Vegan Show & Tell

Naughty or Nice Winter Treat

2011-12-23T14:07:00.000-08:00

Though the ten months of the year in Texas, I tend to forget that it can actually get cold here in Austin. The best cure for frozen fingertips and toes is a nice homemade cup of hot chocolate with a nip (or two) of whiskey.

I've been loving my mexican hot chocolate with soy milk and a shot of whiskey. Nothing like this winter treat to warm you to the bones and scoop away all your chilly chills.

I veganize this Rachel Ray recipe: soy milk instead of whole, and use agave instead of sugar, and go a little lighter on the chocolate chips, but you can mix according to your own taste. Of course, also add a nip of something naughty. Also good, a shot of malibu or peppermint schnapps (thanks for those suggestions Jody!) Delish!

Add a little bit of soy whipped topping and you are ready to call it christmas.

Cinnaholic - Reliving the Summer

2011-12-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Its taken me ages to go through all the summer photos, but when the backyard thermometer hits the 30s its nice to browse through all my adventures during those warm summer months.

This was my trip back home to California in July. I had heard about Cinnaholic when it was first opening in Berkeley and had dreamed of walking through those doors and being hit like a ton of bricks with endless options for vegan decadence. Finally that day came, and it was heavenly.

Out in front, waiting to meet up with my CA friend, Sara, and my sister Marci who was driving up from LA to hang with me fresh out of Texas. I had lots to look at in their menu while I waited for them.

Since there was just too much to choose from, I ended up getting four mini buns all with different frostings and toppings. I loved just about every bite, though after the root beer float frosting with cookie dough toppings, I had reached my sweet limit and couldn't quite finish. So good though! I want them to open shop in Austin!

I ordered, Maple frosting with hazelnuts, Butterscotch frosting with pecans, lemon frosting with raspberries, and the kiss of sugary death, root beer frosting with chocolate chip cookie dough! ahhh the insanity!

My buddy Sara ordered one regular-sized cinnamon role and frosted each side differently, maple on half, and root beer on the other.

My favorites were the lemon and raspberry, and the maple and pecan. I am looking forward to the next time I'm out this way to indulge some more. I was also informed, that they DO SHIP! I might just have to break down and order some for my birthday coming up next month in January. Seriously. Out of this world.

We are happy, sugared out vegans!

Until we meet again, I will miss you Cinnaholic! You had the best staff working, and your selection is made from the dream of vegan dreams covered in cinnamon magic.

Daily Juice Cafe and Sweet Ritual

2011-12-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

Two Hyde Park favorites all under one roof!

After a late night of watching Die Hard and drinking too much christmas peppermint schnapps and vegan hot chocolate, the only cure is a hearty, raw vegan lunch with my love at Daily Juice Cafe. We ordered two prototype smoothies (my favorite), the rawkin tacos (for two) and mock tuna boats (for two). Ah-maze-ing. We also had a small side dish of their homemade hot sauce which was pretty good (though could have been spicier - we are hard to please when it comes to heat). Truly, some mazin' eats.

My first bite at Sweet Ritual. They opened just last week. I ordered their Vegan Vanilla soft serve with homemade vegan butterscotch sauce. So freakin good in winter, I can imagine how this will really hit the spot come summer time. Check them out!

Vegan Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

This year I did a small feast for two, the first Thanksgiving my husband and I spent in our new House. I also attempted my first EVER cheesecake. It turned out amazingly well, which I think is going to be dangerous for my hips.

So very thankful for the health and happiness in my life. Wishing everyone a lot of warmth and gratitude for the end of this year and to the ones ahead. love from texas, xoxo

Stuffing, organic salad, biscuits, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, mushroom gravy, pumpkin pie cheesecake, and my usual chocolate mousse with raspberries. Yumm! Hot apple cider and pinot.

Here's my pumpkin pie cheesecake, and soy whip canned whipped cream, coconut ice cream, and silk nog with whiskey. A delicious feast complete!

Halloween Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

2011-10-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

I made one of my favorite party treats for this year's third annual pumpkin carving contest at our house.

Vegan peanut butter cups. I like Alicia Silverstone's recipe, but there are a lot of ways you can modify the recipe (nuts or no nuts on top, gram crackers or none, crunchy or smooth pb, or use almond butter, or other kinds of nut-butter etc). Its really simple, and always so delicious. I added some kitchy decorations because that's just how I roll.

And since there were leftovers I brought the rest into the office the next day. None of them could believe they were vegan ("because they taste so good!"). Seriously, vegan food rules, and isn't just peas and carrots with a side of raisins for dessert. Mmm mmm good!

And here's a cute one of my pups with this year's pumpkins. Happy Halloween Y'all!

Fashion: Shopping in Austin, Filin.

2011-07-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Ladies, if you like beautiful treasures (check out my new power stone crystal necklace and feminine metal spike below)... head over to Filin. This new boutique has been open for 2 weeks, and tonight was the Grand Opening.

Phone	1 512.441.3700Work

Address	2110 South Lamar Unit E Austin, TX 78704

Email	filin.austin@gmail.com

The owner, Emily Antonetti-Elford is a close friend who I worked with years ago at Pink Salon on South Congress (A salon that offered astrology and tarot readings, local-handmade mica mineral makeup, pretty dresses by local designers and much more than just hair stuff).

Emily has put together and hosted various clothing swaps for/with all her fashionable girlfriends (i feel lucky enough to be considered a part of this circle). There is no better way to recycle (and save money) than to trade clothes and make a party of it! Emily also has her own clothing label, V.V. Lutz that her and her sister Megan own/run (I've done some modeling for them in the past shown below).

One thing is for sure, for as long as I've known her (for as long as I've lived in Austin) Emily's always had style. Her new shop, Filin, in the '04 on South Lamar is for lack of better words, "So Emily." Everything she has in there is beautiful, stylish and interesting, just like her. Tonight I picked up these treasures, and am looking forward to shopping for clothes during my next visit. Support local businesses, and treat yourself to pretty things. Win/win.

Dining Out: Cinnaholic, Berkeley CA

2011-06-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

Its been a long time coming... Remember when I first mentioned Cinnaholic? I still haven't made the trip to taste these amazing vegan cinnamon buns, but that will all change in 3 days! My mouth is already drooling in anticipation. Full review will be updated soon. How am I supposed to choose a flavor combo? Look at this menu!

photo taken from their site

Gardening: Sprouts and Neighbor's Gifts

2011-06-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

Buying your first home as a twenty-something is equal parts exciting and terrifying. The looming decades of debt ahead of you (though not unlike the debts racked up from college). Debts aside, what if our neighbors are lunatics? Well we were lucky enough to fall in love with our old pile of bricks, and have awesome, generous neighbors too.

When we moved in they had brought over a big meat dish, and when we answered the door they asked if we ate meat. I told them that we were vegans, and so they took their huge casserole dish back with them. It was sort of an awkward moment, and I didn't want to be unappreciative, but I also didn't want to cross my moral ground and accept a dish that would just be fed to our dogs or wasted. So I was honest. We didn't hear back from them for months after that. That was, not until their garden harvest was ready...

Thinking that we offended them with our vegan-ness, we were surprised to see one of their grade-school sons at our door come spring time. He brought us a large bag full of veggies from their home, organic garden. Tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, potatoes, and they all tasted so amazing. Later they came back and brought us a watermelon!

They grew a WATERMELON. With all the gifts that their garden provided, I got extra excited to learn how to make my own veggies. I'm starting, and this is a learning process. Our composter is full of good material for our fall planting season, and in the mean time I turned my first batch of seeds (tomatoes and bell peppers) into sprouts! Its like magic. Hope these keep growing... wish me luck.

Recipes: French Press and Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-06-26T07:18:00.001-07:00

My favorite breakfast lately is a strong cup of french press coffee (I buy the shade-grown, organic, fair trade beans from costco) and some vegan chocolate chip cookies. If you haven't invested in a French Press yet and love coffee, what are you waiting for? Its so worth it. The trick to chocolate chip cookies is to make all the dough, but only bake as many cookies as you want to eat. I save the rest of the dough in a tupperware and put it in the fridge so I can make fresh cookies whenever I want!

French Press:

coffee beans
grinder (tastes best when freshly ground)
french press
tea kettle (or hot water)
soy milk (or other dairy free milk)
sweetener (i use agave)

-Grind beans to a rough/large ground (I set my grinder to 5-4).
-Rinse out french press with hot water
-I like my coffee strong, so I add 1/3 of a cup of ground for every cup of water (test a few times to get the taste you prefer)
-Put the kettle on the stove for hot water (remove just before boiling rapidly)
-Put grounds into french press, add water and stir with a chopstick (or whatever's long enough to reach the bottom without burning your fingers)
-Let sit for 5-10 minutes, longer if you like your coffee stronger.
-Once the grounds settle, press the plunger down evenly and slowly.

Pour the best cup of coffee ever! I add a tiny bit of agave, and vanilla organic soy milk.

Cookies:

cup of earth balance (softened)
slightly over-full 1/2 cup of brown sugar
slightly over-full 1/2 cup of vegan white sugar
2 EnerG egg replacements (or 1 and 1/2 large banana smashed and beaten with a fork)
teaspoon of vanilla
2 and 1/4 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 bag of vegan chocolate chips (many semi-sweet chips are vegan, same with dark chocolate chips- but always read the package first)
1 cup of chopped walnuts
(optional 1/2 cup of oats)

-mix together the earth balance, sugars, "eggs" and vanilla
-slowly stir in all the dry ingredients (I use a sift to make sure there's not lumps): flour, baking soda, salt.
-Add chocolate chips, walnuts, and any other ingredients you like (oats, dried cranberries etc of your choice)
-preheat oven to 350
-place cookie dough directly onto an un-greased cookie sheet (just as many as you can eat, the rest of the dough you can save for later)
-Once oven's heated, put in oven 15 minutes +/- depending on your stove (test with a fork to make sure they are done, no dough should stick to the fork).
-Let cool, and serve
-Put rest of the dough in tupperware, and put in your fridge for later.

Life: Four-Year Wedding Anniversary

2011-06-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

As of June 23rd, it had been four whole years since my husband and I walked down the path on the headlands of Mendocino together to say our vows. The ocean kissing us with salty air and the wind giving us blessings (and challenging my veil to do the best helicopter propeller impersonation). It was the best day! The reception of course had all vegan cuisine, half catered, half potluck, and the most delectable vegan cake that I've ever had, that my step-mom made. All the guests couldn't believe it was vegan (as if vegan cakes couldn't be delicious haha). It turned out beautifully. Wow. FOUR years already.

To celebrate, we took ourselves out to The Steeping Room. Its fairly close to our house, and I had been hearing about it for a long time. There are tons of vegan menu options, (tea cookies, and sweets- cupcakes and such included), and more teas than you can shake a stick at. This place a great! Aside from being smack-dab in the middle of The Domain. That place sort of creeps me out, because its like a tiny part of L.A. has been transplanted into Austin. Seriously. Once you enter I think you are beamed to an isolated section of Los Angeles. It sorta gives me the willies. But I digress. The Steeping Room was great.

I had the vegan cesear salad (cashew cesear dressing) and the TTLT (tempeh, tofu, lettuce and tomato). Jason had the large spring rolls, with extra hot sauce (which surprisingly filled him up). Here's their menu.

I ordered an iced Moroccan mint green tea, and he had the fresh lemonade. Both were super tasty, and my food was so good and filling I didn't have room for the vegan double chocolate cupcake that the waitress kept trying to persuade me into (usually it works, but I was too full after eating every last bite of my plate- i mean everything ON my plate haha).

After the Steeping room we went to see Super 8 (we both love Sci Fi). It was so awesome! And to be super indulgent, we had made reservations at the Gold Class Cinema (also in the Domain), where we had complimentary popcorn (vegan- no butter- most theater popcorn is made with canola oil in the machine- no butter unless added, always ask first though), and ice water. They also provided clean, plush, fuzzy blankets to wrap up in while we hit the electronic buttons to extend out our foot rests and snuggle into the most comfortable, ridiculously luxurious theater seats ever. Since they have in-seat service, I of course also ordered a fancy mixed drink with champagne, pureed strawberries and mint that was amazing (no pic, I was watching the movie!).

Here's a pic of us during the end credits Such a fun night!

We exchanged gifts as well, he got me my own kindle (so I don't keep stealing his), and I am looking forward to adding some vegan cookbooks, vegan gardening books, amongst others. Right now I'm reading the paperback versions of, "The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life," by Melisser Elliott (I met her at a vegan meet up a few years ago and she was totally awesome. I recommend her book!), and also reading, "The Sexual Politics of Meat - A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory" by Carol J. Adams that I picked up at a recent clothing swap. Very theory-rich so you have to be in the mood for that. Comment if you have any good vegan book recs for me, I'm always interested in book recs! :)

My gift for him was a das keyboard. Ever since I started working there, he's been asking me for one, so I finally made it happen. Since he's a gamer, I of course also got him the gaming keycap set as well. This is true nerdy, geek love.

Happy anniversary Jason! To many years to come. <3

Gardening: New Discoveries at Our New (Old) Home

2011-06-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our new place it was December in Texas. Everything was brown, all the plants in the backyard, all the trees, and we didn't think anything was even alive.

Then came spring. In the following months we discovered we have pomegranate trees (two large, very fruitful ones), rose bushes, passion flowers, lilies, and all kinds of flora that is alive and well but had just been dormant for the winter months.

I am making it a new goal to learn how to grow our own veggie garden. With the house also came a green house that so far I've started sprouts of tomatoes and bell peppers (totally the wrong time of year to plant seeds, but they are already starting to sprout so I guess I'm doing something right). Its so wonderful to have a yard we can call our own. In the fall I am hoping to focus a lot of time, energy and love into some raised beds and landscaping our backyard with edibles (lets just hope the dogs don't dig everything up).

Watch our backyard story unfold in pictures:

This is what everything looked like in December when we moved in (and check out our lil buddy the albino squirrel that lives in the front yard oak tree). I was trying to be artistic with a dew covered spider web.

After just moving in, this is the view from the living room, into the attached greenhouse (excuse the mess). Pictured is Zombie.

First rose discovery...

...and they kept coming...

...then these beauties appeared. They are HUGE (picture with me for scale)... and smell absolutely amazing.

Meanwhile, what used to be two large bundles of sticks started to sprout leaves, and finally all these gorgeous bright red flowers began appearing... hmm....

We have ourselves two pomegranate trees!

Things started to fill out some more, and even with our severe draught, the leaves have managed to grow back and add some green to our backyard (that big round orb is our composter, getting some good material going for the fall!) Note the red puppy in the flower bed on the right. He's such a big goofball!

Above on the left, this bush with the yellow flowers was also a large pile of brown sticks when we moved in. There are several of these built-in planters filled with this stuff around our backyard... not sure what it is, but the leaves are shaped like mint, and it smells like mint (perhaps its mint?) didn't know mint blossomed so maybe not?... in any case its pretty and smells good. Here comes the puppy! as usual :)

The most recent surprise has been these amazing, weird flowers, (passion flowers?). They are so fragrant, and are really cool. I love them!

We're looking forward to what's in store for the next months to come...

Animals: Mayfield Park, Austin, TX

2011-06-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

I recently took my first trip to the Mayfield Park nature preserve, where there are dozens of wild peacocks roaming the grounds of this beautiful historical garden.

The experience was completely magical. I didn't realize peacocks could fly, watching their full wing spans push their enormous tails up into flight and land in the various tree branches overhead was an experience unlike any I've ever had. So awesome.

I highly recommend visiting if you're in Austin. You can bring a picnic, sit by the koi ponds, walk through the garden trails, and there's no charge. Just remember to bring your camera. Its no wonder they offer the space for weddings, but only for brides who don't mind being upstaged. If my husband and I ever renew our vows I think this would be the place to do it. Here are some photos I took on my iphone...

Animals: Volunteer at Austin Pets Alive! Attend Fundraiser 6.25.11

2011-06-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

I always put whatever extra money I have in my wallet into the Austin Pets Alive! collection jars when I pass them on South Congress, or see them on the front desk of a local business. I had never volunteered with them, until my cousin came out to visit me for her Spring Break (she's a sophomore in high school). Volunteering was such a rewarding experience, we helped bathe puppies before heading out to their adoption days, put water in several kennels, and scooped poop (the less glamorous task, but it makes such a difference to all those pups).

APA! is entirely run almost exclusively by volunteers, its a non-profit organization that is dedicated to saving as many animal lives in Austin as possible (read about them here). Thanks to their efforts, Austin passed a no-kill city bill in 2010, and the animals being euthanized has gone down from 45% in 2008, to 11% today in 2011, while they are continuing their efforts. I love this organization and will definitely take a few morning hours out of my usual routine to volunteer with them again. Here's how to volunteer. Get involved!

Tonight there will also be a fundraiser, at the Uptown, watch this video and make your $30 donation to enter, to see three bands, have complimentary wine and beer, and eat complimentary food. There will also be a silent auction:

I'm Brining Vegan Back...

2011-06-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

And you mofos don't know how to act. Here's a bunch of photos to share what I've been up to while I've been away. Gentlefolk, rev your engines... its food and cute overload time! vrrrrrrrrrrooom.

More new home-cooked recipes and ordering out tips to come...

my hands have been full with this new edition, Holden is 7 months old and already bigger than our 85lbs Husky/Shepherd mix. And he's still growing. Just graduating his first basic obedience class (now knows 23 commands, and still as goofy as ever).

our kitties are getting used to the new (huge) puppy, and team up to prove they are smarter and rule more than the canines of the household (Molly- the black cat is naturally, the alpha of the house).

Moving into our new house, we have found all kinds of garden treasures. I'm learning how to have a better green thumb, and yes that is a pomegranate tree (we didn't know we had them when we bought the house. We're excited to try them).

I've been spending time with some culinary artists, jody of butter and sugar, and laine of laine hardy

So get ready for donuts that are bigger than my head, favorite new places to eat in Austin, and how to work a menu when it doesn't seem like there are any vegan options listed. Also I'm sure there will be lots of lots of cute animal family pics. Stay tuned.

Wherefore Art Thou Vegan Show & Tell?

2011-03-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you mix a new first-time homeowner, with a new puppy, and the beginning of a beautiful Texas springtime season? Me! Rarely posting anything.

I have been a busy bee! Painting, priming, tearing down wall paper, installing new light fixtures, replacing broken water pipes, removing (and recycling) old appliances and installing new (energy star) ones, tearing out carpet and taking down drapes from the 60s. When I'm not working on our new (old) house, I've been spending each extra moment away from the office with our new addition, Holden Caulfield. He's quite the handsome pup, and he's already over 40lbs and his 4-month birthday isn't until next week! (3/11/11).

Here he is with his sister Zombie in the car on their way to their morning hike (This is a big deal because Zombie is our socially awkward-aka extreme-dog-fear-aggression rescue, who finally has a friend!)

I still have been cooking dinners at home for me and my husband, and have been taking photos which I hope to have time to sit down, upload, and post soon! I've also started to take more outfit photos again, so I'll be updating my fashions pages too.

That is if I can keep myself indoors during this beautiful Austin weather we've been having... sit at my computer? Or take Holden to town lake to play with all the other dogs? Tough choice huh?!

Be patient, I'll be back!

Recipes: Peanut Butter Fudge

2011-02-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

I had a major craving for chocolate and after looking through our kitchen I had all the ingredients needed to make my Peanut Butter Fudge:

Recipe here: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=22414.0

Animals: New Family Member

2011-01-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

My husband and I recently bought our first home, and with that comes the freedom of being our own landlords- Pet Agreements be damned! More rescues to give forever homes to! So of course we took the first opportunity we had and took in our newest pack member, Mr. Holden Caulfield. Here's the craigslist post that lead him to us:

"My fiance and I just rescued 3 Doberman mix puppies from a farm where the owner assured us that if we didn't take the puppies they would be killed. We don't have room for them and were hoping they will find a nice home with a yard since they will grow up to be bigger dogs. The puppies are around 9 weeks old. There are two females and one male. The dad is 100% red doberman and the mom is half red doberman and the other half is a mix of hound and maybe lab. Very sweet and adorable dogs. Please contact us if you are interested in providing a home (with a yard) for these very deserving pups."

Here's the photos that were posted, he's the biggest pup, and the one that looks more like a Hound, than the Doberman markings...

His sisters were so sweet and cute that we wanted to bring them all home, but one of the little girls found a forever home, and the foster/rescuers were thinking of keeping the last pup. Here's some photos of our guy with our big Husky/Shepard rescue, Zombie:

We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful new addition to our family. And it is a great, heart-felt moment for us, to see our socially-anxious, extremely dog-fearful pup befriend another doggy. Our trainers recommended getting as young of a pup as we could, and that was the magic touch. Zombie had absolutely no reactive behaviors with Holden. Here's to a very bright future for these new BFFs. Read more about his adoption on my personal journal/blog here.

Tools: Breadmaker

2010-12-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

I know that its cheating, but this year for Christmas my husband got me a BREAD MAKER! I love breads of all kinds, and have always wanted to be able to make my own, but was intimidated by the whole process (kneading, letting rise, kneading, letting rise, punching, letting rise, baking etc etc).

My first batch of bread, whole wheat & oat flour came out beautifully. I'm so looking forward to branching out and doing some experimenting... this machine also has the capability to make jams... more to come!

will post recipe soon

Holidays: Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T12:21:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of posting lately, my husband and I just moved into our first new (old) home! We were told that the original stove/oven from the mid '60s didn't work, so we had been eating a lot of take-out, and burritos, but my husband requested his favorite for Christmas- baked Mac UN' Cheese... and viola, turns out the oven ACTUALLY DOES WORK!

Merry Christmas to Us!

Holidays: Thanksgiving Potluck 2010

2010-11-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

while everything finished baking, setting up the seating

italian sodas, silk and rice nog, ready to start the feast!

vegan cookbooks and fresh berries for dessert garnish:

my plate, and vegan pinot noir. (baked mac and cheese casserole, roasted brussel sprouts and garlic, asparagas, stuffing, candied yams, tofurky, cucumber salad, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy)

My first tofurky was a hit! It was much better than the horror stories I heard and was anticipating. I didn't thaw out the night before, so I baked for 3.5 hours, in a covered caserole dish with baste (made from the box's recipe) with fresh, diced veggies... garlic, onions, jalapenos, carrots, and celery). YUM! The only dish that had NO left-overs... I'll definitely be making one of these again...

the line-up, mashed potatoes and two kinds of homemade cranberry sauce and relish

my first tofurky (it turned out really great!), salad, and homemade salsa

loading up our plates:

shitake gravy, roasted brussels and asparagus, canadied yams, baked mac & daiya cheese caserole

stuffing!

first wave of guests at the dinner table:

live fruit/nut pie, pumpkin pie (by butter and sugar blogger Jody)

Dessert Table. Soy and rice creams, soy whip cream, pumpkin pie, raw fruit/nut pie, chocolate mousse and berries:

dessert variety, chocolate mousse, vegan whip cream, pumpkin pie, live fruit/nut pie, vegan vanilla fudge swirl icecream and brandy and silk nog

Such a wonderful, cruelty-free feast this year, shared with great friends and my family. So much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving! Remember to practice gratitude, and appreciate daily...

(links to basic recipes I started with, and modified to my own tastes, preferences)

Holidays: Thanksgiving Potluck Menu

2010-11-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

This year, our annual vegan thanksgiving tradition turns 4. And each year has been more and more fun and festive! Tomorrow for Vegan Thanks Twenty-Ten, we will be hosting a potluck (the first year I haven't cooked everything myself). I'm really excited to try all the dishes and treats and will be sure to take lots of photos before we all dive in. Here's what's been planned so far, vegans sure know how to chow-down!:

My contribution:

First EVER Tofurky (you have to bast the dang thing and everything, should be interesting haha)
Homemade stuffing, pumpernickel bread, granny smith apples, walnuts and all that good stuff
Baked Macaroni Casserole (with Diaya)- My husband's favorite :)
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Rich Dark Chocolate Mousse with fresh berries
Soy and Rice Nog
Italian Sodas
Various Ice creams (soy delicious, and rice dream- not homemade, and Soy Whip cream

Jody & Eli's:

Candied Yams
Pumpkin Pie
Raw/Live Fruit Pie
Mushroom Gravy
Cranberry Relish

Jamie & Colleen's:

Cornbread
Banana Cream Pie
Vegan Beer!
Maybe something else

Pete & Amanda's:

Booze to spike the 'Nog and Italian Sodas!

I am so so SO excited for this feast, and wish everyone a happy, safe, and loving holiday with minimal stress and harm to others. GIVING THANKS TO MY READERS! xoxoxoxo

Banter: Ick

2010-11-17T10:42:00.000-08:00

A few things to get off my chest.

1. I can't stand mushrooms. Just because I don't eat meat doesn't mean I'll love a "big meaty" portabello sandwich.

2. Same goes for tofu, really not a fan, there are a few rare expections but prefer to go without.

3. Eggplant is disgusting.

So please remember just because I'm vegan, it doesn't mean that I'm missing meat and in constant need of eating the "meatiest" veggies etc.

Beans and Rice. Grains and legumes. My saviors.

Dining: Conan's Pizza

2010-11-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

Calling all Austin Vegans... Conan's whole-wheat, deep-dish pizzas with Daiya! are pretty much the ultimate pizza experience. Order the Veggie Supreme! Its my favorite Pizza Delivery in North Austin (for you southies and central kiddos, there are two other locations south and central too). To quote another Austin Vegan, "It's great to be alive and vegan in Austin right now!"

CONAN'S PIZZA!!!!!!!!

(512) 459-3221

Holidays: Adopt a Turkey 2010

2010-11-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is upon us once again, and in the spirit of giving thanks and compassion, consider instead of cooking up a bird, saving one. Start a new tradition of celebrating life, rather than commemorating the genocide of natives and innocent animals with a carcass (or if you don't want me to be preachy, do it for your cholesterol levels, health, and/or spiritual clarity- or even if its just to win hipster points - no judgments).

CLICK HERE: ADOPT A TURKEY PROJECT- FARM SANCTUARY.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Recipes: White Trash Wednesday

2010-11-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

Now that I have officially re-joined the work-force... mustering energy to cook whole meals from scratch every night is a little harder than it was as a housewife. This is what I put together last night in 20 minutes. Feast your eyes upon our White Trash Wednesday. Magnificent!

Spanish Rice: Rice a Roni instructions on box- used Earth Balance for margarine... added Hot spicy diced tomatoes as per box... (Note: Long grain wild rice Rice a Roni is also vegan)

Tater Tots- put on a tray and baked, and a plain lettuce, avocado, and tomato salad to balance it out...

Added hot-sauce into some ketchup for dipping, and dressed the salad with just a lil balsamic vinegar... Mmm good.

Holidays: Halloween Candy

2010-10-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

What candy is vegan-friendly for Halloween?

Here are a few of my favorites (view more options HERE).. and of course non-sugary treats are also great to hand out... no I'm not talking raisins and carrot sticks, Play Dough! Last year the mini play dough tubs I handed out were such a big hit I bought more for this year... I love my lil treat o treaters! <3

Recipes: Best Vegan ChocoChip Cookies

2010-10-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

Since our housemates moved out I've missed having our house and kitchen smell like cookies... so I'm attempting Jody's, of Butter & Sugar's best ever cookie recipe... Seriously, these are the best homemade vegan cookies I've tried... Recipe taken and modified from Butter & Sugar, visit under link HERE

(Vegan) Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 buttery stick / margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1/3 cup oil (I used shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar (Usually use 1/2 white, 1/2 brown, but I only had white)
2/3 cups milk (I used organic vanilla soy, you can also use rice, almond, oat etc...)
2 tsp. vanilla (I use organic)
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups flour (I use organic whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips *I used 1cup
1/2 cup chopped nuts *I used 1cup organic raw walnuts

Pre-Heat Oven to 350, grease cookie sheets. Mix butter, oil/shortening, and sugar(s) well. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix until halfway blended. Throw in chocolate chips and nuts, stir completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, and serve!

****

I also learned the best trick ever from this Butter and Sugar cookie genius... Instead of baking off all the dough after making it... only bake a 1/2 dozen- 1 dozen at a time... This helps keep control of how many you eat and also next time you want fresh cookies the dough is already made (just store in the freezer or fridge). Fresh cookies in 10-12 minutes whenever you want them, so much yummier than stale left-overs. I used half the dough this time, since we have Halloween company over tonight.

Recipes: Put it in the Pizza

2010-10-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

We discovered a new vegan find at Costco... Pizza shells. I grew up loving the home-bake Boboli (sp?) pizzas that my mom would make us, but I haven't had those since I became vegan (I think they have milk in them?).

These crusts weren't horribly bad, but next time I will (vegan) butter the whole shell b/c the crust without sauce on it turned out a bit on the dry side...

Added the sauce that came with... then Parsley, fresh ground pepper, basil, and Daiya vegan "cheese."
Toppings: Fresh Jalapenos, Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Garlic, Fresh Red Onions, Garlic and Jalapeno stuffed Olives for me (extra Jalapenos for my husband), Pineapple, and I think that was it. Yummm... these babies were sure piled high! And we were gluttonous and ate a whole one each.

....and then 15 minutes later, out of the oven.... mmmm

Next time I think I'm going to try to make a homemade Ranch Dressing to dip the crusts in... Haven't attempted a Ranch yet, but looking forward to trying it out... will post when I do.

Animals: Training by Tara

2010-10-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

Though they are not vegans themselves, I felt it was appropriate to give a shout-out to our wonderful, inspiring, and completely AWESOME dog trainers. Tara, of Training by Tara LLC, has helped not only our own rescue pup learn some manners and new commands to help curb her dog-aggression issues, but the Austin community in more ways than can fit into one post. From dog rescue, rehabilitation, education, activism, out-reach, training, and beyond- there isn't anything they can't, or won't do to make this world a better place for dogs and the people who love them... I highly recommend her services.

click "LIKE" on Training By Tara's Facebook Page HERE

Visit the Training by Tara Website HERE

Read Training by Tara Articles HERE

CONTACT:

myheart4k9s@aol.com
512-402-4229

Tools: Handblender and Pyrex set

2010-10-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today my husband and I went to Costco, which basically means hundreds of dollars later we have a pantry stocked with bulk soy milk, black beans, tomato paste, whole wheat pasta and all the staple foods that we use almost on a daily basis. Costco really has come a long way, now carrying many organic and fair trade items.

Today we brought back my favorite kitchen tool, the hand blender. I had an unfortunate malfunction during a rather ambitious smoothie-making craze, and burned out our old one's motor. We chipped in and went for the step up, which is all stainless steel, and comes with a whisk and chopping attachments, and a cool thing that's suppose to make guacamole really quickly (I usually just use a wooden spoon).

I'm really excited to make a batch of my vegan chocolate mousse, but also looking forward to making a few of the recipes that came with the blender (vegan mayo, frosting, white bean dip, salad dressing, and several others...).

Secondly, its been a long time coming, and we now finally own a full set of pyrex cooking glass, with rubber covers. Instead of wrapping our thrift- casserole dishes with aluminum foil, then transferring to tupperwares the next morning (yeah I'm lazy after dinner), we can just pop on one of these tops and store. Brilliant. Loving these.

Recipes: Homemade Siracha Hot Sauce

2010-10-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

My husband's been perfecting the homemade Siracha sauce starting with the recipe he found HERE. Its a fairly easy process, soak the peppers with garlic overnight in vinegar, then boil them- evaporating out some of the vinegar, blend with some added sugar, strain and store in the fridge to thicken. I wanted to share his latest progress, because it turned out SO GREAT... He used a ghost pepper or two with the Anaheim peppers for added POW (we like things super spicy).YUM.

Parties: Bachelorette Night, Vegan at a Mexican Wedding.

2010-10-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

My best friend from high school recently was married, hence all the photo-blogging from various places I dined at in California... For her wedding day she had vegan burritos! Which was so great, and for her bachelorette party/ladies night the MOH made a variety of hummus' dips that were all vegan... Kalamata Olive, Spinach, and Garlic... yummm! Love you Colleen

Dining: 3rd Street Ale Works, Santa Rosa

2010-10-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

Though there's not much on the menu aside from beer (what more could you ask for after 15 hours of travel taking a plane and a greyhound on your way back to your hometown?)... I did order that Hippy Sandwich (without cheese) and it was full of good veggies and filled me up. I love this photo of my mom and step dad, and of course our empty pint glasses... ahhh to be home in California.

Dinning: Dad's Dinner night with Sandy

2010-10-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Half from my dad's pub (-Asian Salad- Patterson's Pub), and half from Sandy's kitchen (Baked noodle casserole and HUGE vegan cupcakes)... my parents know how to throw together a great vegan fest... I'm so lucky to come home to such a loving family who may have a different lifestyle, but know how to still make me feel at home, no matter how long its been since I was a kid under their roofs.

Recipes: Family Party Lasagna Night, with my Mom

2010-10-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

Mom made an amazing tomato sauce, and we boiled noodles then layered with sauce, Daiya, veggies from the garden (kale leaves were my favorite) and baked until "cheese" looked like it was starting to brown on top.

Recipes: Mom's Homemade Pesto

2010-10-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

In cusinart or blender... mix together 1 cup pinenuts 1 cup walnuts, salt/pepper, lots of garlic, a bushel or two of fresh basil, enough EVOO for desired consistency (don't be stingy with this), and nutritional yeast instead of cheese. Added some Daiya into the mix for added richness. yum. Thanks mom!

Dining: Living Light, New at the Company Store Fort Bragg

2010-10-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to try this place during my time up in Northern CA, but its great to see that my small hometown community is expanding with more and more vegan options...

Recipes: Green Veggie Shake

2010-10-16T15:39:00.000-07:00

One of my step-dad's creations. For the past year or more he has been really into his acid/alkaline diet... This is a man who used to be deathly allergic to all the good veggies: Avocado, raw carrots, parsley etc...and now he eats them (raw) in his shake from my parent's home garden every morning.

Put kale, parsley, veggies of all sorts, an apple or banana for taste, and there you go. Bottoms up!~

Dining: Viraporn's Thai Cuisine, Fort Bragg

2010-10-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Dining: Blue Bottle Coffee Fix

2010-10-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

The best coffee I've ever had, from San Francisco CA. I went to the one in Hayes Valley, near the park with this cool art installation.

Dining: Cafe One, Fort Bragg, Athena and Camille

2010-10-16T15:32:00.000-07:00

No food picture, but I love the sandwiches and soups here... all organic too...

Dining: The Raven's Mendocino, with my brother Alex

2010-10-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

One of my all-time favorite restaurants. Never disappointed.

Dining: Ananda Fuara with Jen Marie

2010-10-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

Dining: Vegan Soul Food in Oakland with Sara Pedal

2010-10-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Amazing... not pictured, Cayenne Lemonade, and Strawberry Gingerade

Dining: Maggie Mudd's Vegan Icecreams

2010-10-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

mmmmm...

Dining: Boogaloos Breakfast with Angel

2010-10-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

There was so much food, that I ended up giving the rest of my plate to a hungry homeless woman who was super stoked to finish what I couldn't. Look at all this amazing food...

Dining: Sushi in the Tenderloin

2010-10-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Look at all this delicious vegan sushi, no one does it better than San Francisco, CA.

Dining: Gracias Madre, San Francisco

2010-10-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've been putting it off for almost a month now, so instead of feeling burdened by needing to write a detailed critique of each time I ate vegan food on my trip to California, I'm going to let the images speak for themselves. EVERY DISH WAS WORTHY OF BEING PHOTOGRAPHED for its SHEAR DELICIOUSNESS. Everything was great... no disappointments... Here we go, post one...

Recipes: Double Feature Apple Crisp and Lasagna

2010-10-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Nothing says fall quite like Apple Crisp and Lasagna, at least to me. Now that things are starting to cool back down, I'm more ambitious about lighting up our oven to bake more dishes for dinner and desserts. Here are my first cracks at two new to me recipes that turned our scrumptious. Dessert first.

Apple Crisp, that I took to a surprise birthday party.

(recipe under link above, from the PPK website).

Before & After:

It was mighty delicious, almost as much as my Lasagna:

Ingredients:

No-boil Lasagna noodles (they cook as they bake and turned out really well- not just a gimmick)

1-can Tomato Paste

2-cans Stewed Tomatoes (diced)

2 Fresh tomatoes (diced)

Soyrizo

Field Roast Vegan Sausage

1 head of Garlic

1 large yellow Onion

3 Jalapenos

3 Habaneros

1 bag of Daiya vegan cheese shreds

EVOO

Parsley, Basil, Salt, Pepper to taste

More veggies (fresh spinach, kale, broccoli etc recommended)

1- large casserole dish

Instructions:

SAUCE:

-Preheat oven to 350.

-Saute onions and peppers in oil with salt and pepper, let simmer while you peel and slice the garlic.

-Dice tomatoes and add those, then add the garlic (if you add the garlic first it can stick/burn)

-add tomato paste, stewed tomatoes (juice included), and soyrizo and stir to distribute evenly (add a little water if too thick- I fill the small tomato paste can with water and add that).

-Add spices, herbs to taste.

You can either throw all your veggies into the sauce, along with the vegan sausage, or cook those separately as their own layer... I saved time and threw everything in together, but a layer of spinach leaves, and diced sausage is nice too.

BAKE:

In a large casserole dish start with a layer of sauce on the bottom and neatly place layers of noodles, "cheese" veggies, sauce etc until you tun out of noodles, sauce and veggies. I add more cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes- with the no-boil noodles, put aluminum foil over the dish while it cooks.

Cut into squares and let cook before serving, so the pieces are a little firm, stick together better. yum.

Fashion: Been a While

2010-10-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a new fashion post... Now that Summer's winding down (yeah I haven't admitted that its OVER yet), I'm having more time to take outfit photos, and play around on my computer uploading them- not to mention not just living in a bikini.

Visit my vegan fashion blog at Chictopia.Com

Where have I been?

2010-09-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

I've been in California for the past two weeks and I have bundles and bundles of posts to update as soon as I'm back home and settled back into my husband's arms and puppy/kitty cuddles. I miss all my lil furry babies! I'm coming back to Austin tonight y'all, and I can't wait!

Blog Love: Butter and Sugar

2010-09-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

My housemate's blog Butter and Sugar is HERE. Many of my recent posts have been colaborations with her, and sneak peaks at some of her delicious dishes. Check out her site for some great easily vegan-izable treats and meals (for those that are not already vegan).

Here's some pics of her working her magic in our kitchen... Not pictured are her vegan chocolate chip cookies (we ate them too fast), which are by far the BEST homemade cookies I have ever eaten. I need to get that recipe!!!

Mango Gazpacho/Salsa:

Ratatouill:

Recipes: Standard Summer Taco Time

2010-09-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

As usual, one of my favorite summer dinners. When its more than just me and my husband eating, I always serve buffet-style. Crunchy taco shells make things more fun too.

Brown Rice- In a rice cooker, added 1 vegan bullion cube with the water.

Protein- Sauteed onions, garlic, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Added salt/ground pepper to taste. Added 2 cans of black beans, half of which I smashed with a fork (thanks to Rachel Ray's Technique).

Fillings- Housemates made a Cabbage Slaw (so yummy!), chopped red bell pepper, and Daiya Cheeze.

Salsa- My husband's secret, super-spicy Ghost Pepper recipe. shhh, I can't tell!

Recipes: Pad Thai

2010-09-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Our housemates made this amazing Thai dinner. I don't have their recipes yet, but hopefully will post soon... Summer nights are starting to cool down, which means we get to eat in the back patio every night!

Recipes: Southern Comfort

2010-08-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

Last night's dinner: My baked Mac Un-Cheese (click for recipe under link), and some super yummy garlic and onion green beans. There really is nothing like some vegan comfort food in the heart of Texas!

EASY PEASY GREEN BEANS:

Saute onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a couple tablespoons of EVOO (give or take), until onions are soft, salt and pepper to taste.

Add washed, trimmed (cut off the stems/tips), greenbeans and cook in same skillet for 3-5 minutes on HIGH heat. Serve. and eat!

Articles: Bolivia Bans All Circus Animals

2010-08-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Another victory for animals! Thank you South America, let's hope your fight for animal rights are cross-continentally contagious.

READ ARTICLE: Bolivia Bans All Circus Animals!

And on the local front, last night, here in Austin, TX... the animal rights' and vegan community stood up against Ringling Bros (click link for KXAN article). A peaceful protest commenced outside of the Erwin Center where the Circus is held. 120 people were there to protest the animal abuse circus animals are subjected to, for ticket sales and "entertainment". I love my Austin cohorts, and though I wasn't able to join the ranks, I am a lifelong circus-boycott-er, and hope for a future when people realize that tormenting animals isn't entertainment.

all images from KXAN Austin, TX news article linked above, and again HERE.

Documentary: I'm Vegan Series P. I

2010-08-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Eric Prescott is a film maker from Boston, who took a tour of the United States, interviewing and filming vegans coast-to-coast. Last year he came through Austin and spent a couple days following me around and trying to get a glimpse into my life, not just as a vegan, but as a person like anyone else, who has hobbies, interests, friends, goals, and dreams (hey world, all vegans aren't the same!).

These are the first 5 profiles that he's finished editing, to start his web-documentary series called, "I'm Vegan." Eventually he might turn these profiles in a full-length documentary film, but for now we can enjoy all the different personalities, insights, and philosophies of vegans across America. (links lead to youtubes).

Regina

Minku

Risa

Julia

John

Recipes: Best Baked Mac Un-Cheese EVER

2010-08-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a couple of vegans need to get a hearty serving of comfort food, and the boxes of Vegan Mac aren't always as satisfying as our imaginations remember "The Real (evil) Thing" to be.

For vegans, veggies, and omni's... This recipe rules. Thank you Daiya, you are making us vegans incredibly happy!

I started with THIS RECIPE and changed a few things to make it my own (grilled onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes).

I started by boiling water, and adding my organic, whole-wheat elbow noodles to cook until tender. I let the noodles cook while I started the sauce.

INGREDIENTS :

pasta-(elbow noodles, or shells I like best)
1/4 cup EVOO oil or Earth Balance
1/2 cup unbleached or whole wheat flour
2 cups plain soy milk
1 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 package of Daiya shreads "cheese"
1 medium sized onion
4 jalapenos (if you like spice)
2 medium-large tomatoes
OPTIONAL any other veggies you want
OPTIONAL bread crumbs (for topping)
OPTIONAL nutritional yeast, and/or herbs for added flavor, garnish
Glass of beer or wine to drink while you cook :) I had some from Pyramid Brewery.

While my noodles boiled away, I set my oven to 375 to preheat,

then diced my onions and jalapenos (or whatever other veggies) to begin sauteing

I set heat to low and let the onions start to cook and sweeten, but not long enough to caramelize- stirring occasionally. In another pan I started my cheese sauce (following the recipe linked above).

-heated the oil and slowly added my flour (through a sieve to prevent lumps), after that I slowly stirred in my soymilk and salt. I like using a whisk to be sure to get a really creamy consistency and break up all the flour until really thick (you can also add Nutritional yeast at this point for flavor/thicker sauce).

-After the cheese sauce started to boil I set to low and sliced my tomatoes in big rounds to bake on top later. My noodles were done by then so I put in a strainer and set in the sink.

-I went back to my sauce and added about 2/3 of my Daiya "cheese" until melted. I poured my strained noodles into a large casserole pan, and sprinkled the rest of the Daiya on top, and combined my onions and peppers into my cheese sauce.

Then the fun part! Pouring the cheese sauce onto all the noodles, and distributing evenly either just on top, or stirring all together (I've tried both and even if you don't mix first the cheese melts down into the bottom noodles). To it make it extra pretty I placed my tomatoes on top and then sprinkled with bread crumbs. You can also sprinkle fresh or dried herbs on top depending on your tastes (basil, parsley, or oregano are my recs).

Bake for 13 minutes +/- depending on your stove. And its done! I like to serve with Ketchup (my husband thinks I'm nuts, but you have to try it. SO good). YUM!

Articles: Cinnaholic, Vegan Gourmet in Berkeley, CA

2010-08-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Next time I go to California, I hope I can make a trip to Berkeley
to try ANY one of the AMAZING, gourmet, vegan cinnamon rolls at Cinnaholic.

Choose from these (all vegan) Icings:

almond, apple, banana, blackberry, blueberry, butter pecan, butterscotch, caramel, cherry, coffee, cream soda, hazelnut, Irish cream, key lime, lemon, macadamia nut, maple, mint, orange, peach, pina colada, pomegranate, pumpkin spice, raspberry, root beer, and strawberry.

Choose from these (all vegan) Toppings:

almonds, apples, blackberries, blueberries, brownie chuncks, candy cane, cherries, chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, cookie dough chunks, gingerbread cookies, graham crackers, hazelnuts, holiday spices, jam, lemons, limes, marshmallows, oranges, oreo cookies, peaches, peanut butter, pomegranate seeds, raspberries, shredded coconut, strawberries, and walnuts. That is just plain ridiculous. Not to mention their specialty rolls, like Rocky Road and Mocha Almond.

ARTICLE HERE., photos copied from article

Read and Follow The Cinnaholic BLOG HERE

Articles: NYTimes, Animal- Cruelty Syndrome

2010-07-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Though a bit lengthy (7-pages), this article is worth taking the few extra moments to read in full. I've quoted the last two paragraphs below:

"Equine-therapy programs, for example, are now helping an increasing number of teenagers who have severe emotional and behavioral issues, as well as children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome. At Aspen Ranch in Loa, Utah, troubled teenagers are being paired off with wild mustangs that have been adopted from the Bureau of Land Management, each species ultimately managing to temper the other, a dynamic that has also proved very effective in teaching patience and empathy to prisoners in correctional facilities. In the Los Angeles suburb of Compton, there is a youth equestrian program called the Compton Junior Posse. Teenagers clean stables, groom horses and then ride them in amateur equestrian events across Southern California. There are now bovine- and elephant-assisted therapy programs as well.

For Lockwood, animal-therapy programs draw on the same issues of power and control that can give rise to animal cruelty, but elegantly reverse them to more enlightened ends. “When you get an 80-pound kid controlling a 1,000-pound horse,” he said, “or a kid teaching a dog to obey you and to do tricks, that’s getting a sense of power and control in a positive way. We all have within us the agents of entropy, especially as kids. It’s easier to delight in knocking things down and blowing stuff up. Watch kids in a park and you see them throw rocks at birds to get a whole cloud of them to scatter. But to lure animals in and teach them to take food from your hand or to obey commands, that’s a slower process. Part of the whole enculturation and socialization process is learning that it’s also cool and empowering to build something. To do something constructive.”

Read the Full Article HERE.

Dining: The Raven's Mendocino, Chef Kyle Evans in O Magazine.

2010-07-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

One of my near and dear vegan businesses, The Ravens, is a vegan and vegetarian restaurant located at the Stanford Inn by the Sea in Mendocino, CA. My first best friend (we've known each other since preschool) is the daughter of the owners of the Inn and Luxury Coastal Resort that is animal friendly and boasts an large, on-site organic garden, llama pastures, and ocean views. I spent a lot of time growing up on the grounds with my best friend, and it was so wonderful to have other vegetarians in my life (I was the only one in my family), who are now also life-long vegans.

Their current Chef was recently featured in O magazine, and I've been slacking as far as blog posts, but I wanted to share THIS ARTICLE HERE. Congrats Kyle! The Ravens is not only my favorite because I adore the owners, but the food is absolutely phenomenal (fresh veggies picked from the garden daily for their gourmet menu).

I'm heading back to the West Coast in September and am definitely looking forward to dining at the Raven's at least once... for breakfast, and for dinner.

Photo by: William Abranowicz

Information: Dangers of Genetically Modified Milk

2010-07-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

An article about hazards in relation to drinking dairy milk is quoted below:

"...the abnormalities in rBGH milk also include excess levels of the natural insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in rBGH milk, with increases ranging up to 20-fold. Based on six unpublished industry studies, FDA admitted that IGF-1 levels in rBGH milk were consistently and statistically increased, and that they were further increased by pasteurization. These increases were also admitted by Eli Lilly Industries in their application for marketing authorization in the European Community. It should also be noted that pasteurization of milk increases its IGF-1 levels by a further 70 percent.

IGF-1 is a protein fraction known as a peptide. As such, it survives digestion and is readily absorbed into the blood. It has been shown to have marked growth promoting effects following short-term feeding tests in rats. Most importantly, increased IGF-1 levels have been reported to increase risks of breast cancer by seven times in 19 scientific publications, colon cancer by five times in 19 publications, and prostate cancer by up to 5 percent in six publications."

Read the full article HERE

Dining: Kerby Lane

2010-07-26T07:18:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to visit Kerby Lane for two years now, and finally in all my time living in Austin finally made it to the local diner that boasts vegan-friendly diner food, 24 hours.

Unfortunately the Vegan Breakfast Platter is no longer offered (a plate with vegan pancakes, vegan tofu scramble and soysause), they still have a daily pancake special (one vegan one nonvegan), and several menu options that are vegan-friendly (soup special daily, potatoes-hash browns, home fries etc, desserts etc). I'm not sure if the vegan platter has just been off'ed at the one we went to (NorthWest Location) or if all Five Locations no longer serve it... I'll have to ask next time I go.

I ordered a plate of hummus and tabbouleh, which for a diner was actually pretty decent. The fresh OJ was super good, and their coffees are all fair-trade. My plate:

Here's a photo of the vegan dessert on the dessert Menu, Mocha Tofu Cheesecake...

So in conclusion, its definitely a vegan-friendly diner, the food was decent (its a diner), and I will definitely be heading back there to try their pancakes, late night desserts, and whatever else that's vegan friendly on their menu.

Recipes: Freezer Food, Beans

2010-07-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? My summer accounting classes have been kicking my butt, but in a good way! I've been learning tons of great stuff about Business Tax Forms, general bookkeeping, and how to prepare my own and analyze other company's financial statements. Bookkeeping a great vegan career, no animals are harmed in the making, because we only crunch numbers (:P). My goal is to help small vegan-friendly businesses be as successful as possible, so wish me luck! Only two more classes to go and I will have finished my Summer Course-Load :)

I have been the main chef of my household, but since I've started taking night classes my husband's been pitching in after his long work days to feed us... to make it easier on him I've done this, and I recommend it to anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to cook every night, but loves yummy home-cooked meals.

The top shelf of our freezer has frozen tupperwares full of home-cooked, black beans, and the bottom self is home-cooked lentils... all from scratch.

For both recipes I started with dry beans (black beans, and lentils respectively) and soaked them (about 6-7 cups each) in a large pot filled with enough water to generously submerge all beans, and a tablespoon of salt. The longer you soak the less time you will need to cook them, I like to soak for an hour and do other things then come back to it, just remember to cover.

After soaking I turned the heat on and brought to a boil, then brought the heat all the way down to low. This is where the two recipes differ:

BLACK BEANS:

Added- 1 chopped onion, several cloves of chopped garlic, a handful of chopped jalapenos, 1-2 tablespoons of Chili Powder, a teaspoon of cumin, cracked pepper and a few large chunks of potato (NOTE: Potato when cooked in beans absorbs the stuff in beans that gives you gas... So when I serve/eat my beans I avoid eating the potato).

Optional: You can also add a bay leaf or two, Soy Rizo, or other veggie protein, and bell peppers are good in it too.

LENTILS:

Added- 1 chopped onion, several cloves of chopped garlic, a handful of chopped jalapenos, (we add that into just about everything we eat/cook), 1-2 tablespoons of yellow Sweet Bombay Curry Powder, 2 teaspoons of Cumin, 2 vegan bouillon cubes, a couple heaping tablespoons of dried parsley flakes, and some cubed potatoes (these ones I always eat).

Optional: You can also add other veggies like broccoli, bell pepper, kale, spinach, carrots, whatever you wish.

_____________________________________

For both large pots (I cooked them on separate days), I stirred in all my ingredients and let everything slowly cook on low heat for an hour + until the beans were soft. After it was all cooked I scooped into tubs (avoiding as much of the liquid as possible) to seal and freeze and that was that. The left-over liquid I saved and made soup with to eat after I was done.

To re-heat, I'll take one tub out of the freezer and place on a dish towel on the counter to defrost for an hour or so... then I like to re-heat on the stove with whatever veggies (or veggie protein) I want to add to make it taste fresher. But since all the heavy lifting is already done, you can also just microwave and eat as is. Then place the rest of the tupperware in the fridge (if you don't eat it all) and after defrosted it will last for a week or so.

Great to eat as soup (add broth), in tacos, or however... I want to try to experiment with mashing the beans into homemade veggie patties... will post when I try it. GOOD LUCK!

Information: New Facebook Fan Page

2010-07-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

As of today I have created a Facebook Fan Page HERE. Check it out and hit, "like," and I'll do something nice in return. Thank you! I love my readers <3 xoxoxo

Fashion: Vegan Beauty for Weddings

2010-07-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Shoot! This whole post was accidentally deleted... here we go again...

Last weekend I had some of my favorite vegan ladies come over to my house so I could practice some hair and make-up on them. This September my childhood BFF is getting married and she asked me to style her and all of us bridesmaids (four, myself included). She wants bright lips, and messy ballerina buns on us, and she wants to show off her beautiful long hair in a romantic, half-up style with loose, natural 70s waves. It was a lot of fun to do some trials on these beautiful ladies, I'm so grateful to have such great friends here, who I have met through VRA (Vegans Rock Austin), and VegAustin.com. Even though I'm a time zone away (I'm in Texas, the bride/wedding is in California) with the joys of the internet I can feel more involved with the planning process... Check out the photos I sent back to the bride- using all vegan beauty products.

Make-Up Model: Chris

Make-Up Model: Daniela

Hair and Make-Up Model: J. (Bridesmaids)

Hair and Make-Up Model: J. (Bride)

And Here I am... testing on myself in the bridesmaid dress (sent to Bride):

PRODUCTS:

EYES:

Myka Eye Shadows in Tawny, Diamonds, 24K Gold & Blue Hilite

Zuzu Liquid Liner in Raven, and Mascara in Onyx

Urban Decay Eyebrow Combo Pencil, Brow Beater in Light Blonde

Beauty Without Cruelty Liquid Liner in Black

LIPS:

Zuzu lip liner in Cherry

Urban Decay Lipstick in Revolution

(NO FOUNDATION USED IN THESE TRIALS,

but I love GloMinerals Tinted Moisturizer and Myka's Face Powders)

*Tip: Check out the VEGAN section of Urban Decay's ONLINE STORE. Awesome!

HAIR:

Kusco-Murphy Lavender Cream and Beach Hair (for smoothing and texture)

Paul Mitchell Extra Firm Hold Hair Spray

Alfa Parf Finishing Shine Spray

Philosophy: Outside Looking In

2010-07-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

To any non-vegans this one's for you! Though I don't speak for all vegans, I speak beliefs and viewpoints honestly, as A (singular) vegan.

This scenario has happened time and time again and I do not like it. If you've done this to me before I give you the benefit of the doubt that you were not intentionally trying to make me uncomfortable, or frustrated, so I'm simply letting you know it bothers me. When I am with people from work, (or family, or non-vegan friends- though most times its people who don't know me as well on a personal level that do this) I tend to be introduced as, "The Vegan."

"Hello Everybody. I want you to meet Tyler. She's a vegan."

The term Vegan isn't offensive, its who I am, true. Its not a lie, its a true statement. So what's the problem?

Though "being a vegan" does involve restraining myself from consuming animal products (which most non-vegans seem to view only as a diet- "You're vegan? Oh you just eat carrots,"), its the closest thing that I have to a religion, political view, and philosophical perspective on life. To me and many others, its not just a diet.

I am used to being the token vegan, and the friends that I make have generally been on the basis of similar interests, creative pursuits, career choices, age (more or less), and location. How I think friends should be made. Only recently have I been fortunate enough to find a great network of vegans here in Austin. Vegan friends! It feels so luxurious! The only other time in my life when I was actually surrounded by people "like me" was in college. Very few of those old vegan friends are still vegan to this day... due the fact that they have more money (yes I said MORE money, being vegan is one of the cheapest ways to live, especially on a student's budget), they did it just to meet vegan chicks, or wanted to fit in with a crowd/sub culture. I don't think that any of those are "the wrong" reasons to be vegan, it just seems that none of them stand the test of time. I digress.

In England I met one other vegan I spent time with and tried to seek out others and found two punk rockers with mohawks that were vegan, but they had crazy jealous punk girlfriends that wore spikes and I was scared would beat me up if I hung around their boyfriends too much (though I wasn't interested in dating either of them). So I didn't want to be the 5th wheel and stir anything up. I figured making other friends who were more accessible was better than seeking out British Vegans, just to find more vegans. Plus they were few and far between. In San Francisco I met one as well through work, but I don't think she liked me- because guess what, we are people too! Just because we're vegan doesn't mean we'll all get along. And that was it! All of my other friends, weren't like me. They weren't vegan. Being the odd one out isn't a bad thing, but sometimes it can feel like you're being thrown in the shark-tank when that differentiating characteristic is all that other people see.

Imagine this. You have a friend. You are extremely FAR Left-wing Liberal. Your friend, who you adore and have a lot of great times with is Conservative. You two get along extremely well, but when it comes to politics you are opposites. One day you want to bring your friend to a party. Since you are so Far Left, all of your friends just happen to be Far Left Liberals too. This is the first time your Republican friend meets any of these people, and you think he's GREAT, regardless of the political difference. When you introduce him to everyone do you say, "Hey everyone! This is my friend Stewart. He's a Republican!"

Stewart isn't embarrassed by his beliefs, they are his own; however, labeling him as the token Republican in a room full of Green Party, Liberal Dems would put your friend in an extremely uncomfortable position. Don't you think? Its not very nice to your friend, and its not taking his feelings into consideration- regardless of how opposite your beliefs are- he still has feelings just like you do.

Or how about this. You have another friend, Sally. Sally is an excellent friend. Or no, lets say an excellent employee, or better yet, an excellent boss. Your boss is pro-choice, while you were raised in a Christian household and are pro-life. When you introduce your boss to your Christian, Pro-Life family as a way to improve your work relationship, do you say: "Hey everyone! I would like you to meet Sally. She is Pro-Choice!"?

You may, you may not, but my point being is that labeling Sally as a pigeon-holed role of embodying an entire, larger-encompassing set of morals, philosophies, religion, politics, and school of thought in one small piece of that puzzle (the fact that she is "pro-choice") is taking a very small piece of her grander, larger, set of values and obliterating them. Though it might bring up some interesting conversations, chances are the first time you meet someone people want to talk about the weather, and start things off slowly before treading through high-tension waters. Its uncomfortable and quite frankly rude.

So in conclusion, what I mean by this is that being vegan isn't limited to a small piece of my life that consists of only eating vegetables. There are much larger implications that draw on spirituality, higher education, politics, environmentalism, animal rights, morals, and perception. Its a full way of life, and though I'm not ashamed of who I am, and how I've chosen to continue my life as a vegan, its not always the most appropriate to trivialize these deeply ingrained values and moral codes as disposable small talk. Because unless someone asks me about my lifestyle, chances are new people don't want to hear what I have to say about my vegan "religion," "politics," and "philosophies."

And that's their choice. Personally? I don't want other people unloading their religions on me unless I ask them to. There is a time and a place. Unless I feel comfortable enough to introduce myself as a vegan, I generally don't feel comfortable having that be the FIRST thing that people know about me.

Let's face it, there are a lot of stereotypes out there, and time and again when I'm introduced as The Vegan in a room full of non-vegans people will automatically assume that I am rich, stuck-up, holier-than-thou, judgmental, and weak before having a single conversation with me. I would like to start proving this misconception wrong, so unless I feel in safe enough company, or a comfortable enough environment to open up about my way of life, can you please notice my other less controversial qualities first when introducing me? (This is Tyler, she's from California, studied English, is a Bookkeeper, is a writer, Loves to cook, Loves vintage fashion and cars, Loves animals... etc).

Any other vegans reading this ever feel the same way? Or is it just me and my abhorrence of small talk that makes it hard for me to smile and shrug when I feel strongly about something but feel obligated to hold my tongue when in mixed company?

Recipes: Homemade Nachos

2010-06-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Using the hummus from my last post, and my husband's secret-recipe homemade super spicy salsa (sorry I can't post it here!) I whipped up some super quick vegan nachos for a yummy Sunday lunch.

Ingredients:

Chips
Daiya vCheesev
Black Beans (beans/veggie protein of choice)
Homemade Salsa
Homemade Hummus
Any other toppings you choose. Some of my favorites: Pickled Jalapenos, grilled onions, olives, avocado/guacamole, vegan sour cream, and/or whatever you want

Recipe:

Layer chips (I used both blue and white organic corn tortilla) and Daiya shreds in a microwaveable bowl and add black beans, or chili on top. (You can do the same on a baking sheet in the oven- set oven to bake at 350-400, and bake for 20-30 minutes... but I microwaved them this time because its a lot quicker).

Microwave (or bake) until cheese melts... on mine it took 1:30.
Pour fresh salsa and dollop hummus on top, along with other toppings of choice.
Serve with a fork, and eat up!

Recipes: Super Easy Hummus

2010-06-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

This was my first attempt at making my own hummus to entertain some guests with, and I think it turned out pretty good. Its super quick, super cheap, and homemade is always better than store bought in my opinion. Next time I'm going to try blending in sun dried tomatoes, olives, black beans or pesto... options are limitless!

Ingredients:

2 cans of garbanzo beans
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Clove(s) of Garlic
Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt or Bragg's and Pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: Jalapeno, Sun Dried Tomato, Olives, Black Beans etc...
OPTIONAL: Parsley, basil, chives, cilantro or herb of choice... for added flavor.

Recipe:

Place a raw (or roasted) clove of garlic in the bottom of a blender or food processor. Add more if you like your hummus really garlicky.
Add your cans of Garbanzo beans (drained, but save the liquid- I set mine aside in a tea cup)
Juice half of one lemon and add to blender
Drizzle some EVOO over your beans, I probably added about 3 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper to taste (I like using Bragg's Liquid Aminos for my salt)
Add any other optional ingredients of your choice. I added parsley.
Blend on low, and drizzle Garbanzo bean liquid through the top until you've reached desired thickness/consistency.
Taste test, and add more salt or pepper, lemon juice, spice, or herbs until it suites your needs.
Serve immediately, or store in the fridge.

Hummus is great for dips, on sandwiches (pictured above the next day), or as a topping for VnachosV!

Recipes: Easy Spanish Rice

2010-06-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

When I make rice or quinoa (in our rice cooker) I tend to make a lot so I can use the left-overs to pack my husband's lunches. Also great way to use left over-rice is to make a healthier alternative to Rice-A-Roni style Spanish rice...

Ingredients:

2 12oz Cans of Diced Tomatoes (we like the ones with Jalapenos)
Left-over cold rice- as much as you want, I like using just enough to be coated by the two cans of tomatoes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
Chili Powder (a tablespoon +/-)
Cumin (a teaspoon +/-)
Cilantro and/or Parsley (fresh or dried to taste, you can't over do either of these in my book)
Onion, Garlic, Fresh Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, (or other veggies of choice)
OPTIONAL: Can of Black (or preferred type of) Beans.

Recipe:

Coat the bottom of a medium skillet with Olive Oil, add a couple pinches of salt and fresh ground pepper
Saute diced onions, jalapenos (if you like spice), bell peppers, and a fresh tomato to add a fresher taste
Add rice to skillet after onions start to caramelize (turn brown)
Pour both cans of diced tomatoes on top (juice and all) and break up any clumps of rice that stick together.
Add chili powder, a dash of cumin, parsley, cilantro and any other herbs and spices of choice.
Saute on low heat until all is mixed together and heated.
At this point you can also add a drained can of black (or red, or pinto) beans and stir together until heated.

I love this easy version of Spanish Rice, it doesn't take very long and is an excellent side dish, or to eat on its own. Below I used this recipe to additionally fill my baked hatch chili peppers (baked with Daiya inside). Always a crowd-pleaser.

Recipes: Oven-Baked Grilled Cheese

2010-06-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

The only draw back to Daiya vegan "cheese" is that it only comes in one form- shredded... which makes it tricky to put in sandwiches (unlike vegan gourmet that comes in a block that you can slice).

Upon rediscovering the beauty that is the midnight snack (I don't think I've indulged in one since college... but with all the late summer nights, long days of sun and swimming, I've been getting more night-time munchie pangs right before bed)... I've become obsessed with the oven-baked Daiya grilled cheese.

This is the perfect solution to putting Daiya on sandwiches (since we don't have a toaster oven), the Oven-Baked Grilled Cheese.

Here's my midnight snack:

Grilled the Tomatoes on top of the cheese, and added dill pickle slices

After whipping this together, I realized this beautiful midnight feast, is the perfect base for any sandwich,
or "V cheese burger V."

Ingredients:

Multigrain, Seed-Bread, or any vegan bread of choice
Daiya Cheese (I used the Mozzarella flavor)
Organic Tomato Slices (placed on top of cheese and baked as well)
Condiments of choice (I like Veganese, Organic Ketchup, Siracha hot sauce, and Dijon Mustard)
Veggies (Lettuce, Spinach, Avocado, Cucumber, Pickles, Jalapenos etc) of choice.
Grilled onions (I sauteed the patties in a frying pan with EVOO, a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper, and added sliced onion rounds in the same pan, keeping an eye on them and flipping once so both sides slightly brown).

Instructions:

-Baked my open-faced Grilled Cheese in oven at 350 for 10 minutes until cheese melted/bread was at preferred toasted texture.

-Sauteed Patties and Onions while bread/cheese/tomatoes cooked

-Took bread out and stacked everything neatly on top, squeezing condiments generously over the patties and melted chese

-Wrapped sandwich in a large paper towel (folded in half on the diagonal) to hold everything in.

-Enjoy!

This easy snack/meal can easily be converted into pizza sandwiches... just add some tomato sauce, and toppings of choice (olives, mushrooms, pineapple, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, whatever) which I'll try out and post soon. Yum!

Health: How to Cure the Summer Cold

2010-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

With the Texas heat, it was hard to live on a diet of hot tea and soup while fighting my cold/flu symptoms. I didn't have an appetite but since I wanted to be sure to give my body all the healthy nutrients and vitamins it needed to heal quickly I forced down these good for you meals...

Fresh, Organic Spinach Salad with Spinach, Kumquats, Sugar Snap Peas, Almonds.

Dressing: Fresh Lemon Juice, Fresh, Raw, Pressed Garlic, Flax Oil, and Vinegar.

Also, on hot days when you're sick, there's nothing better than some hot wasabi to cool you down and flush out your congested system. Veggie rolls from Whole Foods.

To Drink in the 95-100 degree heat, rather than hot cups of throat coat, and gypsy cold care tea (two of my favorites- available at health food stores), I drank extra-spicy Ginger Ale, organic orange juice, and lots and lots and lots of water to flush my system.

Recipes: Get Well Soon Soup

2010-06-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

For any of my readers who've wondered where I've been over the last week+, I've been fighting one of the worst fever/flu/sinus colds I've had since College. This is a soup my husband made for me chock full of wellness goodies that set me on a path to recovery... I love my hubby!

Ingredients:

The Brighter the Color Veggies the Better

Red Quinoa (protein, iron),
Purple Kale (iron, vitamin A),
Rent Lentils (protein, iron, fiber),
Purple Potatoes (anti-oxidants),
Red and Yellow Onions (lung health, fights infection),
Lots of Garlic (immune system),
Fresh Parsley (vit C, K, A, and iron),
Fresh Cilantro (fights infection and viruses, digestion),
Celery (calcium, helps eliminate body wastes through urine,),
Brussels Sprouts (iron, Vit. C),
LOTS OF (icky) Shitake Mushrooms (great immune system boosters!)
a bag of frozen organic green beans/corn/lima bean/carrots,
lots of Jalapenos (spicy for sinuses, Vit. C, and digestion),
Tomatoes (potassium),
Vegan Bouillon (flavor),
Salt/Pepper to taste.

Recipe:

Wash and chop everything up, throw into pot with as much water as needed/to preferred broth consistency, bring to boil, then simmer for 45+ minutes until lentils are soft, stirring occasionally.

*My husband also read that to help speed up recovery time you should STAY AWAY from Bragg's Liquid Aminos (what I usually use to salt most of my food)... this is because several amino acids actually help feed viruses... I didn't know that!

Photos: These Are a Few of My Favorites

2010-06-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

Southern Summer Peaches,

Avocados and Vegan Red Wine,

Texas Sunsets From Our Driveway,

My Husky/Sheppard Zombie (& Molly's Night-Eyes)

Fashion: First Friday

2010-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Prototype Vintage beige dress | online- zappos? denim - vegan blue shoes | clothing swap gold scarf | clothing swap cloth, polka dot blue belt

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Information: A Diet That Protects Against Osteoporosis- Christine Northrup MD

2010-06-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

Drinking milk for "stronger bones!" is a falsehood that advertising has conned us into believing for decades. Dairy products are now proven to be harmful to our bones due to their high levels of acidity... The best forms of Calcium are found in leafy greens... eat more fruits and veggies!

Check out this article by Christine Northrup MD

Recipes: Quinoa Polenta, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tostadas- Soul Food

2010-06-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

I started by sauteing some jalapenos and onion, oil, salt, cracked pepper... added cubed sweet potato and black beans... loaded up some tortillas with follow your heart vegan cheese topped with slices of quinoa polenta (store bought, pre-made) on some, and organic red potatoes, more jalapenos and vcheesev on another... baked until potatoes were soft, and added the sweet potato and beans on top with some green enchilada sauce to keep from being too dry and add flavor.

Fashion: Life's a Beach

2010-06-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

VV LUTZ vintage green dress Target all man made mate... black shoes | Target polka dot bikini pink swimwear

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Recipes: Green Bean Pasta

2010-05-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

To make the usual red-sauce pasta more interesting, I like to add some veggies into my boiling pasta water during just the last couple minutes before the pasta is finished cooking (do not over-cook). Then drain and mix all together. Green beans are always a favorite but you can use broccoli, long, thin, bell pepper slices, or whatever you wish! Experiment.

Fashion: Beauty Parlor

2010-05-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Worked a shift filling in on the Front Desk at Frenchy's Beauty Parlor. They carry Kevin Murphy of Australia (an almost completely vegan, and all-organic hair care line).

vintage clothing swap silver dress $0 | vintage clothing swap silver scarf $0 | unknown, vegan older sister's black shoes $0 | off etsy, vintage aventurine stones black necklace | Vintage Rings silver accessories

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Dining: Cheer Up Charlies

2010-05-22T23:15:00.000-07:00

This Last Thursday was another monthly Austin Vegan Drinks meet up, and this month it was at Cheer Up Charlie's on the East Side. The bar is small, and totally adorable, great outdoor seating, cozy and comfy vibe, and AMAZING FOOD! I ate probably the best mock chicken quesadilla I've ever had (they use Daiya), and it was adorably served with apple slices! It was really hard to choose what to eat though, everything looked so good.

Apparently they also have vegan root and beer floats, fancy coconut drinks (you drink them out of coconuts), vegan chocoates and candies, and yes, AN ALL VEGAN food trailer ("vegan yacht") in the back. I think this is probably my new favorite place in East Austin for foods and hanging out with friends. Check it out!

:::Here's their yelp page as well HERE:::

Fashion: Vegan Cookies and Clothes

2010-05-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

I recently attended another Clothing Swap with a bunch of fashionable lady-friends, swapping around old duds, and getting excited over our new-to-us gems. The best form of recycling! At the Clothes party were THESE amazing homemade, Shortbread Cookies- absolutely vegan. I love going places, and meeting new surprise vegans, with new surprise vegan treats. YUM! I need this recipe, they were so buttery and good!

Dining: The Best (Vegan) Burgers in Austin!

2010-05-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

My husband and I love the beet-burgers at 24 Diner. The fries= SO good too. Yumm, check it out! Next door to Waterloo Records.

Style: Staying Cool

2010-05-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

I love the warm weather that Texas brings us, but staying cool, and protected in the hot sun is important. My favorite vegan-friendly sunscreens and body products are ALBA, sold at most health-food groceries, or you can purchase online.

One of my favorite things to do with my empty dry-oil spray bottles is to use them as a refreshing body-mister.

All you need:

Spray Bottle (I like the wide mist of this bottle in particular)

Filtered water

Peppermint oil

A drop of alcohol

(Other added essential oils of your fragrance preference if you like)

Directions: After rinsing out the empty alba bottle (and spraying water through the nozzle to be sure you clean out all the oil first), fill with cold filtered water almost to the top. Add several drops of Peppermint essential oil and a drop of alcohol (i use rubbing alcohol), then shake vigorously. Done.

Store in the fridge for added chill, and when it gets hot just grab your peppermint mist and spray the back of your neck, chest, back of knees, and body for a refreshing mist that continues to feel cooling on your skin even after it dries. I also like to spray on my feet, and between my toes, it really helps me stay feeling cool and refreshed in triple digit summers.

Optional: if you aren't a fan of smelling like candy canes in summer, you can add other essential oils into the mix of your liking (sandalwood, vanilla, lavender, or many others- experiment), so it can double as a light, eco-and vegan-friendly perfume.

Recipes: Healthier Alternative to Ramen

2010-05-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Nissin's Oriental Flavored Top Ramen is vegan, (though NONE of mauchen's flavors are). Though its cheap, its far from being healthy. If you want some ramen, but want something healthier, here's the alternative I go for that takes the same amount of minimal effort to prepare.

All you need: A box of Soba, Buckwheat Noodles (or Asian noodle of choice). Vegan bouillon cubes. Optional: parsley, bragg's, hot sauce, garlic, frozen veggies.

Cook the noodles according to the box, the box pictured says it makes 6 servings (which is 4 servings in my household). I used half a box and added two cubes when I made enough for me and my husband. Though I didn't do it for this lunch, sometimes I'll add frozen broccoli or veggies into the boiling, cooking noodles. All you need is an all-nighter writing an essay, and some cheap beer to wash it all down and it will feel like college all over again. Enjoy.

Recipes: Magical Artichokes

2010-05-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

Easy, Steamed: I put my metal veggie steamer in the bottom of a large pot and fill with just enough water (so metal tray is not submerged). Bring to a boil, set heat to medium/low, add 'chokes. Set timer for 30 minutes, cover. Taste-test leaves, and if they aren't done let steam longer... **be sure the water doesn't boil out, check periodically and add more as needed.

Easy Dipping Sauce: Veganese and Siracha whipped together... So Good! And sometimes I'll even add pepper, parsley, chives, or garlic powder if I want to be fancy.

Fashion: Movie Date

2010-05-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

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Recipes: Throw Everything into a Pot Night- Featuring Lentils and Kale.

2010-05-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

RECIPE

Threw 2 cups of dry, rinsed green lentils in a large pot with water to cover. + 4 organic potatoes, 1/4 a bag of chopped baby carrots, garlic, one whole onion, four jalapenos, a dash of cumin, braggs liquid aminos, salt and pepper, and sweet bombay yellow curry powder (don't over do it on the curry a little goes a long way.. slowly add more to taste). 2 vegan bouillon cubes. brought to a boil, water covering all ingredients, covered, turned heat to low and set timer for 30 minutes. Tested lentils, and kept cooking till tender. Added 1 head of washed and chopped kale into the pot for last 10 minutes of cooking. Poured over rice, or can eat on its own as a soup. Quick, easy, nutritious! (protein, iron, calcium, and more).

Fashion: Windy-Day Dog Walk

2010-05-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

vintage clothing swap white shirt | Ross blue shorts | payless blue shoes | vintage silver necklace | sweet tooth headband, clothin... red accessories

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Dining: Pizza Night

2010-05-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

We love the Whole Foods Vegan Pizzas! Last night we bought the bell pepper, black olive and onion one, but of course I wanted to be fancier, so I added some spices (parsley, pepper, cayenne), diced garlic, and tomato slices.

Fashion: Spring Sun

2010-05-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Goody Two Shoes green shoes | vintage dark navy blue fl... blue dress | bloomers hair flower purple accessories | gramma's, vintage gold necklace | NAILPOLISH! yellow accessories
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Recipes: PoTaco Time

2010-05-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

Cooking up some black beans and potatoes...

added some soyrizo...

Recipe:

Satueed onions in a large skillet, added thinly sliced and chopped organic potato wedges, med heat
-added bragg's for salt/flavor, and some ground pepper to taste

In another pan, heated up some black beans (canned), added three diced jalapenos (we like spicy), salt pepper to taste... also added some soy rizo for extra flavor and protein.

You can eat both together or separate. Filled locally made spelt tortillas.

Topped with raw, organic bell peppers, cucumbers, spinach leaves, pickled jalapenos, and canned Herdez Salsa. Extra toppings on side as salad.

Recipes: Easy Breakfast

2010-05-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

I've been loving my breakfast routine lately... Chai or black tea with rice, soy or almond milk...

fresh berries are also good for dessert... with some vegan yogurt... healthy and tasty!

Recipes: Easy Tamales Dinner

2010-05-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

I really need to learn how to make my own tamales. In the meantime, we love buying THESE ones:

Microwaved tamales (package contains six) three at a time. Wrapped three in a paper towel and set to 2 minutes (or whatever the package says). Covered in some canned herdez green spicy salsa, and pickled jalapenos.

There was some left over rice in the fridge, so I sauteed with a can of diced tomatoes to make a quick homemade Spanish rice. Added chili power, and spices to taste. Spinach salad with veggies for full nutrition.

Recipes: Summertime Vegan Burgers

2010-05-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Summer time means BBQ... not just to carnis, but to veggies too... Each year there are more and more pre-made veggie burgers out there that are mighty tasty. Just be sure to stick to the organic brands to avoid ingesting nuerotoxins... article about that HERE. We used organic Boca.

First start the home-fries... pre heat oven to 450, wash and cut potatoes into wedges... and drizzle with EVOO, salt/pepper/parsley/whatever spices you like. Adding diced garlic is also super good. Pop them in and set timer to 25 minutes...

Let the frozen patties defrost while you prep the veggies...

Then sautee patties with onion rounds... flipping occasionally to be sure both sides get nice and brown. Test the potatoes after timer goes off, if not done stir and set for 10 more minutes... once potatoes are done, toast the bread and mix up some hot sauce with your dipping ketchup. Bon Apetite.

Don't forget, cooking is a lot more fun with a big glass of vegan wine :)

Recipes: Homemade Pesto

2010-05-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

I've probably posted this before, but its always a favorite... Super quick, and great served cold on sandwiches and cold pasta salads.

I change up my pesto depending on what we have, and flavors I want to add (sun dried tomatoes are great if you have them).

I used pre-packaged gnocchi and this dinner took me less than 20 minutes to make using tons of fresh ingredients.

PESTO:

-Large bunch of Basil (I used 3 small bunches in this batch, the more the merrier)

-1 cup of pine nuts (I store mine in our freezer)

-generous amounts of Olive Oil (about a cup, you can do more or less depending on the consistency you want)
-Salt/Pepper to taste

-Vegan Parmesan Powder to taste

-Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste

-1 cup of Nutritional yeast

-LOTS of garlic (or to taste)

-4 Fresh green jalapenos (if you like spicy)

Blend and you're done. You can add walnuts, onion (don't over do it- remember its going to be raw), parsley, sun dried tomatoes, various vegan cheeses, and or roasted garlic/pine nuts (instead of raw).

To make my pesto batches last longer, I mix a half of jar of tomato sauce in for my pasta dishes. In this case I did it for gnocchi. While I waited for my (salted/oiled) water to boil, I sauteed some onion and garlic for added flavor to my sauce. Garnished with fresh tomatoes.

Recipes: Vegan Sausage Sandwiches

2010-05-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Using Field Roast Chipotle Sausages

And a sandwich wouldn't be complete without chips and salsa... my husband's homemade SUPER spicy habanero salsa (secret recipe). Also served with almonds and carrot juice for added protein/vitamins.

Recipes: Summer, Cold Quinoa Salad

2010-05-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

The nights are starting to warm up again, yes! So I thought I would make a cold dish for dinner last night, and it turned out amazing... Cold Quinoa Salad.

Pre-made Quinoa that was chilling in the fridge, added spices, Flax Oil, Vinegar, Vegenase, Braggs...

Chopped a bunch of fresh, raw, crunchy veggies, and coarsely chopped some raw almonds

Mixed all together and DONE! Filling, refreshing, and full of good for you nutrients and vitamins.

RECIPE:

Pre-made Quinoa: I make huge batches so I can pack my husband's lunches for the week...
3 cups of dry Quinoa, 5 cups of water, and 1 small can of diced tomatoes (with chilies) into a rice cooker. EASY. Refrigerate left-overs.

-Spoon out cold quinoa into a large bowl- however much you want to eat/make.

-Mix wet ingredients and spices first.

I grabbed lots of stuff from my fridge and experimented... it turned out great... no measurements, I just eye-balled/added to taste:

-Balsamic Vinegar (about 1/2 a cup)

-Flax Seed Oil (about 1/4 a cup)

-Bragg's Liquid Aminos (super salty, so be careful not to pour too much-less than an 1/8 cup)

-Spicy Brown Mustard (about 2 TBSP)

-Grapeseed Oil Veganese (a large dollop)

-Parsley Flakes (lots, in my opinion you can't overdo parsley)

-Salt/Pepper (fresh ground to taste)

-Cayenne Pepper (if you like spicy)

-Stirred quinoa together until evenly coated/mixed together...
*You can also mix all of the above first, then mix into the quinoa to ensure even distribution.

Chopped the following veggies/ingredients to add:

-Handful of Baby Carrots

-1 Orange Bell Pepper

-2 Med-sized Ripe Tomatoes

-1/4 of a large Cucumber

-Handful of raw Almonds- just what we had, walnuts would also be good.

-Large bunch of fresh Spinach leaves

-1/2 a can of Pineapple (in juice, not in syrup)- you can also add dried cranberries, blueberries, yellow raisins, tangerine segments, and/or apple chunks for your fruit ingredient.

Then Mix and you're done!

Fashion: From Work to Play

2010-05-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

vintage romper blue shorts | clothing swap red belt | Target black shoes | Blommers hair flower red accessories | Grandma's gold necklace vintage rings silver accessories

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VISIT MY FASHION BLOG ON CHICTOPIA

Fashion: Vegan Fashion Collage

2010-04-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Though its sort of embarrassing for me to post photos of What I Wore Today, I continue to set up my self-timer, try to keep all of the animals in my house from photo-bombing, and post images on my FASHION BLOG to hopefully show people that you can still be fashionable (or "normal" looking, e.g. you don't have to have dread locks and wear only tie dye) without wearing animal products.

Like I've said before and will say again, veganism isn't just about a diet, its a lifestyle. Its a conscious choice in consumerism, to not purchase products that were made and marketed with animal suffering. This means no Leather, no Wool, no Silk, no Furs.

For new vegans, realizing how much of your closet has leather (shoes, belts, bags, jackets, jewelry, small details and adornments) alone can be eye-opening. So much of this we take for granted, and don't see the face behind these products who died for us to wear these things. It makes you realize, THIS MUCH of the fashion industry promotes and exploits killing animals.

And I'm not trying to be preachy, it just is what it is. Those cute boots, that expensive bag, the seats in your luxury car used to live, breathe, feel pain, and bleed. Just saying.

Gore aside, I think that its important to be aware of the lives we live and the impacts we make by choosing which markets to support. There is a lot of fashion out there that is cruelty-free, and not just made from woven hemp drenched in patchouli.

Vintage shopping is my favorite, because buying used its a way to recycle. Cottons, Linens, Denim, Lace, Spandex, Polyester, Canvas, Fleece, Terry-Cloth, Rayon, Velvet, Corduroy, Vinyl, Man-Mades, Synthetics, and sure even hemp fabrics are vegan-safe and vintage stores are brimming with pretty dresses, nice worn-in jeans, and blouses. Some vegans are less strict about their animal-restrictions when buying vintage, and I will admit that I have a few silk scarves that used to be my grandmothers, and a wool sweater or two from my early thrifting days... but even vintage leathers and furs- to me, are creepy to wear. Why drape myself in corpses?

Buying handmade, or if you're crafty enough, making your own clothes or alterations is also a great way to dress sustainably. If you like new clothes (especially underwear), I shop American Apparel, and Victoria's Secret (vicky's secret's perfumes and body lotions are also vegan). Happy shopping.