So, here is a picture of what was for lunch! A salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and a Boca chickn patty :)
Apr 3, 2011
Update
It has been exactly a month since I last blogged here. I haven't forgotten about you all! Life has gotten in the way unfortunately but I have been taking pictures and saving tons of information, so hopefully we can get this site active again! I want to thank everyone for so much support in running this blog and getting people excited about vegan lifestyle options. I couldn't have done it without you !
So, here is a picture of what was for lunch! A salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and a Boca chickn patty :)
So, here is a picture of what was for lunch! A salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and a Boca chickn patty :)
Mar 3, 2011
Vegan Grilled Cheese and Soy Yogurt
What's for lunch ?? Vegan grilled cheese using Daiya mozzarella shreds & Earth balance butter and Silk strawberry soy yogurt!
It was delicious!
I was a little worried about the Silk soy yogurt, mostly because I'm not a huge fan of yogurt to begin with and all of the flavors were dark colored (except vanilla). It was actually really good! Very full of flavor (almost too much flavor). My daughter either eats it alone or I put it in our morning smoothie!
Feb 26, 2011
Shopping trip
I have totally been slacking in updating ever since I got my tooth pulled! I can finally eat normal foods again so we decided to do some food shopping. We took an hour trip to Wegman's and this is what we came home with...
A healthy alternative to fruit snacks
We had never tried this before and its really good! We bought strawberry, blueberry, vanilla, and raspberry! Will definitely be buying again :)
If buying this mac and cheese, buy the one that says dairy free and soy free on the top! they make 3 different kinds
Never tried these before but they look good. I was never a big fan of hot dogs but my daughter loves tofu pops
Of course Daiya :) They only had mozzarella tho!
Never had these before either. I don't think you can screw up pita chips though!
These were expensive. Made by Caesar's . I hope they are good!
I'm really excited to try these. I'm a fan of Tofurky's products since they have never let me down.
Feb 18, 2011
Feb 15, 2011
17 month old eating tofu on video
I thought you guys might enjoy this. I get asked alllll the time how I get my child to eat tofu. She has been eating it for the last 9 months without ever refusing it! It just happens to be one of her favorite foods :) She usually shovels it in and throws the fork to the side, but she was a bit camera shy today.
Feb 12, 2011
Vegan Vodka Root beer Float
Submitted by a reader - Vegan Vodka Root beer Float!
- 1.5 oz of three olives chocolate or root beer vodka
- 1 oz of amaretto liquor
- one bottle of virgil's root beer
- one scoop of soy delicious coconut milk vanilla ice cream
For a list of vegan and non vegan liquor options, check out this site. Use the filter option on top of the page http://www.barnivore.com/liquor
This looks delicious! We will definitely be trying it! Thank you so much for submitting :)
This looks delicious! We will definitely be trying it! Thank you so much for submitting :)
Feb 10, 2011
Question - Becoming a Vegan
"I've been thinking a lot about trying to go vegan (even if it's only for a week), but I get overwhelmed because if animals aren't IN something that I want to eat or use, they were harmed to make it. I'd really love to hear about your transition to veganism. I'd also be interested in a post about your favorite vegan-approved products (health & beauty AND foods!)"
This is a really great topic to discuss. I get asked a lot how to transition from your old lifestyle into the life of being a vegan without feeling overwhelming guilt for not knowing everything. Even if you don't stay a vegan, you still have the option to pick products that are animal friendly. Being educated is key!
Its very important to decide why you want to make the change and to draw guidelines for yourself. For some people, easing into the change will be easier, while others will want to jump in 100%. You'll need to decide which products you want to cut out first if you are going to ease into the change. When I first became a vegan, I started with food products first, then transitioned to other lifestyle products (clothing, material, beauty products, etc.). The most immediate change you can make is to your diet. My transition was quick due to my milk allergy but you can go at any pace that is comfortable for you.
- Learn to read labels. The main things you want to avoid are any kind of meat (lard, by-products, chicken/turkey stock), dairy products (milk, cheese, whey, buttermilk, butter, lactose, lactic acid, casein), eggs, and anything made from animal bones (gelatin) . Most companies will bold products for allergy reasons, but at least glance over the entire list for anything that could possibly sound like it might be related to an animal. They only have to list things that will cause an allergic reaction. You will also have to decide for yourself if you will consider honey to be vegan or not vegan. If a product is labeled to be a 'cheese alternative' or 'meat alternative', check to make sure it is vegan. Many cheese alternatives have milk or casein in them, as well as many meat alternatives. When it comes to food, home made is best. Eating out will be tricky but always ask questions. Some companies, like Amy's and Whole Foods, are proud to put 'vegan' on their products. Learning vegan recipes or how to use vegan foods will also help your transition. I started this blog to teach people how to make simple meals that won't cost a lot and don't involve crazy ingredients that you have never heard of before.
Here is a great site that shows some hidden animal products http://www.cyberparent.com/nutrition/hiddenanimalsfoodproducts.htm
- Reading labels can also be applied to clothing and beauty products. My biggest secret - Trust most store brand products and avoid almost every major brand.. 'Knock off' products are made to be cheaper, and usually contain different materials. Avoid suede, fur, and leather when buying shoes, belts, couches, cars, etc. Most store brand clothing will use a fake suede, fur, or leather. Always read the labels of cosmetics and beauty products. Almost every big cosmetic company does test on animals. If a company does not test on animals, they will be proud to say so. Question any product that does not state that no animals were used in testing. Google search a list to print out and keep with you when you go to the store. There definitely are some gray areas, where companies will test the ingredients on animals but not the final product. It is incredibly hard to know whether or not they did use animals but you can always call or write to the company and ask questions.
- Reward yourself! Being a vegan is a huge lifestyle change that shouldn't be taken lightly. Whether you go vegan for a week, a year, or a lifetime - YOU can make a difference in the life of animals. We, as consumers, have the ability to control what is in demand. We can successfully lower the prices of healthy foods and animal friendly foods. Remember - if you mess up or accidentally consume something not vegan - it's okay! Accidents will happen. I didn't become a vegan years ago and get where I am today without making mistakes! I've accidentally eaten products that had eggs or dairy in them. We learn from our mistakes and move on. Education is so important and google is your friend in this. Google and ask every question you have. If you are having doubts about why you are doing this or ready to give up because it is too hard, google some images or videos of what happens to these animals. It is truly heartbreaking and enough to make anyone want to be cruelty free.
Some of my favorite food brands
- Boca
- Earth Balance
- Amy's
- Wegmans
- Whole Foods
- Dominex
- Silk
- Tofurky
- Annies
- Yogi
- Purely Decadent
- Van's
- Vegan Gourmet
- Daiya
- Wet N Wild
- Almay
- MAC Cosmetics
- Mary Kay
- Nature's Miracle
- Physician's Formula
- Revlon
- Seventh Generation
- Tressa
- Urban Decay
My biggest tip - If you are going to try veganism, please give it a month of serious commitment. If after a month you find it just isn't for you and that you can't make it work, then at least you gave it a good shot. If you give up before then, you really haven't had enough time to get used to it. It really is a lifestyle change and you can't change your whole life in a month.
Good luck to everyone and I always welcome questions!
Feb 7, 2011
The reality of being a vegan
Lets get deep for a minute about what veganism really is.
Being a vegan is hard. It introduces you to a world of caring.
Before I became a vegan, I cared about the world, about animals, about the effects of my behaviors on the environment. But I never really cared - not like I do now. I didn't watch documentaries about slaughterhouses and the type of abuse that these animals go through, only to become food for someone else. I didn't realize the awful life these animals life - the females always being pregnant to produce milk, the young being ripped away to be slaughtered if they didn't fit up to the standard of a dairy cow (or any other 'food' animal, not just cows), how some of these animals are sexually abused by the workers before dying. I just knew that eating meat was wrong and if I wouldn't go out and personally kill an animal to eat it, why would I buy it at the store? But it goes much deeper than just that.
When you start looking into different sections of the world - how they use animals for different things - it starts to become sick.
Shark fining, leaving them for death after cutting off their fins for soup. Massive dolphin slaughters for sport - gathering them in a cove and killing thousands of them at a time. Animal testing - burning, mutilating, scarring, deforming every type of 'cute furry animal' that you might even have at home for a pet. Dog fights, dog baiting, bear fights, bear baiting, bull fights. The list goes on. Keeping dolphins, whales, and other animals in captivity for 'show' when they are known for self inflicting pain to the point of suicide. We force animals to commit suicide for show.
We destroy our oceans. We destroy our animals. We destroy our forests. We destroy our environment. For what? For food? For our beauty? For shoes? Fashion? Furniture? For nothing.
We live in a day and age where those that live a privileged life can afford to maintain a lifestyle free of cruelty to others. This includes more than just eating meat, dairy, eggs, etc. It pours into the rest of your life - looking at the tag to see what your shoes are made of, avoiding buying a car that has leather seats, not buying the nice suede sofa, buying mascara/shampoo/lotion that hasn't been tested on animals. You start to care about where your products came from. You care about their history and go the extra mile to make sure nothing was harmed in the process.
But sometimes it just doesn't feel like enough. From the comfort of my home, my privileged life, I can't possibly do enough. I can spread my knowledge, raise vegan children, buy safe shoes, avoid products that test on animals. But it doesn't stop the deaths. It doesn't stop the abuse. There are animals out there suffering for your right to live a 'free' lifestyle and not care where anything comes from. Why do we jail people that abuse cats and dogs but allow slaughterhouses to stay in business? If I eat cat then I am a freak and a murderer but if I eat a hamburger, I am normal. It isn't right and I can't grasp how it is 'normal' in today's society.
How am I supposed to look my daughter in the eye and tell her that all of this is happening in the world and I can't stop it? How can I possibly tell her that this is all we can do? This is all we can do.
I will leave you with this. A list of companies that test on animals. Please, whether you are a vegan for ethical reasons, health reasons, weight loss - Whatever. Please read this and make the decision to help save a life. Speak for someone that cannot speak for themselves. Attached is their addresses where you can write them as well.
(I do not want to spam you with images of rabbits, dogs, monkeys, etc. missing their faces and body parts because of testing)
Being a vegan is hard. It introduces you to a world of caring.
Before I became a vegan, I cared about the world, about animals, about the effects of my behaviors on the environment. But I never really cared - not like I do now. I didn't watch documentaries about slaughterhouses and the type of abuse that these animals go through, only to become food for someone else. I didn't realize the awful life these animals life - the females always being pregnant to produce milk, the young being ripped away to be slaughtered if they didn't fit up to the standard of a dairy cow (or any other 'food' animal, not just cows), how some of these animals are sexually abused by the workers before dying. I just knew that eating meat was wrong and if I wouldn't go out and personally kill an animal to eat it, why would I buy it at the store? But it goes much deeper than just that.
When you start looking into different sections of the world - how they use animals for different things - it starts to become sick.
Shark fining, leaving them for death after cutting off their fins for soup. Massive dolphin slaughters for sport - gathering them in a cove and killing thousands of them at a time. Animal testing - burning, mutilating, scarring, deforming every type of 'cute furry animal' that you might even have at home for a pet. Dog fights, dog baiting, bear fights, bear baiting, bull fights. The list goes on. Keeping dolphins, whales, and other animals in captivity for 'show' when they are known for self inflicting pain to the point of suicide. We force animals to commit suicide for show.
We destroy our oceans. We destroy our animals. We destroy our forests. We destroy our environment. For what? For food? For our beauty? For shoes? Fashion? Furniture? For nothing.
We live in a day and age where those that live a privileged life can afford to maintain a lifestyle free of cruelty to others. This includes more than just eating meat, dairy, eggs, etc. It pours into the rest of your life - looking at the tag to see what your shoes are made of, avoiding buying a car that has leather seats, not buying the nice suede sofa, buying mascara/shampoo/lotion that hasn't been tested on animals. You start to care about where your products came from. You care about their history and go the extra mile to make sure nothing was harmed in the process.
But sometimes it just doesn't feel like enough. From the comfort of my home, my privileged life, I can't possibly do enough. I can spread my knowledge, raise vegan children, buy safe shoes, avoid products that test on animals. But it doesn't stop the deaths. It doesn't stop the abuse. There are animals out there suffering for your right to live a 'free' lifestyle and not care where anything comes from. Why do we jail people that abuse cats and dogs but allow slaughterhouses to stay in business? If I eat cat then I am a freak and a murderer but if I eat a hamburger, I am normal. It isn't right and I can't grasp how it is 'normal' in today's society.
How am I supposed to look my daughter in the eye and tell her that all of this is happening in the world and I can't stop it? How can I possibly tell her that this is all we can do? This is all we can do.
I will leave you with this. A list of companies that test on animals. Please, whether you are a vegan for ethical reasons, health reasons, weight loss - Whatever. Please read this and make the decision to help save a life. Speak for someone that cannot speak for themselves. Attached is their addresses where you can write them as well.
Arm & Hammer (Church & Dwight), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625; 609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; www.armhammer.com
�Bic Corporation, 500 Bic Dr., Milford, CT 06460; 203-783-2000; www.bicworld.com
Chesebrough-Ponds (Fabergé, Ponds, Vaseline), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 800-743-8640; www.pondssquad.com
Church & Dwight (Aim, Arm & Hammer, Arrid, Brillo, Close-up, Lady’s Choice, Mentadent, Nair, Orange Glo International, Pearl Drops), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625; 609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; www.churchdwight.com
Clairol (Aussie, Daily Defense, Herbal Essences, Infusium 23, Procter & Gamble), 1 Blachley Rd., Stamford, CT 06922; 800-252-4765; www.clairol.com
Clorox (ArmorAll, Formula 409, Fresh Step, Glad, Liquid Plumber, Pine-Sol, Soft Scrub, S.O.S., Tilex), 1221 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612; 510-271-7000; 800-227-1860; www.clorox.com
Colgate-Palmolive Co. (Hills Pet Nutrition, Mennen, Palmolive, SoftSoap, Speed Stick), 300 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022; 212-310-2000; 800-221-4607; www.colgate.com
Cover Girl (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.covergirl.com
Dial Corporation (Dry Idea, Purex, Renuzit, Right Guard, Soft & Dri), 15101 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 5028, Scottsdale, AZ 85254-2199; 800-528-0849; www.dialcorp.com
Johnson & Johnson (Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Listerine, Lubriderm, Neutrogena, Rembrandt, ROC), 1 Johnson & Johnson Plz., New Brunswick, NJ 08933; 732-524-0400; 800-526-3967; www.jnj.com
Lever Bros. (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-598-1223; www.unilever.com
L’Oréal (Biotherm, Cacharel, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Helena Rubinstein, Lancôme, Matrix Essentials, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy), 575 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017; 212-818-1500; www.loreal.com
Max Factor (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH
45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.maxfactor.com
Mead, 10 W. Second St., #1, Dayton, OH 45402; 937-495-6323; www.meadweb.com
Melaleuca, 3910 S. Yellowstone Hwy., Idaho Falls, ID 83402-6003; 208-522-0700; www.melaleuca.com
Mennen Co. (Colgate-Palmolive), 191 E. Hanover Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960-3151; 973-631-9000; www.colgate.com
New Dana Perfumes, 470 Oakhill Rd., Crestwood Industrial Park, Mountaintop, PA 18707; 800-822-8547
Noxell (Procter & Gamble), 11050 York Rd., Hunt Valley, MD 21030-2098; 410-785-7300; 800-572-3232; www.pg.com
Olay Co./Oil of Olay (Procter & Gamble), P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, OH 45201; 800-543-1745; www.oilofolay.com
Oral-B (Procter & Gamble), 600 Clipper Dr., Belmont, CA 94002-4119; 415-598-5000; www.oralb.com
Pantene (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 800-945-7768; www.pantene.com
Physique (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 800-214-8957; www.physique.com
Playtex Products (Banana Boat), 300 Nyala Farms Rd., Westport, CT 06880; 203-341-4000; www.playtex.com
Procter & Gamble Co. (Clairol, Cover Girl, Crest, Gillette, Giorgio, Iams, Max Factor, Physique, Tide), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.pg.com
Reckitt Benckiser (Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Spray ’N Wash, Veet, Woolite), 399 Interpace Pkwy., Parsippany, NJ 07054; 973-633-3600; 800-333-3899; www.reckittbenckiser.com
Richardson-Vicks (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.pg.com
Schering-Plough (Bain de Soleil, Coppertone, Dr. Scholl’s), 2000 Galloping Hill Rd., Kenilworth, NJ 07033-0530; 800-842-4090; www.sch-plough.com
S.C. Johnson (Drano, Edge, Fantastik, Glade, OFF!, Oust, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Skintimate, Windex, Ziploc), 1525 Howe St., Racine, WI 53403; 800-494-4855; www.scjohnson.com
SoftSoap Enterprises (Colgate-Palmolive), 300 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022; 800-221-4607; www.colgate.com
Suave (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-782-8301; www.suave.com
Unilever (Axe, Dove, Lever Bros., Suave, Sunsilk), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-598-1223; www.unilever.com
For a full list of brands you CAN buy from without adding to this,
Keep the list, and refer to it next time YOU buy your beauty products.
Feb 3, 2011
Dominex - The Eggplant People
Recently our grocery store started carrying a new brand - Dominex. All of their products are made from eggplant. They seem like a relatively new company since all they carry right now are eggplant burgers, eggplant veggie fries, eggplant meatballs, and eggplant cutlets. For the price, you are getting your money's worth. They are about the same price as Amy's except you are getting double the amount of food. Their cutlets also come in a big box for $10, whereas the rest of their products come in a decent sized box for around $5.50.
I've tried their cutlets and veggie fries. I absolutely love the veggie fries. The cutlets are good too, but the breading seems a little too thin for me. They would go great on a sandwich or with some Daiya cheese on top and dipped in marinara sauce. My daughter and I are addicted to the veggie fries (we are heating some up right now). We dip them in marinara sauce to add a bit of flavor.
Take a look and see if your store carries them! I can't wait to try the eggplant meatballs.
I've tried their cutlets and veggie fries. I absolutely love the veggie fries. The cutlets are good too, but the breading seems a little too thin for me. They would go great on a sandwich or with some Daiya cheese on top and dipped in marinara sauce. My daughter and I are addicted to the veggie fries (we are heating some up right now). We dip them in marinara sauce to add a bit of flavor.
Take a look and see if your store carries them! I can't wait to try the eggplant meatballs.
Jan 29, 2011
TofuXpress
So who would like to donate $40 to our blog to get us a TofuXpress??
A huge reason why people don't like cooking with tofu is because it is such a royal pain to press and drain. I have tried a ton of methods and it is just so wasteful, messy, and time consuming. For $40 + shipping you can get this bad boy to do all of the work for you. Seems to be a decent deal considering you probably waste well over $40 worth of paper towels and other supplies trying to get all of the water out of tofu!
I asked for one for Valentine's Day so we will see if I get one :) I am not counting on it since I asked for this bad boy for Christmas and I have yet to see it...
Jan 28, 2011
Delicious Liquid Brat Diet
Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast - Everyone is familiar with this timeless recipe for a feel better solution. Growing up, I hated anything that had to do with the brat diet while being sick. It was full of blah foods that never went well together. Ever since having my daughter, we realized that the traditional brat diet wasn't going to cut it. We came up with a liquid solution that actually tastes really good!
If you're lucky enough to live near a place that carries this, then you can skip this recipe, although I think ours tastes much better !
Combine everything, using as much liquid as you need to get it to a comfortable consistency. We used equal parts of Pedialyte and juice, which you can also mix these two together and freeze into a delicious ice pop! This brat recipe is great for kids and adults. It tastes like a strawberry banana smoothie!
If you're lucky enough to live near a place that carries this, then you can skip this recipe, although I think ours tastes much better !
You'll need
One banana
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup of whole wheat baby cereal
1/2 cup of rice baby cereal
Clear Pedialyte
Strawberry banana juice
Combine everything, using as much liquid as you need to get it to a comfortable consistency. We used equal parts of Pedialyte and juice, which you can also mix these two together and freeze into a delicious ice pop! This brat recipe is great for kids and adults. It tastes like a strawberry banana smoothie!
Brought to you by our very recent hospital visit....
Jan 19, 2011
Draining Tofu
Here is a little tip I learned recently in terms of draining tofu. Normally I press it with a paper towel until there is no moisture left, but google recently introduced me to a new method.
Microwaving!
I haven't perfected it, but I wanted to put it out there to see if anyone had any input on it. It was a bit difficult but did work. Basically it heats the tofu up and releases all of the water - which works great if you have something for the water to drain into. I've heard of people using coffee filters but it just seems like there is too much water for that to work. I put the tofu in for 2 minutes, then 30 seconds until most of it was drained. I had to keep pressing it in between because I didn't have a good drainage system set up.
I was also a bit concerned with the microwave taking out any essential nutrients since we tend to avoid cooking in them. Microwaves tend to kill certain vitamins (which is why you shouldn't microwave vegetables). I don't know how that works in terms of tofu, but I'm just putting it out there.
How do YOU drain your tofu? Press it? Let it sit under a plate? Microwave?
Microwaving!
I haven't perfected it, but I wanted to put it out there to see if anyone had any input on it. It was a bit difficult but did work. Basically it heats the tofu up and releases all of the water - which works great if you have something for the water to drain into. I've heard of people using coffee filters but it just seems like there is too much water for that to work. I put the tofu in for 2 minutes, then 30 seconds until most of it was drained. I had to keep pressing it in between because I didn't have a good drainage system set up.
I was also a bit concerned with the microwave taking out any essential nutrients since we tend to avoid cooking in them. Microwaves tend to kill certain vitamins (which is why you shouldn't microwave vegetables). I don't know how that works in terms of tofu, but I'm just putting it out there.
How do YOU drain your tofu? Press it? Let it sit under a plate? Microwave?
Jan 15, 2011
Snacks Part 2
In addition to the first snack post (which you can view here), I decided to do a part 2/what we are snacking on lately.
Broccoli, Green beans, Peas, not too much of mushrooms tho
Veggie Straws - Our favorite
Rice Cakes
Bananas - must always have bananas in this house!
This is her new favorite - Peanut butter on toast. I can't complain!
Original Chex Mix - an occasional snack
Chickpeas - delicious just by themselves!
Cucumbers - she loves them
Blueberry bagels
Strawberry Banana Orange Juice Soy Milk Smoothie (sometimes with tofu)
Wheat thins - I prefer the low fat ones!
Jan 6, 2011
Silk Almond Milk
We recently switched over to almond milk due to everyone having a sensitive stomach (okay, just me and the baby). She seems to be tolerating this a little better than the others. We tried everything from soy milk, rice milk, hemp milk, coconut milk - and in the process I found out I was allergic to coconut as well!
Normally I don't like Silk because their milks are too sweet, but I highly recommend Silk's vanilla almond milk. It tastes sweet, almost like a milkshake. This goes really well with smoothies! Add a banana, strawberries, orange juice, and almond milk for a delicious drink!
Also, if you sign up on Silk's site, they email you a 75c coupon asap and email you even more later on!
Normally I don't like Silk because their milks are too sweet, but I highly recommend Silk's vanilla almond milk. It tastes sweet, almost like a milkshake. This goes really well with smoothies! Add a banana, strawberries, orange juice, and almond milk for a delicious drink!
Also, if you sign up on Silk's site, they email you a 75c coupon asap and email you even more later on!
Jan 3, 2011
Vegan Garlic Roasted Potatoes
This is one of my favorite additions to any dinner, although for health reasons we try not to include it in every meal :) It takes about a half hour to make, which is just enough time to make the rest of the meal!
Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat the pan with just enough oil to spread an even layer on the bottom. Slice your potatoes about a 1/2 inch thick. I like to keep the skin on them but you can remove it if you want. They tend to fall apart easier if you remove the skin. After you slice them, lay them in the pan on their side. You will be flipping them halfway through so don't worry about them cooking unevenly.
The amount of butter you use will depend on how you like your potatoes. I tend to like them with a little bit extra butter flavor. You can use anywhere between 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of melted butter. Remember that the butter will not only give flavoring, but also help your potatoes to not stick to the bottom. I use about 3/4 of a cup of butter in mine, sometimes more if I am making a larger amount. I like to mix my spices into the butter before I pour it over the potatoes to spread it evenly. (You can cheat and use the pre-mixed mashed potato seasoning if you wish!) Feel free to add vegetables into the pan with the potatoes, if you have room, to give them a delicious buttery-garlic flavor.
Set the lid on it and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip them. It doesn't matter if you flip them neatly - they all usually cook evenly. If you want 'harder' potatoes, leave the lid off when you insert them back into the oven. I usually put the lid back on to keep the moisture in and so I don't have a mess of oil and butter left in the stove. This would also be the time to add in vegetables, Cook for another 15 minutes or until tender and enjoy!!
You will need
3-4 potatoes
Earth Balance Vegan Butter
Chopped Garlic
Italian Seasoning
Salt
Vegetable Oil
How to make
Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat the pan with just enough oil to spread an even layer on the bottom. Slice your potatoes about a 1/2 inch thick. I like to keep the skin on them but you can remove it if you want. They tend to fall apart easier if you remove the skin. After you slice them, lay them in the pan on their side. You will be flipping them halfway through so don't worry about them cooking unevenly.
The amount of butter you use will depend on how you like your potatoes. I tend to like them with a little bit extra butter flavor. You can use anywhere between 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of melted butter. Remember that the butter will not only give flavoring, but also help your potatoes to not stick to the bottom. I use about 3/4 of a cup of butter in mine, sometimes more if I am making a larger amount. I like to mix my spices into the butter before I pour it over the potatoes to spread it evenly. (You can cheat and use the pre-mixed mashed potato seasoning if you wish!) Feel free to add vegetables into the pan with the potatoes, if you have room, to give them a delicious buttery-garlic flavor.
Set the lid on it and cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip them. It doesn't matter if you flip them neatly - they all usually cook evenly. If you want 'harder' potatoes, leave the lid off when you insert them back into the oven. I usually put the lid back on to keep the moisture in and so I don't have a mess of oil and butter left in the stove. This would also be the time to add in vegetables, Cook for another 15 minutes or until tender and enjoy!!
They were finger-lickin-good!
Jan 1, 2011
Tofurky Roast with Stuffing and Vegetables
I'll be the first to admit that I always side-eyed the Tofurky roasts in the store. I tried one years ago and it tasted awful, so I never tried it again....until now. It was absolutely delicious and I would definitely recommend to EVERYONE! Even my meat-eater boyfriend chose to eat this over real turkey. It lasted us a week and still tasted great!
This was so simple. It takes about an hour or so to cook. Follow the directions on the box carefully! You need to cook the roast for about a half hour first by itself with half of the gravy they gave you, then another half hour with all of the gravy and whatever vegetables you want. The gravy is absolutely delicious and they give you more than enough so you won't need to make your own!
I would definitely make this again, even when it isn't a holiday. Its so tender and the stuffing is really good! The whole box was around $10.99 and totally worth it!
What you'll need
Tofurkey Roast (please read the ingredients - not all of them are vegan)
Vegetables of your choice
(The one I bought didn't have the brownie included)
How to Make
It looks really weird right out of the box, but trust me, it is worth it. Be careful taking it out of the package.
This was so simple. It takes about an hour or so to cook. Follow the directions on the box carefully! You need to cook the roast for about a half hour first by itself with half of the gravy they gave you, then another half hour with all of the gravy and whatever vegetables you want. The gravy is absolutely delicious and they give you more than enough so you won't need to make your own!
I would definitely make this again, even when it isn't a holiday. Its so tender and the stuffing is really good! The whole box was around $10.99 and totally worth it!
Pizza Pizza!
One of my favorite foods to make is pizza! This is a very easy, cheap recipe for vegan pizza.
The crust that I use contains honey. This is a personal preference. Some find it vegan while others don't. If you are uncomfortable eating honey, then I recommend looking at the ingredients of different crusts or making your own. This crust contains very very little honey. My daughter is allergic to honey but can still eat this crust without any issues. It comes in three different sizes! This one fits into the toaster oven no problem :)
Preheat a toaster oven or regular oven to 300/350F. I like my pizza to be softer, so if you like it crunchy, preheat to 350F.
Pour sauce onto the crust, add seasonings (I like garlic powder), add cheese, and cook! Let cook for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
You will need
Daiya cheese (or any vegan cheese)
Pizza or pasta sauce
Crust
Seasonings
How to make
The crust that I use contains honey. This is a personal preference. Some find it vegan while others don't. If you are uncomfortable eating honey, then I recommend looking at the ingredients of different crusts or making your own. This crust contains very very little honey. My daughter is allergic to honey but can still eat this crust without any issues. It comes in three different sizes! This one fits into the toaster oven no problem :)
Preheat a toaster oven or regular oven to 300/350F. I like my pizza to be softer, so if you like it crunchy, preheat to 350F.
Pour sauce onto the crust, add seasonings (I like garlic powder), add cheese, and cook! Let cook for 10-15 minutes and enjoy!
My little helper! She enjoys the pizza more than I do!
Dec 25, 2010
Dec 19, 2010
Banana Bread
Due to having the flu, I had about 4 bananas that were almost ready to be thrown out (among a ton of other food). So what else can you do with almost rotten bananas? Banana bread!!
This has to be the best banana bread I've ever made. This loaf lasted not even 4 days. It was extremely moist when first made and was still fairly moist a few days later.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Now for this recipe, it works best if you break it down into steps. It mixes up better and seems to cook smoother. Start off with the melted butter and bananas. You can mush the bananas by hand if they are ripe enough. Then add the sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla. When that is all mixed, add the flour and other powdered ingredients. Pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
When it cooled, I cut it in half and put it into a sealed container to keep some moisture in it. It will probably last a week as long as you wipe out the excess moisture in the container once every day or two.
(Yes, that is steam still coming off of the bread...mmmmm)
This has to be the best banana bread I've ever made. This loaf lasted not even 4 days. It was extremely moist when first made and was still fairly moist a few days later.
You'll need
4 bananas
1/3 cup melted Earth Balance butter
1 heaping tablespoon apple sauce
1 cup sugar or agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour
1 pinch of salt
1 loaf pan
How to make
Preheat the oven to 350F. Now for this recipe, it works best if you break it down into steps. It mixes up better and seems to cook smoother. Start off with the melted butter and bananas. You can mush the bananas by hand if they are ripe enough. Then add the sugar, apple sauce, and vanilla. When that is all mixed, add the flour and other powdered ingredients. Pour into a buttered loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
Dec 18, 2010
Snacks!!
Everyone loves snacks! If you are feeding a child, you need good, nutritious snacks. Here is a short list of our daughter's favorite snacks, the healthy and the unhealthy!
Ritz Crackers - Most peanut butter crackers tend to be vegan
Annie's Chocolate and Vanilla cookies - They are pretty good!
The famous super pretzels, along with any pretzels not made with butter.
Yogi Granola Crisps. They are a nice size for kids to hold and chew on and they taste pretty good!
Fig Newmans - NOT Fig Newtons. They are good, a little dry. We found an off brand at the dollar store that is vegan and much better, but these will do as well.
Kix - any kind of Kix will work but she loves the berry ones
Thomas' mini bagels. Cinnamon raisin is her favorite so far
Chocolate Chip Teddy Grahams - Read the label before you buy any of the other flavors. Most are vegan but always double check!
Pistachios! We eat these together :)
Oreos - We like to mix these with vanilla vegan ice cream for a delicious treat.
Reeces Puffs Cereal! Sooo delicious.
i should add that these snacks are in addition to fruits and veggies as well!
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