Jamba Juice All-Fruit Smoothies

I just got back from a Jamba Juice run where I discovered that they are now (and probably have been for some time) offering all fruit smoothies!!!
These consist of fruits and juices like usual smoothies, but minus the dairy base. They are also no sugar added. And they are AMAZING.

I tried the Pomegranate Paradise with pomegranate juice, strawberries, mangos, and peaches. I could definitely taste the pomegranate and it actually tasted like fruit.

They also have:

Strawberry Whirl
Peach Perfection
Mega Mango

Also, some good vegan snack items to have on hand.

Golden Raisins: my mom bought these from the Farmer's Market one week and now I love them. They sell at most local Farmer's Markets.

Frozen Blueberries: I have been obsessed with these since I was about two, and as I result I can vouch for the best brand. Get the Trader Joe's Regular Frozen Blueberries. If you prefer smaller and tarter blueberries, get the wild ones. They also sell them at Safeway but they are not as good as the Trader Joe's ones.

Frozen Mangos: They sell these in a large package at Trader Joe's, and I like to snack on them plain. They are also great for smoothies, especially because they are already frozen!

Maple Leaf Cookies/ Joe Joes: These are definitely not health food items, but they are vegan. These are found at Trader Joe's. I love the Candy Cane Joe Joes, which are seasonal.

Trail Mix: Not just for hiking! It's yummy and easy to carry around. You can make your own by buying the nuts and chocolate chips from Whole Foods.

There are lots of other vegan snack food options, these are just several of my favorites.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I recently had to make a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies for a class, and I stumbled upon this recipe at the last minute. These cookies turned out great! They're very sweet as dough but turn out with the classic oatmeal raisin taste after baking. A bit thin and crumbly, but still completely delicious. Everyone (vegans and non-vegans) will love them, and there is so much room for variation that they never get boring! The recipe can be found online (with more comments and suggestions) here, or below:


Ingredients:

1/2 cup non-dairy margarine
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1.5 teaspoon egg replacer (ex: Ener-G Egg Replacer)
2 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/16 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 cups Cinnamon Apple Quaker Oatmeal (or any other cinnamon apple oatmeal brand, or plain rolled oats)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup soymilk


Directions:

1. Cream margarine (do not melt beforehand), granulated vegan sugar and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl

2. Add vanilla, egg replacer mixture (mix the egg replacer and water together in a separate dish) and dried fruit to the wet ingredients

3. Add the rest of the ingredients in steps: first the flour, then baking soda and powder, then salt, then oatmeal

4. Add a dash of soymilk (just enough--usually about an 1/8 cup--so that the batter isn't dry; it will still be very thick)

5. Bake at 350 degree F oven for ten to twelve minutes (remember to space the cookies out on the cookie sheet--they will spread out pretty wide and thin!)

6. Cool one minute on cookie sheet

7. Remove to wire rack or foil and allow cookies to cool

Variations: substitute vegan chocolate chips/carob chips, dried cranberries, other dried fruits, or nuts for raisins (or add a combination!), add cinnamon or extra vanilla, etc.

Serves: makes about 2 dozen

Preparation time: about 20 minutes

Vegan Replacements

Many times people prefer to purely make Vegan recipes, however there are replacements that can be substituted for milk or eggs.

There are many milk replacements, such as soymilk, almond milk, rice milk, and more, so it is fairly easy to switch out milk in a non-Vegan recipe.

Eggs are harder to replace. They require more chemistry to bind the products in baking, and there is no (as far as I know) available egg replacer for cooking things like omelets or other fried egg products. The most common egg replacers for baking are banana, apple sauce, flaxseed, or the commercial egg replacer. A more detailed list can be found here.

Overall, it is easy to make non-Vegan recipes Vegan with the right knowledge and supplies.

Billy the Cow

Just saw this video and thought you guys' might enjoy it:

http://www.farmsanctuary.org/rescue/rescues/2010/billy.html

Random Veganness in Portland

The past couple of days I was in Portland on college trips. Portland is awesome.
My sister and mom bought me an AMAZING vegan maple donut from Voodoo Donuts. They said the line was out the door.
Also, when I was at Powell's, I stumbled upon their vegan and vegetarian cookbook section, which was extensive and very tempting. I'm definitely going to be making a trip to the library soon.

Other randomness:
Macbeth is another option for vegan shoes. Davey Havok of AFI is designing a line for them, and Hunter Burgan, also of AFI has done promo for them before, and they have lots of other awesome stuff. I think that Tom Delonge (blink-182, Angels & Airwaves) and some other artists have also designed shoes for Macbeth.
This is the skit that Hunter Burgan did: http://www.youtube.com/user/TranquilMammoth?blend=2&ob=1#p/a/F97CA0F245DB4B43/0/CMmkpfS-Nxg .

Macbeth Shoes can be found at their official website, http://modlife.com/macbeth/products . They also sell at various places online and stores in our area (mostly in San Francisco).

I hope everyone is having a great break!

Peanut Butter Pasta

This is the recipe for one of my favorite pasta recipes and it's really easy to make! It's called Peanut Butter Pasta, and it is similar to Asian Noodles with Peanut Sauce. I really enjoy it and hope you guys will too!

Ingredients:

1 large garlic clove

2 quarter-sized pieces ginger, peeled (I

use pre-chopped garlic)

2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons Chinese soy sauce

3 tablespoons Japanese sesame oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chili paste

Garnish:

1 large green onion, green tops only,

chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, very

coarsely chopped

½ cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Pasta:

one - one and a half pounds of spaghetti

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir until combined.

Mix the sauce with the spaghetti.

Keep all the garnishes on the side and add on top as you wish.

Amongst Friends: Other Vegan/Veg Food Blogs

We are not alone in the universe: other vegetarian-vegan themed blogs are great sources of inspiration.

I like the fresh, colorful look of Vegan Yum Yum, where Lolo (Lauren Ulm), recent author of Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday shares her experiments with vegan cooking. The photography is awfully appealing, and she seems able to work miracles with certain vegan snag foods: her pancakes and waffles look remarkably un-gummy; her bundt cakes look light and fluffy of crumb.

Vegalicious tackles the question, "What do vegans eat, anyway?" and provides both recipes and news pertaining to topics of animal rights, environmentalism, and vegetarianism.

And there's always the Post Punk Kitchen's blog--from the ladies who brought us Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (remember Anna's chai latte cupcakes?), and, more recently, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

Each of these sites also includes links to other vegan and vegetarian-themed blogs. Explore!

Frozen Vegan Goods

For those of us who are too lazy to cook or whose parents won't feed them vegan food, don't be afraid! Vegan frozen foods are here, once again, to save the day! It's SuperVegan-Frozen-Goods!

Now, in all seriousness, there are many vegan frozen goods, that are easy to make. Even one with little microwave experience can make these. The stores that carry the most variety of Vegan frozen goods are Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Both are pretty good about labeling them vegan, which is helpful when shopping. Many of these foods take no longer, and sometimes shorter, than it would to cook other frozen foods. Therefore one's hunger can be combated more quickly!

Some of my favorite frozen goods are Vegan Pad Thai, from Trader Joe's, Vegetable Gyoza, from Trader Joe's, and a vegetable pizza, that Trader Joe's used to sell but not any more. I know there are more, but these are the ones I have on a weekly basis and frequently pull out when I'm hungry!

Tofu Dogs

Of the many of the "faux" meat products available on the vegan market, tofu dogs seem to be one of the more difficult items to replicate in its vegan form. Some are too rubbery or have a weird aftertaste, but, for those who loved hot dogs before their meat-eating days were over, never fear! Smart Dogs, a brand of tofu dogs and other fake meat products, has a delicious, vegan tofu dog that is the perfect replacement!

While one great way to enjoy the yumminess of your newly discovered tofu dog is to roast it over an open fire while sipping from sweet chocolate soymilk from a thermos, another great way to put these pups to use is to make tofu-dogs-in-a-blanket! The Vegan Family Cookbook by Brian P. McCarthy offers a tasty home-made recipe for dough to wrap those tofu dogs in; it's quick and easy, a perfect addition to any meal that fits into a hectic lifestyle. Enjoy!

1 pack of 8 tofu dogs
3 1/2 cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/5 cup extra light olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. With a spoon, stir in the soy milk and oil. Stir until just moistened.
3. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 12 x 16 inches.
4. Cut into 8 rectangular piece, 4 x 3 inches each.
5. Wrap one piece of dough around each tofu dog.
6. Place on oiled cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of dough comes out clean.

Note: I usually end up with plenty of extra dough (the recipe makes a lot!), and a great way to use up this extra dough is to make small biscuits! They take the same time to cook and taste great with a dab of vegan margarine!

Vegan Sweets (Available at a Location Near You!)

A vegan lifestyle can sometimes be difficult, but for anyone concerned about losing the great taste and texture of their favorite sweets, fear not! There exists a vegan alternative for almost any sweet you can think of. And if you're too busy or tired to make it yourself, there are many vegan retail options that taste phenomenal!

Double Rainbow, a gourmet ice cream shop founded in San Francisco, was awarded "The Best Ice Cream in America". Luckily for everyone staying away from dairy products, Double Rainbow also offers many "soy cream" flavors (which I highly recommend for vegans and non-vegans alike...so delicious!). Creamy Mint Chocolate Chip or sweet Blueberry are just two of the flavors available; both are new favorites of mine that will be in my freezer from now on! Double Rainbow soy creams can be purchased at many retail stores, such as Whole Foods and other markets. For a list of retail locations with Double Rainbow in your area, click here.

In addition to a sweet ice cream treat, the well-liked bakery Sprinkles Cupcakes now offers a vegan version of their popular red velvet cupcake. For anyone craving that ultra-sweet cupcake (without any animal products!) Sprinkles is the best option! For a list of current and upcoming Sprinkles locations, click here.

Study Break: Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

In keeping with Anna's recent Coat of Arms article that includes tips on how to procrastinate via baking---but also with due acknowledgment that over-zealous procrastination might be hazardous to one's studently complexion---here is a recipe from The Garden of Vegan cookbook that will give you the satisfaction of baking, without biting a one-hour chunk out of your day. The miracle component: a microwave. Purists may balk at this, but the smell of molten banana and chocolate is a powerful argument.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 banana, mashed
1/2 cup dry sweetener
1/4 cup margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mash the banana. Stir in the sweetener, margarine, vanilla, and soy milk and mix well. Add the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Spread evenly in a lightly oiled microwave-safe loaf pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Cook on high in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. Let cool before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

I Can't Believe it's Vegan!

I found a cool website that has a list of all common-to-supermarkets foods that are vegan. This is intriguing because it shows how one can be vegan without having difficulty finding good food.

Here's the link.

Woody Harrelson and Vegan

This is an interesting story about how one might become vegan.
And it is an interesting interview.
Interview

Gnocchi and Asparagus in Basil Mint Pesto

This is a recipe from one of my favorite websites. They also have several cookbooks which are excellent and many club members have cooked from. It was rated 3.5/4 soybeans on their website by readers. :)

Also, Beckman's Apple Cinnamon Bread is vegan! They sell at Whole Foods and most local Farmer's Markets. If you live in the Bay Area you can find your closest farmer's market and the vendors that sell there at this website: http://www.pcfma.com/index.php.

Gnocchi and Asparagus in Basil Mint Pesto
Equipment:
Large saute pan, large pot

Ingredients
1 lb gnocchi
Bunch of asparagus (about 30)
3/4 cup Basil Mint Pesto
1 red onion, sliced in thin half moons
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cups white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh black pepper
4 plum tomatoes diced

Directions
Boil the gnocchi in a big pot just until it floats to the top, drain and rinse with cold water (to prevent sticking).

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus about 2 inches from the tip and set aside.

Heat the olive oil on medium heat in your largest non stick pan, when hot add the onions and saute two minutes, add asparagus and saute 2 minutes, add garlic salt and fresh pepper to taste, and saute 2 minutes. Add white wine and turn heat up, saute veggies for 2 minutes more. Add gnocchi and toss around with the veggies. Coat everything with pesto, cooking only a minute more. Serve in dinner bowls, topped with the diced tomatoes. 

Kamibashi Cares

While doing research for the EAC's Green Week, I came across an odd little company that I immediately took a liking too, despite the fact that their products look like voodoo dolls (which seriously creep me out). Kamibashi is a small company that incorporates rising Asian artists and fair trade labor to create fascinating string dolls. While all of these dolls are interesting and slightly bizarre, what really drew me to this company was their Kamibashi Cares initiative. They have created seven special string dolls to help support five awesome organizations, donating 50 cents from every purchase of one of these dolls to one of the organizations.

There's Susie Survivor, raising money and awareness for the Pretty in Pink foundation and its fight against breast cancer; there's Mardi from America's Wetland Foundation, trying to protect our marine habitats and the animals that thrive within them; Oscar the Orangutan, supporting one of my favorite organizations Orangutan Outreach that rehabilitates and cares for organutans displaced and injured by palm oil farmers; Pacho the Parrot and the Amazon Conservation Team; and Desmond, Titus, and Gigi with the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The IFAW fights animal cruelty in many of its forms, such as the abuse and neglect household pets face or the detrimental harm animals in the wild battle every day.

This is a really cool initiative that will raise awareness about fair trade, cancer, and animal suffering across the globe.

For more information/links, click here: http://kamibashi.com/about/care/

Vegan Proteins

Due to the fact that our vegan/vegetarian club is about to have a vegetarian challenge at our school, I started to think about my vegan diet. The thing I have to pay attention to most is the types of proteins I get. Since meat has all necessary amino acids, I have to get all these same amino acids from different sources. The four main places to get proteins in a vegan diet are: beans (legumes), soy, nuts, and some grains (such as quinoa). If you eat a variety of this protein sources, you are sure to get the right types of proteins. Also, it is nice to have a variety of foods that you can have, so you should try to eat a variety of proteins.

Hope this was helpful to those trying to be vegan for the next week! And, if you have any more questions, you can comment and I'll try to answer them. Happy almost Friday!