Red Hot Vegan Momma

PETA Cutest Vegetarian Kid Contest – vote Samara!

2011-11-07T06:50:00.000-05:00

The finalists for PETA’s annual Cutest Vegetarian Kid competition have been announced, and my daughter Samara has been chosen to be one of them! She got through the previous rounds on her enthusiasm for vegetarianism and her dedication to living a veggie lifestyle and now all that decides a winner is the number for votes she can get, so as a very proud mom I’m here to ask all you lovely people to support her!

She is the only vegetarian kid in her school, and has put up with a lot of teasing and name-calling because of it, but despite that she has stayed true to her beliefs. She doesn’t know any other vegetarian children, and I supported her entering the contest so that she was aware that she wasn’t the only one, and that it’s OK to think the way she does. She really is a beautiful girl, inside and out, and it would mean the world to her if she won.

Please take just a minute to follow the link and vote for her. We have until the end of the week to get as many votes as possible, and it would be amazing for her if she won. Thank you!

Is there a factory farm near you?

2011-09-09T08:30:00.001-04:00

I came across this map yesterday, which quite shows all the factory 'farms' and meat processing plants across America. You can zoom into your state and county and see exactly what is being farmed near your home, as well as statistics showing the rate of growth in animal production over the period between 1997 and 2007 (numbers gathered from census information). The brainchild of the Food and Water Watch, the site also gives some great information on how livestock farming impacts not only animal welfare, but our health, the environment and the community. Well worth a look.

Missouri voters - the puppy mill dogs need your help again!

2011-04-15T12:00:00.000-04:00

Just five months ago the good people of Missouri voted to reform legislation regarding puppy mills. The 'Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act' ( PMCPA aka Prop B) was voted in to ensure that dogs who spend their entire lives in these large scale breeding facilities would receive basic, humane care. We're not talking velvet cushions or gilt cages here, we're talking adequate amounts of food and water, temperature control, shelter from the elements, regular veterinary checks, and female dogs getting a resting period between breeding cycles. Reasonable, compassionate legislation wouldn't you think? Apparently not according to the Missouri House of Representatives, who this week voted to scrap the act and are therefore going against the will of the general public of their state.

It pisses me off so much, that something that took literally decades of lobbying by animal welfare groups, was voted in by the people, and that hasn't even come into effect yet, has been kicked to the curb. The fate of these poor dogs, now lies in the hands of ONE man - Governor Jay Nixon. This is where the voters of Missouri can do their bit once more.

If you live in Missouri, please contact Governor Nixon, and very nicely ask him to veto SB113. If you don't live in Missouri, but know someone who does, please tell them what's going on and ask them if they would help. And if you don't think the live of a puppy mill dog is a bad one, then check out some of the investigations that the ASPCA has carried out and we'll see if you change your mind.

Put down that bacon and celebrate National Pig Day!

2011-03-01T11:12:00.001-05:00

Happy 1st of March! Today is also National Pig Day, a day when (since 1972) we are to "to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man's most intellectual and domesticated animals." Thank you Wikipedia!
I'm not sure how enthusiastic our porky friends would be to find their national day is celebrated by them being eaten. Pigs are intelligent creatures, they love to play, can recognize their own name and live complex social lives when left to their own devices. Sadly, a lot of people only have one thought on a day like today, how good a bacon sandwich tastes.

Let's see how a pig celebrates his freedom. This video from the Gentle Barn (go check out their work, they are truly amazing!) shows a piglet named Biscuit who was used at a pumpkin patch. When pumpkin season was over he was headed for the slaughterhouse but luckily was rescued and taken to the sanctuary instead.

Kiss Me I'm Vegan - Farm to Fridge project

2011-02-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, Mercy for Animals released the following video highlighting the atrocities carried out to animals in the mass production of food. Only 12 minutes long, the video is hard hitting but if you eat any animal products you should be watching it to find out what happens to food stock animals before they show up on your plate.

The lovely Lindsay Wolf of Kiss Me, I'm Vegan has launched the Farm to Fridge Project to ensure the video gets to as wide an audience as possible. Here's what she has to say.

"What is the Farm to Fridge Project? Well, I'll be sharing "Farm to Fridge" on my facebook wall for seven days, and each day, I will remind everyone out there that if they choose to watch it and feel helpless afterward, I can help. This is my pledge, and it's the least I can do for these innocent, sensitive, and needlessly abused animals."

She is asking anyone who shares her compassion for the animals to follow in her footsteps and put the video on their own Facebook wall. Easy peasy no? And as Lindsay says, if one person changes their lifestyle then it will be well worth it.

Are you ready for some new Daiya?

2011-02-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

I heard a little rumor over the weekend that Daiya was to introduce a new Pepper jack flavor to their line of vegan 'cheese' awesomeness, so I emailed them to find out if this was true! The lovely Shnane Liem mailed me back and said...

"The rumors are true! We are excited to announce that we will be adding a Pepperjack flavor to the Daiya line, which will available in mid-March."

Hurray for Daiya!!!

Think free range means cruelty free? Think again...

2011-02-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

You know how free range is a little more expensive than normal meat? Do you pay that extra few dollars thinking it means an easier life for the animal? Time to think again maybe. Hillside Animal Sanctuary in the UK, gave Sky News undercover footage of their investigation into Hall Farm in Norfolk, a duck rearing business that supplies upmarket Waitrose stores. The video below shows workers picking the ducks up by the neck and swinging them back into the flock. The animals are genetically geared toward heavy birds, so the consumer gets more bang for their buck but this means they cannot fly, so being thrown is going to cause them massive injuries.

The video also shows sick and dead and birds with the main flock, as well as birds that had been removed from the others but not properly disposed of. Yummy.

If you want to make sure that an animal on your plate doesn't suffer, don't assume that these big companies care about your conscience. They just want your money. The only way to stop animal suffering is to stop eating meat. End of story.

WARNING: The video shows images of animal abuse and may cause you to become vegan.

Anyone want a vegan pen-pal?

2011-02-04T14:10:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I came across an awesome website called L.O.V.E (Living Opposed to Violence and Exploitation), who have set up a vegan pen pal sign-up. Genius! They say...

Vegan Pen Pals are located around the globe and engage in various activities in their towns and cities, including potlucks, leafleting events, demonstrations, shopping excursions, film screenings, book clubs, restaurant outings, and more. There are no restrictions on who can be a vegan pen pal: aspiring vegans or long-time plant-eaters; old or young; cisgender or transgender; shy or outgoing; queer or straight; tall or short; bookworms; bike-riders; chefs; dancers; musicians; and covering the spectrum of genders and abilities. We only ask that you commit to one letter per month (but more, of course, is encouraged).

I think it's a great idea (can't you tell!) and in case you worried about giving out your address to strangers, all the letters go through a central PO Box, so your pen pal doesn't need to know where you live. All it takes is a quick sign up here and you're good to go. You never know, you might even get me as a pen pal!

Mixed feelings about Oprah's 7 day Vegan Challenge

2011-02-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

I finally got to watch the show, and wrote up my thoughts for This Dish is Veg (published today)

You can read the full article here.

Oprah’s 7 day vegan challenge

2011-02-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Harpo Print LLC

In her show today, Oprah Winfrey goes vegan for 7 days, and challenges all her staff to do the same. Inspired by Kathy Freston and her new book Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World, the show will also show viewers the inside of a beef production plant. Winfrey’s show is an important step towards veganism becoming more mainstream and is sure to send Freston’s book to the top of the bestseller lists.

To see the trailer and for details on where and when you can see the show in your area, follow this link!

South Korea burying live animals in Foot and Mouth outbreak

2011-01-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

Photo source: Sky News

Rather than immunize their livestock against food and mouth (costing an estimated $63 million), the South Korean government instead chooses to spend almost $230 million to dispose of possibly infected pigs... by burying them alive. I'm speechless... Read the full story here.

Compassion in World Farming is on the case, and you can add your voice here.

My first interview!

2010-12-31T10:58:00.000-05:00

Today my first interview for This Dish is Veg was published - it was with the very lovely Tracy Perkins, owner of the vegan, all natural skin care company, Strawberry Hedgehog.

Take a minute to check out the interview here, and use the discount code that Tracy gave exclusively to TDIV readers to buy some yummy skin goodies!

All change for the New Year!

2010-12-28T19:51:00.000-05:00

It's almost that time of year again - time to look back on the last twelve months and hopefully build on the positive experiences we've had as well as learn from the negative ones.

It's been an exciting year for me. I started this blog, started writing for This Dish is Veg, and had an inkling of an idea for a vegan (of course!) home-based business, and in the coming year I hope to continue doing the first two and to expand on the third!

The blog is going to have a bit of a face-lift over the next few days, and will have more varied content than there has been so far. There will still be yummy recipes don't worry, and you'll have to tune in after the New Year for the rest!

Meanwhile, have a bit of ABBA to herald in the New Year!

Have a great vegan New Year's Eve everyone!!!

Vegan MoFo! I is for...

2010-11-17T06:44:00.002-05:00

While I love pizza and calzones, I'm not a big fan of too much dough - if I want lots of bread I'll make a sandwich thanks very much! So when setting out to make calzone dough, I wasn't interested in making regular pizza dough, I needed something thinner and crispier. As usual when I'm recipe brainstorming, I headed for Veg Web and found this recipe from Love Joy Harvest which is more of a pastry than a bread dough, and looked really promising. Of course I made a few changes lol!

This is what you'll need...

1 2/3 cups flour
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons ice cold water (or more of needed)
4 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Throw everything except for the water in a food processor and mix well. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. Wrap dough in plastic wrap until you use it as it dries out very easily.

How many you make out of this is up to you - I usually make three big calzones, but you could easily get five or six smaller ones out of it. Just roll out the dough to about 3 mm thick, fill with whatever you have to hand (I usually do Daiya cheese and vegetables with pizza sauce) and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Another easy recipe, that the whole family loves so that makes me a happy momma!

Enjoy!

Vegan MoFo! H is for...

2010-11-16T07:05:00.000-05:00

When I was brainstorming what to do for Vegan MoFo, I came across a recipe for hoecakes by Paula Deen. I'd never heard of hoecakes before, but I loved the name (which has nothing to do with ladies of ill repute and everything to do with garden tools), and thought if anyone needs to be veganized, it's Paula Deen! The recipe looked pretty easy to switch from the dark side, and the family likes cornbread so it looked like a win-win situation. But sadly I forgot to take photos of the endeavor... so picture if you can, a steaming bowl of homemade veggie chili, with lovely crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside corn pancakes on the side and we'll be good to go.

You will need...

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup self raising cornbread
2 egg equivalents (I used Ener-G)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
oil for frying

Mix the soy milk and vinegar together and allow to curdle for for a few minutes, then add to all the other ingredients except for the frying oil. Heat the frying oil in the frying pan and drop the mixture into it. I used a 1/4 cup measure for each pancake. Wait until the underside is browned and crispy then flip to cook the other side. When you take them out of the pan, place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil then munch away merrily!

Here's a pic of Paula's hoecakes... mine looked better ;o)

Vegan MoFo! G is for....

2010-11-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

Yup, I'm still here! After being sick for a week (bleh), and sorting out my gorgeous daughter's 7th birthday party, there wasn't too much room for Vegan Mofo. I guess I'm a bad moFo-er haha!!! Alright, enough of the bad jokes and on with the show... my faux chick'n of choice used to be Quorn, until I went vegan that is. All those egg white laden goodies don't cut the mustard in our house any more and so I was a happy camper when the Gardein products came to West Michigan! I've made quite a few dishes with it, and it never fails to please. From curries to pot pies (which my husband said was just like the real version!), it works every time AND the whole family will eat it so another huge bonus. This recipe was adapted from one at Eclectic Recipes, who adapted one from Martha Stewart. I made it for the first time the week before last when I was having a friend round for dinner, and it went down really well. Hubby even took leftovers to work and it was still good!
Here's what you need...

One bag of diced Gardein Chicken Scallopini
8 cloves of garlic
1 cup of raw cashews
1 diced bell pepper
4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
8 sliced green onions (I lost these on the way back from the store so didn't add them lol)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cup water or vegan chicken stock (I used Better than Bouillon)
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper
rice of choice

Start cooking the rice. The actual dish doesn't take too long, so start cooking it when the rice has about 15 minutes to go.
Heat a skillet then heat the oil over a low-medium heat. Add the peppers, garlic and cashews and cook, making sure you don't burn the garlic. Add the Gardein and brown gently. Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch and chicken stock/water and add to the skillet. Add the hoisin sauce and vinegar and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the green onions just before serving, and serve over the rice.
Yummy!

Vegan MoFo! F is for...

2010-11-09T10:21:00.000-05:00

The first time I ever had falafel, I was living in London, and working on a market stall on Portobello Road. If you've ever been to the Portobello Road market, you'll know that the antique-y type stalls are at the beginning down by the Portobello Star and the Earl of Lonsdale (both awesome pubs!), while as you go towards Portobello Green, you get the more diverse stalls. I was right under the flyover, next to Portobello Green and at least was protected from the rain, but it could get incredibly cold there! Over the road from my stall, was a food store called 'Pita the Great' and the smells from there were AMAZING, so my nose led me to find out what the fuss was about. I bought the fresh falafel, in a pita with salad and tahini sauce, took a bite and was forever smitten. The taste was fabulous and since that day I have been a falafel lover. For this I decided to make a larger patty and have it in a bun instead of smaller balls in a pita. I'm feeling like poop at the moment (bloody cold!), and didn't feel like making pita bread but had some skinny bagels on hand which looked perfect enough to slide a falafel burger into!

So! You will need...

1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas), or 4oz dried, soaked, cooked and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon flour (I used whole wheat, but all purpose would be fine too)
oil for frying
salad
some kind of bread to house the patties

Through all the ingredients up to and including the flour into a food processor and blitz. You want everything to be mixed together, but make sure you still get some chunks of chickpeas left. Put in a lidded container and leave in the fridge for an hour or so. I'm not sure why but it makes it less likely to break up in the frying pan if you do this! When your belly is rumbling and you can stand it no more, heat up the frying pan, add the oil, and when it is hot take some of the falafel mix in your hand, shape into a patty and cook it. It will take a couple of minutes to brown, then flip that baby over and cook the other side. Easy peasy! Repeat with the rest of the mix. I made 4 big patties with this recipe. And this is what one of them looked like...

Delicious, no?

Vegan MoFo Day 5! E is for...

2010-11-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

Or if you live in my native land, an aubergine! I love them whatever they're called and today I wanted to try one of Susan Voisin's recipes from Fat Free Vegan. Called Creamy Creole Eggplant Casserole, I followed the recipe except for adding mushrooms. My daughter hates mushrooms and will practically refuse to eat her dinner if she suspects they are in there. Very straight forward to cook, very yummy to munch on, and you can't ask for more than that lol!

Mofo Day 4! D is for...

2010-11-04T14:20:00.000-04:00

Daiya... I was so excited when I found out Daiya 'cheese' had arrived in our local shops, that I phoned the store and asked them to put some aside to make sure I got some! It is by far the best and most versatile vegan cheese substitute that I have tried (although I haven't tried them all I admit), and most importantly in this house, it passed the hubby test. My gorgeous husband is a non-vegan and what is always the most important when I cook anything is that the whole family likes it. If one person hates it then it doesn't usually get made again. I had tried other vegan cheese, and when he ate a piece he made 'that face'. You know the one? the one that looks like someone just chewed a wasp? I get it from my 6 year old too lol.

So, he likes the Daiya, my wee one likes the Daiya, and I'm a happy momma.

I use it anywhere that someone would use regular cheese, and it works pretty well most of the time. It doesn't brown I find, but it does melt and stretch and all that good stuff. Here's a recipe that I wrote up a little while ago that uses it.

If you haven't tried it before, check our their website and try and get hold of some.

Vegan MoFo Day 3! C is for....

2010-11-03T12:51:00.000-04:00

Let's clear a couple of things up before we start - firstly, chocolate should be a food group all on its own, it's THAT good.

Second, in case you didn't realize, I'm from England and over there, if you cover a biscuit with gravy and serve it with mash potato you're going to look pretty silly. An English biscuit is sweet, preferably chocolate (in my book anyway!) and needs to not fall apart when we dunk it in our coffee. My all time favorite biscuit is the humble Bourbon. Pronounced Bore-bun, not Bur-bun, it has nothing to do with the liquor of the same name, but is named for a European aristocratic family, the House of Bourbon. Here in Michigan, to buy a packet of bourbons I have to lose an arm and a leg at World Market so today we are going make our own. Hurrah!

I found this recipe from Sailu's Kitchen and set about veganizing it. Easy Peasy! Ready?

You will need...

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup of your fave vegan margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon agave
2-3 tablespoons vegan milk of choice
sugar for sprinkling

For the filling...

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
few drops vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sieve the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa together and put to one side. In a separate bowl, cream together the marg and white sugar until well blended, then add agave and vanilla essence and mix again. Add the dry ingredients to the marg mixture to form a soft dough. Add a little dairy-free milk if needed (I needed to use 2 tablespoons).
Roll the dough directly onto some greaseproof paper or plastic wrap, and shape into a large rectangle. I had to put another piece of greaseproof paper on top of the dough to stop it sticking to my rolling pin. Roll to about 3 mm think and score the dough into rectangles about 1 inch by 3. Prick the tops with a fork and dust with sugar. Cook for about 15 mins - they'll still be soft when you taken them out, but they'll harden up as they cool.
Cream all the filling ingredients together and when the biscuits are cool, start making little sandwiches! Cool huh?

Wanna see what they look like? Okey dokey!

Vegan MoFo Day 2 - B is for...

2010-11-03T06:28:00.000-04:00

Beans, beans good for your heart,the more you eat, the more you... well you get the idea LOL! Beans are little powerhouses of nutritional goodness, all wrapped up in a convenient package.
Although you can obviously buy beans in tins at the stores, I prefer to buy them dried in bulk and cook them myself. That way, you're not having to deal with any salt, sugar, preservatives or any other added nasties that might be lurking, and it's also much cheaper which can't be a bad thing! Stored in airtight canisters they can last for ages, although the longer you have them the longer they will take to cook as they will be drier.
To use dried beans, firstly pick through and discard any bits of grit, dust and pieces of broken beans. Usually I then soak the beans overnight, replace the water out the next morning, then bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are soft. (adding more water if necessary). How long they take depends on the size of the bean you are using - chickpeas which are larger will take a few hours, while split peas and lentils will next next to no time. If you want to add salt to the cooking pot, wait until the beans are tender or it will harden the outside of the bean and prevent them from softening.
Half a pound of dry beans, when cooked, will yield just over 1 lb and will keep for a few days in the fridge, or they can be stored in freezer bags and frozen.

First Vegan MoFo Post! A is for...

2010-11-01T15:35:00.000-04:00

How can I live in Michigan and not dedicate the Letter A to the humble apple? Raw, baked, steamed, under a pie crust or crumble topping, apples are delicious. For todays post, I'm just going to subject you to some vegan food porn... the mouth watering pic below is of Zel Allen's (Vegetarian Paradise) Apples n' cream pie which I tested for her not long ago. With a nutty pie crust, slightly crunchy apples with moist raisins, topped with a tofu 'cream', it was a huge hit and will be made again very soon.

I can't divulge the recipe, as its not mine to give, but when the cookbook comes out, go rush and buy it! Meanwhile, just dribble over the pic...

It's World Vegan Day! Have you got your MoFo on?

2010-11-01T09:18:00.000-04:00

Happy November!!! So much is happening today that it's silly. It's World Vegan Day today and the beginning of Vegan MoFo, organized by the lovely folks at Post Punk Kitchen. It's my first time for this and I'm very excited, and wondering how I'm going to fit my life around reading the 556 blogs that have signed up for it so far. No that's not a typo, 5-5-6 blogs filled with vegan loveliness and guaranteed food porn! How can you resist?

If you're thinking, 'I want to do that!' there's still time! The final blog roll is up on the 3rd (Wednesday) so click on the logo above and sign yourself up.

I decided to do a theme for my MoFo, and starting later on today am going to be blogging on my A - Z of vegan awesomeness. There'll be recipes, food tips, and plenty of pics to drool over. Aren't I good to you?

Whole wheat bread recipe

2010-10-22T16:56:00.001-04:00

For a long time I've been looking for a consistently good whole wheat bread recipe, that rises, isn't as hard as a brick, and doesn't fall apart when you put a knife into it. I think I've found it! While browsing the wonder that is Veg Web, I found a recipe there by dbsnova that looked good so I gave it a whirl, and it was fabulous! I made some changes to the original recipe (which can be found here), by using apple sauce in place of the oil to keep the calories down, and left out the molasses also. Here's what you'll need to make 2 1lb loaves:

2 3/4 cups hand hot water
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
Up to 7 1/2 cups 100% wholewheat flour
2 tablespoons dry active yeast

Mix the yeast, water and sugar together and leave for a few minutes, until you get a brown 'froth' on top of the water. Start the mixer, and add the applesauce plus 2 cups of the flour. When combined, add another 4 cups of flour. When that's combined, add flour, one half cup at a time until the mixture starts coming away from the sides of the bowl. It will still be tacky to the touch, but not be sticking to the bowl anymore. Don't use anymore than the allotted 7 1/2 cups.
Cover the bowl and leave for about an hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Give the mixer another whirl to knock some of the air, then turn into a floured surface. Gently shape into a round, then halve dough and shape each into an oblong before placing into oiled loaf tins. Leave to rise again for about an hour, then place into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 - 35 minutes.
When you bring the two loaves out of the oven, leave in the tins for about 10 minutes while they cool down, and they should come cleanly out of the tins.
Enjoy!

Wanna go to the very first Vegan Bloggers Conference? Course you do!!!

2010-10-16T09:07:00.000-04:00

How exciting is this!!! Next August, for the very first time, will be a conference JUST for the ever growing vegan blogging community! Called Vida Vegan, and to be held in Portland, Oregon it promises to be super fun time.

With loads of speakers (see the current list here), a great looking agenda, and awesomely yummy food, how could you resist?

Go get a ticket now!!!

What's for dinner? Shepherdess Pie with a 'cheesy' leeky crust

2010-10-13T18:39:00.002-04:00

Fall for me means lots of lovely comfort food, and there's nothing more comforting than a good old shepherds pie, especially one as easy as this one! This one is adapted from a recipe from the English dame of cooking, Delia Smith, and it took just a few simple tweaks to make it suitable for our vegan table. The original recipe is here.
Seeing as shepherds pie is traditionally made from lamb, this one is renamed as shepherdess pie!

You will need...

1 cup dry TVP (or whatever burger crumbles you like)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped rutabaga (or swede if you live in good old England!)
1/2 level teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (or 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley)
10 fl. oz vegetable stock (I used Better than Bouillon brand)
1/2 cup Daiya Cheddar style shreds (or whatever vegan cheese you prefer)
1 large leek, sliced thinly
2lbs potatoes
2 tablespoon vegan margarine (I like Smart Balance Light)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
If using TVP, rehydrate with 1 cup boiling water.
Gently saute onions, carrots and rutabaga for about 10 minutes until the onion turns opaque.
Add the herbs, spices and burger crumbles, then gradually add the stock.
Turn the heat down and cook for about 30 minutes.
While that's cooking, peel and boil the potatoes then mash with the margarine. Don't use milk or any other liquid for this mash as you need it to be pretty firm on top of the filling.
Turn the filling into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash, sprinkle with the leek slices and then the Daiya.
Cook for 25 minutes and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

How humane is your city?

2010-10-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

I came across this nifty site today from the Humane Society of the United States, where 25 large cities are compared for how humane they are. You can also see issues specific to your area and how you can help.

Check it out, here.

'Let's Move' launches school lunch menu contest

2010-10-12T18:31:00.000-04:00

Let's Move (the anti-obesity campaign started by First Lady Michelle Obama), in partnership with the USDA has launched a competition to create healthy plant based school lunch menus. The participants will be grouped together and the menus judged by students initially, then as they progress through the contest, a panel of judges and then the public via a website.

To find out more info, go here.

This Dish is Veg launches new social network!

2010-10-11T14:15:00.000-04:00

The lovely people at This Dish is Veg has launched a social network! It doesn't matter if your focus is veganism, vegetarianism, flexitarian, animal welfare, or green topics, This Dish is Veg Social has a spot just for you!

Come take a peek... here!

Tonights '30 Days' show deer hunter living a cruelty free life for a month

2010-10-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

Tonight, Planet Green is airing an episode of '30 Days' that challenges hunter George Snedeker to not only live with a vegan family for a month, but also to participate in several PETA initiatives during his stay. The show, hosted by Morgan Spurlock of 'Supersize Me' fame, takes a person and asks them to live the life of someone else for 30 days, typically taking them far outside of their comfort zone.

To preview the episode and to learn more about 30 Days, please visit Planet Green.

Happy birthday John Lennon!

2010-10-09T09:53:00.000-04:00

I've been a huge Beatles fan for as long as I can remember (thanks Dad!), and as I got older a lover of John Lennon's solo career too. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact he would have been 70 years old today - I wonder what he would have done with the last 30 years? I'd like to think he would still be getting in people's faces while creating magical music.

Rock on John!

UK Food Standards Agency calls for cameras to be installed in slaughterhouses

2010-10-08T21:19:00.000-04:00

Once again, a distressing undercover video has been released, documenting the cruel and unnecessary violence that animals destined for slaughter as subjected to.
The video, taken from secretly installed cameras at seven slaughter houses in the United Kingdom, has been released by Animal Aid and shows graphic scenes of animals being beaten, kicked and stunned inappropriately.
Sadly, as the cameras were installed 'unlawfully' it is unlikely there will be any prosecution, however Tim Smith, chief executive of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has backed a move to install cameras in all abattoirs across England saying, "We looked at the cost [of installing CCTV], and it didn't seem to us to be disproportionate, compared to the reassurance that the customer of that plant might get. If I was a major retailer in this country and thinking what I was going to give my customers that … the best animal welfare standards were being used, then I would be putting [CCTV installation] in the specification for meat procurement."

You can see the video at the Guardian's website here.

Compassion Over Killing to air two new pro-veg commercials

2010-10-07T09:54:00.000-04:00

Starting next Monday (11th October), Compassion over Killing will air 30 second commercials portraying the miseries forced upon animals raised for food.
The ads called 'Exploring your Food' and 'A Side of Truth' are to be shown on Animal Planet, MTV and Comedy Central over the next four weeks.

Look what we had for dinner tonight...

2010-10-06T20:40:00.000-04:00

The photos really doesn't do it justice. This looked stunning when I turned it out of the dish, and believe me this was delicious!!!

I've been lucky enough to test some of Zel Allen's (Vegetarians in Paradise) recipes for her upcoming cookbook, and this was the latest trial. It's a Thanksgiving Filo Pie, filled with lovely veggies, rice and barley, and made my kitchen smell divine!

Thanks Zel!

Meet Lady Baa Baa...

2010-10-06T11:50:00.000-04:00

...modeling a beautiful kale ensemble at the Pasado Safe Haven.

Much more appealing than the dress we saw a few weeks ago at the MTV Video Music Awards don't you think?

I'm a Vegan MoFo... are you?

2010-10-05T13:28:00.001-04:00

I signed up today for Vegan MoFo and I am soooooo excited! In fact I'm so excited that I wrote so like sooooooo, which I never normally do... Vegan MoFo is a month long celebration of vegan food, that started life on the Post Punk Kitchen and has now gone bananas! The idea is to write about anything food related all month long, it could be your fave vegan recipe, memories of something yummy you ate or your must have kitchen tool but the deal is you have to write every day if you can.

Up for the challenge? Sign up on the form here!

FDA warns of buying reduced price pet meds online

2010-10-04T20:34:00.000-04:00

Second piece for This Dish is Veg today talks about the dangers of buying reduced price pet medications online, and how you can be sure that the sites you use are safe,

You can read it here...

First post of the week for This Dish is Veg!

2010-10-04T20:31:00.000-04:00

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

First post this week is regarding Katherine Heigl and the Heigl Foundation who have initiated a series of programs in Los Angeles to help reduce the number of homeless animals who are euthanized each year.

You can read it here!

Happy World Vegetarian Day!!!

2010-10-01T06:19:00.001-04:00

October 1st is World Vegetarian Day and to make everyone feel part of the celebration, the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) has issued a challenge to try and eat meat-free during this month and you could win $1000!

To find out more, check out the World Vegetarian Day home page.

Help your pet in the case of an emergency in your home

2010-09-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

If (God forbid) there were a fire in your home, how would the emergency services know that there might be an animal in your home? As I wrote for This Dish is Veg today, Pet Plan and Wag'N have come together to help animals for National Fire Safety Month this October. It includes details on how to create you own personalized pet information poster to inform firefighters that there is a pet inside them home, what their name is and where they like to hide.

Go check it out, here!

Win a cruelty free watch with PETA!

2010-09-29T19:56:00.000-04:00

PETA has teamed up with Fruitz to giveaway a super cute, cruelty free watch! To enter follow this link.

Today's posts for This Dish is Veg!

2010-09-29T17:09:00.000-04:00

Two animal welfare articles today; the first on the dolphin hunt in Taiji, Japan and the second on the findings of a safety expert investigating the egg farms involved in the salmonella outbreak recently.

PLRS animals update - happy post!

2010-09-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

Last week I posted on how the animal research lab in North Carolina was closing after an undercover investigation by PETA showed the handlers treating the animals with absolutely unnecessary cruelty. Happily today the SPCA in Wake County (who took in some of the released animals) has released their own video showing the already amazing progress some for the animals have made.
Happy days!

Mary McCartney to publish veg cookbook

2010-09-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

Mary McCartney, daughter of Paul and Linda is to publish a vegetarian cookbook next year.

To read the full article, please click here!

Are you a cat lover?

2010-09-28T15:13:00.000-04:00

If so Animal Planet may be looking for you! Read my article at This Dish is Veg for more details.

OK Go - White Knuckles - Fabulous message!

2010-09-28T08:13:00.000-04:00

No-meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, and choccy pudding

2010-09-27T20:53:00.002-04:00

Today my beautiful daughter has a VIP day at school where they can invite someone special to come along and see what they get up to all day. She's been practicing songs for a presentation her class is giving and is wildly excited that her Grandma (my mother-in-law) is going! To round off the day nicely, MIL is coming round for dinner afterward and I'm hoping to wow her with some vegan delights. So.... on the menu today is meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce, and some choccy pudding for afters. We love choccy pudding! I made it a few weeks ago as a follow on to the Tofu and Tempeh challenge I participated in, and I just knew it would get wolfed down - I wasn't wrong!
Anyway, on to the recipes... I've bought prepared meatballs in stores before and never really liked the taste. I'm not sure if it's because they tried to make them taste like lamb (I've never eaten lamb so couldn't tell), but whatever, they weren't nice. So these are more beefy tasting and all the family like them so I'm sticking to them lol!

Here’s what you’ll need.

½ cup oats
¼ cup soy milk (I’ve not tried it but I’m sure any plant milk would work fine)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or onion powder)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (use more or less depending on your taste; we love garlic so I want lots!)
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1½ cups of TVP (or a bag of veggie burger crumbles)
1½ cup water (if you’re using the TVP)
3 teaspoon egg replacer (I used Ener-G)

Ok. Start by preheating the oven to 400ºF then grab a cookie sheet and some parchment paper. Add the water to the TVP in a bowl to rehydrate it. The amount of water you need varies but I usually add equal amounts of TVP to water, and if there’s an excess of water just drain it off. Leave the mixture for about 10 minutes while you sort out the oats.

Next, soak the oats in the soy milk. I usually do this in the food processor to save on dishes. I find by using the food processor to whiz the mixture up a bit helps it stay together, when I’ve mixed it by hand they still taste great but are very crumbly and can fall apart when added to the sauce later.

When the TVP is rehydrated, drain off any water and add to the oats in the food processor. Add all the other ingredients and whiz for about 30 seconds.

Form into gorgeously yummy balls, then cook for 10-15 minutes until browned.

While they’re cooking in the oven, make the spicy tomato sauce… for this you need;

A little oil
1 medium onion
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tin of tomato sauce

Fry the onions slowly in the oil until soft. I usually cook them on a low heat for about 20 minutes or so, so that they don’t go brown. Add the red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning and cook for about a minute longer. Pour in the tomato sauce and heat through. When the meatballs have finished cooking, plop them into the sauce! Easy peasy! Be careful not to move them around too much as they’ll break up. Serve over pasta or on their own and enjoy!

Balinese dogs to be vaccinated rather than poisoned

2010-09-27T17:27:00.002-04:00

Second article today for This Dish is Veg - read it here!

Company develops plant based prenatal vitamins

2010-09-27T17:25:00.000-04:00

First article today for This Dish is Veg - a company making animal free prenatal vitamins.

Read it here...

Basic bread recipe

2010-09-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

Jeeze, I haven't put on a recipe on here in forever! Time to remedy that I think!
The thing I cook most often in my house is bread. Every day when me and my daughter are eating breakfast, the Kitchen Aid is whirring away in the background, mixing up what will be everyone's lunch.
I started making my own bread back when I lived in England, and soon discovered that once you eat home made bread, you can't go back to the store bought variety. Not only does it taste so, so different, but its free of all those nasty things that manufacturers think we need to eat, bleh. Plus the smell of it cooking in the oven is something akin to olfactory porn - it is second only to the smell of fresh coffee in the morning!
This recipe is the one I use most often (given to me my lovely friend Kathy) and takes a little while, but produces the most wonderful, light fluffy sandwich bread. One of these gets devoured by my family every day! Ready? Here goes!

You will need...

1 lb of white bread flour (or up to a half and half mix of white and whole wheat flour)
1 cup of warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of yeast
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 - 3 cups of boiling water

Mix the warm water, sugar and yeast together in a jug and leave to one side. Meanwhile, boil some water. When the top of the yeast water has become foamy, add to the flour on a mixer with a dough hook. Mix for about 3 minutes and leave to rest for 10. Mix again for 10 minutes and then place in a large oiled bowl.
Place the bowl on the top shelf of your oven. On the bottom shelf, place a large (I use a 9" x 7") heatproof dish and fill with the boiling water. Close the oven door and leave the dough to rise for a couple of hours, or until double in size. Try not to peek for at least an hour, or all the steam will escape! Also, don't turn the oven on until you take the dough out...
When the dough is double its original size, turn out onto a floured surface and punch it into a rectangle. Roll it up from its short side and punch out again (dough is great for getting out any anger!!!)
Roll up again from the short side and place in a lightly oiled 1lb bread tin. Cover with a tea towel and leave for a hour until risen again.
Preheat the oven to 400 F, and cook for about 25 minutes until the top is browned and your house is filled with heavenly aromas...
I usually leave the bread in the tin for around ten minutes, and then it tips out the tin really easily.
Leave to cool completely before slicing, but if you can't resist, smother with vegan margarine and dribble as it melts into the steaming bread and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy..!

Will future generations condemn us for factory farming?

2010-09-27T11:50:00.000-04:00

In an article in yesterday's Washington Post, Kwame Anthony Appiah (currently the Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University) asks which of our current practices will shock future generations the most. He says from looking at how our attitudes have changed to things in the past, that there are three signs that a practice is 'destined for future condemnation.'

People have already heard the arguments about the practice. For example with slavery, the case against it had been around for a long time before legislation to stop it emerged.
Defenders of the custom don't offer moral excuses but instead state that 'tradition, human nature of necessity' make it ok. (As in "We've always had slaves, how could we grow cotton without them?")
Thirdly, supporters of the practice use 'strategic ignorance' avoiding information that might force them to see how cruel things can be, for those things that are so very convenient. Those who wore the cotton slaves grew didn't want to think about how they were treated, so abolitionists constantly drew attention to the conditions of the middle passage, making sure that the horrifying stories of the people's plight can to public attention.

In light of these three signs, Appaih gives four offerings to what he thinks will cause our descendants to ask "What the hell were they thinking?"

Our prison system
Our treatment of animals in food production
Our isolation of the elderly
Our treatment of the environment

For the sake of convenience he states that people, animals and the environment are being pushed 'out of sight, and to some extent out of mind' as prisons, nursing homes and factory farms get bigger and the environment around us becomes more and more fragile.

Well worth a read, the full article is here.

Brutal dairy worker pleads guilty to animal cruelty

2010-09-24T18:55:00.000-04:00

Billy Joe Gregg Jr., today pleaded guilty to six charges of animal cruelty after he was shown on video maliciously harming cows and calves at Conklin Dairy Farms in Ohio. He was sentenced to eight months in jail, ordered to pay $1000.00 fine and is banned from having contact with animals for three years. He will also receive counseling specifically designed for those who are charged in animal cruelty cases.
The undercover investigation by Mercy for Animals (MFA), showed farm workers;

Violently punching young calves in the face, body slamming them to the ground, and pulling and throwing them by their ears.
Routinely using pitchforks to stab cows in the face, legs and stomach
Kicking "downed" cows (those too injured to stand) in the face and neck - abuse carried out and encouraged by the farm's owner
Maliciously beating restrained cows in the face with crowbars - some attacks involving over 40 blows to the head
Twisting cows' tails until the bones snapped
Punching cows' udders
Bragging about stabbing, dragging, shooting, breaking bones, and beating cows and calves to death

"Gregg's punishment is a slap on the wrist compared to the unimaginable suffering endured by the animals who were victims of his malicious abuse," says MFA's Executive Director, Nathan Runkle. "It's an outrage that in Ohio it's a mere misdemeanor to sadistically punch, beat and stab farmed animals, break their bones and otherwise torture them. This case should serve as a wake-up call to all compassionate citizens that Ohio must do more to strengthen its animal cruelty laws."

Today's posts for This Dish is Veg

2010-09-24T17:57:00.000-04:00

Firstly, Bob Harper of 'Biggest Loser' fame, on his affiliation with Farm Sanctuary on their Walk For Animals here, then an article on Nat Geo's upcoming magazine on the Gulf's oil industry.

The Ecologist releases video of California dairy farm investigation

2010-09-24T14:36:00.000-04:00

As planning permission for the UK's first large scale dairy farm is about to be resubmitted, The Ecologist traveled to California to see for themselves the impact factory farming can have on the local community. The resulting video and article shows that they found intimidation, pollution, pesticides and illness.

Gone are the days of 'cows in the meadow, eating buttercups' - I hope that the people of the UK made a stand and realize that cheaper milk comes at a huge price.

Are you happy?

2010-09-24T06:18:00.000-04:00

I've long been a believer in the 'If it's broke, fix it' outlook on happiness - if there's something in your life that sucks, change it. If you need to be going in a different direction, take small steps to do so.

The picture above sums it up beautifully!

Eco mattress manufacturer makes world's largest dog bed!

2010-09-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

It's true! And it's huge... another article for This Dish is Veg

Humane Society become shareholder in a bid to combat caged hens

2010-09-23T16:52:00.000-04:00

One of today's articles at This Dish is Veg

Hundreds of animals removed from testing facility

2010-09-21T21:12:00.000-04:00

Latest post for This Dish is Veg! And a happy story for the animals placed in a lab used to test insecticides... for animals. Go figure.

Arizona State launches new sustainability minor.

2010-09-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

As written in This Dish is Veg!

Puppy mill dogs rescued!

2010-09-20T14:19:00.000-04:00

My first article of the week for This Dish is Veg

Humane Society urges Senate to crack down on animal crush videos

2010-09-17T20:46:00.000-04:00

Newest article for This dish is veg here.

Latest article for This Dish is Veg - Green energy advocate calls for 100% renewable energy grid by 2020

2010-09-17T10:51:00.000-04:00

See the article here!

Animal Research facility closing - animals to be released!

2010-09-16T18:28:00.000-04:00

Last week PETA reported that they had filed a complaint against Professional Laboratory and Research Services Inc., (PLRS) after an undercover investigation. Today they report that the North Carolina facility is closing, and surrendering more than 200 dogs and cats hopefully including Clementine a senior dalmatian, who was taken from an animal shelter by a dealer and then sold to the research center for experimentation.

The circus is in town

2010-09-16T11:54:00.000-04:00

Here in West Michigan, the circus is in town. Ringling Brothers are all over local media promoting their shows, promising fun for all the family. But sadly it's not so much fun being an animal at Ringling Bros. They have a history of animal cruelty and have been the subject of undercover investigations from organizations such as the one from PETA.

The circus website claims that the animals are well loved and cared for, because the animals welfare is of the upmost importance to them, but why then are animals covered in laceration scars and being videoed when beaten by bull hooks?

The 'red unit' shown in the video is the same team that are performing in West Michigan this weekend. what will be happening behind the scenes as you and your kids are waiting to see the show?

New commercial from PCRM

2010-09-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Todays article for This Dish is Veg.

I got a new gig!

2010-09-15T13:19:00.000-04:00

Last week I starting writing articles for This Dish is Veg, an awesome eco-friendly, veggie-friendly, animal rights website. So far I've written three articles for them, and I'm loving every minute of it! Go check it out, here, here and here.

Another post today, check me out!

2010-09-10T14:24:00.000-04:00

I've just read an awesome article on Grist about changing the food system by voting with your wallet, about asking questions of your vendors and choosing carefully where you buy your food. It's well worth a read and has some valuable advice.

Check it out!

Eating Vegan is Manly!

2010-09-10T13:29:00.000-04:00

(Photo credit: Marco Grob)

This week the Men's Journal published a Guide to Going Vegan with some excellent advice on how to be animal product free in 3 weeks, perfect for the man you know who just needs a little nudge in the right direction! There's even some tasty recipes attached to get them started.

Bravo Men's Journal!

Low Carb Plant Sourced Diet Better Than Animal Sourced One

2010-09-09T14:25:00.000-04:00

Low Carb Plant Sourced Diet Better Than Animal Sourced One

Phew, I made it!

2010-09-09T13:13:00.000-04:00

It's been a crazy, but fun summer and I'm glad to say I made it through to the other side! Wee one is now back at school (second grader - so grown up!), my Dad is safely back in England after a weeks visit, and now I can get back to doing me stuff. Some exciting stuff coming up so watch this space! Normal viewing to resume soon...

Ignore the soy haters!

2010-07-01T17:10:00.000-04:00

That's what they say at the UK Guardian so it must be true ;o)

Moroccan Chickpea Pate

2010-06-30T11:35:00.000-04:00

Back when I was living in the UK, I became addicted to the vegetarian pates made by Cauldron Foods. I loved them all, but my most favorite was the Moroccan Chickpea (Garbanzo bean) Pate - it's slightly sweet, nutty, and subtly spicy and vanished pretty quickly! Money was always a big issue and these beauties were a little pricey so I decided to experiment a bit and came up with this recipe. It costs pennies to make, and is so scrumptious that it doesn't last long in our house!!! Another easy to make one too, after the chickpeas have been soaked and cooked all you have to do is whip it up in the food processor and chill! Try it with warm pita breads or crackers... you won't regret it!

Moroccan Chickpea Pate

1 cup soaked and cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon tomato puree
1 small onion
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon vegan cream
1 tablespoon water (for desired consistency)

Add all the ingredients up to the vegan cream to the food processor, and whiz up until most of the chunks are smooth (I like it pretty chunky myself, but up to you!) If it's a little thick for you, add a little of the water to thin it out a bit. Scoop into an airtight container and keep chilled until you have to eat it - won't be long I promise!!!

The Gentle Barn

2010-05-25T23:46:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I came across an article about an incredible animal sanctuary in California called the Gentle Barn. They take wounded and abused animals that even shelters won't take, and give them a place to live out their lives surrounded by love. They have private groups visit during the week, many of them at risk children, who come just to spend time with the animals.
They are currently trying to raise $200,000 to build 2 cattle sheds. They want to rescue 60 cows (many of them are pregnant) from a now closed dairy farm. The cows have been living in the most awful squalor and need medical attention ASAP. A private benefactor has said that they will match donations dollar for dollar, so they need to find $100,000 from other sources. Please try and help if you can! To find out more about the farm and the cow rescue read more here or watch this video from the Ellen Show.

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Why vegan?

2010-05-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

I gave up meat because there's no doubt that there can be cruelty involved with its production. But for the longest time I still used dairy products because I bought into the whole 'cows grazing in a pasture' scenario. Scenes like that are so few and far between anymore. Animals are a commodity, mass produced units that enable people to make money, and very sadly they are treated disgustingly.
This undercover video shows common occurrences at Conklin Dairy Farm in Ohio. I've watched many, many videos like this since I became a vegan because I feel it's important for people to know where their food comes from and what happened to it before it reaches their fridge. If people ask me why I became a vegan, it's because I want to look at the food on my plate and be assured that no cruelty was involved.
There are very strong images on this video, please make sure no children are watching.
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Pancakes!

2010-05-11T08:41:00.000-04:00

Pancakes are a regular at our house on Sunday mornings. I'd never eaten this kind before I moved to the USA, mostly in England they cook a thinner pancake similar to a French crepe. There's even a 'Pancake Day' on Shrove Tuesday which traditionally was a way of using up rich foodstuffs in preparation for Lent. Anyway, when I moved here me and hubby went to IHop and I was introduced to the American pancake, so I decided to try and find a healthier, vegan version that we could eat at home.After some wrangling, this is the result!

Basic Pancake Recipe

1½ cups of all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or whichever alternative you prefer)
3 teaspoons egg replacer (I use Ener-G)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1¼ cups soy milk
Water if wanted
Spray oil

•Put a pan on the heat while you mix up the pancake batter. You need a hot pan for these babies!
•Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl or mixer.
•Gradually add the wet ingredients apart from the water.
•When everything is nicely mixed together, add water so that it’s the consistency you prefer.
•Lightly spray the pan with oil if needed, then drop ¼ cup of batter into the pan.
•Wait for a few seconds until you see lots of bubbles on the top, then flip over! The pancake will rise a lot more when it’s flipped.
•Leave to cook for about 30 seconds then plate.
•Repeat until all the pancake batter is used. I usually get about 13 or 14 out of this mix.
•Top with whatever you like and enjoy!

This recipe is so versatile it's silly... often I add cinnamon and vanilla essence, sometimes nuts to make them special. If I'm feeling virtuous I sub half of the flour for whole wheat flour they still rise beautifully. Whatever you like in or on your pancakes, go for it and experiment!

Ooo check me out!!!

2010-04-08T14:52:00.001-04:00

My guest post for Kim O'Donnel's 'T and T Challenge' is up!!! Check it out here...

T and T Challenge

2010-04-06T22:10:00.000-04:00

Kim O'Donnel (author of the soon to be published 'The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour') is hosting the T and T Challenge over on 'Licking Your Chops'. The aim is to show people that have never cooked with tofu or tempeh (hence the T and T!) how easy and unscary it is... some amazing and well known cooking pros (Bryant Terry, Ellen Kanner, Mollie Katzen, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Jill Nussinow) sharing their knowledge, and I've even been asked to guest blog! Very exciting if a little nerve wracking lol. Anyway, check out the blog, it's awesome!

This is me...

2010-04-01T11:48:00.000-04:00

I'm English, I have a funny accent, I'm a vegan, my husband is an American meat eater, my 6 year old daughter has been vegetarian all her life but now wants to start eating meat, and I live in Michigan where most people hunt and fish! It's an interesting life but a complicated one sometimes, and this blog is for me to document the life and times of our journey, food wise and other wise.
It's gonna be fun!!!