Our Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck

On Friday we were lucky enough to be able to share a vegan Thanksgiving potluck with friends, old and new in our home. It was really beautiful. And the food! Oh the food. So much amazing vegan food. Tofu loaf, lasagna, veggies galore! Pies, Pies Pies! This needs to happen more than once a year because it was truly a day to be thankful for!

Easy Peasy Vegan Mac N Cheezy with Tator Tots

This meal is sure to please yourself and your little one on a cold day. For the record there are no peas in this unless you love peas and want to add some

Easy Peasy Mac N Cheezy
Box of pasta, elbows, spirals really whichever shape you prefer.
1 Cup of raw spinach
Nutritional Yeast Cheese Sauce
3/4 cup of Daiya Cheddar
Vegan Parm
Hemp Seeds
Bread Crumbs
Nutritional Yeast

Preheat oven to 400º
Prepare pasta.
Mix prepared pasta, raw spinach, nutritional yeast cheese sauce and 1/2 cup Daiya Cheddar.
Spread into a baking dish.
Top with Daiya, parmesan, hemp seeds, bread crumbs and nutritional yeast.
Bake at 400º for 1/2 an hour
Broil for about a minute

VEGAN MOFO Day 3

Lunch with My Vegan Little Bean

So you may see by now that I don't really have a set path for my vegan MoFo posts and am just winging it. 

Many people are surprised when they ask me if my baby is vegan and I respond yes, of course she is. I am not sure why they are surprised. Perhaps they are surprised at how healthy and robust she is. People sometimes seem shocked but as any vegan knows there is nothing to be shocked about. Veganism is full of variety and healthy foods, foods full of nutrients and even not so healthy foods.  I know quite a few vegan babies and they are some of the healthiest babies I have seen. They also seem to not to be such picky eaters.  We are lucky our Little Bean does eat a wide variety of foods and is not too picky at all. Some of her favorite snacks include tofu, kiwi's, frozen bagels (they feel good on her teeth when she is teething).

 My husband does just about all of the cooking around here and he makes sure that we take in all our nutrients. But since I work from home lunch time is all about me and Little Bean. I usually make lunch for her right after her morning nap.

Today we had quesadillas with artichoke hummus, spinach, Daiya cheese, and black beans.

Quesadillas are a favorite lunch time meal since when cut into triangles they are so easy to eat.
We had a calcium rich  fresh juice made from kale, parsley, carrots and apples.

For a side snack Little Bean had a tofu stick. And for dessert we shared a kiwi. She was very happy as was this vegan momma.

Little Bean

VEGAN MOFO

I just heard about Vegan MoFo from the Post Punk Kitchen. That stands for "Vegan Month of Food." The main idea is for bloggers to blog about vegan food for the month of November there are not a lot of guidelines but the idea is for bloggers to write at least 20 times in the month or more about vegan food. The blogs can be anything related to food.  There is also a website devoted to the Vegan MoFo challenge. Sign up here.

I will be participating in this challenge so stay tuned for some vegan yummmms.

Clean Food

Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You by Terry Walters


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is full of good recipes that will leave you feeling satisfied and great.

View all my reviews >>

Sweetberry Kisses

Sweetberry Kisses
Originally uploaded by jakrandomart

These amazing and (*gasp* vegan) cupcakes are from Papa Ganache Bakery at 25 Church Street in Keyport NJ. Definitely worth the trip or an easy stop off the GSP at exit 117. http://papaganache.com/

The Cinamon Snail

The nation's first organic vegan food truck, THE CINNAMON SNAIL, will be launched in Hoboken, New Jersey on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010 with service in Brooklyn to follow. The truck will be serving full breakfast and lunch menus, as well as snacks.

THE CINNAMON SNAIL is the culmination of years of planning by Chef Adam Sobel, founder of Certified Orgasmic, which has been operating as New Jersey's only Organic Vegetarian catering company for the last three years.

Prior to that, Sobel worked for many years in vegetarian and fine dining restaurants.
THE CINNAMON SNAIL's menu will feature high quality vegetarian food of a level of sophistication not often seen on food trucks. Eschewing fried food and the "same old" veggie burger and falafel fare vegetarians have come to expect as street food, THE CINNAMON SNAIL will, instead, offer creative, nourishing organic cuisine. Among the offerings will be Smokey portabello carpaccio on semolina fennel bread with kalamata olive tapenade, arugula and capers, and Hempseed crusted tofu with spicy French mustard dressing over white truffle mashed potatoes, greens, and rosemary bread pudding. There are mouth-watering options available to satisfy gluten-free, macrobiotic, and raw food diets.

All the food will be prepared strictly without the use of animal products, processed, or artificial ingredients. There will be an emphasis on sourcing the finest fresh organic ingredients.

In addition to the innovative menu, THE CINNAMON SNAIL will offer some rare vegan treats. Cinnamon buns (after which the truck is named), creme brulee, vegan puff pastries, and an array of hand crafted donuts will fill the truck's large display case. These recipes, developed and perfected over the last three years, have become popular favorites at local farmers markets, where Certified Orgasmic sells them to a loyal fan base.

All packaging used by THE CINNAMON SNAIL will be 100% biodegradable and compostable. Containers are made from corn, sugarcane bagasse, and recycled paper, and use soy based inks.

Beyond offering nourishing food for the enjoyment of its customers, THE CINNAMON SNAIL is intended to serve as a platform to educate the public about sustainable and local agriculture, animal welfare and non-violence. As in the past, Certified Orgasmic LLC. will continue to donate and raise funds for animal rights, social justice, and environmental charities. The truck's website, www.CinnamonSnail.com will provide an ongoing blog to detail the efforts to provide earth, animal, and human friendly alternatives in food service and business. The website will also be regularly updated to present weekly specials, changes to the seasonal menu, and event notices. Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking strategies will also be employed to keep in touch with the customer base. THE CINNAMON SNAIL will accept special and advance orders by text message, phone, and email.


Apple cider glazed tempeh with rosemary root vegetable puree, matchstick fried parsnips, and marinated kale

Cooking with Compassion Cookzines are in!

Finally they arrived!
Purchase your copy of the Cooking With Compassion Cookbook. Filled with about 50 vegan recipes from the members of the Cruelty Free Etsy, Vegan Etsy, and the Etsy Veg teams.

A sneak peak of whats inside!

Soups and Stews -Zuchini and Potato Cream Soup, Sopa Tomatillo , Delectable Dumplings & Vegetable Stew, “Whatever You Have In The Fridge... Read More” Chilli

Gravies & Sauces- Easiest Vegan ‘Cream’ Gravy , Spicy Indian Fusion Pasta Sauce

Salads, Appetizers and Sides- Red Potato and Spinach Saute , Vegan Chic Salad

The Main Course- Pork Chops and Shroom Gravy, Pumpkin and Sage Ravioli , NOLA Rice and Beans, Plain Old Yummy Moong Dal, Vegan Stroganoff, Festive Summer ‘Skillet Casserole’ with Dill , Tofu Almondine, Tofu Ala Greque

Dessert- Ginger Lime Cookies, Choco-Chunk Cookies, Very Cherry Cruelty Free Empanadas, Chocolate Macaroons, Vegan Blackberry Cobbler (Grammie-Style)

For our Animal Companions- Vegan Doggie Bones

All profits from the sale of Cooking With Compassion will go to Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary
http://www.peacefulprairie.org/

If you would like to order a bunch contact me.

5.5 x 8.5 printed on recycled paper using vegetable inks.

Purchase your copy Today!

sick

sick today. I hope to finish up some orders and then lie down awhile, maybe catch up on some blogging and other business from the comfort of my bed. So far I did manage to crank out a new banner design for here and my etsy shop.

I was featured in the 10-31-08 issue of the Express a free daily from the Washington Post perhaps I am in need of a name change. It seems people misspell it so often. Maybe something simpler... That is something for me to think about.
Here is the page



Meanwhile I have been featured on quite a few blogs recently
Sprig.com


Simply Sentimental the blog

A mention on Vegan Bliss


And a feature in the Vegan Babe News letter


Thanks to everyone for so much support!

New Treasuries!

Comfy Collars- Bandit and Ume are Super Models!

I recently purchased a new collar for our Ume Sweetpea (pronounced oo me). We wanted something cheery and pink after her radical masectomy. I went to CAMILLE'S STUDIO & COMFY COLLARS a fellow Cruelty Free Etsy Team member and Vegan Etsy Team member.

Bev is such a responsive seller and provided great communication that didn't make me feel like I got lost in the shuffle of things.
Her products came the other day and they are absolutely beautiful and very well made. The fabrics are soft, bright, and fun. I am especially pleased with the feel of the fabric, Ume has allergies and tends to scratch and herself, so the soft fabric is good but it is a durable cotton so it won't be shred to pieces when she gets itchy. They offer a wide variety of styles and colors for cats and dogs. I highly recommend these lovely collars.


Here is how Comfy Collars came about
Comfy Collars were originally designed for a little rescue dog, Charlie the Adorable, who was kept tied up by a previous owner. Charlie's little neck was raw from having the chain around his neck and he had an aversion to having anything around his neck. Store-bought collars were stiff and uncomfortable for him. They were also boring! So we made collars just for him!

Part of their proceeds go to the purchase of supplies to make collars for Pets and People, a no-kill shelter. You can visit them or make a donation at www.petsandpeople.com.

Comfy Collars is definitely worth checking out.


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12379832

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13383376

Sale, sale, sale!!!

Yes that is right I am having a sale. Ume's breast cancer returned after only 9 months of remission. The vet performed a radical masectomy on her in early July and she is resting at home now.

I am having a sale to try and help cover some of the costs of the vet bills. She is so important to our lives and has been such a blessing to me. We do everything in our power to make sure she is happy and comfortable. So all cuffs are only $10 now until August 9th. Usually they sell for $15 on my etsy site and $20 anywhere else you may find them, so buy them up now!


Ms Ume Sweetpea

I was on the front page of etsy!

On July 23rd as part of a great article in the storque about one of my favorite teams... vegan etsy!
Vegan Etsy is run by the amazing Molly of Emma's K9 Kitchen. All members of vegan etsy are vegans who of course run vegan shops. I am a proud member of this team. A listing of these 100% vegan shops can be found on the vegan etsy blog
It is a team doing amazing things for the veg*n community. Along with Cruelty Free Etsy we are sure to make a difference in the lives of animals and humans!

Certified Orgasmic

Adam Sobel is a chef, baker, and vegan caterer in New Jersey. His food is amazing and delicious! I can't say enough good things about the food Certified Orgasmic sells. From raw vegan pizza to vegan canolis! It is all fantastic.

If you are ever in the Red Bank, NJ area on a Sunday morning you can visit their stand at the farmers market every SUNDAY 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. On the corner of West Front St. and Shrewsbury Ave.

Also if you are in the area you can order food directly from him and pick it up. We really love to get those raw pizzas but he puts out a different menu each week with a different complete meal each day such as a Sunflower steak with garlic miso cream on a spinach salad with fresh herbs and tomato You can sign up to receive the menu here.

We hired Chef Adam to create deserts for our vegan wedding. His deserts are delicious!

Take a visit to his website where he has generously posted some of his tasty recipes!

Punk Rock Flea Market Summer 08

Check me out on Philebrity.com!


It was extremely hot but despite the heat the PRFM was great. So many great vendors, great people and a fun time.

We actually did manage to walk away with less than we came with this time, which is very hard to do. But besides selling our own stuff and my line of accessories made from recycled materials we picked up a couple of good finds this past Saturday.
A Holly Go Lightly 10"
A Ravi Shankar 12"
A copy of the Rocky Horror Picture Show
A new dress from Mxxnshine!
Not to mention Kristin's vegan chocolate chip cookies and a yummy cupcake from the creators of the 'zine the Clinics Cookbook of Culinary Abortions

One of my favorite comments from the day about my cuffs was this:
Your cuffs are LOVE.

It makes me smile to think of that because a lot of love does go into everything I do.

Today is the Great American Meat Out and the first day of Spring!!!

What is the Great American Meat Out you ask? The Great American Meat Out is a day to "kick the meat habit (at least for a day) and explore a wholesome, nonviolent diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains." I have been a vegetarian for 17 years a vegan for 5 and I feel great! There are so many options when cooking as a vegan/vegetarian and so much yummy food.

I feel the best way for people to learn this is to try eating vegetarian/vegan, go to a vegetarian restaurant. Or if you are vegetarian cook a meal for a non veg friend. If you are in the Belmar area I highly recommend trying Kaya's Kitchen - 817 Belmar Plaza 732-280-1141.

Another time I will do a cookbook review but here are some of my favorites:
Veganomicon
The Joy of Vegan Baking
Eat Drink and Be Vegan
The Garden of Vegan
Vegan with a Vengance
How it all Vegan
La Dolce Vegan
Nonna's Italian Kitchen

Kicking the meat habit is not only beneficial for your health but also for the planet. There are plenty of great resources that can explain the horrible effect of factory farming and consumption of meat on our earth and health. Check out the current issue of Veg News it is full of resources, reviews, yummy recipes and 222 reasons why it is great to be veg!

In honor of The Great American Meat out myself and some other members of the vegan etsy street team are have promotions. Everyone's promotions are different so check them all out. My promotion is buy 2 $15 cuffs for just $25.

Here is a list of the shops that are offering promotions:

Aimee Dars Designs
Art by Susmitha
Bees Knees Jewelleries
Books by Bexx
Cards and Jewelry by Michele
Crickets Creations
Daisy Wares
Eco-Nut Hut
Emma's K9 Kitchen
Hello Kiddo
Jak Random Art & Design
Julep115
Lissa Lush
Paws In The Sun
Pitseel
Quixotic Clothing
This Is It! Creations
Vegan Ease

Happy Spring! It is quite the blustery March day but the flowers are starting to peak through the dirt and the warmth of the sunshine is on it's way!