Bear Sweets

We used to make something like this when I was a kid. We creatively called them Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats, and it's what we settled for when we were out of marshmallows.

Things have changed since then. I don't feel the same love for marshmallows, and thanks to my daughter, they now have a snappy new name.





Bear Sweets
1 1/3 c Rice Krispies
1/3 c confectioners' sugar
1/3 c smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp Earth Balance

Adorn with dried cranberries, blueberries, raisins, nuts, or piped icing. Olivia can't resist chocolate chips, and pictured are baby sized semi-sweet m&ms I found in bulk, and 'Lets Do Organic Coconut Flakes'. Use what you have.




Mix together the cereal and confectioners' sugar.












Melt the peanut butter and margarine in a pan over low heat.

Pour the mixture into the bowl and stir until everything is well mixed together.









Use an ice cream scoop to divide the mixture into 6 parts on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Squish them together to make patties. Use a plastic baggie as a glove to keep fingers clean if you must. Try to flatten and consolidate them as much as possible.

Decorate!




Chill in the fridge about 30 minutes or until they hold together nicely in your hand.


To say these were a hit with the younger generation would be a serious understatement!

Cherry Orange & Creamy Peach Sorbet to Cool Ya

Summer's in full swing, and we've found a delicious way to keep cool! It's simple, nutritious, and you don't even need an ice-cream maker.


Cherry Orange Sorbet

2 c fresh/frozen cherries
2 c orange juice
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice




Put everything into a food processor and puree.












Transfer to a pitcher, and pour the mixture into 2 ice-cube trays and freeze it until firm.

When you're ready to serve the sorbet, transfer the fruit cubes to a food processor. Pulse them, in short bursts, to make smooth sorbet.

Serve & eat immediately.





Here are the ingredients for another batch of sorbet.

Creamy Peach Sorbet

1 c coconut milk
1 large banana
3 peaches (I used some I canned last year)





This yielded a creamy, tropical flavor that my family loved.

Next time you make a smoothie, pour some of it into ice-cube trays to blend later into a frozen treat. The possibilities are endless, and I have a baggie in the freezer loaded with various frozen fruit ice cubes ready to be made into sorbet.




And because it's vegan, you'll also be cooling the planet. Does it surprise you that dairy cows are responsible for 25% of Idaho's carbon footprint? Dairy production produces loads of methane gas, which is 20 times more effective as CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Read this article to learn more about the vegan/global warming connection.
Hey, this dish is so chill that you might need toe socks to warm up your flip flops!

Vicious Dogs (Art's Guest Post)

I have the opportunity to guest blog here for Vicki, I've been on the hunt for new vegan grub in the LA area. I have tried various veggie dogs in town, including Pink's on La Brea (they have a "Pat Morrison Vegan Dog"), and also Orean's in Pasadena (they have a good BBQ tofu dog), but NOBODY beats the vegan dog at this place I found. It's called Vicious Dogs, located in the NoHo Arts District on Lankershim Boulevard. They have several vegetarian or vegan style dogs, take your pick. I grilled the owner (pardon the bun) on whether the dogs were actually vegan.

Sure enough, they are! Yves, and he was kind enough to pull them out and prove it! He tosses them on a special section of the grill, and you can order them any way you want. I've tried several varieties, but the best one, and what seems to be most popular there with vegans, is the "Sweet and Spicy" vegan dog. Damn, it's so good I have to cuss about it! I usually order two of them, they are $4.00 each, it's got grilled onions, grilled peppers, sweet and spicy sauce, and a delicious soft bun with the jumbo Yves dog in there.

The onions and peppers are grilled in a pan with olive oil. I caught this photo just as he had tossed the stuff on the grill. You could smell it already. They report that the vegan dogs are one of the most popular (there is a large arts community in the area and we know that artsy people are often vegans). Well, you can have it anyway you want, so I'm thinking about coming up with my own variety and asking him to name it after me. He has an "Original Willy Style" which has a special chipolte sauce and other stuff, but I'd say my favorite is the sweet and spicy and that's going to be hard to beat.

Look at that puppy! It was so good, after taking the photos, I wolfed it down and then got another one to go! You can call in your orders and each dog is made specially and ready to eat when you get there. Or, do like me, and order the dog there and talk smack with the owner, which is more fun, and probably why it's called Vicious Dogs. The difference here is that the vegan dog is cooked perfectly on the grill, as opposed to boiled or microwaved. We've tried the Foreman grill at home and it's okay, but nothing like this. So let me know what you'd put on a special vegan dog and maybe I'll get one named after me?