Beverly Lynn Bennett Gets Down and Dirty with Chia Seeds on the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club
We’ve all heard about chia seeds, and know that we should probably eat lots of them. But if you’re wondering about the best way to get more of them into your diet, then you’ll want to tune in to this week on the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club. We are going to be featuring vegan chef Beverly Lynn Bennett, who has recently come out with a book called Chia: Using the Ancient Superfood. Beverly is an experienced vegan chef who has authored several other cookbooks and writes regularly for VegNews Magazine. In Chia: Using the Ancient Superfood, Beverly shares 25 recipes that showcase the versatility of chia seeds. Chia seeds are a great source of essential…
Chipotle Hummus
At some point last year, I unwittingly became one of those people who eats a big pile of raw veggies for lunch every day. It all started late one night when I didn’t have time to cook lunch for the following day, and it just kind of stuck. Turns out that in my old age I’ve grown to love chowing down on carrots and broccoli stalks and red peppers and everything else in between. I keep lunch exciting by making a different flavor of hummus every week. This chipotle hummus is one of my favorites, and it would be just as at home in your lunchbox as it would be in your next party’s snack spread! I love spicy food…
Minimalist Monday: Why Calling Someone "Lucky" Can Be Insulting
A few months ago I read the Matched series. (If anyone wants to cry with me over book 3, I’m available by email). The story takes place in a future society that… umm… has its flaws. Anyway, the idea of “luck” had been totally eradicated in this new world. From Matched:”I answer, “That we are very lucky,” and I mean it… The hostess corrects me gently. “Not lucky, Cassia. There is no luck in …
Whiskey Apple Soda
‘Twas the week of Thanksgiving and I’m not with my family…so I’m drinking to dull the pain. Just kidding! I was browsing the Williams-Sonoma website for Thanksgiving recipe ideas and came across the Whiskey Apple Cider recipe. It included Bourbon (JJ’s favorite) and Ginger Beer (my favorite) so I declared it the Official Cocktail of Thanksgiving 2013. Of course I had to test it out first just to be sure, and it’s a winner! The bourbon is a bit strong but I always find bourbon to be strong. I diluted mine a bit with the ginger beer and loved it. I think this would also be a nice punch option if diluted a bit as well for …
Okonomiyaki – Japanese Cabbage Pacakes
This is a very popular Japanese recipe. It’s rather like coleslaw pancake. It is delicious with the few special sauces on top. We enjoyed it as a main meal at lunch, but it would also be a great snack whenever you are hungry. Yield: 6 large pancakes Ingredients: for the pancakes: 4 cups cabbage, finely shredded 1/2 cup carrots, shredded 4 spring onions, finely sliced 2 cups four pinch salt 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 egg replacements 1/2-1 cups …
U.S. corporations spread fast-food, meat, and obesity around the globe
Photo: Sally KneidelAmerican men gained an average of 19 lbs between 1980 and 2010; American women, 18 lbs. Those are among the fastest weight gains in the world, writes Leslie Patton of Bloomberg News. Much of that weight gain can be attributed to aggressive marketing by fast-food companies such as McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, and Yum Brands (KFC). Heavy sales of processed and packaged foods are also to blame, as described in Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Moss’s new expose, Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us.Food activists in the U.S. have worked hard to educate the public on the dangers of fast-food, and have made some progress in persuading fast-food restaurants to carry a few less-fatty alternatives.Plunder abroadHaving saturated the …
White Cheddar Beer Mac and Cheese
(from my Instagram: ashmelzorn)Back in October when my family took a trip to Oregon we visited Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. We began our meal with their Beer Cheese and pretzel dip which was insanely memorable. The cheese was a melted white cheddar laced with beer and there was coarse stone ground mustard rimming the bowl. When you swiped the pretzel through the mustard and into the cheese it was phenomenal. When it came time to make our Thanksgiving menu, I mentioned turning the beer cheese dip into a mac and cheese. I’ve had mac and cheese with…
Ground zero for climate change? Corporate culprits in Charlotte
A rally in Charlotte last week against a corporation driving climate change. Photo: Sally KneidelLast year during the DNC, I heard activist leaders refer to Charlotte as “ground zero for climate change.” I was startled by that. I grew up in Charlotte and the city has seldom surprised me. But that made me curious. So I decided to get more active in Greenpeace-Charlotte, and started reading the websites of NC WARN and Rainforest Action Network (RAN). Turns out, the culprits are very specific. Climate activists are focused primarily on two corporate giants. Duke Energy and Bank of America are both headquartered in Charlotte, and …
Hey Hollywood! Doomie’s Pop Up Dinner is gonna be poppin’!
Photo courtesy of Doomie’s Facebook page. Doomie’s Home Cookin’ in Hollywood has a plethora of seitanic foods (their secret menu item the vegan “Big Mac” has a cult following), so imagine my surprise when I saw that they’ll be doing a gluten-free menu! And SIX COURSES?! People, this is a don’t-miss! Email DoomieVeg@gmail.com to make your reservation.
Introduction to speciesism
by Sarah Albonesi WHAT IS SPECIESISM? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines speciesism as “prejudice or discrimination based on species; especially discrimination against animals,” or “the assumption of human superiority on which speciesism is based.” In other words, just as sexism is discrimination against someone of a different sex, and racism is discrimination against someone of a certain race, speciesism is discrimination against members of other species. SOCIETY AND SPECIESISM While much of the developed world today strives to prevent discrimination against groups within the human species (such as women…
This Is The End
Rob here for one more post. It’s been a year since we last posted anything, and whilst I’ve been checking emails and replying to comments and tweeting away, as a blog Vegangstaz is no more. Have no fears – I am still alive, I am still vegan, Kylie and I are still together and very much in love. The truth is, Vegangstaz is just the tip of the iceberg of what I …
Veganism Is Inexpensive
It’s time to kill the myth that veganism is expensive. The truth is that being a vegan doesn’t cost much. Veganism is cheap. First, the evidence: According to a 2007 MSN MoneyCentral article, the cheapest cuts of beef, such as ground round, average $3 per pound; boneless chicken breasts cost $3.40 a pound; and canned tuna costs around…
Where Love Can Lead Us
A United States freeway may seem an unlikely place to reflect on love, but each spring, I get that familiar wrenching of the heart that signals to me that I’m witnessing a lack of love. Each spring, my resources of joy are replenished by the sight of the greening earth, lush with grass, garlanded in wildflowers – signs to me of the miraculous beauty of Earth, the inherent goodness of Creation, and the love of my Creator. I feel blessed. I feel loved when nature provides …
Gellin’ with Chia
Chia Seed Gel is featured in Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – one of the recipes being shared with the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club this week. I absolutely love chia seeds! I especially appreciate all of the nutrition and health benefits that they provide to my body, and I try to work them into my daily diet wherever and whenever I can. That being said, I have run into an obstacle, or should I say, a slight annoyance when it comes to my enjoying this awesome superfood. Much like their seedy counterpart, the poppy seed, teeny-tiny chia seeds will often get caught in between…
Review: Cheesy Parsnip Spread
Gena at choosingraw.com has developed an brilliant spread/dip. We really enjoy the flavor of parsnips and are often disappointed when mixed in a soup, the parsnip flavor is lost. This recipe for a cheesy parsnip spread offers that salty, cheesy flavor that vegans are used to and yet the lovely sweetness of the parsnips still comes through. This spread is fantastic and is not so high in calories …
Chocolate Cake with Mocha Ganache and Frosting
Not much to say here other than this is a wonderfully moist chocolate cake with layers of rich ganache and topped with frosting. I am eating the last piece right now as I blog. INGREDIENTSCake- 227g cake flour- 65g cocoa- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda- 3/4 tsp baking powder- 1/2 tsp salt- 1 1/4 cup chocolate soy milk- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar- 1/4 cup water- 1 1/4 cup sugar- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil- 2 tsp vanillaMocha Ganache- 1/2 cup light coconut milk- 1 tbsp instant coffee or espresso powder- 185g bittersweet vegan chocolate chips- 2 tbsp margarineFrosting- 300g bittersweet vegan chocolate chips- 200g margarine (or a margarine/vegetable shortening mix)- 150g icing sugar- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla- 1/4 to 1/2 cup soy milkMETHODCakePreheat oven to 350 degrees, or 325 convection1. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans. Cut out two circles of parchment paper to fit …
Royal Society for the Promotion of Cruelty to Animals
The RSPCA killed 16,405 animals in the 12 months from 1 July 2011, just in New South Wales. Of these, 3013 dogs and who knows how many other animals (the stats are surprisingly sparse) were killed for “behavioural reasons”. This may be where a puppy for example has suffered abuse and is very anxious as a result, or maybe the dog just doesn’t like his human captors. Either way this is speciesist because humans with mental health issues are no longer executed. And while they say the animals were instead “euthanased”, they weren’t because that requires consent.RSPCA NSW Annual Report 2011-2012But the RSPCA doesn’t just kill animals under its care, it actively endorses the killing of other animals even without any physical or mental health issues. That’s right…
This Purim, Meet the New Esther, a Savior — for Our Times and Her Species
The Jewish holiday of Purim is about to make its annual appearance, as it has for the last two millenia or so. But this year, it will assume special significance. For Jews who need a quick refresher, and for non-Jewish readers of this blog, here is the story of Purim, CliffsNotes style. A Persian prime minister orders the extermination of all the Jews in the kingdom. Esther, one of the king’s wives, uses her feminine charms to…
The Farmer’s Garden
Here is an interesting site called The Farmer’s Garden that allows people who grow their own vegetables and fruits to find buyers and for people looking for produce to find sellers. It is a very interesting idea and I look forward to seeing how it grows (well, pun sort of intended). Here is a description from their site that gives information about who they are and what they do:This site was developed so that everyone can become a locavore and have access to local, sustainably grown, fresh produce. It is also a great way to meet and support members of your community. Many backyard gardeners grow varieties of fruits, vegetables, berries, etc. not found in your local supermarket. Try new types of …
CRISPY MARINATED TOFU WITH APPLES & ONION IN CREAMY WHITE WINE SAUCE
Yesterday I was trying to use up some local apples that we’ve had stored. With some of them, I made this easy apple cake (minus the chocolate drizzle) for tea with a friend yesterday, but I really want to use up these lovely cooking apples before they go bad. So, I devised this quick and easy tofu saute to serve with a salad and some roasted nugget potatoes. Thumbs up on this one!NOTE: If you don’t want to use the tofu, you can substitute about 2 cups of reconstituted Soy Curls (see about this product here) or thin seitan …
Gardein Fishless Fillets
Have you tried the new Gardein Fishless Fillets yet? The outside is crispy and the inside is flaky. Just what you would expect in a real fish fillet. I just served them with vegan tartar sauce and fries on the side. These would be excellent as a sandwich. Our local grocery store started carrying Gardein products recently. But I was very surprised to find the Fishless Fillets since they are new. I also picked up the Meatless Meatloaf Loaf. I will be trying that soon.
