Friday, October 31, 2008

Tada!
(thanks Miss Marie!!)
Did you dress up as Super Woman for Halloween? I would be convinced!!
I feel so excited about my next two weeks of MOFO.. My goal is to get some recipes that arent just from another blog.. or at least not one that was featured for MOFO... I will also have more free time because our company leaves (so sad) and my business isnt at CHAOTIC the first few weeks of the month... mostly becuase I am lazy!! ha ha ha ha

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Give and take


Well its been said  "it is better to give than to receive"....
I thought todays post would be about giving, and receiving. First this is a picture of one loaf from the zucchini cake recipe on ppk. Its Super EASY to make and so yummy. I probably have lived a month off one of these full recipes, but felt bad I wasnt sharing them. What is so fantastic about our new way of living is that it doesnt have to be "weird" food like powdered egg replacers... which just freak me out. I mean, I did go buy chickpea flour.. and arrow root powder.. But that seems like something that could be on anyones shelf. I dont want a simple stand in I want a replacement.. and through Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, I was amazed at how there was delicousness just waiting to be claimed.. without the weird.
But you know.. its only weird cause I have used it yet.. I know there is a recipe out there that just might make me want to use it... but I dont know.. 
So this loaf was to share with my neighbor.
And... drum roll....
Another sweet thing happened today! No this isnt surfer talk, I mean I was really touched by an honorable mention and award (I think? maybe a nomination???)
Miss Marie.. whose blog I check immediately after my email... has given me an award of Excellence!!! (Miss universe fanning off tears.. lol)
No really, I am so touched that someone is finding a place for them.. in our little place for us.
so... if I could only figure out my Mac enough to save the little E.. I would paste it.
so keep an eye out for that.. hee hee
So... Sorry its not linked here for YOU to grab and add... yet
Here are the people I would like to award, though there are like 10 who I am always checking in on I will put it to four. In no certain order or labeling....
1. River from wingitvegan.blogspot.com What can I say, she is on everyone's award list becuase she is just SOOOO amazing. They even gave her a shout out for ppk. They will most likely have her do a holiday book with Isa and Terry (we can hope right?) 
2. Jess from letsgetsconed.blogspot Her blogs are so vibrant and full of life, with great recipes.. photos and shoot from the hip humor. I may not know her personally, but I trust what she says about her food. I just might give making seitan at home a try!
3. Veganf from Disposableaardvarksinc.blogspot.com Well, the truth is.. this is the Mama that held my hand while I crossed over. My being here is a direct result from her great advice and recipes that my kids might even try. And you will be so impressed by the lunches she makes for her kiddos. I feel like I owe so much more than what this award gives.. but I HAD to include her in ANY awards I was giving.
4. Vegan.com Erik is my Hero!! I think I have written before that I just thought he had a great blog and wrote him a million questions and THEN I found out he was a WORLD FAMOUS author.. so yeah I am his first stalker too. But really you should ALL get plugged into his rss feed or whatever that is called. If Veganf brought me over it was Erik's compassionate persuasion that keeps me going. 
So make sure you check out where they are, and forgive me if my links are messed up and I could copy the award symbol.. we are getting there slowly!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Vegan Mofo Day 10 Tada!


Yes there was snow just the other day..
While I THOUGHT I had uploaded a wonderful picture of the zucchini bread I made from the ppk website, I cant find it! But you can only have so many posts with out great pictures. This is the girls having their tea party!
My trip to Chicago went pretty great! Aside from the fact that pretty much I only had the food I brought to eat. Now, I did get to try four types of Lara bars (OH WOW) but thats becuase everyone noticed I didnt get much for breakfast, and I was saving the last of my food for lunch.
So my last day I ate three out of four. I dont want to think about the calories!!!
While most of you are ending your MOFO postings, I just want to say.. I am still going to keep going until I reach 20 posts about delicious vegan food. And once I figure out what the copy right laws are, I will be more willing to post the actual recipe if I get it out of a book. But the Zucchini bread from PPK can be found on the site. (I hope to learn how to LINK things.. soon, very soon....) and the loads of pictures I hope to put on here will be arriving shortly. Meanwhile this is a survey taken from Miss Marie...

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

When the family is all together, I especially like camping or staying in hotel rooms on a fun destination, but just getting to enjoy a break is nice.. the most important part being that we are together. My husband adds security, the children add fun.. and I bring lots of love!!

2. What is your greatest fear?

Being in a situation I am not prepared for.. feeling like I have no voice, being left alone. 

3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I realize that they call me princess because of the princess and the pea, but in my case its cause I am so hard to make happy sometimes... and others think I am SO positive all the time!!! (meaning.. if the only KNEW) 

4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

I like the phrase.. anger makes your ears fall off. Some people just wont listen, or open up, or see a new point of view... even though its okay to not agree on all things. 

5. Which living person do you most admire?

I guess my kids. They amaze me everyday, so giving and loving (and yes they fight with each other) But I am so proud of the people they are becoming..   

6. What is your greatest extravagance?

Pampered Chef products.. and the "special" food I have to buy (says hubby)

7. What is your current state of mind?

is what I am doing going to make a difference.. and how long will that take?

8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Balance... because I think enthusiasm WINS!! ha ha ha ha

9. On what occasion do you lie?

To protect the innocent, like my kid asking me about Santa.. though, I do tell her the REAL Santa died a long time ago but people dress up to remember him and his good deeds.. and thats because she saw a Santa go on break and smoke a cig..  

10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?

Well, I wish that my body would show just how much I really do work out and that vegans are healthy.. but I guess in time my body will... Unless I keep reading Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

11. Which living person(s) do you most despise?

Well, there are a few people (or many) that have done things to make life hard for women, children, animals... But I am working on my thoughts and despising people isnt really something I want to hang on too.

12. What is the quality you most like in a man?

Someone that is at the right place at the right time. Someone that is Prepared and able to step up to the crises or task at hand. Not super human abilities, but I guess lots of courage! 

13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Compassion

14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

I am realizing I always say "alright" before I say goodbye??? 

15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Jerami. I really am the luckiest girl in the world. And the two kids we have only increase the love.. 

16. When and where were you happiest?

You know, I really had a great time at Disney this last trip. But in general, when my kids are whining "we want you" and its time for bed. It makes me feel so loved and needed, they want me to sing to them till they fall asleep. 

17. Which talent would you most like to have?

Well, I would like one of the necklaces that Hermione had... becuase it would be a real talent to control time. And though you think laundry and house work would be my goal, the truth is I would do so many things.. learn to knit.. take my kids to the Denver zoo (not just the one closer to us) I would learn other languages, and learn to sew my kids halloween costumes.. I would go back in time and become Vegan WAYYYYY sooner.. and I would find a way to bring people closer that I miss so much..
But hey we can only control the time we HAVE. 

18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I would give myself more confidence and stick-to-itness, and I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous.. ha ha ha ha

19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Getting out of bed everyday and meeting the day head on and arriving for life with out the regret of medicating myself to slip out of hard times, or hurting others by my choices, and leading by example of what life can be like. Not that my life is perfect, but that I make the choice to live in my life and dont let the choices make me stuck in A life. 

20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

I would come back as me.. but only if I could have full knowledge of the life I left behind and what I can do to give myself the things I missed as a child. 

21. Where would you most like to live?

Romania, Austria, Richmond Va, or Lake Placid New York, and maybe Oregon for a while too!

22. What is your most treasured possession?

my wedding dress.

23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Those still wandering and lost and hurting, who need to find their way into the halls. Those living in the life of a recipe for destruction.

24. What is your favorite occupation?

Daycare worker, oh and my job with the pampered chef. Its just that I LOVE kiddos! 

25. What is your most marked characteristic?

My singing. I guess 

26. What do you most value in your friends?

Friends that have been there when it gets ugly or things seem the hardest to still offer love and search for hope until its found. To love with out judgement.

27. Who are your favorite writers?

C.S. Lewis, Hannah Hurnard, Judy Blume 

28. Who is your hero of fiction?

Six from Battlestar Galactica. It was written.. so that counts right? Otherwise Much Afraid from Hinds Feet on High Places 

29. What is your favorite movie quote right now?

I can open the box ~ Sara Deaver from Sweet November

30. What is your favorite blog to read?

Vegan.com 

31. What are your favorite names?

Susan. Natalie. Ryan, Douglas, Christina.... 

32. What is it that you most dislike?

when I cant be understood. Sometimes words just cant communicate.. so I am working on understand first and then trying to be understood. Its hard

33. What is your favorite color?

Blue

34. What are you most looking forward to in life?

Every moment

35. What is your motto?

Be prepared to be amazed!!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

I will miss you

Hi!
 I made some yummy Tempeh!!! I finally got the recipe right, it was soooo good.
I made the spicy tempeh nori rolls, I even watched the video on ppk, but have vcon...
I am sorry I didnt get to post. Its 1130 and at 430 I have to get up to catch a 5 am plane to Chicago.
I found someone to get me some food, and wont have to eat what they are catering at my seminar.
I promise to post pics on sunday am.. since  I get in at ten on saturday and I am not bringing my laptop to lug around the airport.
sorry cyber world a girl needs a break.
Thanks for the great comments. I will also miss reading your blogs and commenting on them.
oh and I WON something.. (so so so happy, my invisibility wore off!!!)
Mel

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

more than just a recipe

For todays entry I thought I would play catch up with some things I have seen in other blogs...

But first a wonderful Potato and Mushroom Blintz made from savory crepes and covered in a mushroom gravy sauce.. All from V*com. This recipe has got to be my favorite one from the book, and yes I say it with out having tried them all so.. I might change my mind...
I told the kids they could have some if they let me take their pictures...

They told me that they were so yummy! And that they loved it! I dipped the corners in the sauce and they said.. thats good but we like it plain too!  They both had two and said that they would save the rest for daddy and to have them for dinner. I was out of onions, had no caraway seeds.. or white cooking wine (or drinking) and not as many mushrooms as the recipe called for... but I think this a great recession meal becuase with out those things it was STILL FABULOUS... and after I had two (and ate alot of the filling while making the crepes) I did have some to save for dinner!!
Last night my husband told me to run and look out the window.. do you see? This is SNOW!!
And onto other frosty things... this is my freezer. I am such a follower! I tried to cover any non vegan items that would belong to my husband.. but you can see we have fruit, and veggie tv dinners, frozen veggies and lots of OJ... theres some ziplocs filled with 2 cups of Zucchini shredded and 2 mashed bananas for the yummy zucchini bread recipe from ppk. I will make some this weekend!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Hi! Here is another post that shows my sad photography skills. Here is the good stuff that keeps me going... I take Deva Vegan vitamins Proudly bought through Vegan.com's link which supports my fave blogger. He does great podcasts and emails back. I thought he was just another awesome patient veteran vegan and then I found out he is the AUTHOR of Meat Market (and some others things I plan to read...) He didnt mind that I stalked him, and continues to encourage me to get more active. But anyhow, back to the picture!! I take a vegan multi vitamin mineral suplement... that has b-12, a calcium and magnesium PLUS and an omega-3 dha. As Erik says, you dont leave the house with out brushing your teeth.. so it goes that you need to take your supplements... (I really really try to remember!!!)
Tonights dinner was almost a hodgepodge.. but its much more liquid so I guess its a soup with pasta. I have one oven baked potato, the last zucchini from my garden, a handful of mushrooms, and the rest of my kale... which I had such big plans for..... lastly I had some nemo pasta from the whole foods store (forget the brand) and I had homemade (mom and dad's) jarred tomato juice from the garden. The "broth" was the tomato juice (1 cup) and some veggie soup base, and a cup of water.. Voila!
This is a great picture in the last weeks of our garden season. You can see our dying tomoto plants next to the HUGE squash and zucchini plant. You can see our green peppers and the green beans and our corn in the far right... the three upper left plants were cabbage!!
Look Ma I got the squash! The kids are so happy we are going to actually feed them today... ha ha ha ha thats what Natalie looks like at least.. so giddy!
And lastly this is what my counter would look like on a good day from the garden. Notice the ONE small tomato and the way over grown zucchini.. beets beets beets... I so needed inspiration for so many of those beets. I donated most to our care and share and the zoo. 
Now go visit Vegan.com and watch the monkey ride the segwey.

Monday, October 20, 2008

the rest of the story.

Yummy sweet potato fries, a weird "flavored tofu dessert".. caramel (thumbs down) and a morracan (sp?) lentil dish from fantastic foods I think. This was "what is in my cabinet day"!!
Since the tofu was sadly dissapointing AND my friend forget about me and my sickly self (to bring me some yummy butternut squash) I decided to make chocolate chip cookies from v*omicon
It called for oat flour, which I probably had but thought it was neat to make my own with oatmeal...
Shockingly I was out of granulated Sugar (must have been robbed!!) so I used half of the measurement in Confectioners sugar.. cause its the same yo! I also didnt have flaxseeds.. but decided to carry on with my lack of ingredients and switcheroos... Below are the fabulous results!! I agree they are best dipped in Silk.. as they said in the book. Mine were like pecan sandies.. a cookie which idk if they are vegan but they had the similar texture.  I will have to make them again, of course following the ingredient list and directions better next time! My man thought they were only a C when he tried them.. but with liquids he said an A !!! He loves the zucchini bread recipe off the ppk site.. EVERYONE should try that recipe!

And lastly, I was honored today by someone that subscribed to my posts. Now there's pressure to step up and put out some good information. I hope I have been anyway. I hope I am also showing some great ways to switch what you might be eating (carnivores) to some great tasting things that are better in so many many ways.. I read an article (among many) about someone that was at an auction and staying with the animals before they were auctioned off. I wanted to sob with her, and often wondered if they would let you give them apples or something.. I dont know... but if you cant do that you can at least stop supporting it by making these great cookies and dishes instead.. I will step off the soap box now...

from the ppk "ask a vegan"

So its early morning and I dont know what I will do when Mofo is done and I have just gotten bit by the MOFO bug myself!!
Here is something from the forums this morning.. food to follow later!
Dear Ask a Vegan,

1. Where do you get your protein?
I get most of my protein from Beans. I still dont know what a legume is?? But I also live on quinoa and thats a "complete protein" the box says so..

2. I could never be vegan because I am addicted to cheese. I worship cheese, and have even built an altar to/out of it in my kitchen. How do you LIVE without it? I guess I was always into food and what it does to enhance your life, cheese not so much. When I was training for my triathlons and looking into nutrition cheese was a NO NO. So giving it up as a vegan wasnt hard. Now, they do make soy cheese and funny word cheeses like teese or sheesh.. ha ha ha I havent tried them YET but I hear they are pretty fantastic. The hardest to give up would have been eggs for me. But I kept getting sick when I ate them (or mayo or dressings for salads) so that got weeded out for me. And once I decided to go vegan I read Meat Market by Erik Marcus and that solidified why I dont want to support cheese, milk, egg, or animal meat, and all products from animal sources. 

3. So, do you just live on salads or what? I actually have been hating on salads. If I were to be labeled as living on something it would be Stif fry, soup, raw veggies and juicing my wonderful produce. If you were to see my kitchen from June to Sep you would say I lived off Zucchini and ppk's zucchini bread.. my garden was so plentiful!!

4. If you have kids someday will you force them to be vegans, too? Because that seems really unfair to deprive them of their right to eat Chicken McNuggets with all the normal kids! My kids are not allowed in McDeath's. This is becuase the last time we were there to play on the gym equipment (dont yell at me) they were telling everyone that the chickens they are eating die while they are still really young and are not taken care. "Dont you know those chickens didnt live a long time or have a happy life" so.. until they can pass out leaflets and understand a bit more we dont want to SCARE potentials from joining us due to guilt.. but yes I AM soo proud of them.
They are also sick less often, spring back quicker if they do get sick, have better complexions, and have a heart to "make" (lol) other people understand just what they are doing. In such a non critical way too. My husband is supportive of what I am trying to do and thinks its great for the kids too.. but he still eats the way he always has and if the children make the decision to eat his food we talk about what it is but I let them make the choice. I know some wont agree with me for this, I invite them to move in with me and help me rather than lecture.. or just help, since we dont really have room for another body here!!

5. Not a question, but I knew someone who was vegan once and she got really sick. He doctor told her she had to start eating bacon double cheeseburgers (with a side order of liver, just to be safe) or she would DIE. Well as for media, Supersize me will tell her what that kind of eating will do, and for Books there is a study called the China study that shows quite the opposite.
While there is a debate on vitamins and supplements we do know that b-12 is one thing that you need to get into your body that you may not get from food. Since my kids cant take a horse pill, we give them lots of NORI since it has it (tell me if I am wrong PLEASE!!) and they are getting occasional foods which I would not eat, but their father does.

questions brought to you by Desdemona @ ppk forums

Sunday, October 19, 2008

yesterday and today





So, I am actually doing pretty well with the whole MOFO and getting recipes in. So I made two meals yesterday and one more today... Here are the photos from the panko crusted Teriyaki from Miss Marie at http://miss-mrs.blogspot.com (hers was soy sauce flavored and I didnt make the snappy sauce..) The next picture is of my tortilla soup Recipe to follow.
Tortilla Soup
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
2 large Roma tomatoes
3 cups water
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbs vegetable broth base
1 cup tortilla chips crushed
1 can black beans
1 cup sweet whole corn
1 tbs pampered chef chipotle seasoning
Saute onions until golden. Add water, tomato sauce, vegetable base, tomatoes.
Bring to a boil. Puree or (like me use a vitamix) and add crushed tortilla chips.
Return to sauce pan and add in black beans and corn. Simmer 10 mins and serve with tortilla chips crushed on top.
This recipe was adapted from Liz at http://www.foodsnobberyhobbery.blogspot.com
Thanks to all those that I have found great recipes from!!

Saturday, October 18, 2008






1. What was the most recent tea you drank?
Celestial Seasons Chai Tea
2. What vegan forums do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill!
I usually go as mellonbaby23 and I am on Vegpeople most of the time.
3. You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first?
Why does it have to be italian? I just hade some teriyaki flavored tofu with panko and dijon mustard... yum
4. How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day?
12 to a million, depend on how long nap time lasts.
5. Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read?
usually disposeable ardvarks, but miss marie lately, vegan.com is my FAVE
6. If you could hang out with a vegan blogger that you haven’t met, who would it be, and what would you do?
Erik Marcus from Vegan.com.
7. If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trilogy – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be?
tofu.. seitan is in outerspace
8. If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be?
Probably seitan because I just don’t get it.
9. Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice!
i tired to make spicy seitan from Veganomicon and killed it.. it was gross, and yet I know in my heart the recipe would be so much better made by someone else!
10. What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing?
they cupcakes!!!
11. Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them?
No. I just cant afford it yet. But I am not out buying leather either...
12. Have you made your pilgrimage to the ‘vegan mecca’ yet? (Portland, duh)
No. But I AM trying
13. What age did you first go vegan? Did it stick?
When I was 17. nope but its been 6 months this time around!!
14. What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it?
the spicy "sushi"... see above
15. What made you decide to blog?
to be accountable, to share what the first few steps are like getting into vegan living... something to do??
16. What are three of your favorite meals to make?
I made the potato mushroom blintzes from Veganomicon, a bruchetta recipe from Dr. Dean Ornish, my kale potato and navy bean soup.. they are things I LOVE not just.. can make, can eat..
17. What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck?
stuffing or a dessert..
18. Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it?
Spaghetti squash at Food for thought in Williamsburg. So good..... so good... got it once, only there a short time.
19. What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is?
Whole foods I guess
20. My kitchen needs…
more space! and a personal chef... and isa!!!
21. This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen!
swiss chard.
22. What’s for dinner tonight?
teriyaki panko crusted tofu
23. What is your Favorite Vegan (for vegan friendly if you can’t think of a pure vegan one) Restaurant?
food for thought

then end of a season


So here is the recipe:
1 can white beans undrained, 
3 large yukon gold potatoes- rinsed peeled and thinly sliced
1 pkg Shitake mushrooms 
1 cup chopped kale
Veggie boulion and vegetable broth (one can)
1 cup water
This is alot like the recipe on Allrecipes.com but you can see the obvious differences, like the musrooms, they really flavored the broth nicely and not draining the beans did so as well. But I added water because I needed more liquid with all my goodies. This made 3 heaping bowls, which I ate MOST of.. Nattie had quite a bit too though!




Well its not been that long ago that I posted what our garden looked like before weeds and oh plants were growing (shock)!! But today we had to go "clean it out" for the next season and now it has come to an end. the last of our zucchini and squash were donated to the zoo and my poor hands have little cuts from a million splinters that a certain weed gave me. Dont know which one.
Last night we did in fact go to the zoo and I will post pics.. so here it goes..
Pics of the zoo and a semi original recipe from me... or one that was just messed with alot, sorry about the blur, one day I will have a tripod and a camera that doesnt eat my batteries!!!
My kids are on each end.. and I told them "Its halloween your supposed to be scared not happy".. lol and they took me literally....

Friday, October 17, 2008

a new challenge


Well I think my lack of internet use has led me to miss 17 days of Vegan MOFO.. which is a month of food. Thankfully many other vegan bloggers have been living outside of a cave and given me LOTS of inspiration.
I have been trying to make changes more like Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman, and I was needing some great recipes with whole food ingredients as well.
I also found out about two books by PPK for brunch and cookies.. I really want to get in on the test kitchen club and then I will really have something to post about.
Mostly though my recipes will reflect being vegan in a recession. Here is the challenge to post at least five photos a week based on the recipes I made on those days (I need the weekends to do things like clean my house and attend to the kids.. right??)
Mel
ps why not show a picture of what vegan happiness can be?