Some Weekend Concoctions

I used to get a meatball sub from subway almost every day on my way to work in Berkeley. I'd walk to work every day, and the street I turned on had two places-- a McDonald's and a Subway. I thought the Subway was the lesser of the two evils, but I suppose getting a meatball sub was the worst thing I could have done. But do you blame me? The melty mozzarella with the sweet, tanginess of the marinara on an herby loaf. It was amazing.

I've been meaning to recreate something like that for a long time. This weekend I was feeling lazy and uninspired, and this reflects that. It wasn't to die for or spot on "meatball sub". It was just a tasty medley of crap I threw together. We had some mozzarella in the fridge and some marinara sauce left over from the pizza night, thus this was born.

I used an Ezekiel bun, whole wheat. Then I just grilled some tempeh and onions with some bragg's and spices and god only knows what else.


Then for breakfast on Sunday, Andrew was telling me about this restaurant he went to where he first discovered nutritional yeast [[the guys a vegan for years and never even heard of it, crazy right?]]. Their tofu scramble is chunky and really crispy on the outside. They put it in tacos and stuff, too. I tried to recreate this and although I liked it, I wasn't able to get it quite as crispy as I'd like. Once I get it right, I'll let you know.


It's a whole wheat, whole grain tortilla with chunky tofu scramble, spicy spinach, chopped jalapenos, chopped scallions, and some cholula hot sauce.

Columbus Vegan Meet Up

This Saturday, Andrew and I finally went to our first Columbus vegan meet up. We always mentioned it but somehow never made it over to one. One of the organizers, Doug, sent me a message on my restaurant guide list, so I thought -- what the heck? I had been emailing Morgan [[of Morgan Avocado]] and decided to invite her -- the more vegans I kind of know there, the less awkward I'd be. I'm more of a "behind a computer" kind of gal. I'm not ashamed to say it. :)

Anyway, Saturday rolls around, and the meet up was awesome and not awkward at all. A great mix of age groups and people; of vegan newbies and veterans to talk to-- it's nice to be able to impart advice to people and get some advice. I've been on a quest to make amazing Aloo Chana and all my attempts have been mediocre. It was sweet to be able to talk to people who liked the same food as me and were able to share some wisdom.

The tofu wrap from Benevolence -- picture taken by group organizer, Debra.
Check out more photos of this event!

Beyond that, I FINALLY got to try Benevolence Cafe. I'm pretty sure the owner is the coolest chick on the planet, and her baked tofu wrap is out of this world. I could eat 8 of them. Simultaneously. Every day. Until the day I died. It's got crispy romaine, a creamy tahini sauce, and a baked tofu that I suspect is battered with some nutritional yeast based batter all in a whole wheat tortilla. I can't wait until they are done with renovations.

Next month there's a pot luck. If you live in Columbus, you should come!

Alfredo Pizza and Garlic Bread Sticks

I remember when all the pizza places started coming out with crazy pizza toppings. Specifically, Round Table came out with this "white sauce" chicken pizza that sounded god awful to me. I was a plain sauce and cheese kinda girl, and the thought of combining two perfectly good dishes together -- chicken alfredo and pizza -- seemed so stupid. Anyway, the point being -- I tried it and loved it, and it quickly became my favorite kind of pizza. Nothing beat a "white sauce" chicken pizza with some garlic bread sticks. Plus a pepsi of course.

But alas, I no longer enjoy the fruits of suffering, and pepsi is my vice. So these days I enjoy a vegan alfredo sauce pizza topped with creole seitan. Plus water of course.

For the pizza I used my standard whole wheat crust recipe, topped it with my alfredo sauce and creole seitan recipe, with one crown of broccoli finely chopped, 1/4 white onions chopped, and a handful of chopped baby bellas sauteed lightly in oil seasoned with a little chili powder, and finally some chopped scallions, chopped tomatoes and shredded Follow Your Heart mozzarella.


Garlic bread sticks are fun. You just get to play with the dough, twist them up, grease, and season-- no need to worry about tossing and stretching and all that. For these, again, I used the other half of my whole pizza dough recipe plus the standard tomato sauce recipe. I stretched out the dough into 6 5 inch strips, and grease the tops with olive oil. I spread some minced garlic on top. Then I twisted them so the oil was tucked inside and the garlic was all embedded in the dough. Then I greased the tops and seasoned with garlic powder and onion powder plus some oregano. Baked these guys at 500F like the pizza for about 8 minutes.

This dinner was originally going to break our fast on Thursday, however, it's important to wean yourself back onto proteins and solid foods. Instead we ate smoothies for a couple meals and made this on Friday night. This pizza was out of this world. I know I probably don't have to tell you what to put on your pizza, but this is one of those things that was so good, you should try it.

On Fasting

It's amazing the things you discover about yourself when you cut ties with something. Like when you break up with someone and realize what a needy b*tch you were. Or when you move towns and find that the world is so different than you imagined. Or when you fast... and you find out how completely obsessed you are with food.

My life revolves around food, and I don't think that's too far off for most of us. While I'm at work, all I have to look forward to is lunch, so I'm constantly pining for food all morning. Then when lunch is over, I look forward to getting home and eating dinner. I think all afternoon about what I'm going to make, or pick up, or what sounds good right now. Then finally the weekend comes. But socializing and eating have become the way of the world now so, you go out to restaurants and bars and have dinner parties. And that's how it is throughout elementary school, high school, college, the working world -- your only bit of freedom is to eat.

I know this may sound a bit strange coming from a food blogger. I do love the art of cooking, especially when related to veganism. However, our inability to socialize or relax without food is a little off-putting.

Fasting removes you from that. You can't eat, so you no long crave lunch or dinner. And since socializing is pretty wrapped up in eating, you don't really socialize either. The past two days, I feel like I've wanted nothing [[besides for the fast to end, but you really shouldn't think about that too much-- you'll go nuts]]. I'm at my work day. I have no lunch break to look forward to, so I am able to just take the hours as they come. When work is over, I'm in no hurry to get to the grocery, cook, do the dishes [[well, that's Andrew]], and then FINALLY get to relax. I get to sit in the car with Andrew, enjoy his company, get home and do whatever I feel like. I felt like I was finally embracing the moment and not constantly thinking about the next step.

They say fasting is suppose to give you some great enlightenment, and I was little bummed that all I felt was tired. But I suppose the true enlightenment was the clarity of mind. I did occasionally find myself, in a routine way, going to eat something and then realizing, I can't. But by the second day, I had broken my routines of eating, and was able to sit peacefully.

If you've never been able to sit peacefully, and I know I haven't, try fasting. Your mind will slow down and you'll start to let go.

Strawberry Macadamia Nut Whole Wheat Muffins

Andrew and I have begun a fast starting last night at 10 pm. Fasts are a good way to cleanse your system and expel any toxins your body has built up over the years [[since toxins cling to your fat]]. We've lost a lot of weight [[both about 20 lbs. each]] and gotten in good shape. It only seems fitting that we give our bodies a couple cleaning days. If you notice I'm not posting, it's probably because I'm not eating. I should be up and running by Friday though.

As a farewell to food, I made some strawberry whole wheat muffins with macadamia nuts. I like a good whole wheat muffin. My favorite is probably lemon poppy seed, BUT I had some macadamia nuts and frozen strawberries, so there you go. These muffins could almost be considered cake with all the sugar in them, they still aren't too sweet though.

These are are really light and fluffy with a touch of cinnamon flavor. I like a little cinnamon in muffins so I tend to always add it in. The warm, gooey strawberries contrast well with the crunchy nuts. I think we most traditionally see macadamia nuts paired with white chocolates, a classic, but they can be paired well with fruit or plain chocolate. I used my tin foil looking cupcake liners that I usually use for fauxstess cupcakes. If you're looking for unique and really adorable cupcake liners, check out Cupcake Swirl -- they also have other cute baking essentials.

Also, the use of vinegar and soy milk is meant to substitute buttermilk. If you ever have an old recipe that calls for buttermilk, use 1 tbs vinegar for every 1 cup soy milk.


[[Strawberry Macadamia Nut Whole Wheat Muffins]]
Makes 6 muffins

dry:
1/2 cup + 2 tbs whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
a pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
wet:
1/2 whole soy milk, unflavored
1/2 tbs white distilled vinegar
1/6 [[2 tbs + 2 tsp]] cup canola oil
Add ins:
5-6 shopped strawberries
about 2 tbs chopped raw macadamia nuts

Preheat the oven: 350 F
-- Mix all wet and dry ingredients separately. Be sure to whisk the wet mixture well.
-- Add wet to dry, plus chopped strawberries, and stir until just combine.
-- Place in baking pan and top with chopped macadamia nuts.
-- Bake for about 15 minutes, until browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Pico de Gallo

You know what's funny? People always say how much they love salsa, but really they're saying I love sauce. Or when you say you love pico de gallo you're really saying I love rooster beak. Granted, in Spanish they will know what you're talking about. As will everyone you say it to in English. It's just funny.

I don't think I knew what pico de gallo was until very recently. I always thought of it is the chunky, not spicy salsa, when in reality it's the chunky, not spicy, yet flavorful salsa. And probably the easiest and most impressive looking salsa to make.

If you've noticed, I've made a lot of recipes with cilantro in it lately. When I buy fresh, organic cilantro, it comes in large quantities, so I plan on making a lot of cilantro recipes that week. I hate to waste anything.

We went to Kung Fu last night and the grocery so it was too late to make anything exciting. A little pico de gallo can really boost a simple dish of black beans and brown rice. I didn't do anything special to the rice, but I do like to add a little chili powder or chipotle powder to the beans to give it some smokey flavor. Avocado adds a little fat [[well a lot, but it's good fat]] and flavor.


[[Pico de Gallo]]

1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
1 small Roma tomato, chopped
6-7 pickled jalapenos, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from 1/2 small lime

-- Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate leftovers.
-- You can experiment with other mild peppers or try red onions instead of white.

Artichokes - A Super Food

We went over to whole foods last week and perusing the the produce section, I noticed these babies. I had artichoke growing up quite often, with a little side of butter [[I think everyone else used mayo, but that was too disgusting for me to try-- gobs of mayo in your mouth? yuck!]].

Uncooked artichoke.

This weekend I also built a light box. The photo above was taken in it while the photo below was taken in my kitchen. I'm constantly in awe of what our little camera is able to accomplish and that light box is down right beautiful. It's sitting in our living room next to the bookshelf and our stacked bikes and Andrew's tower of magic. Our living room has turned into more of a study/work studio. We're so hip. Sort of.

As pretty as it looks raw, I had to figure how to actually prepare it. I read a lot of online tutorials before trying to cook these and they all came to the same points:

• Trim the spikes off of the leaves-- or pedals I suppose, it is a flower
  
• Cut the top off about an inch
• Cut the stem so it can stand up straight
• Rinse and clean them well
• Steam them, OR bring about 4 inches of water to a boil and place artichokes inside stands up so that no water will get trapped in the leaves, cover -- leave for about an hour
• Throw one clove of garlic in with the bowling water to add a garlic-y flavor to them-- it's delicious
  

These were all great and very helpful points. My artichokes were not fully cooked after an hour, but I suppose it would have worked better if I had a steamer. This tutorial was really helpful, with great photos, and it also has pressure cooker instructions.

Artichoke with smoked paprika vegenaise and melted earth balance

I served it with a side of vegenaise [[mixed with a little smoked paprika and lemon]] and some melted earth balance. Andrew had never had artichokes this way, so I thought I'd offer up bother dipping options.

If you're worried about eating these covered in fat, don't. Artichokes increase your body's production of bile, which helps the digestion of lipids. Also, they rule with a whopping 10.3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat per serving. PLUS, they're a super food complete with antioxidants. You rock artichokes.

Anyway, this was just a little post to offer up some help with artichokes. They're a strange and elusive plant, at least to me, but they're one of my favorites.

Aaand, it was also to show off my cool, new light box. Enjoy. :)

Crepes with Cilantro-Chipotle Sauce

When I was living in Berkeley, they had crepe shops every block it felt like. I walked by this one every day on my to and from class, and you'd see these guys in the windows with squeegee-looking tools spinning perfect circles of what looks like thin pancakes. And I'm ashamed to say I never took the time to stop in and try one.

Point being: you should try these. This is only my second time making crepes. The first time I used white flour, so I thought I'd give whole wheat crepes a go. I used Isa's recipes for the crepe shell. Then I made some chicken-style seitan with some vegetables and a cilantro-chipotle sauce.


[[Crepes]]

-- A good way to plan this is to make the crepe batter and refrigerate. While it's refrigerating, prepare the filling and sauce. Set both aside on a warmer and prepare the the crepes. Then fill, wrap, and sauce them.

[[Cilantro-Chipotle Sauce]]
This is a lot like my other sauces [[ I'm on a big cream sauce kick lately]].

1 tbs chickpea flour
1 tbs earth balance
2-3 cloves garlic
1 cup plain soy milk
1/2 cup white cooking wine
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 tbs packed chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of salt

-- Heat earth balance and garlic. Add chickpea flour and whisk until you have a thick slurry.
-- Add milk and wine and let simmer until thick. About 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
-- Add chipotle powder and cilantro and mix.



[[Crepe Filling]]

1 package chicken style steitan [[whole foods or clintonville community market]]
1 chopped zucchini
1/2 of a medium size red onion, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
salt, pepper, cumin

-- Heat oil and add seitan, zucchini and onion. Lightly season with salt and pepper, then add about 1 tsp cumin.
-- Cook until seitan is slightly crispy and the onions/zucchini are softened.

Burrito Night Con Seitan

I'm officially obsessed with this creole seitan. It can do not wrong in my mind. Last night, I made some chipotle couscous, creamy guacamole, and creole seitan to make an amazingly delicious burrito.

Some of the best parts of the Mexican cuisine [[and Cali-Mex]] is the use of cilantro and aromatic spices like chili powders. I love getting a mouth full of mild spice on a crispy piece of seitan covered in a creamy, cilantro-heavy guacamole. And there's nothing better than the smokey, hardy flavor of a chipotle. I think people too often rely on fatty things to carry flavor, like cheeses and creams, when you can get a great depth of flavor using the right spices and herbs in the correct moderation.

[[Creamy Guacamole]]
I usually keep mine chunky and very avocado-y, but for this burrito I want it to be a runnier, creamier topping. It worked out nicely.

1 very ripe avocado
1 bunch cilantro, chopped, about 1 tbs packed [[see above photo]]
1 squirt of lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
a dash of pepper
a dash of chili powder
a dash of crushed red pepper
1 tbs tofutti sour cream

-- Blend all ingredients until smooth


[[Chipotle Couscous]]
That picture is about 2 cups couscous [[too much!]], this recipe will serve about 3 people.

1 cup dry couscous [[check the instructions on bag]]
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbs chipotle sauce from canned chipotle in adobe sauce,
plus one seeded, chopped chipotle pepper

-- Heat vegetable broth to a simmer, add couscous and cook until liquids fully absorbed. About 7 minutes.
-- Remove from heat and add the garlic and chipotle/sauce. Mix well.

[[Burrito]]

guacamole
raw spinach
chopped red onion
creole seitan
chipotle couscous
whole wheat or whole grain or Ezekiel tortilla [[Andrew likes the Ezekiel's]]

--Pack together and enjoy.

PETA Upset Over Fly Swatting Incident

If you have twitter, you've probably noticed the new "PETA" trending topic. The animal rights group is apparently angered because President Obama swatted a fly out of his face on television [[watch video here]]. People have mixed reactions; from disgust "I can't believe that PETA is on about Obama's fly killing crap...", to humor "PETA That fly had a micro-chip implanted and was on a spy mission from North Korea! Bravo Obama!". I like the spy mission theory.

Their expectations really confuse me. They get on the president because he swats a fly -- who was invading his space -- but when he gets cheese burgers with the vice president -- a ground up, innocent cow -- they turn the other cheek. I appreciate their efforts to bring to light this issue that most people don't think of; however, after reading some of the trending topic conversation, it seems to alienate people more.

Nevertheless, I hope the president puts to use this new fly catching contraption, the Katcha Bug, to safely release flies [[although I don't know how easy it is to bust out during an interview]] and helps people become more compassionate towards even the smallest of life forms.

Betty's Columbus: a Review

Betty's is a hip a little bar and restaurant in the Short North complete with classic pin-up girl photos galore and some diner-inspired, sparkle-y menus. Last night we took the crew out -- including me, Andrew, and our camera guy, Adrian -- and had a little meeting to make plans for future magic shoots and locations for his stunt [[watch our first video]].

As far as vegan selections go, they offer little heart shape symbols to show when an item can be made vegan* [[thanks to Andrew's suggestion]]. It's great to be able to go to a place and just say, "Make it vegan," and the cook knows. The only item that was regiment approved was the veggie melt. Don't the let the title deceive you. The veggie melt made vegan is simply roasted vegetables on whole wheat bread-- the hardiest, most delicious whole wheal bread ever might I add. If you get it, request black bean hummus on it-- you'll need some moisture sans the cheese and pesto mayo and it's pretty delicious, too.

Other vegan options include some veggie/olive oil pastas, a burrito, other sandwiches, some soups [[that sounded amazing]], and many salads. Sorry I don't have any pictures, the lighting was terrible and not really a tripod set-up situation. Definitely check it out.


*The online menu seems to not be as accurate, but I assure you the one inside the restaurant has vegan notations.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Creole Seitan

When I was little, my younger sister and I would make boxed pasta-roni fettuccine alfredo a lot. My sister would always want me to put on a fake cooking show, and pretend I was making some amazing, extravagant plate of food -- when really it was water, noodles, and a seasoning packet. I think she just really liked the stupid, fake Italian accent I would do. I'd add random stuff from our cupboard to it, and it would turn into the strangest concoction that we ate anyway. The point being, I never felt more like a chef [[in my own mind]] as when I was making boxed pasta-roni for my little sister. I don't think any one will watch me cook with that much enthusiasm again.

Last night, trying to create a vegan alfredo sauce, that same "random" feeling came over me. What's the best way to replace a white cheese? I found myself pulling out anything I could find in my cupboard [[complete with random, fake Italian accent in my mind... I'm truly a nerd]]. And what I came up with, I found to be pretty darn close to the alfredo sauce I ate as a kid [[minus my childhood spice combo]]. I don't know how authentic you could call pasta-roni, but I imagine it falls a little short of the real thing. Andrew, who doesn't really understand my love of boxed things, enjoyed it thoroughly as well.

This pasta dish really knocked my socks off, though. The crunchy, creole seitan was a well seasoned substitution for chicken. I think I like it better. I can't really describe the alfredo beyond -- alfredo-y. It's herbaceous and creamy, exactly what you'd want from an alfredo sauce.


[[Alfredo Sauce]]

I'm sick of stupid names for vegan food. Like really. No more "nooch" or "nom nom" or "bad *ss b*tch alfredo sauce". We're vegan, not angst-y babies. Let's use big people words. This is an alfredo sauce.

This is the sauce, pre-thickening time. It will be very thin. If this is your first time making an alfredo, just be patient. It's not ruined.

1 heaping tbs earth balance buttery spread
3 cloves garlic
2 heaping tbs chickpea flour
1 1/2 cups whole plain soy milk
1/2 cup white cooking wine
a coupe dashes of thyme, oregano, and onion powder
a small pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 heaping tbs sour cream
a squirt of lemon

-- Melt butter and cook garlic about 30 seconds on medium heat. Then, add chickpea flour and whisk until a thick paste forms.
-- Add milk and wine, and whisk constantly. Let sit for a minute and allow to thicken. Whisk some more. Let sit again. About 10 minutes.
-- When thickened, remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Whisk together thoroughly. Keep on low burner until ready to serve.

[[Creole Seitan]]

creole seasoning, Tony Chachere for instance
chili powder
seitan
2 tbs olive oil

-- Chop up seitan into tiny, bite sized pieces. Lightly season with creole and chili powder. Enough to get them lightly seasoned.
-- Heat on medium heat, 2 tbs olive oil. Add seitan and cook until cripy and browned.

You can see that a couple are starting to get a cripy brown coat, I cooked these anouther 5-10 minuntes after this picture was taken.

Tempeh Bacon

Hey guys, thanks for being patient with the blog template changes. I think I have it under control now, hopefully there won't be any more parsing errors.

I couldn't get mine as thin as hers, but they were perfect.

I wanted to do a quick post about this amazing tempeh bacon I tried. Kathy of "Healthy. Happy. Life." posted this recipe a few days ago, and I can only say amazing things about it. The sweetness of the maple syrup with heat of cayenne [[ She says to add a dash, I add a good tsp]] really creates an amazing complex flavor. I love how "mock greasy" it is. It's covered in a smoky sauce, which makes it feel greasy and unhealthy. I remember bacon being dripping with fat, not like these dry imitation, shards that you buy in the store. They're great for bacon bits, but when it comes to a BLT they just don't cut it. But these ones rocked. The sweet, smoky, greasy flavor completely satiates my cravings. For the "BBQ spice blend" I used minced garlic, onion powder, plus the other spices, and then used liquid smoke for the "smoky flavor". You can find liquid smoke at ANY grocery store. Just ask.

Under Construction

Hey guys, my blog is sort of down for the time being. The new template isn't really working out, so I'll either be switching back to the old template or trying to get a hold of new one. The process of finding a new look for Columbus Vegan has been a difficult one, any one with design knowledge that could lend some advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks for being patient.

Italian Vegetable Soup

This is a really herby, healthy soup. It isn't hardy and full of bold flavors like I usually make. Sometimes you need simple though. The flavor of rosemary is very prevalent and the huge slices of zucchini give it a unique and interesting touch. Growing up, we ate a lot of canned vegetable soup, drenched in beef broth and full of starchy potatoes. It was delicious then, but the more I think about it, the less that sounds like "vegetable" soup to me. I tried to keep mine vegetable heavy, and light feeling. The garlic croutons give it a great, crunchy contrast.


[[Italian Vegetable Soup]]
You don't have to use the same vegetables. The great thing about vegetable soup is it can change with the seasons and still taste great. Use whatever is available locally to you. I got all this at the Clintonville Comminity Market.

2 larged chopped carrots
1 chopped zucchini
1 small red onion chopped
2 chopped celery sticks
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup corn
4-5 cloves garlic
4 tbs olive oil
1 14 1/2 oz can of diced tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tbs Italian seasoning
a dash of salt and pepper

-- heat olive oil and add all vegetables. Cook about 8 minutes. Then add the undrained can of tomatoes.
-- add broth and water with the bay leaves and cook covered on medium heat about 10 minutes until vegetables tender.
-- remove bay leaves, and add the seasoning and stir.
-- serve with garlic croutons.

New Documentary: Food Inc.

Peter Pringle came on Bill Maher recently to talk about his book "Food Inc". I have not read the book yet, however, from the interview, it seems that the book aims to expose some of the truths about much of the industry that we as vegans hate. The meat industry, the corporate greed, the lies.

Check out their website and this trailer. The movie came out today, however, it's not in Columbus yet. I'll keep you posted if I see it around here.

Buffalo Chicken-Style Seitan Wraps

Andrew would always talk about these amazing wraps he used to make. So I tried to recreate them. A little hot wing sauce, a little seitan, some spinach,vegan ranch and my addition -- guacamole [[don't worry, it worked]].

We used Karen's Hot Wing Sauce. I can't find a link to it online, otherwise I'd show you. It's pretty freaking hot though. If you're not a big spicy eater, I'd recommend using one you're more familiar with or checking out some milder hot wing sauces. Or even just doing a barbecue seitan wrap.

We also used Organicville Non-dairy ranch for the first time, and it worked very well. The next day we used left over seitan to make a buffalo spinach salad and topped it with this ranch. It's a little runnier than your standard ranch, but it tasted great and is extremely healthy [[surprisingly]]. It's mostly tofu and soy milk and a measely 90 calories a serving.

[[Californian Buffalo Chicken-Style Seitan Wraps]]
I added the 'Californian' because well... what makes something Californian? Avocado.

Karen's hot wing sauce [[or whatever you'll use]]
1 tbs olive oil
1 container chicken style seitan [[in Columbus, I've only found it at Clintonville Comm. Market]]
2 whole wheat tortillas
spinach
guacamole: fresh cilantro, cholula seasoning, salt, pepper, lime.

Stove Top Version:
--Heat olive oil on low to medium heat. Once hot, add the slightly chopped chicken-style seitan [[you want bite size pieces, some are really big]]. Cool it until it's browned and cripsy, about 10 minutes.
-- Add the hot wing sauce. Just add it until it's completely coated the seitan. Cook about 5 minutes, remove from heat.
-- Pile it all in a warmed tortilla.

Microwave version:
-- Microwave seitan in a microwave-safe bowl for about 2-3 minutes until completely warmed.
-- Remove from microwave and toss with hot wing sauce.
-- Assemble in a microwaved tortilla with all the fixings.

the new face of columbus vegan

Hey guys, I updated my site. Tried to make it a little more "hip" since everyone and their mom has the other template. It was a nice one. I'll miss it.

Let me know what you think of the new template and if there are any kinks I need to work out. The navigation is a little different, too.

Thanks! Stay dry on this rainy day!

Spicy Tortilla Soup

After my recent post about almonds, I've been thinking a lot about oils and whether or not it's healthy to heat them. A lot of people are under the impression that roasting nuts and heating oils releases free radicals that are harmful to your body and potentially cause cancer. I've tried to do some research online, and I have not found any compelling cases for not heating oils.

What I do know, however, is that olive oil is the best oil you can eat. It has the best fats, lowers cholesterol, and prevents heart disease [[go here]]. I also know that it's a staple of the Mediterranean diet, which has always been praised for being extremely healthy.

With oils, you just need to be sure not to over heat it. Know the temperature ranges for your oils. Olive oil is low/no-heat cooking. Safflower oil is medium heat cooking. Grapeseed, vegetable, and canola oil are high heat cooking.


With that in mind, I have for you a no-oil dish. I always use oil so it's a little odd for me, but this is an amazing and extremely healthy tortilla soup [[you can make it even healthier and not use sour cream]]. Enjoy.

[[Spicy Tortilla Soup]]
Please note that this is a bit spicy. The sour cream helps cool it, but you may want to adjust some of the spices for those with a softer palate. Cutting the cayenne pepper out and the hot sauce will help.

*all organic ingredients
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus two tbs
2 ancho chilies, broken up into pieces [[they come in little plastic bags at Whole Foods]]
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups no-chicken broth [[you can find this at Kroger or Whole Foods]]
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbs cholula hot sauce [[or whichever Mexican hot sauce you like]]
2 bunches chopped green onions, diced
some Tofutti sour cream [[at Kroger and Whole Foods]]

-- Blend onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 cup cilantro in a blender or food processor until smooth-- just do it 'til they are combined, it doesn't need to be a completely smooth paste. Add 1 tbs water if it's sticking, and give it a shake.
-- Add to sauce pan and heat on medium stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add garlic, corn, and drained tomatoes. Once it has simmered a bit and the top layer seems to be separating, like a pool of oil, add the broth.
-- Stir and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add spices, the 2 tbs reserve of fresh cilantro, hot sauce and stir.
-- When ready, top with a dollop of sour cream and a handful of chopped green onions.

Chipotle Tofu Benedict

There's about a million variations to Eggs Benedict. There's the Florentine [[using spinach and a Mornay sauce]], the California [[using avocado - duh - and tomatoes]], Seafood Benedict [[isn't it obvious?]] -- the possibilities are endless. It's only natural that we make a vegan one. I know Isa has a couple recipes in the Veganomicon and I hear there's another one in the her new Brunch book [[which I'm yet to get]], but I thought my version was a little more...authentic?

Instead of trying to recreate a hollandiase sauce, which seems next to impossible without eggs, I tried to imitate a mornay, traditionally coupled with eggs florentine. Traditionally, a mornay is a bechamel sauce with a white cheese added. So, I made a vegan mornay, add some nutritional yeast, and a little chipotle to make a vegan chipotle mornay. The French may frown on my version, but I think you all will love it.

[[Chipotle Mornay]]
This was moderately spicy for me. I needed water. You may want to cut back on the chipotle sauce or gradually add and taste to be sure it's not too much for you.

1 heaping tbs earth balance
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 heaping tbs chickpea flour
1 1/4 cup whole plain soy milk
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs of the reserve sauce in a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
dash of pepper and salt
1 tbs lemon

-- Heat butter on medium to high heat. Once heated, add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon.
-- Add the chickpea flour and whisk together well until it's a thicker, creamy mass.
-- Add soy milk, and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Let sit and watch as it thickens. Whisking periodically.
-- When it's thick and doubled in size, remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, lemon, and chipotle sauce. Mix together thoroughly.

[[Tofu Benedict]]
I know a lot of people like to emulate a McMuffin and make little tofu squares. I'll admit, those are cute. But I felt like just doing a little scramble. ;)

2 toasted whole wheat English muffins
2 tbs green onions, chopped
4 pieces of fake bacon chopped
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
one recipe for tofu scramble [[I use onions, green bell peppers, and mushrooms this time]]

-- Heat oil on medium heat in a skillet and cook chopped 'bacon' until crispy, about 10 minutes.
-- For the last 30 seconds, heat green onions with 'bacon'.
-- Take a toasted muffin, top with tofu scramble, the sauce, and bacon/green onion combo.

Raising the Bar: More Crazy Vegans

I'd like to say seeing vegan characters on TV shows makes me happy, but it just doesn't. They're always wackos, like the vegan chick from True Blood-- a psycho vamp killer, now dead-- or the Hockey mom from last night's Season 2 premier of Raising the Bar [[P.S. Did you see Mark-Paul Gosselaar on Jimmy Fallon?]].

She's a crazy, "organic-lovin', vegan" lady who sues this nice frumpy, fat lady for "punching her with a hot dog". The show is geared towards the little man, so we all feel so bad for the poor, frumpy lady who can't make bail, and we hate the evil, vegan bitch who needs to let it go. I'm not saying getting punched with a hot dog is sue-worthy. I'd be angry as heck, but I don't think I'd sue a fellow soccer mom. The point is-- they made vegans look ridiculous and crazy once more.

Why can't the vegan be the little guy? And why do they have to be wackos? Are people that threatened by progression and change that writers feel compelled to make vegans the evil villains in their stories?

The Amazing Nut

As vegans, you probably already know that peanut butter is a great source of protein. It was invented by a vegetarian and now it's wildly loved, bla bla bla.

But people seem to think they're too "fatty" and they have this misconception that it will make them fatter. But this just isn't the case.

Beyond that, there are some amazing health benefits to regularly snacking on nuts, particularly almonds, walnuts, and peanuts [[a legume, actually]]. Here's a few facts from an article I read that I've compiled into a list:

• Walnuts are particularly beneficial because they contain n-3 fatty acids -- which help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and promote brain health and immune function [[more info on n-3 fatty acids]].
  
• Nuts significantly reduce the risk of heart disease
  
• "...The risks of having a stroke, of developing type 2 diabetes, of developing dementia, of advanced muscular degeneration and of gallstones have all been found to be lowered by eating nuts."
• You should eat 1-2 oz daily to get the most health benefits from eating nuts
  
• Nuts won't make you gain weight. People who regularly eat nuts are actually slightly thinner than average.
  
• Nuts are a great source of fibre, vitamin E, folic acid, copper, magnesium and the amino acid arginine.
• "Nuts are the best dietary source of manganese and contain plant sterols, the compounds now added to some margarines to reduce cholesterol adsorption from food, and are a good source of boron."
• "...Regular nut consumption can be recommended as a replacement for consumption of refined grain products or red or processed meats."

For more information on nut health, check out this Article from Harvard and this list of health benefits on MayoClinic.


[[image source: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~wellness/wpp/nutri/main_resources_aa.html]]

Simple Salads

I love a good cilantro lime vinaigrette. If you've never had one, Bodega Cafe in the Short North has a good spinach salad with a cilantro lime vinaigrette. Try it out some time. It's vegan if you ask for no cheese.

I was craving an CLV, but thoroughly lacking the ambition to make one, so I made this impromptu lime-y, cilantro-y concoction.

Take some spinach. Top with shredded carrots and chopped red onions. Add however much extra virgin olive oil you like. Some people like soggy -- I like a light dressing. Squirt a little bit of lime on it. Not too much, it'll make it very sour. For that sized salad, do like a teaspoon. Top with about 1/4 tsp. minced garlic [[I have a jar of it, it's very handy.]] and about 1 tbs. dried cilantro [[or fresh if you're luckier than me]].

And there's your janky vinaigrette. Not quite a vinaigrette, but really good still.

Don't Let Them Scare You

I wanted to do a quick bit on this vegan/vegetarian guide on MedicineNet. I think this is the discourse of many omnivores. They try to scare you and tell you what you're doing is unhealthy. I often fall prey, as a lover of science, to these studies about nutrient absorption and lots of planning.

You DON'T have to do any more planning than a meat eater. Most meat eaters are overweight morons who should pay attention MORE [[based one my own experiences, I'm sure there are plenty of heath nut meat eaters]]. If you eat your vegetables and your proteins [[beans and tofu]] -- you will be fine. Take a supplement or two [[like everyone should]] and exercise often. You'll be fine.

NOW, if you eat french fries and iceberg lettuce all day, you'll run into some problems. I hope you all know better than that by now. :)

I just wanted to give a little pep to talk to everyone. Don't worry about this hullabaloo saying when to eat a grain with a protein or whatever -- there have been many vegans and vegetarians throughout history who have done just fine and lived long healthy lives. Remember that.

Saturday Morning French Toast

Yesterday Andrew had a charity gig in Mason, OH for Relay for Life. Days like that, I like to cook an awesome breakfast to prepare for the long drives and hard work [[well, his hard work, I mostly hang out and take pictures]].

I felt like french toast out of the blue. I haven't made it in forever, and last time I did, I used white bread and white flour. So, I was happily surprised with the healthy alternatives.



If you read any vegan recipes online, there's always one comment from some confused soul saying, The outside got burnt and the inside never cooked. Cooking vegan french toast is not as easy as the egg variety. BUT, I have a few methods that help me out:

1. KEEP THE BURNER HEAT MEDIUM. A lot of people see that the inside isn't cooking so they blast the heat, only to burn the outside and keep the middle soggy. You must keep the heat medium. You don't want your oil to start smoking and the french toast burning.
   
2. APPLY PRESSURE. If you notice that the middle is not getting as cooked, with the back of your spatula, apply pressure. I notice with some breads, the crust elevates the middle so it's not touching the pan as much as the outside parts. You don't want to squashed the bread, but apply a little pressure so it gets cook just as well as the outside.
   
3. MAKE SURE YOUR MIXTURE IS THICK. I hardly ever use the same amount of chickpea flour [[or white flour]] when I make a mixture. Sometimes it just needs a little more. Make sure you have that thick runny consistency. If you try these first two tricks on your first slice and it doesn't work, add another tbs of flour to the mix. The next one should be better then. [[Also, flour will sink to the bottom sometimes, make sure you whisk it really well]]

[[Easy French Toast]]
Top it off with pure maple syrup and a little earth balance.

4 tbs chickpea flour
1 1/2 cups vanilla rice milk [[you can also use soy, start out with less flour]]
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
opt: 1 tsp vanilla extract [[only if you use plain milk instead of vanilla]]
1-2 tbs canola oil
6 pieces of whatever whole wheat, whole grain bread you like

-- Whisk together flour, milk, and cinnamon [[plus extract if you're using]] until very well combined. You may notice that the cinnamon will float, so you may want to add it as you go so that all the toast gets some cinnamon flavor.
-- Heat a skillet with 1 tbs canola oil. Dip the bread on each side in the mixture. Avoid letting it soak too long.
-- Place soaked bread on hot skillet and allow to cook for about 5 minutes on each side. [[keeping the heat on medium and applying pressure as needed]]
-- Continue with the rest, apply more oil as need.

Baked Pita and Black Bean Dip

I love chips and dip. It's usually lays potato chips and an onion dip-- those are the most delicious to me. I'm trying to stay away from chips for obvious reasons, and I'm pretty sure your standard store bought dips are loaded with creams and cheeses and fats.

In my attempts to make a healthy alternative [[besides corn chips and salsa, which are not that bad]], I made pita chips with a black bean layered dip. It was really easy and fast. If you ever have dinner parties or just want to do something nice for someone you love, this turns out really pretty while being incredibly delicious.

[[Seasoned Pita Chips]]
I know you can just buy these, but they're always made with white flour pita. This way you can control preservatives and crispiness and make them whole wheat. Andrew and I ate it all and then we were too full for dinner, so this is probably a good appetizer for four people. :)

2 pieces of whole wheat pita bread, sliced into triangles
about 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
a few dashes of salt and pepper

-- Preheat your oven to 375 F
-- Lay your sliced pita out on a cookie sheet so you have one layer. Drizzle with oil. If you have a spray bottle, that may work better to get an even coat.
-- Sprinkle with seasoning and bake for about 10 minutes. It may need more or less time. Check them periodically to be sure they're not too hard or soft for your taste. It'll be around 10 minutes though.


[[Bean Dip]]
You can use another chili powder. Chipotles just have a great smokey flavor that really stands out in a dish. I recommend getting some. This looks really pretty in a glass dish so you can see the layers. Regular tortilla chips would work well with this, too.

1/2 can of black beans
1/2 container of tofutti sour cream
1/4 cup pico de gallo [[we just got some fresh from whole foods, but it's easy to make]]
1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
a few dashes of chipotle pepper powder
2 tbs chopped green onions

-- In a serving bowl, place on layer of cooked black beans. Then, a layer of pico de gallo.
-- In a seperate bowl, mix the lime and cayenne pepper with the sour cream. Place that mixture on top of the pico de gallo layer.
-- Top with a few days of chipotle pepper and the chopped green onions.
-- Serve with a side of pita chips.

Vegan Shoe Shopping: Olsen Haus

I'm the cheapest girl I know when it comes to clothing. I cringe at a 20$ t-shirt. Anything over 40$ for a pair of jeans is just out of the question. My favorite jeans are the 2 for 50$ at PacSun. The cardigan I'm wearing now was 10$. I'm wearing bagged underwear from Wal-mart. I won't lie -- I rock the target clothing. And I'm sad to say, even their prices are too much for me sometimes.

When I met Andrew, he got me into American Apparel. It took me a minute to get used to buying 40$ cotton t-shirts. The thing that gets me is that I'm paying for a cruelty free shirt-- no humans were demoralized in the making of that shirt. I always find myself crawling back to my old favorites, though.

And since becoming vegan, I notice it's harder to shop at those cheap places I once loved. I find an amazing pair of shoes and pray as I search for the label, hoping to read "man-made materials". The good ones are always leather, though.

So, when I found Olsen Haus, a pure vegan online shoe store, I was sooo excited. Finally shoes that look cool without skinning a cow [[and no, they're not the same cows you eat, for you delusional meat eaters out there]]. AND THEN, I found these super edgy, paint splattered pair of green wedges.

I don't even want to talk about them, I'm so upset. Who would pay 175$ for a pair of shoes? It's outrageous. I could buy them, but it just feels wrong. Where is this haven of cheap, vegan shoes that don't look like something my grandma would wear?

HOWEVER, Haus is pretty cool and very into spreading vegan awareness. Their website includes a bit entitled "the 'truth' about animals" [[You should TOTALLY look at that link. It's the coolest thing I've seen. A clever way to show the truth about your clothing.]] . I'd almost consider buying their shoes a donation to a cause. For now, I'm just longing for them from afar until I mustar up the courage to buy them... maybe.

Vegan Documentary

"I'm Vegan" is a documentary created by Eric Prescott [[producer/directed]], which aims to remove any stereotypes about vegans by traveling across North American interviewing vegans. I feel a little dumb for just hearing about this now. I need to get better with my news updates. The tour started March 16th and has since ended. Check out their website for updates on the completed documentary. And although the tour is over, go to their downloads section and post the "I'm Vegan" logo on your website to help spread the news about this documentary.

Tempeh-Avocado-Chipotle Mayo Sandwich

To go with the tomato bisque that I posted about yesterday, I made a tempeh-avocado-chipotle mayo sandwich. I don't know what to call it-- a TAC? The name needs work.

I just marinated the tempeh, fried it in a little oil, and topped it with some awesomeness. It was really easy, I just wanted something to go with the soup. It has a smoky flavor [[from the chipotle mayo]] and a freshness [[from the lime avocado]].

[[The TAC]]
This makes four sandwiches.

chipotle mayo:
one chipotle, seeded [[they usually come in adobo sauce, canned]]
5 tbs mayo

-- Remove one chipotle from the can [[if you seal it tightly, the rest will last a good week in the fridge]]. Cut a hole on the top, and be sure to remove ALL the seeds. Chop it up really well. In a blender, blend the mayo and chopped chipotle. It won't blend well, you'll still have chunks in it. But that's ok. Refrigerate until ready to use.

lime avocado:
one very ripe avocado, smashed
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tbs lime juice, fresh
a pinch of salt

-- Add all ingredients together and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

marinade:
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2 tbs bragg's liquid aminos, or just soy sauce
3-4 cloves garlic minced

1 package of tempeh
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

-- Cut tempeh in half length-wise. Then, slice the halves down the middle so you have four, even, bread-shaped squares. Mix all ingredients for the marinade, and lay each piece in the marinade for about 30 minutes. Rub the garlic on each piece, making sure it doesn't sink to the bottom.
-- After 30 minutes, heat some olive oil on medium-high heat in a pan and fry on each side until slightly browned and crispy. about 5 minutes per side.

the sandwich:
chipotle mayo
lime avocado
marinaded tempeh, 4 slices
about a handful white onions, chopped
8 toasted pieces of sesame bread, Ezekiel brand [[or whatever]]

-- Take two pieces of toast, put some chipotle mayo on one side, and some avocado on the other. Place a piece of tempeh between 'em and top with onions and some lettuce. Slap it together and cut it in half. Eat.

Pink Sucks

SO, I was looking at my google news and came across an ecorazzi post bashing Kanye West [[because who doesn't love a good Kanye bashing, am I right?]]. Anyway, it basically said Kanya loves fur, Pink [[the singer with the Pink hair? Remember her from like 4 years ago?]] got offended and now there's a post up about how much Kanye sucks for loving fur.

Me, being the inquisitive person that I am, suspected that Pink isn't even vegetarian. Although I couldn't find many credible sources that said she wasn't veg [[but some tabloids!]], I couldn't find any article confirming she is in fact vegetarian [[unless you count wikipedia, which I don't]].

So what's my point? I made a comment about what a phony Pink is because she's anti-fur but still eats meat, and how people who are anti-fur but still eat meat are hypocritical idiots [[read the comments here]]. And I get a comment from someone who not only made no sense, but tried to attack the quality of my food. Apparently I should appreciate Pink's illogical tendencies because she cares about the animals-- kind of. Not only that, but some one else found out Pink sold leather pants at an auction. Big surprise there.

My question to you is: Is being anti-fur "good enough" for you? Or does it anger you that someone says you can eat one animal but not skin another?

Basil Tomato Bisque with Garlic Coutons

I had this huge can of diced tomatoes in my cupboard and I've been meaning to try a tomato bisque, so this seemed like a great opportunity. I also made it with a really great side sandwich that will be featured in another post.

I love that I got a chance to prominently feature tomatoes. They are a super food, and full of amazing benefits:

Tomatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports the immune system and helps maintain healthy skin and tissue lining. They are packed with antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin E, both of which are essential for heart health, and are a good source of potassium. One medium-size tomato provides 50 per cent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C; they contain no saturated fatty acids, are low in salt, starch and sugars, high in dietary fiber and have a low glycaemic index [[article]].

This bisque is slightly chunky with a little kick [[I love my crushed red pepper]] and some basil of course. The garlic croutons are something I read about in an article featuring Vegan Soul Kitchen so unfortunately I cannot take credit for those.

I used chickpea flour to thicken my soup this time, for the regiment's sake. But you can use white flour. I know it's just a small amount, but I really don't want to use it at all. This also helps the soup be gluten free.

P.S. I got new bowls and plates. So those are also featured today. :)


[[Basil Tomato Bisque]]
This makes kind of a lot. I'll say it serves six. You may have leftovers still, depending on how much you serve.

2 tbs earth balance
one white onion finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
3 tbs chickpea flour
1 1/4 cup plain NOT LIGHT soy milk
1/2 cup red cooking wine
3 lb. diced tomatoes
1 14 1/2 oz can tomato sauce
1 bunch chopped fresh basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper

-- Melt butter in a sauce pan, add onions and garlic. Cook onions until soft and translucent.
-- Add chickpea flour and whisk vigorously to make it thick and clumpy. Add milk and wine. Continue to whisk and cook on medium heat until thickened.
-- Once thickened, add tomato sauce and tomatoes and stir. Let cook for about 10 minutes so the tomatoes soften.
-- To make it less chunky, take small amounts to a blender and blend. Then re-add to soup, and blend more. It will be hot so be sure to life the blender lid in between to let some steam out.
-- Add your bay leaves, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and enjoy.
-- Top your soup with some garlic croutons and balsamic vinegar. If you're having a fancy dinner, you can add a bay leaf for prettiness sake.



[[Garlic Croutons]]
I think this is a really good way to eat croutons if you're going to eat them. They often have parmesan cheese on them [[well the good ones anyway]] so this a good way to control ingredients. It's really, really easy, too.

3 toasted pieces of Ezekiel bread [[you can use any kind of bread]]
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced

-- Chop up toast into desired crouton shape. I've seen some that are just a crouton "stick", you could try that. I think it's really cute.
-- Heat oil and cook garlic for 1-2 minutes.
-- Add your cubed toast. You want them to be slightly burnt so they don't get soggy in your soup. [[Although Andrew liked the soggy ones, so go figure]]
-- You can add some herbs to this, too, if you want to make some for a salad or something. The garlic is really prominent and flavorful on its own, though.

Raw Sugar Versus Refined Sugar

Most of us should know that refined sugar is bad. It elevates blood sugar levels and then crashes them, making you cranky and unable to think straight [[More here]]. Recently, an LA Laker's player, Lamar Odom, is speculated by doctors to have a sugar addiction, which is hurting his health and in turn, his team [[Article]]. If you eat sugar every day, you should really consider switching to raw sugar or agave nectar or stevia. Natural sugars are higher in nutrients such as Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium. While, much like white flour, refined sugar is raw carbohydrates.

When Andrew does his sleep deprivation stunt, I'll have to put him on a diabetic diet just to avoid any blood sugar spike that could hinder his staying awake. We don't want him artificially awake-- by drug or even food. If his body wants to crash, it will need to be able to do so without stimulants inhibiting it. Otherwise, we could cause some major internal problems.

For now, we're just avoiding the bad refined sugar and sticking to whole wheat, whole grains. A touch of raw sugar in our clif bars, plus the VERY rare dessert with a touch of raw sugar in it [[try my 100% whole wheat strawberry shortcake]].

It's strange for me to know, as well, that all these years of dieting and working out in high school, I never received quite the same results as I get now. Eating no carbs and working out on the ellipitical, I lost weight but felt like crap. Even when I first went vegan, I started to feel unhealthy. I gained weight. I was tired. And I think it was just because instead of eating meat and dairy [[which are also bad]], I just ate more of the really bad stuff [[like refined flours and sugars]]. Now that I've made this complete transition toward EVERYTHING good, I feel better than I ever have before. I don't get as moody, Andrew and I are looking leaner, and we are improving more quickly on the track. Starting this regiment was my "a-ha" moment [[like those corny commercials? ha.]] -- I'm finally doing it right.

June - The Month of Dairy

For some reason, the dairy and meat industry like to dedicate whole months to their food. May was the month of beef. Now this month is the month of dairy. I thought I'd dedicate a post to dairy alternatives, in revolt of dairy month.

There's a lot of great bloggers out there that post ice cream recipes and mac n cheese recipes and various dairy alternative recipes, for vegans. Give some of them a try this month.

There's a vegan blog completely dedicate to vegan ice cream, called A Vegan Ice Cream Paradise. Although, I try not eat ice cream, this blog has a lot of amazing sorbet recipes, too. There's also reviews of the millions of vegan ice cream cookbooks.


One of my favorite mac n cheeses is a recipe I got from Get Sconed!. I up the spices a lot to give it a kick. To make it regiment approved, I use chickpea flour to thicken the cheese sauce. There's no weird beany flavor, it's perfect. For bread crumbs, I toast and grind ezekiel bread in a coffee grinder. It works. Give it try this month!


Vegan Dad has the best gyro recipe. I make it all time. The amazing part is the vegan tatziki sauce. Made with silken tofu and absolutely delicious. No need for heavy cream here. This sandwich though, it literally tastes like a sausage. Must be the seasoning. But it's soooo good!


I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but this creamy creole is delicious. It's mostly soy milk and earth balance and it tastes great. Give this a try. This is the healthiest "cream" sauce you're going to get.

These are just a few I could think of off the top of my head. If you know of any other great recipes, please let me know. And even if you're vegetarian, maybe this is a good month to make that final leap into an amazingly healthier, 100% cruelty free live style.