.

I walked a couple of miles from the hotel to the restaurant. Madison is such a nice city to walk around and I have always felt safe there. I got to the place without any trouble and was greeted by a friendly wait staff. After being seated, I began to review the menu and was so delighted about all of the gluten free, vegan options.

For my dinner, I ordered the BBQ Jackfruit on their homemade gluten free bread. The sandwich was described as young jackfruit, to imitate pulled pork, simmered in a BBQ sauce served with a layer of dill pickles and topped with creamy vegan slaw. For my side, I chose the crunchy kale chips. Before long, my food came out. The kale chips were crunchy and slightly salty. I could see these chips becoming addictive! I loved the texture of the pulled jackfruit and the flavor of their BBQ sauce. In addition, their homemade bread was better than any commercial gf bread that I have tried. It didn't crumble and that says a lot for gf bread.

During dinner, the woman next to me struck up a conversation as we were both dining alone. We chatted for most of dinner. I even ran into her again during my second night in Madison. I wish I would have gotten her name to keep in touch. She seemed like such a nice person. She recommended that I try a dessert. Surprisingly, they had a vegan and gluten free dessert that night.

I asked for my dessert to go because I was too full to enjoy it at the restaurant, but I knew when I finished my walk back to the hotel, I would dig in. The dessert was a coconut cream pie with a gf nut crust. The toasted coconut on top of the pie was a perfect pairing with the creamy coconut pie filling. The crust was rich and crumbly as any pie crust should be. I hardly noticed that it was not a traditional gluten crust.

I had such a nice dinner at The Green Owl, that I am sure to go back next time I find myself in Madison, WI. The wait staff was very kind and accommodating and the fellow customers were friendly. The atmosphere was modern, clean, and cute! I highly recommend this restaurant and am looking forward to my 2011 visit to Madison!

Chilly Night for a Warm Bowl of Vegan Chili

2010-11-08T18:00:00.005-05:00

Blog #6 for the vegan MoFo 2010 Challenge!

Close friends of ours have been having a rough couple of months. As a friend, there is not much I can do except be there to listen. Things have gotten a bit overwhelming for them and we decided to make them a comforting dinner. I had been planning on doing it for a while, but then a sign up was started and I knew it was my cue.

The two are not vegetarian, but have expressed an interest in eating vegetarian more. A while back, they were trying to incorporate two vegetarian meals into each week. So, I was excited to make something for them that they could add back in when things in life improved. After hemming and hawing about what to make, I settled on a veggie chili and cornbread muffin biscuits (both vegan, of course). Even though I can't eat foods containing gluten, I don't mind making them for others.

We have some wheat flour leftover from my gluten days, so I decided to make the biscuits with wheat. At some point I will try them with a non-wheat flour. I followed the recipe found in Vegan Brunch for Cornbread Biscuits. As I was making them, I imagined what they would taste like. When they were finished, I gave one to John to taste so that he could make sure they were decent before passing them on to our friends. He really enjoyed them and asked for another. I said no.

Then, it was on to the chili. A friend suggested that I make traditional chili with just beans and not veggies because it would mirror meat chili. I thought about it and then decided not to go that route, I added veggies! I was sure to be careful to accommodate their allergies and likes. One is allergic to mushrooms and the other does not like peppers. We had some vegan Bocca crumbles in the freezer from my gluten eating days and wanted to use it for this chili and for our friends. I used it as the last ingredient so that I could taste it throughout and make sure the flavoring was right

Here is my recipe:

32 oz of chopped tomatoes, with the juice
3 oz can of tomato paste
1 cup of corn (frozen or fresh)
2 zucchinis, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 large onion
3 tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
Black pepper to taste
15 oz of black beans
8 or 12 oz package of Boca vegan burger crumbles

Place all of the ingredients, except the beans and crumbles, into a soup pot, cover, and simmer for an hour. Add beans and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Test seasonings and add more as you desire. Add in burger crumbles, stir, and serve!

I tried the chili without the crumbles and really enjoyed the flavor. John tried it with the crumbles and also enjoyed it. I gave it to my friends and the next day and the day after they informed me that they liked it quite a bit! I was so excited! They even rationed out the biscuits so one would not get more than the other. That made me smile.

I was so glad to give them a little bit of comfort, warmth, and friendship in this meal.

Bulll City Vegan Challenge-Toast

2010-11-05T18:15:00.000-04:00

Blog #5 for the vegan MoFo 2010 Challenge!

It was nearly the end of the Bull City Vegan Challenge and time to try our last restaurant. There were a total of ten participating restaurants, but we could only eat at five. The others weren't willing to make their dishes gluten free or never responded to me.

Toast was kind enough to offer for me to bring my own gluten free bread and offered to wrap it in foil, so it did not touch the panini press where wheat had touched. In addition, they asked for suggestions on good gluten free bread to buy. Unfortunately, I could not pass along any suggestions because I have not come across good gluten free, vegan bread. So, I brought with me the only gluten free, vegan bread I could find and tolerate.

We got to the restaurant and were greeted by one of the owners. I was so impressed by her willingness to accommodate me. John and I both ordered the vegan panini containing roasted butternut squash, greens, pickled onions, and other veggies. I honestly don't know what was on this sandwich, but it had so much flavor and it all worked together! It even made my crappy GF bread taste good. I don't know if it was from the pickled onions or the toasting of the panini bread. Whatever it was, it worked! As a side to the panini out table shared an order of warm olives. They were drizzled with olive oil, pepper flakes, and citrus. This was a delightful side to our panini.

My panini on gluten free bread

John's panini on regular wheat bread

When we finished eating, we were still a bit hungry and had been eying the soup of the day listed on the chalk board. The soup contained lentils and peppers- both spicy and mild. John and I ordered a bowl to share and we were not disappointed. We loved the lentils and the flavoring of the soup. It would be perfect for a chilly evening.

We ended the BCVC on a high note. It was a great way to end a month of delicious food in Durham. Our hope is that the BCVC event will have accomplished two things.

That the community will realize that there is a need for a vegetarian (preferably vegan) restaurant in Durham. In my first blog about the BCVC I discussed all of the interest in Durham and my fingers are crossed that a local entrepreneur will pick up on the need.
The participating restaurants will also recognize the need and make vegan options as permanent staples on their menus. If vegan options are placed on Durham area menus, we will come out to dine! (Disclaimer- it does have to be tasty)

Thanks again to Eleni Vlachos and Chef Shirle' for an AWESOME challenge. I am so excited for next year!

Bull City Vegan Challenge- Rue Cler

2010-11-04T18:15:00.000-04:00

Blog #4 for the vegan MoFo 2010 challenge!

It was nearing the end of the Bull City Vegan Challenge month we still had more places to try. Not all of the places were open to adapting their vegan challenge options to be gluten free, but Rue Cler was! They were able to prepare the three course vegan menu for me gluten free, while John ordered the menu items as they were.

Frisée Salad with Pommes Frites, House Made Vegan Bacon, Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette, Warm Vegan Cheese Croutons
Vegetable Rillettes, House Made Hemp Seed Crackers, Arugula Salad
Spicy Lentil Sausage, Corona Bean Ragout, Sautéed Greens, Mushroom Veloute

Eleni, Rob, and Chef Shirle' walked in while we were waiting on our dinner to interview the participating chefs for the documentary. We chatted with them for a while and then they went on their way to the next restaurant. Shortly after, our first dish came out. I couldn't have the vegan bacon or the croutons, so the chef prepared me a frisée salad with a lovely French lentil mixture with a light vinaigrette. John had the salad as it was on the menu. We both loved our salads. I enjoyed the lentils paired with the frisée. I normally wouldn't go out of my way to get frisée, but for this salad I will!

Our second course came out shortly after we finished the salads. Rue Cler was kind enough to buy rice crackers because I could not have their hemp crackers. The crackers were served along with a vegetable rillettes. I loved the flavor and practically licked the plate when I finished. I almost asked them to bring me another helping of the rillettes. John seemed to like this course as well. I can't say for sure what was in this spread. It could have been lentils, garbonzo beans, or another type of bean. It didn't particularly taste like a bean so it was hard to tell. All that matters was that it was tasty!

The third and final course contained a spicy lentil sausage with a mushroom veloute that John said was delicious. The sausage had wheat gluten so I received a substitute of asparagus. Both of our dishes contained corona bean ragout with spinach and carrots. Neither of us had ever tasted corona beans before and we both enjoyed their flavor and texture. They resemble the lima bean, but taste nothing like it. The texture and flavor are not chalky like lima beans tend to be. I'll have to keep my eyes out in the store for these beans.

Overall, this was one of the most impressive presentations that we had during the challenge. The wait staff was so kind and the chefs were accommodating and even went out of there way to buy special crackers for me. (I called ahead, of course). Now that the challenge is over, I am interested in going back to see what other amazing vegan dishes they can come up with. Great job, Rue Cler!