Monthly Snack Box from Vegan Cuts

My Snack Box from Vegan Cuts!

For a mere $19.95 per month you can receive a box of your own each and every month trhat includes the newest, latest and greatest vegan products available!  This month included some really yummy stuff (Hello Peanut butter Crunch Caramel Earth Bar, and Nacho Bean Chips!) but my favorite item in this box, was the Cuppow sippy top for mason jars!  (I am definitely packing that to bring with me to Vida Vegan Con in may, so I don't spill my Bye and Bye at the Bye and Bye...ha!)

But seriously, this snack box is a pretty convenient way to keep up to date on all the new stuff out there, as it seems new stuff is coming out all the time!  Go to the Vegan Cuts website and subscribe to get your own snack box delivered to your doorstep monthly.  From the looks of it, had I bought all of these items individually, I probably would have spent close to $75 and at only $19.95, not only was this box full of yummy stuff, but it was a bargain as well.  Not to mention, now I am going to try new products, that I may have never tried otherwise, ie, Freekeh Roasted Green Wheat.

Another awesome feature over on Vegan Cuts is that you can set up your own account, and earn rewards points when you refer others to the site.  So not only are you able to shop for and support vegan companies, with great deals, but you can also earn cool VIV (Very Important Vegan) rewards!  Yay for vegan companies, and Yay for Vegan Cuts!

Cleaning off the bookshelf in 2013

I have decided not to make any resolutions this year.  They always seem to make me stressed out and feeling defeated.  Instead I am resolving to make small changes throughout the year that can only change my life for the better,  On of those things is cleaning off my bookshelf.  My bookshelf is starting to bow.  I need to get rid of a few books.  I can't bear to do it, but I found a few that I have 2 copies of, so I am willing to part with those.  Haha.  The rest, I may just pack up into boxes and store until I move into a bigger place, where I can display all of my books.

I realized I have 2 copies of Julie Hasson's beautiful and delicious Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food for the Body and Soul



I also found 2 copies of the wonderfully creative and talented Hannah Kaminky's My Sweet Vegan: Passionate About Dessert



Soooo, I am giving them away!

Leave a comment below telling me one small thing you are going to do to make your life better in 2013.  I am hoping to be inspired by some of your ideas and add them onto my own list.

I will choose 2 of you at random, on Sunday, January13, 2013 at 12 noon PST.  If you enter the giveaway, please make sure to check back and see if you won!  And, yes, I will ship internationally :)
Contest is now over...Congratulations to #19 (Randomly chosen by my husband, Dan) and to #32 (Randomly chosen by my nephew, Dominic!)

#19, CONGRATULATIONS!  You win a copy of Julie Hasson's Vegan Diner  

CourtneyJanuary 9, 2013 4:16 PM

I have always wanted to read those cookbooks and my library doesn't have a copy of either. Thank you for the chance to win! I am going to try to focus more on the positive this year...I tend to dwell on what went wrong, but this year I am going to try to think of at least 3 things I am grateful for or happy about each day before I fall asleep.

#32, CONGRATULATIONS!  You win a copy of Hannah Kaminsky's My Sweet Vegan   

Melissa DionJanuary 10, 2013 12:39 PM

It's not an exciting change, but I am no longer eating after 10pm. I think this will help me take off the few pounds I put on over the holidays!

I'll Be at Whole Foods Market in Tustin Today at 12 noon!

Spreading Holiday Joy...Vegan Style!

Cranberry Orange Holiday Punch and ChocoNog Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting

Last weekend Dan and I hosted a mini holiday party.  A small get together, only six of us.  Just some quality time spent with family, before the craziness takes over.  And even though there were only 6 of us, we decided we still wanted to have a festive menu.  Kind of reminiscent of the family christmas potlucks we went to when we were kids.

So, what did we make?  Well, we went semi-homemade with a finger food menu.  Crudite with vegan ranch, Veggie Piggies in a Blanket, various Chips and Dips, Meatless Balls in Marinara, Phyllo Triangles filled with a mixture of Soyrizo and Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese, Hot Spiced Apple Cider kept hot in the crockpot (filling the house in the best, and the above punch and cupcakes.

Cranberry Orange Holiday Punch
Open up a few bottles, float in some cranberries, and voilla!
1 bottle (750 ml) Cranberry Italian Soda
1 bottle (750 ml) Blood Orange Italian Soda
1 bottle (750 ml) Vodka (optional, of course)
1 quart pineapple juice
1 (15 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, in juice
3 cups cranberries (I used frozen)

Pour it all together in a punch bowl and serve over ice!

ChocoNog Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cream Cheese Frosting
These cupcakes are an adaptation of Kittee's Chocolate Cake from Papa Tofu.

For the cupcakes:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups evaporated cane juice
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegan Nog
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons chocolate extract
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the Frosting:
1 cup non dairy butter
1 (8 ounce) tub vegan cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
Vegan food coloring, optional

To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 F.  Line cupcake pans with papers.

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.  In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the wet.

Add wet to dry and mix until there are no lumps.

Fill papers 3/4 full.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese.
Mix in vanilla and nutmeg.
Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until stiff peaks form.

Yield: 24 frosted cupcakes

Holiday Baking Round One:  Gifts for mailing.  This round included the Sweet Twigs and Berries and Saltine Butter Toffee from Vegan Food Gifts, Rice Crispy Treats and Kittee's Peanut Butter Fudge.

But the fun has only just begun!  Now I start with the vegan gift giving.  Yep, it's my favorite way to proselytize.  Give 'em some tasty vegan treats!  My first round went into the mail yesterday and it included two recipes from Vegan Food Gifts, and two reliable recipes from Christmas' past.

Saltine Butter Toffee (from Vegan Food Gifts)
This is one of those recipes that I think everyone has in his or her stash. But guess what? It makes a great gift, and it is super yummy. This is my version. There is just no way that anyone would ever suspect the vegan-ocity here. They are too buttery and delicious. feel free to experiment and play with different toppings, such as sprinkles, crushed candy canes (like I did for this batch!), or even coarse sea salt.

35 to 40 saltine crackers
1 cup (224 g) nondairy butter
1 cup (200 g) evaporated cane juice or sugar
2 cups (352 g) vegan chocolate chips
1 cup (120 g) chopped nuts (any nut will do!), or any of your favorite toppings

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray lightly with nonstick spray. Lay the crackers on the sheet in a single layer.
In a saucepot over medium heat, melt the butter and evaporated cane juice until completely dissolved. Pour evenly over the crackers.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.
Carefully remove from the oven. Place on a flat surface, and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly all over the crackers. Using a spreader or butter knife, spread the chocolate evenly over the crackers as it melts. Sprinkle with the nuts or other desired toppings.
Allow to cool and harden completely before breaking into pieces and packaging for gifts.

Yield: 35 to 40 pieces

Twigs and Berries (from Vegan Food Gifts)
Since vegans only eat twigs and berries, why not show those omnis how tasty they can be? Below are two versions, sweet and spicy, based on the same basic mix. This recipe makes a HUGE amount. I use this one when I am making lots of gifts. Feel free to cut the recipe in half, especially if you don't have an industrial sized mixing bowl.

Base Mix
7 cups (216 g) crunchy rice square cereal, like Rice Chex
3 cups (112 g) pretzel sticks
1 cup (142 g) dried cranberries
1 cup (160 g) raisins
1 cup (84 g) banana chips
1 cup (124 g) raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup (112 g) raw almonds
1 cup (112 g) raw pecan halves

In your largest mixing bowl, toss together ingredients, then follow instructions for either the Sweet or Spicy versions below.

Sweet Mix
2 cups (352 g) nondairy semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (224 g) nondairy butter, like Earth Balance
1/2 cup (128 g) creamy no stir peanut butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 to 6 cups (600 to 720 g) powdered sugar, to coat

In a sauce pot over low heat, melt chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter.
Once completely melted, stir in cinnamon and vanilla.
Pour mixture over base mix and stir to coat evenly.
Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and toss to coat. By the time you add the last cup of sugar, your mix should be powdery white and the pieces should not stick together.
Allow to cool (you can leave it right in the bowl) completely before packaging.

Spicy Mix
2 cups (448 g) nondairy butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce or Tamari
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Sri Racha
2 tablespoons (16 g) garlic powder
2 tablespoons (16 g) onion powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons red chili flakes, adjust to taste
1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (or Cayenne pepper), adjust to taste

Preheat oven to 250 F degrees.
Line four baking pans with parchment.
In a sauce pot over low heat, add all ingredients and stir until completely melted.
Pour mixture over base mix and toss until evenly coated.
Spread mix evenly in a single layer on baking sheets.
Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, or until crisp.
Allow to cool completely before packaging.

Package in clear bags, tins, jars, or boxes. Regardless, make sure you add a pretty Hang Tag!

Screen shot from my Google search for free downloadable Christmas Gift Tags.  So many to choose from!

Speaking of Gift Tags...
And one final thought for the holiday baking and gift giving season...Want to print your own personalized gift tags, but don't have the creative know how to put it together? If you don't have your own copy of Vegan Food Gifts which has all sorts of scannable and copyable gift tags in it, you can
just type "Free Downloadable Christmas Gift Tags" into your search engine, and click on the images search.  Scan through to find a style you like and click to go to the website where you can download them.  There are thousands of designs out there!  Super cute!

Joni's Top 10 Picks for this Holiday Season (Plus a Giveaway!)

Here they are, in no particular order, my Top 10 Picks for this Holiday Season!   And in order to help at least one of you out, I will be giving away a copy of my book, Vegan Food Gifts, to one of you so you can make some of your own gifts this year.  Simply leave a comment telling me about one vegan gift you'd recommend giving, or would like to receive, this year!  I will choose one of you at random this coming Thursday at 9 am PST.  If you enter, don't forget to check back to see if you have won!

The Contest is now over.  Congratulations to #5!

YAY!  I will be contacting you shortly, so I can mail you your book.  Happy Gifting!

#10 Feed Your Face Vegan Caramels by Nicole

These caramels are amazing.  With over 20 flavors to choose from, it's hard to choose, so for only $22, I go for the sampler!

#9 Flock Member status on Our Hen House
For as little as $10 per month, you can make that lucky someone a flock member, or simply make a one-time donation to Our Hen House so that they can effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals. You can help them to produce consistent, top-notch content (written, audio, and video), by supporting the work of Our Hen House.

#8  Vegan Eats World by Terry Hope Romero

This book is not only full of delicious and fantastic recipes from all over the world, but it is a joy to look at as well.  This hard cover book is beautiful.  The fonts are fun,  the photos are gorgeous, the layout is exceptional.  Right now, I am totally digging the Jamaican Plantain and Pumpkin Curry.

#7 The Koala Ripper Pullover Hoodie by Herbivore Clothing Company

What's not to love about this awesome unisex hoodie?  Stolen from the description on Herbivore's website-- "Those of you who grow up skateboarding will appreciate our tip of the cap -- and those of you who didn't -- cute Koala, huh?" 

#6 Dessert Cup Pan by Wilton

This pan is genius!  Check out how I used it to make some tarts, and then get one and see what you can do with it!

#5  Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day by Tamasin Noyes and Celine Steen
One might accuse me of being biased when recommending this book.  If loving it because it's full of delicious sandwiches, breads, spreads, amazing photographs and all around fantastic theme (I mean, seriously who doesn't love a good sandwich?) then, so be it.



#4 Immersion Stick Blender by Kitchen Aid
I used to se another brand, because it was cheaper, but I broke 3 of them.  I fibnally bought this one, and it really is a dream.  It has 2 speeds, it's very sturdy, and the motor purrs like a kitten.




#3  Cookin' Crunk by Bianca Philips
I haven't been this excited over a cookbook in ages.  I think I have bookmarked every single page.  This is my kind of food!  My husband is still raving about the Fried Tofu Chicken and Wafflewiches!

#2 The Blendtec Blender

I used to be loyal to the Vitamix, and that surely is a great blender.  But this, I am afraid to say, is my new favorite.  Green drinks and smoothies are, well, smoother!

#1 Vagabond Status on Citizen Radio

This listener supported podcast is headed up by 2 vegan progressives who will challenge you to get off your ass and do something about it!  The show is free, but for only $10 a month you can give a subscription to a starving punk rock college student who may or may not already be a maniac.

How Much F'ing Turkey Did You Make Anyways?

Vegetarian Plus Whole Vegan Turkey (Complete with a butthole for stuffing!)
getting a margarine massage before roasting.

So, seriously, for the week after Thanksgiving all you see on the news, and in pop-up ads all over the interwebs, are ways to use your leftover Turkey.  And all I kept thinking was, "Seriously?  How big of a f*ing turkey did you make that you need a butt ton of recipes to use up the leftovers?"  It's one of the amazing things about being vegan, you know?  Our food is so delicious, we don't have many leftovers, and when we do, we just eat them as, I dunno, leftovers!

Giveaway Results!

CONGRATULATIONS TO #11,  

LADLELADY, WHO SAYS:

AND I COULDN'T AGREE WITH HER MORE!  PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH YOUR SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN GET YOU YOUR BOOK ASAP!

Please stay tuned, I will be posting a few more giveaways this holiday season!

The Holiday Gift Giving Season is in Full Swing! (Plus a Giveaway)

Thanksgiving has passed and that means this holiday season is in full swing, and I couldn't be more excited!  If you know me, you know I love the holidays.  All of them.  Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus (for the rest of us!) and any other winter celebratory day you can think of.  I love the music, the food, the drink, the tacky sweaters, the decorations, the hustle and the bustle, the cold winter nights, the lights on the houses, and the gift giving.

My family has done away with the giving of gifts in the traditional sense.  We no longer buy presents for each other.  We have everything we need.  One half of my family donates the money we would have spent on presents to a charitable organization instead, and the other half has decided it's okay to give each other a little something, as long as it's home made, and if you can eat it, even better. WOOHOO!  Home made food presents are my favorite!

Hearty Pasta Soup with Chik'n Mix in a jar ready for gifting.  Photo by Celine Steen.  Recipe from Vegan Food Gifts 

I love making vegan food gifts so much, I even wrote a book about it...Vegan Food Gifts.  Haha.  And to get you all in the vegan food gifting spirit I am going to not only provide you with a super fun recipe for gift giving this holiday season, but I am also going to give away a signed copy of the book to one of you.  Simply leave a comment telling me your favorite (or not so favorite) thing about the holiday season and I will choose one at random on Friday, November 30. 2012 at 9:00 am PST.

CONTEST NOW OVER!  CONGRATULATIONS TO #11,

LADLELADY, WHO SAYS:

AND I COULDN'T AGREE WITH HER MORE!  PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH YOUR SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN GET YOU YOUR BOOK ASAP!

Hearty Pasta Soup with Chik'n from Vegan Food Gifts (page 97)

Now on to the recipe!  This recipe not only makes a great gift, but it is also a great mix to make up ahead of time, and store in the cabinet for quick and easy weeknight suppers.  And what better way to warm up on a cold winter night than with a hearty bowl of soup?

CLICK TO ENLARGE AND PRINT

Thanksgiving is when? OMG.

There has been so much going on lately, that Thanksgiving has completely snuck up on me!  I fear I have no time to experiment with new recipes this year, so I will be depending on some of my tried and true favorites to get me through this holiday.

Going way back, I will make a double batch of Greek Stuffing.  It is adapted from a recipe my cousin Jerry made for us on Thanksgiving many moons ago, that was full of fatty ground beef and lots of dairy butter.  When I recreated it as a vegan dish and submitted the recipe to Better Homes and Gardens recipe contest, guess what?  It won.  Haha.  If I have time, I will make a Seitan en Croute, if not, I will rely on a classic Tofurkey Roast to center my plate.  And for dessert I will most likely enjoy a slice of my super easy, and super tasty Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie.

Veganized Family Favorite!  Greek Stuffing made with seitan instead of ground beef.

Greek Stuffing
2 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice blend
500 grams vegetable bouillon (2 cubes)
24 ounces prepared seitan (about 3 cups) chopped into tiny little pieces 
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup pine nuts
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Prepare rice, according to package instructions adding bouillon cubes to the water. 
Sauté seitan, or other meat substitute, in a separate pan in a smidge of olive oil, until browned. 
Use about half of the olive oil in a large pan (I use a wok) and sauté the onions and garlic on medium high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. 
Reduce heat, add the seitan, then all other ingredients to the pan, mix well and remove from heat. 
After rice is fully cooked, add to the sautéed ingredients along with the remaining olive oil and mix it all together.

Yield: 8 servings

Seiten en Croute:  A savory moist seitan roast wrapped in flaky puff pastry.

Seitan en Croute: Inside Shot

Seitan en Croute

2 cups (288 g) vital wheat gluten flour

1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour
1/4 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (235 ml) beef flavored vegetable broth (or plain veggie broth)
1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons (50 g) tomato paste
1 tablespoon (45 g) prepared stone ground mustard
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 sheets vegan frozen puff pastry

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).
Have ready a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat such as Silpat.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together, gluten flour, wheat flour, nutritional yeast, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix together broth, oil, soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard, and liquid smoke.
Add wet to dry and knead together until well incorporated and until moist dough forms.
Let rest 20 minutes.
Thaw puff pastry according to package instructions.
Form into a loaf (similar to a meat loaf shape) and place in the center of the baking sheet.
Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5).
Cover the loaf entirely with one of the pastry sheets, tucking the edges underneath the loaf.
Slice the other sheet into 10 even strips for weaving. Weave the strips, on the diagonal across the top of the loaf. Tuck loose ends under the loaf.
Sprinkle a little paprika and parsley on top for color.
Return to the oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastry is fluffy and golden brown.
Allow to rest about 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: About 8 servings

Pumpkin Cheezecake Pie
1 (9-inch) pie crust (you can make your own, but I went with a premade graham crust for this one)
2 (8 ounce) containers of vegan cream cheese
1 (15 ounce) can of pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

Beat all ingredients together using an electric mixer until smooth. 

Pour into pie crust. 

Place a pan of water (about 1-inch deep) on the bottom shelf of the oven. 

Line a cookie sheet with foil. 

Place the pie on the foil lined sheet and place in the oven on the top rack.* 

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool, place in refrigerator until ready to serve, and to set even more.

Yield: One 9-inch pie

*This step helps keep the moisture in the oven and prevents the pie from cracking on the top!

  

Worknight Wednesday: Indian Spiced Pumpkin and Jackfruit Chili

Yep, I am still reveling in the marvel that is Jackfruit.  I really do feel silly not having jumped on this bandwagon sooner.  It is so quick and easy to make, and the results are so impressive.  Kudos, jackfruit.  Kudos.

Indian Spiced Pumpkin and Jackfruit Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 fresh jalapeño, finely diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chilies (more to taste!)
1 (20 ounce) can jackfruit, packed in water or brine, rinsed and drained
1 cup (235 ml) all natural root beer (not diet!)
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a pot.
Add onion and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
Add garlic and sauté an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Add in jalapeño, chili powder, garam masala, coriander, turmeric, and crushed red chilies.  Stir to combine.
Add in jackfruit and toss to combine.  Using the edge of your spoon or spatula to break up the jackfruit as it cooks.  Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add in root beer, tomatoes, and pumpkin.  Stir to combine.
Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, constantly stirring, until jackfruit is stringy and tender.  About 10 minutes.
Serve garnished with non dairy sour cream and chopped cilantro if desired.

Yield: 4 servings