Your Daily Vegan

I am of the mindset that the best chocolate morsels one can eat are vegan- and not just because I’m a “militant radical” who would sooner eat rocks because they’re not animal sourced.  Chocolate morsels, confections, or candy of any kind need two, and no more than three, ingredients:  those are cocoa, cocoa butter, and possibly a bit of pure unrefined cane sweetener.  So much chocolate on the market contain the ubiquitous duo, soy lecithin and artificial vanillin.  The reason for this is cost, of course.  Soy lecithin is basically going to allow the chocolate product to remain on grocery shelves longer and artificial vanillin is cheaper than the real stuff.

I’ll admit to eating my share of commercially available vegan chocolates, which contain the aforementioned duo.  But I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in the really good stuff from time to time.  The stuff crafted with real cocoa butter and no lecithin.  It’s not easy to get if you’re on a budget or don’t have the fortune of being neighbors with a chocolatier.  Luckily for me I was presented the opportunity to accept a sample of some fine chocos in exchange for an honest review.

Sample A:

Vegan chocolates from Intemperantia.  Intemperantia, which is Latin for “self-indulgence”, use fine Swiss chocolate in their confections, pure cocoa butter (no oils or substitutes), and no artificial ingredients.  The result, not to be cliché or anything, melts in your mouth.

The cocoa and butter tasted like a Pacific island with islanders welcoming me into their jungle oasis to enjoy carnal delights.  In other words, this is really good chocolate- and not in that, this-candy-bar-is-good kind of way either.  It’s decadent, it’s creamy, it has a hint- a whisper really, of bitter like chocolate is supposed to have.  It’s just so damn good.

Sample B:

As you can imagine, the cost of such things is a bit high compared to stopping in your grocer for a bar of something.  But don’t let this deter you.  The Intemperantia chocolates are beautifully wrapped and are clearly for very special occasions.  So, totally worth a special bit of indulgence- self or otherwise.  Let us not forget that cacao only grows in select regions of the globe. For this reason some would argue that it be reserved for only special or rare occasions.

Intemperantia chocolates gets “4 Goatz” for creating choco-indulgence as it was meant to be- rare, special, and richly rewarding.  Though, I would voluntarily forgo the pretty packaging to get more chocolates.  Just sayin’.

Visit Intemperantia on Facebook or on Twitter.

Have you indulged in Intemperentia chocolatess or do you want to?  Rate your experience or comment below!

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Worst thing about cookies?  Refined sugars and flours, and possibly fats if they’re the hydrogenated kind.  Best thing about cookies from Nana’s Cookie Company? Fruit juice-sweetener and whole wheat flour.  And if you have an aversion to wheat, they have a No Gluten variety for you.  I won’t delve into the No Gluten cookies here, gluten-free is a different story.

Making cookies “healthy” and “nutritious” is a challenge- not impossible, but let’s face it, cookies are treats.  We’ve all had “multi-grain, low-fat, fewer calorie” cookies.  They’re no treat.  Cookies need to make your mouth explode with sunshiny-rainbowy-goodness, but they don’t necessarily need to pose a danger to health to achieve the cookie’s ultimate goal.

Nana has delivered on the cookieness of the Cookie without polluting our bodies more than would otherwise be by eating your average sugared disc of hardened paste.  People underestimate the health dangers of refined sugar.  People (and many vegans) underestimate the amount of animal suffering involved in refining most sugar.  Nana’s takes care of these concerns by using fruit juice as the cookie’s sweetener, and whole wheat as opposed to all-purpose.  And it works splendidly!  All the popular cookie standards are represented:  Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, oh, and my favorite, Coconut Chip.

What could be better than a Nana’s Cookie?  How about a Nana’s Cookie Bar?!  These pastry delights are marketed as children’s snacks (added vitamins and minerals), but I dare you to reserve them exclusively for your tiny brood.  When I freed Fudgy Wudgy from it’s wrapper, I immediately knew where its destiny lay:

Get yourself some Fudgy Wudgies and try this at home as soon as possible, it’s bowl-licking good.  I recommend coconut milk ice cream and any favorite toppings.

Find Nana’s Cookie Company online at Facebook (why not give them a “like?”), or on Twitter (why not give them a ‘follow’?).

Nana’s Cookie Company get “4 Goatz” because they are tasty, multi-functional, and are sweetened with fruit juice instead of refined sugar.  Nana’s are so good, it’s too bad there aren’t more flavors (vanilla bean perhaps?) to choose from.

Have you tried Nana’s Cookies?  Lucky vegan!  Rate your experience below.

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You know what problem most vegans have with vegan deodorants?  They’re not antiperspirants.  Generally, people of our industrialized society have been groomed not to sweat- regardless of summertime heat, mowing the lawn, playing sports, or being nervous at a job interview.  The fact is, we need to sweat in order to survive- it regulates our body temperature.

Deodorants use chemicals, minerals, oils, and fragrances to reduce or eliminate odor-causing bacteria.  Deodorants are classified by the FDA as cosmetics and are, therefore, not required* to be tested on animals or humans.  Antiperspirants, on the other hand, are classified as drugs, and therefore, are required to be tested.  This means that effectively, there are no vegan antiperspirants available in the US.  This being said, there are deodorants of the vegan variety that are very effective at controlling odor, and also somewhat effective at controlling sweat.

*Many, many cosmetics are tested on animals in spite of no law requiring such.  Visit Commercial Street’s Sundries and Such for more information.

There are many formulations of vegan deodorant on the market.  There needs to be because there are many different formulations of human beings walking around, sweating.  There is something out there for you and your metabolic self.  For me, and many others coincidentally, there are Thai Deodorant Stones.

Thai Crystal Mist Makes Me Fresh

The Deodorant Stone products are chemical-free and aluminum-free.  Aluminum is used in antiperspirants to prevent sweating.  Constant, frequent application of aluminum on the body has been linked to neurotoxicity, especially in Alzheimer’s patients.  Who wants to willingly add more chemicals directly into our bodies when we are helpless to prevent so many environmental toxins from affecting us?

From Deodorant Stones, LLC:

The demand for better health and a cleaner environment has forced all of us to find effective alternatives.  Our pure and natural deodorants are the solution to eliminating Aluminum Chlorohydrates and other chemicals from personal hygiene products used daily.

Deodorant Stones, LLC has its own Manufacturing Plant, giving us the edge on Pricing, Quality, and Flexibility.  As members of Peta, of course, we never test our products on animals.

So, you want to know how many goat(z) I’m giving Thai Deodorant Crystal Spray?  This stuff works for me, and by “works,” I mean I don’t stink or sweat unless I’ve given my body a reason to, and even then, it does a good job at controlling odor.  I will tell you that I started using Thai about  10 years ago, before I became vegan.  I’ve continued to use it consistently through subsequent stages of my dietary evolution, and Thai has worked better and better as my diet has evolved towards a more whole foods, local, and raw foundation.

Thai Crystal Deodorant Stones get “5 goatz” because I don’t stink and I’m not afraid to sweat when it’s hot.  Hot sweatyness actually has good connotations for me- the connotations of the tropical, rum-soaked, bass-thumpin’, scantily-clad human variety.  Deodorant Stones also travel well.

Have you tried Thai Deodorant Stones?  Rate your experience below.

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What does it say when you walk in the room and find a human snackin’ on some dog treats?  I’d say they must be amazing!

I present to you Exhibit A:

Caught in the Act!

Charleen is a sucker for ginger. She likes it all. Ginger slices, pickled, fresh grated, stewed into sauces, ale, beer, snaps- it can be had in so many ways and she finds each delightful.  (Especially in Snapdragons- mmm…snapdragons..) Now her ginger love has taken her to Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven Baked Treats.  Believe it or not, it’s true.  Here’s her review of the dog treats that I’m not sure the dogs even got a chance to try.

Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven Baked Dog Treats are tiny little sweet bear crackers with the tell-tale spicy/sweet ginger kick.  These all-organic mini cookies have all the flair of an infant/toddler treat.  They are super crunchy, slightly sweet, shaped like cute bears, and leave that warm and ginger spicy taste in your mouth.  And, ginger is good for your digestion and tons of other good stuff.

Take a look at how cute they are:

Joee wants cookie for herself. Joee tries hard to be patient, succeeds at being cute.

These lil’ things aren’t a nutritional power pack by any means.  They are treats after all.  But, as far as treats go, they’re not horrible for you- just don’t eat a whole bag.  Such an act could easily be possible on a long night of computer work, intense gaming, or …. sittin’ pretty, paw shakin’, and rollin’ over.

Fredd made Joee leave. Fredd knows yummy treats are not for Joee, they are for her.

Always remember to share with your canine companions.  Although Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven Baked Dog Treats are made with 100% human-quality ingredients and happen to be vegan, you wouldn’t have them if not for your dog and your unrelenting desire to get them goodies.

Snack, and treat responsibly.

Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven Baked Dog Treats get 5 goatz for their ginger spiciness and simple tastiness …. er, I mean, on the recommendation from some dogs I know.

Have you (or your friendly canine) tried Grandma Lucy’s Organic Oven Baked Dog Treats? Rate your experience below!

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Attempting the Happy Herbivore Corn Pudding

I’ve been a fan of Happy Herbivore’s for a long time.  So when I got the opportunity to review her new cookbook, I jumped on it.  One of the recipes that I couldn’t wait to test out was the Corn Pudding.  I’ve never actually had corn pudding before, the consistency of pudding has kinda grossed me out all of my life.  And before you say it, yes, I realize that’s strange.  But something about this pudding just called to me, so I gathered up what I needed.  Lucky for me I already had everything that the recipe called for (with the exception of the jalapeno).  That picture up there?  Yup, it’s my attempt at making it.  Let me tell you what I did wrong.

First, the cookbook?  It’s super easy to read, I doubt that anyone would get confused at Lindsay’s instructions.  For the most part, the ingredients are things that could be found in almost any pantry- or in any store.  And that’s nice.  I hate getting a new cookbook only to find that I need to make a grocery run before I can use it.  There are recipes that call for out of the ordinary flours- garbanzo flour and quinoa flour come to mind, but you can swap out (per the author) whole wheat flour and it’d be fine.

And just an aside, quinoa flour is expensive! The lowest price I could find was $9 a pound.  Is it always like that?!

I also like that Lindsay’s book covers some basic recipes for low-sodium broths and other condiments that should be in every chef’s repertoire.  I really like how she took the time to offer up a grocery list, troubleshooting, tips, and even kitchen lingo.  I do think that some recipes are a little simple (The Cinnamon-Banana Toast Crunch Walnut recipe for instance). but that’s probably what makes the book great.

Back to my corn pudding.  My first mistake was using garbanzo flour, apparently I hate the stuff.  In retrospect I should have known, I’ve used it before in Isa’s omelet recipe and didn’t care for it- but I really wanted to test the recipe as is.  So I mixed it all up, turned on (off actually) and popped it in the oven.  What happened next could only happen to me, I’m sure of it.  See, I was also cooking the cabbage and bean balls (I swear I am going to find a better name for those) to accompany my corn pudding.  So when I pulled the balls out of the oven to put in the corn pudding, I turned off the stove.  Most likely because it was an automatic action, but also probably because this type of shit happens to me all the time when I cook.

So I “cooked” my corn pudding in a still-warm oven for 30 minutes.  It was…undone to say the least.  I realized my error and turned the oven on.  It was hard to gauge how long it needed to go for, but I cooked it another 15 minutes.  Which, by the way, was a bad mistake.  By the time that my pudding came out of the oven and cooled down, it resembled a bright yellow discus.  But I’m a trooper, I ate that shit anyway.  Or, I tried to.  See, another thing about Lindsay’s book is that it’s fat-free, which I know some people love.  I’ve never been a fat-free kind of girl, I’m the one who eats a pound of tahini a week (maybe a slight exaggeration but you get the point) and so the concept of not using oil is foreign to me.  So for me, aside from the hard (and I mean hard) exterior, the inside needed oil (and less tumeric- for me, 1/2 tsp was too much).  That, and I think that the jalapeno would be crucial in this recipe for spice- I didn’t have one so I didn’t use one.  Next time I will.  Yes, there will be a next time.  Even though I messed this up (which is a feat since the book is so easy to use) I want to try and make it again.  I can totally see where she was going with the creamy texture insides and a crunchy outer coating, In fact, I can’t wait to try it again.

Not discouraged in the slightest bit, I also made the Instant Cookie Dough.  I’d show you what it looked like but I ate it too quick.  Next time I’ll double the batch.  I’m totally making the Cornbread, Enchilada Casserole, Mexican Chorizo, Corncakes, and Carrie’s Vanilla Chai Cupcakes veeerrryy soon.  Yes, as one meal.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.

I would recommend this book for new vegans or folks who just want to eat healthier.  It’s combination of low-fat and low-sodium appeals to the healthy girl (trapped) inside me and I’ll be trying to incorporate more oil-less (and less sodium heavy – this is big for me) recipes into my diet.  The other girl inside me, the one who loves fats, just might alter a few of these recipes to include some oil.  Which, of course, is a plus for this book.  It’s versatile and adaptable, which is a good thing and something I appreciate in a cookbook.

I also had the opportunity to ask Lindsay some questions about her book, her husband, her dogs, what’s next for HH, and more.  Check out what she has to say, and a recipe for her vegan cornbread, after the jump!

(more…)

(A quick and huge shout-out to Ms. Laura (aka Peace Chicken) for offering to be the gastro-tour guide for the YdV team.  Our day in Columbus, Ohio was filled with great vegan food and great vegan company.)

Brunch, dessert, and dinner can be had at will in this capital city and college town.  A simple search online can verify this, and so can I.

Welcome to brunch at Whole World Natural Restaurant on N. High street.  They’ve got a menu of variety for all tastes.  This is a self-described “vegetarian restaurant” with a “vegan option” on nearly every item (dairy is the ingredient to be substituted in most cases, eggs are in some items).  Be sure to to tell your server that you are vegan and commence ordering the “vegan option.”

Our choice:  Seitan Gyros

While not like a gyro at all, still delicious.

Friendly staff and fair prices at this small and homey eatery will lure us back in the future.

After galavanting around this cool town, it became the hour of indulgence.  What better way to indulge than to have sweet gooey pastries.  I give you- Pattycake Bakery, also located on N. High Street.

Dear Pattycake, I love you. Sweetly yours forever, Me.

You are enticing me with your menu, and I like it.

This all-vegan bakery has no limits when it comes to offering a gazzillion different choices.  Disclaimer- We don’t get to Columbus often, so we had to stuff our faces test many different pastries, for fear our lives wouldn’t be complete it would be some time before our next rendezvous.

Giggly with anticipation

So, a cashew cheesecake, chocolate raspberry cake with delicate whipped frosting, blueberry muffin, iced sugar cookie, pumpkin whoopie pie, lemon cupcake, sticky-bun later…. we had our testing results:  Quite easily a 5 Goatz experience.

Pattycake Bakery, we have been craving your sticky buns ever since we tasted the first bite.  Pure perfection.  Hope to see you soon.

After filling up, we were escorted away from the High street marketplace over to Hal & Al’s bar on Parsons Avenue.  Take a gander at this menu- greasy bar food gone vegan.  Hallelujah!

Pretty colors give way to an ALL VEGAN BAR FOOD menu. I'm still in shock.

Yes, you do see fried pickles and fried avocado on that menu.  And yes, they are down-right tasty.  We munched on these and sauerkraut balls, tacos, franks, and tacos.  Would have loved to sample more, but one can ingest only so much in a day.  It’s a bar, so they offer much to imbibe.  Not all the beer is vegan, so choose responsibly.

Fried Pickles. Enough Said.

Eating fried, and I mean fried, food makes me happy in a carnival kind of way.  Someday I will return to Hal & Al’s to try the rest of their menu.  Next time I’ll make sure I won’t be hopped up on sugar and filled to the brim with vegan treats, that will ensure maximum storage space for fried pickles.  Seriously, why didn’t someone tell me about those things?  They’re so addicting.  Yum!

I have affection for you Hal & Al's, I shall hug you.

Thank you Columbus, for your fine vegan food and your fine vegan peeps.  We will return, yes indeed, we will return.

Everyone needs a power pack every now and again.  Running a blah-k, trekking the blah-trail, traversing an urban jungle, attending the obligatory niece/nephew 2nd b-day party, surfing the pipeline, playing the corporate office game, or really toughing it out through a marathon session of something you just recently purchased for your Wii and can’t stop playing until you beat the boss.

It just so happens that sometimes the most convenient and appropriate power pack is an energy bar.  We’ve tried many- and loathed many.  Sometimes barely palatable, often un-food-like in its appearance, and, most importantly, rarely vegan.  Well, some of these less than desirable features have been conquered by PureFit Nutrition Bars.

PureFit bars are:  Vegan (no animal products), soy based (non-GMO), and do not contain badness such as hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, or sugar alcohol.  They also are wheat and gluten free for those who avoid such things.  And, hold on to your stuff…18 grams of protein per bar!  And…these nutri-bars won’t melt!?  I’ll let PureFit explain,

Corny title, sorry- I’ve been watching too many old Star Trek movies lately. But anyway, it is cold outside right now here in Ohio and I, not unlike everyone else, craves warm bowls of yummy food. This one is a yellow split pea soup, vegan of course. I didn’t choose the split peas for their nutrition, even though a single cup of split peas has 16 grams of protein. I didn’t choose them because I’m dieting either but- one cup of split peas, one cup, has only 231 calories! Split peas are also a great source of potassium- one cup = 710 mg (20% of the daily recommended value of potassium).

Not only that, but one serving of split peas offers you over 16 grams of dietary fiber (roughly 65% of the recommended intake)! Fiber darlings, is our friend. Fiber cleans, fiber helps to bind and move things in the right direction. It also helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied. So. Fiber. It’s our friend. We’ll leave it at that.

But the very best thing about split peas, the very best thing about split peas, and the reason that I chose them for this soup, is their awesome taste! Go ahead, give them a whirl- your tastebuds will thank you.

Yellow Split Pea Soup ~ makes a bunch

• One 1 lb bag of yellow split peas dried – washed
• 1 large bunch of kale – washed, cut into smallish pieces.
• 1 medium yellow onion – diced
• Celery hearts – the very middle of the celery bunch – sliced, tops included
• 2 garlic cloves – minced finely
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp No-chicken style bouillon (I use Better than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base)
• 7 cups of water
• Salt and Pepper to taste

I saute my veggies in my soup pot for convenience.  In the soup pot, heat olive oil.  Once warmed, add onions and celery.  Saute until the onions and celery start to turn translucent.  Add minced garlic.  Continue cooking for another minute, enough to heat the garlic through.  Add bouillon to water, mix until combined.  Add 1/2 of the yellow split peas.  Cook until peas start to get soft- this took me about 15 minutes.  Add kale, bay leaves, remaining peas, and any salt and pepper you want to use.  Simmer on low for an hour or until the peas are soft.  This soup, like most, is even better the next day.  And, don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before serving!  Enjoy!

I bet you can mix this right in the pouch...

Harmony Valley Foods Vegetarian Meat Substitute!  Yes, I know the name doesn’t sound scrumptious, but this goo is pretty decent.

And simple to prepare, I must say.  Unlike refrigerated or frozen vegiMeats, this stuff ain’t- that means convenient, like for storage or travel- like to outer space or even camping.  And unlike TVP or TSP, this stuff is already spiced- and that is convenient beyond convenience.   Put mix in bowl, pour water in bowl, stir with spoon and let stand 15 minute.  Once hydrated, prepare as desired.

And taste?  This is good goo. Vegetarian Hamburger Mix and Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage Mix are quite true to their descriptive names. I’ve fried it as patties, thrown it in some chili, put it on nachos in the broiler, and made shawarma for my pitas.   What will make this popular with omnivores may also turn off some vegans- their authentic meaty texture.  At 5 servings per pack and at a suggested retail of $3.99, it’s not a bad deal.  Now, let’s talk the bad.

As with most vegiMeats, we are plagued by the omnipresent Soy Protein and her nagging cousin, Wheat Gluten. I love you two dearly, but you’re better in moderation, instead of infiltrating everything I put in my vegan mouth. As for Uncle Sodium, he makes a modest appearance in the Hamburger Mix, but overstays his welcome in the Sausage Mix at 430 mg per 3 tablespoons of dry mix.

Yeah, I would totally buy these again, but go easy on the sausage.

As a source of vegan protein that tastes like decent goo, I hereby give Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix 4 Goatz, and Harmony Valley Vegetarian Breakfast Sausage Mix 3 Goatz, for an average of 3.5 Goatz, that I’ll round up to 4 Goatz because it’s a wind powered company, but I will say that I hope all the flexitarians at Harmony Foods go vegan.

Have you tried Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix or Breakfast Sausage Mix?  Rate your experience below!

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