Pupusas and Tacos and White Girl Curtido...Oh My!

It's been a helluva week folks. My plan was to be at Expo West all week, but it was postponed/canceled due to COVID-19 (aka Corona Virus) and then Super Tuesday election results had me all, like, whoa. Mr. Newman took off for the week to gamble away our life savings in Laughlin (I kid! I kid!), and I have had the house to myself all week. That means I can make a big ol' mess in the kitchen and make foods with onions and peppers and spice! Haha.

The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better! (Recipes and a Giveaway!)

This Burger is Nuts (page 82) with lettuce, vegan provolone, red onion, sauteed mushrooms,
and guacamole on a toasted sesame seed bun. Styled and Photographed by Kate Lewis.

Over a decade ago I began writing a book, I had every intention of self-publishing, that was tentatively titled Just the Burgers: 101 Homemade Veggie Burgers. It was pretty much done. But, as luck would have it, I got a book deal! Not for this book, but for 500 Vegan Recipes with Celine Steen, and it was so successful, we immediately got to work on The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, and then Home Cooked Vegan Comfort Food, and then...finally I could breathe, pfew! A few years had gone by and I decided to ask if I publisher would like to take over the burger project...and they did! In 2011, the first edition of The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet was released. And now, in 2019, The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet...Just Got Better!

Happy New Year! "What I Ate" on Instagram....

 

Happy New Year! I hope all of you are settling in nicely to 2016. We are now about two weeks into January, and I can already feel the changes this year is certain to bring. I started this year out with only one resolution, and that is to find joy in what I am doing to make a living.

So many major changes in my life at the end of 2015, I decided to let the opportunities guide and be my resolutions. I can honestly say that in my quest to say "yes" to as many things as I can, I have already met so many great people, and learned so much.

Last Minute Vegan Christmas Gift Guide

Last Minute Vegan Christmas Gift Guide

With only 3 days left to get it all done?

No problem! Let me show you a few simple DIY gifts you still have time to make, and a few you can buy and still have available to put under the tree on Christmas Eve.  

This list is a little different than most you will see out there this time of year. I have chosen each and every one of these items because they have meaning, both to the gifter and giftee. I know that the last thing I need is another candle or bottle of body wash because my friends and family have no idea what to get the weird vegan in the group (Newsflash! I love anything you think I will love and if it's a hug and a hand drawn card or photo of your kiddo, I love that even more!) And I am sure if you are the lone vegan, you feel the same way. Or if you are the family member looking to get something for the lone vegan, you might be a little confused, too.

An Open Letter to Arby's from the @UnhealthyVegan

My vegan version of Arby's Roast Beef and Cheddar as part of @UnhealthyVegan's Open Picture Book to Arby's

Maybe you've seen the Open Letter to Vegetarians that Arby's wrote last month. Then maybe you, like me, were like, "That's pretty f'd up!" Not to mention just plain stupid. (I mean, I'm up for a good joke, but this was just a dumb marketing idea.) A couple of vegan folks have written responses on their Facebook pages, blogs, and took over the comments...but the @UnhealthyVegan took it next level and started an entire book. A picture book, to be exact. Instagrammers united to post a vegan version of an Arby's menu item, but BETTER. Better for the animals. Better for the planet. Better for our health. Andre's there to make sure Arby's knows that #WeMadeArbysBetter and #WeMadeBaconBetter.

The Engine 2 Challenge Week 4: It's Over and I am a Little Afraid

Last night marked the end of the 28 day Engine 2 Challenge. I was the only participant still standing after the first week, but I powered on, with the support and encouragement of people who were following along with me here on the blog, on Instagram, and on Facebook.  So now what?  Do I start another 28 day challenge?  Do I go back to the way things were before I took the challenge?  I'm not quite sure yet.

I become obsessed when it comes to stuff like this.  If I decided I wanted to eat this way for the rest of my life, I could.  But do I?  Not really.  The thought of never having deep fried Toffalo Wings drenched in melted buttery buffalo sauce dipped in creamy ranch really freaks me out.  Much in the same way an alcoholic must feel when they decide to give up alcohol, I have an obsessive and unhealthy relationship with food.  (Which makes my career choice as a food blogger and cookbook author a pretty difficult one.)

Fusion Food in the Vegan Kitchen is Going On Tour!

Spicy Seitan Potstickers (page 43) Photo by Wade Hammond Recipe can be found HERE.

Fusion Food in the Vegan Kitchen is going on tour.  We will start our Journey right here in California, and work our way all across the United States, ending our adventure in New York at the New York Vegitarian Food Festival, where I will be serving up some awesome Fusion Tacos.  I am keeping the schedule posted on the Calendar page HERE (or just click the Calendar tab above) and will update it as each date is comfirmed.  If there is a place you'd like to see me and my book, please leave a comment below and I will see if I can fit it in to the schedule.