makeup links

I have been MIA from Blogland as of late, planning and prepping for our annual Halloween party, which is this Friday. I've got some vegan treats on the menu that I promise to share afterward.  In the meantime, I wanted to share some fun links I've come across in the past week or so. 

Cassi shares her story...no, I'm not writing in the third person

Gas is not only a natural part of life, it is definitely part of a plant-based diet...all those beans...one natural cure: peppermint tea

Find other vegans in your area...become friends...swap ideas + stories...meetup! I did.

Sixteen miles is not too far to drive for an all-vegan-menu...might not make the round-trip during my short lunch hour though

This dude knows his stuff...a really great resource, especially for us beginners

Halloween is by far my favorite time of year.  Gabriel and I go all-out: DIY decorations, costumes, party menu, gifts + favors, etc.  DIY is so much more rewarding any way you look at it.

HaPpY HaLlOwEen, everyone!

Grubbing on some homemade kale chips while assembling the party favors...I promise to explain the TP rolls in the next post.

vegan cheese: a miss.

Yesterday for lunch, I made tomato soup with Tabasco and fresh arugula, and paired it with a grilled 'cheese' sandwich.  The weather called for such a comforting meal, and my hour-long lunch called for a quick and easy prep.  I made a somewhat large pot of tomato soup so that I would have a quick lunch to nuke for a couple of days, but I wasn't terribly hungry so I only made half a sandwich.  I used the super-yummy {I'll get the name for you later} vegan bread, and the not-so-yummy Soy~Sation mozzarella.

I sliced a few thin strips off of the block and arranged them on the bread, then placed the open faced sandwich in the hot skillet.  After a few minutes, even with a lid on the skillet, I noticed the 'cheese' had not even begun to melt, but the bread was browning.  I folded the sandwich in half and turned down the heat a bit.  When the bread was bordering burnt, I decided to remove the sandwich from the skillet. 

I sat at the table with my large mug of hot tomato soup and my grilled half sandwich and dug in.  The soup instantly warmed me.  I had to give myself kudos for adding the arugula for its peppery spice and greenery.  It was delicious.

Next, I bit into my sandwich.
 
I'll admit I was naive to think it would actually taste like real cheese.  With all of our technology, is that too much to ask?? It looked like cheese.  It sliced like cheese.  It even felt like cheese.  But the similarities end there.  It tasted gross, to put it bluntly. 

When I began this post, I searched the manufacturer's website simply for an image to use as a visual.  What I found in addition to said image was off-putting.  Reading the ingredients list {something I usually always do before I purchase an item}, I noticed it contained casein, a milk protein.  According to wikipedia:

Casein is not coagulated by heat. 

It is precipitated by acids and by rennet enzymes, 

a proteolytic enzyme typically 

obtained from the stomachs of calves.

Not only does this explain why the 'cheese' didn't melt when I grilled the sandwich, but it also means this product is not vegan. 

Gabriel found it in the designated vegan corner of the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, so I am guessing he didn't think to read the back label.  The thought had not occurred to me either.  I believe I was discovering the presence of eggs in a package of soy sausages, incorrectly labeled vegan, at the same time he was grabbing the mozzarella off the shelf.

Live and learn {then read the label!} is the lesson I take away from this experience.  I read a recommendation on another 'cheese' from a vegan blogger yesterday, who claims it tastes and melts like real cheese, so I am excited to try it.  

Has anyone else tried this cheese?  Your thoughts?

currently my favorite breakfast

Let me begin by saying I have never been a breakfast person.  For many years I have been just fine with a few cups of coffee first thing in the a.m. to hold me over until lunchtime.  I know, that is really bad for you.

Luckily, since I began this new advegture {trust me I've got a hundred more}, I wake up thinking about food and actually look forward to eating breakfast.  I don't even have my coffee until I get to the office, and even then I haven't been drinking more than one cup.  Odd. 

I found a vegan yogurt at Whole Foods that is so yummy and wanted to share with you, cuz that's what I do.  The brand is WildWood, and so far I have only had the vanilla {love!} which, sprinkled with ground cinnamon, raisins, and fresh sliced bananas, make up my current favorite breakfast.  You must try.

Gabriel and I have also been experimenting with our oatmeal in the morning, trying to find our fave recipe.  This could take a while. 

All this food talk... I'm off to snack on some banana + pb before lunchtime.  What is your favorite veg breakfast food? 

diy veg broth

So, I keep saying I am going to make my own vegetable broth, but I wasn't absolutely convinced I should until I read this. 

This talented vegan chef shares really helpful advice {along with some icky store-bought-taste-test results} on making your own batch at home.  Although we don't waste vegetables now in our home, as everything goes into the composting pile, making our own broth would be one more use of the veggies before discarding. 

I'm really excited to do this!  I'm even planning on blocking out my Friday night to make a batch. 

That's right, I said Friday night...I'm a homebody. 

Do you have a favorite combo for your homemade veg broth?  Please share!  I'll share my results too after I make it. 

Have a great week!

{image source 1}

vegan. chocolate.

Thank you, Kristina, for introducing me to the Martha Goes Green cookbook. These gals collaborated with friends to independently create and publish this adorable vegetarian cookbook.  Although not all of the recipes are vegan, many ingredients can be substituted.  That's the beauty of it!  Well, that and the fact that we're talking chocolate.  

Is there anything more beautiful than chocolate?

{Men: don't answer that.}

Here's their recipe for a yummy sounding mousse:

{They're in Melbourne, so you'll need to convert the measurements here in the States.}

Chocolate tofu mousse

vegan : gluten free : serves 4

• 200g silken tofu
• 250g vegan chocolate, melted
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp peanut butter

to serve:

• grated chocolate  

Blend all ingredients until just smooth, careful not to overmix. Pour into jelly moulds, small dishes or glasses and garnish with grated chocolate.  Refrigerate for a few hours until set. Serve.

 

I plan on making these soon.  Like, next week soon.  I'll report back with results, or if you make them first, please share your results!  :)

i am a crazy list-maker

And yes, I often create a pros + cons list for every significant decision I make.  It works for me.  Especially when I am flooded with ideas on a particular subject matter, I need to get everything down on paper and out of my brain before I suffer an aneurysm.  So, when the idea struck me to adopt Alicia's the kind diet, I grabbed a notepad and began scribbling.  Here's what I filled the page with before returning to the day's duties.

Super-lucky for me, I can cross off that first listed potential roadblock.  Gabe is just as excited as I am to embark on this vegan voyage!  Last night I took him to a local veg restaurant, Andy Nguyen's, and "presented" my plan to him over an incredibly delicious meal.  We swapped ideas, supportive words, and agreed this was not an overnight transformation, all while devouring Andy's Ultimate Buddha Nature and Awakening Mind Chow Fun dishes, sipping two pots of hot tea, then finishing with the Banana Mochi dessert.  Oh yeah. I could eat like this every day.

We discussed the best immediate plan of action for dealing with the foods we currently have in our fridge and pantry.  We knew there was no meat/poultry in our fridge or freezer, so already we were off to a great start.  We do, however, have butter, eggs, milk, half + half, milk chocolate, flour tortillas, honey, white sugar, white pasta, white flour, and a few more things with which we still need to deal.  After dinner, it was too late to do any grocery shopping, so when we got home we surveyed our stock and decided for breakfast we would have oatmeal made with water and seasoned only with cinnamon.  

This morning, he handed me a warm bowl with a mound of steaming oatmeal bronzed by the ground cinnamon, and we dug in.  Hmm. Kinda bland, we thought.  So, Gabe checked our pantry again and found a pouch of dried wild blueberries. They added the perfect natural sweetness and texture the oatmeal had been lacking.  It was now yummy.  We did, admittedly, have half + half in our coffee because, well, we didn't want the rest of the carton to go to waste.  This is going to be a transition that will take patience and flexibility.  

Let the journey begin!