Christmas Dinner

I did not start out with the intention to make a big Christmas Eve dinner, we bought a Field Roast and figured we would just have a few slices of that.  This is what we ended up with, enjoy!

http://www.fieldroast.com/products.htm Starting with the Celebration Roast

1 large yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 Celebration Field Roast

Cut the onion in half length wise and then thinly slice into half moons.  Caramelize the onions in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Add the slices to the onions in the skillet, sprinkle the sage and soy sauce over the roast, flip the slices until brown on both sides and slightly crispy.  Serve immediately with onions.

Green Beans with Mustard Glaze and Pine Nuts
I had a frozen bag of cut greens in a steam bag in the freezer and came up with this. 

1 small bag of pine nuts
1 frozen bag of cut green beans in a steam bag
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until the pine nits are browned on each side.  Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and syrup.  Steam the green beans according to the directions.  Empty the green beans in to a bowl and toss with the nuts and sauce.  Serve immediately.

Garlic and Chive Mashed Potatoes

5lb bag of potatoes
2 Handfuls of Fresh Chives
1/2 Head of Fresh Garlic
Vegan Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup
Earth Balance http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/original/

Blend the chives and garlic in a food processor until minced and set aside.  Boil the potatoes until fork tender then drain.  I used the Kitchen Aid mixer to mash the potatoes, while the potatoes are being blended, add the garlic chive mix, the soup and Earth Balance.  Mix in as much of the soup and Earth Balance as you want until you get to the texture and taste you like.  I find this is best when you still leave the mash a bit lumpy.
I sliced the roast in to 1inch thick slices after defrosting in the fridge overnight.

Happy Holidays!

Pablano Hash Browns!

These hash browns are lovely by themselves, with some vegan cheddar on top, or salsa on top, also good wrapped in a tortilla with stir fried pepper and onion strips.  I make a huge batch so that they are ready to go in the morning when I am rushing off to work, pre making the hash brown tortilla wraps ahead of time is a good idea to just heat them up in the microwave in the morning.

4 large russet potatoes
2 pablano peppers
1/2 of a large yellow onion
large handful of white mushrooms, about 7
3 cloves of garlic
1 red bell pepper
Salt and pepper
Chili powder

Peel the potatoes and shred in a food processor.  Soak the shredded potatoes in a bowl of cold water for a 30 minutes while prepping the other ingredients.
Chop the peppers, onions and mushrooms in to cubes and mince the garlic.  Drain the potatoes and squeeze as much liquid out with your hands then paper towels.  Mix everything together and heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet.  Do not panic when you realize you have a huge pile of stuff!  It will cook WAY DOWN!
Pour half of the goodness in to the preheated pan and spread it out, sprinkle salt and pepper and chili powder on top, as much as you like.  Turn occasionally until you get the desired texture.  We like ours cooked down so where they are crispy and brown.
Repeat with the other half.  This is time consuming depending on the quality of your skillet and the heat setting.  But worth it!  You can also turn them in to potato pancakes....

Vegan Muffins for the Morning, thank you Veganomicon!

Of course we had to sample one tonight... but I made them for breakfast back up.

3/4 cup soy milk
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup unsweetened natural applesauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed ( i used organic)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (i used organic)
3/4 cup oat bran (i used organic)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon organic cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground organic cardamom
1/2 teaspoon organic nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried Oceanspray cranberry pomegranate pieces

Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a muffin tin.  I used spray canola oil in a deep 6 muffin pan, but this recipe says it can make 12 in a regular size tin.  I ended up with 9 large muffins.
 In a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar, allow it to rest for 1 minute to curdle.  Add the applesaurce, canola oil, and brown sugar. Whisk them together completely.
  In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.  Fold the dry ingredients in to the wet; stir only to moisten and don't overmix.  Fold in the cranberries.  Use an ice ream scoop or measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin cups.
   Bake for 28-30 mins, until a toothpick inserted in to the middle comes out clean.  Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling.
  Good stuff!  I am going to make pablano pepper hash browns tomorrow morning as well as vegie bacon for a big brekkie!

The Veg Edge on The Cooking Channel

This was a great special on the cooking show tonight!  Please DVR the repeat and be sure to send a note to The Cooking Channel so that shows like this keep coming and maybe we can even get a regular series.  I am very impressed, Isa Chandra Moskowitz was featured as well as some of the best Veggie friendly cities in the US, including my heart, Austin TX.  I really wish Houston would get on board, I really feel there is a huge veggie gold mine here if people were willing to get past the brisket and see that the melting pot that is here would LOVE a few good veggie restaurants.

Amazing Cheese

I have had vegan cheese in the past and it was oily and had a horrible after taste.  BUT, let me tell you, I have used the cheddar in burritos and the mozzerella on pizza and it is amazing.  I found it at Whole Foods, you MUST try this!!!
http://www.daiyafoods.com/
Try it with my vegan burritos:
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 small can olives, rinsed
1 bell pepper
1 red onion
1 ca sweet corn, rinsed
1 package of seitan
1 package of vegan burrito seasoning

Chop the pepper and onion and stir until the onion is transparrent. Add the seitan and stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add in all other ingredients and the burrito seasoning according to package directions.  Wrap it up in a spinach wrap with the Daiya cheddar cheese and jalapenos and salsa and then sear it shut on a hot skillet.
Top it with Tofutti vegan sour cream.
http://www.tofutti.com/ss-hydro.shtml Easy!  And they heat up really nice the next day!!!

Cozy Drinks

http://vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=2702&catId=7

Vegan Cosmetics

I work for one of the US's major cosmetic retailers where I have access to so many different lines of makeup and skincare that it is overwhelming to our clients, and to me even after 8 months of exposure.  I wanted to share a few of my favorites :-)
URBAN DECAY!!!! http://www.urbandecay.com/   The pigments are vivid, you can use it for day or night, wicked packaging and they are always expanding their line.  The tinted moisturizer is great as well as the makeup remover and I love the packaging it comes is, looks nice on the vanity! http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/CleanandSober.cfm
They have a vegan pallet and advertise in my favorite veg mag  http://www.vegnews.com/web/home.do

A more grown up line from one of the original creators of Urban Decay is HOURGLASS.
http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/  It is pricy, I use the foundation and the primer for special days and occasions, and the cruelty free #2 foundation brush is totally worth it. http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/index.php?type=face&item=face_primer
http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/index.php?type=face&item=face_fluidMakeup
http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/index.php?type=brushes&item=brushes  The Film Noir mascara is my favorite, I am fortunate enough to receive gratis at work and I have tons of mascara, but I will but more of this.
http://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/index.php?type=eyes&item=eyes_filmnoir

Smashbox is another cruelty free brand http://www.smashbox.com/
I am not a huge fan of this brand, but that does not mean it will not work for everyone.  They have great products, but the pigments of the shadows aren't stong enough for my taste, I love bright color!

I am going to start looking in to skincare next, but for now I really like Fresh http://www.fresh.com/
I LOVE the shampoo and conditioner, the serum is great as well as the clay mask, soy cleanser, black tea eye cream and soy scrub. 

How could I forget!!!!!!  LUSH!!!!!! I have been a customer for years, still my fav for bath and body!
http://www.lush.com/

OK, I will stop now, I could go on and on on this stuff...

Urban Decay Cosmetics - Clean and Sober Makeup Remover

Urban Decay Cosmetics - Clean and Sober Makeup Remover

Good Reads

A few books on my bookshelf, Skinny Bitch and Skinny Bitch in the Kitchen are excellent.  Skinny Bitch was the first book that got me thinking about being Vegan rather than Vegetarian.  It is well written, hilarious, and very matter of fact.  Skinny Bitch in the Kitchen has amazing recipes that I always use and are easy to make.  My favorite one is for the Stuffed Shells!
http://www.skinnybitch.net/

I kept eating dairy and eggs, but it had planted a seed in the back of my mind.  Let me tell you, I LOVE BREAKFAST TACOS!  I even fell off the veggie wagon for a few months this past year, just to see if I was really missing anything.  I started gaining weight, feeling lethargic, and just plain guilty about what I was eating. 

Ellen had the author of Eating Animals on her show and something just made me want to read this one.  This book goes in to where our food is from, what "Free Range" and "Organic" actually means when it is on the label for meat and eggs and dairy.  I want no part in what happens to these animals for dairy, there are so many more options and I don't want to ingest the energy that is created while harvesting these things.  I urge everyone to read this book:
http://www.eatinganimals.com/

PS, I feel better than I have in YEARS by cutting out the dairy and eggs and jumping on the Vegan Train ;-)

Vegetarian vs. Vegan

I grew up eating meat.  No questions, ate out most nights, never thought about where my food came from.  As a teenager in the 90's, I thought being a vegetarian was cool, I tried it, I thought that only eating fish made me a vegetarian.  That got boring, I went on to the next fad, still not thinking about where my food actually came from.
  I moved to London England, and let me tell you, the food was amazing.  England has a horrible reputation of having horrible food, but I bet most of the people who tell you that have never even been there.  Especially London, you can get any type of food from any country in the world made by people FROM that country.  Even British food is amazing, Guiness Steak pie, oh man, nothing like it.  Paella in Spain, full English Breakfast with Bacon, Fish n' Chips, Vindaloo Chicken from the neighborhood Indian retaurant, I could go on and on.
  I came back to the US, the first time I went in to an American grocery store in 4 years, I was freaked out by how HUGE the produce was, i.e., genetically modified.  The US is so far behind when it come to organic and until very recently, no one even thought about the anti biotics and hormones injected in to the meat most Americans consume.  So, I started to think.  And research. And read and read and read.
  The first book I ever read about food was Fast Food Nation, and I read that while I was still living in the UK.  I did not eat fast food for 5 years after finishing that book.  5 years.

Four years ago, I was done, I became a vegetarian.  I rescue animals, I have 4 dogs and 3 cats, I love pigs and think they are intelligent and cuddly, why the HELL would I eat something that I want to pet and love.  Just ask yourself that, if I see an animal as a baby and think it's cute, see fish that are beautiful to you, why the hell would you eat it?