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!

Coconut, Celeraic, & Cookbook

These are 'Banana-Coconut Muffins' from VegCooking (recipe here). These muffins are fabulous! Art, Abigail, and I gobbled them all up as soon as they cooled. The banana makes them super-moist and I put some tin foil on top towards the end so the coconut wouldn't toast beyond my liking. Art put Earth Balance on his, while Abi and I ate ours plain. Liv refused to try them even though they looked suspiciously like cupcakes --- specifically VwaV's 'Coconut Heaven Cupcakes' (pg. 227). If you're a coconut lover like myself, you gotta try these recipes.

'Vicki's Celeraic Lentil Soup'
1 Celery Root, peeled & cubed
5 Carrots, cleaned & sliced
5 Serrano Peppers, minced
7 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Bunch Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 lb. Green Lentils, washed & I found a rock!
2 tsp. Curry Powder
2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/4 tsp. Cardamom
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
8 C. H2O

In a stockpot, saute the garlic and Serrano in olive oil over medium heat. Add the celeraic, carrots, & spices and saute a bit longer. Add the water, lentil, & parsley and put the lid on. Bring to an almost boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or more. Garnish with some fresh parsley.

Yeaah, the library emailed me saying that 'Healthy At 100' was returned and waiting for me. Since reading the John Robbins interview by Joseph Connelly in VegNews (52), I've been wanting to read this book. Other than the dishes, this is my agenda tonight. Here's the Contents:
1. The World's Healthiest and Longest Lived Peoples
2. Our Food, Our Lives
3. The Body-Mind Connection
4. Why Your Love Matters
5. The Human Spirit

And, look at my new & pretty cookbook! In (yet another article) inside VegNews (51), they review the author's organic farm bed & breakfast near Victoria B.C. In the article, Matthias gives her recipe for 'Sweet Pepper Coconut Corn Chowder' which I tried, and it was so scrumptious that I had to get the cookbook. There are several recipes I'm looking forward to. Has anybody stayed at the Phoenix Organic Farm? I've always wanted to see the Butchart Gardens, which I guess is 10 minutes away.

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!"

Restaurant Review: Native Foods (Costa Mesa)

I never told you about our latest trek to California. I took Julie Hasson, Vivacious Vegan, and Bazu's advice and ate at Native Foods (Costa Mesa). Thank you so much for that tip! What an awesome restaurant! Its: 100% vegan, organic, waste conscious, animal loving, good cooking restaurant! With our California connections (Art's a CA native, UCI alumni, and I lived there for 13 years) it's hard to believe this was our first time eating here. We have a lot of eating to catch up on at Native Foods, and this is how we begin...




First, here's a weird thing about my husband, If a restaurant has a Veggie Jerk Burger on the menu, Art will always order it the first time he eats there. Native Foods does have a Jerk Burger ($7.50) on the menu, and this was our first time at Native Foods, so to the left you see The Jerk. If I remember right, he ordered the Thai Coleslaw, but they gave him french fries instead. I shared my salad with him and he celebrated the "mistake" with some Organic Annie's Ketchup. Art liked his meal, though he said he'd probably order something else next time. He always does.


As for me, I'm not just a jerk, I'm full-on Seitan. With that in mind, I ordered the California French Dip ($8.95) Thinly sliced roast seitan, caramelized onions, avocado on an organic French roll with au jus to dip, and I ordered the Thai Cole Slaw (gratefully received!). I was never a fan of French dip sandwiches as a meat eater, and don't miss them, but I really enjoyed this sandwich. The bread was soft and warm and held up to several dips in the au jus pool. The salad was fresh and tasty. I browsed through my newly purchased Native Foods cookbook as we waited for the food whilest sipping a Native Iced Tea (yeaah, that recipe is also in the cookbook!)

This last photo is included for Teresa, who suggested I go to Follow Your Heart Cafe in Canoga Park. Another big thank you for that suggestion. It's one of the last remaining co-ops in LA, and has a Cafe that was voted one of the 8 best restaurants in LA by Vegetarian Resource Group. A special award (& thanks!) goes to Bazu for the longest list of LA vegan restaurant recommendations (I printed it & keep it handy in my purse). The biggest disappointment of the visit was that we ran out of time and couldn't go South to visit Kleo -- next time, it's Kung Food or bust!
Remember, you are what you eat! :o)

Gingerbread Bears

GINGERBREAD COOKIES
3 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 C. brown sugar (packed)
3/4 C. earth balance (cut in small pieces)
1/4 C. unsulfured molasses
1/4 C. rice syrup
Ener-G for 1 egg (prepare as per pkg.)


Stir flour, baking soda, salt, & spices together. In another large bowl, mix Earth Balance & sugar until smooth. Add molasses, rice syrup, and Ener-G and mix well and combine with the dry mixture. Take the dough out of bowl & shape it into a large disk. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350* Lightly grease cookie sheet. Roll out dough to 1/8" thickness & cut out shapes. Bake 12-14 minutes. Cool before transferring.


Clean up the kitchen...













...and enjoy!


We pressed some currant eyes in our bears before cooking and really didn't feel the need to frost them. They were crunchy-good and not sugary-sweet. Just right.

'Tis The Season To Be Busy!

Not a whole lot of cookin' going on here lately. So I've been eating lots of quick foods, and for the most part sticking to my vegan goal. Here you see 'Creamy Hummus' from Vive le Vegan! pg. 62 -- this might be round 2 or 3... It always starts like this -- pretty, in the bowl with pita bread, celery, & orange peppers to dip. Then, it goes into pita sandwiches or spread on crackers with pickled asparagus or something. I like to keep some in the fridge for a quick, healthy & satisfying meal.




Then, for my sweet-tooth, I just turn to pg. 126 for 'Double Chocolate Almond Explosion Cookies' --- these are my all-time favorite cookie. I'm tickled pink that I can make them at home anytime I want and that my daughters can lick the bowl (yes, they are the girls' favorite too!) I made them BIG this time --- only getting 7 total from the batch (the first cookie off the parchment paper always misses the photo op). If you're reading this, you've probably made these -- if not, you really must get to it.




More cookies! I made these a while back -- they are Vegan Diva's Lime Cookies (recipe) I think it's so sweet how Emmy always makes cookies for her mom -- so, when the girls and I visited my mom, I made some lime cookies to take. They were a big hit, and my mom was impressed that they are vegan. At 60+, my mom has become interested in becoming vegetarian! If you knew her, you'd be shocked too! It is for health reasons. There are many paths that lead to a veggie lifestyle -- It's hard to deny the truth.



I'm still really loving my Crock Pot. This is a creamy one-pot meal:

Slow Cooker Risotto with Swiss Chard
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice
2 cups organic vegetable broth
1/2 dry white wine
dash salt (wait until the end)
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed clean, well dried & coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a small skillet. Add onion and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Place in slow cooker. Add rice and toss well to coat. Stir in broth, wine, & Swiss chard. Cover & Cook on high 2 - 2 1/2 hours or until all liquid is absorbed. Season to taste.

One cup of Swiss chard is loaded with vitamin K to promote bone health. It's also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E; iron; calcium; potassium; magnesium; manganese; and dietary fiber. You could also add Swiss chard to pasta or lasagna.


'Roasted Cauliflower in Lemon-Tahini Sauce' by Tim Miano of Virgina. He won First Place in the "2006 Reader Easy Ethnic Recipe Contest" by Vegetarian Times.

1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. tahini
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

1. Place oven rack in top position -- Preheat to *425
2. Toss cauliflower with 2 tsp. olive oil, season w/salt. Spread on large cookie sheet, bake 12 to 15 minutes until fork-tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in saucepan, saute garlic, stir in tahini, lemon juice, 5 Tbsp. water & salt. Simmer over low 1-2 minutes. Remove.
4. Divide cauliflower among plates. whisk sauce, spoon over cauliflower. Sprinkle with sesame seeds & parsley.


The Boise Community Radio fundraiser I told you about in the previous post was a big success! The PNYE party has earned it's spot as being the most successful fundraiser to date, and will become an annual event. Everybody grooved to the music and dug the quirky party theme. There was a silent auction, and here you see a shirt that I won made by a local artisan. Yeah, for homegrown music!

We are off to Southern California, so I won't be posting for a while. I will have a laptop though, and plan on visiting you here & there as time allows. My food plans include Real Foods Daily & Mother's Market in the LA and Orange County areas. Then, SIPZ and/or Kung Food with Kleo further South. Please let me know if you have other restaurant suggestions for me. Hope you are are doing wonderfully and I look forward to visiting you soon.

Party Like It's 1999!

This party will be fun -- it's a fundraiser for Boise Public Radio. Art'll be spinning records & running around making sure everything is happening while I'm dancing, taking photos, and passing out hats & noise makers! Wish us luck raising $$$ for community based radio. :o)

Spelt Biscuits

I had planned on making 'Spelt Biscuits' from Vegan Lunch Box (pg.80) for Thanksgiving, but simply ran out of time. The thought of them lingered, so I made them for lunch the next day to serve with another round of left-overs. We used the donut & (my favorite) little heart cookie cutter.









A rolling pin & cookie cutters are Liv's favorite kitchen gadgets -- this was a fun activity for her.
Jennifer McCann is totally right - these biscuits come together in a flash in the food processor. Her recipe calls for "white spelt flour" as well as "whole wheat spelt flour" -- I've never seen the distinction before, have you? At our Co-op, it's just "spelt flour." So I only used that & it worked just fine. We'll be making these easy & tasty biscuits again.




I wanted to share a photo of our Little Drummer Girl. With a Daddy like Art, Liv & Abi are constantly around music & instruments -- so when we go to The Guitar Center, it's fun to see folks gather around to watch the girls demo their instruments! :o)

Thanksgiving

A turkey walnut marked each person's place at the dinner table. (duck & mouse nuts) Our extended families couldn't join us this year, so we invited friends who didn't already have plans. They also had to be willing to experiment with us on several new vegan dishes. Not too many food photos because they didn't turn out well due to poor lighting. I was also in a hurry to just serve the food already and spare our guests waiting for photographs. Anyway, -- this is how it went.





Jeanne's Flaky Pastry
2 1/4 c. Flour
1 tsp. Sea Salt
3/4 c. non-hydrogenated shortening
7 Tbsp. ice water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in 1/2 cup of the shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Cut in remaining shortening until mixture is size of large peas. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time -- working the dough with a wooden spoon or your hands -- until particles cling together when pressed into a ball. Cover with a damp towel; let stand several minutes. (This is a good time to prepare your pie filling) Then, divide in half; roll into 2 9-inch pie crusts.

For the apple filling, I pared, cored, & sliced a 1 lb. bag of apples. Combined with 3/4 c. Sugar, 2 Tbsp. arrowroot powder, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Bake @ 425* for 50 minutes. When the pie edges are golden, cover with an aluminum ring to protect from burning.

Pumpkin Tofu Pie
1 15 oz organic pureed pumpkin
3/4 c. Sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder
1 package silken, firm tofu, cubed
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

In the processor, blend the pumpkin and sugar. Add salt, spices and arrowroot powder. Then, add tofu, and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 425*, Then lower heat to 350* and bake for an hour. Chill and serve. This pie was a huge hit! :o)

This is 'Curly Kale with Caramelized Onions' from Vegetarian Times, Nov. 2006. This was good, but I'll go back to my regular way next time. We also had 'Best Brussels Sprouts' from Vegan Lunch Box, pg. 261. The name is fitting, and is our new favorite way to eat brussels sprouts -- lightly glazed with sweet & sour. I also made Idaho Mashed Potatoes with plain Silk and Earth Balance. I peeled and chopped the potatoes early in the morning, then put them in the pot and covered with cold water and ice for later. I made 'Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing' from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, pg. 148. This was another success to add to next year's meal. It's great using the crockpot because it frees up hands to work on other parts of the feast.

This is our Tofurkey Roast -- Art added some carrots & onions. He also made Sweet Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, and a Green Bean Casserole. I was striving for a vegan Thanksgiving, and we came very close. If The Vegan Police had made a surprise visit, they would've tagged us for the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes and the whip cream for the pie.

It was a great meal, and we have so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!




Left-Overs Pot Pie
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 small onion
1 shallot
2 Stalks Celery
Sea Salt
2 Sweet Potatoes, cubed (optional)
left-over mashed potatoes
Fresh or Frozen Corn
2 Vegan Bouillon
3 c. Water
3 Tbsp. Arrowroot Powder
1/4 c. Fresh Parsley
Puff Pastry Sheet

Heat oil and saute onion, shallot, & celery until translucent. Add sweet potato, corn, bouillon, & water. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat an simmer until cooked through. Mix 1/2 c. liquid from mixture and arrowroot powder -- stir back into mixture. Simmer until it thickens. Preheat oven to 425*. Coat with cooking spray and press a layer of left-over mashed potatoes in the bottom of a pie tin. I also added some left-over tofurkey. Then fill with the vegetable mixture. With a pizza cutter, and using the pie tin as a guide, cut a circle from one puff pastry sheet a little larger than the pie tin. Cut air release holes in the top of the pastry and fit on top, crimping the edges. Bake 15 minutes, or until brown and puffy.