Long live ice cream! Dairy & egg free of course...

Since becoming vegan, I thought I would have to say goodbye to my love of ice cream.  I figured good ice cream could only be made from dairy & eggs and I resigned that this was just the way it had to be... to give up ice cream for good.  I was wrong.  I have discovered Turtle Mountain frozen desserts.  They are vegan and sooo good.  I found them at a specialty store and then recently found them at my local small grocery store.  So readily available.. could that not be a good thing?  (thinking of my waistline here)

I've tried their Purely Decadent made with COCONUT MILK Mint Chip, Gluten Free Cookie Dough, So Delicious made with Coconut Milk Coconut Almond Bar, and Organic So Delicious™ Dairy Free Mint Marble Fudge - loved them all.  Now if I can only get my hands on their Cherry Nirvana...

Becoming vegan these days is getting easier and easier with so many great and healthier alternatives to animal products.  Why stay omnivore?

Shampoo & Conditioner

I'm super excited.  There are quite a few vegan shampoos and conditioners out there, but trying to find ones that don't make my hair feel like crap was a challenge.  On a whim, I tried Earth Spirit Organics.  At first I tried their  Earth Spirit Organic Botanical Conditioner and was so impressed I tried their Earth Spirit Organics™ Botanical Shampoo.  They are so wonderful.  My hair feels soft and smells great.  I can't say enough about these products.  Not only are they vegan, but they are generously supported by verifiable, certified organic ingredients, herbal extracts and aromatherapy essential oils... such as, Lavender, Marigold, Canadian wildcrafted Red Clover, Clary Sage, and Sweet Grass.  Earth Spirit Organics is a family run Canadian company.  Every Earth Spirit Organics product is offered in (non-PVC) eco-packaging with sustainable, 100% certified forest-free (recyclable paper) labels.

Give it a try, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Body Bar Soap

I've been on the hunt for a really good vegan soap for a while now.  I'm very picky.  I want it to smell great, last long and be of good value with great ingredients.  I also want it to be made in Canada and be 100% cruelty-free (meaning no animal ingredients (which most soaps are) and no animal testing).  I think I hit the jackpot today.  I purchased NBW's (Nature's Body Works) Gentle Natural Glycerine Soap in "Desire" from our local holistic market.  NBW is a small Canadian company based out of Guelph, Ontario that make vegan spa products.  If all goes well in my experience with their soap, I am going to branch out and try their lip balms and sun protection.

Update:  These soaps are the best!  I've tried several of their other soap varieties and was very pleased.  This is a keeper.

Tofurky Sausage Rolls

These are easy, peasy.  My mom would make these for me as a kid, but with animal weiners.  These little rolls are yummy, quick, and cruelty-free.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 can (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
- 1 package Tofurky Breakfast Links

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unroll the can of dough; separate into 8 triangles.  Cut open package of Tofurky Breakfast Links.  Take four of the five links and cut in half lengthwise.  Place a half link on the shortest side of each triangle.  Roll up each, starting at shortest side of triangle and rolling to opposite point.  Place point side down on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Repeat until you have 8 rolls.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Enjoy.

Dish Care Products

I got asked by a friend what I use to clean my dishes.  She did her homework and saw that most products available in the regular grocery store are produced by companies that perform horrendous animal testing, not to mention they are bad for the environment.  So thought I'd share.  I use Bio Spectra's ATTITUDE Certified Eco-Friendly Automatic Dishwasher Phosphate-Free Detergent in my dishwasher.  It is a vegan product that happens to be environmentally friendly and produced right here in Canada.  I also use their dish soap to wash dishes in the sink.  They smell great and work.

Calzones

This recipe is a winner in my house.  Vegan and cruelty-free, it is literally a yummy filling pizza pocket that is healthy and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 package of prepared refrigerated pizza dough
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced (or 4 handfuls of sliced creminis)
- 4 cloves chopped garlic
- 2 Tbsp dried chopped rosemary
- 1 10oz box chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 15oz can of white kidney beans OR cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 package of Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella Cheese Alternative, shredded
- 1 15oz can of pizza sauce
- pinches of salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Allow the pizza dough to come to room temperature to allow for easier handling.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Preheat a medium skillet.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the sliced mushrooms and 3 cloves of the chopped garlic to the hot skillet.  Cook the mushrooms until they are dark and tender, approximately 10 minutes.  (If the pan gets too dry, add bits of water to avoid using too much oil.)  Then add the rosemary, salt and pepper.

In a food processor, add the beans, spinach, the remaining garlic, drizzle of olive oil, and salt & pepper.  Pulse until you get a good mixture.  If you don`t have a food processor, mash by hand with a potato masher or fork.

Cut the pizza dough into 4 equal portions.  Dust your hands with flour and spread the dough into 4 rounds.  On each round of dough, spread 1/4 of the bean mixture on one half of the dough.  Top with 1/4 of the mushrooms and then a small handful of the vegan mozzarella.  Fold the dough over and seal the calzones by pressing the edges lightly.  Oil/grease a cookie sheet with oil and arrange the calzones on the sheet.  You can also just line a cookie sheet with parchment paper if you wish, to avoid using oil if that concerns you.  Brush each calzone lightly with olive oil and bake the calzones until golden brown.  In my oven I baked for 20 minutes and broiled for 3 more minutes afterward to get a golden crust.

Serve calzones with a small bowl of pizza sauce for dipping.  Enjoy.

Yummy Strippers

I've been experimenting with several recipes lately to make them vegan.  While I do that, thought I'd share another product find that is rocking my world.  A friend recommended PC Blue Menu The World's Best Meatless Breaded Chicken Strips to me.  I bought them at my local grocery store and fell in love.  They are soo good.  I eat them all by themselves, without a sauce.  They are yummy.  Hard to tell they are vegan.

Nice to find something this good that you pop in the oven with some frozen fries for a quick easy meal.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I played around with an old favourite recipe of mine and came up with this vegan option.  Sooo good.

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp of whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
- 1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
- splash of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325.  In a small bowl, combine the unsweetened soy milk with the apple cider vinegar.  Set aside to let the soy milk curdle.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.  In the food processor, combine the brown sugar, Earth Balance, curdled soy milk, and vanilla.  Pulse until well blended and smooth.  When finished, add the sugar mixture to the oat mixture.  Stir until everything is moistened.  Stir in the raisins.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use an ice cream scoop to get even portions of the cookie dough layed out on the sheet.  Flatten the cookies with the back of the scoop or your finger.  Bake for 30 minutes for tender, chewy cookies or 35 minutes for crisp cookies.
Allow to cool.  Enjoy and happy pooping!

Laundry Soap

Sounds weird to blog about laundry soap, but when trying to live with compassion and avoid products that are harmful to animals, you need to do your homework and research companies to ensure you are supporting a morally responsible company.  Most grocery stores carry the big company laundry soaps and powders.. you know the ones.. they smell artificial and are produced by big commercial industry.  My local grocery store has three isles now devoted to responsible living - organic foods, environmental & biodegrable products, as well as vegan lines of products.  I replaced my commercial laundry soap with Nature Clean Laundry Liquid.  It is produced in Canada and does a great job cleaning my clothes (is safe on all fabrics by the way).  None of their products are tested on animals or contain any animal by-products - making them vegan friendly.  They also carry the Leaping Bunny logo, which highlights their dedication to cruelty free products.  You can also find them on the PETA site as well.

Rockin Vegan Pizza

I made this pizza tonight and it rocked our worlds.  Best pizza I've had in a loong time.

INGREDIENTS (makes 4-6 servings - very filling)

- store bought refrigerated pizza dough in a bag
- 2 Tbsp high oleic Safflower oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped into slivers
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced
- couple handfuls of sliced mushrooms
- Tofutti Herbs and Chives Better than Cream Cheese
- pizza sauce
- 1/2 green pepper, finely sliced
- 1/2 red pepper, finely sliced
- couple handfuls of pineapple tidbits
- 1/2 package of Earth Island Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella Cheese Alternative, gently grated
- sprinkle of Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend

INSTRUCTIONS

Allow pizza dough to come to room temperature before starting recipe (allows for easier handling).

Preheat oven to 425.  Spray a large cookie sheet with oil.  Drop the pizza dough onto the greased cookie sheet and spread out with your hands.  When it is the thickness and shape you desire, poke several holes in the flattened dough with a fork.  Bake in oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large skillet up to medium heat and add the oil and onions.  Sautee for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic.  Sautee for a couple more minutes and then add the mushrooms.  Sautee together for 5-7 minutes.  If your pan gets too dry, add a splash of water.
When the pizza dough is ready, remove from oven (but keep the oven on).  Spread a couple tablespoons of the Tofutti spread onto the dough (like you were buttering toast).  Next spread as much pizza sauce as you like on the dough.  Then top evenly with the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture.  Add your peppers and pineapple.  Finally, top with your grated "mozzarella" and sprinkle the entire pizza with Mrs. Dash.
Place back in oven and bake for 20 minutes.  When the 20 minutes are over, put your oven to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes (to allow the "mozzarella" on top the pizza to melt and brown a little).
Remove from the oven, slice up and enjoy!

Note:  In Canada, Vegan Gourmet is made by Earth Island.  In the USA, Vegan Gourmet is made by Follow Your Heart.  Same company, same product, just different names.

Panko Stuffed Mushrooms

I received the cookbook Veganomicon as a gift over Christmas and tried the recipe for Panko Stuffed Mushrooms.  Wholy moly - so good.  The house smelled like fabulous asian cooking.  I LOVED it.  The mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine) really made a difference.  I couldn't find daikons in my grocery store, so I used red bell peppers instead.

To bump up the yumminess of this recipe, I used the remoulade from the Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes recipe and added a tiny dollop on each stuffed mushroom.  Soo good.

Remoulade:
2 tablespoons Vegenaise
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard  (stone ground dijon works, too)
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons capers (try not to get too much brine)

I have always made stuffed mushrooms.. but I made the stuffing with cheese, garlic, brocolli, and shrimp.  This recipe boots the cheesy fish stuffing aside and replaces it with serious awesomeness.

Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes

I purchased the cookbook Vegan Brunch recently and tried my first recipe - Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes.  It was my first time using Tempeh (I used organic soy & brown rice tempeh) and I gotta say that I am a fan!  I followed the directions and was so impressed.  Easy and very yummy.  Was a huge hit in my house.  It kicks the shit out of fish cakes any day and has a womping amount of fiber and protein.  Will be making this again and again.

Heavenly Vegan Mayo & Butter

I'm in heaven.  I'm one of those people that loves butter and mayonnaise.  I cannot live without toasted tomato & mayo sandwiches and buttered rye toast.  I was searching for alternatives and found something better.. I actually prefer my alternatives OVER animal butter and eggy mayonnaise.  Check these out!

Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread is one of the best butter substitutes I have EVER tried.  This baby is actually healthy for you and the environment.  And vegan.  Does it get any better?  It tastes so good on my light rye toast.

Earth Island Vegenaise (as it is known in Canada) rocks.  It is vegan mayonnaise that is creamy and yummy.  I honestly can't tell the difference in my sandwiches.

Vegan Dog Food

I have a Great Pyrenees and a bunny rabbit (holland lop/english spot mix) at home. Oreo, my bunny, is naturally vegan. Transitioning Willow, my dog, over to vegan food was no problem. Our local pet food store had vegetarian options. We chose Techni-Cal Natural Blend Vegetarian dog food for our precious Willow. She loves it! We no longer have to prepare her food from scratch and have peace of mind that she isn't eating animal cruelty or contributing to cannibalism in any way. She has had no bad reactions and poops and pees normally. Yay Willow!

Bless You, Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk

I tried Unsweetened Original Almond Breeze recently (unsweetened almond milk) and was immediately impressed. I have used it in cereal, in recipes that call for cream and/or milk, and as a creamer in my tea and I love it. Can't believe I didn't catch on to this in my omnivore days. When I really think of drinking animal milk, it seriously grosses me out. Cow and goat's milk are for their young, not for humans. What kind of adult species drinks another species' milk? -Humans! We're so disgusting. Back in my omnivore days I should have just seated myself up to mother cow, pushed her calf out of the way, and started sucking on her for my morning cereal. Yah - gross right?! No friggin kidding.

Anyways, awesome that I found this MUCH better alternative. I haven't tried unsweetened rice or soy milk yet, but they are next on my list.

YAY.

P.S. Just beware the sweetened stuff - yuck!

Deodorant Stones

I've been using mineral salt deodorant stones for years now.. even in my omnivore days. I hated over-the-counter antiperspirant and deodorant products. The sprays made me sneeze and my eyes water. The sticks made my armpits gum up and sometimes sticky. The roll-ons made me feel wet all the time. A co-worker recommended natural deodorant stones to me. He explained why they are healthier for you (antiperspirants are just not a good idea to have near your lymph nodes) but also why they made a more environmentally sound choice. I bought one and tried it. Been hooked ever since.

Why blog about it? Because dummy, they are also vegan! Awesome. They contain mineral salts and therefore have no animal by-products or animal testing. I've been buying and using Pure & Natural Crystal Deodorant Stone from Bulk Barn, but I'm sure you can find other brands at health food stores or organic markets. You just wet the crystal and apply. They remove odour and dry immediately.

The Balm

I am a lip gloss & lip balm junkie. Lip balm is my desert island product. Why? Because I have the driest lips known to man. If I don't apply something moisturizing my lips blister and burn. For real. My husband says I have the most sensitive skin he has ever seen on someone. I have tried every gloss and balm that is available to me. In my pre-vegan days I really loved B. Kamins, Chemist Bio-Maple SPF 20 Lip Balm. It rocked my world. It would soothe any irritation I had and would help heal any blisters that resulted from neglect. However, that formula has animal ingredients in it (and petro-chemicals (yuck)). So I was searching for something that would perform just as good and that was vegan. It is crazy how many lip balms have beeswax or some other animal ingredient in it. Some of the ingredient lists were kind of gross actually. Well today I rejoice for I found THE balm. Hugo Naturals Lip Balms. They are fantastic. Vegan and cruelty-free, these puppies make my lips feel supple for hours (even after eating and talking a while). I have two of their flavours - Coconut Pineapple and Vanilla & Sweet Orange. Very yummy and very full of good stuff. They contain moisturizing organic and all-natural plant ingredients like shea butter, jojoba oil and coconut oil. Totally recommend!

Worcestershire Sauce

I have this favourite stroganoff recipe I perfected back in my omnivore days. Having since learned that regular Worcestershire sauce has anchovy paste in it, I tried making my very own vegan version. Having a look at the ingredient list on the back of the bottle, I came close with this number:

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 1 minute. Cool. Store in the refrigerator. Makes less than a cup.

I tried to find tamarind paste to complete the ingredient list, but I couldn't find in my grocery stores. However, on my recent trip to Nature's Emporium, I found Organic Vegan Worcestershire sauce from The Wizard's and it tastes great.

Yay!

Delicious Discoveries

My first trip to the grocery with "vegan eyes" was draw dropping. There are so many foods with animal in them I gasped. But then I discovered several that were not and I rejoiced!

1) The veggie burger. A truly beautiful thing. When piled high with lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard, onions, and relish - YUM! I love them so much right now it seems to be my go-to staple when in hurry (which I am all the time these days). To make them a whole meal, I also add tater tots or oven fries. Giddy up.

Warning: There are several types in the grocery store. I have learned to stay away from veggie patties - they are made up of ground peas/beans/lentils and have the least amount of flavour. I bought a box of PC brand and could barely get through one - they were just so bland. The brand my husband and I really like is the Good Veggie Burger by Yves Veggie Cuisine.

2) Nature's Path Organic Peanut Choco’ Granola Bars. These taste like a candy bar but are good for you (and vegan). Go figure. YUM! I pack these babies in my purse with a banana so I have them at all times. I call it my emergency purse stash.

3) Coconut milk. I've been using coconut milk in a few of my thai recipes for a while now. I used it to make a mushroom stroganoff the other night (in place of cow cream) and it was fantastic. I should probably post this recipe so I don't forget it. If I don't write it down I might loose it..

4) Canned pumpkin. I was watching Rachael Ray several months back and she had on Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien. I believe she was making low calorie/low fat cupcakes. She substituted canned pure pumpkin for the traditional milk, butter and eggs. I tried that idea back in October for a birthday cake. It worked! Back then I'd been doing it to try to make cake more nutritional sound (only a girl would think of this) - but now - I'll be doing it to make vegan cupcakes, muffins, and cake.

5) Veggie ground round. I'm hooked by the very first brand I tried - Yves Cuisine Original Veggie Ground Round. It takes like ground beef that has been sauteing in gravy. Great with mashed potatoes and veggies.. like a shepherd's pie. I've been using it in any recipe that calls for ground beef.