Mostly Green

I updated my FB status with, "Vicki asks What to do with all this broccoli?" Getting responses like a YouTube of Dana Carvey's "Chopping Broccoli", or the "Love Food Hate Waste" link with recipes to use it up. Or, a PPK recipe Theresa suggested "Classic Broccoli Quiche" which you see. It was OK. I think it'd be righteous sandwich spread, or burrito filling - being complimented by other ingredients. If nothing else, go learn potluck faux pas & eves drop on the fall-out of one potluck party gone bad.


This is the pie shell I used for the quiche. It was delicious and convenient. No wonder Wholly Wholesome was named "Best Pie Crust" in the November 2008 issue of Real Simple Magazine.

Green because they are organic, animal-free pie shells. They are available in Traditional, Whole Wheat & Spelt, as well as Graham & Chocolate Pie. No kneed to roll the dough.



My Costco broccoli bag continued...
VICKI'S BROCCOLI POTATO SOUP
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
3 lb yukon gold potatoes, chopped
6 cups boiling water
2 tbsp "Better Than Bouillon" vegetable base
4-5 cups fresh broccoli, cooked & drained
sea salt, fresh ground pepper & nutritional yeast



1. In a soup pot saute onion & garlic in oil. Add potatoes, water and veg base. Cover, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Clean & remove broccoli stems and steam. Once cooked add to soup.
3. In a food processor puree the soup and return to stock pot. Season with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.
If you're lucky, you'll have Sweet & Saras on hand for dessert! Seriously.

Have you heard of Cono Sur?
You can feel even nicer drinking this wine because it's green. They are the first winery in the world to obtain CarbonNeutral delivery status, which means that CO2 emissions from the shipping has been measured and balanced to net zero through Greenhouse Gas Emissions reductions projects. They also grow organic grapes, and ride bicycles. Bet they recycle & compost too. And the wine doesn't suck either!

5 Ways to Save the World

1. Cut out the meat. Cows require 8-10 lbs. of grain to produce 1 lb. of beef, and they consume half of all the antibiotics used in the USA, and livestock is a bigger source of greenhouse gases than the transportation sector. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce 1 lb. of meat, but only 25 gallons to produce 1 lb. of wheat. The world's cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to caloric needs of 8.7 billion people -- more than the entire human population. Nobody should be going hungry if we were all consuming our fair share.
2. Avoid packaging and processing. Buy more corn on the cob than corn chips. In many cases, companies use even more energy packaging the food than making the food itself.
3. Buy local. Shop farmer's markets, or become a member of a CSA. You'll get the freshest food possible and keep farmers in your community. Click here for CSA options near you.
4. Choose organic. Organic agriculture minimizes our exposure to toxic and persistent pesticides in the soil, air, water, and food. Let's reduce chemical use.
5. Cook and eat together. Americans are eating more calories than ever before, and spending less time and energy preparing food. Eating wholesome foods doesn't have to chain you to the kitchen. A head of broccoli can be sauteed with garlic in the same amount of time it takes to get fast food. Don't forget the original fast foods: an apple, some nuts, edamame. They'll satisfy your cravings -- and your conscience.

So, if you want to change the world, change what you eat. Food is the area of your life where small modifications can have a big impact. YOU can have a positive impact on global warming, your water supply, community stability, family welfare, your health and appearance, and the beauty & integrity of your regional landscape. Go here or here to begin.

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!

Holiday Wrap-Up

We did lots of delicious eating over the holidays! This was my Christmas dinner plate:
*Idaho potatoes mashed with soy milk, Earth Balance, and sea salt
*bread stuffing with vegetable broth
*Tofurkey slices
*Brussels sprouts sauteed in EB
*side green salad with local greenhouse
tomatoes & carrots
*fruit salad with apples, pears, banana, and pineapple with juice (less local):


With all this food preparation, it was nice having a couple helping elves in the kitchen!












We strive for food that is locally grown and organic. We're completely vegetarian (consume nothing with eyes) and almost vegan (eliminating dairy)! We realize the immense impact our day-to-day food choices have. Reducing or eliminating meat consumption is something concerned citizens can do every day to help our planet. In the face of our daunting global warming problem, I find it comforting and encouraging to know there IS something you can do every time you eat! The force of the fork has great potential! Pass it on. . .


All of this healthy eating is great fuel for a winter bicycle ride around town and through city parks. What an exhilarating ride!

Art was able to stay home from work a couple weeks, and we vacationed at the best place... home! :)






BIG smiles for snow! Bring it on!

It took several hours to build Frosty and was quite a playful workout. To Liv's delight, he looked in our kitchen window for about a week!




Below is a photo of a warming meal! From Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson, 'Sweet and Spicy Lentil Chili' I added celery & carrots, omitted the red bell pepper, with Eden organic crushed tomatoes.





Next time it'll be in a burrito with rice &/or sauteed seitan, Smart Ground by Lightlife, tofu scramble or something. . .

This time, the 'Skillet Corn Bread' from Veganomicon stole the show - the Double-Corn Variation. I feel like a (mad) scientist curdling the soy milk with apple cider vinegar to simulate buttermilk. ahhhha!



'Chocolate Brownies' from The Joy of Vegan Baking. Warning! These brownies are super moist and sinfully chocolaty! Your resistance will be low. . .

The fun here is using ground "good for you" flax seed as the binder. That's right, just whirr it up with water in your blender, and presto! No eggs needed. (or wanted.)

This cookbook really is awesome, and I'm still bent on baking every single item!

3 Product Reviews & Encouraging Global Warming News!

I haven't been cooking much lately, and it really shows in my posts! But getting back into blog surfing sure brings on the cooking inspiration, and my list is growing. I was actually inspired this morning reading my local newspaper. I saw a recipe for 'Tempeh, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches' and nearly fell off my chair when I saw that it was a Fatfree Vegan Kitchen recipe! How cool is that? Did you see this in your paper? Susan said it ran in several. These cookies were OK.


This is one of our all-time favorite prepared faux meats. Since striving to be vegan, it has been a sore spot that this product was only vegetarian.

Last time I was at the Co-op, I noticed the subtle difference in the packaging. Vegetarian Plus has veganized its 'Citrus Sparerib Cutlets' ! Here's the tip: only cook this for 7-8 minutes, otherwise the sauce get overcooked too easily and is too sticky, add pineapple for a treat!


Now here's some encouraging news! Art sent me a text this morning that read, "new study out today eat less meat helps global warming, on ktla.com and ktla today."
And just last night, I even heard Leno joking about the meat industry connection to global warming. It's happening! People are taking note of the negative impact of the meat industry on the world. This information will only empower people. You can fight global warming every time you eat. Now where have I heard that before?? Oh, and the girls didn't really like these nuggets.

Idaho Global Warming Forum - TODAY!

*****UPDATE after the forum******

I sat through the presentation, and it was no surprise that a plant based diet was never mentioned as a solution to global warming, even though it is the single most effective thing a person can do. Then, they asked the audience if they had other ideas to fight global warming, I raised my hand (keeping Veggie Girl's advice in mind), and said,

"A groundbreaking 2006 U.N. report states that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gasses than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. (I heard people gasp!) Furthermore, raising animals for food consumes nearly half the water used in the U.S. and the meat industry causes more water pollution in the U.S. than all other industries combined! Fighting global warming is as easy as changing what's on your plate. Stop eating meat, at least for one meal a week. You can do it, and you just might like it!"

A couple people actually cheered for me! Afterward, some came over to talk to me more about what I said. I was really encouraged by the interest! I really believe some people just don't know how destructive to us and the environment the meat industry really is. I also took the opportunity to speak personally with Mayor Bieter (Boise mayor) about other concerns of mine, including our fledgling recycling program and he agreed with me that Seattle remains a shining example of how a large city can effectively handle recycling. At the forum, I shared some, learned some, and networked a lot. It was good to get involved. :)

**************************************************************************************************

A couple days ago, a small article on the back of the business section caught my eye, which I rarely ever glance at.

"The Idaho Conservation League has teamed up with Conservation Voters of Idaho and Boise Mayor Dave Bieter to hold a forum on solutions to Idaho challenges posed by global warming."

I arranged for a sitter, RSVP'd, and I'll be going in a few hours. In the shower, I had a scary thought that made my heart race (and it hasn't stopped). I wonder if they'll talk about diet as a solution to global warming? If it isn't discussed, I will be compelled to bring up the meat problem, and spew some facts from this article. I hate speaking in public! Send me strength to do this in the most positive way.

PLEASE any advice? tips? suggestions? things to say? questions to ask?

Planting Trees

I'm really going to miss these six little trees. I found them about a year ago - volunteers sprouting around the yard. I knew they had to be pulled, but wanted them to live, so I transplanted them to terra cotta pots, and babied them all year long. They've grown so much, but the pots had become root bound. Mom said they'd take them on their property. My mom is a tree freak, I guess that's where I get it. Here they are ready to go.



Each of the six trees we planted represented each of us: Mom, Bill, Liv, Abi, Art, & I. Here I am holding my tree, which was planted East of Arts, and North of the girls.

Trees are green machines that act as natural filters of our air. Through the process of photosynthesis they absorb carbon dioxide (principle contributor to global warming) from the atmosphere and store it in their trunk, branches, leaves, roots, soil and foliage, while releasing oxygen back out - like magic.

Here's Mom holding her tree. She was pretty excited about it all! lol!

But, "First", she said, "we'll need energy, so I'll make lunch -- and I even have something that you'll like, Vicki!"

I admit to being very skeptical about that.





We went in the kitchen, and she pulls this box from the garage freezer all secretive. "Shhh, don't tell Bill, he doesn't know they aren't meat hamburgers. He likes a more manly meal, you know."

I didn't ask her to explain, I just sliced avocado, tomato, and pickles while she leafed the lettuce and toasted the whole wheat bread.
She was right, I really liked that lunch a lot. You know, I think she's getting it!


A "non-manly" meal didn't seem to hold Bill back from digging 6 holes in the ground! He never mentioned the switch-a-roo. Maybe he can't tell the difference? Maybe he knows, but won't let on because he prefers Boca? Who knows who has the other one fooled, but it's a funny game they play!

See Jolie back there running around?




Both girls helped plant their trees, and theirs are directly South of mine.

The brown paper bag was planted along with each tree. We were all quite proud of ourselves for being so green, and I can't wait to go back and see how our trees are fairing.






The Nez Perce reservation in Lapwai, Idaho, have begun a very cool program. The native people are creating jobs and restoring their lands by planting trees as carbon offsets.

Love Trees is another cool carbon offsetting tree program. Give a tree. Plant a tree. Hug a tree.

He who plants a tree
Plants a hope.
~Lucy Larcom, "Plant a Tree"

Soup, Salad, & Bread

This 'Banana Carob Almond Coconut Loaf' from ExtraVeganZa (pg. 125) was delicious! I used equal amounts of whole wheat pasty flour and spelt flour, and the recipe is actually for muffins, but I decided to just dump the mix in a loaf pan and it baked through nicely. The recipe also calls for chopped almonds inside the batter, but I knew the girls wouldn't go for it that way, so I put sliced almonds on top, which is easy to remove. Art and I ate several slices, and this is a yummy recipe with several flavors that compliment each other perfectly.


Here is a bread bowl of 'Potato-Asparagus Soup' from Vegan with a Vengeance (p. 99) I had an abundance of potatoes and asparagus to use up, and like magic, I found this recipe. Isa admits to not spicing up this recipe much because asparagus is her favorite vegetable and she wanted its flavor to shine through. It shined a little too much for us, and we added several shakes of chili powder and sea salt, which kicked it up a notch. I'm a huge fan of this cookbook, but this recipe turned out just OK. Look at the fresh lacy dill from my herb barrel!

For Memorial Day we went to a barbecue at Fred & Wendy's house. She asked me to bring a salad, and my standby is 'Quinoa Spring Salad' from Vive le Vegan! (pg. 71) Art took this photo right before leaving, and the wind blew off, and took away the fresh cilantro garnish! I LOVE this salad, and this is a double recipe. Fred thoughtfully grilled some portobello mushrooms for us on the grill knowing we are veggie. Thanks for a fun party!



There was left-over salad from the party, so Art and I ate cups of salad the next day. Nasturtiums are growing like weeds in my herb barrel, so I dressed them up Hawaiian style!









More cups of salad! This time, I made a 'Simple Slaw' which had shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onion. It's tossed with Brianna's Real French Vinaigrette, which is a light dressing. I also added some sunflower seeds to mine after the photo - I like crunchy food!

Stay cool this summer! Looks like another hot one - we are already breaking records here in Idaho (yesterday was 20 degrees higher than the record!), and our power bill went up 20% because of the lack of moisture over the winter. Is it 2008 yet?

Restaurant Review: Native Foods (Costa Mesa)

I took the sisters to Native Foods because we were hungry and in the area already to visit Centennial Farm (I'll share more about that later...) Art and I have eaten here once or twice before, but this was the first time for the girls.

It's always a challenge dining with "the monkeys" because Abi is at that phase where her main goal is to clear the table, climb on top, and squeal in victory. (This is just a phase, right?) Anyway, I forged ahead because I wanted to share this experience with them, and fortunately,we didn't cause too much of a scene!







They enjoyed seeing the framed photo of the turkey on our table. And the free stickers...

I love the fact that the entire menu is non-dairy, and their goal is to be 100% organic. Today, we wanted to experiment with the kid's menu and side items. Too bad they were out of 'Fruity Hooty' $3.75 Sliced fruit (mango, banana, apple) with oranged flavored creamy dipping sauce.


Here's our 'Edamame' $3.75 Organic steamed soy beans dusted with sea salt.
'Native Seasoned Fries' $3.50 Fried in vegetable oil and seasoned with a Native blend of fun spices. The lady behind the counter offered to leave the spices out for the girls, which I really appreciated.
'Trees and Roots' $4.00 is off the "Green Kids Rule!" section of the menu, and is steamed broccoli and raw carrots with Ranch.



I recommend the edamame, if you need to keep little hands busy so that you can sneak off to refill your 'Native Iced Tea' $2.35 -- Which is a lemony hibiscus tea lightly sweetened with apple juice. I order the refreshing tea every time, and you can find the recipe in Chef Tanya's cookbook.


Native Foods has four locations to choose from: Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Westwood, & Costa Mesa. We were at the Costa Mesa location @ 2937 Bristol St. 714.751.2151 And, they are open 11-10 7 days a week.






Native Foods exudes messages of conscious living. Outside, on a Prius, I saw this sticker. Inside, I took one of several pamphlets available. It's titled "Think you can be a meat-eating environmentalist? Think again! If you care about the planet, go vegetarian."
On the back of the flyer is a concise list of "Did You Know?" facts, and since I'm fairly quick on the keyboard, I thought I'd just type them here to share. Most of my readers already know, but hopefully this message will be found by somebody with the courage to try something new! Here are some reasons why you should...

Pollution: The meat industry causes more water pollution in the United States than all other industries combined because animals raised for food produce 130 times more excrement than the entire human population does - 86,000 pounds per second. A typical pig factory farm generates a quantity of raw waste equal to that of a city of 50,000 people, but without the sewage system. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the runoff from factory farms pollutes our rivers and lakes more than all other industrial sources combined.

Land: Of all agricultural land in the United States, nearly 80 percent is used to raise animals for food. More than 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to create cropland to grow grain to feed farmed animals. Twenty times more land is required to feed a meat-eater than to feed a pure vegetarian.

Water: Raising animals for food consumes nearly half the water used in the U.S. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef, but only 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat. Also, the EPA reports that chicken, hog, and cattle excrement have polluted 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and contaminated groundwater in 17 states.

Global Warming: Meat production causes global warming. The massive amount of animal feces produced in factory farms is the largest source of airborne methane in the U.S. According to the EPA, methane traps heat in the atmosphere more than 20 times more effectively than carbon dioxide does.

Energy: Raising animals for food requires more than one-third of all the raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S. Satisfying our appetite for flesh requires fuel to produce fertilizer for the crops that are fed to animals, oil to run the trucks that take them to slaughter, electricity to freeze their carcasses, and much more.

Animals: You can't be concerned about the environment without caring about our fellow inhabitants, the animals. They're made of flesh and blood, have complex social and psychological lives, and feel pain, just as humans do. More than 27 billion animals are killed by the U.S. meat industry each year, and they're killed in ways that would horrify any compassionate person.

"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you can do."
---- Sir Paul McCartney

For a free vegetarian starter kit (and the sources for these facts), visit GoVeg.com or call 1-888-VEG-FOOD

Crock-Pot Seitan Stew

We had been hoping for a rainy day like this because the girls have been waiting (not so patiently) to try-out their new umbrellas. I had forgotten how fun it is to play in the rain and not get wet! Weather like this makes me hanker for certain food. Comfort food -- warm & hearty. Food that fills up the house with a savory aroma. Combine the rainy day atmosphere with this awesome post that I saw recently at The House of Simon, and I was destined to make stew. I followed Carrie's step-by-step photos adding my own flavor.

Layered in the crock --
1. Red Potatoes, cleaned & quartered
2. Carrots, scrubbed & diced
3. Sauteed in soybean margarine: Elephant Garlic, Sweet Onion, Serrano Peppers, Shallot, Chili Powder, Sage, & Thyme
4. Sauteed in Soybean Margarine: Seitan in Mr. Yoshida's marinade
5. Water to cover Veggies, Tamari, Pepper
6. High for 6 Hours
7. Throw in a handful of fresh Green Beans
8. 3 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder + warm both to thicken. Cover & cook another 20 minutes.

Mmmm-Good, we ate ours with a crusty, sourdough baguette from La Brea Bakery. Art says this is the best vegetable stock to come from the kitchen. I've decided that next time I won't put the seitan in the slow cooker -- I'll just brown it and serve on top of the stew at the end.

This really reminded us of stew we used to eat pre-vegetarian 16 years ago. Except this is the guiltless vegan version, and every bit as tasty. Removing meat from the bowl is proven to help prevent cancer, beat heart disease, lower blood pressure, prevent & reverse diabetes, gall stones, kidney stones, osteoporosis, & asthma (article). It's also good for the environment. Methane is responsible for nearly as much global warming as all other non-CO2 greenhouse gases put together. The number one source of methane worldwide is animal agriculture, producing more than 100 million tons of methane a year. (article) Going meatless is good for your health, the environment, and the cow. So Dig in!

Vote for the Globies!

Wouldn't you like to help select the best and worst global warming performances? How satisfying would that be? Just click above. There's only 5 questions, so it doesn't take long. They'll announce the winners (and losers as the case may be) on February 23. Go vote! (Thanks for the link, Kleo :o)

This is 'Maple-Almond Granola with Cranberries and Blueberries' from "Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker". It's pictured on the one little patch of snow that I could find this winter. hmmmm... About the granola, it's Ok, & we're a bit spoiled by other granola we buy and haven't gone crazy for this. It'll be perfect for a pie crust. It was interesting making granola in a slow cooker, and it worked surprisingly well. This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I'm wondering if any readers have other Robin Robertson cookbooks?

Petition

Dear Friends,

Kleopatra sent this petiton to me, and I forwarded it on to some of you individually, and decided to put this out for everyone else who hasn't seen it yet....

Can you believe that in just two years from now, a new president will be inaugurated?

As candidates from all parties are throwing their hats in the
ring, NOW is the time to take action. Unless we have a leader
who is committed to solving our global warming crisis, the
consequences could be dire - and irreversible.

The stakes have never been higher, which is why the League of
Conservation Voters is launching their biggest campaign yet.
They need us.

Join me in helping to put 100,000 signatures on a petition
demanding for global warming solutions from U.S. presidential
candidates.

Sign the Heat is On petition by clicking HERE

Now, I'm off to continue planning my daughter's 4th birthday party. She is crazy about sharks! So, I'm making a "pin the fin on the shark" game, shark puppets, shark cake, shark chopsticks, etc!! Wish you all could join us for a bite!

I saw Al Gore

This year will be marked by two events for my hometown. If you're a football fan, then you might know that BSU recently won the Fiesta Bowl. I'm not a football fan, but I really love Mother Earth, so I was thrilled to learn that former VP Al Gore would deliver the keynote address at the 23rd annual Frank Church Conference on Public Affairs. I was on the edge of my seat (aisle chair of the 6th row with an unobstructed view in a crowd of 10,000) hearing a message very similar to his famous movie only updated with more statistics and findings from the year. It also incorporated issues relevant to the Northwest and facts about specific climate related incidents in Idaho, such as flooding, droughts and forest fires. The impact of this important and crucial subject combined with the excitement of seeing Al Gore was a bit overwhelming for me. He is a powerful and dynamic speaker -- fluctuating between jokes and alarming facts while offering fantastic hope at an opportunity to respond to this call to action and solve the problem before it's too late. Since seeing the movie and reading the book, I've had deep feelings about his issue -- some may call me fanatical, but I wonder if it is possible to care too much about this? Proven science projects catastrophic events within my daughters' lifetimes. This is a completely terrifying & paralyzing thought for me. Where to begin? It's frustrating when most of my friends haven't even been motivated enough to go see the movie. But Gore urges us not to go straight from denial to despair -- skipping the the key middle component of doing something about the problem -- action. Small decisions matter when you multiply them by a thousand, million, 10 million.

Warming Soups & Global Warming

We were hanging out with a most excellent friend when he presents the question. Can you name the beans for 15 Bean Soup? He then pulls out his partial list and checks it as we rattle off bean varieties that come to mind. We never completed the list, but it did prompt Art to buy a bag of 15 Bean Soup. We agreed on all the ingredients, and I prepared the soup as planned. The night before, I soaked the beans. I remember my mom doing that, so the tradition lives on and I also enjoy the anticipation of soup the next day. How many beans can you name?



ART & VICKI'S 15 BEAN SOUP
10 med. carrots
1 bunch kale
1 bunch Italian parsley
4 small leeks
2 medium onions
3 Serrano peppers
5 small garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups water
3 vegan bouillon cubes
1 pound 15 (or more!) varieties of beans

METHOD
Place beans in a large pot, cover with water, and soak overnight. After soaking, drain water, add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 3 hours. While this is happening, prep your vegetables. Then, heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the garlic, onion, and pepper and saute until almost translucent. Add the leaks and carrots saute more. At this point & in this order, I put the beans, sauteed vegetables, bouillon cubes, kale & parsley in the Slow Cooker on low for 8 hours. I seasoned mine with sea salt, and needed nothing more. Art discovered that for him adding ketchup and mustard was the perfect taste sensation!



Art's Mom gave me this silicone loaf pan for Christmas, so I tried it out on 'Pumpkin Raisin Loaf' from TEV (pg. 169). Instead of kamut flour I used white along with vanilla soy milk and golden raisins. Delicious! The pan is refrigerator, freezer, microwave, and oven safe. Has a quick-release, non-stick surface that cooks quickly. It's also dishwasher and metal utensil safe. Love it, thanks Char!






This is 'Chickpea Broccoli Casserole' from VwaV (pg. 96). It was really good. I ate it all myself over a 3 day period. Nope, I didn't get any help at all eating this one. But, I think my family would enjoy it with a crafty disguise -- like phyllo, samosas, tacos, pita bread, sandwiches, pizza, or something along those lines. Or, I could just continue to keep it to myself!





This soup was inspired and modeled from 'Curried Lentil, Potato, and Cauliflower Soup' from Vegetarian Soups for all Seasons Bountiful Vegan (pg. 73) Though Nava may not recognize it because there are several changes:
I used red lentils instead of brown/green
I used 2 lg. leeks, leaving out the celery
I used kale, omitting the spinach
I also skipped the tomatoes

I ate many bowls of this soup! Art liked it too.



Here is just one of Dan Piraro's brilliant cartoons concerning the state of our planet. I share his and many of your reactions & sentiments toward Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth." So you can imagine my overwhelming emotions holding the ticket below in my hands.....








January 22, I will hear Al Gore speak at 7 pm. "Global Warming --- Beyond The Inconvenient Truth" I CAN NOT wait. After seeing the movie & reading book, I'm anxious for the "Beyond" part. Beyond the facts and shocking truth, and on to solutions and some encouraging words for this fragile planet of ours. It is true, Gore would make his point more effectively if he was a vegetarian, but I can certainly overlook it because he seems to be the only powerful person in the US who gives a damn about this issue. That said, do you think he will mention the "V" word? Will he mention that possibly the most powerful step we can take as individuals to avert global warming is to stop consuming animal products? We'll see... And regardless, I'd like to say to Al (if he's lurking!) "Welcome to my home town, Former Vice President & World Leader on Global Warming!"