Spork Foods (http://veggywood.blogspot.com/2008/06/la-gem-spork-foods-cooking-classes.html) will be in attendance as well several over LA based baking companies.
Vegan + non-vegan items!!
GO GO GO!!
p.s. Cash only I think...
Saturday, June 28, 2008
No Cookie Left Behind-- TODAY!
Hurry, hurry over to Scoops Ice Cream Shoppe on Heliotrope for the No Cookie Left Behind Bake Sale that benefits Share Our Strength, a group that helps combat childhood hunger.
Spork Foods (http://veggywood.blogspot.com/2008/06/la-gem-spork-foods-cooking-classes.html) will be in attendance as well several over LA based baking companies.
Vegan + non-vegan items!!
GO GO GO!!
p.s. Cash only I think...
Spork Foods (http://veggywood.blogspot.com/2008/06/la-gem-spork-foods-cooking-classes.html) will be in attendance as well several over LA based baking companies.
Vegan + non-vegan items!!
GO GO GO!!
p.s. Cash only I think...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Make Starbucks Vegan Friendly!
So if you live here in LA you know that there are a lot of Starbucks coffee shops... like 5 million.
Fortunately, they are fairly accommodating for vegans, even with that annoying 40 cent soy milk charge. I *heart* soy chai...
But did you know that the Starbucks in San Francisco have vegan pastries? Yes, it's true, and I've seen them with my own eyes.
So take a second and head over to Starbucks' suggestions site and ask them to bring the vegan goodness to their LA stores. All 25 million of them.
http://mystarbucksidea.force.com
Sunday, June 22, 2008
The Waffle -- So-so for Vegans
Well, for those of you, who like myself anxiously hoped for any truth to the rumor that the new American style cafe on Sunset and Argyle in Hollywood had VEGAN WAFFLES on the menu, the truth is here-- and it's not pretty. Or vegan.
There are NO vegan waffles. Or pancakes. So that was a major disappointment right off the bat.
However, there are several vegan options, including a "Non Dairy Shake" which I may return for. My choice was the "Un-Chicken Salad Sandwich" made with fake chicken, almonds, raisins and Veganaise. It was crunchy and unique, but a little too sweet over all for my taste. Also a bit pricey at $9.50...
To the cafe's credit, they offer several vegan entrees including a Vegan Cobb Salad, Ruben sandwich, and chili.
But they really could have hit it out of the park with a vegan waffle, a request to which the waiter looked at me like I was speaking Martian.
Oh well, scratch that place off my list for Sunday morning brunch... I'll stick with my good ole' stand-by, Follow Your Heart Cafe in Canoga Park...
romantic vegan dinner menu!
Pesto Gnocci (recipe here: http://veggywood.blogspot.com/2008/06/pesto-gnocchi.html)
Jenny's Sundried Tomato, Olive & Herb Quinoa Salad
Brownies w/ chocolate glaze
Chilled Riesling by Yellow Tale
so so so so good!!
Jenny's Sundried Tomato, Olive & Herb Quinoa Salad
Brownies w/ chocolate glaze
Chilled Riesling by Yellow Tale
so so so so good!!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Poor Brave Little Pigs
My mom sent me this article from AOL news today and I know, I KNOW, that things like this are necessary (so don't post that a human life is worth more than a pig's, blah blah blah...) but stuff like this still makes me sad. There should be another way, there just should.
On the other hand, I'd like to correct Sheriff Lippert, shootings the pigs is actually more humane than how they are killed in slaughterhouses...
Article:
Pigs Shot to Protect Flood Levee
By ALLEN G. BREED
KINGSTON, Iowa (June 18) -- Luck ran out for about a dozen pigs who escaped their flooded farm, swam through raging floodwaters and scrambled atop a sandbag levee in southeastern Iowa.
Des Moines County sheriff's officials shot the pigs Tuesday, not long after they reached the levee several miles from the nearest hog farm.
Officials said they killed the pigs over worries that they would weaken the levee. Onlookers said the animals were having a difficult time trying to maneuver their way off the sandbags, and that they scurried back into the water as people approached.
"Basically you cannot have something with a hoof walk on plastic and not poke a hole in the plastic and let water into it," said LeRoy Lippert, chairman of the county emergency management commission. "Hogs, they have a tendency to root and that would not have been good either."
He said the state veterinarian and other agencies were consulted, and that 10 to 16 animals were killed.
"It happens every day. My gosh, that's what slaughterhouses do — that's how we get bacon and pork chops," Lippert said. "It's just one of the casualties of the flooding situation."
The carcasses were left at the site and treated essentially as road kill, Lippert said. "You don't get them out of the mud and over the dike when you're worried about people and people's property," he said.
Louisa County Sheriff Curt Braby said he had heard about the incident and understood why the pigs needed to be killed.
"They did not want to take a chance on losing a city due to a few hogs," he said.
Lippert noted that out of about 36,000 pigs in the Oakville area, officials estimated that only a thousand or so were left behind when the floodwaters came through.
"We trucked them as far as 200 miles away to other hog farms so that they would be taken care of," he said.
Associated Press Writer Amy Lorentzen in Des Moines contributed to this report.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Watch This!
Tonight I finally got a chance to watch the recent episode of 30 DAYS (created by Supersize Me's Morgan Spurlock and in it's 3rd season on FX) where a hunter and meat lover from North Carolina stays with a vegan family in California for...you guessed it...30 days.
This is a really great program and I would encourage everyone to watch it, and show as many people as possible. The show does an amazing job of showing you how even someone dead set against animal rights and animal rights activists can be made to understand the motives for becoming vegan.
The hunter guy, George, has to attend Peta protests, visit an animal shelter and watch a dog euthanized, and volunteer at an animal sanctuary. The farm sanctuary is actually Animal Acres, where I have volunteered many times.
While I myself often find holes in animal rights rhetoric (the Holocaust analogy has never sat well with me) and methods (Peta's poor choice of spokespeople), this show made me feel incredibly proud of the ethical choices I have made.
This episode did a great job of presenting a range of animal rights issues in a hard hitting style, showing footage that most people do not see on TV. It managed to cover factory farming, fur, animal testing and over pet population.
The section when George assists in rescuing a dumped veal calf is especially powerful, especially footage showing working shoving and dragging the animals into a trailer to go off to slaughter. As is the part where you see George witnessing an animal at the pound being euthanized.
I would encourage all of you to not only watch this episode, but to tell your family and friends.
Unlike a lot of animal rights propaganda (and yes, I can use that word even for the "good guys"), this show is very very balanced.
Right now it is only available on itunes, for $1.99
Please, if you cannot afford this, message me privately and I will gift you the episode.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?i=283441545&id=281282067&s=143441
Please PLEASE take a few minutes at watch this episode. It will help you understand so much...and me as well.
trader joe's shopping spree
romantic vegan saturday dinner in effect. menu to be posted sunday. fingers crossed.
dessert still TBD.
dessert still TBD.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
why vegan?
I get asked a lot why I'm vegan, so naturally I tend to think about it a lot.
The truth is, I used to love hamburgers. Not the ones at McDonald’s, a place my dad often took me for Happy Meals, but the ones my mom made in a frying pan at home. I remember the ritual like it was yesterday: heating the oil until it jumped; making the patties out of a pink mushy substance that came on a saran-wrapped piece of yellow Styrofoam. Once dropped in the oil, patties would gradually turn to a dark brown, their insides a deep red. Mom would serve them with vegetables, rice or pasta, a side rather than a sandwich.
I can remember all the preparation, but I have no recollection of what those hamburgers actually tasted like. This is because the last time I ate one I was 12 years old. At this point, I have been a vegetarian for over half my life.
Growing up in Los Angeles, I ate no more or no less meat than the average American kid: hot-dogs at birthday parties, the occasional steak with my dad, chicken drumsticks where you got to pick the skin off before you ate them. I also remember eating a lot of lamb and fish, particularly rainbow trout, salmon and halibut. What I don’t remember is a conscious understanding of what I was actually eating. This probably arose from eating things like hot dogs and chicken “nuggets,” food that actually defies explanation.
I auspiciously became interested in animal rights at the age of 6 when a carefully placed sticker in a supermarket caused me to tell my mom I was no longer going to eat veal. We shopped a lot at a now defunct grocery chain Hughes back in the day so I assume this must have happened there. Over the years the day I stopped eating veal has grown into somewhat of a family fable, but the factual essence remains the same. I had been sent by my mom to go up to the bins in the meat section and select something for dinner. We used to have roast veal quite a lot so I wouldn’t have been surprised if that choice of dish would have been mine. As I reached up to get a package, my eyes feel upon a sticker that had been stuck right near where the veal would be. It was black and white, and prominently featured a calf chained inside a small box. The lettering was in blue and I don’t recall exactly what it said-- but it was enough to send me running back to my mom and breathlessly telling her I didn’t want to eat veal ever again. And I never have.
My mother was a vegetarian for eleven years way before I was born, and it is to her credit that she had no problems with removing veal from our diet. And unlike most parents, she never panicked when at 12 I decided to go vegetarian...“cold-turkey” if you will. Overnight I eliminated all meat from my diet, and I’ve never looked back. My entire family continued to eat meat but never raised an objection to my decision. Because of my mom’s earlier experience with vegetarianism, I grew up with a fairly balanced diet at the hands of someone who had a grasp of nutrition.
I was the only vegetarian in my group of junior high friends, and by freshman year of high school I had decided not to wear leather, silk, wool and down as well. It wasn’t until I got to UC Berkeley that I found other people my age who were able to commiserate at eating vegetarian in the dorm commissary. A six-month study abroad period in London forced me to cook the majority of my food for the first time ever. Since I could hardly afford to eat out, I instead made trips to Sainsbury’s into adventures, pouring over new English brands like the best of restaurant menus.
In my tiny kitchen I learned to make rice and cook vegetables and grill tofu. These months cooking for myself in a foreign country proved to be the last time being a vegetarian was of any challenge. After graduation I moved back to Los Angeles and around the corner from a Whole Foods Market. I concentrated now on other challenges, such as finding time in my work week to read a book or go to the gym.
Around my 25th birthday, I decided to reevaluate all the things in my life that were important to me. I had fled the superficiality of Los Angeles, back to my adopted home of the Bay Area, changing jobs and friends in an effort to revitalize my life. As I examined recent events, I hoped to come to some kind of conclusion about who I really was. The melee of life since graduation had landed me at a point where I was unsure who that person was. Some would call this a “quarter-life crisis.”
As I took stock of my life, the things that made me the person I enjoy being gradually became more clear. There were many things that defined me, but two stood out: my love for my family, and my love for animals. It had been my commitment to vegetarianism that had never wavered so far in my life, and upon realizing this, I decided to take the next step and become vegan. The first people I informed of course were my parents and younger brother.
Their response was a fairly predictable “So what CAN you eat?”
I hope this blog will help answer that question...
The truth is, I used to love hamburgers. Not the ones at McDonald’s, a place my dad often took me for Happy Meals, but the ones my mom made in a frying pan at home. I remember the ritual like it was yesterday: heating the oil until it jumped; making the patties out of a pink mushy substance that came on a saran-wrapped piece of yellow Styrofoam. Once dropped in the oil, patties would gradually turn to a dark brown, their insides a deep red. Mom would serve them with vegetables, rice or pasta, a side rather than a sandwich.
I can remember all the preparation, but I have no recollection of what those hamburgers actually tasted like. This is because the last time I ate one I was 12 years old. At this point, I have been a vegetarian for over half my life.
Growing up in Los Angeles, I ate no more or no less meat than the average American kid: hot-dogs at birthday parties, the occasional steak with my dad, chicken drumsticks where you got to pick the skin off before you ate them. I also remember eating a lot of lamb and fish, particularly rainbow trout, salmon and halibut. What I don’t remember is a conscious understanding of what I was actually eating. This probably arose from eating things like hot dogs and chicken “nuggets,” food that actually defies explanation.
I auspiciously became interested in animal rights at the age of 6 when a carefully placed sticker in a supermarket caused me to tell my mom I was no longer going to eat veal. We shopped a lot at a now defunct grocery chain Hughes back in the day so I assume this must have happened there. Over the years the day I stopped eating veal has grown into somewhat of a family fable, but the factual essence remains the same. I had been sent by my mom to go up to the bins in the meat section and select something for dinner. We used to have roast veal quite a lot so I wouldn’t have been surprised if that choice of dish would have been mine. As I reached up to get a package, my eyes feel upon a sticker that had been stuck right near where the veal would be. It was black and white, and prominently featured a calf chained inside a small box. The lettering was in blue and I don’t recall exactly what it said-- but it was enough to send me running back to my mom and breathlessly telling her I didn’t want to eat veal ever again. And I never have.
My mother was a vegetarian for eleven years way before I was born, and it is to her credit that she had no problems with removing veal from our diet. And unlike most parents, she never panicked when at 12 I decided to go vegetarian...“cold-turkey” if you will. Overnight I eliminated all meat from my diet, and I’ve never looked back. My entire family continued to eat meat but never raised an objection to my decision. Because of my mom’s earlier experience with vegetarianism, I grew up with a fairly balanced diet at the hands of someone who had a grasp of nutrition.
I was the only vegetarian in my group of junior high friends, and by freshman year of high school I had decided not to wear leather, silk, wool and down as well. It wasn’t until I got to UC Berkeley that I found other people my age who were able to commiserate at eating vegetarian in the dorm commissary. A six-month study abroad period in London forced me to cook the majority of my food for the first time ever. Since I could hardly afford to eat out, I instead made trips to Sainsbury’s into adventures, pouring over new English brands like the best of restaurant menus.
In my tiny kitchen I learned to make rice and cook vegetables and grill tofu. These months cooking for myself in a foreign country proved to be the last time being a vegetarian was of any challenge. After graduation I moved back to Los Angeles and around the corner from a Whole Foods Market. I concentrated now on other challenges, such as finding time in my work week to read a book or go to the gym.
Around my 25th birthday, I decided to reevaluate all the things in my life that were important to me. I had fled the superficiality of Los Angeles, back to my adopted home of the Bay Area, changing jobs and friends in an effort to revitalize my life. As I examined recent events, I hoped to come to some kind of conclusion about who I really was. The melee of life since graduation had landed me at a point where I was unsure who that person was. Some would call this a “quarter-life crisis.”
As I took stock of my life, the things that made me the person I enjoy being gradually became more clear. There were many things that defined me, but two stood out: my love for my family, and my love for animals. It had been my commitment to vegetarianism that had never wavered so far in my life, and upon realizing this, I decided to take the next step and become vegan. The first people I informed of course were my parents and younger brother.
Their response was a fairly predictable “So what CAN you eat?”
I hope this blog will help answer that question...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Caution! Two Places Not for Vegans...
Today I hit up two places for Father's Day that I would not recommend, at least to hard core vegans.
1. The Kokomo Cafe on Beverly Blvd & Martel
Despite the lack of a wait and the generally decent service, there were few vegan options on the menu, which was standard brunch/sandwich. I opted for the non-exciting TOFU SCRAMBLE, minus the pesto (helpfully labeled on the menu as "has cheese") and was less than impressed. It seemed fresh enough, but had no discernible vegetables other than onions, tomatoes and green peppers, and was fairly bland. And they did one thing I hate-- they took off the pesto but had nothing to put in its place. Two things usually happen when you "veganize" something at a restaurant-- 1. you get something back that is better than the original, the chef going out of their way to add something extra to make it special. Or, 2, something with literally no flavor.
Kokomo Cafe gave me the latter.
and...
2. The Landmark Theatres at the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles
This opened last year but this was my first time (when you live next to the Arclight, going anywhere else to see a film feels not only unnecessarily, but risky and foolish). However, as my dad and I wanted to see a small independent film playing no where else on the West Side (The Visitor, that I would highly recommend) we drove all the way over there (or, more accurately, my dad drove-- like I was going to waste gas on a weekend to drive to Pico & Westwood!). Anyway, the design of the theatre was very clean and I was impressed. The bathrooms were large with many stalls, insuring no wait. The concession bars ACTUALLY HAD VEGAN COOKIES... I know, things were looking up...
Then we went to sit down. As soon as we stepped into the theatre, the smell hit me. When my eyes finally adjusted to the light, I could see why.
Rows and rows of leather stadium seating.
I almost puked. The place just reeked. I got the same overwhelming feeling of nausea as when I step inside most shoe stores. I wanted to run, but I managed to make it through the 2 hour movie for the sake of my dad.
But it was hard. And even a vegan cookie didn't help...
1. The Kokomo Cafe on Beverly Blvd & Martel
Despite the lack of a wait and the generally decent service, there were few vegan options on the menu, which was standard brunch/sandwich. I opted for the non-exciting TOFU SCRAMBLE, minus the pesto (helpfully labeled on the menu as "has cheese") and was less than impressed. It seemed fresh enough, but had no discernible vegetables other than onions, tomatoes and green peppers, and was fairly bland. And they did one thing I hate-- they took off the pesto but had nothing to put in its place. Two things usually happen when you "veganize" something at a restaurant-- 1. you get something back that is better than the original, the chef going out of their way to add something extra to make it special. Or, 2, something with literally no flavor.
Kokomo Cafe gave me the latter.
and...
2. The Landmark Theatres at the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles
This opened last year but this was my first time (when you live next to the Arclight, going anywhere else to see a film feels not only unnecessarily, but risky and foolish). However, as my dad and I wanted to see a small independent film playing no where else on the West Side (The Visitor, that I would highly recommend) we drove all the way over there (or, more accurately, my dad drove-- like I was going to waste gas on a weekend to drive to Pico & Westwood!). Anyway, the design of the theatre was very clean and I was impressed. The bathrooms were large with many stalls, insuring no wait. The concession bars ACTUALLY HAD VEGAN COOKIES... I know, things were looking up...
Then we went to sit down. As soon as we stepped into the theatre, the smell hit me. When my eyes finally adjusted to the light, I could see why.
Rows and rows of leather stadium seating.
I almost puked. The place just reeked. I got the same overwhelming feeling of nausea as when I step inside most shoe stores. I wanted to run, but I managed to make it through the 2 hour movie for the sake of my dad.
But it was hard. And even a vegan cookie didn't help...
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Kiss My A**, Sprinkles!
Paul Newman may or may not (according to Perez) be dying of Cancer, but I dare you to find a better cupcake that utilizes his amazing Newman-O's cookies at that over-priced mecca for wanna-be's known as Sprinkles Cupcakes.
* Cookies N' Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients for Cupcakes! (makes 12)
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use Whole Foods "Vegan Sugar", look to a later post why this is crucial)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract or more vanilla (I use almond)
1 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli's)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped Newman O's original sandwich cookies.
Directions!
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside (this makes the soymilk curdle and thicken).
3. Wait a few minutes and use this time to chop up your cookies. I recommend taking about 10 cookies, putting them in a Zip-Lock baggie, and hitting with a hammer until in small pieces, stopping periodically to let some air out. Hey, it's not too sexy, but it works...
4. Add the sugar, oil, and your extracts to the soy milk/vinegar mix and whisk up until it is all foamy.
5. In another bowl, sift together the remaining dry ingredients. You don't have to sift each individually before it is measured, just put your sifter on top of the bowl and sift as you add them in to make the ingredients aerated.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, in two batches, and mix until no large lumps remain. You should be able to do this by hand, no need for a Kitchen Aid mixer here.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes. I'd bake for 18 and then test with a toothpick. You don't want them to burn. Set out on racks to cool while you make your frosting!
Ingredients for Frosting!
(note, this is the full frosting recipe-- if you are making the standard dozen cupcakes, I would HALF it...unless you are piping it or want really a huge amount on each cupcake. Normally this makes about 4 cups worth)
1/2 cup shortening (Earth Balance makes easy to measure sticks)
1/2 cup margarine (Earth Balance!!!)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (organic please)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy creamer (I like Silk)
1/2 cup smashed Newman O's cookies (use baggie/hammer method)
A couple of extra cookies for decoration.
Directions!
1. Beat shortening and margarine until fluffy. If you have an awesome upright mixer like I do, use it! Alternately, if you haven't been to the gym recently and need to work on your arms, feel free to go to town here on your own.
2. Add the sugar (I'd sift it first before measuring it out-- makes it easier to eliminate clumps) and beat this until well distributed.
3. Add the vanilla and soy creamer and beat until fluffy-- this takes awhile, at least 5 minutes, so don't freak out if it doesn't look right. If its really not working out, add more sugar (to make thicker) or creamer (to make thinner). Make sure you are mixing and not just stirring, it does make a difference.
4. Add the mashed cookies (I'd stir them in by hand at this point)
I love frosting but it is a bitch to make (and kind of gross really as well when you break down the ingredients). I like to make it early, and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour before frosting. Also make sure the cupcakes are 100% cooled before you start. Frost liberally, decorate with a larger piece of cookie, and then stick them back in the fridge for a few hours and let it all have the chance to harden up more.
Enjoy with a cold glass of soymilk!
* Disclaimer:
This recipe is taken from my favorite vegan cook book of all time, VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. This book is like vegan porn, you should by it for the photos on their own. It's only about $15 and worth every penny.
Click Here for Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World on Amazon!
* Cookies N' Cream Cupcakes
Ingredients for Cupcakes! (makes 12)
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use Whole Foods "Vegan Sugar", look to a later post why this is crucial)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, chocolate extract or more vanilla (I use almond)
1 cup all-purpose flour (unbleached)
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli's)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped Newman O's original sandwich cookies.
Directions!
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners.
2. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and set aside (this makes the soymilk curdle and thicken).
3. Wait a few minutes and use this time to chop up your cookies. I recommend taking about 10 cookies, putting them in a Zip-Lock baggie, and hitting with a hammer until in small pieces, stopping periodically to let some air out. Hey, it's not too sexy, but it works...
4. Add the sugar, oil, and your extracts to the soy milk/vinegar mix and whisk up until it is all foamy.
5. In another bowl, sift together the remaining dry ingredients. You don't have to sift each individually before it is measured, just put your sifter on top of the bowl and sift as you add them in to make the ingredients aerated.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, in two batches, and mix until no large lumps remain. You should be able to do this by hand, no need for a Kitchen Aid mixer here.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes. I'd bake for 18 and then test with a toothpick. You don't want them to burn. Set out on racks to cool while you make your frosting!
Ingredients for Frosting!
(note, this is the full frosting recipe-- if you are making the standard dozen cupcakes, I would HALF it...unless you are piping it or want really a huge amount on each cupcake. Normally this makes about 4 cups worth)
1/2 cup shortening (Earth Balance makes easy to measure sticks)
1/2 cup margarine (Earth Balance!!!)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (organic please)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy creamer (I like Silk)
1/2 cup smashed Newman O's cookies (use baggie/hammer method)
A couple of extra cookies for decoration.
Directions!
1. Beat shortening and margarine until fluffy. If you have an awesome upright mixer like I do, use it! Alternately, if you haven't been to the gym recently and need to work on your arms, feel free to go to town here on your own.
2. Add the sugar (I'd sift it first before measuring it out-- makes it easier to eliminate clumps) and beat this until well distributed.
3. Add the vanilla and soy creamer and beat until fluffy-- this takes awhile, at least 5 minutes, so don't freak out if it doesn't look right. If its really not working out, add more sugar (to make thicker) or creamer (to make thinner). Make sure you are mixing and not just stirring, it does make a difference.
4. Add the mashed cookies (I'd stir them in by hand at this point)
I love frosting but it is a bitch to make (and kind of gross really as well when you break down the ingredients). I like to make it early, and leave it in the fridge for at least an hour before frosting. Also make sure the cupcakes are 100% cooled before you start. Frost liberally, decorate with a larger piece of cookie, and then stick them back in the fridge for a few hours and let it all have the chance to harden up more.
Enjoy with a cold glass of soymilk!
* Disclaimer:
This recipe is taken from my favorite vegan cook book of all time, VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. This book is like vegan porn, you should by it for the photos on their own. It's only about $15 and worth every penny.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Mrs. Beasley? Who Needs Her?
Ever wanted to send your favorite vegan a gourmet gift basket so she feels special? In a sea of non-vegan bakery delivery services (Mrs. Beasley, Sweet Lady Jane's, Cookies by Design, etc.), this is not always the easiest task.
Look no further than Allison's Gourmet.
Allison's prepares vegan cookie, chocolate, brownie and fudge (yes, fudge!) baskets that can be sent anywhere in the U.S. They also do a "of the month" club.
Their delicacies arrive fresh and delicious, this I know from prior experience sending them to vegans and non-vegans alike.
Go Here:
Allison's Gourmet
Thursday, June 12, 2008
FINALLY!
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-na-youtube12-2008jun12,0,631392.story
From the Los Angeles Times
Marine expelled over puppy video
A clip that surfaced on YouTube showed the animal being thrown from a cliff in Iraq. A second Marine is disciplined.
From the Associated Press
June 12, 2008
HONOLULU — The Marine Corps on Wednesday said it was expelling one Marine and disciplining another for their roles in a video showing a Marine throwing a puppy off a cliff while on patrol in Iraq.
The 17-second video posted on YouTube drew sharp condemnation from animal rights groups when it came to light in March.
The clip shows two Marines joking before one hurls the puppy into a rocky gully. A yelping sound is heard as it flips through the air.
"That's mean. That's mean, Motari," an off-camera Marine is heard telling the Marine who tossed the black and white dog. The off-camera Marine snickered slightly afterward.
Lance Cpl. David Motari, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, is "being processed for separation" from the Marine Corps, the service said in a news release. He also received unspecified "nonjudicial punishment."
The Corps didn't specify what role Motari played in the clip.
The video was viewed tens of thousands of times before YouTube took it down for violating the site's terms of use.
"The actions seen in the Internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine and will not be tolerated," Marine Corps Base Hawaii said in a news release. "The vast majority of Marines conduct their duties with honor and compassion that makes American people proud."
The second Marine, Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion, also received unspecified nonjudicial punishment.
Encarnacion is assigned to the Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
It wasn't clear what role Encarnacion played in the video. Marine Corps Base Hawaii declined to take phone calls about its news release and directed that all questions be submitted by e-mail.
Marine Corps public affairs offices in Hawaii and San Diego did not immediately return e-mail messages requesting clarification.
The Marine Corps said the Privacy Act prevented it from releasing details about the disciplinary measures the men received.
From the Los Angeles Times
Marine expelled over puppy video
A clip that surfaced on YouTube showed the animal being thrown from a cliff in Iraq. A second Marine is disciplined.
From the Associated Press
June 12, 2008
HONOLULU — The Marine Corps on Wednesday said it was expelling one Marine and disciplining another for their roles in a video showing a Marine throwing a puppy off a cliff while on patrol in Iraq.
The 17-second video posted on YouTube drew sharp condemnation from animal rights groups when it came to light in March.
The clip shows two Marines joking before one hurls the puppy into a rocky gully. A yelping sound is heard as it flips through the air.
"That's mean. That's mean, Motari," an off-camera Marine is heard telling the Marine who tossed the black and white dog. The off-camera Marine snickered slightly afterward.
Lance Cpl. David Motari, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, is "being processed for separation" from the Marine Corps, the service said in a news release. He also received unspecified "nonjudicial punishment."
The Corps didn't specify what role Motari played in the clip.
The video was viewed tens of thousands of times before YouTube took it down for violating the site's terms of use.
"The actions seen in the Internet video are contrary to the high standards we expect of every Marine and will not be tolerated," Marine Corps Base Hawaii said in a news release. "The vast majority of Marines conduct their duties with honor and compassion that makes American people proud."
The second Marine, Sgt. Crismarvin Banez Encarnacion, also received unspecified nonjudicial punishment.
Encarnacion is assigned to the Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
It wasn't clear what role Encarnacion played in the video. Marine Corps Base Hawaii declined to take phone calls about its news release and directed that all questions be submitted by e-mail.
Marine Corps public affairs offices in Hawaii and San Diego did not immediately return e-mail messages requesting clarification.
The Marine Corps said the Privacy Act prevented it from releasing details about the disciplinary measures the men received.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
starving? something quick VEGAN & fast!
So tonight I left work at 6:30, went hiking at Runyon Canyon until 8:30, and by the time I am home, showered, and ready to eat, I am
a) starving
and
b) STARVING!
So let this be a lesson to you that vegans do not make their meals from scratch all the time. We actually do eat frozen food, take-out, and stuff from mini-marts.
That being said, let me introduce you to Nikolas' Kitchen. The brand makes a variety of ready-in-minutes turnovers and ONE KIND THAT IS VEGAN, the Roasted Eggplant. It's got veggies, tofu and a lite philo dough-type crust. I've only found it at Whole Foods but it is worth the trip.
And it's ready in under 25 minutes.
That's good, because I'm about ready to eat a horse.
j/k.
But maybe a cowboy...
a) starving
and
b) STARVING!
So let this be a lesson to you that vegans do not make their meals from scratch all the time. We actually do eat frozen food, take-out, and stuff from mini-marts.
That being said, let me introduce you to Nikolas' Kitchen. The brand makes a variety of ready-in-minutes turnovers and ONE KIND THAT IS VEGAN, the Roasted Eggplant. It's got veggies, tofu and a lite philo dough-type crust. I've only found it at Whole Foods but it is worth the trip.
And it's ready in under 25 minutes.
That's good, because I'm about ready to eat a horse.
j/k.
But maybe a cowboy...
Shelter Animals in Urgent Need of Adoption!
At the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter!
4275 Elton St
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
(626) 962-3577
*Adopt a dog for only $37
*Adopt a cat for only $32
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 12 PM – 7 PM
Friday and Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM
Closed Sundays and Holidays
Go here: http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/LostFoundRe.asp?coShelters=Baldwin&Type=%25&Submit=Submit&Sex=%25&offset=30
Look at some of these bebes!!
4275 Elton St
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
(626) 962-3577
*Adopt a dog for only $37
*Adopt a cat for only $32
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 12 PM – 7 PM
Friday and Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM
Closed Sundays and Holidays
Go here: http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/LostFoundRe.asp?coShelters=Baldwin&Type=%25&Submit=Submit&Sex=%25&offset=30
Look at some of these bebes!!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
L.A. Gem: Spork Foods Cooking Classes
I like to pretend that I can cook. I tend to just muck around in the kitchen, and throw things together until something edible appears, as if by magic.
When I want to actually learn to cook for real, I go to vegan cooking classes at Spork Foods.
Held twice a day on the weekends in the cozy kitchen of Chef Jenny Goldberg, in the Silverlake apartment she shares with her sister Heather (a co-founder in the vegan empire known as Spork), these classes are the real deal. No bland stir-frys or chalky smoothie recipes here, oh no. We're talking cannoli, scones, pesto pizza, butternut squash and sage lasagna, matzoh ball soup, donuts, sushi, maple mustard glazed tempeh... and don't even get me started on the desserts! Three words: Birds. Nest. Cookies.
As a bonus, Jenny is incredibly knowledgeable about vegan nutrition and can answer any and all of your questions about protein, B-12, and meddling relatives. Plus, she's just a nice person.
If you are looking for a vegan cookies class not connected to a restaurant or grocery store (Real Food Daily and Madeline Bistro both host occasional classes, and Whole Foods is known to on occasion), then look no further than Jenny's front door. Or website.
You owe it to yourself as a vegan, as a person, to get over to Jenny's and take a class.
They will not break your bank, and your stomach will thank you forever.
Spork Foods Website
Spork Foods Myspace
Do it!
Monday, June 9, 2008
look at this face
My friend Nola rescued this doggie from the North Central Shelter on Friday and is now fostering her. Her name is Halle, she is 1 year old and about 45 pounds. Nola said she is super sweet, loves car rides, and is good with other dogs. She is spayed and has had all her shots.
If you are interested in meeting Halle please email Nola at Nolasinger@hotmail.com
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Pesto Gnocchi
This afternoon I had a craving for pesto like no other. Fortunately, I already had a package of Potato Gnocchi from TJ's and I live around the corner from Ralph's, so I was able to make this stuff up in like 30 mins.
OMGSOGOOD!
I've heard rumors that back in the dark ages people actually made this with some grossness called "cheese", but I can't imagine it being any better than this...
Ingredients:
(for a single portion, 2x for another plate, etc etc)
Gnocchi:
1/4 to 1/2 package of Potato Gnnocchi-- TJ's makes a vegan kind by Mediterramea that is super cheap and yummy.
Boil and WATCH! Seriously, if you over-cook these fuckers they turn into blobs, and no one wants to eat that. As soon as you put them in the boiling water, stop what you are doing, and wait for them to float to the surface. AS SOON AS they do, drain them in a strainer! They are so done.
* Pesto:
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (I got the $1.99 organic package at Ralph's)
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro (also from Ralph's)
half of a 1/3 cup of slivered or sliced almonds
1 clove of garlic, crushed or pressed
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or from those cute little yellow lemon juice bottles like I used)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (regular salt is gross, remind me to tell you about that some day)
1/8 cup olive oil
Basically you throw all this stuff into a blender or food processor, and blend until it looks like...pesto.
If you don't own a food processor, or are too lazy like me to pull it out of the cabinet and use it, using a blender is a fine option but be prepared that it may take a little longer to blend down. I recommend using the "pulse" button and scraping down the sides of the blender frequently. I'm pretty sure my neighbors hate me now because that shit was loud.
Scrape the pesto onto your gnocchi ("scrape" wow that sounds sexy, right?)
And, Ta Da!!
* Disclaimer:
The pesto recipe is taken from VEGANOMICON: THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.
This book is like the vegan cooking bible, people. If you don't have it, Amazon it.
Click Here for Veganomicon on Amazon!
OMGSOGOOD!
I've heard rumors that back in the dark ages people actually made this with some grossness called "cheese", but I can't imagine it being any better than this...
Ingredients:
(for a single portion, 2x for another plate, etc etc)
Gnocchi:
1/4 to 1/2 package of Potato Gnnocchi-- TJ's makes a vegan kind by Mediterramea that is super cheap and yummy.
Boil and WATCH! Seriously, if you over-cook these fuckers they turn into blobs, and no one wants to eat that. As soon as you put them in the boiling water, stop what you are doing, and wait for them to float to the surface. AS SOON AS they do, drain them in a strainer! They are so done.
* Pesto:
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves (I got the $1.99 organic package at Ralph's)
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro (also from Ralph's)
half of a 1/3 cup of slivered or sliced almonds
1 clove of garlic, crushed or pressed
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or from those cute little yellow lemon juice bottles like I used)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (regular salt is gross, remind me to tell you about that some day)
1/8 cup olive oil
Basically you throw all this stuff into a blender or food processor, and blend until it looks like...pesto.
If you don't own a food processor, or are too lazy like me to pull it out of the cabinet and use it, using a blender is a fine option but be prepared that it may take a little longer to blend down. I recommend using the "pulse" button and scraping down the sides of the blender frequently. I'm pretty sure my neighbors hate me now because that shit was loud.
Scrape the pesto onto your gnocchi ("scrape" wow that sounds sexy, right?)
And, Ta Da!!
* Disclaimer:
The pesto recipe is taken from VEGANOMICON: THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.
This book is like the vegan cooking bible, people. If you don't have it, Amazon it.
Click Here for Veganomicon on Amazon!
Welcome to Veggywood!
Hello everybody and welcome to my new blog! I've a lot of fun since I started my first blog (thanks royale fatale!) that I decide to start one that was more focused. Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about animal rights and veganism. At this point I have been a vegetarian for 17 years and vegan for 4. I haven't worn leather since I was 15.
I've lived in Los Angeles virtually my whole life and out of all my travels I think it is the best place to be vegan. I've also lived in San Francisco and it usually surprises people when I put the city by the bay in a close second.
There is every thing here, a range of vegan restaurants from fast food to gourmet, a Whole Foods every few miles, and even ice cream (I *heart* Scoops!).
Since I spend a great deal of my time searching out cool vegan things to do there, and until recently maybe only had 1 or 2 other LA vegans to share them with. This community has grown steadily over the past year, thankfully, and suddenly I have a multitude of other people to share my finds with.
That started me thinking about how to reach even more. Thus, the internet, a goldmine of vegan goodies in itself. I want this blog to be a place where I can put little secret vegan finds, as well as general health and nutrition stuff, and recipes.
So.... welcome to Veggywood!
xo
I've lived in Los Angeles virtually my whole life and out of all my travels I think it is the best place to be vegan. I've also lived in San Francisco and it usually surprises people when I put the city by the bay in a close second.
There is every thing here, a range of vegan restaurants from fast food to gourmet, a Whole Foods every few miles, and even ice cream (I *heart* Scoops!).
Since I spend a great deal of my time searching out cool vegan things to do there, and until recently maybe only had 1 or 2 other LA vegans to share them with. This community has grown steadily over the past year, thankfully, and suddenly I have a multitude of other people to share my finds with.
That started me thinking about how to reach even more. Thus, the internet, a goldmine of vegan goodies in itself. I want this blog to be a place where I can put little secret vegan finds, as well as general health and nutrition stuff, and recipes.
So.... welcome to Veggywood!
xo
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