My Dream Veggie Steamer

I had gone through many trials and error with trying to make my rice come out just right, when finally I gave up and made a plan to buy a rice cooker. Luckily, we were shooting a film at the time which required a rice maker, so the timing worked out perfectly. I went on Amazon and looked around until I found the perfect rice making machine. The one I bought is fantastic because not only does it cook rice but it also steams vegetables. So, you can make your rice and veggie goodies at the same time or separately if you prefer.

Some broccoli I steamed up the other night. 

Chicken-less Chicken Panini

Mmm...I love paninis. Yesterday, after hours of being in the hot blazing sun, I was completely famished and so I decided to throw together a sandwich...but not just any sandwich...a very creamy, crispy, deliciously flavorful panini. I've had a George Forman grill for a few years now and regretfully I have to admit that I haven't used it yet to make a panini. Don't ask why because I just don't have an answer for you. But, now I have finally put my panini grilling machine to use. 

The right one looks a little bruised lol but it was very yummy.

I sauteed this vegan chicken breast in the pan for a few minutes and added in the tomato basil sauce that came with it. I probably should have chopped it up before adding it to the sandwich to make it easier to munch on but, you live and you learn.

I saw this quick mayo recipe while watching Giada on the Food Network. I used vegenaise, fresh basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and some pepper. I wasn't sure if using mayo on a hot sandwich would work but it tasted pretty good. 

Now, I love me some daiya cheese but the shredded factor doesn't really go well when applying to a toasted sandwich, so I went with these single slices instead. They melted quite nicely. 

Some sun dried tomatoes.

Yummity yum yum! I can't wait to dabble more in the panini world and munch on some sandwich goodness. Don't be like me and wait too long to use your Forman grill for paninis. Try it at least once and I'm sure you'll be whipping up new sandwiches every week. 

Smoothie Smoothie Smoothie!

I've been so busy with work lately and sometimes I find it hard to squeeze in a good breakfast. But, I have found that smoothies can be a perfect way to get in your nutrients without having to sacrifice too much of your time. Since I've been on this smoothie kick recently I decided to whip up another yummy one for my morning meal.

Raw Cacao Smoothie

-About 2 cups of non-dairy milk
-1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder
-1 cup of blueberries
-1 tablespoon of agave
-1 tablespoon of flax seed
-1 tablespoon of chia seed

Add all the ingredients together in a blendtec or blender, mix, and pour!

This was the first time I tried raw cacao powder in my smoothie and it turned out to be quite delicious. What's your favorite smoothie to make or buy?

Help support this teacher make a difference!

Hey guys,

Yesterday, I found an interesting story on the kind life website. It's about a Memphis teacher name Adam Guerrero who planted a beautiful vegetable garden in his front yard to help teach students about gardening and healthy eating. This sounds great, right??? Unfortunately, there is this local judge, who is trying to get the garden removed because he believes it to be a "nuisance." Adam will be battling this issue in court and needs as much support as possible.



Here is how you can help:

1. Write to Judge Larry Potter at larry.potter@shelbycountytn.gov in support of Adam Guerrero's garden. Please be respectful. You are an ambassador for the kitchen garden cause.
2. Join the Facebook page called "Save Adam Guerrero's Garden," where you can show your support and receive updates about his case.
3. Show your outrage on Twitter using the #WarOnGardens hashtag.
4. Sign an online petition at change.org in support of the garden, which will be sent to the judge hearing Guerrero's case.
5. Watch and share the video on YouTube and embedded above.

Please help support Adam! I just get so frustrated with judges and other public officials that continue to fight people like Adam and Jamie Oliver, who go out of their way to help kids live a longer healthier life. How can officials continue to complain about the obesity crisis that children are facing and then turn around and oppose any kind of change that would help these kids survive? We have to make them listen and see that we're tired of them taking no responsibility for what's going on in the schools and the fast food industry...and we most definitely have to support people who are willing to step up and make a change. 

Bob's Red Mill Possibly Funding Animal Testing

   Throughout this week I kept reading about Bob's Red Mill donating to Oregon Health and Science University, which is known for animal testing. Of course, as a vegan I am shocked and appalled by this news, especially since I buy their products. Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods is known for their whole grain products (they carry gluten free as well). I bought some of their products online and Costco even started carrying some items in bulk.

   Now, they never claim to be a vegan company but they do claim to be compassionate and understanding to their vegan and gluten free customers and make every effort to insure that they serve the best natural product. So, I'm having  a hard time understanding why they would pick a facility that goes out of its way to torture animals with its testing.

   Please check out The Informed Vegan's website for more information. People have been posting like crazy on facebook and twitter. I checked out Bob's Red Mill's twitter page and they said the best way to voice your concerns is to send an email to: customerservice@bobsredmill.com.

Smoothie Time!

There's nothing better than having a refreshing smoothie after a workout. I did some yoga today and afterwards I made a protein smoothie with hemp protein, kale, strawberries, cherries, flax seed, chia seeds, and orange juice. I love making smoothies at home because you can add or take out whatever ingredients you want and it's so much cheaper than buying one at a smoothie shop. I always use my blendtec blender, push the smoothie button and let it do its magic, but you don't need a high powered blender. You can use any blender to make your delicious smoothies. So, please experiment and have fun with making some smoothie goodness!

Vegan shrimp and brussels sprouts for dinner!

Made some dinner last night and it was yummy.

I baked some vegan breaded shrimp from Sophie's Kitchen, cooked some brown rice, and brussels sprouts. Now I know that not too many people like brussels sprouts but I love them. My mom used to make me eat them when I was little and at first I wasn't into the sprouts but she sprinkled some black pepper and some vinegar on them and I was hooked. Brussels sprouts have fiber, protein, and vitamin C. They also contain sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties. So, please check them out and season them however you like...just make sure you don't give up on them! :-) 

Breakfast in Danville!

The hubby and I went to visit some of his family in Danville California last weekend. Fortunately, he prepared his cousin ahead of time that they would be housing a vegan guest (Me!). She made sure that I had plenty to eat. We even checked out a food truck gathering at a park...pretty disappointing selection of trucks, but at least Nom Nom was there. :-) Brunch, the next morning was definitely not disappointing! The whole family came over and grubbed on some goodness. Even though I was the only vegan there, I did not feel left out... and I was completely stuffed by the end of the meal.

A buckwheat waffle, potatoes, fruit, broccoli, carrots, smart sausage, yellow rice,  a roll, and herb dijon gardein chicken breast.

P.S. All of the veggies were cooked in olive oil. No butter!

Breakfast Quesadilla!

I had this overwhelming desire for a quesadilla in the morning (I know, pretty random to want a quesadilla when you first wake up) and so the hubby and I made some breakfast ones. I put daiya cheese, tomatoes, onions, black beans, and smart bacon in my quesadilla. Yum! It was so scrumptious and cheesy...it definitely hit the spot. Okay, so it's not the healthiest breakfast but I will be returning to this delicious meal as a once in a while treat! :-)

I used gluten free tortillas. 

Twitter Page!

Hey guys! Guess who finally joined twitter???? Me! I never thought I would join another social media site. I mean I had facebook so I didn't really think twitter was necessary...until I started this vegan blog and realized that it's important to express your creativity with as many outlets as possible. So, after many months with this blog I buckled down and created a twitter page. You can check me out at @veganwhat. :-)

Back to Shojin suckas!

Shooojiiiinnnn!!!! lol I told you I would be back to this awesome place to shoot a video. And as luck would have it, my friend Traci was visiting at the time and participating in all the vegan activities I dragged her along on, so it would only be fitting that we make a little trip over to the greatest vegan sushi in town. I tried three new items this time and I kind of slacked in the picture department again, so you'll have to watch the video to see the delicious meal that went into my very hungry tummy. :-)

Spicy Shiso Tempura.

Chicken-less Chicken Parmesan!

OMG! So very happy that my hubby blessed me with a very delicious vegan meal last night. No, he is not vegan...yet!...which made it extra special. I scarfed down a scrumptious chicken-less chicken parmesan. Yum! Check this out:

Chickenless Chicken Parmesan. 

Gardein chick'n scallopini with daiya cheese. 

Love quinoa pasta!

Sprinkled some of this goodness on top.

Peace

I pray for peace, comfort, and happiness for you this day and everyday after.

Quinoa for dinner!

I've been trying to re-create this quinoa dish that I had when I ventured out to the Urban Food Crawl. Although I haven't been able to get the dish down perfectly it's been great getting to eat quinoa in a fun and yummy new dish.

Quinoa with pinto beans, corn, yellow bell peppers, and a mango salsa with tomatoes and  onions.

My Vegan Transition Video

Hello Peeps! Someone asked me to share about my vegan transition on youtube. So, I thought it would be a great idea to make a video to go along with my Vegan Transition page. Here it is:

Nachos for dinner!

Last night I made these hot mess nachos that were deliciously fattening yet a lot healthier than non-vegan nachos. I love being a vegan! :-)

Nachos: organic tortilla chips, black beans, daiya cheese, tomatoes, onions, match meat ground beef, avocado, sour cream, and salsa. OMG!

I melted the cheese by sprinkling some on top of the chips and placing them in the oven on broil until the cheese was nice and gooey. 

Hummus!

I don't know why it has taken me so long to make my own hummus. My husband and I eat hummus and pita bread almost every week.lol So, I guess it only seems right to save some money and just make my own...plus I had this huge bag of garbanzo beans in the cabinet they were in need of some use. Here is a quick recipe for you.







Garlicky Hummus

Ingredients

• About two cups of Garbanzo beans (You can use the ones in a can or cook your own)
• A handful of fresh Parsley
• 1/3 cup of Safflower Oil
• 1/2 cup of Lemon Juice
• About 6 cloves of garlic (I like a lot of garlic but you can use less) 

Place all these ingredients in your blendtec (hit the dip button) or in your blender and mix until your desired consistency. If you want a creamier texture add more liquid.

CSA bag of fruits and veggies

Picked up my new bag of veggies and fruits at CSA today! Let's see what we have here:

Heirloom Tomatoes

Crookneck Squash

Purpellete Onions

Cucumbers

Pluots

Pears

Black Kale

Corn

Broccoli

Yellow Bell Pepper

Got some good stuff today and I can't wait to make some yummy recipes! Stay tuned guys! :-)

Native Foods!

While my friend Traci was visiting from out of town we took a trip to the beach and basked in the sun for a little while. After the beach I drug her to Native Foods, which is a place I've been dying to go to for weeks. Native Foods was founded in 1994 by Chef Tanya Petrovna. They have locations all over California and now they even have two spots in Chicago. Their menu ranges from burgers and fries to salads and earth bowls (bowls full of brown rice or quinoa with vegetables and meat substitutes on top). They just recently started doing happy hour Fridays, which includes half off their appetizers, beer and wine from 3-6pm. Traci and I order a few appetizers just to start. For drinks we tried the lavender lemonade, which I'll admit I was afraid to try at first, because I love the smell of lavender but I wasn't sure if I wanted to drink it, but I got over my neuroses and dived in. It was so bomb! So scrumptious and refreshing, I seriously have to figure out the recipe for this delicious lemonade. I've been kind of slackin on my pictures because I've been so distracted by eating all the food before I take pictures of it.lol Check out the video below to actually see the yummy food.

Unfortunately, I was so hungry that I forgot to take before pictures, so all I have is the after math.lol

As if we weren't stuffed enough we decided to order a burger to take home. This is their Oklahoma Bacon CheeseburgerOur thinly sliced Native Original Seitan, melted cheddar, caramelized onions, and crispy Native Bacon on a bun slathered with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, romaine, carrots, onions, and tomato. Topped with crunchy battered dill pickle chips.  

Yum!

Fried pickle chips. 

Fries. 

Vegan Ladies of LA!

I joined a vegan meet up group a couple of months ago and unfortunately I was not able to attend any of the events...until last night. I joined the Vegan Ladies of LA for their one year anniversary at Cafe Gratitude. We sat on the patio and took in the fresh air after a little drizzle of rain. You could see a perfectly crafted rainbow from where we were sitting. We talked, we drank, we laughed, and we ATE...lol. The food was delicious. Cafe Gratitude is known for their raw cuisine but they do have some cooked dishes on their menu. I tried two of their appetizers and a raw milk shake. As you'll see from the captions below all of their dishes have really fun names.

I am Cool
Mint chocolate chip milkshake with Vitamineral green and raw cacao.  This was so yummy!

Vegan Ladies of LA

I am Present
Raw Caprese Bruschetta Cashew mozzarella Hierloom tomatos freah basil on buckwheat crackers drizzled with balsalmic and olive oil. I added avocado to mine.

I am Grounded
Roasted potatoes Garlic and olive oil roasted red skin potatoes topped with spicy cashew nacho cheese and pink sea salt. The potatoes were good (not great). I really liked the cashew cheese. 

Rainbow.

I was so stuffed from those two little appetizers. I think it was the milkshake that did me in.lol I had a really great time! :-)

Amazon Giveaway Winner!!!!

Thanks to everyone who submitted for the $25 amazon.com giveaway! Congratulations to Debbie Wells our winner! Woo Hoo! I can't wait to do another giveaway (hopefully soon) but thanks again to all those who submitted. :-)

Last Chance to enter the Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Hey guys! Enter the contest before it's too late! Today is the absolute last day for the $25 amazon gift card giveaway. I will be posting the winner sometime this afternoon or tonight, depending on my crazy work schedule. Thanks  to everyone who has entered so far! :-)

Fabulous Potato Mash!

Who likes potatoes??? I love them! Can't get enough...yum yum yum. Baked potato, mashed potatoes, my fabulous potato mash, french fries (I sound like the guy from Forest Gump).lol But anyway, over the weekend my friend and I were hanging out at my place chatting and having a good time. I suddenly became quite famished and had to fix the problem before I started eating my arm. I looked in my fridge, grabbed a few things, cut up some potatoes, threw everything together in a pan, and came up with this tasty potato mash.

I, of course, added hot sauce to mine. 

I'm not sure if this would be called a recipe...more like stuff in my fridge that I thought would taste good together.

Potato Mash


Ingredients 

• Potatoes (I used two large ones)
• 6 cloves of garlic chopped
• A handful of fresh parsley
• A handful of green onions chopped
• Half of a red onion chopped
• Juice of a lime
• Olive oil
• A little vegan butter (add to taste)

Heat up some olive oil in a pan and add all the ingredients except for the potatoes and the butter. Saute the veggies for about a minute and then add the potatoes (I boiled mine first for a few minutes cuz I like them soft) and the butter. Stir everything together and cook until the potatoes are completely done...you can cook them longer if you want them to be crispy.