This article was brought to my attention this week from the American Chronicle website.

Some notable points from the article:


"Smithfield Foods, the world´s largest pork producer, says its hog-raising costs have increased more than 20 percent in the past year, largely because of the high cost of feed. Meat-eaters can expect to foot the bill by paying higher pork prices."


"Some of the most versatile vegan foods—including beans, rice, vegetables, soy products and pasta—cost relatively little compared to animal products."


"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 $2 per pound. In comparison, dried beans and lentils cost less than $1 a pound, and rice is cheaper than $1 a pound. Tofu usually costs less than $2 per pound."


Sometimes eating vegan can be more expensive, if you are used to shelling out a buck for a McDonald's double cheeseburger and calling that a "meal".  But a home-cooked, vegetarian meal made from fresh, organic produce is healthier by far, and will save on your medical bills in the long-run! 



One of our favorite meals that is extremely inexpensive is sloppy joes.  We buy the Fantastic Foods brand box mix ($1.99), add oil, water, and tomato paste, and VOILA, you have dinner!  Place on a bun ($.60 at the bread outlet) with a slice of onion or tomato (free from your organic garden, a buck from the store), and you've got dinner for about three or four bucks!  If you're feeling spendy, add a can of baked beans on the side. 

My son just turned eight years old and what better way to celebrate than with lots of vegan goodies!?!!

I admit I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, as I was busy with preparations, but I snapped a few shots I wanted to share with you.

Last year's party was a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, including a Treasure Chest cake.  I was encouraged to "top" myself this year (I can see this turning into a nightmare by the time he's 12!), so we chose a Star Wars theme. And not just ANY Star Wars, specifically Episode III.

The cake was the biggest feat, although not nearly as complicated as I initially anticipated.  I found the original idea online, so don't let me take any credit for it.  It is from one of the final scenes, on the planet Mustafar, where Anakin and Obi Wan are battling each other.

Andrew Weil, that gray bearded health guru, has teamed up with Nature’s Path, the health food maker, to introduce a line of snack bars.  They come in five flavors:  Banana Manna, Chocolada Walnut, Pistachi-oh!, Goji Moji, and Chia Razz.  All the bars are vegetarian and trans-fat free.  They range in calorie content from 170-190, and they have 4-5 grams of fiber per bar.

They are relatively new, so many health food stores may not yet have them; however, you can order them from Amazon.  A box of 16 bars is a bargain at $25 (with free shipping) from Amazon.  Most other places have them at over $30 plus shipping.

So how do they taste?  I haven’t been able to get my hands on all the flavors yet; however, I did buy the Chocolada Walnut type.  I was a little disappointed in the size (45 grams), especially with the 190 calorie count.  If you are looking for a really chocolate flavor, this is not the one.  It has a stronger vanilla flavor, but I have to say that it was tasty.  I’d eat them again sometime, but at that price, both financial and caloric, I wouldn’t seek them out.  So that’s the scoop on this newest health food.  Cheers!

My birthday was last week and I wanted CAKE.  But my family is small and we can never finish an entire cake, so I opted for cupcakes instead. 

I am one of the many devout worshipers of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  I have all of their cookbooks and have tried countless recipes from each.  However, I am considerably behind in testing Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  So this is the holy grail to which I turned in preparation for my special day.

I made the Chai Latte Cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting.  They were definitely tasty!  They had a spice to them that was reminiscent of carrot cake.  I don't think they tasted enough like tea, but that might have been a problem with the cook....  Next time I might put an extra tea bag or two in the mix.


My birthday was Thursday, and by Saturday the cupcakes were GONE.  We had company over, so I just HAD to make more cupcakes.  I made the Isa and Terry's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with a cinnamon icing - very tasty, but more like a sweet muffin than a cupcake.  Our omni guests were pleased with the dessert, thankfully.  (They had brought over a cheesecake - oops!  Very considerate, but not something I wanted to partake in - super-glad I made cupcakes!!!  I ate five of them before they left.....)  I did not photograph those, as they were eaten before it crossed my mind...  That just gives me an excuse to bake them again. 

If you like pasta as much as we do, you will likely fall in love with Vegan Italiano - a great cookbook that is full of recipes that are naturally vegan, and not adapted to be vegan (you won't need tofu or soy milk or other "mock" foods items to enjoy these recipes).

Last week, we experimented with a recipe from Vegan Italiano:

Linguine with Artichoke-Marinara Sauce

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Cups marinara sauce
1/2 Cup water
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
12 oz linguine, cooked according to pkg directions (we used bionaturae organic linguine)




* In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until very lightly browned, 1 - 2 minutes.

* Stir in the marinara sauce, water, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

* Stir in artichokes and simmer, covered, 2 minutes.  Serve hot, over linguine.




While I definitely feel this should be on everyone's list of healthy, easy to make family dinners, I was a bit overwhelmed by the artichokes.  The next time we make this dish, I will use half the can of artichoke hearts and save the other half for a spinach dip. 

* What is your favorite recipe from Vegan Italiano?  Or favorite way to use up a leftover half-can of artichoke hearts?

I have been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times magazine for a little over a year now.  I enjoy reading through the articles and browsing the recipes, but overall it is only mediocre, in my humble opinion.

The magazine is geared toward vegetarians of all kinds, which means that only some of the recipes are vegan-friendly.  The articles cover a range of topics beyond just food (environmental issues, for example). 

But the main reason I subscribed originally was for the recipes.  I enjoy trying new recipes on a regular basis, so I am always searching for ideas.

This month, a section on tofu caught my eye, with a vegan recipe for Grilled Sesame-Tofu Skewers With Ginger Peanut Sauce.

This recipe was photographed and looked pretty darn scrumptious, so I was eager to try it.  My first issue was with finding SMOKED TOFU.  I tried traditional grocers as well as my local co-op, with no luck.  I assume an Asian market might carry this, but I did not have time to find out.  Plain tofu was substituted.

I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand except for orange juice (for the marinade), so I was extra excited (I am cheap, by nature, so I hate trying recipes that call for a dozen ingredients I do not have). 

To go with this, we decided to make fried rice.  (Fried rice is a favorite of my son!)  I prepared the marinade ahead of time and let the tofu cubes soak in it.  I also steamed the rice ahead of time.  This made it much easier for my husband to throw dinner together last night while I was at school. 

It took him about 15 minutes to assemble and prepare the tofu skewers and fried rice, and here was the end result:


Unfortunately, none of us were impressed with the flavor of the tofu or the dipping sauce.  Granted, I didn't use smoked tofu, so who knows if that would have made much difference.  It was just OK in our estimation, so none of it went to waste, but it certainly isn't something I plan to make again.

I will probably keep my subscription to Vegetarian Times, but to be honest, I rarely make use of the recipes in it.

* Your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome and appreciated!  Be sure to read ChaCha's other food blogs (link available on right side of page) for great recipes and suggestions for healthy, organic cooking! 

Weekends are a great chance to relax and catch up on errands and household chores.  Sometimes that means grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant.  Although I live in a large city, there are no vegetarian or vegan restaurants currently, so we do not eat out much. 

Fortunately, when we do get the urge for someone else to cook our meal for us, a trip to Flat Top Grill is perfect.  You choose exactly which ingredients go into your stir fry, and they offer several mock-meat options, as well as tofu upon request. 

If you have never been, I encourage you to find one near you and go tonight!  You start off with rice or noodles.  Then you pile on the veggies of your choice.  I like spinach, broccoli, bean sprouts, carrots, edamame, and mushrooms.   This is also where you will find the mock-meats (seitan, veat, tempeh, etc.). 

Add a few spoonfuls of a sauce (Vegan options are clearly labeled).  Lastly, add garlic, cilantro, chopped peanuts, or other extras to your bowl.  Add a special stick for tofu, or roti prata bread, and a white (vegetarian/allergy) stick as well to have your dish cooked on a separate grill surface (to avoid cross-contamination from other people's stir fries). 

A few minutes later, your stir fry is brought to your table, piping hot and exactly as you wanted it!  (With no hidden ingredients.)

* As you can see, I didn't do much cooking this weekend (veggie burgers on Friday, and bean burritos on Sunday...).  We are planning to try a new dish or two this week, if life allows me the time to get to the grocery store!

The new edition of Vegan Lunch Box that was supposed to be out in March is being pushed back by the publishers to have a July/August release date. 

I was really looking forward to actually owning a copy of this book, as the self-published edition sold out several months ago before I could purchase it.  Jennifer McCann has such interesting ideas for kids snacks and lunches!  Oh well, if we must wait, we must wait.

In the meantime, if you need a quick and healthy snack for the kids in your life, whip up a fresh batch of guacamole!   Store bought guacamole often doesn't even contain much avocado (Kraft's version, for example), and it can contain gelatin as well (Gross!  Gelatin comes from the bones, skins, hoofs, and tendons of cows, pigs, and fish.).

Organic avocados are a terrific source of fiber, as well as potassium, Vitamin E, and more!

Guacamole

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons lemon or lime juice
2 avocados
2 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder  (I use a bit more than this for an extra kick!)

* Squeeze juice into bowl.  Add avocado chunks.  Mash with a fork. Stir in the garlic, salt, cumin, and chili powder.

How easy was that?!  Serve with chips as a healthy, organic snack, or spread on a tortilla with refried beans and leftover rice for a simple burrito lunch.  

* To answer some questions that were posed to me:  I buy a lot of the more unusual ingredients at the local health food shop or our local food co-op.  Traditional grocery stores often have a small selection of vegetarian foods, but you won't find vegan cheeses or miso there usually. 

In larger cities you can likely find things like SoyBoy ravioli and Vitasoy soy milk at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.  (I wouldn't know for sure, our city doesn't have either of those!) 

And I have no preference between rice cheese or soy cheese.  They are both great on a veggie burger or on a bun beneath sloppy joes!  I have yet to make a grilled cheese sandwich with either one, though.  I suppose that will be the TRUE TEST!  ha ha

This is a great, hearty and healthy stew.  The standard recipe is from Cooking Light magazine, a great source for healthy eating ideas.  If you use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth, you have a great vegetarian stew.  If you prefer, you can always add some cooked chicken breast or tofu to add some protein to the mix.

As another note, I have added other dried fruits in addition to the raisins.  I recommend about 1/8 -1/4 c. of Craisins.  Dried apricots are also a nice touch.  I also recommend simmering this with a cinnamon stick if you have some handy.  OK, enough for the modifications!  Here's a yummy winter low-fat stew to help you eat well without giving up great taste.  Cheers!

Moroccan Vegetarian Stew: 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons raisins
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in broth and the next 9 ingredients (broth through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

While the chickpea mixture simmers, prepare couscous. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Serve the stew over couscous.
Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup stew and 1/2 cup couscous)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 344(14% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.5g,poly 2.4g); PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 487mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 4.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2000

I am a full time college student.  Although I love to cook from scratch, I really don't have the time every single night.  This recipe is tasty - but quick and easy as well!  The original recipe called for a cheese tortellini, but for a healthier, vegan, version, use SoyBoy ravioli.


Adapted from Very Best Baby:

Ravioli Stew

Ingredients:
1 package (10 ounces) SoyBoy ravioli (any flavor!), prepared according to package directions
1 container (15 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Marinara Sauce
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (my family doesn't care for frozen veggies, so I use a can of DelMonte Summer Crisp corn and a can of cut green beans, use whatever veggies your family prefers!)

*Combine sauce and broth in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add vegetables; return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; cover.


* Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in pasta; heat through. (SoyBoy Verde Ravioli shown here)


(Makes 4 servings)

And the final product looks something like this:

Just because I am not a vegetarian doesn't mean I don't eat healthy. I am a carnivore, and I love it. Lean is the way to go, in moderation. I love pork. My favorite cut is the tenderloin. I usually roast this with vegetables. Pork is very nutritious. Some studies even show that pork aided in weight loss because of the protein in the diet.



My favorite recipe for Roasted Pork Tenderloin:
I usually make this in a Reynolds Oven Bag, keeps it moist.

• 2 or 3 Pork tenderloins
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups of apple juice
• 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic (I use Polaner, in a jar.)
• 1/3 cup of Dijon mustard (if you like)

Combine all Ingredients in the Reynolds oven bag, let marinate in refrigerator for a few hours. Then place in oven to cook for about 1 hour at 350F.

I like to serve this with Italian seasoned roasted red potatoes, and steamed carrots. Here is a quick and easy recipe for the potatoes;

5lb bag of Red Potatoes, washed and diced
A little olive oil to coat potatoes
2 packets of Good Season Italian Dressing mix
Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and bake on cookie sheet for about 45 minutes.

It is really delicious and filling, make it with any sides that you like. If you want to go a little more low carb, remove the potatoes and add a salad.  Enjoy!

Remember when your mother told you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day?  She was right, of course.  It gets your metabolism going, keeps your hunger at bay, and helps you have energy to roll through your day.  I’ve got tons of healthy and tasty breakfast ideas to share, so stay tuned for more coming in the next few days!  I shared my passion for Vitalicious muffins yesterday, but what if you are having a craving for something that tastes like fast food?  I have the solution! 

Boca, the vegetarian burger folks, have a line of breakfast foods, and they have a wrap that will help you get through that craving for a fast food breakfast.  My favorite is the Southwestern Sausage, Egg White, and Cheese Wrap.  Not only does it taste great, but it’s also low in fat with only 7 grams.  It’s also high in fiber with 6 grams.  And for you point counters out there, it has 4 points on the Weight Watchers plan.  I like my food a bit spicy, so I add hot sauce to mine.

Enjoy these on a day when you want a warm, tasty, but healthy breakfast.  They are widely available in your grocer’s freezer section, so pick some up for yourself and enjoy your faux fast food without feeling guilty about ruining your resolution.  Stay tuned for even more good breakfast ideas.

Cheers!

A few months ago I realized that my husband hadn't complained about his arthritis in quite a while.  I asked him if he had any pain recently, and he said no.  The pain stopped not long after my husband switched to a vegan diet.  I cannot say definitively if removing meat and/or dairy led to this or not, but there is compelling scientific evidence to back that possibility up.

A study was performed in Sweden on a group of people who had rheumatoid arthritis.  They went dairy-free for a period of three months.  This short time period was long enough for the arthritis patients to "obtain better physical function and increase their vitality".  

Other, older studies, have had similar results, with patients going on vegan diets and having their pain go away in a very short period of time.  And then, of course, there is my husband.  Five years of arthritis doesn't just disappear!

People often cite dairy as being good for your health.  A 2005 article on TIME Magazine's Online Edition states that, "Previous studies have shown that low-fat dairy products, as part of a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables, also helps to reduce high blood pressure."  

Well, I'm sure that a plate of brownies every day, AS PART OF A DIET THAT'S RICH IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, would do just as good a job at reducing high blood pressure.  Bad foods in moderation aren't going to do an enormous amount of harm if you are eating well the majority of the time.    

Sadly, the only real "health benefit" you can get from dairy products is the large amounts of calcium they contain.  And the damage that dairy can do to you (arthritis, for example) definitely overpower the calcium factor.

In fact, calcium can be found in many plant-based foods, making dairy worthless on the "health" scale.

Calcium Requirements

Teens and Adults need roughly 800 - 1,000 mg per day.  Infants and Children need 350 - 550 mg per day (depending on their exact age).

A vegan diet provides for this easily!  Most orange juice and non-dairy milk is fortified with calcium - read labels to get exact amounts (though these tend to be around 200 - 300 mg per 8 oz glass).   Blackstrap molasses has 400 mg for every 2 tablespoons you consume.  A cup of cooked broccoli has 94 mg.  A handful of almonds contains 89 mg.  

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, calcium can be most readily obtained from "greens and beans".  "Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are loaded with highly absorbable calcium...  Beans are humble foods, and you might not know that they are loaded with calcium.  There is more than 100 milligrams of calcium in a plate of baked beans."

And once you get a good dose of calcium - keep it!  Excess salt, as well as animal proteins (read: meat) tend to leach the calcium right out of your bones.  (Another good reason to eat vegan!)

As I said last time, I used to enjoy drinking strawberry milk.  I still haven't quite acquired a taste for soy milk (other than for cooking with), but I recently stumbled upon VitaSoy's flavored soy milk in Strawberry Banana flavor.  It is delicious!  No funny beany flavor to it at all.  A good non-dairy substitute!  Let me know if you've tried it, or their other variety (Chocolate Banana).  And know that you are doing your body a favor by eliminating dairy from your diet!!!

* More on the importance of eating healthy next time!

PROBLEM:  Children are eating too many unhealthy snacks and drinking too much soda.  On top of that, children just aren't exercising like their bodies need (this comes from a sedentary lifestyle of watching hours of television each week and playing even more hours of video games).

Granted, it isn't the best time of year to tell your children "Go outside and play," but you can certainly take control over what they are consuming.  (You ARE the parents, remember?!)

A 2001 study on behavioral intervention in overweight families concluded that INCREASING fruits and vegetables worked much better for weight loss than DECREASING high-fat and high-sugar food items.  That is such a fabulous way to look at eating right!  Focus on increasing the variety of tasty foods you are trying and lessen the focus of what you are "giving up".  

(Before going vegan, I never made fresh-fruit smoothies.  The closest I ever came to that was adding strawberry syrup to a glass of milk.  It is such a treat whipping a batch of smoothies up on weekend mornings with whatever fresh fruit we have on hand.  Think INCREASE, not DECREASE!!!)

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that providing healthy snacks and school lunches is too time-consuming.  A little planning and prep work goes a long way.  Sunday evening, set aside time to chop some organic fruits and veggies for the week ahead.  Fill several Tupperware with carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple, etc.

On school days, grab a serving of two or three of these, and your child's lunch is nearly done!  Add hummus, salad dressing, or a natural nut butter for dipping (peanut butter and almond butter are my favorites).

Instead of greasy potato chips, include pretzels or whole grain crackers.

For a dessert, make a pan of granola bars, or half a dozen fruit muffins.

Add a sandwich or other "entree" - and voila, your child is ready to head out the door!  And these suggestions go for afternoon and weekend snacks as well.  A really great snack bar recipe was created by Teresa Mattson, who agreed to let me share it with you.  Feel free to change up the ingredients a little to suit your picky eater!  

Peanut Butter Paradise Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup earth balance margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flax seed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips
 
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
* Stir together the peanut butter, margarine, the brown sugar, corn syrup, agave nectar and the vanilla until smooth. Add all the other ingredients. Stir well.
* Press the mixture into 13 x 9 inch greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
* Cool on wire rack before cutting into bars.

Casseroles are probably one of my favorite things to make~delicious as well as an easy and quick family dinner!  By making the healthy choice and opting for a vegan casserole, you're one step closer to healthy eating.

I found some tasty-looking recipes online, please leave a comment if you try one out or have suggestions for making it better!

Vegan Cheesy Macaroni Casserole (from About.com)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup flour
1 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1 4 ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups macaroni, cooked

PREPARATION:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the nutritional yeast and the flour in a saucepan. Place the mixture over low heat, stirring until lightly toasted.

Slowly add the broth, stirring to make a thick batter.

Add water 1/4 cup at a time until the sauce is smooth and slightly thick. Add the remaining ingredients, except the macaroni and stir well.

Place the cooked macaroni in a casserole dish and stir in the sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until sauce bubbles.  


Mexican Lasagna (or Enchilada Casserole)
(thanks to Susan Jackson at the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
corn tortillas--at least 12
3 cups (28 ounces) fatfree refried beans
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. chili powder, divided
1/2 tsp. cumin, divided
3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa
1 can enchilada sauce (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
sliced black olives

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a non-stick pan with a little water (1 tbsp.), sauté the peppers, garlic, and onion for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Set aside.

Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a layer of tortillas (you may cut some of them to fit). Make sure you cover the entire bottom of the pan.

Stir the refried beans and spread half of them evenly over the tortillas. Cover the refried beans with half of the pepper-onion mixture and half of the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the seasonings and half of the black beans.

Add another layer of tortillas and repeat the layers of the other ingredients. Spread the cup of salsa over the final layer of black beans. Cover with a final layer of tortillas, pour the enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with black olives. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout. It will be easier to cut if you allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.


Vegan Mexican Stew (from All Recipes)
INGREDIENTS:
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 1/2 cups water
4 cubes vegetable bouillon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned salt
1 (29 ounce) can hominy, drained
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Place the potatoes, carrots, and celery in a pot with enough lightly salted water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes, until slightly tender. Drain, and set aside.
Place the 4 1/2 cups water and vegetable bouillon cubes in a pot. Bring to a boil, and cook until bouillon cubes have dissolved. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Saute the onion and garlic until tender. Season with chili powder, cumin, and seasoned salt. Mix in the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook and stir about 2 minutes, until heated through. Mix in the water and dissolved bouillon cube mixture, hominy, and diced tomatoes with green chiles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I recently gained an education about vegetarian beer and wine.  If you’re anything like I was 24 hours ago, you’re blissfully ignorant that such a distinction exists.  But it does.

It’s all about appearance.
The production of alcohol, whether from fruit sugars as in the case of wine or cider or from the malted grains used to make beer, results in molecular strands of protein.  The strands aren’t visible, at least not individually, but enough of them can make the drink appear cloudy.  They don’t really affect the taste or aroma but as you can imagine a cloudy glass of wine or beer might turn off many a drinker – Hefeweizen aficionados aside.

Finings to the rescue.
Long before they knew what caused this cloudiness, brewers and vintners discovered that many types of organic material could be used to clear out the cloudiness.  Egg whites, casein, and even blood have been used to drive this cloudiness away.  While all of these materials are still used in various spots around the world, gelatin and isinglass are two of the most popular fining agents used today.  These fining agents work by bonding with the protein strands then falling to the bottom of the fermentation vessel.  The cleared liquid is then drained off.  So the final product generally does not contain any animal products but their use in production is enough to turn off many vegetarians.  Beer presents further problems for vegans as some ales contain milk or honey.  Off the top of my head I can’t think of any lagers that contain animal products but there may be some out there.

Fine alternatives
The good news is that there are non-animal fining agents that work just as well and finding beers and wines made with them isn’t that hard.  Rather than try to reinvent the wheel with my own list I’ll just point you to a couple of sites that have been compiling lists of vegetarian and vegan acceptable wines, beers and ciders.  Check out Vegetarian food, beer, cider and wine and The Vegan Booze List.

Now doesn't that sound YUMMY?  Doing a stir fry is one of the healthiest and easiest meals you could possibly try. It's a great quick family dinner!  Check out this how-to video I found on You Tube:





And remember.......this is just for a plain veggie stir fry. Make it a healthy recipe by using organic vegetables.  If you're not so much into the whole "vegetarian" thing, you can still enjoy a healthy meal by adding organic chicken or beef.  Try it out and let me know what you think!

I spend a lot of time each week planning and preparing my son's school lunches.  He has the cutest Laptop Lunchbox that has adorable little compartments that encourage me to include a variety of tasty items for him each day.  I have to laugh when people ask us if eating vegan is boring, since our food choices are "limited".  I would bet money that my son eats the most un-boring lunches of any kid in his school!

For his "entree", I alternate between PB&J, pita bread triangles with hummus, crackers with almond butter, and "mock meat" sandwiches with Rice cheese and mustard.  

In the large, lidded compartment (if it doesn't contain hummus or almond butter), I usually include applesauce, banana rice pudding, or soy yogurt.

In one of the smaller compartments, I usually put fresh fruit or veggies.  The most common ones are grapes, raspberries, kiwi, raisins, and carrots sticks with a side of dairy-free ranch.  


And finally, he gets a dessert.  When they go on sale, I stock up on fruit leathers (Stretch Island and Fruitabu).  I also try to have a few Organic Dark Chocolate Bug Bites on hand each week.  Sometimes I put in a homemade raspberry muffin or a Fauxstess Cupcake (shown here, Halloween-style!).

For a drink, he gets apple juice, soy milk, or sometimes a juice box of Kidz Dream Orange Cream Smoothie (flavored soy milk).

Granted, I don't go to school with my son to compare his lunch to the other kiddos'.  But I remember growing up taking a brown paper sack to school with a Carl Budding sandwich, a baggie of chips, and a stale-tasting Little Debbie.  Every day.  

My son is eating healthier food and getting a lot more enjoyment out of school lunch time than I ever did!  

* My next few posts will focus on the importance of healthy eating.  This goes for adults and kids!

My friend Troy is always making his family Bangers and Mash, a British name for sausage and mashed potatoes.  It made me jealous.  I wasn't jealous that he ate artery-clogging sausage several times a month, but that he could throw around such a cute name for a meal.  

I decided to try another cutely-named British dish, Bubble and Squeak.  This dish is intended to be a tasty way to use up any leftovers you might have, but you can make it with fresh ingredients like I do.  

Directions:

Gather some leftover mashed potatoes and cooked cabbage - OR - Peel, chop, and boil some potatoes.  Chop some cabbage up, and throw it in the pot, too.  Once they are both cooked up nice and soft, drain and fry them up in a big frying pan with vegan margarine.  

How's that for an easy vegan family dinner or side dish?  And cheap, too.  The first time I made it, I found organic cabbage on sale for 49 cents per pound, and potatoes are always a steal.  

To add some variety to your Bubble and Squeak, add any other leftover veggies you have.  Some good choices would be onions, mushrooms, carrots, or peas.   You could also form the potatoes and cabbage into patties and fry them up that way.  I don't usually bother, but that's just me.  

* Bookmark this page and check back often -  more vegan recipes to come soon, to help you eat well!

With the busy holiday season upon us, and college students finishing up this semester of school, now is as good of a time as any to take advantage of healthy easy to make dinners.  While we are on the topic of potatoes, I have to remind you how simple it is to have a baked potato bar for dinner!  To simplify things further, bake the potatoes in advance and refrigerate them.  Then just zap them in the microwave on the night you have the least amount of dinner-prep time.

If you are like me and occasionally forget the details on baking a potato, don't feel foolish.  The Internet is a fabulous resource:  Howtobakeapotato.com

Once you've mastered the hard part, setting up your bar will be easy!  Just gather any toppings you and your family desire.  Here are some suggestions:

tofu sour cream
chives
salsa (my personal favorite)
diced onions
black olives
mushrooms
steamed broccoli
sausage-style veggie crumbles
Betty Crocker Bac-o's Bacon Flavor Bits
steamed broccoli (or any vegetable you like!)
ranch dressing (we use organic non dairy ranch by Organicville)
shredded vegan cheese

Everyone can assemble their potatoes to their own tastes, which should satisfy even your pickiest family member (whether that be your spouse or your toddler).

If you choose large baking potatoes, one of these will be a filling meal.  (Although you might consider dessert just in case.)