Bald Cardamom Cupcakes

I made these for a lovely tea party I was invited to, hosted by my dear friend Abby Wilde. There were five different tea pots, tea sandwiches, and a whole host of brilliant, wonderful women. Abby asked me to bring some vegan treats and the recipe for these were specially requested by everyone there.

So, for everyone who asked, here's how to make those yummy cakes! The first batch I made was incredibly lazy, so I went and worked out a gluten-free alternative for those of you who like those sorts of things as much as I do.

Vegan Cardamom Cupcakes
(makes 12)

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup flaxseed or almond milk (I used the flaxseed, but almond would be just as good. Soy would be okay, too. Avoid rice milk. You want a milk alternative that isn't too watery.)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup plain applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup agave nectar

Set oven to 350 F and line muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then add milk, applesauce, agave nectar, vanilla extract and almond extract, and apple cider vinegar. Fill each of the paper liners to about two third's full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Stick a toothpick in and make sure it comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy heartily!

Gluten-Free Vegan Cardamom Cupcakes
(makes 12)

1/3 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
3/4 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 cup flaxseed or almond milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

Set oven to 350 F and line muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then add milk, applesauce, agave nectar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Fill each of the paper liners to about two third's full.

Bake for 23-27 minutes. Stick a toothpick in and make sure it comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy heartily!

Go on! Have a peace!

Ginger Orange Ice-cream Sandwiches

Ginger Orange Ice-cream Sandwiches

(makes about 26 cookies)

3 cups almond flour

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp white pepper

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tbsp coconut flour

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup sunflower oil

zest of 2 Valencia oranges

3/4 cup agave nectar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups dried cherries

Preset the oven to 350 F.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the agave nectar and orange zest and stir, then allow to sit for a few minutes. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. 

Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the agave and orange zest and stir well. When thoroughly mixed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Stir. Add the cherries. Combine well. 

Scoop onto a parchment covered cookie sheet (about 2 tbsp per scoop). Bake for 17 minutes. 

Remove and allow to cool on a drying rack. 

Now, for the ice-cream portion, I recommend grabbing some So Delicious Brand Coconut Ice-cream and spreading a generous spoonful in between two of the cookies. Enjoy!

Almond Sesame Bites

These cookies (vegan and gluten free) have been approved by my roommate as her favorite cookies I've made yet. They are soft, subtly sweet, well-textured, and delicious. Try them with chocolate chips or dried fruit for a little extra sweetness.




Almond Sesame Bites


2.5 cups blanched almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
4 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp almond extract
optional additions: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, vegan chocolate chips, dried fruit

Mix the first six ingredients together. Add the liquid ingredients. Mix well. Scoop 1 tbsp drops onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F for ten minutes. Enjoy!

TBP Stir-Fry

Here's another lovely large batch meal that you can make and serve yourself from for a few days. Tofu for protein. Portobello mushrooms for texture, protein, selenium, copper, potassium, and phosphorus. Broccoli for vitamin C, A, folic acid, calcium, and fiber. Broccoli and portobello mushrooms are also both  carriers of super-useful phytochemicals that serve to help fight cancer and provide helpful antioxidants. Yum, yum, yum. I like it by itself, but you could serve it with rice if you're looking for something more filling than it already is. And if you're looking for extra protein and fiber, serve this with quinoa.

TBP (Tofu-Broccoli-Portobello) Stir-Fry

1 tbsp sunflower oil
8 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 inches fresh ginger, minced
4 portobello mushroom caps, chopped
1.25 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 14-oz package extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 cups broccoli, steamed and chopped
sliced almonds, for garnish
3 tbsp Gokutan Shiro Dashi (This is a Japanese seasoning sauce I use that is excellent. It is a combination of soy sauce, bonito extract, mushroom extract, seaweed extract, sugar, salt, and sweet sake. You can find it at a Japanese grocer pretty easily. If you choose not to go with this, I recommend the following: in a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp agave nectar, 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well and allow to sit for a couple minutes.)

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring them, until they are fragrant. Add the vinegar, stir, then add the chopped mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have withered and the liquid has evaporated (takes about 5 minutes). Add the broth, shiro dashi, brown sugar, tofu, and broccoli, bring contents of the sauce pan to a simmer and lower the heat to about medium low. Continue to simmer contents, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated (this takes about 15 minutes).

Serve warm. Enjoy!

Rosemary-Cherry Cindy Flatirons

A while ago, I promised my long-time and wonderfully supportive reader Cindy Cupcake a healthy cookie recipe named after her. I have been experimenting for a while, trying to find something that's as unique and lovely as she is. This is what I've come up with: wide, flat, moist cookies with subtle flavors of rosemary and cardamom offering a rich, flavorful tapestry to your tongue even after the cookie is gone, and cherries that are warm bursts of honeyed sweetness in an otherwise gentle setting. Each of these is a filling, protein-rich, and densely flavorful. One is enough for a serving (but you'll want more). I hope that you all enjoy these as much as I have.

Rosemary-Cherry Cindy Flatirons

6 tbsp vegan margarine
3/4 cup soft dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp cardamom
2 cups whole wheat flour
6 oz rosemary needles, minced fine (bundle the leaves together and snip them into bits with scissors)
8 oz dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the margarine, sugars, honey, vanilla and almond extracts, salt, and cardamom together until smooth.
Add the vinegar, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, and water. Mix until all are smoothly combined. Add the minced rosemary needles. Mix on low.
Sift the flour in. Continue to mix until consistent.
Fold in the dried cherries.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool for about five minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm!

Thank you, Cindy, for reading!

Almond Cherry Cardamom Cookies, or "Mike-Friendlies"

After a day of baking cookies for the theater I work at, I remembered that I was going to see a film with my roommate and her began boyfriend. And so, three batches of cookies made with egg whites down, I took out a fresh bowl and made a whole batch of completely vegan and delicious cookies. Now I've made vegan cookies before - I've even posted them here - but these are completely awesome. I highly encourage you - if you like things that are not too sweet and have the lovely texture of a scone, while being completely delectable - to make these and munch on them yourself.

Almond Cherry Cardamom Cookies, or "Mike-Friendlies"

1/4 tbsp agave nectar

3/4 cup baker's sugar

5 tbsp flaxseed meal

3/4 cup vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance)

6 tbsp water

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups bleached whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/4 tsp cardamom

1.5 cups dried cherries

1 cup sliced raw almonds

Preset oven to 350 F. 

Blend flaxseed meal, water, margarine, vanilla extract, almond extract, sugar, and agave nectar with a hand mixer until all elements are well combined. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, use your hand mixer on a low setting to get it smooth. Next, stir in almonds and cherries with a spoon, getting the additions throughout the dough. 

Scoop spoonfuls (about 3 thumbs by three thumbs) onto parchment-paper covered cookie sheets. Bake for about 17 minutes, until golden brown on top. 

Go on. Have a peace!

Quinoa and Lemon Broccoli Pilaf

During the last couple weeks of continuous rehearsal, I've had many late night opportunities to toy with healthy, travel-worthy lunch recipes. This is one of those, which I have enjoyed the most. I hope you enjoy it too!

Quinoa and Lemon Broccoli Pilaf

12 oz broccoli florets, halved
2 tsp sunflower oil
1 cup red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry sundried tomatoes, julienned
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1.75 cup low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked red quinoa (or white if you prefer)

Chop your dry sundried tomatoes and then soak in hot water for about ten minutes to soften them, then drain them and set to the side.

In the bottom of a medium pot, heat the sunflower oil to medium-high heat and saute the onions and garlic until they are browned. Then add a half cup of water and bring that to a simmer. Add the soaked sundried tomatoes, vegetable broth, and lemon juice, and bring the contents to a boil. Stir in the quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for about twenty minutes. Mix in half of the lemon zest, stir well, and simmer again for another five minutes. Stir well. Arrange the broccoli on top of the quinoa in the pot, sprinkle the remaining lemon zest on top of the broccoli, cover the pot, and simmer for another ten minutes.

Serve warm.

Go on. Have a peace!

Sweet Potato Protein Patties

Hello again! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving week and weekend. While I was visiting my family in Texas, I reworked my Game-Changer patties for my aunt (who's vegan) and they turned out wicked good, so I thought I would share the new version of the recipe as well. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy these (and if you're serving them to your non-vegan friends, you can just call them a vegetable side if you want), but if you are - you'll find that they have a full serving of protein and delicious, healthy cruciferous vegetables. These are great for a protein-rich side dish or a meal on the go. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Protein Patties

Makes 16 

1 lb sweet potatoes, cooked  

3/4 cup onions   

1/4 cup flax seed meal   

1/2 cup gelled chia seeds  

6 tsp olive oil

4 loose fist sized clumps of baby spinach, raw  

3 loose fist sized clumps baby kale, raw 

2 tsp salt 

1 tsp black pepper

2  sage leaves, crushed

1 sprig rosemary, crushed

1 tsp white pepper

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Clean your sweet potatoes and brush them with olive oil. Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Bake them for about 45 minutes. 
• Pan brown onions and spinach and kale with ~6 tsp olive oil.  
• To make your gelled chia seeds, take 1/3 cup chia seeds and place them into a sealed container with 2 cups water. Stir them, let them sit for ten minutes, and then stir again. (You can keep the gel that you don't use for this recipe in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. Mix it into salad dressings or juice for a little extra protein in whatever you like.)
• Peel your baked sweet potatoes. (I munch on the peels because they are delicious!) Puree baked sweet potatoes in food processor. Puree cooked spinach and kale and onions. Place pureed vegetables into a large bowl. Puree browned onions, cooked spinach and kale in food processor. Move to bowl. 
• Combine blended sweet potatoes, onions, chia seeds, flax seed meal, green onions, herba salle, egg whites, blended spinach, herbs, salt and pepper. 
• Form and flatten portions of the “dough” into patties.
• Lay the patties onto parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or stoneware) and bake for 15-20 minutes, remove, flip them over, and bake again for another 20 minutes until they’re lightly brown and crisp on the outside.
• Serve warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge.

Go on, have a peace! Enjoy!

Gluten & Guilt Free Spaghetti

I love spaghetti. It's been one of my favorite comfort foods since I was a kid, as I'm sure it has been for many of you. It's just plain good. Nothing fancy. Just noodles and sauce and slurping delectability. But pasta - even when you get that nifty whole-wheat spaghetti you can find now - is still pasta. Maybe you have friends who are gluten free, or you are, or you're going off grains for a while - which is good to do every once in a while anyway. Whatever the reason you want to scoot out of the pasta aisle, you shouldn't have to give up the things that you love. So... here ya go. A little down home comfort for your soul and your belly; a healthy dose of culinary affection for those around you.


Gluten/Guilt Free Spaghetti 
(serves many - at least 4)

2 large spaghetti squash
12 oz baby carrots, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 sticks celery, chopped
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
6 white mushrooms, chopped
2 cans whole tomatoes, meaty
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 cloves garlic (you can use less, I just like my sauce extra garlicky)
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
daiya shredded white cheese (vegan mozzarella substitute), optional for topping

First, you want to preset your oven to 350 F and get out a couple cookie sheets, covering those in aluminum foil.

On your stove, in a large pot, pour 2 tbsp olive oil and set the stove to medium heat.

Next, in your food processor, chop your carrots, onion, celery, and broccoli. They don't need to be super fine, but you'll want them to look like delicious vegetable mostly-mush. Add this mush to the pot and stir to keep from burning. About 8 minutes, give or take.

Back to your food processor, add the zucchini, mushrooms, oregano, and garlic. This is going to be the 'meaty' portion of your sauce; the zucchini and the mushrooms give it a really nice texture. Add this processed mixture to the pot along with the two cans of tomatoes and the tomato puree. Bring the contents to a boil, then pop a lid on the pot and set the stove to low to let the contents simmer for about 45 minutes.

Take your spaghetti squash and cut the ends off, then slice them in half. You have to remove the seeds, much like you would a pumpkin - so if you have one of those friends who loves getting their hands smeared in squash innards, now's the time to invite them over for dinner. When the seeds are removed, brush a light layer of olive oil over the exposed squash and set them face-down on the cookie sheets, putting them into the oven for 30-40 minutes.

When the squash is done, take it out and - being careful not to burn yourself on those piping hot spaghetti squashes - take a fork and drag it along the inside of the halves. The 'spaghetti' should peel up with barely any pressure. Make sure to flake the sides of the squash, to really separate the 'noodles', and keep scraping even after you think you've gotten it. Sometimes whole portions hide up against the skin.

Fill a few bowls with the warm 'spaghetti', pour a generous portion of your fresh sauce over top, and enjoy. Go on. Have a peace. :)

VAM Questionnaire: Candace

Candace Bollinger is a vegan from Brooklyn, NY. She is a self-professed cat lady, a radical feminist, an anarchist, a head-over-heels-in-love partner to the most amazing person ever, an aunt to six awesome little boys, a sister to four, a daughter, an activist, a reader, a survivor and a vegan (sometimes a raw one). She works retail in New York and is currently studying to become an EMT. In unpaid work, she does workshops for political activists on emotional wellness and self care in the social justice sphere.

_______________________

Q When did you become a vegan? 

A 6 years ago.
Q Why did you become a vegan? 

A I had been a vegetarian for a very long time (since age 11) and gone back and forth from vegetarian to vegan. One day I decided I just needed to commit, for the animals, for my health, and for the environment.
Q What is the most common misunderstanding you face about being vegan? 

A HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN!??!??!? It's nonsense. I get plenty of protein from beans, grains, and nuts.
Q What is your strategy for maintaining your vegan diet? 

A At this point, it's very natural to me. However, in the beginning, I admit to having to force myself to watch videos showing the horrors of the dairy industry, every time I thought "mmmmm, I want pizza..."
Q What is your favorite meal? 

A The Picnic Plate from Angelica Kitchen in NYC. It has raw marinated kale, a curried cashew pate, kimchee, fermented ruby kraut and marinated tempeh.
Q What is your favorite dish to prepare? 

A Red Lentil Curry. It has onions, garlic, the lentils, red peppers, spinach, tomatoes, tumeric, curry, garam masala, cinnamon, cashews and apples in it. It's out of this world.
Q What is your favorite recipe? 

A Auntie Bonnie's Wacky Cake from the Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer vegan cookbook series. Hands down, the best vegan chocolate cake ever.
Q What is your favorite cookbook? 

A Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.
Q What is your favorite restaurant? 

A Angelica Kitchen in NYC.
Q Which culinary tools do you use most often in the kitchen? 

A A good knife, a food processor, and my dehydrator.
Q Any advice/thoughts you'd share with people who are considering becoming vegan? 

A The best thing about it will be the difference that you feel after such a short period of time. Your energy levels skyrocket, your body feels clean; it's like a whole new world. 

VAM Questionnaire: Carolyn

My aunt, Carolyn Doolittle, is a recently pledged vegan in Austin, TX. She is a talented CPA/MBA, a Mega Church Finance Director, and a superbly awesome aunt. She enjoys most outdoor activities, but mainly hiking. She loves animals and nature.

___________________________________

Q When did you become a vegan? 
A I began limiting meat (no pork, shellfish, organ meats) about 15 years ago.  I committed to living vegan on May 9, 2010.

Q Why did you become a vegan? 
A Since I am approaching the half century mark, I've done some soul searching about what I have done with my life and how I want to live the rest of my days on this earth.  I thought about what I truly value and how my daily life choices reflect those values. I really love animals and I read a few books on the topic of Veganism.  The more I read and learned the more disgusted I became with how the food industry abuses, mutilates and disgraces animals, all for greed. I don't believe God ever intended for us to disrespect his creatures this way. I can live a very healthy and happy lifestyle with an abundance of alternative food, clothing, cosmetic and household product choices that do not require an animal's life to be taken or made miserable.  There are other reasons too, but I'll stop here for now.


Q Now I'm curious. What other reasons?
A Watch the documentary Food, Inc. some time. Also, check out this resource from the Christian Vegetarian Association.

Q What is the most common misunderstanding you face about being vegan?  
A Protein, Calcium and B vitamins.  People always want to know how I get enough of these nutrients.  I ask them how elephants, buffaloes, cows and horses and the like get their protein.  These are huge, strong animals and if in a natural environment, all they eat is vegetation.  

Q What is your strategy for maintaining a vegan diet?  
A Variety.  I have a few favorite dishes, but I like to try new recipes to keep it interesting.  

Q What is your favorite vegan meal?  
A Right now, I love a local Austin wrap by Tom's Tabooley.  My favorites are the Thai Wrap (w/ Tofu or Falafel )- Marinated tofu or 3 falafels, zesty thai noodles with lettuce, cabbage, carrots, onions, taratoor and thai peppers. I pick these up at Whole Foods at least every other week.  


Q What's taratoor?
A  It's a sesame sauce made with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt & water.  

Q Favorite vegan dish to prepare?  
A It's hard to pin down a favorite.  I like so many.


Q All right. What about the vegan dish you've had the most fun preparing?
A Cookies & Creme cupcakes using chocolate Newman-O's cookies.  And since I made these, I have been addicted to Newman-O's - the chocolate and the ginger-o's are good!  I got this recipe from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.  

Q Favorite vegan recipe?  
A I recently made some really good carrot raisin muffins.  These were really good and froze well.  I'll be making these again.  

Q Favorite vegan cookbook? 
A I'll give you two.  Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz; and Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.

Q Favorite vegan restaurant? 
A A vegetarian/vegan friendly place I like is Panera Bread.  Lots of good choices and they are very accommodating.  Starbucks too - most drinks with Soy milk are vegan.


Q Are there any local, non-chain restaurants you'd like to recommend for their vegan cuisine?
A I haven't been to a 100% vegan restaurant.  Just vegan friendly ones that serve non-vegan too.  One that comes close that I like is called The Steeping Room (in Austin, TX). It's awesome.

Q Which culinary tools do you use most often in the kitchen?  
A VitaMix, food processor, Magic bullet, Kitchen Aid mixer.

Q Any advice/thoughts you'd share with people who are considering becoming vegan?   
A Educate yourself a little on how to get a good balance of nutrients so you will stay healthy.  You can be a vegetarian or vegan living on junk food, but it's not a good idea.  Mix it up with a variety of foods so you never get bored or feel deprived. And be prepared if you are dining with others in a place with limited vegetarian or vegan choices.  Check the menu ahead of time online if you can, and bring a Lara Bar or something else with you if all you can order is a salad. Here's a book recommendation for anyone considering going vegan.  It's an easy read and was informative and entertaining. I loved it - Vegan Freak: Being Vegan In A Non-Vegan World, by Bob Torres and Jenna Torres.


I saw that World Go Vegan Week is Oct 24-31.  I'll have to think of something to do that week.  There are alot of suggestions here. 

Crazy Awesome Vegan Mac and Cheese

"What?!", you ask. "Isn't cheese inherently non-vegan?" Yes. Yes, it is. But there are some fabulous substitutes out there (like the ones I use in the recipe below). Now, I have had many vegan mac and cheeses, but none of them have ever included any of these awesome substitutes and I'm not entirely sure why that is.

Note: This is not one of my super quick recipes. It is also rather messy to make. However, clean up is still super fast and it will feed you for a LONG time. :)

Crazy Awesome Vegan Mac and Cheese
(makes a LOT. I mean, enough to feed five people for several days.)

18 cups of water
32 oz elbow macaroni (I use Tinkyada Pasta Joy Brown Rice Elbow Pasta with Bran)
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tbsp honey dijon mustard
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup onion, diced
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp arrowroot
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups shredded vegan cheese (I use 3/4 cup soy kaas mild cheddar and a .41 lb block of Daiyo cheese), plus more for topping (optional)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 can sweet peas
6 oz extra firm tofu, cut into 1" cubes

This is what your shredded Daiyo and Soy Kaas will look like. See. Nothing to be scared of. :)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Boil 18 cups of water in a giant pot. Pour 32 oz of pasta in and cook on medium high for 3 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile...

In a big sauce pan, warm olive oil, almond milk, mustard, and flour over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring until there are no lumps.

Add garlic and onions and 1 tbsp arrowroot. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Add shredded cheese and stir for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add salt and pepper. Stir some more. I let it sit for a few minutes after this and came back and stirred and then repeated until the consistency was nice and cheesy and goopy (took about 15 minutes including the time I left it to sit while I strained my cooked pasta, etc).

By now, your pasta should be done cooking, so remove it from heat, strain it through a colander, rinse with cold water, and replace in the big pot you cooked it in. Add the peas and tofu and stir to combine well. Pour in the yummy cheese sauce and use a big spoon to really stir it all together.

Next, pour the whole pot full into your big casserole dish and sprinkle with more shredded vegan cheese or breadcrumbs or almond meal or flaxseed meal or... really anything you like. :) Bake in the oven for ~30 minutes. Remove, let cool for about 5-10 minutes, and then serve. Or put in your fridge and serve the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that. :)

Go on! Have a peace!

VAM Questionnaire: Alison

Alison is a vegan artist in Seattle, Washington. She's incredibly talented, sweet, and one of my very favorite people. If you're interested in seeing some of her fabulous work, you can see it here. She has generously offered to answer some questions here about her life as a vegan. 

___________________________________

Q When did you become a vegan?

A About 8 years ago.

Q Why did you become a vegan?

A I had been vegetarian for a few years, and a close friend had recently become vegan herself, she gave me this cookzine, Soy Not Oi. It was written by a collective called the Hippie Core Crew, a group of punk rock kids who compiled some recipes they wrote themselves, and some they had liberated from other sources. The kids who created this zine also wrote stories about why they had become vegan, the whole thing really moved me. As a result, I decided to become vegan.

Q What were some of the things you read that moved you about the Hippie Core Group? 

A Wow, it has been so long, I am not sure I even remember. I think it was along the lines of animal freedom and how even using animal products is oppression. I didn't want to contribute to another animals oppression if I could help it. Also, they were just really personal essays, being vegan to these people was a very personal thing that I don't think I felt in my vegetarianism.

Q What is the most common misunderstanding you face about being vegan?

A That vegans don't eat anything. Or that eating anything vegan is healthy just because its vegan. I have certainly found that vegans tend to eat a lot healthier than most, but you can still eat crap if you're vegan!

Q What is your strategy for maintaining a vegan diet?

A Eating as healthy as possible and trying to keep a well rounded, balanced diet. Keeping up on your vitamins, especially b-12, iron, and calcium, although these are important for any diet. 
I should also note that I am not 100% vegan anymore since my cholesterol is unhealthily low(cholesterol is only in animal products).

Q What do you eat that is not 100% vegan? Was it hard to add this back into your diet?

A About a year ago i started eating eggs because my doctor told me that my cholesterol levels were too low, so I needed to somehow incorporate some animal product in order to stay healthy (plants do not contain cholesterol). About 4 months ago i noticed they were making me sick, so I stopped, and have since started eating chicken occasionally, both out of a fear that I am not getting enough protein (since I can't eat wheat gluten or soy anymore)and cholesterol (although there is probably not much in chicken). I may need to reevaluate this and probably think about trying to incorporate cheese or something higher in cholesterol into my diet instead.
This decision was definitely a hard one for me, one that I grappled with for months, but out of need, I chose to eat only happy chicken eggs that had been grown on a farm not far from my house. Now I am only eating, happy free range chicken from my local coop. Which, although isn't ideal is still something I am working on, and still don't feel completely comfortable with, but when I really think about it, my health is top priority.

Q What is your favorite vegan meal?

A Traditional Phad Thai with veggies and tofu (without the fish sauce and egg of course)
Mango with coconut milk
Hot tea

Q What is your favorite dish to prepare?

A Chickpea Miso Soup with stir fried veggies and rice noodles

Q What is your favorite vegan recipe?

A Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe in Soy Not Oi)

Q What is your favorite vegan cookbook?

A The Real Food Daily
Whole Life Nutrition Handbook

Q What is your favorite vegan restaurant?

A Chaco Canyon Cafe (vegan with a lot of raw dishes!) in Seattle, WA.
Q Which culinary tools do you use most often in the kitchen?

A Chefs knife, cast iron frying pan, blender/food processor.

Q Any advice/thoughts you'd share with people who are considering becoming vegan/vegetarian?
A Do it for the right reasons, not because your friends are doing it, but because you really believe in it. Be considerate of friends who are carnivores, and don't try to force your beliefs on them or make them feel bad because they eat animal products, you may alienate your friends as a result. Be patient with people who don't share your diet. Make sure to stay on top of what you are eating, it can be challenging to eat healthy most of the time. fitday.com is a good way to keep track of things and get a general idea of the amount of vitamins/protein/etc. you are getting.

Tasty in my Tummy OSM Crumble Cookies

Tasty in my Tummy OSM Crumble Cookies
(About 50 cookies)

1/2 tbsp agave nectar

3/4 cup organic brown sugar

1 tbsp flaxseed meal

4/3 cup chopped prunes

1/2 cup canola oil

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 1/3 cup sorghum flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups OSM hot cereal mix (you could also use plain rolled oats)

water for shaping (I used about 2/4 cups, but you'll want to add it bit by bit)

Preheat 350 F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Combine all the ingredients. Wet first. Dry second. Mix until well-combined and "doughy". 

Add water a little bit at a time if the dough is too dry. 

Roll the dough into golf-ball sized drops between your palms and place them on the tray. 

These will not expand as they cook. They'll be the same size when they come out as when they went in.

Bake for 12 minutes, then move to cool on a drying rack. 

These are tasty, crumbly, and awesome. They have a consistency sort of like soft shortbread. Go on. Have a peace. :)

Note: OSM Hot Cereal is a warm tasty treat made of oats, cracked-wheat, oat bran, millet, and sunflower seeds. That's it. It makes for a great oatmeal substitute in the mornings and it also makes these cookies very, very tasty. OSM products are available from The Bunnery in Jackson Hole. They are also soon becoming available in certain independent grocery stores in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada. 

Frosty Banana "Cream"

My favorite part of eating ice cream when I was younger was waiting for the ice cream to melt through the cone and then eating that mushy sweetness. I love melted ice cream. I've been craving a little sweetness lately and missing those sweet summer days. Here's a raw treat to beat the heat. 

Frosty Banana "Cream"

(3-4 servings)

2 organic bananas, frozen and cut into small slices

handful of raw almonds

1 spoonful organic raw honey

dash cinnamon

1/2 cup almond milk

Blend in your food processor. You can either eat the dribbly, chilled goodness or pour it into a container and stick it in the freezer for a little while. :)

Enjoy!

Finger-lickin' Nana Puddin'

My grandmother makes the best banana pudding ever. I mean, EVER. A single bite of it is lasting ambrosia. It is a happy time whenever I get to visit her, period, but the icing on the cake is a delicious batch of banana pudding waiting for me. Now. The trouble is her recipe involves cool whip, which is full of hydrogenated oils and less than ideal not to mention the excess sugars in the pudding and sweetened condensed milk.

So, here's what I did. I made up a new "healthified" banana pudding recipe, which is very tasty in its own right. You may decide for yourself which route you take. Maybe you'll make both and have a tasting party for your tongue. Who knows?

Finger-lickin' Nana Puddin'
(Makes 6-8 servings)

3 super ripe bananas
2 ripe bananas (can be mushy or just ripened), thinly sliced
7.5 oz extra firm tofu
18 oz soft tofu
2 shakes cinnamon
1 heaping tbsp raw honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 box vegan vanilla wafers (or non-vegan, if you like - just check the box and make sure you know what everything in it is)

Take the overripe bananas, tofu, cinnamon, honey, almond milk, and vanilla and put all into a food processor or blender. Mix until all creamy and smooth.

Next take a bowl (tupperware or glass) and set a layer of wafers in the bottom.

Spoon in some of the blended mixture over top then layer in more wafers and banana slices.

Repeat until you have used up all the banana slices and the blended mixture.

Add one last layer of wafers on top and put into the fridge to set. Should be ready to eat in about an hour.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon and Honey Shake

Here is a recipe a friend of mine made me. It is a delicious, healthy pick-me-up energizer and gives you the same warm zing of L-Glutamine. :) He requests that I post a link to the blog, so here it is.


Cinnamon and Honey Shake
3-4 pints


Put into a big ole blender the following items:

1 Young Coconut, Meat and Water (the kind in the white husk - visit www.rawfoodmedia.com for instructions to open)

2 Big Handfuls Raw Cashews

At least one BIG GLOOP Raw Cold-Packed Honey, AT LEAST! (Piick one with a robust flavor too!)

2 Pinches Celtic Sea Salt (or other quality grey, unrefined salt)

Several Vigorous Shakes Organic Powdered Cinnamon

...and blend until it's super nice and creamy. If you want to make it creamier, add more cashews and honey. Then season to taste!

Once that's done, add ice cold filtered water or ice, and blend out the mixture until it's appropriate for drinking. Bottle it up, and you've got a delicious healthy shake that will keep your eyes bright and your tummy full! This recipe makes 3-4 pints, depending on how thick you make it and how meaty your coconut turns out to be.


This is super easy to make, very tasty, and - oh, shucks, just try it. :)

Delicious Morning Banana Milk

So I was looking for a way to jumpstart my morning energy levels and kept experimenting until this delectable AM treat swirled into my brain.

Delicious Morning Banana Milk

1 small banana
1/2 spoonful raw honey
sprinkle cinnamon
1/4 cup almond milk
optional, add a scoop of protein powder and a little more almond milk.

Take above ingredients, blend, and enjoy. This is also a great, healthy pick-me-up for later in the day. :)

Sesame Sweet Potato Morsels

Here's a delicious recipe I rolled out of my brain today. Another sweet-potato snack that will make you smack your lips in delight. :)

Sesame Sweet Potato Morsels
(makes 44 bite sized morsels)

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 small spoonfuls brown sugar
1/2 cup sorghum flour
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, plus more for sprinkling
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup carrot juice
1/2 tsp baking powder

Brush the outsides of the sweet potatoes with a thin layer of olive oil and bake at 425 F for 1 hour.

Remove them, peel them [judiciously eating the skins to minimize clean up ;) ], slice them, and throw them in a mixing bowl. Mash them up (you can use a potato masher - I used a spoon). Add the other ingredients and mix well.

Next using a small spoon (I used a melon ball scooper), dollop out a little round of the batter onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Should make 2 sheets of 22 dollops.

For one sheet, I dribbled a little drop of honey on top of each cookie and then sprinkled sesame seeds on top of that. For the other, I drizzled a little olive oil over the top of each, which caramelized gently during the baking process.

I wasn't sure how these were going to come out, but they ended up sort of like a cross between a soft cookie, a delicious baked yam, and a sesame bar. So good, and not too sweet. :) Go on! Have a peace!

[Note: I have just been notified that this is a "free" food on the Weight Watcher's program. Can this be true?? Anyway. Eat without guilt regardless.]