Hooray Vegan

2011-12-18T18:15:00.000-05:00

I don't update this blog anymore!

Romesco!

2009-05-16T17:32:00.006-04:00

Have you made romesco yet this year? This complex and flavorful Catalonian sauce is perfect for grilled spring and summer vegetables. It can be time consuming to make, but it keeps well and the flavors improve with time in the fridge. Make a big batch and eat it with grilled veggies, rice, sandwiches, and crusty bread all week long.

This recipe is cobbled together from several others and has served me well. Feel free to tweak the ingredients, but please don't skip the sweet smoked paprika. After one whiff you will want to dust your mustache with it every morning.

Romesco sauce

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

1 yellow onion
2 red bell peppers (if you are not a huge pepper fan, sub a third tomato for one of the peppers)
2 ripe tomatoes
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 T Sherry vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/3 - 1/2 C almond meal (DIY by grinding 3/4 C almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor)
1 slice bread, white or wheat, stale or toasted, torn into small pieces
1 t sweet smoked paprika (also known as pimenton de la vera; available in fine food stores or spice shops)
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 salt, plus more to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Rub onion, peppers, and tomatoes lightly with olive oil and roast in a pan with sides for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove from oven and immediately cover with foil or place in a plastic bag for 15 minutes (this traps the heat and humidity and helps the skin separate from the vegetables). Peel the onion, peel and seed the tomatoes and bell peppers and place all the vegetables in a food processor.

Toast the almond meal by moving it quickly over medium heat in a dry pan on the stove, or spreading it in a thin layer in a baking dish and sticking it in the oven for about 8 minutes while the veggies are cooling. Add 1/3 C of the toasted almond meal to the food processor.

Add the remaining ingredients (olive oil through salt) to the food processor and blend until smooth. The consistency should be similar to ricotta cheese: soft, but thick enough to spread. If your veggies are larger and result in a thinner sauce, add the remaining almond flour. You can further thicken it by adding more toasted bread.

Allow the sauce to cool and serve at room temperature. Eat it by the spoonful, spread it on toasted baguette slices, serve it over rice with grilled tofu, spread it on a sandwich, or plop a huge dollop of it in the center of your plate and surround it with grilled or oven roasted vegetables.

I made it this week and brought it to a friend's house for a grilled vegetable extravaganza. Nomnomnom:

Grilled spring onions with romesco.

Feast! Sandwich with grilled eggplant, vegan mozz, fresh basil, and romesco. Grilled corn, brussels sprouts, onion, asparagus and tofu with romesco.

Bonus wiener-in-a-babushka:

Vegan Tattoos!

2009-05-03T19:41:00.003-04:00

This lovely new blog got me out my hole and back into the blogosphere. I don't have any tattoos because I am terrified of needles, but I really love seeing tattoos that are about commitment, and vegan tattoos are my favorite kind. There is something both sweet and tough about celebrating your commitment to animals, the environment, and delicious food with something so permanent. Please take a look, and be sure to submit your own vegan tattoo if you've got one!

VeganTattoos.com!

Balsamic Grilled Tofu Panini (Make this sandwich!)

2009-03-05T22:26:00.005-05:00

It's in the 70s in Denver right now and this kind of weather makes me crave grilled things. Grill pans make summery grilled foods possible for those of us that live in third story, balcony-free apartments, and I am so thankful for that. This recipe is delicious, pretty, and requires almost no effort. Get to it!

Balsamic Grilled Tofu Panini

(Makes three sandwiches*)

Equipment: Grill pan, grill, or George Foreman type thing.

1 block extra firm tofu, sliced into six even slices
10 or so cremini mushrooms, sliced

For the marinade:
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

For the sandwich spread:
3 T Vegenaise
1 T Annie's Woodstock Dressing OR 1 T of the remaining marinade

6 slices of bread
Handful fresh baby spinach
Red onion, sliced thinly

Lay the tofu slices on a paper towel or clean dish towel and press gently with another towel to absorb some of the water. Whisk together the ingredients for the marinade and place tofu and mushrooms in a shallow dish with the marinade. Let it marinate for an hour if you've got the the time, or at least ten minutes if you're in a hurry. If you're using a grill pan, turn the dial to medium high heat and grill tofu for three minutes on each side, or until nice grill marks appear. Throw the mushrooms on the grill after you turn the tofu.

Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the sandwich spread and brush the one side each slice of bread with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of sandwich spread on each slice of bread on the side opposite the oil. When the tofu and mushrooms are done, layer two slices of tofu, a third of the mushrooms, 1/3 of the spinach, and a couple of slices of onion on each sandwich. Place on grill for about two minutes on each side, pressing with either a large spatula or a large lid (see below), and then serve.

Ohmygoodnessgrillmarks.

How I press'em.

Panini with cassava chips and red grapes.

* The tofu keeps well in the fridge, so you can make one sandwich a night for three days in a row. Hot damn.

Birthday Weekend Extravaganzaaaa!

2009-02-28T14:07:00.010-05:00

We went to Manitou Springs for my birthday last weekend and had a really great time. If you're in Colorado and looking for a laid back and inexpensive mini-vacation, follow these steps:

1. Make a reservation at Gray's Avenue Hotel (actually a bed and breakfast). There are several rooms under or around $100 a night in the off season. We stayed in the Osage, which was super cozy and had me squeeing with delight about the canopy bed.

Photo from bbonline.com.

Danny gave them a heads up that we're vegan, and when we arrived they had a plate of almond butter, fruit, and crackers waiting. Gwen made us vegan cookies that night, and tofu scramble, vegan pancakes, and vegan blueberry muffins on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Bourge it up with wine in the hot tub before bed, and don't forget to pet the resident furries on your way out to explore.

2. Go hiking in Garden of the Gods. Admission is free, the hiking is easy, and the views are beautiful.

Heh.

3. Eat at Adam's Mountain Cafe. I was a little peeved when they didn't have any vegan appetizers on the menu, but then I realized that it's not actually a vegetarian restaurant, and our main courses were so good that I forgot about it.

Pear salad with apple vinaigrette.

Senegalese vegetables with tempeh. I would eat this every day if I could.

Pan seared tofu with udon noodles.

PS. Before you leave, be sure to check your luggage for stowaways.

And we're back!

2009-02-25T17:26:00.004-05:00

And by we, I mean me. Since November I have been bouncing from Florida to DC to job hunting in Denver with not much time for web logging. But now I'm back and ready to talk about lentils.

I don't know a whole lot about about the nutritional value of many of my favorite foods, and so I've been studying up (ie, Wikipedia) almost every time I cook. Last night I made Egyptian Style Lentil Soup from Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, and was pleasantly surprised by what I learned while the soup was simmering. They are packed with fiber, protein, folate, magnesium, and iron. Plus, they cook quickly and don't require soaking, which means they can be thrown into quick weeknight soups like this one:

So easy, so good.

Red lentils are smaller than other varieties, and turn a light orange color when cooked.

I used red lentils to give it a warm, cheery color, and dressed it up with vegan sour cream and diced tomatoes (not exactly appropriate for the Egyptian style soup, but delicious nonetheless). Fennel seeds, cumin, and oven roasted onions will make your house smell heavenly. Warm flatbread (or whatever you have on hand) is necessary to sop up the last bits of soup in your bowl.

If you're looking to vary your protein sources and up your iron intake (good advice for vegans and non-vegans alike), try this soup, or one of these recipes:

French Lentil Soup with Tarragon and Thyme
Dazee's Misr Allecha
Spiced Lentils and Rice
Lentils Tartare

I have really good reasons for why I have been such a slacker.

2009-02-07T23:02:00.003-05:00

But vegan ranch with a moostache will have to do for now.

PDX ain't got nothin on MSP.

2009-01-02T10:26:00.004-05:00

Guess what I found at the Minneapolis-Paul airport? A little kiosk called French Meadow Bakery (right next to the the Chili's Too near Concourse G) that had two to-go meals specifically labeled vegan. One was a "spa salad" that included tofu, nuts, dried fruit, olives, and some other stuff, and one was a wrap with grilled tofu, spinach, carrots, kalamata olives, and hummus with a side salad of mixed greens and white balsamic vinaigrette.

And the tofu was really good!

The label, so you can spot it the next time you are stuck at MSP.

I usually associate traveling (the getting to and from part) with eating food that's terrible and/or terrible for me, so this was a nice surprise. I also noticed a place called Maui Taco (near gate C5) that seemed to have several vegan options.

I wonder which airport is the most vegan friendly. Atlanta has Moe's (Tofu Moos!) and Greensboro has Alternative Baking Company cookies at their book stores, but at the moment I can't think of any other airport (besides MSP) where I've found something better than a bagel.

Boba House and other updates.

2008-12-30T15:46:00.006-05:00

I have missed my web log. The flu (zomg vegans are so unhealthy) and travel (three cancelled flights!) have made it tough to update. But I am back, and boy oh boy do I have some porn for you.

Danny and I got stuck in Greensboro, North Carolina when our flight home was cancelled, so we made the best of it by getting a cheap hotel, a teensy little rental car, and searching Happy Cow. Boba House was the only vegetarian place listed in Greensboro, and the reviews were great so we gave it a go.

It was so good. Let me show you:

Vegan bubble tea, in Lycee.

Lettuce wraps with vegan chicken. Awesome seasoning and dipping sauce. Messy and fun.

Mixed bowl with grilled chicken, which you can't see, but was excellent.

Seared tuna. This was amazing. It had skin! And tuna texture! And tuna flavor! And the sauce was great.

Kahlua cake. So delicious. Danny doesn't even like chocolate cake (I know, right?), and he was scraping the plate.

I would like to take this opportunity to talk about mock meats. Someone recently asked me why I even bother with them. "If you don't like to eat meat, what's the point? If you want a meat-like food, why not just eat meat?" I know a few people that have gone veg because they dislike the taste of meat, but I think that ethics, environment, and health are probably (by far) the biggest reasons that people choose not to eat meat.

Ethics and environment are the two most important reasons that I went vegan. The grossness of meat was barely a factor. I am grossed out by thinking about where meat comes from, but I think that falls under ethics. The bottom line is that I liked the taste of some meats, especially fish, and am always psyched to find a good substitute. The tuna at Boba House is an amazing substitute, and I am on a mission to find out how to get it here.

So to answer the questions above, I like the taste of meat, but it's cruel and environmentally irresponsible to eat it, so I don't. I like to have a distinct, toothsome protein at most meals, and mock meats, home made or store bought, fit this niche.

I am curious to hear what other vegans and vegetarian think about mock meats. Be sure to send me a link if you post on this.

The Thanksgiving Menu

2008-11-19T17:28:00.005-05:00

I have agonized over this menu. This is the first time I am hosting Thanksgiving on my own (usually I cook everything but the turkey at my parents' house), and the first time I am replacing the turkey for anyone but myself.

I am usually not the least bit apologetic about denying meat to people I cook for, but some reason omitting The Thanksgiving Turkey is intimidating to me. I keep googling pictures of live turkeys to remind myself how ridiculous it is worry about it.

Bubbles, a turkeylet rescued by Farm Sanctuary. Go to their website to adopt a turkey.

Anyway, here's the menu:

Appetizers:
Aged Cashew Cheese with Crackers (Dr. Cow)
Maple Cinnamon Caramel Corn (Hooray Vegan Zine)

Main:
Seitan Chops Smothered in Apples and Ginger (Post Punk Kitchen Blog)

Sides:
Seriously Decadent Mashed Potatoes (Hooray Vegan Zine)
Rosemary Mushroom Gravy (Hooray Vegan Zine)
Green Bean Casserole (FatFree Vegan Kitchen)
Cranberry Walnut and Sage Stuffing (Hooray Vegan Zine)
Cranberry Orange Relish (FatFree Vegan Kitchen)
Garlic Roasted Acorn Squash (See instructions below)
Roasted Fennel and Hazelnut Salad with Shallot Dressing (Veganomicon)
Potato Rolls (From a bakery cuz my oven will be stuffed already)

Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream (Bryanna's recipe)
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Post Punk Kitchen Blog)

Beverages:
Hot Spiced Cider (There's a guy that makes it local)
Pumpkin Beer

Garlic Roasted Acorn Squash, courtesy of freeganvegan on the ppk:
Cut acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds, place 2-3 garlic cloves in each half, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake. The squash and garlic get roasty toasty together, then you mash the roasted garlic in with the squash.

Pictures in a week! Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!

This just in: Everything is squishy and wonderful.

2008-11-14T13:52:00.011-05:00

I have been reading some news and working on some things that are making me a bit depressed about the state of the world. It's good to stay informed, and even better to act on the issues you feel strongly about, but sometimes we need a break. So today I am giving you news that is all delicious and happy and warm and fuzzy. Enjoy!

1. Isa made chocolate chip cookies, and you can too.

2. Adam from the ppk is getting a new tattoo. Well, maybe not, but this picture from DIY SLO is awesome enough to be a tattoo.

3. California's Prop 2 passed!

4. bjorkedoff invented Peanut Butter Pudge Bars.

5. Natalie Dee is great.

6. G Dub will be out of office in no time.

7. Baby animals are still really, really cute.

Today's squishy news brought to you by Hooray Vegan.

Vegan Shoes: Now More Than Ever

2008-11-08T16:27:00.003-05:00

When I was a wee vegan, way back in the 1990s, shoe options were slim. Or at least they were in Tavares, Florida. In junior high I waited for weeks for a pair of vegan Doc Martens that had to be shipped all the way from the UK. I loved my Vegetan boots, but I was so bummed at how much of a pain it was to find cruelty free shoes. There were online resources, but for the most part they weren't my style (think hemp mary janes and Chuck Taylor copycats that were just a little too clunky).

Yesterday we went shoe shopping, and I was impressed by how far we've come. Ahimsa in Denver is an all-vegan shoes and accessories store that has bags, wallets, and men's and women's shoes that fit a nice variety of tastes. The service and location are great, and the selection is lovely. And you can shop online!

Peep* my new boots. Take that, rain and snow.

Danny got some excellent velcro sneakers. Senior citizenship, here we come!

Be sure to visit Ahimsa if you are ever in Denver (or on the internet, for that matter). I need them to stick around. Below is a list of other shops and websites where you can find vegan shoes and other faux-leather accessories. Let me know if I am missing one that you love!

MooShoes in New York
Herbivore in Portland
Vegetarian Shoes and Bags (online)
Alternative Outfitters (online)
Vans has a vegan section!
The Vegan Collection: Men's business shoes online

*Slang courtesy of Patrick Kiernan.

White Lasagna with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Sundried Tomatoes

2008-11-03T21:36:00.004-05:00

I thought about naming this post Barack Losagna, but I don't want to jinx anything. Anyway, this lasagna is way good, and an excellent dish to serve to skeptical omnivores.

9 cooked lasagna noodles, rinsed and ready (tonight I used whole wheat to make up for the cake I had for lunch)

Alfredo Sauce adapted from Lachesis on the PPK
1/3 C Earth Balance
2 C soymilk (unsweetened is best)
12 oz silken tofu
1 T white wine or lemon juice
2 t onion powder
2-3 t garlic powder
1 t salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
1 T arrowroot powder

1 batch tofu ricotta (I use this one)

2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb fresh spinach
Handful chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t thyme
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with olive oil and preheat the oven to 375. Combine all ingredients for the sauce puree with a hand mixer, blender, or food processor. Heat sauce in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and sundried tomatoes and saute for one minute more, and then add the spinach (you may have to add the spinach in 3 or 4 batches) and spices. Move the spinach around with tongs until it is just wilted, about 3 minutes.

Ladle about 1/3 cup of sauce into the lasagna pan and spread it evenly. Layer 3 lasagna noodles, half the ricotta, half the vegetables, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Layer another three noodles, the remaining half of the ricotta, the remaining half of the vegetables, and another 1/3 of the sauce. Place on the last three noodles, ladle on the remaining sauce, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove, allow to cool for 5 minutes, garnish with basil (if using) and serve, maybe with a simple salad and garlic bread.

I forgot to take a lasagna picture, but I will leave you with Danny's gorgeously minced garlic. I have no patience for mincing so I am always impressed.

Damn garlic, you are looking fine.

Vegan Mofo: Cookies for Civil Rights

2008-10-23T14:04:00.005-04:00

So. Some background: I hail from Florida, and though I am currently in Denver, I am voting via absentee ballot in the upcoming election. Florida's ballot includes a proposed amendment to the constitution that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. This pisses me right off, and I can't believe that this is 2008 and I am actually seeing something so backwards on an election ballot. And I would really like to see Florida not pass this ridiculous homophobic amendment. So what do I do?

I bribe my friends. With cookies.

Bribery in general is pretty sketchy. It is corrupt and dishonest and is unfortunately common in politics. But with cookies, somehow, it seems pure. I think this is because cookies are unlikely to change anyone's deeply held beliefs, but may have the power to encourage someone to act on those beliefs. So I issued a cookie bribe via a popular social networking site. Anyone who sends me a picture of their Florida ballot with Prop 2 marked No receives cookies.

Erin, my good friend and a Hooray Vegan zine tester, was the first to come through.

I am positive that Erin was already planning on voting, and I am pretty sure that our finished ballots would look the same, but I love love love that she submitted this, and that so many others have responded with promises to get out and vote in exchange for cookies. I love cookie bribery, and the idea that we could maybe bring about the revolution via vegan baked goods.

Nothing Says I Love You Like Caramel Corn

2008-10-22T22:59:00.002-04:00

This is a sneak preview from the zine. It's seriously addictive, travels well (Care packages! Holiday gifts!), and is super easy to make.

6-8 C popped corn (Or one bag microwave popcorn)
Handful or so of peanuts (optional)
¾ C packed brown sugar
6 T vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
3 T pure maple syrup (Agave syrup or corn syrup works also)
¼ t salt
¼ t baking soda
¼ t vanilla

Preheat oven to 300. Combine popcorn and peanuts (if using) in large baking sheet that has sides.

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, margarine, syrup, and salt. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Cook without stirring 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and stir gently, coating popcorn. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven, stir, and carefully pour the popcorn on another large baking sheet. Stir carefully with fingers to separate while cooling. Serve when completely cooled.

That's Christopher Columbus the cow in the background, in case you were wondering.

And huge thanks to all the awesome Hooray Vegan testers: Cait (Cornfields and Cookies), Elizabeth, Erin (Sundays in the Kitchen with Betty), Heather (The Liberal Vegan), Jennifer, Kristy, Lila, Lisa (panda with cookie), Mary, Stephanie. Visit their blogs and Etsy shops!

Vegan MoFo: A Ghost Story

2008-10-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

I do not believe in ghosts. Well, not really. Well, sort of.

I didn't believe in ghosts at all until a ghost happened to me. This is the story of that ghost, and the incredible supernatural power of vegan food. So turn off your lights, put on some spooky music, and settle in for tonight's edition of Vegan MoFo's Spooky Stories.

In the fall of my sophomore year of college, my roommate (Stephanie) and I moved into a brand new townhouse downtown, which was inexplicably within our price range. We couldn't believe our luck, as our last apartment had been about a third of the size and very old. The floorboards creaked, the walls groaned as they settled, and shortly before moving out we were told that the place was originally a halfway house for the abandoned insane asylum down the street. As much as we loved the charm of our first apartment, we were thrilled to be rid of its spookiness, and welcomed the extra space of our new townhouse.

I was especially excited about being able to have a desk in my room. My mom and dad drove down to help us move, and brought with them an old library desk. My mom found the desk in a junk store, and estimated it to be about 80 years old. It was dark and heavy and had an inkwell. It was the last piece of furniture to be moved in, and we lugged it upstairs and then went downtown to celebrate.

Things didn't get weird until we had lived there about a month. One morning I woke up, went into my bathroom, and saw that my soap was missing. I am absentminded and tend to misplace things so I didn't think much of it when I found it on my desk later that morning. But later that week, the soap moved again. This time, I distinctly remembered that I had washed my hands before bed, and then closed my bathroom door so that my dog wouldn't shred the toilet paper or raid the trash can.

I mentioned this to Stephanie, and her eyes got wide. She said that strange things had been happening to her as well. Several times, when she was home alone in the evening, she would hear me come home. She could hear my keys jingling, the door opening, and my backpack dropping to the floor. The dogs would go nuts and run downstairs, and then return to her bedroom, all nervous with bristled fur. When she'd call hello, there would be no answer. When she went downstairs, there would be no signs that I had come home.

After she told me that, the soap started moving on a nightly basis. And then other things would move; makeup, keys, even shoes. And it always moved to the desk.

The idea of a ghost seemed ridiculous to us, but we couldn't explain what was happening. We decided to experiment one evening, to be sure that it wasn't a friend, or even one of us, pulling a prank. I shut and locked my bathroom door, and put a small piece of clear tape over the door and doorjam. We shut, locked, and taped the door of the apartment as well, and left for the grocery store. It is important to mention here that no one else but our landlord, who lived over an hour away, had a key to our apartment. When we returned a half an hour later, we found the tape undisturbed and the doors locked. And everything that was on my bathroom counter was now on my desk.

At this point, we were uneasy. Even scared. But I was still skeptical, and expected a reasonable explanation to turn up. A week or so passed and nothing happened, and I was deep into midterms and nearly forgot about the strangeness in our apartment.

And then one night, very early in the morning, I woke to the sound of an axe chopping wood. I sat straight up in bed, eyes wide open and instantly awake, and stared at my desk, which was directly in front of my bed. The desk was fine and everything was in order. And then I heard the chopping again, but much louder this time. It sounded like someone was chopping firewood in my bedroom, right in from of my bed. It was clear and close and incredibly loud. I ran to the window, hoping to see a lumberjack on the front stoop at four in the morning. The street was empty, and the sound was now behind me, where my desk was, and growing louder. The room went instantly cold, and the chopping got faster and more intense, and I got the distinct impression that my desk was being hacked to pieces.

I ran to Stephanie's room and jumped into bed with her, shrieking. The next morning, I found my desk exactly as I had left it. Nothing on it had moved and inch, and it was certainly not in pieces all over the floor. I freaked. We both freaked.

I called my friend Elizabeth, who knows about ghosts and witches and all manner of spooky things. I usually thought her hobbies (tarot cards, seances, books on witchcraft) were silly, but I was desperate and scared and needed some help. Elizabeth, totally, unruffled, told us what to do. And we did it.

She supposed that it was the desk that was haunted, and recommended that we concentrate our ghost-eviction activities there. First, she said, we had to introduce ourselves to the ghost, and tell it that it was scaring us, and that we'd like very much for it to leave. So we did. (The vegan part of this story is next. Pay close attention.) Second, she said, we should cleanse the space by burning sage. So we did. And the third, and most important step, was to make a peace offering. She said beer and bread was the most traditional offering, and thought to be the most effective. So we left a poppy seed bagel and a Miller High Life on the desk, and left the ghost to ponder its behavior. When we returned, the bagel was gone and the beer was empty. And after that, the spookiness stopped.

I think the moral of the story is that vegan food can fix nearly everything. And that is the spirit of Vegan MoFo.

Epilogue: When we moved the following fall, I took the desk back to my parents' house. It is there now, in the library of their hundred year old home. I, Stephanie, and her now husband Patrick recently visited my parents, and Patrick took pictures of the house. Check out his picture of the library:

It could be a wonky flash or a trick of the light. Or it could be something else. If it is, I would bet that it's nothing a little tofu couldn't fix.

Vegan MoFo: Cooking with tunage.

2008-10-12T18:23:00.006-04:00

Sometimes, I really, really like cooking alone. My favorite cooking situation involves the following:

1. Plenty of time to prep and do things right (pie crusts are homemade, vegetables are chopped before the stove is turned on, etc).

2. Guests or housemates not showing up until just before dinner/brunch/whatever is to be served.

3. Loud music of my choosing. Music so loud that it covers up my terrible singing. Music that I know every single word to, and that my roommates and friends are sick of.

So today's MoFo post is my top five favorite albums to cook to. Don't make too much fun of me. Here they are in sort of random order:

1. The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

This one was introduced to me by Patrick and Stephanie, and it is definitely for brunch. I've never heard this band properly classified. They're always described with several genres, and they're rarely the same from review to review. Punk/bluegrass/rock/country/folk/whatever. They are fantastic, and I play a whole lot of spatula banjo when this album is on.

Also, they've got the Hot Jesus thing down pat. *Swoonswoon*

2. The Misfits - Self titled

Danzig may be kind of a jerk, but this album is awesome if you have several dozen cookies to crank out.

3. Ben Kweller - Sha Sha

One of my old roommates appropriately renamed this "Sing Along with BK." This album is cozy, and I like it best for soups, pot pies, and other wintery foods.

4. Cat Power - The Greatest

She is so lovely, and her voice is so smooth and and sultry. For some reason this album makes me want to drink red wine, and so dinner is usually pasta and bruschetta.

5. Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block

This is also one of my favorite albums to ride bicycles to. I think it's because of all the whistling.

Vegan Mofo: Lovely Sundays

2008-10-10T23:09:00.000-04:00

If you work a Monday through Friday sort of job, Sundays are the best and worst day of the week. There is nothing quite like that wonderful lazy feeling you get first thing in the morning, and then that bummed out Monday-is-coming feeling you get as the day is coming to an end (Danny calls this The Sunday Sad).

I try to stretch out the good feeling with brunch, farmers markets, and bike rides, and stifle the bad feeling by distracting myself with an afternoon movie. Yesterday was an example of a perfect Sunday, and it was full of excellent vegan food.

We were up and at 'em at the crack of 11, and off to City Park with Cooper and Jipetto. It was sunny and bright, but the air was crisp. This is my favorite sort of weather.

Frolicking wiener dogs are the best kind of wiener dogs.

Around 2 we headed to Watercourse for brunch. It was fantastic, as usual, and we lingered a little too long over our post-brunch cookies and coffee.

The Dona Lee (Crispy seitan, avocado, and vegan ranch). This isn't typical brunch food, and we didn't have it at typical brunch time, but I think brunch is more the style of eating (relaxed, served whenever, maybe a little decadent).

Watercourse fries are just the right sort of crispy. I forgot about food porn until it was a little too late.

Cookies and coffee. The both of us let out a simultaneous audible sigh after the first bite.

After scarf and hat shopping (we are ill equipped for Denver winters), and a movie downtown, we went to City 'O City (Watercourse's sister restaurant) for a late dinner of tea and pizza.

Pesto, vegan mozzarella (made in house), seitan sausage, and mushrooms. So good.

And then a short ride home and early to bed. Sigh.

Vegan Mofo: Vegan Exploring!

2008-10-03T22:04:00.008-04:00

Vegan Mofo is here and I am so excited. My goal is to make twenty posts for the month of mofo, and read five blogs a day. I love how everyone is getting into the spirit, and there will be a later post highlighting some of my favorites (so many already!). But for now, I want to discuss VEGAN EXPLORING.

This is a fairly new concept to me. It's only been in the past year or so that I've started to plan my vacations and weekend road trips around food. I think this happened after I went to Portland. The Vegan Pilgrimage to Portland is a bit cliche, but it's a necessary cliche. Vegan bars with tofu fritters on the menu and vegan hardcore on the stereo? Food carts with vegan breakfast burritos? Vegan donuts? This is the stuff vegan dream vacations are made of, and it is the reason why I consult Happy Cow or The Square at The PPK (Use the search function!) every time I am traveling more than three miles from my house.

Because, as it turns out, there is incredible vegan food to be found nearly everywhere. And one of the many perks of veganism is that your fellow vegans love to share their good finds.

Danny and I went exploring in Ft. Collins today. Ft. Collins is an adorable, bike friendly, liberal college town, so you'd expect to find some decent vegan fare. VegColorado pointed us to Mugs, a coffee shop and cafe, and we were not disappointed.

Danny had the Seitan Caesar. It was good (not fantastic), but I have never seen nooch (nutritional yeast) sprinkled on anything as condiment on its own. I have heard that this happens, but it was not until this salad that I've seen it done. I was skeptical, but it was actually really good.

I had The Med, a panini with spinach, basil, tomato, chicken style seitan, and Follow Your Heart Mozzarella. I assumed the FYH would be melted (I can't stand it unmelted), but the sandwich arrived with the cheese just slightly warmed and still very much unmelted. And you know what? It was awesome. It tasted just like the caprese I loved in my pregan days. I have no idea how this happened. Maybe it just needed a different context (in this case, a panini), to show its true, delicious colors. I still won't be eating it straight out of the package, but I am thrilled that I don't have to melt the hell out if it to enjoy vegan mozzarella.

Extra props to Mugs for having a whole section of the menu clearly labeled vegan. I am a sucker for menu recognition.

After lunch and a tour of CSU, we went to mooch free beer from the New Belgium Brewery. Minus the ones that are clearly labeled as containing honey, New Belgium beers are vegan. And they are environmentally conscious in their building and brewing procedures, and promote the hell out of bicycles as transportation.

Beer and bicycles! These are my people.

Complimentary and delicious.

We are nothing if not classy.

My manifest.

Vegan Exploring is different from plain ol' exploring in that you have to dig a little deeper, and so the rewards are that much sweeter. Also, because vegan cuisine has not yet been worked over the way omnivorous cuisine has, I learn new things about cooking almost every time I eat somewhere new. If you've got the time during this busy mofo season, tell about your favorite Vegan Exploring experience.

I have some news.

2008-09-28T22:04:00.006-04:00

I have been a bad web logger. Two weeks without a post? For shame. But VeganMofo (Vegan Month of Food, in which we write about food like mad) is soon, and I will be blogging my little heart out.

But that is not the news. This is:

1. I am making a zine! It will be out in a few months (there are wonderful testers hard at work), all proceeds will go to an animal-type charity, and it will be called Hooray Vegan Volume 1: Cures for Veganphobia.

2. I got a cake stand! This may seem like no huge deal, but I have wanted one for a long, long time. It seemed like a luxury. Why buy a cake stand when you can just stick it on a plate and cover it in foil? So it turns out it is a luxury, but almost a necessary one if you love to bake. I christened it with a pineapple upside down layer cake (a zine tester!), and it made a world of difference. This cake was a bit ugly (I couldn't find my pastry bags, so the only frosting is in the middle), but it looked so lovely once placed in its shiny new glass case. I would call this situation lipstick on a pig, but the cake was actually delicious, and probably better versed in foreign policy than certain Alaskan governors.

The cake was eaten too quickly for pictures, but I did manage to get a picture of the no bake cookies (another zine recipe) as they were cooling.

So good, so nostalgic.

Anyway, look out for the zine, and get ready for Vegan Mofo. This fall is going to be great.

Sunday brunch is the best kind of brunch.

2008-09-08T12:51:00.005-04:00

We were going to going hiking on Sunday, but a hangover left over from Friday, a chilly morning, and a cozy bed insisted we sleep in and then make brunch instead.

I love the Pumpkin Waffles from Vegan with a Vengeance so much that I haven't bothered to try anything else. Until yesterday. Hot damn, Banana Nut Waffles (Veganomicon) are good. And I don't even like bananas that much. Anyway, they make the house smell like banana bread, and they turn your brunch mate into a waffle monster that can easily put down seven in one sitting.

Monkey bait. I sometimes wonder if the incessant banana references are offensive or at least annoying to monkeys, who probably have a much more varied diet that we imagine.

And because the post punk kitchen empire rules brunch in this household, we also made the Herb Scalloped Potatoes from Veganomicon. These are wonderful, and taste so bad for you even though the only added fat is a tablespoon of olive oil. I think this makes up for the half a stick of Earth Balance I spread on my waffles.

Coors Light makes for an outstanding red eye.

Yesterday's brunch was also my first experience with Field Roast, a brand of grain meat that I've heard good things about. To be honest, the term "grain meat" totally skeeves me out, but the Apple Sage Sausages were excellent. Just a little sweet, perfectly spiced, loaded with protein, and they didn't have even a hint of that McNasty taste that some store bought vegan sausages have. Two thumbs up, Field Roast!

We also made tofu scamble, and it it was especially great yesterday. Fu scramble is a recipe that is particularly subject to change, depending on the cook's mood, refrigerator contents, and their ability to find the thyme, which keeps sneaking off to go party with the aluminum foil instead of staying in the spice cabinet where it belongs.

Anyway, here is yesterday's scramble, in all its glory:

1 lb extra firm tofu
1/8 C nutritional yeast
3/4 t salt
1/4 t paprika
1/2 t turmeric
Several grinds fresh black pepper
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced into half moons
1/4 lb sliced cremini mushrooms (about a cup)

In a medium bowl, crumble tofu and then press with a clean dish towel to remove some moisture. Add nutritional yeast and spices and then mix gently with hands (you want to keep large chunks of tofu that are easy to stab with a fork). Heat the olive oil in a non stick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 2 minutes, and then add the mushrooms and saute for two minutes more. Add the tofu mixture and combine with a spatula, turn heat up to high, and cook until the onions, mushrooms, and larger chunks of fu have browned crispy edges. If there is a lot of water in the tofu, you may need to wait for it to boil off before the tofu actually begins to fry. While it's frying, it helps to scrape the crispy bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula (I use a wooden one). Serve with your favorite condiment.

And if you've never had a red eye (my first one was this spring), here is an incredibly simple recipe:

1 C mild tasting vegan beer (PBR or Coors Light work well)
1/2 C vegan bloody mary mix (check for worcestershire, which can contain anchovies)
1 lime wedge

Poor beer over ice, add bloody mary mix, squeeze in lime, stir, enjoy. This is an excellent beverage for those who enjoy the novelty of drinking before noon, but don't want to get hammered on a Sunday morning.

<3 Abbie

Instead of figuring out what the heck happened to the sidebar on my blog,

2008-08-31T20:38:00.004-04:00

I made the Peach Upside-Down Cake from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. Baking is so much more fun than html. Evidence:

With vanilla soy ice cream. Hot damn.

My cousin Jennifer went to the peach festival in Grand Junction (There is a peach festival in Colorado!?) and brought me back loads of lovely peaches, so that's how the cake happened. As for the side bar hanging out the bottom of the blog, I have no idea how that happened. Let me know if you have any ideas.

Update! I fixed it! Woo! To celebrate, go to FFVK and make that cake.

Bittersweet's Vegan's Hundred

2008-08-22T12:12:00.006-04:00

Speaking of My Sweet Vegan, Hannah Kaminsky recently gave us The Vegan's Hundred, a list of one hundred items every vegan foodie should try at least once. Here are her instructions, and my list:

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto
2. Green Smoothie
3. Tofu Scramble
4. Haggis
5. Mangosteen
6. Creme brulee
7. Fondue
8. Marmite/Vegemite
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea
17. Black truffle (Only the oil. Want badly to try this.)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (Apple and Strawberry wine! Classy!)
19. Gyoza
20. Vanilla ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper (I have no idea what this is.)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Caviar
29. Baklava
30. Pate(They gave us vegan pate on the plane on the way home from Paris. Weird and awesome.)
31. Wasabi peas
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl (This sounds awesome right about now.)
33. Mango lassi
34. Sauerkraut(Blech).
35. Root beer float
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food french fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans
43. Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Stroopwafle
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut (Voodoo Doughnut! Woo!)
50. Seaweed
(Currently eating a chickpea hijiki salad sandwich.)
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy
56. Gnocchi
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple (Oh goodness. I had a roommate that would eat non vegan scrapple. Yech.)
60. Carob chips (Not a fan.)
61. S’mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets
64. Curry
65. Durian
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu (Nom).
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. Absinthe (Only the fake kind, so I don't think it counts).
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. Pomegranate
77. Fauxstess Cupcake
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky
80. Croissants
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings (Also eating these right now).
84. A meal at Candle 79
85. Moussaka
86. Sprouted grains or seeds
87. Macaroni and “cheese”
88. Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. White chocolate
91. Seitan
92. Kimchi
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and Tofutti
97. Potato milk (What? There is such a thing?)
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Raw cookie dough

I learned several things from this list:

1. What Natto and Mango lassi are
2. That I will eat anything, so long as it's vegan
3. That I am not sure if the period goes inside or outside the parentheses when the entire sentence is in parentheses

Your turn.

<3 Abbie

Do you have My Sweet Vegan yet?

2008-08-19T11:37:00.002-04:00

If you don't, go get it.

These Chocolate-Glazed Peanut Butter Scones are amazing. I subbed in whole wheat pastry flour so that I could justify eating them for breakfast, and they were totally delicious.

These scones were also my first attempt at high altitude baking, and were a success. Woo!

I promise that this is not becoming a Watercourse blog.

2008-08-16T09:42:00.004-04:00

It's only that I just moved, and I happen to live a few blocks away, and they happen to have vegan milkshakes.

The object of my distraction.

I have been roadtripping and visiting family and job hunting and apartment hunting and furniture hunting and not cooking and not taking pictures of the delicious things I've been eating. So I haven't had much time or much to write about. But I have lovely new kitchen (New gas stove! Whee!) and a nine to five sort of job, so I am back.

<3

Florida, I miss you already.

2008-07-17T15:38:00.000-04:00

I'm moving to Denver at the end of the month to hang out with my grandpa, my cousins, the mountains, and the prairie dogs for a bit. I will likely be back in St. Pete in a year or so to finish up a degree, but until then I dearly will miss all my favorite people in my favorite city in Florida.

Before I start sobbing, let's talk about how great Denver is. Specifically, how great Denver food is. I went for a short visit with some friends in June, and we went to WaterCourse Foods for brunch on our last day in town.

I may have had two meals. To myself.

Good ole rocky mountain gluttony.

Florentine Scramble

Biscuits and Gravy

I like vegan foods with bloody in the name.

We were all a little pink and crispy from a picnic in Wash Park the day before.

Matt, Erin, Stephanie, Patrick. BFFs, rock lobsters.

We ate too much. And made food babies.

They've got the glow.

WaterCourse brunch is enough to make me want to move 1500 miles, but big green parks, family, and a change of pace are enough to lock it in. Plus, Coopy will be stoked about the flea situation. Take care, Florida, I'll be back soon.

<3

The July Brunch and Bike Ride is already out of control.

2008-07-11T14:33:00.007-04:00

And it's still more than a week away.

The Details:

When: Sunday, July 20th; Ride at 12:30, Brunch at 1:30

Where: Ride meets at Northshore Park (picnic table near 15th Ave NE); Brunch is at 140 Ricardo Way NE

Theme: Batman: The Dark Knight / Christmas in July

Menu: Pancakes. And other good stuff. I haven't decided yet.

Donation: $5, proceeds to The Skirts

Why you should go: This may be the last one for a bit. Also, did you see the theme? Also, did see the part about pancakes?

Questions and concerns: Email me at hoorayvegan@gmail.com.

When Britt suggested a Christmas in July theme, I had concerns about reconciling it with our already-decided-upon Batman theme. Pam responded with this:

And then I went on a Google image search journey and found these:

Evil Stay Puft Santa?!

The moral of the story is that you shouldn't miss this particular event.

I should be working right now.

2008-07-09T10:52:00.005-04:00

I'm at the International Coral Reef Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale this week. I'm supposed to be at a couple of different places right this minute, but I went to Sublime last night and I wanted to tell it to someone who cared. It was pretty freaking great. Vegan picatta? Eggplant rollatini? Chocolate nirvana? Yes please. I'm going again tonight, and I'm bringing my camera with me.

All I did in New York was eat.

2008-07-03T12:31:00.004-04:00

No, seriously. I had at least four meals a day. And when I go to a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, I make a happy plate1, because it is likely I won't be back for a while. I spent most of my trip uncomfortably but happily full.

My very first meal in New York was at Bliss, at 191 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. The fu scramble filling was meh, but I was thrilled with the gooey cheese (does anyone know what they use?), pico de gallo, beans, breakfast potatoes, and sour cream. I made a happy take out box on my way to do touristy things.

Messy and tasty.

1. happy plate - a full plate turned into an empty plate (origin: Stephanie Kiernan)

How you say sandwich, Boo?

2008-07-01T23:59:00.002-04:00

I made sandwiches for dinner (hummus and vegetables on poppy seed bread), and was thinking of all the words I know for sandwich. Here is my list. Please add to it.

Sammich

Sambo

Sammie

Bread hug

And since all this sandwich talk has probably given you sandwich fever, here are some recipes:

TLT

Maple-Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Curried Tempeh Salad

Hasperat

Tomato Basil Sandwiches

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Tofu Panini

June Brunch in Photos

2008-06-30T13:22:00.012-04:00

First, the food. Brunch shells, Mushroom Spinach Strata from Veganomicon, fresh tomatoes and basil, mashed potatoes, peanut butter cinnamon rolls from bjorkedoff, spinach salad (recipe below), fresh fruit, juice, and coffee.

Bicycles, food, and flying dogs are fun and all, but the epic didn't happen until someone noticed that the coconut trees on the golf course were ready for harvest.

There were skeptics.

But Luke and Mike, clearly farmers at heart, rose to the occasion.

Brunch heroes.

Obtaining fresh coconuts is one thing. Fashioning them into beverage vessels is quite another. But we persisted,

And prevailed.

Thanks to Steph for her kitchen help, Pam for leading a bike ride and taking pictures in spite of an injury, Lily for taking pictures, and to everyone else for attending. We raised a healthy sum for Milton Animal League! Next brunch is in July. Stay tuned for details.

<3 Abbie

Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges, Strawberries, and Toasted Almonds

My Aunt Beth brought this or something very much like it to a 4th of July party one year. Anyway, it's easy, pretty, and delicious.

Salad:
10 oz fresh spinach (about one large bunch)
1 C quartered strawberries
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed
1/2 C blanched, slivered almonds, toasted and cooled (spread onto dry cookie sheet and toast at 350 for 5-10 minutes)

Dressing:
1/4 C rice vinegar
1/4 C canola oil (any oil with a very mild flavor will do)
1-3 T sugar, to taste
Fresh pepper to taste

Gently toss salad ingredients together. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with salad immediately before serving.

Brunches and Bike Rides Strike Back!

2008-06-11T16:27:00.006-04:00

We have been scattered across the country for the last month or so, but are back with a vengeance for a brunch in June. The date is Sunday, June 22nd at 1:30 pm. The theme this month is Easy to Cook, as this brunch follows Patrick and Stephanie's birthday party on Saturday, and I am guessing that it will be so radical that no one will want to be up before noon.

The (tentative) menu:

Birthday Quiche with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes
Brunch Shells
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Strawberry and Mandarin Orange Salad with Toasted Almonds
Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Fresh Fruit, Juice, and Coffee

The donation is $5, and proceeds this month will go to Milton Animal League. The bike ride begins at 12:30 at Northshore Park. Brunch starts at 1:30 at 140 Ricardo Way NE in St. Pete. Email me at hoorayvegan@gmail.com for directions or if you have any questions.

Some of the adoptable adorables at Milton Animal League:

Erica

Blue

Howie

See you at brunch!

Oh! And PS! All this traveling I've been doing means I have some great food porn that I will post very soon. Vegan soul food, country fried tofu, and gigantic breakfast burritos are on the way.

I know I overuse emoticon hearts.

2008-05-25T12:19:00.004-04:00

But sometimes words just won't do, right?

I am in Prophetstown Illinois this week. Population 2150, and I am related to most of them. Anyway, I got all misty eyed on the plane ride up here because I was thinking about my Aunt Karen, who passed away this fall. There are a million wonderful things I could say about my Aunt Karen, but for whatever reason I keep thinking about how every time I came to Prophetstown from the time I was eight years old, I would find her freezer full of veggie burgers.

And it's not just my Aunt Karen. When I arrived this past Thursday, my Aunt Beth ransacked her cupboards and refrigerator, reading labels and pulling out everything she could find that was vegan. So thank you so much to all of my family that have always been so great about making sure that I am well fed. Special thanks to my Aunt Beth, cousin Jennifer, Aunt Lana, Grandpa Roger, and my mom and dad for checking up on me or taking care of me at every family meal. Every vegan should be this lucky.

Some not-so-recent family fotos.

<3<3<3

Hey Ya'll, check in.

2008-04-30T10:32:00.005-04:00

I wanna know more about you. Post your responses in the comments section of the blog, or on your own blog. This survey is guaranteed to be 100% non-myspacey and non-lame because a) I made it and b) there is no mention of how many of your top eight you've kissed or when you last showered. In fact, I am going to call it a study in order to further legitimize it. I might even graph the results.

1. Favorite store bought vegan cookie?
Oreos. And I'm a little embarrassed about it.

2. Favorite vegan cake or cupcake recipe?
Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse (from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World)

3. Bunnies: are they the best or what?
Uh, yeah.

4. Top three favorite vegan food blogs?
For this hot minute:
What the hell does a vegan eat anyway?
have cake, will travel
The Urban Housewife

5. Do you listen to music when you cook? If so, what's usually on the playlist?
Almost always, and it almost always includes the Avett Brothers, Al Green, and The Misfits.

6. Vegan celebrity you'd most like to have lunch with?
Ted Leo, swoon swoon.

7. Best vegan meal that you didn't cook yourself? (I am looking for homemade here, but restaurants are okay too).
Trinidad / Tobago night at Stephanie and Patrick's. Steph does those garlicky greens just right.

8. Favorite recipe featuring avocados?
Currently, Pasta Della California from Veganomicon.

9. Favorite vegan comfort food?
Baked nooch noodles with broccoli and gobs of panko on top.

10. What is for dinner tonight?
Tofu, Spinach, and Mushroom Strudel, Artichoke Dip with Asparagus, and my mom's amazing mashed potatoes (I'll post the recipe with the porn). I am so stoked.

And this post needs a picture, so here is a visual for my favorite cupcake:

BYOB

2008-04-22T12:26:00.008-04:00

Eustis Grass Roots just posted about how silly it is that we still use plastic bags at the grocery store. Take a looksee.

There are jazillion reasons why reusable shopping bags are way more boss than plastic ones. Here are two of my favorites:

1. Grocery totes rule. Evidence:

From Herbivore

From Food Fight!

From Herbivore

From Etsy

From Etsy

From Etsy

2. Sea turtles are adorable. And if fewer plastic bags wind up in the ocean, it means that fewer sea turtles will munch on them, thinking that they're jellyfish.

I play this game where I see how long I can go without taking a plastic bag from any store. So, it's not the most thrilling game ever, but it helps me remember to bring my bags because I want to beat my own record (two and a half weeks, ahem). And it's more useful than Lego Star Wars or Scrabulous, so lay off.

In any case, get you some grocery totes if you don't have some already. Because plastic bags are just stupid.

<3 Abbie Rae

Ideas For Spending Your Tax Return, by Hooray Vegan

2008-04-18T09:06:00.006-04:00

Item One: Vegan Etsy

Did you know that there is an Etsy group of vegan artists, crafters, and bakers? Peek at the shop list on the blog, or visit some of my favorites:

I Like Applejuice

Vessels and Wares

Teeny Tiny Tantrums

never felt better

hilaaary

Item Two: Food Fight Vegan Grocery

Go get you some vegan haggis, Tings, or an adorable grocery tote.

Item Three: Herbivore Clothing Company

Now you can irk people with your dietary choices and your wardrobe:

<3 Abbie Rae

Updates, delivered right to your inbox. For free!

2008-04-11T11:46:00.011-04:00

Apparently, there are people that don't check this blog obsessively. I know, I am shocked too.

For the convenience and at the request of those people with too little time on their hands, there is now a Brunches and Bike Rides email list. If you sign up, you'll get two emails a month- one with the date and menu, and one reminder a couple of days before. I will BCC everyone on the list so that I am the only one to see your address, and will be happy to remove anyone from the list at any time.

So, if you want brunch updates, email me at aharris@marine.usf.edu.

The next one is April 20; read about it here.

In other news, here is what came up when I googled puppy and vegan:

I'm a big fan of the internet.

For sale:

2008-04-08T12:10:00.005-04:00

Our knitting group is finally printing t-shirts. We've gotten enough requests from folks not actually in the group that we decided to print a bunch and give the proceeds to CASA, an organization which aids victims of domestic violence.

So, if you would like one, please email me at aharris@marine.usf.edu with your desired size and quantity, and I will respond within 24 hours with a paypal invoice. I will stop taking orders at midnight on Sunday, April 13, 2008. When ordering, please keep in mind that these shirts are American Apparel, so will run small. They should take a week to two weeks to come in, and we will ship them immediately.

They are $16, plus $3 shipping for the continental US (if you are ordering from elsewhere, email me and I will give you a shipping total).

And in case you missed the knit night post, here is what they will look like:

You can thank Erin for the name, Patrick for the design, and my three pints of cider for the motto (mantra? catchphrase?).

The third week of April is Bike Safety Week.

2008-04-04T16:38:00.010-04:00

It's also Snell Isle Bike Ride and Brunch week. I made a menu, Patrick made a flyer. Here it is ya'll:

As you can see, the next brunch is April 20th at 1:30. $5, great food, proceeds to The Skirts. Email me for directions, please.

The pre-brunch bike ride starts at 12:30 at Northshore Park. Talk to Pam for details. Also, you can talk to her about the BBQ and Bike Ride she is hosting on April 12th at 4:00, in honor of her birthday.

Oh, and don't forget about the photo pool. Upload stuff if you have it.

<3 Abbie Rae

Let me show you this new blog.

2008-03-28T17:04:00.008-04:00

Anthony Bourdain hates vegans.

Luckily, vegans know how to handle haters. Hezbollah Tofu is dealing with Mr. Bourdain's misplaced rage by veganizing his recipes. And raising money for charity at the same time.

Check out this cruelty free deliciousness:

Tournedos d'Seitan with Poached Figs

Creme Brulee/Creme Caramel

So go visit, comment, contribute, and for goodness sake, cook you up some excellent vegan cuisine.

B to the R to the U to the N to the C to the H

2008-03-20T22:37:00.014-04:00

Spells brunch.

The next Brunch and Bike Ride is April 20th. $5, bike ride at 12:30, brunch at 1:30, proceeds to the The Skirts (you don't know what that is yet, but I'm pretty sure you want to contribute). Menu up soon. The next BBQ and Bike Ride is April 12th at Pam's house, in honor of Pam's birthday. Email me for details, please.

March's bike ride and brunch was lovely, and we raised some bucks for V-Day. RRF's Cinnamon Rolls were so charming that we killed my camera battery taking pictures. Most of these are from Pam. Thanks Pam!

What we eated: Soft and hard tacos with fu scramble, Breakfast Veggie Chorizo (VWAV), fajita veggies, guacamole, pico de gallo, cilantro rice, black beans with mango sauce (thanks Katie!), salsa, and vegan sour cream. Also plantains, chili-lime mashed potatoes (recipe at the end of the post), strawberries, and those excellent cinnamon rolls from Bjorked Off.

The line moves fast, I swear. This is no Splash Mountain.

Steph and Pam, my lovely and sophisticated co-hosts.

Brunchers.

Pam always takes pretty bike pictures, and I never post them because I get too preoccupied with food pictures. But I remembered this time.

That keg has been there since we moved in. I think.

This is March, did you know? And look at this gorgeous weather.
<3 Florida <3

The worthy cause for April 20th.

And finally, the recipe for Chili Lime Mashed Potatoes.

3 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed, eyes removed, cut into 1-2 inch chunks (I leave the skins on, but you don't have to)
1/4 C vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 C unsweetened soymilk
1/2 - 1 C vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti; adjust amount according to how decadent you like your potatoes)
1 t chili powder (or to taste)
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and fresh pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain, add remaining ingredients, and mix until no large chunks remain.

We are slowly turning into our parents.

2008-03-10T10:10:00.006-04:00

I had a dinner party on Wednesday. Here is Pam's photographic record:

Baguette with pesto, tomatoes, and Follow Your Heart Mozzarella. This was then broiled until the cheese was melted and slightly browned. I usually am not a fan of fake cheese, but this one rules.

This is what vegan bruschetta does to people.

Vodka sauce! This is the recipe from Veganomicon, except with 1/2 C Better Than Cream Cheese subbed for the almonds. I love it with the almonds, but I was out.
If you look closely, you can see the mushroom phyllo pies all ready to go into the oven.

Check out my tacky new glasses.

The spread! From top left: Steph's awesome salad (with edible flowers and balsamic vinaigrette), mushroom phyllo pies with herbed bechamel (recipe is here), bruschetta (see above), Erin's herb roasted potatoes (potatoes roasted with Italian herbs and olive oil at 450), Penne Vodka from Veganomicon (with variation, see above), and braised broccoli and green beans with Walnut Sauce from Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen. For dessert there were Raspberry Chocolate Cookie ice cream sandwiches (Veganomicon), but no pictures.

Too much food.

Way too much food.

Just enough wine.

This picture is actually from the next night at Built to Spill, and I added it on accident and now blogger won't let me delete it. Ah well.

New brunch menu, ya'll.

2008-03-03T00:51:00.005-05:00

I am pretty excited about this menu, innuendoes aside. Patrick made a flyer for it, lookie:

Fixins for the brunch tacos will probably mean guacamole, pico de gallo, fajita veggies, fu scramble, chorizo (the vegan kind, duh), gobs of cilantro, etc. Email me for details or directions.

And while you're on the internet, check out Patrick's new blog, I Was On A Mountain, where he posts some of his awesome art type stuff.

Whoops.

2008-02-29T00:58:00.004-05:00

So, it turns out that March 23rd is Easter Sunday. I have been relying on my mom for important dates my entire life, so it's no surprise I dropped the ball on this one. Anyway, I am not going to New York the week before, so the date for the next brunch is being moved up to March 16th. Same time, same place, benefits V-Day. Email me for details.

Also, here's a picture of one of my new roommates with my favorite orange furry. Since I don't post without pictures.

Yeah, I know a guy.

2008-02-27T10:20:00.007-05:00

I have gotten a few emails and comments from folks who loved the brunch flyer and our knitting group emblem. They were both done by my friend Patrick Kiernan, and he is happy to talk to you about your graphic design needs. Email him at prkiernan@gmail.com. Or visit his blog, I Was On A Mountain.

In case you missed them, here are what people have been asking about:

He did this one for our Thursday night knitting group. Eventually they will be made into t-shirts, woot. Read the original post here.

This is his flyer for the last Snell Isle Brunch. Original post is here. (PS, the next brunch is March 23rd. The new flyer with the menu will be up soon).

And because I like photos in every post, here is Patrick with his wife Stephanie, my Sunday morning kitchen accomplice.

Knit night, vegan treasure, PSA.

2008-02-23T07:11:00.006-05:00

Recently, my friends and I are sufficiently busy with work, grad school, family, etc, that it is difficult to see one another very often. So we began getting together every Thursday to knit at The Cider House. It is sometimes more about cider and catching up than knitting, but we make up for it with the sheer volume of yarn and needles piled onto the bar.

This Thursday, there were also some excellent vegan birthday spoils. Ashley brought me flowers (green-grown-and-wrapped-in-corn-plastic, no less), and Stephanie brought me all sorts of goodies. The pictures are dark, because I hate having the flash on in a dark public place. It would help me out if you would just think of it as artsy or romantic. Have a look:

She made birthday cake! This is the basic chocolate cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, with raspberry extract added. It was delicious. Also, precious.

And in case you can't read the title in my incredibly romantic lighting, this is Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein, which I have been coveting forever.

Ho-made cupcake birthday card!

And the ultimate, zombie MadLibs. I adore zombies.

Steph and Ashley, buzzing on birthday cake.

Me, Ashley, grin.

Erin's husband Matty, a welcome party crasher.

Some knitters. From the left: Pam, me, Erin (our resident expert), Stephanie, Judy.

Oh! And Patrick made us a logo. We have a logo. How awesome is it, anyway?

And before I end this post, a word about wool. If you are going to knit, please consider using cotton, acrylic, bamboo, or any of the other non-animal based yarns. Sheep raised for wool, like most animals raised for industry, are treated like machines and are kept in conditions that would horrify you. Plus, wool is itchy.

Brownies, lemon bars, and holy matrimony.

2008-02-17T20:14:00.006-05:00

One of my very favorite people in the whole world, my friend Jenn, is getting married soon. I threw a small bridal shower today, and it was a good excuse to try some dessert recipes from Veganomicon.

First up, Lemon Bars. OmigoodnessIlovelovelovetheselemonbars. What I might like the most about vegan cooking is the resourcefulness. Think using eggs sucks? Still want lemon bars? Use sea vegetables and turmeric. Duh.

Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies. Blueberry and chocolate are soulmates, but I didn't know that until today.

Also, spanakopita from Vegan with a Vengeance, because Jenn (and I'm pretty sure everyone else, ever) loves her some spanakopita.

Also also, my friend Katie's very simple and addicting punch. Make it for your next punch-type event. Baby shower, knit night, boxing (oh!), whatever.

Mix these in a pitcher, and chill:

1 can frozen strawberry or raspberry lemonade concentrate
1/2 bottle white grape juice (4-5 C)
1/2 bottle ginger ale (1 liter)
Rum to taste (optional, but recommended)

Fourteen years in the making. <3

Soon, everyone in St. Pete will be vegan.

2008-02-09T18:47:00.001-05:00

Well, maybe not everyone. But almost everyone, because we are feeding them.

Next brunch will Sunday, March 23rd (edit: now March 16th) at 1:30. Proceeds this time go to V-Day, and the menu will be V-Day themed (more on that later. Hold your horses).

Also, once a month isn't enough, so there will be Saturday afternoon vegan barbecues at Pam's. The first one will be February 23rd. Excellent food, still $5, proceeds to a good cause. Also, I am celebrating my birthday that day, so please look your best and remember to give me a high five. Or a cupcake.

Email me for details.

<3

Oh! PS! We have a photo pool now. You should join.

February Snell Isle Brunch (plus quiche)

2008-02-04T17:20:00.002-05:00

Brunch shells (Get Sconed!), asparagus mushroom quiche, spinach sundried tomato quiche (recipes below).

Spanakopita (Vegan With A Vengeance) with Dill Tahini Sauce (Veganomicon), crepes (Veganomicon).

A pile of Fronch Toast (Vegan With A Vengeance).

Cherry sauce (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World), blueberry sauce (Vegan With A Vengeance), and maple syrup for crepes and fronch toast.

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World).

From Robb:

From Pam:

The next brunch will be on March 23rd at 1:30. Menu TBA.

Recipes for Asparagus Mushroom Quiche and Spinach Sundried Tomato Quiche, as promised:

1 vegan pie crust (I used frozen because I made so many, but there is an excellent recipe in Veganomicon)

Base:
2 packages firm silken vacuum packed tofu (like Mori-Nu), drained
1/4 C nutritional yeast
2 T corn starch
1 T tahini
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t turmeric
salt and fresh black pepper to taste

For Asparagus Mushroom:
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic (or more, if you love it), minced
1/2 lb asparagus, rough ends discarded, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 t fresh rosemary, minced

Preheat oven to 360. Combine all ingredients for base in a food processor or blender and pulse until completely smooth. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and rosemary, and saute until asparagus is bright green and just barely tender. Remove from heat and allow to sit until pan is cool to the touch. Add blended base to the pan, stir, and transfer to pie crust. Bake at 360 for 1 hour, check for firmness, and bake for another 10 minutes if necessary. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

For Spinach Sundried Tomato:
1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic (or more, if you love it), minced
4 C (about 5 oz) fresh spinach, chopped coarsely
1/3 C sundried tomatoes, chopped coarsely
(I think fresh basil would be good too, but I haven't tried it)

Preheat oven to 360. Combine all ingredients for base in a food processor or blender and pulse until completely smooth. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add spinach and sundried tomatoes, and saute until spinach is bright green and just wilted. Remove from heat and allow to sit until pan is cool to the touch. Squeeze water from spinach mixture (I press it into a mesh strainer over the sink), return to pan, add blended base, and mix well. Transfer to pie crust and bake for 1 hour. Check for firmness, and bake for another 10 minutes if necessary. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

In all their vegan glory:

The base for this quiche is modified from the FatFree Vegan Kitchen Mini Crustless Tofu Quiches.

I can't post these recipes.

2008-02-04T16:58:00.000-05:00

But you can find them in zines and cookbooks. And you totally should.

Asparagus Quiche with Tomatoes and Tarragon (Veganomicon)

I made this as a part of this month's quiche experimentation. It doesn't have the texture of traditional quiche (the base is beans), but I like the idea of changing food norms. And the flavors in this are amazing.

Artichoke Spinach Dip (Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk, Issue One)

I ate it with a spoon.

Breakfast is for the weak, brunch is for the wicked. Part Two.

2008-01-27T20:17:00.000-05:00

I promised I would post more pictures from the last one. Here they are. You are welcome.

Is it tacky to post pictures of dirty dishes? We always forget to take pictures of the food before it goes out. So here is the aftermath. The January brunch menu was breakfast burritos with tofu scramble, Veggie Chorizo (Vegan With A Vengeance), fajita veggies, black beans, cilantro rice, Sour Cilantro Cream (Veganomicon), salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, fried plantains, brunchy potatoes, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Mousse (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World), fruit, juice, and coffee.

Some of these are from Corinne. Thanks Corinne!

PS, Patrick made a flyer for the next brunch. Thanks Patrick! Lookie:

Sunday dinner is how we do.

2008-01-27T19:16:00.000-05:00

I went to the Saturday Morning Market a few weekends ago, and there was this neat new booth selling all sorts of neat pasta. I love when whatever I pick up at the market on Saturday inspires dinner for Sunday.

Le marche.

Lemon basil fettucini. So pretty.

Lemon basil fettucini with white wine garlic sauce.

Versions of this can be found all over the place- here is what I did:

1/2 lb fettucini (because the sauce is so light, flavored pastas work well)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic (or more, if you love it), thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
1 1/2 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C dry white wine
3 plum tomatoes, pulped and thickly sliced
Handful fresh sweet basil, coarsely chopped
salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute. Add onions and mushrooms, saute for 3-4 minutes, or until mushrooms are nicely browned. Lower heat to medium low, add white wine, and simmer for another minute. Remove from heat, add tomatoes, basil, pasta, and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Broccoli and/or spinach would also be very good with this.

On the following Saturday, the corn was so lovely that I went looking for recipes that called for fresh corn.

Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad from Veganomicon. So pretty, so easy, so good.

I am experimenting with quiches lately. Last Sunday I adapted this one from the mini quiche recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen. It was delicious, but still needs some tweaking. Recipe up soon.

Breakfast is for the weak, brunch is for the wicked.

2008-01-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

Pam and I are hosting our third monthly Snell Isle bike ride and vegan brunch on Sunday, February 3rd, at 1:30 in St. Petersburg. The menu will be French-ish, and will tentatively include Fronch Toast, quiche, and savory crepes. Suggested donation is $5, and proceeds go to Friends of Strays. For details, email me at abbie@spvegansociety.com.

The second brunch was hectic and lovely. I will post more pictures when things calm down a bit, but for now let me share with you my favorite:

I learned a lesson about not having too many dishes that need to be cooked on the stove in the 20 minutes before you feed 30 people. I think this picture of Steph and I is evidence of the value of that lesson.

Photo and blog post title credit to Patrick.

Vegan brunch, heck yeah.

2008-01-07T17:02:00.000-05:00

So, on December 23rd, Pam and I hosted a Snell Isle bike ride and vegan brunch. Everyone had a great time, we raised some money for Friends of Strays, and hope to make it a monthly event. The next one will be on Sunday, January 13th 2008 in Snell Isle in St. Petersburg. The bike ride starts at Northshore Park at 12;30, and the brunch is at 1:30. All are invited; the suggested donation is $5, and proceeds will go to Farm Sanctuary. For details on where to meet (you can participate in the bike, brunch, or both), email me at abbie@spvegansociety.com. Vegan breakfast burritos with all the trimmings are on the menu for this month. PS, I am declaring this an official St. Petersburg Vegan Society event. This blog will serve as the SPVS events calendar until the website is up.

Look, photos from last month's brunch:

Steph skipped the ride and came over early to help me cook, because she rules.

Menu: Lemon Corn Waffles with Blueberry Sauce, Apple Pie Crumb Cake Muffins (both from VWAV), herb roasted potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, Mushroom Spinach Strata (from Veganomicon), brunch shells (from Get Sconed!), fruit, juice, and coffee.

We do it for the aminals.

Happy brunchers.

Lovely Pamela, bike ride and bloody mary coordinator.

Apron or bloody mary caddy?

Karen, Ged, Patrick, and Steph stayed to help clean up, because they rule.

Luke supervised.

Hooray for new vegetarians!

2008-01-05T09:05:00.002-05:00

This post is dedicated to my friend Ged, who is, as of the new year, giving vegetarianism a shot. In honor of his decision, this is going to be a totally awesome post, which may include lolbunnies, my own brief guide to vegetarianism, and food porn from the new vegetarian hisownself. Ready? Here goes:

First:

Okay, I actually don't like saying that I can't have something, because it's not true. I can eat whatever I want, even cheezburgrz, I just choose not to because ethically, hassing cheezburgrz isn't cool. But I love bunnies and vegetarians, and Ged loves lolcats, so whatevs.

Second: Abbie's supershort handbook for new vegetarians and vegans:

Item One: Take it one day at a time. You will never last if you think things like "Omigod, I will never eat bacon again." Instead, think "I will not eat bacon today."

Item Two: Believe that it gets easier. You will find that as you find new favorite foods, you won't miss the old ones.

Item Three: Cook dammit. You will get bored and frustrated if you live on garden salads, hummus, and veggie burgers. Go get yourself one of the cookbooks I mention over and over on this blog, or check out the links to the right.

Item Four: Don't give up or beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. Changing the way you eat will be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do, but it may also be one of the most challenging. Reward yourself for your progress (For instance, treating yourself to your favorite vegetarian meal if you pass up your favorite meat dish) rather than get down on yourself for slipping up.

Item Five: Be a good ambassador. Don't whine about what you miss, or how hard it is making the switch. Also, be patient and polite with those that still eat meat, even if they are neither of those things with you. Making vegetarians seem like whiny, deprived jerks only hurts the cause. If you need to vent, go to a vegetarian/vegan forum, or hell, email me.

Item Six: Remember why you made the decision in the first place. Animal products are so prevalent in the world that it can sometimes be difficult to keep your reasons in the front of your mind. Films like Earthlings, a documentary about our relationships with animals for food, clothing, entertainment, medicine, and companionship, contain vivid imagery that can help you keep your arguments fresh.

Third: Food porn!

Ged borrowed my copy of Veganomicon, and made Rumnog Pecan Cookies, which he porned beautifully. Lookie:

Just gorgeous.

Happy belated holidays, ya'll.

2008-01-03T13:51:00.000-05:00

When I go home for the holidays, I love to take advantage of my parents' awesome kitchen and more liberal grocery budget. I was home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, and cooked up a storm, but these are the only pictures I remembered to take. So merry everything to everyone. Here's some Veganomicon porn:

Penne Vodka

Apple Galettes, pre-bake.

Apple Galettes, post-bake.

Vegan MoFo: Comfort food

2007-11-13T15:41:00.000-05:00

The air is chilly, it's been kind of a rough week, and my roommate and I are both on the edge of a cold. Clearly, comfort food is in order.

For me, comfort food spans a variety of tastes and eras. My mom's mashed potatoes (which are easily veganized), chocolate chip cookies and soymilk, miso soup with plenty of tofu, chana masala, and my grandpa's popcorn are the first always the first things I think of when I am craving warm fuzzies.

Last night I wanted something wholesome, nutritious, and mild that I could make in one dish. I had chickpeas on hand, so Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from VWAV was the clear choice. I adore panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), so I topped it with a blend of panko, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the last 15 minutes of baking.

Casserole served with tomatoes and chives:

Tell me about your (preferably vegan or veganizable) favorite comfort foods please.

Vegan MoFo and a sugar rush.

2007-11-04T19:45:00.001-05:00

I'm a little late to VeganMoFo (Vegan Month of Food, wherein we write about food as much as possible), but I will make up for it by posting about one of my very favorite things.

Lately, I only remember to take my camera out for dessert, so it's a good thing it's always so pretty. Dessert is my favorite way to expose people to vegan food because it's such a crowd pleaser, and in general, it doesn't look different from non-vegan dessert, so it's not much of a stretch for those that are new to vegan cuisine.

We had a Halloween party this weekend (yes, we were late, but I like to drag holidays out because it gives me an excuse to cook and eat as much as I want), and the menu consisted of cookies and cream cuppers from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. Not surprisingly, they were a huge hit. How can you say no to something this sexy?

All ready for battle. Tragically, not one survived.

Also, I went to Portland a few weeks ago, and had some awesome vegan desserts that I didn't have to make myself. Here is banana nut vegan softserve from Blossoming Lotus. Zoinks.

And some vegan doughnuts from Voodoo Doughnut. They were fresh and awesome.

I love that I am increasingly able to find great vegan desserts while eating out. I'm seeing more and more sorbet, soy gelato, tofu cheesecake, and fruit and dark chocolate on restaurant menus. St. Pete hasn't quite caught up to Portland, but we're working on it. Help bring vegan decadence to your city by requesting vegan dessert alternatives at your favorite places to eat. Bakeries and chocolatiers are especially great candidates because so much is made on site.

To end this post, here are some of my favorite dessert recipes that can found on the inkernet:
Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cinnamon Apple Crisp
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemony Frosting
Peach Upside-Down Cake
Raspberry Chocolate Cake
Vegan Magic Cookie Bars

PS, it's vegan cookbook season. Get thee hands on Veganomicon and Yellow Rose Recipes as soon as possible.

Cupcakes!

2007-09-24T21:49:00.000-04:00

Cappucino Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, topped with chocolate ganache and toasted coconut.

For the ganache, I combined 1/3 C soymilk with 6 oz. (or half a bag) of chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium heat, and spooned it on to the cupcakes hot. Toast the coconut in a skillet over medium heat, moving it constantly.

Fatal <3's vegan cupcakes.

Whoamigoodness lasagna.

2007-09-23T18:46:00.000-04:00

I love lasgana. Love it. This is from FatFree Vegan Kitchen. I halved the amount of pasta sauce, omitted the olives and vegan parm, and added fresh basil. Here it is with a simple spinach salad:

You know who else loves lasagna? Turtles. Well, maybe not, but these guys hang out in a pond outside of the College of Marine Science, and they're too cute not to post.

Quick, easy, delicious.

2007-09-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

I am trying to entice fall to arrive early by making all sorts of fall-type food. I'm not sure if it's working, but you can never have too many pumpkin-and-cinnamon baked goods around.

Here is a fresh-from-the-oven pumpkin muffin from Vegan With A Vengeance. These are so nice on a chilly morning. Or a hot and muggy morning. Whatever. They are quick to make and so good.

To offset all the baking I've been doing, I have been trying to make my meals uber healthy. This is a bean salad from Vegan Italiano by Donna Klein. So good, so good for you, and easy to make.

Pangea! The Super Continent!

2007-09-13T21:04:00.000-04:00

Okay not really. Stephanie took me on a date tonight to Mangia (which does not ryhme with Pangea, FYI), and we had some lovely food, and some even lovlier sangria.

Mangia! They're across from the Beach Theater in St. Pete Beach, which shows Rocky Horror every Saturday, if you're interested. I think you even get to throw toast.

I had never had white sangria before, and I am here to tell you that it is delicious.

Steph thought so too.

These pictures didn't come out so hot (when you're hungry, there is no time for proper lighting), but they are worth posting because the food was so good. I had risotto with asparagus and fig glace over mashed sweet potatoes. It's hard to go wrong with risotto.

Steph had cashew stirfry with tofu. It was gingery and wonderful.

Bonus shot of Vinoy Harbor.

And some bellycans at Vinoy Harbor.

Oh my stars, I love Sunday dinner.

2007-09-09T22:10:00.002-04:00

Since Veganomicon is coming out soon (squee!), I've been trying to make everything from Vegan With A Vengeance that I haven't made before. Tonight we had spinach salad, tofu wedges (marinated in mustard, soy sauce, and olive oil), and Maple-Mustard-Glazed Potatoes and String Beans from VWAV.

Sexy tofu close up.

Just-out-of-the-oven cookie cake (from VWAV cookie recipe) and vanilla soymilk for dessert.

I am so stuffed.

Hooray sorbet.

2007-09-03T15:07:00.000-04:00

The new gelato place in town (Paciugo) has really great sorbet and occasionally soy gelato. It rained yesterday, so we celebrated with Raspberry, Chocolate, and Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar sorbet.

From left to right, Raspberry, Chocolate, Strawberry and Balsamic Vinegar.

Close up.

Cone = scoop.

You don't eat what?

2007-08-22T21:09:00.000-04:00

I am on a cruise to Alaska with my grandpa this week. The first three days were all steamed broccoli and dinner rolls, but then I asked if I could have what the crew was having, and I ended up with some incredible Indian food.

Chana Masala, jasmine rice, flatbread.

Gawgeous.

Mango tamarind sorbet.

The next night I got tofu and vegetables. The tofu was uncooked. Good thing I'm so hardcore.

In Juneau, everyone eats smoked tofu like it's a candy bar.

Rainbow Foods in Juneau. They love vegans in the last frontier.

Bonus glacier.

Purple potatoes!

2007-08-12T20:36:00.000-04:00

Purple potatoes were on sale this week. Here's a lovely shot.

And another inside shot.

Here they mashed with garlic and Earth Balance, next to pizza with spinach and roasted garlic pesto, Basil Tofu Ricotta from Vegan with a Vengeance, and cremini mushrooms.

Close up.

First post = food porn

2007-08-12T16:49:00.000-04:00

There was so little food in the house, and there is something about Sundays lately that makes me dread the idea of leaving the house. Lolo saved the day with her delicious tomato, basil, and Tofutti sandwich.

So so so good. Recipe is at VeganYumYum. Go now!