My Top 20 Posts of 2011!

December 28, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 3 Comments

2011. I've had so much fun creating and sharing vegan recipes with you all this year. I hope you picked up some new favorite recipes from my blog. And I love stumbling upon brand new favorites of my own - like my Toasty Pumpkin Fritters, Coconut Whip, my Fully Loaded Kale Salad, Caramel Apple Pie, My Macro Bowl and my summer obsession: the Watermelon Frosty. And many more.

So lets look back at the Top 20 Healthy. Happy. Life. posts of 2011. Did your favorite make the list? This is a great way to catch up on some of my popular posts from the past year that you may have missed!..

Top 20 Healthy. Happy. Life. Posts of 2011
Rankings are based on number of pageviews for articles posted in 2011

1. Watermelon Frosty (most popular post of 2011!)
2. Five Ingredient Pumpkin Pudding
3. Sumac Ginger Tofu over Red Quinoa with Broccoli
4. Fake-Out Mac and Cheese
5. Four Ingredient Pumpkin Pie
6. How-to Make Coconut Whipped Topping
7. Lunchbox Hummus Spiral Wraps
8. How-to Make the Perfect Vegan Pie Crust
9. Ten Vegan Wrap Recipes
10. Four Easy, Creamy Summer Sorbet Recipes
11. Vegan Caramel Apple Pie
12. Cheezy Broccoli Fritters
13. Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich
14. Bagel-wich Vegan Lunch
15. Black Bean Fiesta Veggie Burgers with Slaw
16. Cacao Chocolate Silk Pudding - For Breakfast!
17. Toasty Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters
18. Pecan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Ginger Cream Frosting
19. Vegan Brunch Ideas
20. Oprah's Staff Goes Vegan - and you can too!!

Thank you for a wonderful 2011! I can't wait to share more vegan recipes with you all in 2012.

Healthy. Happy. New Year to you all!

Also check out my post: 25 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet in 2012!

Healthy Food at Disneyland: Where's the Magic?

December 26, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 10 Comments

You may have noticed from my tweets that I spent Christmas day at the Happiest Place on Earth: Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California.

But as a food blogger, I had more than Space Mountain and Mickey Mouse on my mind. Investigating Disney eats would be a whole new adventuresome part of this trip. Could the vegan and/or healthy Disneyland food options live up to the famous Disneyland Park magic?..

Merry Christmas! in The Park.

Growing up in California, I have been to Disneyland Park many times. I have always been a passionate fan of Disney animation and Disneyland. I can remember frolicking and skipping down Main Street, my eyes wide, ogling the magical sights, dancing to the sounds of music and laughter. A wide ear-to-ear grin on my face. Disney glee. It's contagious.

Disneyland is dripping in a mysterious sort of happy magic that you really can't deny. I suspect only the gloomiest of grumps could resist the temptation to grin a "Disney smile" in this Park. Especially on Christmas.

But this day trip was my first time visiting Disney after becoming vegan. And a food blogger. So my eyes, nose and "mouse ears" were focused on more than the magical surroundings - I was aching to scout out some of Disney's healthy and vegan eats.

We arrived at the park at around 9am. Christmas is famously one of the busiest days of year at Disneyland. And with beautiful SoCal weather reaching near 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky - I knew the park would be packed. And it was.

Hello Cali sunshine, I love you.

Disneyland on Christmas. Entering through the main gate, there was a sea of excited ticket holders. A swarm of glowing faces gushed through the entrance and spilled onto Main Street. Disney's lavish holiday decorations were twinkling in the morning sunlight. A tall elegant tree rose high above the Park. They really do pimp out the Park for the holidays - every cove, crevice and corner gets a makeover.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle, the centerpiece of the Park, was covered in an elegant silver-blue blanket of "snow." Later the castle would be lit up in twinkling white lights - more beautiful than I have ever seen it...

Disneyland at Night. Lights twinkling..

The adrenaline of Main Street slowly started to crash as 9:45am approached. I could see that growling, desperate look in my husband's eyes. Coffee. He wanted coffee. A soy cappuccino to be exact. And I could've used a soy latte myself. Since I had already done some research on "soy" at Disneyland, I heard that the Blue Ribbon Bakery was the ONLY spot in the Park where you could find soy for your latte.

No soy you say? You don't really realize how depressing this fact is until you get to the Park. We crossed the crowded street towards the Bakery. This process takes a few minutes because literally the swell of people felt like NYC's Times Square - right before the 8pm Broadway shows start. A mess of people all looking and moving in every direction. Oh and strollers. Everywhere. "Stroller Parking" for miles.

We approached Blue Ribbon Bakery and the line was swirled up inside like a sticky bun - and even spilled out into the sidewalk. Wow. People really want a bakery bite and coffee drink. I guessed that the line would take 45 minutes to an hour. And I simply could not bring myself to waiting in line that long for a latte as our first Disneyland stop. So we crossed the street to another more modest coffee shop. There was no mention of soy on the menu, but we waited in the quick ten minute line anyways. I approached the counter,

"Hi! Do you have soy milk?" I asked eagerly.
"Soy, wha?" The woman responded confused by my question at first.
"Soy milk. For coffee?" I repeated nicely.
"No we don't have that. We just have 2%. The only place that might have that would be Blue Ribbon across the street." She said.
"OK, thanks."

Darn. No coffee for us. Oh well. We decided to get out of the chaos of Main Street and seek out a mood-lifting ride. Indiana Jones. My favorite. We slowly moved throughout the ever growing mobs of guests, and headed towards Adventureland. We rushed to the ride and picked up some FastPass tickets. We would return at 10:20 for admission to the ride. I love the FastPass feature. Genius.

We had an hour to kill, so we took advantage of a very short Pirates of the Caribbean line and went on that. Followed by a stroll through New Orleans Square where I spotted the famous "Bread Bowl" spot where I was dying to try the Vegetarian (vegan) Gumbo later in the day. We spotted a few "celebs" along the way too..

Spotting a princess like Ariel is always an event. Those cute kids flock..

Strolling through the sparkling sunshine, Tom Sawyer's Island in the background, I was ogling the people. I am infinitely curious about what people eat and the people watching of what people were having for breakfast fascinated me.

I noticed the prized possession of the morning was a giant cream-frosted Cinnamon Roll. It was huge. The size of my head. Giant. Price was around $5.50 I believe. I spotted a handful of small children wolfing down their own plate of cinna rolls. Then I saw lines of families waiting for breakfast feasts consisting of giant flapjacks, eggs and bacon. A few breakfast nibblers were feasting on popcorn and churros. All before 10am. I felt a little depressed by this.

This is NOT princess food! I really couldn't wrap my mind around how Disneyland was blatantly offering carnival-style eats for breakfast. Could you imagine Snow White downing a giant cinna roll. Or Prince Charming shoving an over sized Turkey Leg in his mouth (yes, they sell those too, and the lines were long.)

Would Mr. Walt Disney himself approve of the over sized food fare available at Disneyland? Cookies fit to serve five people. Ice cream treats around every corner and a quite frankly, pathetic selection of healthy food options. And no, a triple cheese vegetable sandwich on a grain bun is not my idea of the "healthy" option.

Thank goodness for fresh fruit. And sun...

My breakfast "oasis" .. next door to Aladdin's Oasis..

Sun pairs well with a fruit breakfast.

So what were the healthy food options at Disneyland? Fruit. For one thing. Thank goodness for the fresh Dole pineapple. My husband and I ate two giant sticks of pineapple, grapes and a few bananas during our day. We also snacked on a Sabra hummus and pretzel dip set (quite bland), iced tea, Vitamin Water and a few packs of almonds I had stuffed in my purse from home (thank goodness for those!) Then later on in the day, around 5pm we settled into a cozy cafe table and tried the Vegan Gumbo.

I was really impressed with that Gumbo bread bowl. I confirmed with the cast member at the counter that it was dairy-free and vegan. She said yes to both and even added a quick note that "however, it may come in contact with certain allergens." I said that was fine - I'm not truly allergic to dairy or nuts - so that was doable. The little oyster crackers on the side were not vegan, FYI. The soup was pretty good! Rich. Creamy. Rice, big chunks of veggies - including mammoth slices of okra, which I loved. A tomato-based rich broth with a hint of spice. Toasty sourdough bread bowl. Not too shabby.

Vegetarian (vegan) Gumbo Bread Bowl..

Later in the evening we did finally wait in a 45 minute line at Blue Ribbon for that coveted soy latte. It tasted amazing. Coffee bliss just as the air was turning crisp and chilly - of course my husband laughed when I said it was getting freezing out. It was probably around 55 degrees.

My husband and I left a little early, around 8pm. Still hungry, we had a light soup/sandwich dinner when we got home.

The day was awesome. Indiana Jones. Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Pirates, Haunted Mansion and more. I even convinced my husband to try the "Canoes" with me. Which turned out to be super fun thanks to our quirky guide who liked to shout insults at the Park goers on dry land. Calling out to them as we tirelessly paddled, "hi lazy people!" Sounds a little mean, but his joyfulness got away with it and everyone laughed.

Fun Fact: I always thought the Canoes were on a track or had a secret motor - but they do not! The boats move by the people actually rowing on the boat! So if you get stuck with a 'not-into-rowing' crowd, the boat guide will really have to do all the work. No wonder all their arms were all as thick as stuffed duffel bags.

So to return back to my first question about Disney's Healthy Food: Magical or Not? Sure you can find a few hidden gems of health. But really, I'm not impressed at all. Disney standards #fail on the food front.

Why not use that Disney creativity to bring healthy food to life!!

Have a few creative and delicious options. And definitely more non-dairy beverage options. There is a new Smoothie place in the California Adventure Park. But in Magic Kingdom you'll probably be stuck buying a sweet Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade on a hot day. And while vegetarian dining options are 'technically' available at many spots - they are either loaded in cheese or simply not very appealing.

Let kids choose between a gooey Cinnamon Roll versus a waxy green apple and you don't have to be a sorcerer to guess which they will want.

Come on Disney, take on this challenge! Disney is such a kid-focused place. Even more than say, McDonald's - which classically gets so much hype as being the "worst place on earth" for kids to eat. Well I almost have to say that Disney is worse than McDonald's. Really. Because Disney is not just about food. Disney teaches values. Values about using your imagination. Dreaming big. Wishing on a star. Treating yourself like a proud princess or prince. Being kind to those fuzzy woodland creatures like Bambi. Treating the environment well, like in The Lion King.

Kids want everything Disney - Mickey-shaped cookies sell big. Soo.. maybe put these on the menu: "Mickey's Special" salad with veggies cut into Disney shapes - and a healthy vegan burger called "the Cinderella Special."

Disneyland is missing out on such a precious opportunity to influence children in a healthy way. To change their lives from the inside out. To be truly magical in the foods they promote and sell. This missed opportunity comes at such a crucial time. A time when childhood obesity is a tragedy and children are being overfed the wrong types of foods. Dairy, meat and white processed grains. Too much sugar, fat and dead food.

Where is the Disney Salad Bar in the park? Where are the plentiful healthy smoothie bars? Where are the truly magical kids (and adult) meals and snacks? I don't want to have to leave the Park or sit down at a pricey restaurant to find a healthy-ish meal.

And yes, all the fresh fruit options are awesome - but it definitely plays second fiddle to the Mickey-shaped cookies, Mickey-shaped Giant Pretzels and Mickey-Shaped Ice Cream Sandwiches.

I will forever love Disneyland. I can't help it. I buy into every bit of "Someday your Prince will come" (because he did) and "When you wish upon a star." But I'm finding it hard to stomach Disney's nutritional standards.

So Dear Disney, I adore you, but I'm begging you: rethink and rework your huge portions of junk food fare at Disneyland Park. Fans don't visit to eat funnel cakes, turkey legs and cinnamon buns the size of cannonballs. They come to Disneyland to experience magic. And there is nothing magical about overeating junk. Your stories are always rooted in the triumph of good over evil. I hope to someday see this theme appear in your Disneyland food fare.

Otherwise the only dream to come true may be the story told in Wall-E.

What do you think? Have you experienced Disney Park eats? And do you think Disney's lack of healthy creative food is even worse than a fast food giant like McDonalds?

Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Vanilla Bean Cookies.

December 22, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

For my Vegan Chocolate Chip Walnut Vanilla Bean Cookies, I've taken one of my favorite cookie recipes and made it even better. Huge chunks of organic California walnuts, mini dark chocolate vegan chips, Vietnamese cinnamon, and my secret ingredient for taking just about any cookie recipe to the next level of awesomeness...

My Secret Ingredient: Real Vanilla Bean. Usually in chocolate chip cookie recipes we add a splash of vanilla extract. Sometimes it is average quality and sometimes we break out the expensive glass bottle of some uber-luxurious vanilla bean extract. Well if you want to create a truly magical, mellow and intoxicating flavor to each cookie bite, try using a whole real vanilla bean instead. Simply scrape the seeds from a pod and add them to the dough.

You can use the leftover pod in numerous ways. I like to stick mine in a jar of dry sugar and let it infuse into "vanilla sugar." And bonus perk, your kitchen will smell like a vanilla paradise island. You'll get all woozy and blissful as your cookies bubble and rise in the oven.

Shopping tip! Did you know that Trader Joe's now sells a pack of two vanilla beans for under $5! That's a deal. I actually forget exactly how much they are. I think $3.99. Amazing if you have a TJ's nearby, as vanilla beans can be expensive.

Chocolate chip walnut cookies are my favorite. And that this was my best batch ever. I blame that lovely vanilla bean.

Split vanilla bean..

Fresh out of the oven..

Gift-approved for the holidays or any day...

A caramel-colored, crispy cookie bottom (with moist chewy insides) means you did something right..

Chocolate Chip Walnut Vanilla Bean Cookies
vegan, makes about 16 extra large cookies - or 2-3 dozen standard size

dry:
2 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon (or standard cinnamon)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground if available)
wet sugar mixture:
2 sticks vegan butter, soften to a half-melted/blendable state
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar (I like to use Whole Foods 365 brand called "vegan sugar")
4 ounces organic applesauce
1 vanilla bean pod, seeds scraped (usually about ¼ teaspoon of seeds)
1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2-3 tablespoon water (added one at a time to 'wet' dough)
fold in:
2 cups vegan mini chocolate chips
1 ½ cups organic California walnuts (whole and pieces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together the vegan butter, sugar and applesauce. Add the vanilla to this mixture as well.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and start hand blending. The mixture will start out very dry and gradually become wet. Fold in the apple cider vinegar. Add in the water, one tablespoon at a time to further wet the dough. You may only need 2 tablespoon to reach a 'cookie dough' state. You can always add water to adjust the dough if needed.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

6. Grease your baking sheet with a canola oil cooking spray. I like to use a lot so the cookie bottoms get nice and crisp.
7. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. Pull cookies when edges are browned and center still looks slightly shiny and wet. The cookies will firm up once they have cooled. You want them very delicate upon coming out of the oven because they have a high 'butter' content.

Cool. Serve with ice cold non-dairy milk. Enjoy!!!

Raw Breakfast: My Busy Season Power Fuel.

December 21, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

I would have liked to have slept through breakfast this morning. But in fact, I did not. I worked through breakfast. Tis the season to keep food bloggers very, very busy.

AM. Outside the sun crept into the sky, a pool of periwinkle flooding the windowglass. I stumbled to the fridge for my usual early morning swig of Pressed Juicery raw coconut water, then over to my computer like a drowsy moth to a glowing streetlamp.

Cue the "spinning hands on the clock" visual. And suddenly it is noon. Then 12:30pm. Breakfast, officially skipped. Or maybe just perfectly delayed..

Into the PM hours, the clock ticking, I finally pry myself from my locked gaze on my computer screen and dash into the kitchen to break for a meal. As I was staring blankly at the fridge there was a knock on the door. A thump on the doorstep.

Kitty darted for the covers as is her usual, dramatic, "doorbell" routine. I opened the door to find a lovely package on my doorstep. I knew it was lovely because it had a cute little duck sticker on the box. My mom had sent me a sideline holiday gift from OneLuckyDuck.com filled with a few of my favorites. Including the Hemp Buckwheat Granola. Yes!

I bust open the package and knew exactly what was for breakfast (er, brunch?). I loved this meal and it was made super easy by using some pre-made goodies (a treat for me!) I guess this was my healthy raw vegan equivalent to grabbing a box of cheerios and pouring some quick milk over top, side of OJ. I hope this post inspires you to find your own super easy, healthy quickie breakfast. Smoothies and juices are great options as well. Or if not in a hurry, try one of these holiday breakfast ideas.

A raw chocolate shake would be nice as a treat to this too..

My Power Fuel Breakfast: One Lucky Duck Granola, Pressed Juicery raw almond milk, satsuma orange and sliced banana. Super delicious way to power up for this super busy season of food blogging, holiday planning and Christmas cheering.

Sometimes the best reward to a busy day is taking a break for a healthy, delicious meal to refuel your body. Raw food is so fabulous for refueling eats. And during this busy food season - even food bloggers can use a little breakfast help (with some pre-made goodies and a package from mom).

And don't forget you can order products from OneLuckyDuck.com with 15% off until Jan 31st 2012! Use coupon code: LUCKYLUNCH details here

Get my One Lucky Duck Product Favorites List here.
And hear all about my Pressed Juicery 3-Day Juice cleanse here.

And get my Mega-Holiday Vegan Recipe Round-Up here. Over 80+ recipe links (my personal favorites)

10 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress.

December 21, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Stress. We all have it. Some of us let it take us down like a ripped linebacker tackling a waify quarterback. And some of us are stress-masters, grabbing hold of stress and buckling it up tightly so that we control its every move in our bodies. And yes, stressed is desserts spelled backwards. So that means stress and a plate of holiday sugar cookies do not mix well together.

Don't let stress scrooge-up your plans for holiday cheer.

Ahead, you'll find my 10 Tips to Manage Holiday (and everyday) Stress! Plus I have an awesome $75 SpaFinder.com + C3* for Stress giveaway for you! Breath in ....... breath out..... click ahead.

Stress touches us all - and there is really no way to remove the stresses in our lives - unless you are planning on moving to a private island, chucking your cellphone to the sea and saying adios to society. Well, actually, I'm sure there are everyday stresses in paradise too. A cloud blocking your sunbeam could be quick upsetting I'm sure.

Is stress effecting you right now? Signs of stress can include:
* higher blood pressure
* increased agitation
* stomach problems
* decreased concentration
* decreased sex drive
* weight gain

Fact: 75-90% of all doctors office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. -source C3*

We are all in the thick season of stress: the holidays, So rather than attempt to ditch stress, lets simply try to manage it. Here are ten of my favorite ways to feel a little more chill.

See GIVEAWAY details and my C3 review at end of post! (#10 on the list)

10 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

1. Deep Breathing. Each breath you take has a startling impact on how you feel. And each breath also reflects on how you are feeling. Here is a breathing exercise to try to help you manage a stressful situation or just stay in a zen mood. Close your eyes and find your zen within each deep breath you take.

2. Break a Sweat (in your holiday sweater!) Holiday shopping isn't the only way to get a workout this time of year. Grab your favorite cheezy holiday sweater, pull on some leggings, top it off with a Santa hat and pump up the holiday music for the silliest dance-off ever. Invite some friends or simply strut your stuff solo with twinkly lights in the background - your kitty cat on the couch giving you a curious gaze. Breaking a sweat is my personal favorite was to manage stress 🙂

3. Water Power. I'm a huge fan of bubble baths. And adding little goodies to bring your bath up to par. Try essential oils, sea salts, Epsom salts and even some bubble-bath-approved kitchen pantry items like day-old wine, sugar for scrubbing your skin and baking soda. And for total rejuvenation, try some hot/cold water therapy.

4. Ginger Juice. To calm a troubled tummy (tummy troubles often have roots in everyday stresses) - try juice that is boosted by some fresh ginger. You may have to seek out a juice bar if you don't have a juicer. I have several ginger-infused juice recipes in my drink index. Try my AM Sunrise Juice.

5. Travel Zen. Try my pre-travel routine to ease travel stress.

6. Give Santa a Year Off. One of my favorite tricks for decluttering the holidays is to plan a vacation as part of your family gift. That way you'll be so excited about your travel plans that presents won't seem like the big highlight of the holiday and you'll be more focused on spending time together rather than unwrapping gifts under the tree. (Less presents means less stressful shopping!)

7. Probiotics! Again, tummy troubles are no fun. And stress can set them off. So be sure to take a probiotic around the holidays and load up on probiotic foods like soy yogurt, kombucha and fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh and more.

8. Try Chamomile. Blend up a Calm Chamomile Smoothie or brew some chamomile tea.

9. Grab a Banana. Keeping your blood sugar levels up during the holidays is a must. So I always keep bananas on hand and even in my purse when I am out and about. Heck, Starbucks and 711 even sell fresh bananas! Bananas are a perfect calming food because they contain Vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, are easy to digest and have actually been shown to interact with the lining of your stomach to produce digestive-enhancing mucous, helping to protect your stomach against acid. Potassium, an important electrolyte for a hydrated, happy (and calm) body. Try my Banana Almond Shake for instant energy.

9 ½. Bonus: Manage stress by staying hydrated by chugging some potassium rich coconut water. Try to find the raw, real stuff from a fancy juice bar if you can (or buy and crack open one of those big white coconuts for sale at Whole Foods. Raw coconut water is truly the best.)

10. Try C3* for Stress - and enter my giveaway! I was pretty amazed that this stuff actually worked and gave me a fuzzed-out, chill feeling within minutes. Fizzy and lightly sweetened with a zesty flavor - C3 is easy to drink. Visit C3* for Stress for more info and enter my giveaway below!!

C3* for Stress + SpaFinder.com GIVEAWAY! (note this is not a sponsored post - I only received a free sample to try the product and a giveaway prize to offer my readers)

C3* for Stress Review. I was skeptical. I'm not a big fan of supplements featuring big claims. And a powdery pack that claims to calm me down seemed pretty outrageous to me. But I swirled the mixture into a glass of chilled water and sipped. Within minutes I felt different.

A main ingredient is kava root. C3*'s blend of kava and other botanicals like polygala root, longan berries and more definitely chilled me out. I personally would only use c3* in the PM hours because it was so strong for me. But if you want a buzz - a buzz of calm - try this stuff and see if it works for your stress management routine. I love that C3* is sugar free - sweetened with stevia - and contains 100% RDA of vitamins B6, B12, Zinc and Niacin. Note: always read packaging and warnings before trying - and I'm a huge fan of always discussing new supplements with your doctor before trying them.

*GIVEAWAY ENTRY PERIOD HAS ENDED* Congrats to the winner: Heidi.

Giveaway Prize: (1) $75 gift card to SpaFinder.com AND a one month's supply of C3* for Stress (two 25-packs)

How to Enter -> enter by commenting on this post. You must comment to gain initial entry into the giveaway. Comment by telling me what your go-to way to manage or reduce stress is. Maybe it is a food, activity or even a favorite calming quote.

Additional entries:
* tweet this post and include @replies as shown: " I just entered the @C3forStress Giveaway hosted by @Lunchboxbunch - enter here: http://bit.ly/sOzXfU "
* Follow Lunchbox Bunch on Facebook and share this post on Facebook (easy share link at top)

NOTE: for additional entries add the tags #tweet and/or #FB to your comment so I know that you shared.

Giveaway Entry Period Ends Wednesday December 28th at 12pm PST (I'll tweet the winner and contact via email)

More info and learn how to get a free sample of C3: C3* for Stress

Holiday Edition! Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up

December 20, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

In the words of Madonna, "Hol-day-ee. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Celebrate.... lalala."

Super-jam-packed Holiday Edition of this week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen - AND this week, I'm listing ALL my favorite recipes from this holiday season (and a few of my favorites from season's past) here on Healthy. Happy. Life. as well. Your vegan holiday feast is ready..

Also check out -> Vegan Holiday Recipes from Across the Web. Celebrate the holidays with recipes from your favorite vegan bloggers all in one place. FindingVegan's #HOLIDAY tag

Holiday Edition: Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 12/19 H O L I D A Y * E D I T I O N

Vegan Holiday Desserts (come first!)
* Vegan Sugar Cookies, Vanilla Bean Frosted
* Cocoa Cardamom Cake with Cashew and Coconut
* Coconut Snowball Cookies
* Double Swirled Pumpkin Cream Pie
* Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
* Pumpkin Cheesecake
* Chocolate Dipped Pecan Cake (chocolate lover's delight!)
* Hubbard Squash Pumpkin Pie
* Coconut Espresso "Tiramisu" Cream Pie
* Double Swirled Pumpkin Cream Pie
* Soy Nog Snickerdoodles
* Pumpkin Pie Round-Up! (All my pumpkin pie recipes i one spot!)
* 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Pudding (in 5 minutes!)
* Easy Chocolate Silk Pudding
* Pumpkin Cinna-Bun Layer Cake (with rich cream cheese frosting!)
* Vegan Cheesecake (custard style, oh so lovely)
* Caramel Apple Pie
* 5 Cool Mint Chocolate Rice Crispy Squares (kid-approved)
* Minty Smores Brownies (chocolate lovers delight)
* Bosc Pear and Blueberry Pie from scratch (includes vegan crust recipe)
* Chocolate Molten Cake (healthier than you think!)
* Find more vegan desserts in my dessert index

Vegan Holiday Drinks
* Coconut Cardamom Spiced Latte
* How-to Veganize Just About Any Holiday Latte
* Frozen Hot Chocolate
* Coconut Persimmon Shake
* Fizzy Lime Pomegranate Cocktail
* Pumpkin Cider Smoothie with whip!
* Soy Nog Shake with Dandies
* Grapefruit-Cado Sunrise Smoothie
* Grab and Go Choco Power-Up Shake (fuel for last minute shoppers)
* Spiced Blackcurrant Bliss Smoothie
* Holiday Vanilla Bean Soy Nog
* Santa' Pink Peppermint Berry Smoothie
* Mint Creme Cocoa with whip (holiday favorite!!)
* Ginger Juice Shooters (pre or during meal palate cleanser. packs a spicy punch!)
* Super Sinus Juice (keep your immune system and nose happy with this sip!)
* Pumpkin Spice Latte (take THAT Starbucks!)
* Find more vegan drinks in my drink/smoothie/juice index

Vegan Holiday Savory Recipes
* Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
* Cheezy Pumpkin Chickpea Croquettes Appetizer
* Creamy Pumpkin Roasted Potato Salad
* 10 "Squash" Recipes
* Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Soup with a hint of maple
* Football Season Snacks Gone Vegan!(for the football fans out there)
* 15 Delicious Ways to Cook with Tofu (actually has nothing to do with the holidays, I just really love this slideshow!)
* Cranberry Concord Sauce
* Spicy-Sweet Glazed Cocktail Meatless Balls, with pineapple accent
* Pita Veggie "Sausage" Stuffing
* 11 Alternatives to Tofurky - Vegan Main Dish Recipes!
* Holiday-Approved Spiced Hazelnut Hummus
* Master the Basics of a Macrobiotic Meal in 10 Easy Steps (..another one with no holiday connection, but you may need this for your post-holiday/new year health kick!)
* Vegan Holiday Dinner Party - Online (The virtual feast featuring some awesome bloggers! All the inspiration your need for a plant-based feast!)
* Cranberry Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
* Toasty Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters (One of my FAVORITES this season. OMG love these.)
* Easy Tofu Crunch Salad or Cracker Spread
* Ginger Sage Butternut Squash Pumpkin Soup (Texture like velvet. Adore this easy soup!)
* Spicy Shells and Cheese Pasta (Creamy cheezy pasta is certainly holiday-approved. Especially when you add Field Roast Sausage on top!)
* ZingBerry Holiday Wrap. Cranberry. Tempeh. Slaw.
* Pumpkin Apple Harvest Rice
* Roasted Cauliflower Pumpkin Swirl Dip (Serve warm or chilled - your guests will go gaga over this stuff!)
* Sunny Asparagus Tapenade
* 5 Fried Golden Fuyus!
* Amazing Raw Almond Spread or Dip
* Spinach Dip (Cheesy or not)
* Jalapeno Poppers (holiday 'game-day' fare)
* Butternut Squash Citrus Dip
* Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Hummus Dip
* Homemade Jumbo Croutons (perfect fancy salad-topper for the holiday feast)
* Pumpkin Spice Cashew Cheese

Vegan Holiday Breakfast
* Ginger Cream Cheese Glazed Banana Pancakes
* Pumpkin Macadamia Scones
* Cinna-Sugar Hazelnut Bread Flutes
* Gingerbread Swirl Creamy Wheat Cereal
* Holiday Spice Cran-Macadamia Oatmeal with Banana
* 14 Cozy Snow Day Breakfast Ideas
* Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
* Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Tarts
* Pumpkin Maple Rice Porridge
* 18 of my Favorite Holiday Season Breakfast Recipes
* Cinna-Citrus-Nog Pita French Toast (Panko-fried optional!)
* Loaded Tofu Breakfast Pockets (Grab & go eats for busy holiday schedules)
* Pumpkin Pecan Ginger Cinnamon Rolls (AMAZING! Christmas morning approved.)
* Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich (my husband's favorite of the season! And one of mine too..)
* Get more vegan breakfast recipes in my breakfast recipe index.

I'll leave you with a little Vegan Inspiration. Also, be sure to check out this year's Veggie Girl Power Series. And catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 12/5 - Frozen Hot Chocolate, Sauteed Sauerkraut, Buffalo Bites, Cinna-Sugar Flutes and more!
* 11/28 - Post-Thanksgiving Meatless Monday recipe.
* 11/14 - Pre-Thanksgiving Meatless Monday recipe.
* 11/7 - Pumpkin Cheesecake, BBQ Chickpea Wrap, Easy Spicy Chick'n Ranch Wrap, Concord Cranberry Sauce and more!
* 10/31 - Halloween Bonanza - treats, sips, and more..
* 10/24 - Banana Pecan Muffins, Halloween Candy Veganized, Halloween Cupcakes.
* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli cheesy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Jumbo Soy Nog Snickerdoodles

December 18, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

These jumbo-sized Soy Nog Snickerdoodles are my way of infusing some holiday spirit into one of my favorite cookies. Light and chewy, these tender spiced cookies have gentle notes of holiday nog in each bite. Leave a stack out for Santa or gobble them up yourself. Pairs well with an ice cold glass of vanilla rice milk with a dash of fine cinnamon...

I'm still in shock that Christmas is a week away. I may be caught up on holiday recipes, but my present count is pretty dim. But that's OK. Some Christmases I'm just not in a huge shopping mood. Then some years I go way overboard, stuffing the tree with stacks of twinkly wrapped presents and goodies.

This year I'm feeling minimalist about Christmas. And even though giant LA shopping malls and decked out Rodeo Drive is just a speedy (or more likely, quite traffic-jammed) trip down Santa Monica Blvd, the present-bug hasn't bit me yet. Maybe I'll go mingle with some last minute holiday shoppers and catch it. Anyone else not caught up on holiday shopping and feeling sorta oddly zen about it?

..Or maybe it is just the lack of sparkly snow and brisk Christmas air that is throwing my present cravings off. Hmm.

Well even with no snow in LA, there certainly are a lot of twinkly lights. Check out my view last week from Griffith Observatory..

Snickerdoodle Inspiration. I was presented with a super stellar holiday baking gift from the from little elves of Microsoft. It was filled with inspiring things like some adorable tiny measuring spoons with labels like "dash" as well as some baking tins and such. Super cute stuff. It's nice to get a present with no strings attached. Also included was a jar of Vietnamese cinnamon. Super high quality cinnamon meals one thing: Snickerdoodle baking time.

Jumbo Soy Nog Snickerdoodles
vegan, makes 12-14 cookies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
½ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (Vietnamese if you have)
a few dashes of nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup sugar
⅓ cup vegan butter, melted
¼ cup safflower oil
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup soy nog
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

cinna/sugar mixture for rolling dough balls in

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add in the wet ingredients - fold the vinegar in last. note: depending on how "wet" you like your dough, you can adjust the soy nog amount. Add gradually so you get the perfect consistency for rolling balls of dough.
4. Roll large balls of dough between your palms - about 1 ½ tablespoon of dough. Then roll around in the cinna-sugar mixture and place on a greased baking sheet. I personally don't mind if a little cookie ought sprawl happens and the cookies touch as they bake - but if you do, you'll need to use two baking sheets and separate cookie dough balls by at least 1 ½ inches.
5. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes.

Virtual Vegan Dinner Party: I'll Bring the Pumpkin Pie!

December 16, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

When I heard about this festive potluck-style vegan dinner party with some of my fave vegan bloggers, I said..

"I'll bring the pumpkin pie!"

Virtual Feast. You are invited to ogle this online feast - and you don't even have to get all primped and pampered. Stay cozy in your slippers and take in some vegan eye candy to inspire your own holiday meal preparations. Step inside the Virtual Vegan Dinner Party..

Culinary Inspiration. Online. Ah, the power of the internet... I can't even remember what it was like to not have a computer. To not have my food blogger friends. And to not be inspired by something yummy to cook each and every time I open my MacBook.

Well, I guess I sort've can...

PI, Pre-Internet. Back then, shared family recipes were written in ink. Or carefully typed on fancy typewriters. Several copies were made in case you spilled flour and cooking oil all over those rigid cream-colored cooking index cards. In our house, the best recipes always ended up speckled in remnant ingredients making it impossible to decode the gibberish text. "Mom, does that say ½ cup or 12 cups?? Or 1 ½ caps?!"

And without the internet, the only exposure I had to food outside of my own family kitchen was when I'd eat over at a friend's house, wander through a farmer's market, dine out at a restaurant, flip through a food magazine or cookbook. I loved those food magazines. I'd flip through the pages, tearing out images and recipes that caught my eye. Today, we bookmark.

Food was so local back then. But now, it is truly virtual. Wider view. More to inspire.

That is why I am so excited about this vegan virtual feast. Thanks to the wonderful Marly of Namely Marly for organizing. We all signed up "to bring" certain dishes. Get my pumpkin pie recipes and check out what the other participating bloggers brought to this virtual feast!..

My Pumpkin Pie Round-Up for the Party (full party links below!)

* Hubbard Pumpkin Pie
* Four Ingredient Pumpkin Pie (2011 pie)
* Five Ingredient Pumpkin Pie (2010 pie)
* Homemade Pumpkin Pie from scratch with gingersnap crust
* Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie
* Cream Swirled Pumpkin Pie

Now onto the entire vegan holiday feast! Featuring recipes from some of my favorite bloggers..

Appetizer
Carrot Pâté by Diet, Desserts, and Dogs

The Drink
Winter Warmer Cocktail by Pea Soup Eats

Main Dish
Vegan Holiday Casserole by Namely Marly

The Sides
Cranberry and Orange Ginger Mango Chutney by Loves Veggies and Yoga
Vegan Sweet Potato Puree with Maple and Sour Cream by Vegan Good Things

The Bread
Crescent Rolls by That’s So Vegan

The Best Part: Desserts
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Round-Up by Lunch Box Bunch/Healthy.Happy.Life. (moi) shown above
Pear Gingerbread Cake by The Tolerant Vegan
Chocolate Pecan Cookie Pies by Your Vegan Mom
Fancy Cheesecake by Manifest Vegan

The Vegan Big Stack. Breakfast Sandwich. Spinach. Citrus. Panko.

December 13, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Why have one layer when I can have two? This is the thought that ran through my head as I was carefully plating my latest breakfast sandwich creation: The Vegan Big Stack. Breakfast Sandwich...

Stacked. As I piled my careful tower of ingredients, I just... kept going. Higher. Taller. Grander. I felt like the James Dean of vegan breakfast sandwiches. Total rebel without a cause. I pondered a third layer, but restrained myself for your sake. I settled with two Panko-crusted vegan sausage patties, hugged between one and a half English muffins and accent components including: creamy, cheesy Dijon sautéed spinach and zesty-sweet winter citrus slices.

Big Mac, Big Schmack. There is the new queen of double layer sandwiches in town.

Yup, this recipe is built for pure, outlandish, (eye-poppingly yummy) vegan fun. And if you can't finish this mammoth stack of breakfast glory all by yourself - share it with a friend.

Pairs well with a Citrus Sip or a Tropical Fruit Salad..

Layers. Sweet slices of peeled satsumas and tender creamy, cheesy, Dijon spinach. A spicy touch of hot sauce and a sweet drizzle of dark maple syrup. Morning just got a little brighter!

I think it kinda glows. yes?..

Use Vegan Sausage or Homemade Patties. I use Lightlife GimmeLean fat free vegan sausage. It has a natural stickiness so it absorbs the panko crumbs very well. Plus it is very flavorful and cooks up fast. Loaded with vegan protein. Bold flavor in each spiced, juicy, crispy textured bite. If you can't find this brand, or simply don't like vegan sausage products, try using a homemade veggie burger - perhaps a yummy pumpkin-bean fritter. A few options below:

* Cali Bean Burgers
* Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters
* Veggie Burger Test Kitchen - ideas and recipes
* White Bean Burgers
* Cheezy Broccoli Fritter Patties

The Vegan Big Stack Breakfast Sandwich
vegan, makes one sandwich, serves 1-2

patties:
2 GimmeLean vegan sausage patties (palm-sized)
3 tablespoon Panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon safflower oil for sautéing

spinach:
5 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon vegan mayo
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (add a few scoops more if you are like me and obsessed with nutri yeast)
dash black pepper

1 satsuma, peeled, thinly sliced
1 ½ English muffins, toasted
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon hot sauce

Directions:

1. First sauté your creamy spinach. Add a splash of oil to a sauté pan. Over medium heat, add in the baby spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt for a few minutes. Turn heat top low and fold in the vegan mayo, nutritional yeast and mustard. Pepper to taste. Turn off heat, remove spinach from pan and set aside in bowl until needed. Note: you will have leftover spinach. You will only need about ¼ cup for the actual sandwich.

2. In same pan, add about 1-2 teaspoon safflower oil. Heat to medium-high. Press your vegan sausage into round patties and roll in the Panko crumbs. The sausage is sticky so will bind easily to the crumbs. Place the patties in the oil and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set on paper towel to cool a bit.

3. Toast your English muffins and prep your satsumas.

4. Add a slather of Dijon to one muffin. Start layering your sandwich. Add one patty to the bottom layer. Satsumas on top. The add a second layer of muffin - a thin slice works best. Next add the second patty, and a hefty scoop of spinach. You can now add a drizzle of maple syrup and hot sauce over top. Close with the final layer of muffin.

Serve!

My Pressed Juicery 3-Day Cleanse. Juice Bonanza.

December 13, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 2 Comments

"Our bodies require vital nutrients to function at their optimal levels, and the quickest and most natural way to get them is through fresh juice." - Pressed Juicery website.

Last week I signed on to try 3-day juice cleanse via the Los Angeles-based company Pressed Juicery. The juice-guru trio behind the company: Hayden Slater, Carly Brien and Hedi Gores. The Pressed Juicery has locations in Malibu and Brentwood and just opened a new West Hollywood location (the first super fan customer of the day? Nicole Richie).

Fresh off my 3 day juice-chugging bonanza - green, red, white, yellow and pink colored fresh juices on demand - at my fingertips - I can say I am a changed lady. And I have one new reason to love LA.

Juice Journey. Although I not a juicing-newbie, during this cleanse I was shocked to discover a few new things about my body and juicing. Get my story and lessons learned on my Pressed Juicery 3-Day cleanse..

Why Cleanse? For complete info on why juice cleansing and drinking is awesome for your body, mind and spirit head over to the Pressed Juicery's website. It is packed with interesting tidbits and info on their product. Start with their "Why Cleanse?" page.

Star-Studded Juice. After some extensive googling of LA-based juice delivery services, I settled on PJ. But it wasn't until after I coordinated my cleanse that I discovered I had chosen a celeb-frequented company. Which is always fun to hear. From Demi Moore to Paris Hilton, Rachel Zoe and Pressed Juicery super fan Nicole Richie, LA celebs seem to go gaga for this place - see their many tweet raves. But is it all a bunch of celeb-fitness-trend hype? No way. And here's why...

The Pressed Juicery has been called "the modern day milkman - but for juice!" So true. And so much better than milk!! Let me paint the picture for you..

Cleanse Day One. 6am. My kitty dives under the covers of my bed and nuzzles up to my leg like a scared little sand crab. Snug and safe between the fluffy covers I pet her little head and say thanks for letting me know my juice has arrived for the day. I don't know how she heard the silent tip toe of the early AM juice delivery person out front - but she did.

I climb from my bed and groggily stumble to the front door. I peek outside and sure enough the magical "juice elves" of the Pressed Juicery have left a very blissful gift on my doorstep. Fresh pressed juice. Juiced that morning. Made from organic ingredients (except in a few rare occasions when organic ingredients are unavailable).

I open my door, a gush of crisp California fall morning air on my face - which feels quite nice actually - grab the cardboard delivery carton and whisk myself back inside to pile my fresh juices in the fridge.

Day One. Juice One. I pop open my carton to reveal a juice pirate's treasure trove of goodies. I may have squealed in delight. I found the six juices I selected from the diverse Pj menu as well as two bonus beverages: Aloe Water and Chlorophyll Water with apple extract. Beautiful bright colors. The best part about Pressed Juicery is the fact that they do not pasteurize their juices - they are raw and fresh. As you probably know, those popular store-bought juices are always flash pasteurized - heated - not raw.

Raw juice is the same as you would get juicing at home with your own juicer and fresh ingredients. However, PJ uses this super awesome machine called a Hydraulic Press - it allows for optimal nutrient density and the least amount of oxidation.

Inside my delivery box was also a handy little cleanse-guide card that gave me a quick intro and a few helpful tips and instructions on my cleanse. You can also contact the JP folks at any time with questions during your cleanse.

For juice one, I grabbed the bottle labeled #1 and the rest was bliss.

For the next three days, I was chugging juice after juice after juice. With a few of those lovely aloe and chlorophyll waters and their Almond milks in between. Here are some of the lessons I learned on this cleanse..

Juice Cleanse Lessons.

* The first day - especially in the morning hours - I was craving, no, pleading with myself for a hot beverage in the morning. Soy chai, herbal tea or a bold espresso soy latte. I wanted heat, sweet, creamy and caffeine. And I wanted it NOW. Lesson: I realized am (was) totally addicted to my morning mug fix.

* After three days of nothing but fresh, nutrient-infused, hydrating, raw, living juice in the AM I kicked my morning chai/coffee/latte cravings. Actually, I had a chai first thing in the morning yesterday just to see how that would feel - and I felt like crap afterwords. My mouth felt coated in sweetened, heavy soy milk, the caffeine didn't really do anything nice for me. The sweetness made me crash in burn an hour later. Lesson: I totally don't need a hot beverage first thing in the AM. I need juice. Maybe I have replaced my old addiction with a new one. But this new AM juice addiction is one that makes me feel super energized and all around lovely. Not fighting this habit, I'm embracing it. (And if I crave a hot mug I'll go for it in the afternoon instead of first thing in the AM. Good stuff first!)

* Some people may think that you need to space your juices out evenly throughout the day. Well sometimes I'd drink 2 juices back to back then have an extra long time in between my next craving. Lesson: Listen to your body when juicing. There are no rules to the process. Simply give your body access to plentiful nutrient-dense juice and your cravings will do the rest.

* I really tried to do all-juice for three days. But truth be told, I didn't do it. I didn't really want to - I really just wanted mostly juice all day just to remember how that felt. So this time around I did nothing but juice until the late afternoon and then I had a healthy macrobiotic or raw light dinner. And I usually delegated one juice a day to my husband so that I had that extra room for a light dinner. (Because yes, 6 juices/8 liquids a day is a lot of nutrient satisfaction!) Lesson: Food bloggers make bad juice fasters. (Maybe next time though. In spring. Not fall the busiest time of year for food bloggers.)

* Luckily, (no pun intended) I also had a delivery from OneLuckyDuck.com during my cleanse. So I had some raw snacks in the evening on that first day. The raw snacks of spicy cashews and hemp granola went perfectly with my juice. Lesson: If you have to nibble while on your cleanse try raw snacks - something salty like cashews was perfect for me.

* The most shocking thing I found while on this journey was that my sugar cravings were gone. Like totally gone. I had been on a vegan frozen yogurt kick the week before my cleanse and all the sudden I didn't even want to look at the stuff. All I wanted was fresh greens, whole grains, and tons of that fresh-pressed juice. Lesson: Feeding your body a plentiful dose of good stuff, nutrients, antioxidants, enzymes from fruits and veggies will indeed make your body tune into its natural cravings for nutrients as opposed to its unnatural cravings for sugar, fat, caffeine and more.

* As I mentioned, my husband was generously donated one juice a day by me. I gave him the pineapple, coconut water juice "Detox 4" since he loves coconut water and enzymes in fresh pineapple juice are very good for his winter allergies. He adored his juice. Lesson: Boys love juice. And even stubborn husbands may start to crave juice and yearn to satisfy their juice kick. Juice with the ones you love!

* On day 2 I fell in love with my favorite drink. The Greens 3. It contains a laundry list of ingredients I adore. Ginger, romaine, kale, apple, lemon, spinach, parsley, cucumber. It has this salty, sweet, grassy, spicy, tart flavor that makes me feel awesome. It was labeled as juice #3 for the day - but I drank it first on days 2 and 3. Lesson: When doing a cleanse, you don't have to drink the juices in order. And when you find "your juice" - the blend that works for you - remember it.

So those are just a few of my juicing revelations. The reversing of my "morning chai cravings" and "sugar cravings" is what startled me most. I have so much more energy throughout the day when I start with juice instead of a latte.

Pressed Juicery Review. I've tried a lot of juice companies both for juice delivery and for juice bar juices) - some of them I adore like NYC's One Lucky Duck and Organic Avenue. And others I didn't really care for (won't name those). And hands down Pressed Juicery is at the very tip top of quality, flavor, and all around customer service satisfaction. I adored everything about my juice. From the daily delivery service to the bonus waters included in my cleanse.

So if you are lucky enough to live in LA and curious about juicing, I would highly recommend trying Pressed Juicery. And if you are turned off by the price of "a few juices" just stop and think about what those juices contain. Loads of nutrients. In fact, if you really think about what you are feeding your body - the value in that - the juices come out to be a deal. A steal. And the home delivery service is a fantastic value compared to others I've experienced. The proof that I love this place?..

A few days after my juice cleanse ended and my plentiful juice was gone, I hopped on the computer with my husband and we had a serious discussion. A juice discussion. We decided that we felt so amazing drinking this juice that it was absolutely worth the investment to sign up for a monthly program. So that's what we did.

As I am writing this, I am sipping my beloved Greens 3 juice that was delivered to me early this Sunday morning by the PJ juice elves.

Don't live in LA? Don't fret, there are plenty of awesome juice delivery companies around the country. Find one that has the following qualities:
* juices locally (you don't want juice that was shipped across the country!)
* uses organic or mostly organic ingredients
* has home delivery options - preferably in-house delivery
* doesn't pasteurize - raw juices
* gets good reviews!

Connect with the Pressed Juicery:
Twitter
Facebook
Website

In exchange for this review I was given a trial 3-day cleanse by Pressed Juicery. (But now I am a full-time fan and customer on my own dime - because they truly rock that much!)

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up 12/12

December 12, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: holiday-infused recipes including Cocoa Cardamom Cake, Holiday Lattes - veganized, Soba Noodle Stir-Fry, my coziest soup ever: Leek, Potato, Mushroom with vegan Field Roast Sausages, my list of the top ten best vegan cheeses - and more inspiration your meatless day and the week ahead! Plus find out my holiday favorite treat of the week...

Holiday Season Eats. Celebrate the holidays with the help of my other site: FindingVegan.com - hundreds of vegan recipes sure to inspire you (and more being posted everyday). From savory to sweet. FindingVegan's #HOLIDAY tag

And my featured Holiday Treat of the Week: Caramel Apple Pie.

Holiday cider caramel sauce...

...perfect holiday treat for topping my vegan apple pie..

cider caramel sauce + apple pie = caramel apple pie..

Onto the Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 12/12

* Meal: Soba Noodle Meal with Tofu and Veggies
This simple stir-fry is a meal in a bowl. Creamy garlic sauce coats tender udon noodles, tofu and veggies mixed in.

* Holiday Treat: Cocoa Cardamom Cake with Cashew and Coconut
Cardamom and cocoa seemed like an odd combo to me - until I experimented by baking this tender tea cake. Rich chocolate chips, cocoa cake spiced with cardamom and ginger, a swirl of cashew butter and coconut on top. Love this one!

* Vegan Cheese: 10 Favorite Vegan Cheeses
Maybe you are trying to go vegan but simply cannot kick your cheese obsession. Well this is the post for you! From fine aged cheese to low-brow bright orange cheez dip - take your cheese cravings to a very vegan place with my ten faves!

* Cozy Stew: Leek, Potato, Mushroom Stew
This cozy, golden-colored stew is rich and soothing with a spicy garlic chipotle accent. Leeks, purple and white potatoes, two kinds of mushrooms, tender pasta and California garlic make this stew fantastic. Accented with a Field Roast Spicy Chipotle vegan sausage.

* Beverages: Veganizing Holiday Lattes
Take THAT Starbucks! If you won't make me a vegan Gingerbread or Nog Latte - I'll just have to make one myself. And I did. And they are lovely. Here are my recipes for those fancy holiday lattes - gone vegan...

like this minty cocoa - vegan!

* Soba: Slime Peanut Soba Meal
If you are a soba noodle lover like me, you will really appreciate this lime peanut soba bowl accented with broccoli and tofu triangles.

* Snow Day!! 14 Snow Day Recipes!
When those snow days come, you'll want to be prepared! Here are 14 of my have recipes to inspire you - and get you energized for some serious snowball fights and snow-angel making sessions.

Also, be sure to check out this year's Veggie Girl Power Series. And catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast, a la Pita!

December 10, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Juicy golden winter satsumas, silky sliced bananas and zesty green kiwis pair perfectly with this cozy platter of holiday french toast - a la pita!..

My latest breakfast creation: tender, crisp edged Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast Triangles (a la Pita). These crazy cool pita triangles are worth staying cozy in your PJs for.

Holiday Mood. Why fight it? Embrace your cozy, festive, just-wanna-nap-and-watch-holiday-movies-all-day mood this weekend. Soak it in. And if you are lucky, maybe a few snowflakes outside. Or at least some sparkly sunshine...

Happy Morning.

Golden satsumas. Winter citrus infused..

Drown these babies in maple syrup why don't you..

Crispy edges, moist soy nog insides..

Pita French Toast. I always seem to have leftover pita bread on hand. Even more than traditional sliced bread. So no wonder I love experimenting with leftover pita in recipes. This past Thanksgiving I was wowed by my Pita Bread Stuffing. And these pita bread french toast bites were a success too.

Two Ways. There are two ways to make these french toast triangles. Classic crispy or Panko crusted. The Panko version is moist and crispy - a hint of fried coating makes them more decadent. I am a sucker for anything crusted in Panko crumbs. And this soy nog toast is no exception.

This delicious, maple-splashed platter pairs well with a tall mug of something warm. A spiced vanilla latte or soy nog perhaps...

Grab this recipe and stay in for a weekend morning. And ps, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal fans, eat your heart out. Totally reminiscent of that childhood have cereal...

Cinnamon Citrus Soy Nog French Toast a la Pita
vegan, makes 24 triangles

3 pita bread rounds, sliced into triangles (8 per pita)
soaking liquid:
2 cups soy nog (try Earth Balance or Silk brands)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
2 small satsuma oranges or tangerines, squeezed
light grind of satsuma orange zest too

optional: 1 cup Panko crumbs
to saute triangles: 2 tablespoon safflower oil + 2 tablespoon vegan butter

note: yes! you could easily make this using regular sliced bread. The panko crust may even work too. 🙂

Directions:

1. Mix your soaking liquid in a wide shallow dish.
2. Slice your pita and add to the liquid. Squish pita down with a fork so that the pita can soak up as much liquid as possible. You may need to soak in batches if using a small dish. I like to allow the pita to soak for a few minutes for optimal flavor absorption. Pita is strong enough to not get mushy. And if you want truly crispy french toast triangles you can just soak for a few seconds.
3. Turn a saute pan to high and add 2-3 teaspoon safflower oils and 1 teaspoon vegan butter.
2. When oil and butter are sizzling hot, add in enough triangles to fill the pan. (Coat triangles in Panko now if doing that version. You may need a splash more oil if using the Panko version.)
3. Allow to cook on each side for about 3 minutes. You want the edges to crisp and the surface to brown. I like to add another dash of cinnamon while the toast is cooking. Flip and repeat on other side. Important: add in 2-3 tablespoon of the soaking liquid to the triangles now and let the moisture absorb into the triangles. This step is optional - but really creates an extra moistness that makes the french toast texture happen. Do this for every batch of triangles.
4. Remove triangles and repeat with all your pita - you will need to add a bit more oil and butter as you add more triangles to pan.
5. When you have cooked all the triangles, allow to cool. Serve with fresh fruit and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. yum yum yum. Enjoy!

Yum Tip: I like to add in a few squashed satsumas to the state pan. They taste yummy as a garnish and add nice flavor and moisture to the toast as it cooks.

And who needs Starbucks, when you can easily craft your own vegan holiday bevies at home with these tips and recipes.

One Lucky Duck Giveaway! And 15% Off! Gift Ideas Galore.

December 7, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Holiday offering for you, my wonderful readers! I'm excited to bring you guys a giveaway from one of my favorite brands: One Lucky Duck. Enter to win a $50 e-certificate to the OneLuckyDuck.com online store. But wait! There's more. Since you are reading this post, you get a treat: a holiday discount code for 15% off any One Lucky Duck e-store purchase.

So get all your holiday shopping done in one healthy, happy, vegan swoop! And also ahead, I'll share my Top 10 favorite One Lucky Duck products/gift ideas and why I love them. Happy holiday giveaway details ahead!..

One Lucky Duck NYC. There are a lot of things that I miss about living in NYC. Babycakes' Toasties. Visiting the Moo Shoes kitty cats. Central Park in spring. The Union Square Greenmarket. A blanket of snowfall covering Washington Square Park. Broadway. And grabbing a fresh juice, and side o' Mallomar, from One Lucky Duck takeaway. Or having a fancy night out at Pure Food and Wine.

Ah, if you are in NYC go visit Sarma's spots in person for amazing food, treats and sips..

I'm a huge fan of Sarma's inspiring brand/raw vegan empire. So since I'm Cali-dreaming out here in Los Angeles for a while, I love that I can get OLD goodies delivered to my doorstep. Now if only they shipped that darn amazing raw taco salad.

Holiday Discount for Healthy. Happy. Life. Readers: 15% off any OneLuckyDuck.com purchase!

Coupon Code: LUCKYLUNCH (all caps, no space, no quotes!) The code will expire January 31st, 2012.

And now for the giveaway details..

One Lucky Duck.com Giveaway!

THE GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. Congrats to the winner: Jaclyn W.

The Giveaway Prize: (1) winner will receive a $50 One Lucky Duck.com e-certificate
*a coupon code will be emailed to the winner for immediate use at oneluckyduck.com!
How to Enter:

*ENTER -> enter by commenting on this post. You must comment to gain initial entry into the giveaway. Comment by telling me what your favorite One Lucky Duck store item is OR what you might buy if you win.

Additional entries:
* tweet this post and include @replies as shown: " I just entered the @OneLuckyDuck Giveaway hosted by @Lunchboxbunch - enter here: http://bit.ly/tEhDDI "
* share this post on Facebook (easy share link at top)

NOTE: for additional entries add the tags #tweet and/or #FB to your comment so I know that you shared.

Giveaway Entry Period Ends Wednesday December 14th at 12pm PST (I'll tweet the winner and contact via email)

Below you'll find my One Lucky Duck Holiday Gift Favorites (and don't feel bad if you end up shopping for yourself. The best gifts are usually the ones you'd like to receive yourself anyways!)

Kathy's One Lucky Duck Gift Guide and Favorites

1. Buckwheat and Hemp Granola
This granola is amazing! I tried it for the first time a few days ago and nearly ate the entire bag. It is slightly moist and chewy - yest nutty and crisp at the same time. The flavor has a mild sweetness that is just right for a healthy treat or snack any time of day. This granola rocks.

2. Cheesy Quackers
My first love from the edible snacks department of OLD. These savory, cheezy squares are quite addictive and will remind you of devouring handfuls of cheez-its as a kid. Only these little squares are dairy-free. Packed with super healthy ingredients like nutritional yeast. My husband goes gaga for these treats. I can't leave him alone with a bag.

3. Rawtella
Yes, it is like "Nutella" for the raw, vegan (chocolate loving) folks out there. This stuff is creamy, rich and totally blissful. Eat it with a spoon or use in smoothies, blend with vegan ice cream or spread it on anything that needs a boost of chocolate. Rawtella comes in a variety of flavors like mint and coffee.

4. Fruit Lip Gloss
I just bought a tube of this yummy lip gloss and love it. Shiny, rich color and totally natural. So you won't feel bad about "eating it off" as so often happens with lip gloss. Fruit pigments are oh so pretty. Love that, "All the antioxidants and vitamins in fruits are in the actual color, so you will be applying all the healthy nutrients of the fruits directly on your skin!"

5. Priti Polishes
Non-toxic nail polish. Need I say more? I simply can't use the drug store brands of polish anymore. Chemicals, yuck. I love knowing that even my fingertips are getting a healthy glow. Priti Polishes are "free from the three worst chemicals (commonly found in polish): toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate." Wide variety of colors too! And don't forget the non-toxic "Soy Remover" too!

6. Gypsy Rose Tea Astringent
I love a good toner. Love it. And this rose-essenced toner that comes in a spritzer bottle is pretty fabulous. I've bought it a few times and spritz it on my face whenever I need a hydrating perk to my skin. Plus who doesn't love that it is, "Inspired by a 1500-year old formula made by Gypsies for the Queen of Hungary."

7. Dharma Glass Straws
Glass straws are a MUST have for any smoothie fan! Actually I think every household should have a few. These are awesome. You won't believe how chilled and extra cool your smoothie tastes when sipped from these silky glass straws. Lifetime guarantee! Super durable. Don't forget to buy a straw cleaning brush too. These straws come in straight or slightly tilted.

8. Eat Raw Live Long Tee and/or One Lucky Duck Tote
I own both. The tee is super soft and slightly springy which I love. Light and super cute with jeans. I love my hot pink tote bag too. Super durable and heavy duty. Both items are high quality and show your spirit for all things Duck.

9. Rose du Jour Face Cream
I adore this rose-scented cream. It is thick and rich yet goes on silky. Super hydrating, yet never makes my face feel greasy. Nourishing. Perfect moisturizer for dry seasonal months.

10. Spicy Cashews
Another favorite of my husband's! He craves these salty, spicy, slightly sweet cashews. High quality nuts. Perfect for snacking any time of day. I can never buy just one bag of these because they are usually gone by the next day and we are all left craving more!

More of my Pure Food and Wine/One Lucky Duck Links:
* Raw Eats NYC: featuring OLD's yummies.
* Sarma's Veggie Girl Power Interview!
* OLD's Raw Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Review
* Raw Cheesy Quackers Review
* Mallomar Review

And here are more OLD products I LOVE... I've crossed the line to gushing haven't I?

* Sarma's books!
* Goldenberries - sweet-tart, chewy, snacking bliss!
* Blondie Macaroons - amazing coconut-lover's treat.
* Nutritional Yeast - my cheezy obsession
* Macadamia Nut Oil - my fave special oil for salads (I wish macadamia nuts were cheaper - I'd buy this stuff all the time!)
* Cocoa Pigmented Bronzer - chocolate for your face. Get cocoa-kissed. Just bought this and love it.
* RMS Living Luminizer - fab face/body cream if you want a little help getting that "glow"
* Alkaitis Organic Night Cream - not cheap, but worth it! My skin loves this stuff.
* Raw Cacao Powder - pantry staple for any healthy cook or baker!
* Chocolate Truffles - chocolate-lover's gift perfection.
* Pumpkinseed Oil - fancy pants oil, but oh so good for you.
* Rebounder - Aka trampoline. I don't own this. But I really want it. Would bounce all day long.
* Gift Sets! Yes Sarma has a whole slew of OLD gift sets all picked out for you. I think any of these would make your gift recipient very happy and healthy. Give the gift of GLOW!

Be sure to connect with One Lucky Duck and tell them how much you love them as well!

One Lucky Duck on Facebook
OLD on Twitter
One Lucky Duck's Website

love those smoothies..

Note: this is not a sponsored post. I receive nothing for hosting this giveaway. Except of course the joy and satisfaction of bringing you lovely readers a discount code and possible prize.

Easy Vegan Family Meal. HSUS Party too..

December 6, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This fancy, golden plate is loaded up with Vegan Southern Comfort eats with flavor combos I crave. It's all here: creamy, spicy, zesty, crispy, savory, sweet, sassy and a little bit of green too.

The eats: leftover cheesy shells, lovely wilted spinach, zesty sautéed sauerkraut, savory rice and red beans and some spicy Buffalo Bites. Grab a plate and dive into this buffet of deliciousness.

Ahead, get the recipes to create my Southern Comfort Plate and hear what I was up to this weekend!.. Including my time at the Humane Society Wrap Party here in LA - and my brush with fashion destiny as I pulled on my very first Vaute Couture coat. Emerald, plush, vegan fashion heaven..

Plate or Bowl? I'm not really a traditional kind of girl when it comes to dinner plating. Casual, cozy is my everyday style. I actually prefer my meals served in a bowl rather than on a plate. My bowl components piled high - usually a base of hefty greens, chopped veggies, fruit and grains - some steaming hot vegan protein on top. Sizzling tempeh, tofu triangles, rice, quinoa, beans and more. Maybe some mashed sweet potato off the the side. Herb roasted mushrooms. So many options all to be served via a cozy bowl.

But once in a while I get inspired to use the classic large plate as my vehicle for a meal. Wide fancy rim. This plate is a lovely golden yellow color. So traditional, yes? What's not to like. Traditional meal it is. Except of course that this family meal is plant-based perfection...

Love these crispy Buffalo Bites (only 3 ingredients!)..

Humane Society Wrap Party. This past Sunday I attended the Humane Society's annual "cast and crew" wrap party at Sony Studios. It's sort of a holiday party for animal lovers. The event featured a vegan brunch by Wolfgang Puck Catering as well as a speaking presentation from HSUS President Wayne Pacelle (love him) and a ceremony honoring Glee actress Charlotte Ross for her inspiring work for animals - most notably chimpanzees - details on Charlotte's website. Both Wayne and Charlotte were brilliant to listen to. So inspiring.

Charlotte Ross ended her award acceptance speech with a very moving story about Gretchen Wyler (Genesis Awards founder) and longtime animal activist. It brought tears to Charlotte's eyes, and many of those listening. During Charlotte's speech, one thing stood out to me. When she described her connection with chimpanzees,

"I looked into their eyes for the first time and saw myself."

I love that. I so often look into the eyes of animals and feel I see myself as well. The emotion, zest for life and love is something that radiates in both humans and animals. I truly adore being around people of all ages and backgrounds who share that common bond of loving animals with a passion. If you've never attended an "Animal Organization" event I highly recommend that you seek one out. The Humane Society has always been one of my faves.

Anyway, I also was thrilled to bid on and win a brilliant emerald green Vaute Couture coat in the silent auction. I love this coat. Leanne (VC founder) is brilliant. Read her VGP interview here. LOVE it...

Me off to the HSUS party at Sony Studios - then later with my new silent auction Vaute Couture coat..

And just to share the spotlight with my favorite California kitty cat..

Party Eats! Oh, and I can't forget the food. Brunch eats by Wolfgang Puck Catering were fab. Tempeh bacon. Mounds of the stuff. Tofu scramble. Fresh fruit. Vegan muffins. Crunchy cashew cabbage slaw. Crispy morning potatoes. Yum..

My new Urban Outfitters tee and vegan brunch spread (tempeh bacon)..

And now my own vegan feast - here are the recipes to create your own Southern Comfort Vegan Plate..

* Simple Wilted Spinach (see below)
* Sauteed Sauerkraut
* Cheez and Shells Pasta
* Spicy Panko-crusted Buffalo Nuggets OR sub with Toasty Pumpkin Fritters
* Cheezy Red Beans and Rice (see below)
..maybe add some sweet potato biscuits too!
..many more "southern vegan" recipes in this post (including cole slaw and crispy seitan fingers)

Wilted Spinach: Simply add a bag of baby spinach to your hot sauté pan either after or during your sauerkraut sauté process. You can ad a splay of EVOO and or apple cider vinegar too. I also added in a sprinkle of black pepper and nutritional yeast as the spinach wilted.

Red Beans and Rice:
1 part red beans (canned)
1 part brown rice or other grain (cooked with half water and half veggie broth)
season to taste with vegan butter, dried Italian seasoning and nutritional yeast. A splash of cider vinegar is a nice touch of acidity too.
I use plentiful amounts of nutritional yeast, by the way.

Having some leftover Shells & Cheez for this plate made it a super quick 20-minute meal...

Vegan Spicy Chipotle Shells and Cheese.

December 6, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 4 Comments

Meet my dinner last night: Vegan Spicy Chipotle Shells and Cheez. Totally served up seconds with this dish on the table.

Thick and creamy, spicy "cheese" sauce coats tender pasta shells. Dollop on a few more spoonfuls of sauce and pile on spicy, crispy, sizzling nubbins of Field Roast chipotle sausage - sautéed with zesty diced onion. The final step: green, fresh, fragrant chopped cilantro on top.

Each bite pairs bold spiciness with cozy, oozy, creaminess. And while this pasta is totally decadent - it's also loaded with healthy stuff! Sweet potatoes and beans anyone? Recipe ahead..

Sin Meets Goodness. This recipe is for satisfying your cheesy mac cravings. Or, cheesy shell cravings. So yes there is some serious decadence in this recipe. But I actually was totally out of Daiya and pre-made vegan cheese - so there is none in this recipe. The creaminess comes from some Earth Balance vegan butter and Silk plain vegan creamer. Richness complete.

But don't brush this off as a 'bad for you' dish. This sauce is amped up with a full can of white beans and a hefty dose of whole roasted sweet potato. Plus a nice scoop of nutritional yeast. And if you really want to purify your mac - simply reduce the vegan butter and switch out the soy creamer for soy milk.

Inspired by What? Do you remember those 90's commercials for Velveeta cheesy salsa. They'd cube the neon orange, weird processed "cheese" chunks and microwave them with a jar of bottled salsa and "voila!" - you have a crazy orange concoction of cheese sauce with salsa. Salsa cheese dip. Well I loved that commercial. It just looked fun. And how genius to pair orange, sharp cheese with bold chunky salsa for instant dip enjoyment! 🙂

..But of course, the components of that recipe are pretty appalling to me now. And not vegan. Fake cheese and bad salsa doesn't really turn me on - so I took what I liked about that recipe (the cheese meets salsa) and veganized it to yumminess for this Spicy Chipotle Cheesy Pasta. Filing this recipe under -> cravings.

Funny how inspiration often comes from the dark food-memory-filled corners of my brain.

Vegan Spicy Chipotle Shells and Cheese with Cilantro + Crispy Bits

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 12/06/2011
Delicious spicy mac and cheese spin, made using sweet potato cheez sauce. I used Field Roast for the crispy bits on top!

Ingredients

6 cups of cooked pasta shells
Cheese Sauce:
5 tablespoon Earth Balance, vegan butter, melted
1 ½ cups mashed, baked sweet potato
½ cup spicy salsa, chunky OR ¼ cup hot sauce
½ cup non-dairy milk
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 garlic clove
½ cup nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste
Topping:
1 small onion, diced
2 spicy chipotle vegan sausages, Field Roast used - diced into cubes
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup mushrooms, chopped (optional)
Garnish: fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

(Pasta has been cooked and set aside) -- Sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Pour sauce into a small sauce pot and simmer on medium until bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer on low until ready to use.
Warm a skillet over high heat with the EVOO. Add in the vegan sausages, onion and optional mushroom. Saute for 2-4 minutes or until onions begin to caramelize and sausage bits crisp up on the edges.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked pasta with a cup or more of the sauce. Plate the pasta and add more sauce on top to taste. Top with the crispy bits and cilantro. Serve!

Yield: 8 cups, 4 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins. Total time: 30 mins. Tags: pasta,mac and cheese,entree,dinner,vegan,spicy,shells,cheese sauce,

notes:

* For extra cheesy pasta, toss the warm pasta in an extra scoop of nutritional yeast before adding sauce.

* You could even serve with an extra spoonful of salsa over top each plate of pasta.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up 12/5

December 5, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: holiday-infused recipes including Pumpkin Macadamia Scones, Frosty Holiday Cocoa Shake, Cardamom Breakfast Latte, Cinna-Sugar Flutes and a few fun recipes like Spicy Vegan Buffalo Nuggets (with only 3 ingredients!) and my right-now obsession: sautéed sauerkraut - and more inspiration your meatless day and the week ahead!...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 12/5

* Easy Protein Recipe: 3 Ingredient Buffalo Nuggets
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. These super flavor-packed bites are covered in crisp Panko crumbs - a spicy kick of hot sauce in each zesty bite. Veggie protein-packed.

* Holiday Treat: Holiday Frozen Cocoa
Every year I whip out the frozen cocoa recipe for a frosty treat that might not be the best idea when 'coming in from the cold' - but it certainly is delicious is sipping by a warm roaring fire, or even for my friends in not-so-snowy climates (like myself in LA this year!) Frozen coconut milk ice cream cocoa shakes with vegan dandies on top are the best!

* Treat: Cinna-Sugar Flutes
A lovely accompaniment to your hot bevies this holiday season: my Cinnamon Sugar Hazelnut Flute Twists. Sticky caramelized cinna-sugar crusting these tender pastry wands. Lovely!

* Beverage: Cozy Cardamom Nog Breakfast Latte
This cardamom-spiced breakfast latte is sophisticated and cozy all at the same time. It satisfies my new found cravings for all things cardamom.

* Side Dish: Sauteed Sauerkraut
Sauteed sauerkraut is my latest obsession. I think I've served it at dinner every night for the past week. I just love the zesty flavor of sauerkraut warmed to a perfectly cozy temperature - some fine pepper and other flavor accents added to the mix. Give this easy recipe a try to perk up just about any meal.

* Cookie: Coconut Snowball Cookies
The best part of holiday feasting is bringing back your favorite recipes year after year. These coconut snowballs are a holiday standard in my house - I enjoy them every year (with or without a pre-treat snowball fight.)

* Protein Side Dish: Citrus Scented Tofu Cubes
I featured these tasty little tofu cubes in my "Salad for Breakfast" recipe post. I love this simply morning-approved tofu recipe. It's a little bit of tofu in the AM, without the standard "scramble."

* Treat: Pumpkin Macadamia Scones
Still hoarding a pantry full of canned pumpkin? This recipe is for you! Buttery, cake-like scones are flavored with spiced pumpkin and studded with buttery crisp macadamia nuts. Perfect pairing for your AM holiday cocoa, latte, tea or nog.

* Holiday Side: Pita Stuffing
Just in case you missed one of my favorite recipes from Thanksgiving - read up and bookmark this one for the upcoming December holiday feasting. Perfect pita stuffing is my mistake-gone-good.

Something sweet, something to sip, something protein-packed and something green (my Meatless Monday round-up needed that something green..)

* Easy Salad: Easy Cheezy Kale
Put some greens on our dinner table in a flash with this basic nutritional yeast-infused kale recipe.

Also, be sure to check out this year's Veggie Girl Power Series. And catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 11/28 - Post-Thanksgiving Meatless Monday recipe.
* 11/14 - Pre-Thanksgiving Meatless Monday recipe.
* 11/7 - Pumpkin Cheesecake, BBQ Chickpea Wrap, Easy Spicy Chick'n Ranch Wrap, Concord Cranberry Sauce and more!
* 10/31 - Halloween Bonanza - treats, sips, and more..
* 10/24 - Banana Pecan Muffins, Halloween Candy Veganized, Halloween Cupcakes.
* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli cheesy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Salad for Breakfast: Green Your AM. Try it!

November 30, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 5 Comments

If you're sick and tired of following the pack and ordering up a classic "sweet heavy" American breakfast, this post is for you! And even if you think that Salad for Breakfast sounds simply nuts - you should still read on. Maybe all this sunrise salad talk will inspire you to give it a try. Before you know it, you may be having crunchy green salad cravings before noon too!..

Last time I chatted about "veggies for breakfast" you guys caught on just fine. So I'm doing it again!

A green 'n savory, lightly sweet breakfast to serve up. Power fuel...

Sometimes sweet is nice (my vegan Pumpkin Cinna Rolls), but not everyday!..

Sweet Mornings. It always boggled my mind as a kid. I'd peer down at the bowl of cereal I had just devoured and see a few soggy bites of colorful grain cereal swirling around in my milk - which was now a fuzzy, gray, mashed-up-rainbowish color. A sweet sugar rush on my lips, I'd head out the door.

Yup, like many children of the 80's and 90's, I was a cereal junkie. Pops were my fave. I couldn't wait for breakfast. Sugar at sunrise? Yes please! Of course my parents yanked those sugary cereals from my reach at every chance they could get - but really - what parent can compete with the marketing genius of Capt'n Crunch, the Lucky Charms leprechaun and those cute little kids shouting "Kix are for kids!"

Sweet breakfasts are a tradition in America. Donuts, muffins, cinna buns, maple-drizzled french toast, pancakes, sweetened cold and hot cereal, Poptarts, orange juice, whip-cream-topped coffee lattes, sweet yogurt parfaits and more make up our insulin-overdriving AM menu. But it only takes a few too many mid-morning sugar highs to make your somewhat more rational than childhood, adult mind pause and ask, "why is my breakfast always so sweet?"

As we grow up we tend to realize that fluorescent crunchy cereal may not be the best choice to fuel our day. But that "choice" we make is what really defines our diets. Even if you've canned the kiddie cereal, you may still be grabbing fat-laden, white flour muffins or sugary "healthy" granola bars for your AM fix - side of an XL caffine-infused latte.

Ask yourself this: what color is my breakfast? If it is brown and beige you need to seriously rethink your routine. Add some color to that meal (and I don't mean the fluorescent rainbow sugar kind of color). I mean colors from whole food fruits and veggies!

Happily, it seems that since my youth, traditional American breakfast options have gotten better. Well, good stuff is out there for sure. Whole grain cereals with fresh and frozen fruit, frosty fruit smoothies, fresh juices, green juices, protein-rich tofu scrambles or a homemade vegan breakfast sandwich stuffed with grilled veggies.

And once you change your palate (vegans know this well) you'll start craving healthy, green, whole foods - fruits and veggies. That evening dinner salad becomes the highlight of your day (you actually crave it!) - so maybe it makes you wonder..

Hm, why not salad for breakfast??

salad + sunrise citrus tofu cubes:

Salad it is! The first time I had a big bowl of salad for breakfast I was living in NYC. I had a huge bowl of vegan cole slaw chilling in the fridge from the day before. It was strange. I went to blend up a smoothie and that slaw caught my eye. Those crunchy greens all coated in creamy dressing, light, zesty, chilled, scrumptious. I had a morning salad craving.

I grabbed the bowl and my fork and dug in at around 10:30am. I thought I was nuts. I felt like I was living on the edge! Who eats a big bowl of salad for breakfast? But as I crunched further into the bowl feeling that immediate high of those vitamin and mineral-rich greens entering my body I was oh-so-happy. This totally made sense.

So whenever I have a greens craving before noon I don't fight it. I embrace it! And I totally want you to do the same.

My basic recipe for a "Breakfast Salad" is below. But you can switch up the ingredients however you like. Just let the greens guide you 🙂

Time Note: "breakfast" doesn't have to be 8am or even 9am. You can still have your coffee and toast when you rise. But don't shy away from making mid-morning greens your true power fuel for the day! You can eat a big bowl of greens as a mid-morning bite or early lunch. You don't have to wait until the sun sets to get up close and personal with a big bowl of veggies.

Kathy's Breakfast Salad Components

The Greens: I like either something chilled and crunchy like a flavorful slaw or something super light like a spring mix or spicy arugula. Romaine hearts are nice too. You could also do something heartier like kale or even broccoli - but start out light and build to suite your taste buds. And of course you can add other "veggies" like shredded carrots, radishes, beets, sprouts and more. "Greens" really means veggies. However, leafy greens are the base of most my breakfast salads.

Lotsa leafy greens dotted with colorful accents..

The Grains: I love adding a scoop of whole grains to my salad. I like brown rice or quinoa best. For ease, I grab one of those microwavable brown rice packs and scoop about ¾ cup of grains over top my greens. The grains really give the salad more weight and the slight warmth of the grains is a nice accent to the cool veggies. You could try: wild rice, white or brown rice, millet, barley, quinoa..

The Fruit: I have to add an accent of fruit to my breakfast salads. Citrus is my fave. Freshly cut grapefruit segments, mandarin oranges, or tangerines are lovely. Also try berries, apples, grapes or tropical fruits like banana and papaya. Dried fruit is also a nice touch. Fruit gives the salad some zing, adds hydration and adds a subtle amount of that 'sweet' you may be used to.

Juicy white grapefruit is a zing-y accent..

Seeds/Nuts: Super important step because you will be adding some healthy fats, protein and fiber. Nuts and seeds are packed with nutrients and will help keep you full longer. Pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans and more are fabulous.

The Dressing: I keep the dressing simple. Something light and zingy or mildly creamy for slaws. Apple cider vinegar based dressings are probably my have for the AM. The alkalizing effect on your body is great for the AM. A light accent of oil is nice too. I like lighter oils like macadamia nut or grape seed. Tahini is also a nice accent for a dressing. Rice vinegar is another zingy ingredient for your dressing. Another great 'dressing' is to simply squeeze some fresh orange juice and whisk it with a bit of oil, pepper, spices, pinch of salt. Light and lovely.

The Protein: Of course all fruits and veggies contain protein, but if you want to add some super dense protein sources to your salad try tofu cubes, seared tempeh, tempeh bacon or even beans! I love adding just a few cubes of my citrus-seared tofu cubes...

Citrus Seared Tofu..

Other: I love adding other randoms like avocado, salsa, sauerkraut, coconut shreds, seaweed, assorted veggies and more to my salads. If you crave it - you can add it!

Get this recipe below!..

Breakfast Salad Recipe (as shown in photos)

2+ cubes Citrus Seared Tofu Cubes - recipe here
2 cups spring mix, organic
1 tablespoon dried cranberries, organic
½ white grapefruit, peeled/sliced/deseeded
⅓ cup mandarin orange slices
fine black pepper
dressing: macadamia nut oil/apple cider vinegar/agave/pepper
1 cup brown rice, short-grained
⅓ cup avocado cubes tossed in lime juice
1 tablespoon pistachios

What's your favorite untraditional/healthy breakfast recipe?? Or what would you put in your salad for breakfast bowl?

ZingBerry Holiday Wrap! Tempeh, Cranberry, Slaw.

November 29, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

After a sunny weekend of holiday loveliness, I'm finally settled in LA and ready to slowly sink myself into the warm fuzziness of the holiday season. And perky recipes like my ZingBerry Holiday Wrap are just the thing I need to keep my mood peppy and my energy up for the busy food-filled month ahead.

ZingBerry Tempeh. Sticky sweet cranberry tempeh meets cool, crunchy Vegenaise-slathered slaw and creamy fresh avocado - all snuggled together in an extra large whole wheat wrap. Hand-held lunchtime bliss packed with zing-y flavor, protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and maybe even a little holiday cheer...

Over the weekend, I whipped up a Cranberry Tempeh Avo-Slaw Salad. I fell in love with the flavors. Sticky sweet tempeh coated in leftover Thanksgiving cranberry sauce - overtop super easy slaw and avocado. It was kinda my last hurrah to Thanksgiving.

..salad version:

Well I decided to turn my farewell-Thanksgiving salad into a "hello holiday season" wrap! This Zing-Berry Holiday Wrap pairs well with my mood and meets my cravings for protein, crunchiness, zestiness and easy-to-eat-hand-held-ed-ness. 🙂

This is fall, really? The past 7 years I spent on the east coast, Thanksgiving meant whipping out my MooShoes boots, heavy scarves and winter coat. So my body is a bit confused by this "fall" weather.

This weekend here in LA, we enjoyed beautiful sunny weather - 85+ degree sunshine by the beach and plenty of blue skies, whisky ocean breezes and smoothie-sipping afternoons. I took my husband to Real Food Daily in Santa Monica for brunch on Sunday and it was fantastic. I used to go there often when I lived in LA ten years ago - but this was my husband's first RFD in SM brunch. Super C juice with extra ginger paired with a "weekender" breakfast. Vegan tofu scramble, wrench toast, amazing crispy tempeh bacon, cashew cheese sauce and more. Treats to go. Cinna buns (yum!)

I can't wait to round up some to-go eats at all my have LA spots to do a nice photo-review of my have dishes.

So I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend! And if you are looking for a fab Cyber Monday purchase to lead you into a healthy, happy New Year - might I suggest a Vitamix! Holiday deal: get a 32oz. extra container for only $50 (that is a deal, trust me!) Great to have an extra container around. My Vitamix was the best purchase I ever made for my kitchen. Get free shipping by clicking here..

ZingBerry Tempeh Wrap Wrap
vegan, serves 1, with leftover tempeh

tempeh
1 package of tempeh, sliced into about 8 “logs”
½ -¾ cup leftover cranberry sauce (jelly or whole berry)
2 tablespoon safflower oil
a few pinches of fresh pepper
salt to taste OR 1-2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
optional: 1 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup for added sweetness

½ avocado, sliced

Easy Slaw Salad
2-3 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup shredded white or sweet onion
2 tablespoon Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
1 ½ tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
⅛ teaspoon fine black pepper

1 XL whole wheat wrap

extra slather of vegan mayo + added Dijon mustard inside (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a saute pan on high with safflower oil. Add in the tempeh and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Rotate logs until some oil has been absorbed and all sides sizzle into a nice golden color. If adding additional sweetener, add now – over top hot tempeh.
2. Turn heat to medium and carefully add in the cranberry sauce one tablespoon at a time until the logs are coated in sticky sauce. Continue to sauté for a few minutes. You can add in as much or as little cranberry sauce as you’d like. Salt/pepper to taste or add in that splash of soy sauce.
3. Cool tempeh in pan by removing from heat. The sauce will get sticky upon cooling.
4. For the cabbage – a simple good toss and fold with the dressing will do. Very easy and light. You want the cabbage to stay crunchy and zesty – yet with a nice hint of creaminess front he vegenaise. Chill in fridge if not serving right away or making head of time (the chilled slaw will be a a bit more marinated that “just made” slaw.
5. Warm your tortilla wrap and start adding ingredients: add the cabbage, tempeh, leftover cranberry sauce from pan (or chilled unheated sauce as garnish). Slice avocado over top. Add extra mayo and or Dijon. wrap and serve. Need "wrap-rolling" instructions/tips? Watch video one here!

Artisana Giveaway! Organic Raw Nut Butters and More.

November 29, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 3 Comments

You guys know when I'm obsessed with a product. I tweet it. Rave. Gush. And whip out the camera. Foodie flashbulbs galore.

My latest product obsession comes from an awesome organic, raw brand called Artisana. Creamy, dreamy, rich, organic nut butter spreads (and more) so lovely that I simply had to ask them to allow me to host a giveaway of their goodies. They obliged me and I'm happy to offer you a chance to win their "Artisana Basket of Goodies!" GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED - Congrats to Cee for winning!..

*NOTE: this is a totally unsponsored post. I receive nothing but the joy and happiness of sharing some goodies with the lucky giveaway winner.*

Artisana. Raw. Organic. You may have seed their nut butters, coconut oil or tahini spreads at Whole Foods or other high quality natural foods stores. Upon moving to LA I've spotted a whole host of new-to-me products. Artisana's nut butter squeeze packs are my latest find. I luff them.

Nut Butters. I can't fully describe to you the bliss and enchantment associated with this nut butter. If you think your run of the mill peanut butter is as good as it gets - think again. This stuff is mind-blowing. If you've ever had raw nut butter you may know what I mean. Raw, organic, Artisana nut butter is just ridiculously yummy. Even if you don't win the giveaway - seek some out and give it a taste.

OK so the downside to Artisana nut butters versus your everyday nut butter is that they are not cheap. I paid $1.49 for one squeeze pack at Whole Foods. But you get what you pay for! These nut butters are so rich and creamy you'd think they were bad for you. Ha. No way. They are oh so good for you. Loaded with healthy fats, enzymes, vitamins, minerals. My have flavors: cashew or macadamia nut/cashew blend.

Artisana recently posted this on their Facebook page: "Did you know that over 80% of the fat in macadamia nuts is good-for-you monounsaturated fat? Macadamia nuts also contain the highest levels known of paimitoleic fatty acid, a beneficial fat also found in fish oils. When eaten as part of a heart smart diet, macadamia nuts can help further reduce the risks for cardiovascular disease."

So I'll stop raving, I think you get it. Now for he good part: The Artisana Giveaway!!..

The Giveaway Prize (1): A nice "Basket o' Goodies" from Artisana (items included may not be exact to the photo shown above)

How to Enter: GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED - CONGRATS TO CEE, THE WINNER OF THE ARTISANA PRIZE BASKET

*ENTER -> enter by commenting on this post. You must comment to gain initial entry into the giveaway. Comment by telling me what your favorite nut is and why!

Additional entries:
* tweet this post and include @replies as shown: " I just entered the @ArtisanaFoods Giveaway hosted by @Lunchboxbunch - enter here: http://bit.ly/rHakOb "
* share this post on Facebook (easy share link at top)

Artisana says.. "Using the most careful attention to detail, quality and handmade with care, our organic raw foods are crafted using a temperature controlled process that preserves the life-essential fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals."

***NOTE: in order to gain additional entries add the tags #tweet and/or #FB to your initial comment so I know that you tweeted and/or Facebook shared. I will be double checking to make sure the winner actually tweeted/fbed the post)***

Giveaway Entry Period Ends Monday December 5th at 12pm PST (I'll tweet the winner and contact via email)

Be sure to connect with Artisana and tell them how much you love them as well!..

Artisana on Facebook
Artisana on Twitter
Artisana's Website

Again .. this is NOT a sponsored post and I receive nothing for hosting this giveaway. Except of course the joy and satisfaction of bring free samples of yummy products to you, my glorious blog-readers. 🙂

Holiday Detox: Grapefruit-Cado Sunrise Smoothie (and Mishap Stuffing)

November 25, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 2 Comments

Well I'm happy to say that my Vegan Thanksgiving went perfectly!! Well, OK, not really. I guess it depends on your definition of perfect. Martha Stewart perfect? No way. But "Kathy perfect" in the end? Oh yes.

The high pressure day cluttered with sideline errands, missing ingredients and kitchen tools, lack-o-real-dining-table yet (a la moving in scenario), makeshift serving platters and "a very late start to cooking" may have been ingredients for disaster. But holidays always seems to turn out OK when you are surrounded by loved ones. That "perfect" snuggly moment surfaces. And suddenly, "perfect" has a new definition.

More Thanksgiving recap and my Black Friday "Detox" Smoothie Recipe ahead!..

Warm Fuzzy Holiday. That perfect feeling of warm-fuzzy bliss only surfaced once my husband and I were cozily settled into our seats with huge amber plates filled to the rims with vegan Thanksgiving deliciousness. I wish I had a photo - but really moments like that don't need food-blogger-interference. 🙂

..The day leading up to the described bliss was well, pure chaos. Mainly because we spent the morning continuing some "moving in" errands and I really didn't think I would be able to pull off a feast! But I scooted myself into the kitchen at around 4pm (yup, that late) and whipped up a gorgeous feast that I was pretty darn proud of. That's the great thing about vegan food - you can literally make it in just a hour or so if you have a good plan in order!

The Chaos? The stuffing mishap. You can read all about it here. But it worked out in the end as you can see from the delicious stuffing photo above... Pita Bread Stuffing anyone? Stuffing "Disaster" story and recipe deets here.

Grapefruit-Cado Smoothie. And lastly, this morning I was craving a detox smoothie. Luckily I had just crafted this recipe for the Dole Nutrition Newsletter. A tangy-tart-sweet blend of creamy avocado, zingy grapefruit juice, strawberries and comforting banana. I loved this blend and it was an ideal way to start :"Black Friday." Rich in fiber, healthy fats from the creamy avocado, potassium, vita C and more.

Grapefruit-Cado Sunrise Smoothie
serves 2

½ avocado
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice*
1 cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice*
1 cup DOLE frozen strawberries
¾ cup DOLE banana (use frozen banana slices for thicker smoothie)
¼ cup ice
optional: 1 teaspoon maple syrup
*use of fresh-squeezed juice is optional

Blend. Serve.

And be sure to sign up for Dole's Nutrition News Newsletter. It is packed with nutrition tidbits, recipes and more. I love it. (And my recipe will be in the next issue!) You'll receive a monthly email filled with healthy facts, nutrition findings and the latest nutrition news from top resources. I've been a newsletter subscriber for years now. Sign up at Dole's website.

So how did YOUR Thanksgiving go?? Any crazy mishaps or fun stories?? Vegan recipe success or even those nasty failures?

Dole Nutrition. Want more Dole inspiration? Be sure to check out my past posts..

* David Murdock (of Dole) Wellness Lessons, my commentary on the New York Times article
* Dole Health and Wellness Blogger Summit

more of my "mistake-gone-great" pita bread stuffing..

Healthy, Happy Vegan Thanksgiving 2011!

November 24, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

I hope you are all having a healthy, happy, safe Vegan Thanksgiving! Take a peek inside my holiday (the whirlwind that it is this year!)..

Sweet Potato Casserole with Dandies, Maple Syrup and Pecans on Top!..

I adore this easy Pumpkin Apple Harvest Rice! Whip some up today!..

Simple Cranberry Sauce with rosemary sprig garnish..

California Thanksgiving. I'm spending the holiday in Los Angeles and couldn't be more thrilled that I am wearing a spring-like dress and open-toed shoes in November. Quite a change from the east coast Thanksgivings I've been embracing the past 7 years or so. I'm loving Cali. Feels so good to be 'home' for a while this winter.

I'm getting quite addicted to all the vegan eats at my fingertips. I enjoyed some stellar takeout from Native Foods Westwood last night and finished up holiday food shopping among other non-winter-coat wearing Californians. Crazy.

I'm throwing together a last minute feast with only my Thanksgiving essentials to feast on - my faces since it is going to be a small gathering of my husband, myself and of course kitty cat Nelly.

I'm whipping up.. Cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing, lots of veggies and special salads, salt and pepper tempeh, my famous sweet potato pockets (really the star of any of my casual holiday feasts) and a few cranberry prosecco fizzes to go with the meal. Oh and I did find time to whip up a Pumpkin Pie. I used my 4 ingredient recipe - so there was really no excuse not to make one!

Here are a few of the photos that have been floating around my kitchen here in Cali all week (preps and test runs of today's dishes for the sake of blogging).

So Happy Thanksgiving - lets make this a food year filled with compassion health and happiness!

~Kathy

ps. For some breakfast fuel to get you through the holiday season check out my 18 "Holiday Season Breakfast Recipes!"

My 4 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie!..

Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream - chill a can of coconut milk, follow my ins ructions and enjoy this amazing creamy topping!..

My famous sweet potato pockets (special place in my heart each year!)..

Some tasty Fall Stuffing with pumpkin, vegan sausage, cranberries and chestnuts (stuffing basics tips)..

Easy Cheezy Pecan Kale - using my flash steam technique!..

Last Year I made the Field Roast Celebration Loaf (loved!)..

And don't forget the Nog and Persimmon Shakes!..

Holiday Breakfasts for the days ahead!..

Vegan Holiday Shakes: Soy Nog & Persimmon.

November 22, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

I adore two holiday flavors: creamy rich Soy Nog and sweet, juicy persimmon. And what better way to enjoy these two flavors than blended up into a creamy vegan dessert shake made from decadent coconut milk ice cream! Cinnamon spice and Dandies vegan toasted marshmallows accent my Soy Nog Shake and this peach-toned Persimmon Shake is a persimmon-lovers dream!..

Spiced Soy Nog with toasted marshmallows
vegan, serves 2

1 ½ cups vanilla Coconut Bliss ice cream (I like Luna & Larry's brand)
½ - ¾ cup Soy Nog (I used Earth Balance brand)
½ banana (use a frozen banana for a thicker shake)
dash of cinnamon
dash of cayenne
garnish: toothpick skewer of Dandies lightly toasted marshmallows

To Make:

1. Add ice cream and about ⅓ cup soy nog to blender. Add in spices and banana. Blend
2. As blending, add in more Soy Nog as desired.
3. Adjust thickened by adding in more nog or more coconut cream if desired. Extra spicy? Add in more cayenne.
4. Lightly toast vegan marshmallows over stove - or warm in microwave. Use as garnish. Serve.

This Coconut Persimmon Shake is a holiday treat to try! Creamy vanilla coconut milk ice cream blends together with juicy ripe persimmon fruit – a dash of cinnamon too. This perfectly holiday-approved shake can be all yours in a flash! Treat yourself to coconut persimmon bliss..

Creamy Coconut Persimmon Shake
vegan, serves 1-2

1 ½ cups vanilla coconut milk ice cream (Larry & Luna’s brand)
1 large RIPE persimmon fruit – skin removed
a few dashes of cinnamon
½ banana, (use a frozen banana for extra thickness)

To make:

1. Slightly soften the coconut ice cream.
2. Add all ingredients to blender and blend on low -> med until creamy. If need, add in a splash of soy or coconut milk to loosen the blend.

Thanksgiving Week: Meatless Monday Round-Up!

November 21, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Happy Thanksgiving week! It's the busiest time of year for at-home cooks, self-proclaimed foodies and food bloggers like me. Recipes, shopping lists, party preparations, bevies, table settings and plenty of pumpkin pies can keep our minds quite busy this week. So whether you are crafting an all-vegan feast or simply want to add some veg-friendly dishes to your spread - my recipes will give you a helping hand - and hopefully calm your mind just a tad.

From lovely pumpkin pie to hearty vegan stuffing and tangy sweet cranberry sauce - I've got you covered this holiday season! So here is this week's oversized Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen - PLUS my Thanksgiving inspiration for the week ahead...

(Babble Meatless Monday round-up follows the Thanksgiving recipe links)

Vegan Thanksgiving Round-Up! So many recipes, so little time.

Lets start with some Thanksgiving basics. This slideshow over at Babble has it all! Stuffing, cranberry sauce, veggie sides, entree ideas, desserts and more. Check out my 15 Vegan Thanksgiving recipes

Portia de Rossi: Veggie Girl Power Interview!

November 20, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

I'm so excited to be closing out my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series with Portia de Rossi, a passionate lover of animals and proud voice for vegans everywhere. Get to know Portia...

Cover Girl Vegan. Portia is no stranger to the spotlight. As a talented actress she attracts media attention at every turn. And Portia gracefully uses her celebrity spotlight to share her compassion and vegan message with the world.

Portia was on the cover of the July + Aug 2011 issue of VegNews. As well as a host of other media outlets. The two characteristics that stand out when I see Portia in action are "grace" and "compassion." Her grace in communicating her vegan beliefs is obvious. It comes so naturally to her. And her passionate love of animals always shines through. Her compassion speaks loud and clear.

I always feel proud to be vegan when I see Portia in the spotlight.

Power Vegans. It's no secret that Portia and Ellen make an exciting power couple in the world of vegan. I simply can't wait to see what they do next in their fight to save animals and change the world. A vegan restaurant perhaps? Rumors excitedly swirl! I can't wait to watch their tale unfold. They are a truly inspirational couple in so many ways.

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Portia

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Portia: I make a shake with mango, kale and almond milk. Kale is one of the best things you can eat, but I find it difficult to get my daily dose in any other way. Plus I'm told that blended kale absorbs faster than kale you have to chew. Actually, the shake is the second thing I drink. The first is a huge soy latte with agave nectar. I may be healthier since I've become vegan, but I still need caffeine!

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Portia: Kathy Freston, author of Veganist and Quantum Wellness among other books, is a huge inspiration to me. I have the privilege of knowing her so I can ask her any nutrition and heath question I may have. She also has the answer to any question about meat and dairy production, animal protection laws, the impact of animal consumption on the environment and whether or not to cut my hair. (The last one is specific to me but you get the point--Kathy knows everything.)

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Portia: Going out to dinner was a bit of a challenge at first, because I thought my only option was pasta with olive oil. But over time I've discovered that other cuisines, like Thai or Indian, have many vegan options in their menus. I do make a point of telling waiters that I'm vegan and I encourage them to talk to their chef about making more vegan dishes. This economy runs on supply and demand, so they more we demand, the more they'll supply.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Portia: I love animals and I can't eat them. And I don't feel okay with confining them into small crates and reducing them to things that produce food for humans.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Portia: I tell them how easy it is to be vegan. I tell them they can eat all the foods they love and they'll never have to feel deprived.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Portia: I don't know if I necessarily love to tell people about how bad dairy is for them, but I feel compelled to tell people how bad it is. After I completely gross them out by talking about puss cells, I then tell them how delicious soy and almond and rice milk are, and how great Follow Your Heart cheese is and how you can make cream out of cashews.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Portia: I make caviar from beluga lentils, sea salt and capers and I put it on top of a blini with vegan creme fraiche. It's delicious...especially with a glass of champagne.

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Portia: Cruelty to animals is just an excuse for cruelty.

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Portia: Criticism usually comes in the form of concern about nutrition--protein, to be precise. I just thank them for being interested my health and tell them the facts: plant protein is much healthier for you than animal protein and that we don't need nearly as much protein as we think.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Portia: Earth Balance, Veganaise, Field Roast sausages and everything from Gardein....oh, and chocolate Soy Delicious ice cream.

Connect with Portia:
Portia doesn't tweet but you can catch up with her appearances on The Ellen Show here: Portia on Ellen.

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series!

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Spa Water at Home. and Monterey.

November 18, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Today I arrived in Monterey California for a blogger summit hosted by Dole, on one of my all time favorite topics: salad. Yup, it's called "the salad summit" - I'm so freaking excited. Tomorrow, I'll get a first hand look at the true farm to table process, receive a tour of a Dole Growing Fields and Processing Plant - and immerse myself in what is only described as "Lettuce 101" - I think I could probably skip to Lettuce 102, but I'll humor them. So I can't wait to share all of what I learn with you guys very soon.

And to prepare for my trip, I have been chugging what I call "Spa Water" all week long. I like to nice and hydrated/relaxed when I embark on a travel adventure. Because lets face it, travel is usually anything but relaxing.

So, if you need a break from daily life - or just the dull glow of your computer screen - move into the kitchen and whip up a pitcher of this stuff. Instant Zen. My Spa Water recipe and the view from my room...

Not a bad view of the bay. Many more pics to come this weekend!..

This "Spa Water" is inspired by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel's water that they serve in their spa facility. I adore the Mandarin. And every time I have been lucky enough to visit their spa (I was married at the Mandarin in Miami!) I have gulped down their spa water. Laced with floating citrus rounds, and usually with a light pink hue. I think the Mandarin may add berry tea or some sort of tea or fruit juice as well. But my spa water is minty citrus bliss.

This spa water is really not anything flashy or complex - but the basic premise of having a large jug of fruit slice-infused chilled water, flavored lightly by natural ingredients - is quite soothing It's always there for you to grab and chug. Zenfully chug, of course.

This water makes the process of "drinking water" into a spa-like experience that will hopefully take you to a place of zen.

drink up.

Spa Water at Home
makes 9 cups

6 cups chilled spring water
1 ¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup fresh mint sprigs
1 cup citrus slices

Allow mixture to "marinate" in the fridge for at least 15 minutes until serving.
Serve over ice.

Also try my Triple Citrus "Spa Lemonade" recipe here.

Kathy Freston: Veggie Girl Power Interview!

November 17, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Next up in my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is Kathy Freston, one of the most inspirational vegans of 2011. From major media appearances (Oprah, Ellen, Martha just to name a few) to the successful launch of her best-selling book Veganist - Kathy has represented vegans in a mainstream spotlight all year long - and she sure has made us proud! Get to know Kathy!...

Making Vegans Proud. There are a handful of vegans who have the opportunity speak to a very large, very mainstream audience about what vegan is all about. Kathy is one of those ladies. And with that opportunity comes an enormous amount of pressure to represent both your fellow vegans with pride while still communicating effectively and appealingly to the non-vegan critics.

Sounds like a very fine tightrope to balance upon. But Kathy never fails. She waltzes through these moments in the spotlight with confidence, knowledge, passion, appeal and grace.

O P R A H. I can't even imagine the pressure Kathy must have felt when Oprah asked her to lead her entire 378-person staff in a "week of vegan." The pitch went like this: "No meat, no milk, no animal anything. Oprah and 378 Harpo staffers go vegan for one week."

But there was Kathy, warm smile on her face and a full arsenal of vegan facts and figures in her head. Ready and willing to take on even the toughest of meat-loving critics. If you watched the vegan Oprah show, you know how much Kathy inspired not only Oprah and her staff - but the entire world really.

Kathy was also named the 2011 Person of the Year by VegNews Magazine (nice choice!). And I've been loving her stream of posts over at The Huffington Post. Read them here.

Veganist. Kathy's best-selling book Veganist is a must-read for vegans, veg-curious and even vegan critics - this book is packed with information, inspiration and amazing recipes. Buy it here: Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World.

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Kathy Freston

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Kathy:I have a glass of water, first thing. Then 2 or 3 cups of tea - starting with yerba mate, and ending with black. Then I usually have brown rice with chopped dates and almonds with hot almond milk on top.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Kathy: I'm inspired by the animals themselves. They are so lovely and innocent that the thought of them keeps me pushing forward.

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Kathy: Most challenging was that my husband wasn't interested in eating v, and we entertained a lot. So I had to make the food really super delish so that nobody felt deprived or disappointed. It worked! My husband is leaning in, and most of our friends now eat a lot less (if any) meat themselves, and they look forward to the healthy food they get at our house.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Kathy: I was playing with my beloved dog Lhotse one day, and as I was rubbing her belly laughing at the smile on her face, I realized that she was no different than any other animals... it's just that I knew her. I was suddenly horrified to think I was eating animals who were just as lovely as her.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Kathy: Just "lean into it". It's not an all or nothing endeavor, and if you just keep taking small steps, you'll find your way. Progress, not perfection!

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Kathy: This is always stunning to people: cholesterol is manufactured by animals (including humans) , and there is no cholesterol in plant foods.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Kathy: Where to begin?! For something hearty, I whip up a quick pizza ... just pour tomato sauce on a whole wheat pizza crust and sprinkle a bunch of vegan cheese (I like Daiya) on top; pop it in the toaster and I'm in heaven! For something sweet I make a root beer float with Zevia soda and some Purely Decadent Cherry Nirvana ice cream. Sigh.

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Kathy: As overused as it is, it's still my favorite: "Be the change you want to see in the world!" -Gandhi

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Kathy: With patience and compassion. I was not always eating this way, and I understand the resistance to change. Being nasty or militant doesn't win anyone over, so I'm as kind and informative as I can be.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Kathy: My hands down favorite MUST HAVE is Silk Soy Creamer. Makes tea and coffee so delicious, and I use the Vanilla flavor to pour over rice for a little dessert treat!

Connect with Kathy Freston:
Twitter
Facebook - Kathy Freston Veganist
Website - kathyfreston.com
Kathy on OpenSky

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series!

(Linked ladies have posted already)
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Cali Veggie Burger Sliders with Carrot Sunshine Slaw.

November 15, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 2 Comments

These California Veggie Burger Sliders are piled high with fresh avocado slices, sweet onion and crisp baby romaine lettuce.

These tender veggie patties contain brown rice, garbanzo beans, creamy tahini spread and sweet corn. A side of my Cali Carrot Pistachio Sunshine Slaw makes for a zippy side dish. Serve with sun citrus iced tea or maybe some fizzy minted ginger ale.

Maybe you've noticed from my tweets that I'm in Los Angeles, California for a few weeks this fall/winter. The last few days have been a whirlwind. Insane really. From flying with my cat across country on Virgin America to making sure I'm settled here to continue blogging in full force - I'm exhausted! But it's fabulous.

Thank goodness my kitty is finally feeling cozy. Although she has not adjusted to the time change yet. Her usual 6am pounce-on-mommy's-face-until-she-wakes-up-and-feeds-me routine now happens at 3am. Yikes. Well, this morning it was 4:30am, so she's getting there.

Last night I dined at Veggie Grill for the very first time (loved it!) and this morning I took a jog on the beach followed by blending up a frosty acai smoothie. Beaches, sunshine and smoothies in November? Nice.

And ps, where should I eat/visit while I'm here? LA peeps clue me in. I already know and love M Cafe, Veggie Grill, Native, Real Food Daily and Madeleine's and the fab Farmer's Markets. But any secret gems out there? Or vegan fro yo?

These sliders certainly do fit my mood...

Vegan Slider Buns. I was so excited to find these vegan mini slider buns at Trader Joe's, they inspired me to make these sunshine-infused veggie burgers.

California Carrot Sunshine Slaw

1 ½ cups shredded carrots
¼ cup California organic raisins
⅓ cup California salted/roasted pistachios
3 tablespoon Vegenaise
2 tablespoon sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup pineapple cubes
pepper to taste
optional: splash of apple cider vinegar - but will thin out your dressing a bit.

Cali Garlic Tahini Brown Rice Bean Burgers

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups garbanzo beans, canned/drained
3 tablespoon tahini sauce (I used Trader Joe's brand - ultra creamy like hummus, includes lemon juice, garlic and salt. If you are using traditional tahini you can add in a splash of lemon juice to the burger mash. If you don't have or want the boldness of tahini sub with any flavor of hummus.)
2 teaspoon maple syrup
½ cup canned corn, drained
½ teaspoon garlic salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
3-6 tablespoon flour (or combo of flour/nutritional yeast)

vegan slider buns (mine are from Trader Joe's)
burger toppings: mustard, vegan mayo, sliced sweet onion, lettuce, avocado slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add all carrot slaw ingredients to a large bowl. Toss well. Place in fridge until ready to serve.

3. Cook your brown rice (I used an easy steamer bag for speed). Add all your burger ingredients to a large bowl - except the flour. Mash well. You want to make sure all the beans are mashed so that they assist in the binding of the burger. Lastly, add in the flour one scoop at a time until you like the consistency of your burger mixture. Scoop into small balls and flatten into patties on baking sheet. They will bind together in the oven - so don't add too much flour and dry them out.

4. Bake at 400 for ten minutes. Lower oven to 350. Depending on the size of your burgers - continue to bake at 350 degrees until you can easily remove burgers from sheet without having them fall apart. However, do not overcook. They will firm up a significantly as they cool.

5. Warm buns in the heated oven.

6. Prep garnish veggies and assemble! Add mustard and vegan mayo to bun sides. Patty. Avocado. Onion. Lettuce. Top with a toothpick. Then add the pineapple chunks that you had tossed in the carrot slaw to the top of your slider toothpicks.

Plate and serve!

Sun-tea, Smoothie, Frosted Pink Lemonade or some Triple Citrus Lemonade to sip with..

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up 11/14

November 14, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: Creamy Pumpkin Spice Porridge, Snow Day Breakfasts, Senate Bean Soup, Salt and Pepper Tofu, Seasonal Recipes, Sweet Potato Medallions glazed in maple spice and more inspiration for today and the week ahead...

HOLIDAYS are coming.. Celebrate the holidays with the help of my other site: FindingVegan.com - hundreds of vegan recipes sure to inspire you (and more being posted everyday). From savory to sweet. FindingVegan's #HOLIDAY tag

Big shout our to my mom - today is her birthday so Happy Birthday mom! She is indeed my biggest blog-fan. And I'm so very proud of her the past few months she has transitioned her diet into "almost vegan." Soy milk, tofu, low oil, lots produce and other vegan goodies in her diet have helped her lose about 15 lbs - as well as increase her HDL and lower her LDL cholesterol. I love vegan success stories. And I'm especially proud of people who embrace vegan foods later in life. It can be hard to break habits that you have kept your entire life. So bravo mom! And Happy Healthy Birthday!!

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 11/14

* Breakfast or Dessert: Creamy Pumpkin Spice Maple Rice Porridge
Creamy rice porridge infused with vanilla, pumpkin, spice and maple. This creamy, hearty bowl is delicious for a sweetly-kissed breakfast or hearty dessert. Oh, maybe a side scoop of vanilla soy or coconut cream over top the steaming hot rice - yum dessert..

* Soup: Veganized Senate Bean Soup
This is my new have soup recipe. I love it. White beans, vegan buttery mashed potato a few veggies and a nice burst of .. hot sauce! This is a recipe with a try history in the USA. The US Senate serves it at lunch every single day! So I decided to help them out with a delicious vegan version. Easy and delicious. Healthy too. Protein and fiber packed.

* Thanksgiving: 15 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
Need a little help throwing together a vegan feast this year? From stuffing and cranberry sauce to sweet potatoes and dessert - these 15 recipes will have you well on your way to a wonderful holiday! Delicious for you, happy for those sweet, fluffy-feathered turkeys. Turkey kisses to all!

* Entree or Appetizer: Salt/Pepper Tofu Triangles
These crispy, delightful little tofu triangles will have you ... craving tofu! Can you just imagine the dipping sauce possibilities?? Easy recipe that's a great party app!

* Holiday Breakfast: 18 Holiday Season-Approved Breakfasts
Start your busy holiday mornings off right with some serious vegan fuel. Pumpkin, spice, maple, pomegranate and more flavors of fall and winter ahead!

* Side Dish: Maple-Spiced Glazed Sweet Potato Medallions
Easy, delicious sweet potatoes - worthy of the snazziest holiday feast table.

Also, be sure to check out this year's Veggie Girl Power Series. And catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 11/7 - Pumpkin Cheesecake, BBQ Chickpea Wrap, Easy Spicy Chick'n Ranch Wrap, Concord Cranberry Sauce and more!
* 10/31 - Halloween Bonanza - treats, sips, and more..
* 10/24 - Banana Pecan Muffins, Halloween Candy Veganized, Halloween Cupcakes.
* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli cheesy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Anya, aka G0lubka

November 13, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Next up in my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is Anya, the talented woman behind the raw, vegan website G0lubka. Some of the most beautiful food photos and recipes I have ever seen are on Anya's site. Find out what inspires this creative blogger!..

Raw Vegan. I always like to include at least one raw vegan blogger in my series each year. In 2009 I interviewed Sarma of Pure Food and Wine fame. Then last year I had Gena from ChoosingRaw and Ani Phyo of cookbook fame. Actually, I have to thank Sarma since she is the one who introduced me to G0lubka's fabulous website via twitter.

Light, Love, Beauty. I'm talking food people. Anya's food radiates all those things and more. Such gorgeous photos can only be accomplished with food that is pure, inspiring, living. Anya's raw vegan blog is filled with recipes that even if you don't end up making - are still incredibly inspiring. Check out the photos from Anya's latest blog post. She never misses - every post is amazing!..

Photos from Anya's latest post Caramelized Onion Bread with Green Olive Tapenade..

What's behind the name G0lubka? Anya says this, "Golubka means "dove" in Russian, my native language. I have had lots of links with golubkas and doves throughout my life. My maiden name is Golub. Back when paper letters were the primary means of communication, my mother used to sign each one with a custom-made dove stamp instead of a written signature. You could say it's our family amulet! My younger daughter's name is Paloma, Spanish for "dove," we couldn't resist that one. And I very much like the bird itself, as a symbol of peace or just a free creature in the sky."

Green Kid Inspired. Anya and her friends recently did a video about their kids drinking green smoothies: Green Kids. Super cute video, play below..

Why the video? Anya says "We're passionate about feeding our kids nourishing food and very concerned about the state of school lunches in our country. Since then, we've decided to start hosting interactive gatherings called 3D Dinner, Decor, Delight, where our guests do both the cooking and the eating, all the while learning about healthy ingredients. The profit from these events will be sent to Jamie Oliver's Foundation, which works a lot on improving school lunches." More info about 3D.

Onto the VGP interview!..

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Anya, of G0lubka.com

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Anya: A glass of purified water, followed by a green smoothie or green juice.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Anya: I'm endlessly inspired by amazing food bloggers like David and Luise from Green Kitchen Stories and Coco from Roost. Sarma Melngailis influenced me the most in linking creativity with food and lifestyle. When I first read her cookbooks and learned about her restaurants, I felt like I discovered a whole new world of possibilities. My older daughter, who is the creative editor of Golubka, has always inspired me with her wisdom, high ethics, and talents.

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Anya: If following the principles of a vegan lifestyle precisely, going out with friends can be a bit of a disappointing experience, at least in the Tampa Bay area. Even a good vegetarian dish is not always available in common restaurants here. When it comes to particular items, giving up cheese is the most difficult for me.

I constantly experiment with new flavours and like to learn about new foods, which help to keep my meals exciting and make overcoming cravings easier.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Anya: I like the idea and challenge of a vegan diet. Our blog is devoted to vegan food almost exclusively, but we don't like to label our food as vegan, raw, or anything else, but would rather focus on it being tasty, vibrant, seasonal, and fresh.

Of course, I find myself in situations when people assume that I eat nothing but vegetables and ask the famous protein question. I've yet to find the simplest answer to it, so I often refer to books like Eating Animals or Crazy Sexy Diet, and movies like Food Inc. I try to avoid arguments and focus on the pleasure of good food and a nice time at the table. I find that the laid back approach attracts people's attention in a much more effective way.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Anya: Healthy food can and should be delicious and visually pleasing, and therefore appealing to everyone.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Anya: Most of the time, I leave the nutrition facts to specialists. But because I love green leafy veggies so much, here is one - they have the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Anya: I love my homemade sprouted pecan butter on fruit, crackers, or raw bread. Also, thinly julienned zucchini with a drizzle of macadamia oil, or any fruit in season sprinkled with buckwheat crunchies. Nothing beats chia pudding or anything with cocoa. Oh, I am a Libra and can never pick one!

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Anya: From Jonathan Safran Foer's book Eating Animals - "If nothing matters, there is nothing to save."

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Anya: I find that it's best to avoid telling people what they should or should not eat, that also helps keep negative comments to a minimum. What is right for one person is not necessarily perfect for another.

At Golubka, we often like to mention that first of all, we love how our food tastes and looks, and the fact that it makes us feel healthy and is better for our planet is a wonderful bonus.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Anya: It has to be Irish moss. That doesn't mean that I like to chew on it, of course, but this seaweed's ability to improve the texture of many dishes is amazing. The culinary possibilities it provides, from raw preserves to breads, are truly endless, and the health benefits are great.

Connect with Anya and G0lubka:
Twitter
Facebook - G0lubka
Website - http://g0lubka.blogspot.com/
Flickr

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series! more ladies to come.

(Linked ladies have posted already)
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Sour Cream-Swirled Pumpkin Pie for Vegan Thanksgiving.

November 10, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 1 Comment

Meet my Cream-Swirled Vegan Pumpkin Pie. Velvety maple-pumpkin-cashew filling accented by a light swirl of tangy-sweet cream. Light meets rich as swirls of cream blend with dense fall pumpkin.

I promised this recipe as a spin-off to my 4-Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Pie. Only one added ingredient needed to make the "cream-swirled" upgrade. Both recipes are holiday-approved.

Plus I want to share a short story about my little old houseplant. Oh, the things we can learn from plants..

First, a story.

I have a few houseplants. Those shiny green, thick-leaved types that can go weeks without watering (trust me I know). I guess you can say I don't have a green thumb. But I do love my plants.

A few months ago I moved one plant to a new spot. The top of the fridge.

Today as I was watering this plant I noticed something strange. He (yes, my plants are "he's"), he was drooping. This wasn't a slight droop, but a full tilt lean to the left. I inspected the root area and it looked as though the dirt in the pot had become too dry and the plant too top-heavy with its sprawling, fluffy leaves. I thought that sadly, the plant pulled its roots out of the ground - thus the sudden lean.

Shoot. I really liked this plant! I hoped I could repair the roots. But after closer inspection I found that my hypothesis was very wrong. The roots were sturdy into the dirt - not budging a bit. The lower stalk strong as well. The explanation?..

The plant was half-bathed in sunlight everyday. That spot of morning light that hits the top of the fridge and glows a bright golden orange was just a few inches out of its reach. So slowly but surely this plant, this living yet brainless organism began moving. Changing. Reaching. Actually leaning towards that speckled ray of sunlight on the other side of the fridge. My plant was on a journey towards his happy, warm sunbeam. Why? Because he knew what made him happy. And more sunlight was it.

Smart plant.

Cool little story with a nice metaphor for life. If my houseplant has the will to change direction and move towards the sun, maybe, just maybe we should too.

So ask yourself: Are you fully bathed in sunlight each day? Or are there directions you can turn and changes you can make to move towards your full-body sunbeam? Sometimes the "easy" thing to do isn't what really makes us happiest. Sometimes we have to get up and grab that darn sunbeam.

And yes, I moved him to a sunnier spot.

And when busy chasing sunlight, you'll need a few easy holiday recipes like my Cream-Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake is a spin-off of my 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie. Add in only two more ingredients for a tangy sweet cream swirl accent. But this isn't a "cheesecake" pie. For that recipe, you can see my Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe posted over at Family Kitchen.

The "cream" in this pie is vegan sour cream. No vegan cream cheese in this swirled pie. I love the silkiness of the sour cream. And when blended with the maple it creates a nice sour-sweet cream flavor. Very unique and worth a try if you are up for something new.

Sour Cream-Swirled Pumpkin Pie
vegan, makes one pie

1 ¼ cups raw soaked cashews
1 cup maple syrup
1 can organic pumpkin puree (16 ounces) (or use fresh puree)
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt

Sour Creamy-Top Swirl:
1 ¼ cups vegan sour cream (try Tofutti brand, in blue tub)
½ cup maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon salt (to taste)

ingredients notes: using high quality spice is helpful. Also, I prefer grade B maple syrup for its rich amber tones and caramelized flavor - but grade A works too.

One standard vegan pie crust - or make your own crust - recipe. Vegan Pie Crust How-to video.

Coconut Whip on top:
*recipe one (with dispenser)
*recipe two (hand beater)

To Make:

1. Soak about one cup of raw cashews in about 2 ½ cups of water in a large bowl. Add about ½ - 1 teaspoon of salt to the bowl - mix to dissolve. The salt allows the water to absorb more efficiently into the cashews and also adds some salt for your recipe. Note: you may want to soak more cashews than needed and make two pies - or use in other recipes like my vegan pumpkin spice cashew cheese!

2. Soak this cashew bowl overnight in the fridge. You want well-soaked cashews so that your pie mix blends up perfectly creamy. I soaked my cashews for about 18 hours. At least 8 is optimal. Don't soak for more than two days or the cashews can get grimy in my opinion.

3. The day of your actual pie making allow at least 3 hours from the time you start to the time you wish to serve the pie. I like a cool time of at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

5. Add your vegan sour cream and maple syrup to blender. Blend until smooth. Pour out and set aside. You do not need to rinse the blender.

6. Next, drain the water from your cashews. They should be very soft to bite and a slight purplish dark hue. This is normal. Add 1 ¼ cups of cashews to your food processor - or even better, a Vitamix or high speed blender. Get your own Vitamix here with free shipping!

7. Add pumpkin to blender. Next, add in the maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Blend on low -> high for about 3-5 minutes until the mixture is completely creamy. If your mixture is a bit thick for some reason - you can add in a few teaspoons of either water, maple syrup or even non-dairy milk. After blending, do a taste test and add a ½ teaspoon of salt if needed. I added in about ⅓ teaspoon extra salt. But taste before adding.

8. Pour your mix into a par-baked vegan pie shell. Then spoon the sour cream mixture over top the pie. Swirl it roughly down deep towards the pie crust. Then use a toothpick to create fine swirls. Try not to over-swirl or the colors will become muddled.

9. Bake pie at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Then reduce to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes - or until the edges look fluffy and a darker caramel orange tone. Use a toothpick in center if unsure. The tooth-picked filling should come out slightly wet - but very thick and dark. It is important to remember that your pie will firm up significantly upon cooling and chilling in the fridge.

10. Remove pie from oven. Cool on counter for at least 30 minutes. Then place in fridge until ready to serve. At least 2 hours cooling and/or chilling time is my preference. A warm pie will be tasty, but still a bit "wet" to slice.

11. I serve chilled with a swirl of my vegan coconut whip on top..

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Annie Shannon!

November 9, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Next up in my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is Annie Shannon, one half of the quirky, fun and inspiring blogging team responsible for the website Meet the Shannons. So it's time to Meet Annie!..

Annie's other half is her husband Dan. Ah, a vegan power couple if ever there was. On Meet the Shannons, Annie and Dan share their vegan adventures, eats, passionate love of animals and random fun stuff sometimes described as "Nerdery" and such.

The Betty Crocker Project. If you've seen the movie Julie & Julia you will understand this quite quickly. Annie and Dan's mission is to veganize the entire Betty Crocker Cookbook. Wow, right? Well they have already posted quite a few recipes. You can check out their creative-veganizing skills and track their progress here: Betty Crocker Project

Meet the Shannons has been seen on and applauded by everyone from VegNews to The New York Times. But really, my favorite thing about the Meet the Shannons site is that it is pretty much impossible to browse without cracking a smile.

..I think the interview answers below will have the same effect 🙂

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Annie Shannon, Meet the Shannons Blogger

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Annie: I'm a pretty lucky lady and am married to wonderful vegan man who makes me smoothies and lattes every morning while he watches The Daily Show from the night before. He has this whole morning system that is like a combo of science, politics and art. It maximizes time, nutrition and blueberries, and is a brilliant way to start a day.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Annie: When I was around 13, I read Gloria Steinem's Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions. It was the right book at the right time in my life, and hit me like a lightning strike. Tween angst, the cusp between the 80s and 90s, and years of catholic school guilt all mixed together with a book that had a simple message: Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Lines like "Evil is obvious only in retrospect" started me on the path to becoming a life-long activist who would do what she could to prevent “evil” whenever possible.

I can still remember my first years after reading that book; it not only empowered me by making me more aware of the impact of my choices, but also helped me understand my privileges and responsibilities. Since then I’ve really tried to be aware of the “evils” in this world, and do what I could to make a difference. It played a huge role in making me who I am today: both my career in the human and animal rights movements, and starting The Betty Crocker Project.

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Annie: Back when I first went vegan, mock meats and soy cheeses were still in their Model T phase. I'll admit that in the early years, I ate a lot of baked potatoes and salads. I never doubted that I was making the right choice, but I was impatient for food technology to catch up with my hopes and dreams. I mean, I was living in a world with catsup that changed color and mini-pizza lunchables with ingredient lists that read like chemistry term papers. Why couldn’t science make a vegan cheese that melted?

My Italian mother raised me with a love of food that made me curious enough to try all these primordial vegan products back in the day, but it also gave me high standards. On top of that, I had no idea how to use these products properly. I devoted years to learning how to cook tofu, different chilis, Indian and Chinese currys, my own seitan, falafel, whatever. I played around with a raw diet for a while and every kind of vegetable I could find.

In the end I realized that eating vegan wasn't really that much harder than my previous omnivore diet. I mean, if you ate meat you wouldn't just microwave a chicken breast and think "this is delicious!" You'd season it and cook it at the right temperature and with the right vegetables. Tofu and mock meat dishes are no different. They need the little extras to help them reach their full potential.

Vegans today don't really have to worry about that as much though. Brands like Tofurky, Gardein, Match, Field Roast, Daiya and Light Life – just to name just a few – have completely revolutionized going vegan, finally making it the convenient, compassionate, healthy lifestyle I dreamed of as a kid.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Annie: I love animals. I'm pretty sure I say that every time, and it’s always true. Since I went vegan, I've learned about the health benefits and environmental impact of conscious eating. I've discovered how fun it is to search out new ingredients and products. I love playing in the kitchen, trying to find creative ways to make a dish vegan. I've fallen in love with searching out new vegan restaurants and seeing how other vegans all over the world are challenging the myth that going vegan is anything less than fabulous.

So really, I think I should start saying that I'm vegan because it's a blast and you can't beat the food… and I love animals.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Annie: There’s room in 'The Vegan Club' for everyone. Even if you’re only vegan one day a week, you’re still making a choice that is better for your own health, the environment and animals. I feel like it’s really important to be as inclusive and helpful as possible. Being vegan can be really fun once you figure out how to do it in a way that works for you, and I just want to help people find that.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Annie: Vegans are so smart already. I’m sure whatever I could tell you all, you probably already know. Like how you need to grind up flaxseeds before you use them to get through their tough hull and get all that nutrition for your salads and smoothies. Or how it’s important to not just eat soy and wheat-based everything when you’re vegan—so try new things like almond milk in your morning coffee, or bread made with buckwheat flour, to help add variety. Again… vegans are already pretty smart. I would bet you already figured that out.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Annie: I’m not much of a snacker. I usually have a few small meals throughout the day… which may actually mean I’m nothing but a snacker. I guess it depends how you look at it. One of my favorite mini-meals right now are crostinis. I’m in the process of finalizing the recipes for our book, so I’ve been experimenting with a few different types, like Greek with Kalamata olives and Pepperoncinis, and desserty ones with Cinnamon-Apple pie filling. But my favorite is Mexican.

Basically, you brush slices of whole wheat baguette bread with a little olive oil and lightly toast it. Then add a layer of sliced avocado or guacamole and then top that with some of your favorite salsa, diced cilantro, and sliced black olives! It takes less than 10 minutes and about 3 of them make a nice little mini-meal.

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Annie: I guess I have 2.
#1. "Goonies never say die!" and neither should vegans. Not every recipe works out the first time, and not every product is going to live up your expectations - but never give up. It's too important.
#2. "You always know the mark of a coward. A coward hides behind freedom. A brave person stands in front of freedom and defends it for others." - Henry Rollins. Whenever someone tells me it’s their "right" to eat meat, I think of this quote. Animals have so little, and rely on our compassion and judgment just to survive. Just because people can eat meat doesn't mean that they should.

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Annie: I usually find that the people who are the most critical of a vegan lifestyle are the ones dealing with some kind of guilt that's made them defensive. When given an opportunity to actually talk to these people and hear their reasons for being defensive, you can usually find some common ground. I think being able to start the kind of dialog where you're looking for what you can agree on is usually more productive than just calling someone out for supporting industries that are destroying our environment and inherently cruel to animals and people.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Annie: I can't imagine my kitchen without nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, Braggs Liquid Amino Acids, and red wine. They’ve helped me countless times in countless recipes. They're my kitchen BFFs. As far as products go, the recent wave of great vegan products available in grocery stores around the country has made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Daiya vegan cheese plays a huge role in our lives, on pizzas and cups of soups as well as in sandwiches and quiches. I still can’t believe it’s real. Sweet and Sarah vegan marshmallows and Lite Life Smart Bacon have become my guilty pleasures of choice… but not together.

Connect with Annie & Meet the Shannons:
Twitter
Facebook - Vegan Foods = Joy (Meet the Shannons)
Website - www.MeetTheShannons.net
Betty Crocker Project

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series! more ladies to come.

(Linked ladies have posted already)
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n Shiitake Salad. Gardein inspired.

November 8, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n Shiitake Salad is topped with one of my favorite new frozen Gardein products: Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n. Mandarin-orange-glazed, sticky-sweet, crispy-tender vegan protein bites.

I've added sweet mandarin oranges, perky chopped scallions, cilantro and tender savoy cabbage tossed in a light, sassy-sweet rice vinegar dressing. The cool crunchy greens are studded with warm salt & pepper shiitake mushrooms. Fine black pepper, colorful carrots and tamari rice crackers accent. And really, these Gardein Crispy Chick'n bits? So good! Must try for vegans and vegan-skeptics!..

Love/Hate Relationship: Fake Meat. I am always a bit apprehensive about posting recipes featuring a main ingredient of "fake meat" - no matter how delicious is tastes.

First there was the Tofurky for veg-eaters one day a year. And from there, it seems the range of fake meat products covers anything and everything. From vegan shrimp to vegan sausage - vegan ribs to vegan duck. But really, "vegan duck" just sounds so weird and contradicting of the entire meaning of veganism. I think. I discuss my trepidation regarding "fake meat" products in this post: Fake Meat Defending or Defeating the Point?

But I'm putting away my "hate" side for this recipe post. One bite of these crispy bites and I was inspired...

Really, with vegan food (no matter what it is called) tasting so delicious and easy to make - it would be a shame not to embrace it, right? My fave "fake meat" products include: Field Roast Spicy Chipotle Sausage, Boca Spicy Chick'n Patties, Amy's Veggie "Burgers" and Gardein's Crispy Tenders, Crispy Chick'n and Spicy Buffalo Wings.

I guess it is the names that bother me most. Chick'n obviously infers the word "chicken." And to me, I'd rather be enjoying a chicken's company and giving his feather a few kind strokes, rather than enjoying a chicken for dinner.

Instead of "fake meat" I'll just refer to these products as creative presentations of my favorite veggie protein sources from legumes to grains. 🙂

Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n Shiitake Salad
vegan, serves 2-3

Salad:
½ cup light Asian dressing (recipe below)
6 cups savoy cabbage (or romaine lettuce), roughly chopped
⅓ cup cilantro, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
½ cup shredded carrots
1 cup salt and pepper shiitakes (recipe below)
½ cup mandarin oranges, drained (canned or fresh works)
Gardein Crispy Chick'n bits (recipe below)

garnish:
fine black pepper
5-10 tamari rice crackers
optional garnish: crushed peanuts

Salt/Pepper Shiitakes:
2 tablespoon safflower oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
½ teaspoon fine black pepper
1 ½ cups shiitakes, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon tamari

Light Asian Dressing:
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil (opt'l)
2 teaspoon tamari (or soy sauce)
extra sweet: add in a splash of maple or agave
spicy: cayenne to taste
for a drier, less sweet dressing: sub rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar

Chick'n:
1 bag Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n
¼ cup safflower oil

Directions:

1. Prep your salad veggies and add to large mixing bowl.
2. Add the dressing ingredients to a cup and whisk briskly. Pour over top greens and toss well. Layer salad greens on serving plates or bowls.
3. Mushrooms: heat the safflower oil in a saute pan. Wait until oil is hot. Add in the mushrooms. Saute until tender and slightly crisp on edges. During last minute of cooking, add in the salt/pepper and tamari. Remove shrooms from pan. Set aside.
4. In same pan, add 2-3 tablespoon safflower oil. Wait until very hot. Cook the Gardein product as instructed on package - adding sauce last once chick'n is mostly cooked. Turn off heat, set aside.
5. Add mandarins and rice crackers to salad. Top with the shiitakes and Gardein crispy chick'n bits. Fine pepper to taste. Crush peanuts are optional.

Serve while lettuce is still chilled and the shrooms and chick'n is still warm

Note: Even though I am raving about this product, it is NOT a "paid post" for Gardein. (All sponsored reviews - and those are very rare for me - will contain clear labeling of this). I'm just a huge fan of this product and highly recommend it to anyone who loves the idea of a vegan crispy "chick'n" mandarin salad. This product is ah-mazing. Really, the next day after tast-testing, I went back to Whole Foods and bought two more bags.

Tofu Veggie Hash Brown Breakfast Pockets!

November 8, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 5 Comments

I adore pockets. Those cozy, warm, crusted over pastries with something spectacular hiding inside. One bite, warm steam escapes, the yummy aroma coaxing you to dive into a sea of delicious flavors.

I also love tofu scramble. And nutritional yeasted-cheezy hash browns. Veggies and Daiya pepperjack cheese. AM fare to pull me out of bed. Much like in my Breakfast Burrito. But this time I decided to stuff my fave AM flavors into vegan buttery, flaky-crusted pocket. Total happiness for breakfast in these easier-than-you-think Tofu Scramble Veggie Cheezy Hash Brown Breakfast Pockets!..

Pockets. Like I said. They made me happy. Tofu in a pocket is a wonderful thing. I used to have the Amy's Kitchen Tofu Scramble pocket for breakfast many mornings when I was in college. And the tofu scramble stuffed pockets I found at the Union Square Greenmarket in NYC were nothing short of amazing. And actually, my first signature recipe was a pocket: Sweet & Sassy Sweet Potato Pockets.

So this is my first attempt at stuffed pockets (where I made the crust from scratch) - some notes..

Tips and Tricks for Pocket Tarts

* The Crust. The goal is to stuff as much filling into the pocket as possible. Otherwise you are really just left with a lot of crust and a few bites of filling. Not good. So here is how I achieved this. First you prepare your dough. Knead well. Place in the freezer for about a half hour or so to chill for easier rolling. Roll out as thin as possible, but don't go crazy since the next steps will assist you. Cut out a large circle of dough - about 5" across. Then take that circle and roll out (again) as evenly and thinly as possible. Now you have a perfectly thin piece of circle dough to work with! From here you can stuff and fold into a half circle pocket - or roll out a second slightly larger circle for the top layer. Seal edges with a fork, poke a hole in the top.

* The Filling. The filling should be cooked slightly (in my opinion) - although you could also add in raw marinated tofu. Filling contents will slightly bake in the oven. My tofu came out delicious - but maybe slightly "over cooked" - so next time I'd pre-cook a few minutes less before stuffing into the pocket and baking.

* Whole Circle Pocket. As noted in step one, if doing a two layer circle pocket - you want that top circle of dough to be rolled out slightly larger than the bottom circle, in order to accommodate the enormous lump of filling you have piled on top the first circle.

Here are links to recipes that will help you recreate my tofu hash pockets..

Tofu Hash Breakfast Pockets
makes 4+ pockets (depending on size)

herbed pocket dough (Recipe below)
Tofu Scramble recipe 1 or recipe 2 - see my 5min tofu scramble video here - or my 5-ingredient tofu scramble
Cheezy Hash Browns
Daiya Pepperjack Cheese (or another vegan cheese brand - optional)

Herbed Pocket Dough
1 ¾ cups white flour
½ cup wheat flour
2 tablespoon salt-free seasoning blend (like a Mrs Dash type spice)
¾ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ stick vegan butter, softened
½-1 cup cold water (add in teaspoon increments) note: for a more buttery, rich crust crust you can add in another spoonful vegan butter. Coconut oil can also be used in place of vegan butter - but you will need a pinch more of salt if using all coconut oil)

To Make:

1. Start with the dough. Add the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper and spice to a large mixing bowl. Add in the softened vegan butter. Add the water in teaspoon increments until you have a nice sticky - yet kneadable ball. On a floured surface, knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Place back in bowl and freeze for about 30 minutes.

2. Prepare you filling according to the recipe instructions - see links above. Set aside to cool at least a few minutes. Remember DO NOT overcook your tofu. You want it slightly undercooked so that it doesn't over cook in the oven. Slightly wet is OK since the filling will dry out a tad when baking in the crusty pocket.

3. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

4. Roll out your dough. See tips above. Thinly. Use bowls or cookie cutters to create dough circles. Roll out circles. As thin as possible without compromising strength - dough should be hole free.

5. Add filling to dough (tofu, scoop of hash browns and sprinkle of vegan cheese. Hot sauce or salsa is a nice add-in as well.

6. Add top layer of dough or fold over pocket - top layer dough should be rolled out slightly larger than bottom layer. Crimp edges tightly with fork. Poke hole in top to vent.

7. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18 minutes. Longer if using extra large pockets - shorter if mini pockets.

Cool a few minutes before serving.

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up, 11/7

November 7, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: Pumpkin Cheesecake, Vegan Spicy Chick'n Wrap, Easy BBQ Chickpea Wrap, Sweet Potatoes, Concord-Cranberry Sauce and more inspiration for today and the week ahead...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 11/7

* Lunch: Spicy Ranch Chick'n Wrap
This is vegan lunchbox eats at their easiest! Simply add your fave vegan ranch dressing (or follow my recipes) - add in a few super fast ingredients like a spicy vegan chick'n patty - wrap and your vegan lunch is good to go!

* Holiday Side: Concord Cranberry Sauce
I subbed my usual citrus orange juice with some concord grape juice for this homemade whole berry cranberry sauce. I loved the deep bold flavor. Sticky sweet. "Jelled" version too.

* Lunch or Dinner: BBQ Cranberry Chickpea Wrap
Another easy vegan wrap infused with the bold flavors of BBQ sauce and cranberry. Love this chickpea wrap for lunch or an easy dinner.

* Dessert: 5 Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
My "5 ingredient" quest continues with this classic-looking pumpkin cheesecake. Coconut whip and Merry Maraschino cherry on top.

Also, be sure to check out this year's Veggie Girl Power Series!! And catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 10/31 - Halloween Bonanza - treats, sips, and more..
* 10/24 - Banana Pecan Muffins, Halloween Candy Veganized, Halloween Cupcakes.
* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli cheesy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Stephanie Morgan

November 7, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Next up in my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is the owner and founder of SeaBirds vegan food truck, Stephanie Morgan.

Not only is the SeaBirds truck famous for being a beloved, vegan-eats staple of Orange Country, California - but SeaBirds also gained nation-wide fame last summer when Stephanie and her team competed on season two of Food Network's reality show: The Great Food Truck Race, with host Tyler Florence. Meet the "Mama Bird" behind the truck!..

Life on a food truck. As a food blogger, food trucks fascinate me. I love them. With their creative, ever-changing, locally-inspired menus, mobile addresses and social-networking savvy. Passion and enthusiasm for food served up in each dish. Recipe to plate.

And over the past few years when I lived in NYC, I saw how the popularity, mainstream appeal and trendiness of food trucks really boomed. Food trucks went from lunch-hour back-up-plans to "stand-in-line-for-hours-just-to-get-a-bite" hot spots.

But the question for me was, "Where are all the vegan food trucks??"

Stephanie Morgan answered that question for the lucky residents and visitors of Orange County California when she founded SeaBirds. (And yes, there are a few other awesome vegan food trucks nationwide like Cinnamon Snail in the NYC area).

Stephanie says about why she started SeaBirds: “This truck came to life with a dream and a desire: A dream for vegan street food, and a desire to provide healthy, local food that’s convenient and fairly priced ... I started Seabirds because I wanted to make a difference not only in the lives of the people of Orange County, but in the world we love and live in.” ~Stephanie

On the menu: last week the menu featured delicious local Zucchini Watercress Soup, Waldorf Salad, cinnamon Dusted Sweet Potato Fries, Beer Battered Avocado Tacos, Jack Asada Tacos, Yellow Cashew Curry and Orgainic Vegan Cupcakes. Yum

Last summer, the SeaBirds gave us a real vegan reason to watch Food Network when they were contestants on The Great Food Truck Race. Stephanie and her team, including the talented Nicole & Raya, definitely held their own as they battled head to head with mainstream, meat and cheese-loving food trucks.

It was inspiring to watch the ladies find veggie inspiration in every new town they arrived in. It was proof positive that where ever you may find yourself, vegan deliciousness is just a recipe away.

Let's meet "Mama Bird" of the SeaBirds!..

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Stephanie Morgan

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Stephanie: Smoothie! With rice milk, orange juice, raw protein powder, ground chia seeds, frozen mango, banana and wild blueberries.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Stephanie: I’m inspired by any one dedicating their lives to improving the health and lives of others. I’m a huge fan of Ellen Degeneres, Julia Childs, Pink, Tanya Petrovna and Isa Chandra.

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Stephanie: Although I pretty much went vegan overnight, the world around me was not on the same page. I quickly realized how every menu I read was dominated by meat and cheese. The inconvenience of being vegan was what turned me on to cooking and I am grateful for that because it ignited a whole new passion in me.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Stephanie: It happened for me when I started wondering about all the ingredients I couldn’t pronounce in so many of the foods I was eating. I walked down to the Borders on E 86th St and bought about 6 books on food, nutrition and the politics of our food systems. I never intended to go vegan, but what I learned was shocking and turned me off to animal products; I just didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Stephanie: I think that it’s best not to judge others’ diets but to be available to answer questions and share your knowledge if asked. When you are pushy about something as personal as food, others get defensive and don’t want to listen. I think its best to lead by example, to walk the walk, and to be a mentor.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Stephanie: Something I’ve experimented with is eating times. I found that when I eat a large breakfast and lunch and either nothing for dinner or something very light (maybe some fresh fruit or a small salad) I have a lot more energy when I wake up. When you think about all the energy it takes to digest food it makes a lot of sense.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Stephanie: Oh wow so many! I rarely have bread or vegan cheese in my fridge but when I do it’s loaded grilled cheeses! My most recent favorite is vegan mozzarella and cheddar, arugula, seared tofu and marinara sauce. It tastes like a vegan chicken parm sandwich! You can easily make them in a waffle maker or George Foreman and it seems a lot fancier than it is. I always add something green to my grilled cheeses so I don’t feel guilty 🙂

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Stephanie: “Health, excellent or ill, is passed to our children not through our genes but primarily through our recipes.” — Joanne L. Mumola Williams.

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Stephanie: It’s hard to do but I ignore any negative comments online. If I receive a negative comment in person, I just smile at them and don’t give them the satisfaction of an argument. It’s hard to take an attack for a lifestyle choice that is benefiting humans, animals and the planet. Not every individual understands that though, they usually think you are just weird. You just have to believe in your heart that what you are doing is right and hope that one day that mean ol’ bully will someday be more compassionate.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Stephanie: I’m a sucker for Vegenaise, Pepperjack Daiya, Rice Milk, Earth Balance, hemp seeds, kale chips, and Amande Coconut Yogurt.

Connect with Stephanie:
Twitter
Facebook - SeaBirds Truck
Website - www.seabirdstruck.com
On Yelp - reviews with fabulous ratings

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series! more ladies to come.

(Linked ladies have posted already)
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Cranberry Balsamic Brussel Sprouts. Holiday-approved.

November 5, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 5 Comments

Yes, I'm swooning over sprouts. Sassy sweet cranberries meet tangy bright balsamic vinegar, pepper and olive oil as they slather perky green brussel sprouts creating shiny ribbons of purple and lime green.

Brussel sprouts have a notorious reputation for being one of the "most hated" veggies out there. Those mini cabbage-shaped bulbs repulse children everywhere and send picky eaters into a snarled face frenzy of "I'm not eating those!.."

But before you pass on all things "brussel sprout" simply out of fear that your family won't eat them - take pause. Try again. And use some much-adored cranberry sauce to coax even the picky eaters into tasting a bite of brussel.

And if this dish fails to impress the sprout-haters in your life - well that's OK too because that just leaves more Cranberry Balsamic Brussel Sprouts for you!..

Why Eat Sprouts? They are oozing with nutrients. Rich in vitamins K, A and C. Potassium and iron rich. High in fiber too. More brussel sprout nutrition facts.

before pouring cranberry topping:

sprouts:

There are three ways you can approach the sprouts for this recipe. Your choice. Either way, I think you'll love these flavors.

1: (Healthiest) Steam the sprouts. Or boil/blanch. Instructions on blanching here.
2: Saute the sprouts. (I used this method)
3: Oven-roast the sprouts with herbs.

The Flavor. Sweet tart cranberry sauce meets tangy sweet balsamic in an all out brussel sprout flavor extravaganza in each bite. Whoever said brussel sprouts were bland, bitter and boring didn't try them infused with cranberry goodness.

When it comes to the cranberry sauce you can use homemade (I used my Cranberry Concord Sauce) or you can use store bought. I like whole berry, but jellied will work too.

ribbons of shiny purple and lime green:

Cranberry Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
vegan, holiday-approved, makes a bowl-ful as shown here

16 ounce bag of fresh, brussel sprouts, organic pref'd
a few splashes of balsamic vinegar during the cooking process (to taste - add more if desired)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup dried cranberries
optional: ½ cup chopped raw pecans
salt to taste as needed after cooking

for saute method: ¼ cup safflower oil + 2 tablespoon water
for roasting method: 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + optional roasting herbs like thyme or rosemary
steam or boil/blanch: water as needed. (how-to blanch advice here)

Cranberry Topping:
1 cup cranberry sauce - concord cranberry recipe
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
¼ teaspoon fresh orange zest

To Make:

1. Wash and dry your sprouts. Remove any outer dead or browned leaves. Slice into halves and/or quarters. Quarter slices cook faster.

2. Three cooking methods:

Saute: Add oil to a hot skillet over high heat. Add in sprouts and 2 tablespoon balsamic. Add in 2 tablespoon water and cover with lid. Allow to steam cook for 2-4 minutes - or until sprouts become tender. Remove lid. Add another splash of balsamic. Saute for another few minutes. dd more water if needed. Add in dried cranberries, pepper and optional pecans. Remove from heat.

Steam or boil/blanch: Steam sprouts until tender. Toss with dried cranberries, pepper, a splash of balsamic, optional pecans and salt to taste while still warm. If boiling, see link above.

Roast: Toss sprouts with additional olive oil, pepper and a splash of balsamic. Place on baking sheet - add herbs if desired. Roast at 400 degrees until tender - at least 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Toss with dried cranberries and optional pecans.

3. Add cranberry topping ingredients to cup - microwave on high for 45 seconds - or until warmed. (or heat on stove top)

4. Place brussel sprouts in serving bowl - top with cranberry topping. Serve warm.

More brussel sprout recipes:
* brussel sprout pizza
* dill sprouts with vegan cheese

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart

November 4, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

Next up in my 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is the talented young model-turn-vegan fashion designer Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart. Leanne founded the 100% vegan fashion line Vaute Couture in 2009. Meet Leanne and see how easy it is to be a vegan fashionista (aka, a compassionista)..

Leanne is a veggie superstar. She was named 1 of 7 Best Emerging Green Designers of 2009 by Ecoturre - one of "20 Under 30" by VegNews - and awarded by the Asian American Leadership Council for "Breaking Barriers in Green."

But above all the accolades stands Leanne's straight up creativity, vision and eye for creating fashion that is vibrant, fun, alluring, modern. Vaute oozes with "the cool factor." Watch out Michael Kors.

Leanne's inspiring business persona is matched by her compassionate heart, sweetness and warm personality. My kind of fashion designer (and person!) A few of Leanne's designs (photos via Vaute Couture's online store):

Leanne's adventure into vegan fashion began when she was faced with a common problem among vegans - cold harsh winters and simply nothing (vegan) to wear! Traditional winter coats are plagued with being a mish mash of animal products. From leather to wool and even the unimaginably cruel material of animal fur.

But Leanne didn't wallow in her grief, she took action. And in 2009 (after much research into fabrics) she launched a Limited collection of her Vaute line - to rave reviews. Celebs like Alicia Silverstone and Emily Deschanel were gushing over Leanne's designs.

From sweet bunny tanks to plush winter coats, and even a new accessories line - Leanne's fashion is simply gorgeous. And even better, 100% cruelty free.

Behind the Vaute: Vaute Couture is spelled for "Haute" couture, but with a "V" for vegan. And pronounced like "vote."

And OK, there is one big problem with Leanne's fashion line.... it sells out quickly!! If you want to score one of Leanne's fall coats, be sure to order online early on in the year. Pre-ordering is highly advised. (Be sure to see Upcoming Project News direct from Leanne at the end of the interview below! Did she just say, flagship boutique? Yes!)

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Leanne: Depending on the time of year, I either do a bowl of Peanut Butter Puffins with blueberries, matcha green tea powder, and coconut or soy milk, or my latest obsession is a Beet Smoothie with soymilk, kale, blueberries, and mango.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Leanne: Reading “Business as Unusual” by Anita Roddick, the founder of the Body Shop, inspired me as I was starting to see business as an amazing vehicle for activism. The Manifesta piece in Eve Ensler’s play “Emotional Creature: the Secret Life of Girls” which says: “Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you’re doing here.” Ellen Degeneres. Light. Strangers helping each other out. and being in an orchestra (which I miss dearly!) where everyone is playing their part, all towards a collaborative singular experience.

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Leanne: My first year vegan was spent in the most non-veg friendly town I’ve lived in: West Lafayette, IN where I was in school at Purdue University, a very large Ag school in the middle of cornfields. When we, the AR group, did Meatouts on campus, people were scared to try a veggie burger, certain it’d taste like cardboard. Eating vegan on campus (besides veggie burgers and fries) wasn’t the easiest thing so I sought out the local health food store (which my friends in the AR group worked at), and my mom would send vegan foods in care packages. Other kids on campus got homemade cookies, I got little cases of sweet red bean from our local Asian supermarket. When I transferred to DePaul in Chicago we had a little part of the food court dedicated to vegan food, and now that I live in NYC, I (nicely!) scoff when people here suggest eating vegan is difficult.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Leanne: I went vegetarian when I was ten and did my Social Studies fair project on Factory Farming, Vivisection, and the Fur Industry. I went vegan 8 years later when I realized that the dairy and veal industries are one in the same, if veal is the first thing off my list, how could I eat dairy? Once you know what goes on behind foods, you can never look at them the same.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Leanne: Vegan is a choice of empowerment, to think of others (despite species) in your daily life is strength, not sacrifice.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Leanne: Vegetarians live on average 8 years longer, vegans 11 years.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Leanne: Since I’m from the Midwest, I’m a comfort food girl -- love making Grilled PB&J with a tall glass of ice cold soy milk. I was bummed and jealous when my college roomies made their Grilled Cheese’s before there was Daiya, so I started making grilled PB&J, which melts the peanut butter to a really extra yummy consistency.

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Leanne: I once wrote this in chalk all over my magenta chalkboard office wall so I could stare at it everyday as I was starting Vaute Couture, it helped me get over second guessing myself and realize that action itself is most of the battle:

"Do your best to pick a direction (hopefully an unusual one, hopefully one you have resources to complete, hopefully one you can do authentically and hopefully one you enjoy) and then do it. Loudly. With patience and passion. No flitting, no waiting for proof. Just consistent, overwhelming performance in pursuit of a vision you believe in. That's far more important than which direction you chose in the first place." ~ Seth Godin

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Leanne: I just try to focus on what most people have in common, that we all want to try to make the world a better place and consider ourselves as kind individuals who want to lessen the suffering of others. People get critical usually when they are defensive or feel they’re being judged (even when they aren’t), but since most vegans at one time were not vegan, I like to approach them from the standpoint of someone who might realize that a vegan lifestyle fits their morals and isn’t as hard as they think.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Leanne: Matcha green tea powder, it’s my favorite flavor and feels so darn good at once (especially if I’m feeling s-l-o-w that day). I make matcha smoothies, cereal (see #1), cupcakes, and of course, lattes. I also love some junky vegan food - like Tofurkey Pepperoni pizzas, Temptation Vegan Cookie Dough Ice Cream, and Sweet & Sara S’mores. As far as products go - I’m crazy for everything from Alba as well as the scents from Terranova, their Sakura & Green Tea and Shea Blossom perfume essence are the only scents I wear.

Connect with Leanne:
Twitter
Facebook - Vaute Couture
Website - www.vautecouture.com
Vaute Couture Blog - On Our Sleeve

PHOTO CREDIT: (top photo of Leanne: Thomas H Smith III)

Upcoming Project News for Vaute Couture direct from Leanne!..
We are just finishing NYC production of our 3rd collection of winter coats that are at once vegan, stylish, and warm enough for a real winter, using high tech custom made vegan & eco conscious fabrics.

We just launched our new accessories: colorful earmuffs & hand-knit headbands and hats. I’m currently on my North American Pop UP shop Tour which included the West Coast (San Francisco, LA and Portland), NYC, and DC, and will include Chicago (Nov 5-6), and Toronto & Montreal in mid December, as well as Holiday shops in NYC and DC.

I’m looking at opening our first flagship boutique in NYC this year. Also, every year I fund production with a pre-order discount, so those who order early get a big discount and first pick at the new styles and colors before they sell out. If your favorite is already soldout this year, sign up on the newsletter here (www.vautecouture.com/index.htm) to be ready next year!

Check out all the interviews in this year's VGP series! Five more ladies to come.

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

November 2, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

I'm kicking off the 2011 Veggie Girl Power Interviews with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, beloved author, speaker and animal lover. Get to know Colleen!..

Colleen is the award-winning author of five fabulous books, including the bestselling The Joy of Vegan Baking, The Vegan Table, Color Me Vegan, and Vegan’s Daily Companion, and her latest (released Aug 2011) The 30-Day Vegan Challenge, published by Random House. Colleen's books are brimming with inspiring recipes and words of wisdom.

Colleen also contributes to National Public Radio and The Christian Science Monitor, and has appeared on The Food Network and PBS.

But what really draws me to Colleen as a Veggie Girl Power superstar is her sunny disposition and warm heart. She is the type of person who you would simply love to sit down and chat with for hours about anything and everything. Food, family, nutrition, life, silly stories and sad ones too.

Colleen has a sparkle that is contagious. I call it "The V Factor" - kind of like the veggie version of Simon Cowell's "X Factor." Colleen has that something special that radiates from her soul and touches you. Her veggie glow makes you want to be a better, prouder, louder, kinder vegan - and person.

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series Interview: Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Q1: Sunrise, what is the first food and/or drink you reach for to start your "Veggie Girl Power" day?

Colleen: Tea, I always start my day with a freshly brewed pot of my favorite green or oolong tea. It soothes me as I start my day. I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my life, as tea (next to water) has always been my beverage of choice.

Q2: As a Veggie Girl Power trailblazer you inspire many girls, who or what has inspired you?

Colleen: Honestly, I’m inspired every day by how open people are. The people who find my work with an open heart whose minds and lives become transformed as a result are my inspiration. They’re the ones who give me hope each day and compel me to continue my work. The animals are also my inspiration, as they have so much to teach us about how to live in the present, how to forgive, and how to be just who we are. (My prayer for humans on behalf of the animals talks about this.)

Q3: When you first went vegan, what was the most challenging aspect of your new lifestyle? How did you overcome those obstacles?

Colleen: Honestly, my transition was pretty effortless. As soon as I made the connection between the violence I was contributing to by consuming animal’s milk, chicken’s eggs, and animal’s flesh, nothing that contained these things was appealing to me at all. I think the hardest part though – which is why I wrote The 30-Day Vegan Challenge – were the social aspects, the barrage of questions, the stream of myths I had to respond to, and the hostility with which some people responded to my being vegan. Now I understand what was going on then, and I can tell every single person who experiences this same thing to just hang on, because I guarantee it gets better as you remain true to what you believe in.

Q4: When people ask you why you 'went vegan' what is your usual response?

Colleen: I say that as soon as I realized I was paying people to be violent and desensitized, I didn’t want any part of it. I say that once I realized that no matter what an animal is bred and killed for - whether for their flesh, milk, or eggs - or how they’re bred and killed, you cannot escape the violence of slaughter, and I wanted no part of it. I became vegan so that my every day actions would be consistent with the compassion I already felt for people and animals.

Q5: What is the one message that you always try to project to your fans/followers?

Colleen: Well, just that: that my most fervent hope is that our daily choices be a reflection of our deepest values of compassion. I always say that I’m not asking people to live according to my values but that I’m urging people to live according to their own. I believe the problems we have in this world aren’t because we have so much compassion we don’t know what to do with it; the problems we have in this world are because people aren’t manifesting who they truly are. Most people are opposed to violence and cruelty, but most people aren’t reflecting that in their choices. My message is one that raises the bar and calls on people to do just that - to reflect their deepest values in their daily choices.

Q6: Vegans love to share their knowledge about food and nutrition, what is an interesting food fact you love to share with people?

Colleen: That the word “meat” originally meant that which was eaten to distinguish it from that which was drunk. The word mete originally meant solid food versus a beverage, and we still use it today when we say “coconut meat” or “nut meat.” I encourage vegans and vegetarians to take back the word and say “grain-based meat” or “nut-based meat” or “vegetarian or vegan meat” rather than fake, faux, alternative, substitute, or analog. Those words make “vegan food” sound so unappetizing, and they also make it seem like animal flesh and secretions are the barometers by which we should measure everything else. Not so.

Q7: Vegans don't live on carrot sticks and hummus alone, give us your most creative/delicious vegan snack idea!

Colleen: I’m a bit of a kale junky, so my absolute favorite snack is kale chips. They’re especially good as I grow my own kale in my back yard and can pick it fresh every day. However, I’m also a chocolate and peanut butter nut, so it’s not uncommon that you’ll find me sporting a little bowl of chips and peanut butter (when I want something more decadent!).

Q8: Words to live by: what is a favorite life tip or quote of wisdom?

Colleen: Don't do nothing because you can't do everything. Do something. Anything.

Q9: How do you respond to negative comments from those critical of a vegan lifestyle - both online and in the real world?

Colleen: Criticism is inevitable and can actually be a very constructive thing if we use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. If it’s negative, I consciously remind myself that how people react to me speaking my truth is their problem, not mine. My approach is to simply give people the information and facts and let them do with the information what they want. Most people make compassionate choices after they have the information. I’m a huge believer in planting seeds and remaining unattached to the outcome. There’s so much misinformation out there, and all we can do is speak the truth and trust that that prevails over everything else.

Q10: What vegan ingredients and/or vegan products have you discovered that you simply couldn't live without?

Colleen: Since I’ve already talked about kale as my favorite “vegan” ingredient, my favorite vegan product that I couldn’t live without would have to be 100% Pure’s Organic Coffee Bean Eye Cream. Even though I’ve never had coffee, I love the scent, and this moisturizer is out of this world!

Connect with Colleen:
Twitter
Facebook - compassionate Cooks
Website - colleenpatrickgoudreau.com
Buy her books!

Check out the schedule for this year's VGP series! Six more ladies to come!!

2011 Veggie Girl Power Series! This year's ladies..

November 1, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

I'm super excited to kick off my third annual, 2011 Veggie Girl Power Series, my series of interviews featuring vegan ladies who inspire us. Today I'm announcing this year's seven fabulous VGP ladies. Over the next two weeks I'll be scattering their interviews here on my blog.

I love doing the VGP Series. Through it, I've interviewed a few of my favorite veggie heroes - including the fabulous Marilu Henner, Heather Mills, Rory Freedman, Sarma, Chloe Jo and many more. Check out his year's line-up and catch up on past VGP interviews...

Series Schedule: Veggie Girl Power 2011
*I'll be scattering these interviews over the next two weeks*

November 1: VGP 2011 Announcement
November 2-14: Interviews Below
(will link to interviews as they post)
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart
Stephanie Morgan
Annie Shannon
Anya
Kathy Freston
Portia de Rossi

Meet the Ladies - Quickie Intros:

* Colleen: A beloved speaker, author and chef - Colleen is an inspiring voice in the vegan world. She is an award-winning author of five books, including the bestselling The Joy of Vegan Baking, The Vegan Table, Color Me Vegan, and Vegan’s Daily Companion. Her latest book, The 30-Day Vegan Challenge, came out this past August. Colleen's website is Compassionate Cooks.

* Leanne: If you are a vegan fashionista, you surely know about Leanne's fabulous fashion line Vaute Couture. Every item is 100% vegan. Totally gorgeous. From fall coats to adorable bunny tanks. Love it all.

* Stephanie: As a fan of Food Trucks and reality TV, I was thrilled to watch Stephanie and her SeaBirds ladies compete in the latest season of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race. Stephanie, aka "Mama Bird" is the owner/founder of SeaBirds. Her truck's 100% plant-based menu serves up amazing vegan eats to the lucky residents of Orange County, California.

* Annie: If you love vegan blogs, you probably already love Annie's site Meet the Shannons - she runs it alongside her husband Dan. Their quirky and lovable blog is fun and inspiring - especially her project inspired by the movie Julie & Julia called The Betty Crocker Project (Annie & Dan are veganizing the entire cookbook!)

* Anya: Golubka means "dove" in Russian, Anya's native language. Anya's raw, vegan food blog, G0lubka is filled with awe-inspiring photography, uber-creative recipes and things that simply make you go, "WOW!" I am thrilled to get to know Anya.

* Kathy: Kathy Freston is a New York Times best-selling author. Her latest book is simply called Veganist. Kathy was also a featured guest on last year's famous "vegan challenge Oprah show." Kathy has appeared on a wide number of mainstream shows - inspiring the world to give vegan a try.

* Portia: Portia is well-known as being a talented Hollywood actress. But Portia is also well known for her passionate love of animals. She was recently featured on the July+August 2011 cover of VegNews Magazine. Portia and her wife Ellen DeGeneres are an inspiring dynamic duo - bringing the conversation of "vegan" to a very mainstream audience. I'm simply giddy to feature Portia this year!

Catch Up on the past VGP Interviews:

VGP 2010:
* Gena Hamshaw
* Chloe Coscarelli
* Susan Voisin
* Carolyn Scott
* Ani Phyo
* Heather Mills
* Alex Jamieson
* Isa Chandra

VGP 2009:
* Intro Page
* Sarma Melngailis
* Chef Amanda Cohen
* Marilu Henner
* Rory Freedman
* Chloe Jo Berman
* Karina Allrich
* Kristen Suzanne
* Erin McKenna
* "Best Of" VGP 2009

What is Veggie Girl Power? This series celebrates female trailblazers who inspire us! These veg-superstars are women with experience, wisdom, creativity, skills, heart, passion, grace, drive, dedication and personality.

Past VGP Ladies..

Four Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Pie

November 1, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 37 Comments

It's almost that time of year again. Pumpkin Pie time. Four Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Pie time...

Each year I like to refresh my go-to pumpkin pie recipe. So for 2011, I bring you this Four Ingredient Pumpkin Pie - this recipe is easier than ever!

Pumpkin Recipes...

Pumpkin Fritters
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls ..
Pumpkin Lattes ..
Pumpkin Dip ..
Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwiches ..
Pumpkin Cheese ..
Pumpkin Muffins ..
Pumpkin Oatmeal ..
Pumpkin Pudding and
Pumpkin Soup - it's no wonder that I couldn't stave off my "pie craving" for long.

Last year I posted a recipe for my 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie. You guys were simply giddy about the minimal ingredients. Well this year I've proudly revamped that recipe. Sliced the ingredients down even more. And it worked!

This four-ingredient pie filing tastes amazing. Thick and rich with a pumpkin spice maple flavor that tastes just as classic pumpkin pie should. The secret ingredient is again - those soaked cashews - I kept those from last year's recipe.

..but wait, there's more!..

Cream Swirled Version. Stay tuned, because to accompany today's recipe, in a few days I'll post my Swirled Cream Pumpkin Pie (same base recipe with only two additional ingredients!) But start off with this classic, holiday-approved, vegan pie. Vanilla bean coconut whip on top..

Want Coconut Whip? Two ways to get it..
1) Swirled Whip. Use a Frother can. Fluffy, airy, better-than-store-bought vegan whip.
2) Silky Whip. Use a hand beater for a silky "cool-whip" style whipped coconut cream.

..and also next week, I kick off my 2011 (third annual) Veggie Girl Power Series! Some amazing ladies this year!! Catch up on the previous years here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Print Recipe

3.95 from 20 votes

Four Ingredient Pumpkin Pie

I hope you serve up this easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie – get in and out of the kitchen in a flash so you can spend the holidays with your guests.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baking, pie, pumpkin, thanksgiving

Servings:

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups raw soaked cashews
1 cup maple syrup
1 can organic pumpkin puree 16 ounces
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
optional: ½ teaspoon salt to taste depends how much salt you soaked your cashews in
1 pie crust

Instructions

Soak about one cup of raw cashews in about 2 ½ cups of water in a large bowl. Add about ½ – 1 teaspoon of salt to the bowl – mix to dissolve. The salt allows the water to absorb more efficiently into the cashews and also adds some salt for your recipe. Note: you may want to soak more cashews than needed and make two pies – or use in other recipes like my vegan pumpkin spice cashew cheese!
Soak this cashew bowl overnight in the fridge. You want well-soaked cashews so that your pie mix blends up perfectly creamy. I soaked my cashews for about 18 hours. At least 8 is optimal. Don’t soak for more than two days or the cashews can get grimy in my opinion.
The day of your actual pie making allow at least 3 hours from the time you start to the time you wish to serve the pie. I like a cool time of at least 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Drain the water from your cashews. They should be very soft to bite and a slight purplish dark hue. This is normal. Add 1 ¼ cups of cashews to your food processor – or even better, a Vitamix or high speed blender. Get your own Vitamix here with free shipping!
Add pumpkin to blender. Next, add in the maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Blend on low -> high for about 3-5 minutes until the mixture is completely creamy. If your mixture is a bit thick for some reason – you can add in a few teaspoons of either water, maple syrup or even non-dairy milk. After blending, do a taste test and add a ½ teaspoon of salt if needed. I added in about ⅓ teaspoon extra salt. But taste before adding.
Pour your mix into a par-baked vegan pie shell (I toast my raw pie shell in the 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes). You can buy a frozen crust or make your own per instructions linked in recipe above.
Bake pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes – or until the edges look fluffy and a darker caramel orange tone. Use a toothpick in center if unsure. The tooth-picked filling should come out slightly wet – but very thick and dark. It is important to remember that your pie will firm up significantly upon cooling and chilling in the fridge.
Remove pie from oven. Cool on counter for at least 30 minutes. Then place in fridge until ready to serve. At least 2 hours cooling and/or chilling time is my preference.
I serve chilled with a swirl of my vegan coconut whip on top!!

Notes

vegan pie crust - make your own using my instructions in this post. Also reference my crust-making how-to video here.

Nutrition

Pie Crust.

I was a bit annoyed at myself for not making my own crust for this pie. I used a vegan frozen crust from Whole Foods - easier since I was experimenting with recipes. I WILL for sure make a from scratch crust when I make this again for Thanksgiving. Flaky, vegan buttery, homemade vegan crust is oh-so-much-better than anything frozen. My how-to make pie crust instructions here will assist you. And watch my How-to Vegan Pie Crust Video too.

I hope you serve up this easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie - get in and out of the kitchen in a flash so you can spend the holidays with your guests.

Happy Fall Holidays!!!!

Halloween Meatless Monday Round-Up, 10/31

October 31, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky Leave a Comment

This week's Happy Halloween and Meatless Monday Recipe Round-up via my posts over at Babble.com's Family Kitchen: spooky treats - and more! All meatless, all vegan. Spooky inspiration for today and the week ahead...

H A P P Y* *H A L L O W E E N!! Celebrate the spookiest vegan day of the year with the help of my other site: FindingVegan.com - over 100 vegan recipes sure to inspire you. From savory to sweet. Ghosts to pumpkins - give these ghoulish treats a try (or just have fun browsing the adorable, scary creations!) FindingVegan's #HALLOWEEN tag!

A few more of my fave Halloween Recipes:

Eats:
* Always a good start: Jack-o-Pumpkin Breakfast Sandwich
* Witches Brew Broccoli Soup with Broomstick Bread sticks
* Bloody Beet "Twilight" Salad
* Pumpkin Spice Cashew Cheese

Treats:
* 16 Classic C A N D Y Bars - veganized recipes!
* Spooky Spiderweb Brownies
* Pumpkin Pie Breakfast "Pop tarts"
* Knobby Nosed Chocolate Ghosts for kids
* Halloween Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Plump Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes
* Creepy Fun: Worm Hill Chocolate Pudding Parfait
* Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Layer Cake or Pumpkin Cinna Buns

Sips:
* Coconut Ghost Whip-Topped Cocoa
* Pumpkin-Spice Latte
* Pumpkin Pie Cider Smoothie
* Ghosty Coconut Vanilla Latte (in a spooky mug)

More:
* Adults Only: Scary Cherry Ginger Fizz Cocktail
* 20 Fun Halloween Lessons!
* Halloween History Fun Facts!
* Happy Halloween Round-Up from 2010 (treats, costumes, more)

And more new recipes for the week...

Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up - 10/31

* Breakfast Treat: Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts with Vanilla Glaze
I didn't think I'd love these cute little pumpkin pie tarts so much - but I did! Easier than you may think too. The pumpkin butter filling is cozy, sweet and pumpkin-wonderful.

* Treat: Halloween Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Take a classic vegan pb choco chip cookie and infuse it with a bit of Halloween cheer and here is what you get! A hint of pumpkin too.

* Entree: Sweet Potato Coconut Cashew Rice Bowl
This lovely savory sweet rice bowl is filled with yummy stuff: cashews, sweet potato cubes, raisins, maple, spices and two kinds of rice. Add some seared tofu for a complete vegan meal. Sub with butternut squash for a fall-spin!

* Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Apple Crisp
Hmm, what should you make for a fall dessert? Apple Crisp or Pumpkin Pie? Now you don't have to decide with this rustic, cozy dessert filled with complex flavors of fall: spice, tart apples, lemon, sweet pumpkin butter and a rustic, buttery, oaty crumble on top.

* Side or Entree: Savory, Crispy, Cheezy Pumpkin Chickpea Croquettes
Yes, here is yet another fritter/croquette recipe. I love this one since it is studded with a few chopped veggies and stringy vegan Daiya cheese. Super cravable! Fry them or bake them. Packed with healthy foods like chickpeas, veggies, pumpkin.

* Gluten Facts: Gluten Free Facts!
Vegans are very good about paying attention to the special diets of their guests - but do you really know the basics about a gluten free diet? Here are a few facts you may want to learn or read as a nice refresher article.

Also, be sure to check out the announcement about this year's Veggie Girl Power Series!! I'm super excited about these ladies. Catch-up on past interviews here: 2009 and 2010 and 2009 quotes.

Previous Meatless Monday Recipe Round-Up's:

* 10/24 - Banana Pecan Muffins, Halloween Candy Veganized, Halloween Cupcakes.
* 10/17 - Papaya bowl, witches brew broccoli cheesy soup, cheezy broomsticks, Spiderweb Brownie Bites, Tofu Triangles over couscous with candied cashews and broccoli.
* 10/10 - Pumpkin Pizza, Fruity Faces, Peanut butter Banana Pudding, Carrot Juice and Double Pumpkin Cream Pie.
* 10/3 - Naughty/Nice Vegan Desserts, Raw Chocolate Shake, Pumpkin Potato Salad, Pumpkin Spice Cider Smoothie and more..
* 9/26 - cauliflower soup, pomegranate fizzy cocktail, food truck gyros at home, ghost whip, almost tiramisu pie
* 9/19 - apple jack flapjacks, seared tofu, tropical green smoothie, vanilla coconut latte, sumac salad
* 9/12 - ginger frosty, peanut butter cream pie, vegan chili, easy coconut rice and wonton lunch, peanut butter fruit stack sandwich
* 9/5 - Labor Day "Southern Food" Feast - biscuits, "chickn" fried seitan, cole slaw, pb shake
* 8/29 - pesto alphabet pasta, banana split, sweet potato biscuits, pasta salad to-go, cheeze sauce
* 8/22 - tropical smoothie, mushroom bites, veggie burger, love your green juice, peas and pasta cheezy style
* 8/15 - vegan jello, sunny pesto pasta, peachy "A" Smoothie, creamy cole slaw recipes, vegan sloppy joes, apricot cobbler and lime basil sorbet!
* 8/8 - jumbo croutons, fresh tomato hummus, peanut butter pillows, veggie burger slideshow, sticky maple french toast, cinna-rolls and more!
* 8/1 - hazelnut hummus, pesto pasta, tofu scramble, squash blossoms, savory waffles, hash browns.
* 7/25 - smoothies, vegan burrito, blueberry bread, panzanella salad, beet salad, peach crisp.
* 7/18 - roasted pepper hummus, raw food eats, papaya smoothie, owl cake, chocolate pudding parfait, hemp mashed potatoes and watermelon recipes.

And you can always peruse my HHL Recipe Index for many more vegan, meatless recipes!

Cheezy Broccoli Fritters

October 27, 2011 by Kathy Patalsky 12 Comments

Fabulous Fritters. Fabulous Fritters. Fabulous Fritters. (Go on, say that three times fast.)

These Cheezy Broccoli Bean Fritters are tender and moist on the inside, crisp crumbly crust on the outside. They kinda actually melt in your mouth. And I don't usually say that about broccoli.

The bright green broccoli is rustic and hearty, yet minced into tiny velvety bits that caramelize as they cook. Nutty nutritional yeast, bright cider vinegar and savory vegan cheese in each cozy bite. Crave the broccoli and "cheese" flavor - a classically awesome combo. Grab this recipe...

Healthy Fritters! The power-food combo of beans and broccoli makes these cute little fritters quite filling and nutritious!

My fabulous fritter kick continues. Actually, you could call it a fritter, croquette and cake kick. It all started with these addictively yummy Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters. And then I rolled out these Cheesy Pumpkin Chickpea Veggie Sunflower Seed Croquettes - tender and amazing. And today I took a break from pumpkin (I know, I know, why would I want to do that?) and tried some broccoli fritters. I loved them! Delicious way to get a hearty serving of healthy broccoli.

Ingredients Note: Many of you have asked about nutritional yeast. Get my Nutritional Yeast 101 here. You can find at most health/natural grocery stores including Whole Foods. They even have a 365 brand version. I like Kal brand and you can buy online at e-stores like One Lucky Duck.

For the hemp seeds, the same is true - Whole Foods carries them.

Substitutions? You can add more vegan cheese in place of the nutritional yeast for flavor. And you can sub the hemp seeds with sunflower. Add in some flour to dry out the mixture if you you are not using nutritional yeast (but really, it ROCKS! So try to find some or buy online. It will change your life and food. It will!)

Cheezy Broccoli Bean Fritters
vegan, makes 7-9 fritters

4 cups minced broccoli (from whole florets)
1 ½ cups cannellini beans, drained from one can
¼ cup vegan Monterey Jack (or cheddar) cheese shreds
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

for frying: ¼ cup safflower oil
bread crumb coating: panko or fine plain bread crumbs

To Make:

1. Mince florets in a Vitamix or food processor until finely chopped into flaky bits. I used one medium head of broccoli - mostly the florets and a few stems.

2. Add the beans and minced/chopped broccoli to a large mixing bowl. With a large fork or potato masher, mash the beans until at least 75% of them have been mashed together with the broccoli.

3. Add in the garlic powder, apple cider, hemp seeds, hot sauce, nutritional yeast, s and p. Fold in the vegan cheese. Fold together until a moist mixture forms.

4. Preheat a few tablespoons of safflower oil in a large skillet.

5. When the oil is hot, for the mixture into golf ball sized balls and roll in the bread crumbs until well covered - pat down into flatter cakes and place in the hot oil - carefully.

6. Continue until the pan is full - leave about an inch space between each cake for easier flipping. Cook on each side only about 2 minutes - or until toasty brown.

7. Transfer cooked fritters to a paper towel to cool. Serve in about 5 minutes after cooling a bit.

*Store in the fridge and reheat in the oven if desired. You can freeze as well. However, these fritters are best hot off the skillet!

And for those of you who tried my Pumpkin Chickpea Fritters, check out what happens when you add in extra pumpkin, use fine bread crumbs instead of Panko, and light fry. Here is the result (softer, cake like patties - yum too!)..