More from our favorite pair of vegans. May they be an example to us all!
In today’s thrilling episode, Cassie attacks Albertson-Ames. Pro-Tip : Instead of trashing / recycling phonebooks, remove the glossy pages and covers of a phonebook, give the book to bunnies, subsequently marvel at their destructive power.
From Brent and Christie, peace out my vegans.
Hi, all! It’s Melissa here, writing to tell you that we at Turning Veganese are celebrating our one year anniversary with a month of giveaways! If you had told me when I was writing my first post that I would have stuck with a vegan diet and that Turning Veganese would still be up and running, I don’t think I would have believed you. Much is owed to the awesome vegan blogger community and all their support, creativity, education, and friendship. And I can’t even get into how much I love Christie and Brent and how fortunate I am to have them writing this blog with me.
We have a few giveaways so make sure you read this entire post! But first! Here’s something seriously important: in order to qualify to win any of our prizes, you will need to do at least TWO of the following:
Like and follow our blog (Tip: Follow link is up top if you’re logged in to WordPress and on the bottom right if you’re not.)Now for the fun stuff! Every week in December, we will be giving away a Turning Veganese favorite: a Bubble & Bee Organic Lotion Stick! Pssst… read our review here!
To enter to win a Bubble & Bee Lotion Stick in the scent of your choice, leave us a comment below telling us what vegan-friendly lotions you like to use. Make sure to provide a valid e-mail address so that we can contact you. A random winner will be chosen each week announced every Saturday starting next week.
And now… the big, Grand, UBER GIVEAWAY (and another Turning Veganese favorite)…
A TofuXpress! Yes, that is right, we are giving away a TofuXpress with a side of the opportunity to guest post on Turning Veganese! To enter the TofuXpress giveaway, we are asking you to e-mail us at turningveganese@gmail.com and tell us what you will make with your TofuXpress if you win it. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be invited to write a post for us about your TofuXpress experience!
Some fine print: The TofuXpress giveaway is open only to residents in the U.S. or Canada. The Bubble & Bee giveaway is open to anyone in the world!
I’m really excited about our giveaways but I am even more excited about our second year of Turning Veganese. Yay! –Melissa
Not long ago I got a request for cacciatore from fellow blogger, VeganMonologue. How can I resist!? I took a slab of tempeh and cut it in half. I did it at an angle to satisfy my love of the rhombus. Add that to the list of things nobody needs to know about me. You’ll need the following:
1 package of tempeh
1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
olive oil
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine or 1 cup of dry white wine
1 28oz can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup veggie bouillon
3 tablespoons drained capers
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried cumin
1 pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
I added it to a pan with some rosemary infused olive oil (regular olive oil is fine) and a pinch each of salt and cracked black pepper. I sauteed until it was lightly browned on each side. I transferred the tempeh to a plate with some fabulous wooden tongs that my sister got me.
Then I added a chopped onion, 1/4 of a chopped green bell pepper and 1/4 of a chopped red bell pepper. I sprinkled in some chopped parsley and slivers of garlic and sauteed until the onion became translucent.
I added the white wine (I used a pinot gris and kind of wished I’d used a merlot. If you try that let me know how it goes.), 1/2 tsp of dried oregano leaves, 1/2 tsp of cumin and a pinch of nutmeg and simmered until the wine was reduced by half.
Then I added a half cup of vegetable bouillon, a tin of tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of capers and a pinch of cracked black pepper. I stirred it a few times to mix and then added the tempeh back to the pan, covered it with tomatoes and allowed it to simmer for another 20 minutes.
Brent made some guinoa while we waited because it was what we had but I think this would be better with pasta or mashed potatoes.
After 20 minutes, the tempeh should have taken on some of the characteristics of the broth. Put the tempeh on your quinoa, potatoes, pasta, whatever and spoon generous helpings of the remaining deglazing/reduction. I sprinkled mine with some fresh basil leaves. This is a hearty meal, full of savory and herbal flavors all brought out by the acid and sweetness of the tomatoes. This would also work with chickpeas or seitan instead of tempeh for those with a soy allergy. It’s a surprisingly healthy crowd pleaser.
A note for the health conscious: don’t be afraid of soy. There’s a lot of propaganda out there that says soy isn’t good for you for one reason or another. A word from your vegan scientist: the data suggest that soy is better for you than meat, dairy and eggs by a long shot, particularly if you’re worried about cancer (particularly colon cancer) or cardiovascular disease.
This is Christie and Brent, signing off!
It is getting chilly here in Chicago! I’ve been wearing my winter coat, had to dig out my gloves, and blast the heat in my car. I shouldn’t complain. We’re just easing into the cooler weather. It’s not yet to the point where I can see my breath when I’m outside or, well, not to gross you out or anything but, it’s not REALLY cold until your snot freezes as soon as you walk out the door.
With the cooler weather comes dry skin. Yuck! My hands are especially vulnerable. My favorite hand moisturizer has been Aveda Hand Relief since I tried it several years ago, but I have found a new favorite: Organic Lotion Sticks by Bubble & Bee.
I love these lotion sticks! There are only a handful of ingredients in every stick and they’re all things I can pronounce, unlike the ingredients in the Aveda moisturizer. Plus, there’s nothing with the word “acid” in the Bubble & Bee Lotion Stick, which I’m going to go ahead and say is a good thing. The lotion goes on smoothly, isn’t greasy, rubs in nicely, and definitely feels like it’s protecting and healing my dry skin. There are a lot of scents to choose from as well as a simple unscented option. I LOVE THIS. The scents are very light, but some people (including me) can be sensitive to scented products sometimes, so it’s nice to have an unscented option.
What else do I love about these lotion sticks? They’re easy to carry! There’s no risk of over-gooping and wasting the product. A little goes a long way. You can use it anywhere that you have dry skin issues. The best thing about Bubble & Bee Lotion Sticks is that they work. I can’t tell you how many lotions I have tried that are greasy, smelly, or simply ineffective.
Bubble & Bee is a great company with great products. I’d like to give an honorable mention to the Bubble & Bee’s Organic Body Butter. It heals dry, itchy skin right away. I think it will be my winter body moisturizer. We here at Turning Veganese also love their Pit Putty which is the only deodorant that doesn’t irritate my skin while actually doing its job.
Soon enough, I’ll be faced with harsh winter conditions. I’m happy that I’ll be armed with my Bubble & Bee Lotion Stick! –Melissa
Something I have to remind myself to eat is sources of B vitamins. When I look at my diet I realize they’re there but B vitamins are too important to miss. I’m a big fan of a good sprinkle of flake nutritional yeast (a terribly underrated seasoning) or a big glass of kombucha but today we’re revisiting a spread whose cousin starred in a favorite 80’s tune by Men at Work, “Down Under”; not Vegemite but Marmite!
Vegemite was originally refined from a waste prodct. The yeast had done it’s job of fermenting wort into beer and would be thrown away as garbage. Cyril Callister was charged with converting this nutrient rich sludge into a highly nutritious spread. Apparently it worked because this stuff (and it’s competitor, Marmite) are available all around the world.
Brent and I gave it a go with some bread I made Sunday. The bread was nutty and lightly sweet so it went well with the savory flavor that Brent noted had a hint of pine. I understand that a more traditional preparation involves butter so we might have to give it a go with some Earth Balance spread but until then we’ll be revisiting this gem for weekend brunches.
This is Christie and Brent, signing off!
Today was a definitive Back to Reality day. After a long and lazy weekend (though I did have to work on Friday), it was time to get back into gear. I felt a little gross about having pigged out for a few days straight, but I felt really good because I managed to have a 100% vegan meal for Thanksgiving! Though the turkey smelled pretty good cooking in the oven, I was extremely happy with the Wild Rice Cranberry Roast en Croûte that my loving sister ordered for me from Schmole Broods. Oh, what the heck! We ordered Thanksgiving from Whole Foods this year, including my vegan meal.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with the vegan roast, but it was really delicious. It tasted like Thanksgiving! Unlike turkey, it had no cholesterol and stayed delicious even though I reheated it. It looked nice and fresh before I heated it, but I won’t be surprised if this was a frozen product to begin with. Field Roast has a product that is a doppelganger for the roast if not the actual roast that I received. This doesn’t disturb me one bit. My original Thanksgiving choice was going to be a Tofurky meal since I have never tried it, but this was different, I don’t recall having seen it before, my soy-sensitive sister is able to enjoy it, and I’m totally psyched that I can buy a frozen version to have any time.
The following sides came with the meal:
I will definitely try the Field Roast version. My sister even expressed interest in getting a whole loaf for everyone to share over the holidays. I’m glad I tried the Whole Foods vegan meal, but I’ll definitely make all the vegan side dishes next time. Until then, it’s back to reality! –Melissa
Enjoy the remaining time you have with your families, travel safe and thank-you for being kind to animals.
These two just got a big snack of radish tops and are ready to nap. Our Flemish Giant rescue bunny doesn’t think anyone can see him in his hiding place. I don’t know if he realizes about half of him is hanging out…
This is Christie and Brent, signing off!
It’s the day after thanksgiving and you probably can’t eat anymore of those greasy garlic smashed potatoes and decadent Tofurkey roast and are wishing for something light and easy. Well, here it is.
I posted about lasagna a while ago and didn’t give instructions because I consider it a self-explanatory free-form dish. Now that the concept is out there I figure I should give you an idea of what I do so you can weigh in and offer your improvements.
You’ll need the following for the layers:
2-3 zucchini, sliced into long thin strips or 1 large eggplant sliced thin and sauteed
1/2 lb spinach, fresh or frozen
For the tofu ricotta:
1 package of tofu, any kind will do (use a cup of dry cashews, soaked if you’ve got a soy allergy)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 pinch salt
For the filling:
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, dried or fresh
1/2 cup of textured vegetable protein or TVP (use lentils if you’ve got a soy allergy)
1 cube of bouillon, I like “beef” for this recipe
1 tbsp cumin powder
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch chili powder
1/2 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, sliced
Topping:
pasta sauce (a href=”http://theveganshusband.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/the-worlds-best-pasta-sauce/”>I like this one
Daiya or other vegan cheese
Miscellaneous:
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil as needed
Below is my first layer.
I sprayed my pan lightly with olive oil and then arranged my eggplant on top and then covered it with spinach. I buy fresh spinach for salads and freeze whatever is leftover at the end of the week so we usually have some in the freezer.
I put a little olive oil, the onion and garlic into a pan and sauteed them until the onion started to soften. Meanwhile I prepared the bouillon in a cup of water by heating it in the microwave. I added it to the pan along with the mushrooms, TVP and spices for the filling. I heated it on low until the mixture had absorbed most of the moisture.
I added it to the baking dish, poured some sauce over it, put down another layer of spinach and prepared the tofu ricotta.
The tofu and spices went into a bowl and mooshed to conformity!
I didn’t make quite enough so maybe I’ll double the ricotta next time. It’s kind of important to the recipe to have copious ricotta or this will more closely resemble a vegetable casserole than veggie lasagna.
After adding the tofu, we added another layer of eggplant and spinach and then topped it with pasta sauce and Daiya.
I baked it at 350F/170C for an hour and then we accidentally the whole thing. Top with chopped black olives and shredded basil if you want something pretty AND delicious. Yay!
This is Christie, signing off!
I think we all needed a push to become vegan. That last straw about how farming animals is destroying our planet, our bodies and our relationship with fellow sentient creatures probably made us angry, frustrated, sad or scared.
For a long time I made excuses for why I couldn’t quit animal products. They were the worst kind of transparent excuses. The ones that I look back on and I cringe because I wasn’t trying to convince anyone but myself that what I was doing wasn’t wrong. I started to feel guilty for having leather shoes and bags. I had thoughtlessly used living things for something as trivial as fashion. I knew I was a hypocrite for saying I cared about myself, my earth and my animal friends and it made me angry.
I’m a big fan of accountability. I like owning my behavior, even when it’s hard. I had to be accountable for my behavior. So I changed. I stopped using animals and their reproductive secretions.
I wish I could pinpoint what it was that made me change and bottle it. I suppose I’m a naturally thoughtful person. I suppose it had been building up for quite some time. I don’t think of myself as being sentimental, but I realize I am. I care about what happens to my body, I care about what happens to my planet and I care about animals. Most of all I care that my actions reflect my sentiments.
The most interesting thing about begin vegan is that it is not a diet as far as I’m concerned. Vegan is a philosophy. Veganism suggests that maybe the sentient creatures we share our planet with aren’t here just for us to use.
Not to say that the word “vegan” isn’t used as a marketing tool, but vegan as a philosophy isn’t trying to sell you anything. There’s no book you need to buy or consultant you have to hire. It doesn’t tell you there’s something wrong with you that only this seminar can fix. It tells you that there’s something strange about how people pet their dog with one hand and eat a lamb with the other. It tells you that leather isn’t a luxury for the cow. It tells you that wading through manure isn’t good for the animal or our planet.
I’m grateful for my friends who don’t give me a hard time about my choice and even the ones who do. I’m grateful for my online and real life community of vegans who I can commune with and talk about which vegan nail polish brands are resistant to chipping and peeling and which deodorants keep us fresh and weren’t tested on animals. I’m grateful for knowing what havoc dairy wrecks on my digestive tract. I’m grateful for the joy I get from our adopted companion animals. I’m grateful knowing I can do something to make the world a better place. Thanks to all of you who keep my vegan diet interesting, each with your own flare and specialties to inspire me to branch out and experiment. Thanks to all of you who preach to the coir; sometimes I need a little pep talk. This is what I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving. Thanks to you.
Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that are the result of desperation: there’s lots of little things leftover in the fridge, half a box of pasta, nothing new or exciting, just random ingredients and your brain!
I cooked some about a cup and a half of penne. Then, I heated up some olive oil, garlic, onions, and about 2/3 cup of marinara that I had leftover. I added a bit of balsamic vinegar and then I seasoned it with crushed red pepper and Italian seasonings and topped it with some capers. It was easy and delicious and I was able to finish off some of the things I had sitting in my kitchen and fridge.
On another note, today is the one year anniversary of our first post on Turning Veganese! It came up really fast and it’s been a wonderful year of learning and bonding with friends and cooking and eating and getting healthy. We have an exciting giveaway coming up to celebrate this fantastic year! But first, we shall celebrate the US Thanksgiving holiday. We at Turning Veganese are grateful for YOU! Thank you for your support and for all the fun.
Love you guys! –Melissa
Turning Veganese 