San Diego

Fall disappeared while we were gone, and this photo was taken before going to CA. It's 'Banana Crumble' from The Joy of Vegan Baking. It's super easy to make and fun to serve in individual dishes. You must eat this dish warm with a scoop of Soy Delicious vanilla. Really, you must!






Thanksgiving was spent in Irvine with the extended family. Art and I brought a Tofurkey, and the relatives thoughtfully made a special portion of dressing without chicken for us. Now that's love!
After the festivities, the G-pa's took the girls and Art and I headed to San Diego. We found a bargain on Craig's List, and this was the view from our windows. There were as many dolphins as surfers out there everyday!




We rented bicycles and left the car parked the entire time. We peddled to Vegan Zone to get food.










We know what we like, and ordered the same thing as always. Art is partial to the 'Pineapple Burger' and I dig the 'High Protein Salad'. This time, we also shared the 'Sate'.

This restaurant is a great beach alternative to the regular junk. I highly recommend it.






We scooped up the girls later in the week and headed back to San Diego for some kid touristy activities.

Don't our little spuds look like So-Cal locals sitting below a palm tree wearing shades?!






We went to SipZ because we were starving after playing all day. This is the best food, ever! For real. As you can see, the ambiance is nothing special, and the service lacks unless Karen is with us. But doesn't matter because they have fabulous food! Check our parade: the person seating us, Art (hand extended in the middle), Liv, Abi, and me following with a camera. Hard to fly under the radar with this procession! :)



We ALWAYS order the 'Sweet & Sour Chicken' and this time, we ordered two more to go. For the chicas, we got a plate of steamed veggies and rice. It was a somewhat peaceful meal because the girls were entertained by the fish swimming beside us.

The girls and I spent a day with Karen, and I plan on sharing some photos next time. Lately, I've been a bit out of it, literally. Some major dental work, and some narcotics to go along. So, not much cooking happening, mostly just maintaining. Hope you're doing well!!

FALL . . . lots of sewing & soup

It's Fall. My favorite time of year. We've been immersing ourselves in bicycle rides, pumpkin patches, and piles of leaves.











Squirrels have been busily harvesting our two walnut trees. Hustling here and there stowing away for leaner times. As I read my newspaper recently, I mused how much smarter they are than we. Water has run out in Orme, Tennessee, and they say the crisis could serve as a warning to other communities to conserve water before it's too late. Any one's home town could be next, with long-term droughts and dwindling water supplies.



Here's two of our best jack-o-lanterns. Nothing fancy here, folks, but it was fun to light them and turn off the lights for dinner.











'The Best Pumpkin Muffins' from Vegan with a Vengeance. Yes, these are good, and we thought even better with a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. But, really, there isn't much that those won't improve! :)








'Winter Squash and Sweet Potato Soup' from "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker" is such a delicious soup, and this cookbook is the reason why I LOVE my crockpot. Here's it is before cooking. Six delightfully aromatic hours later, I pureed it, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds from the weekend carving, and served with crusty bread.





I was thinking about Amy's Mexican Casseroles, and wanted to see how close I could get on a homemade vegan version. Here's the ingredients minus some El Paso enchilada sauce.








Here it is out of the oven. The verdict? It was pretty good, and has lots of potential. Next time I'll cut the polenta in thicker slices instead of making a shell and add lots more sauce. It could be better.








'Roasted Carrot Coconut Soup' from La Dolce Vegan! I omitted ginger, lemongrass, corriander seeds, and cilantro and still this soup was plenty flavorful for me. I really like that the recipe yields 2 large or 4 small servings - just enough for me to finish myself during the week. The soup coincided with a giant bag of baby bell peppers from Costco.





I've had the sewing bug lately. I made four Halloween pillow cases using these helpful directions. Next time, I'll make the hem shorter because the case isn't quite long enough to cover the pillows.

I also sewed two baby blankets and 6 matching burp cloths for gifts that I forgot to take photos of. Congratulations to Esther & Elaine!!




I got the idea for these "Giving Thanks" or "Thanks Giving" banners from a Pottery Barn for Kids catalog. It is made from felt and sewing scraps. It was fun to sew, and the girls had fun helping me arrange the letters.








I also finished the anniversary quilt that I began in August. It's a full-sized and the back is completely denim.

Next on the sewing front, I want to refashion some clothes -- make a skirt out of old pants, or make a quilt from worn clothing. I vow to abstain from buying new material. I will use what I have, reuse items as fabric, and get it from a thrift store.


What's the latest on the vegan cookbook scene? These two much-anticipated gems, of course. Veganomicon is the size of a college textbook, and flipped through each page the night it arrived.









'A Hummus Recipe' from Veganomicon made into a pita "sammich" as those brilliant cookbook girls would call it. The hummus is thick, and there are beets and organic baby lettuce to add some crunch. I ate these for about a week. I opted for cumin, and discovered a love match.






'Sweet Potato Lentil Chili' from eat, drink, & be vegan. What a hearty and delicious chili! I love Dreena's flavor combinations. She gives some choices: I opted for coconut oil, green lentils, and black beans. I love the sweet contrast to the spices. I want to make everything in both these cookbooks!


Olivia and I received some exciting news recently....


We entered PeTA's first ever "Cooking with Kids Contest" and we actually won!! I feel so honored.
Fellow bloggers may remember that I posted about this recipe about a year ago, and decided to bring it back for the contest.

We're heading to southern California to spend Thanksgiving with family and we hope to check out some new places to eat... Any suggestions?

Sifting

I've been getting my money's worth out of this flour sifter I found at a garage sale.

It's a simple, fun, and helpful task that gets the girls involved.

Following is a look at what's been the result of all that sifting....





'Berry Oat Squares' from La Dolce Vegan!

I used some of my apricot-pineapple jam along with frozen blueberries for the filling, which was a tasty combo.
I guess this looked too healthy for my girls, and they wouldn't even try one, so I ate them all myself! I don't suggest this. Instead, make them when there's others to partake because you just can't stop 'til they're gone.



'Banana Bread' from The Damn tasty Vegan Baking Guide!

I added a handful of chocolate chips because it draws interest from the girls. This was good and we enjoyed it warm from the oven, though it seemed too moist to enjoy later that day. I used a silicone non-stick and perhaps that's the reason? Or maybe it just needed a bit more time to cook? Or, I over-filled the pan? Who knows! :)


'Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins' from The Joy of Vegan Baking.

Can you tell I like this flavor combo? This recipe is perfect for using up ripe bananas, taking four. I had 3 large bananas, and instead of mashing them, I pureed for a consistent texture. These muffins were perfectly delicious, and the whole family enjoyed them. I'll be making these again soon.



'Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cupcakes' from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.

These were fun to make, and a bit messy. I'm a competitior, and read the text, "Add both to the cupcake liner at the same time, side by side. Some people may not have the hand-eye coordination to do this (as easy as it sounds)...." to be a challenge! lol! Here is my handywork before clean-up. :)



'Chocolate Mousse Topping' from VCTOTW crowns them.

Silken tofu makes for the most luscious & light topping, along with providing a nice shot of protein from an unsuspected source.
I made them for Art's birthday last month. We both thought they were good enough, but nobody took the last one, and I probably won't make them again unless I need some coordination training. :)


I had a cookie recipe in mind, so first I needed to prepare the cookie sheets.

I like to alternate stacking cookie sheets and parchment paper. The top cookie sheet serves as a guide to trim excess paper, and also weighs down and conforms the papers so they don't slip as easily.





'Oatmeal Raisin Cookies' from The Joy of Vegan Baking are a delectable classic.

I didn't have oat bran, so added more of the rolled oats which worked out well for me. The rest of the recipe was by the book, and I used our favorite golden raisins. It yielded 3 dozen cookies using my medium scoop, and I shared a couple dozen with my neighbors. I enclosed lists of the ingredients, and I wonder if they'll notice there's no dairy?

To tally it up, that's 4 recipes tried, and 4 outstanding successes from this cookbook. With that track record, I feel comfortable trying recipes out on guests! Anybody else experiencing the Joy? :)

Apple Picking & German Apple Cake

It's Fall, and we felt the calling to go pick apples, so we headed to Emmett, and followed the signs. At first, we thought we were at the same place as last year, but wound up finding another delightful orchard. Wee King's Orchard (2955 W. South Slope Road 398-8047) is an acronym of their 3 children's names and their last. They saw the property online, and sight unseen moved here from Monterey California. They thought it'd be fun to run an orchard, and found that it is, plus lots of hard work. They love it!


Here's their seasonal line-up:

Cherries in June
Apricots in July
30 varieties of Apples Aug/Oct
Empress Plums in September
Italian Prunes during September







Apple break! Picking apples makes you hungry and we were pleased to be lost in the Fuji section.

We also picked up pie pumpkins and ornamental gourds from their produce stand. Our city girls enjoyed running through the orchards, chasing a cat, and exploring their garden as we exchanged stories with the owners. It was a lovely day.




The apples we didn't eat fresh went into this 'German Apple Cake' from The Joy of Vegan Baking. I had four apple recipes in mind from this book and this was a great choice! Art and I ate the entire thing over the next couple days and didn't feel one bit guilty! :)

Hey, anybody going to the upcoming Vegan Holiday Festival in Portland? You could hear Brendan Brazier, or dish it up with Julie Hasson! Among the exhibitors will be Food Fight!, VegNews Mag, & Herbivore. Sounds like an awesome event!

The Joy Of VEGAN BAKING

Look what I got in the mail yesterday! The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. You've seen her column in VegNews, and ask a vegan, plus all sorts of other great accomplishments.

But let's talk about this cookbook! It's thick (287 pages) with full page photos on about every third page. She offers tips, serving suggestions, food lore, and clears up cooking confusion with clear explanations. This is the closest thing I've seen to a vegan baking "Bible" covering the full range. To help us find our way through the 15 chapters of baking options, she also sorts her recipes by ingredient, seasons, and celebrations & occasions.

I'm becoming somewhat of a vegan cookbook collector, and this one definitely deserves a tiara! I'm impressed.


I decided to make the 'Pumpkin Spice Bread' for the girl's snack since we were painting pumpkins and feeling very Fall-ish.

I appreciate her option of using either Ener-G Replacer or ground flaxseed, and I used the later. I used 1/3 ww flour and 2/3 white, which is the balance I seem to prefer. Being out of ground cloves, I subbed pumpkin pie spice. The rest was straight up, and of course I added the optional chocolate chips.


The verdict? Fit for a princess! Delicious. This recipe makes a lot. For me it yielded a full-sized loaf pan and 12 muffins. She recommends making 4 mini loaves to give as gifts, which would be a great treat to share. The girls are eating some of the left-over loaf for breakfast as I type -- and it's awesome the next day, too! I really can't wait to fully explore this cookbook, and at the moment, the book remains open, either in the kitchen or on the nightstand! :)

Vicki's vegan version of the Idaho Potato Tart

Here's a savory side-dish made with our state's pride & joy... the potato. I modified this recipe from the Idaho Potato Commission.

5 med. Idaho potatoes (red or white)
1 leek (or a bunch of green onions)
1 red bell pepper
sundried tomato pesto
1/2 c vegetable broth
Earth Balance
fresh ground pepper



1. Preheat oven to 425*
2. Slice potatoes very thinly using a food processor or mandoline and divide them into 3 equal parts. Do the same with leeks & red pepper.
3. Oil a pie pan with vegetable oil and layer one third of the potatoes in the pan. Spread a layer of pesto over potatoes. Top with leeks, red pepper and sprinkle with some fresh ground pepper.




4. Place another third of the potatoes on top, layering evenly. Add another layer of pesto, leeks, red pepper, and fresh ground pepper.
5. Top with the last third of potatoes, spreading to cover. Pour vegetable broth over all; season with pepper and dot with Earth Balance.
5. Oil the bottom of another pie plate and place on top of the potatoes. Weigh that down with a cast iron skillet. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the skillet and pie pan and bake for another 15 minutes until browned.


Let it cool a bit before serving and it'll slice better. Cover with tin foil and keep in a 200* oven until company arrives, or take it with you to the vegan potluck. It's easily transportable and great to make ahead of time.

Perhaps that's what I'll do next weekend at my first vegan potluck! I found a group after reading on Amey's blog about Meet-up. Go and search your city for a vegan group, or start your own. What dish has been successful for you at a vegan pot luck?

Vinegar is magical!

It feels good to have "Mickey'd" the floor today, which is what we call cleaning the hardwood floor, because that's how the previous owner, Mickey, did it. She told us how, and we've memorialized it with her name. (We think we're so clever!) It's easy, inexpensive, and makes our floor shine. Put some water in the sink, add a couple cups of white vinegar, and with a rag for each hand wipe the floor clean. Old cloth diapers work great! :)



Here's the line-up. They are tough on floors, and the main reasons why I grab the jumbo size white vinegar. I've noticed you can really get in touch with your floor on hands and knees, and as I was down there today bonding, it occurred to me that this might just qualify as a green activity. After all, how many other cleaning agents are completely edible? I googled, and as you may know, there are numerous uses for vinegar. If you're interested in green cleaning, don't buy chemicals you can't pronounce. Instead go here, here, and here for some great vinegar uses! As a segue back to food, perhaps next post we'll be eating off the floor....

Double Chocolate Decadence Cookie

I found a new vice today! Since seeing ads in VegNews, I've wanted to try an Alternative Baking Company cookie. Their goal is to make the best cookie in the galaxy, and aside from homemade, I'd say mission completed. The cookie is moist and full of flavor. What it lacks is hydrogenated oils, cholesterol, preservatives, artificial ingredients, refined sugars, eggs, dairy, and honey. On top of all that, it seems like a really cool company. The back of the packaging explains why one should eat organic and vegan. Do yourself a favor and have a cookie!

Southern Seitan (cue 'The Devil went Down to Georgia')

We really enjoyed this meal yesterday!

Bryanna's 'Vegan Pork Tenderloin' tops steamed organic Collard Greens. Beside that is Robin Robertson's 'Skillet Cornbread' surrounded by tomatoes from a friend's bountiful garden. I prefer collards with a little Earth Balance, sea salt, and a big squeeze of lemon juice.





You need to make the 'Vegan Pork Tenderloin' the day or more before. Plan ahead, it takes well over 4 hours from start to finish, and then, it's best after being in the fridge overnight. It's a great thing to do while laundry is going, and it's really quite fun and easy. Here I'm forming the dough to place in my Romertopf clay cooker with the cooking broth waiting to be poured on. I've printed out the recipes from the Everyday Dish DVD, and keep them in a file folder.


This is our favorite faux meat recipe. Just look at how nicely it slices, and it tastes great. When we eat packaged faux meat products at home, it's usually because we're out of this. This time, I used bbq sauce instead of ketchup in the basting broth, and Art used the same sauce to saute it in on the stove.

On my quest to find more recipes like this, I emailed Bryanna, and found out she is working on a seitan e-book. I can't wait for it to be available!

The 'Skillet Cornbread' recipe is in this month's VegNews (p. 63). The article convinced me to break out our cast iron skillet, but first I needed to season it:

1. Scour thoroughly with hot water and soap; dry
2. Coat with cooking oil (vegetable works well)
3. Heat in 300* oven for an hour
4. Remove excess oil after cooled

We really enjoyed the cornbread! Art says it's possibly the best he's eaten. It was crusty outside & soft inside. I think using a cast iron skillet makes all the difference.

Tag! You're it!

Thanks for tagging me, Veganista! I've enjoyed getting to know you and other bloggers better like Amey, Bazu, and VeganNoodle by reading their responses to this meme.

Want to get to know me better?

V is for Vegetarian & Vegan (in sign language and all languages, it stands for peace!): Sitting on the sofa at Mastadon in PB, circa 1995, waiting for Art to get his ear pierced, I picked up what I thought might be a cookbook to pass the time, "Diet For A New America." I became enthralled, and by the time I finished reading about how all God's critters have a place in the choir, I was buying a copy with my hard-earned tips. My life would profoundly change, and my journey to being a vegetarian progressed as I read each chapter. First cutting out cow, then pig, poultry and fish. Once I knew this information, there was no turning back. I knew what veganism was, but didn't understand why, until I stumbled upon Vegan Lunchbox blog several years later. Cooking never interested me until "discovering" veganism, and now, I find it to be satisfying and full of meaning.

I is for Igloo: One of my earliest childhood memories are snow days! The snow was too high for the buses to get through. One year, I remember making an igloo in the backyard. When I was a little girl (stop snickering, I'm not THAT old!) it snowed like CRAZY! The ground would remain blanketed nearly all winter long. Then, in 1990, I moved to CA and stayed 13 years. When I moved back in 2003, I was stunned by the lack of snow. There was really none to speak of in the valley, and rarely if ever lasting more than a day before melting off. The snow plows were sold years ago, and our gardening climate zone was adjusted to a more mild rating. Record low moisture readings were being broken each year. I clinch my chest with concern for my daughters when I imagine the climate changing as much in their lifetime as mine.

C is for Crafty: I seem to always have a project going. Right now, I'm in the process of our anniversary quilt, family place mats, stained glass lamps, mosaics, and I've lost track of what all. I also finished projects (lol!), and I'm most proud of a king size quilt made of recycled men's neckties, a tile and broken plate mosaic, and a photograph collage of the City of Angels art statues. I spent much more time doing these types of things before the girls were born, but still find great satisfaction when time allows. I particularly enjoy taking used items and transforming them to something new.

K is for Kids: Art and I were married 10 years before we decided to have children. We savored the freedom to take risks, travel, and self-indulge. My time clock was ticking, but I ignored it because I'm a really good procrastinator. Then I had a "near-death" experience (well, it's all relative...) that made me deeply want to have kids. It was actually an infected root-canal. Because it was just a tooth, I have to defend myself, and you can ask Art, I have a pretty strong pain threshold. One of my biggest accomplishments (though it'll never make it on a resume) is that I gave birth to both girls naturally. I didn't even have a Tylenol, not that I'm against anyone giving birth in the way that it happens. Just to illustrate that this tooth thing made me feel like I was seriously dying! I was warped on codeine, and puking up everything and getting much weaker. It was then that I realized that if I died right now, not having kids with Art would be my only regret. That realization snapped an awakening in me and we began planning our family.

I is for Interstate: A childhood friend was going to Law School in San Diego and generously flew me out to see her for my birthday. I needed a change, and she needed a roommate. I went back home, packed and moved in with her one month later. During the 13 years I lived in Southern California, I lived in 12 different places, earned a teaching degree, got married, and had my first child. Wanting to raise our children in a different environment, we moved to Idaho, with Art's work still coming from California. The girls and I frequently visit California to see relatives/friends, and we keep a tiny studio apartment to use for our visits there and for Art's weekly business trips. We have driven many times but we typically fly these days, about every 6 weeks or so.

I get to tag 5 people, so if you'd like to join in the fun, Pisces Place, theONLYtania, TK, Maybepigscanfly, and Everyday Dish consider yourself tagged! :)

Here's the fineprint about how to play: Players must list one fact, word, or tidbit that is somehow relevant to their life for each letter of your first or middle name. When you are tagged you need to write your own post containing your first or middle name game facts, word, or tidbit. At the end of your post choose one person for each letter of your name to tag.
 Don’t forget to leave a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog. If I’ve tagged YOU, please join in on the fun!