Pumpkin Curry Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Today I had the honor of appearing on the Jane Velez-Mitchell show, Lunch Break Live! I was invited to showcase how easy it can be to make a quick vegan meal, and to promote my appearance at the CA Vegetarian Food Festival next weekend. 

With the first day of fall just a few days behind us, I wanted to use pumpkin. But, man, oh man, it has been at least 80 degrees out lately, so baking, or pumpkin spice anything just didn't sound good. So...I came up with a no-cook pumpkin dish that can provide all that fall flavor without having to turn on the oven (or turn to a latte!)

Connecting the Dots: Green Goddess Bowls

This past weekend I had the honor and privilege to be a guest chef at the Connecting the Dots event, in Santa Ana, put on by Living Ubuntu. I was humbled to be invited to feed and teach amongst this amazing line-up.

I could spend all night writing about the inspiring speeches given throughout the day. But I know you are here for "just the food" so I will say this...please visit the Living Ubuntu Connecting the Dots: Finding Compassion Through Our Differences event page and click around. There were five amazing young people (Jose Trinidad Castenada, Nyajouk "Sunday" Kuany, Amina Mohamed, Arthur (Trey) Carlisle, Audrey Waight) speaking about everything from immigration reform, to the housing crisis, to the refugee crisis, to genocide, to racism. The future is in good hands!

After a brief intermission we were able to enjoy some fruit and cupcakes (Thanks, Susan! They were amazing!) and then we settled in for the second session. It started with a video presentation by Aph Ko, followed by three more inspiring speakers...Asian American Studies and Animal Rights Professor, Claire Kim; iACT’s COO and Camp Darfur exhibit, Katie-Jay Scott; and Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur.

Tanaka Bowl - Recipes from Plant Fest at Tanaka Farms

This past weekend marked the second Plant Fest at Tanaka Farms. The first one in September of 2017 was so successful, the fine folks over at Tanaka Farms were kind enough to host us again! And...guess what?! This one was even more successful than the first! So, we will definitely be back, in early June, to do it all again! Extra special thanks to the hard-working volunteers from SoCal VegFest for helping to make it all happen! Plant Fest is a project of SoCal VegFest which is a project of the Animal Protection and Rescue League - a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Chili Con Jackfruit...because REAL chili has NO beans!

Last weekend I competed in the Long Beach Vegan Chili Cook Off at 4th Street Vine on 4th Street in the heart of Retro Row. Growing up in Long Beach, it's amazing how this strip of boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and vintage stores have not only kept their doors open over the years, but have been flourishing! That section of Long Beach is so popular these days! It's pretty exciting to see (and rather difficult to park!)

Holiday Helpers! Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake

Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake
This moist cake is not overly sweet, and therefore, I find it perfectly appropriate to eat for breakfast!

Holiday Helpers! Sweet and Sour Bean Balls

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the food. From appetizers to the main event to dessert to cocktails, I love celebrating with vegan food!

These sweet and sour bean balls are a great appetizer during the cold holiday months. Poke in a toothpick and your ready to go!

Holiday Helpers! Bar Nuts

Bar Nuts! From Vegan Food Gifts (Fairwinds Press)

Bar Nuts
These nuts are pretty addictive. I love them during the holiday season. I try to keep a bowl out on the table whenever I have folks over. If you are a DIY gifter, I recommend making a few batches of these and packing them up in reusable jars with cute ties and tags.

Holiday Helpers! Herb Crusted Coconut Chevre

Herb Crusted Coconut Chevre from Going Vegan (Front and Center: Smoky with Dill, Top: Smoky with Black Pepper, Right: Smoky with Paprika, Chipotle, Parsley and Smoked Salt) With this batch I made mini Chevres and wrapped them individually so that I could give them away to friends at work. I wrapped each chevre in waxed paper.

Every holiday get together deserves a yummy cheese plate! This one is nut-free and uses coconut flour. Get creative with your herbs and spices. I share a few of my favorite combos below, but there is no limit to what you can do here...

Holiday Helpers! Roasted Butternut Squash with Fennel

Check out this super easy, super tasty, super seasonal side dish to add to your holiday table!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Fennel
Such a simple list of ingredients! And when you have great ingredients, it's best

Holiday Helpers! Easy Vegan Cheese Ball

This purty little gal was originally featured in The Complete Guide to Even More Vegan Food Substitutions. (Fairwinds Press, 2015) by me and Celine Steen. But I have been making a variation of this ball since way back in 2006 when we were working on 500 Vegan Recipes. What can I say? I love balls!