Tag Archives: summer

Sep 03 2012
1 Comment
Thoughts

Happy Labor Day from Turning Veganese!

It’s still a holiday in the USA for the next three hours or so (at least in Chicago). I ended up having a laid back, no frills day. In terms of food, I celebrated with some soy curl barbecue which is so easy and fast and delicious!

Speaking of Labor Day and barbecue, I am pretty pleased with myself for surviving summer without eating meat. I have definitely been tempted at times: the aroma that wafts over from backyard barbecues still makes my mouth water. But I made it you guys! I’ve been turning veganese for over nine months now and it’s been… well, it’s been really great, and this blog is a huge part of why going vegan has been fun, exciting, and painless.

Happy Labor Day, wherever you are! –Melissa

Did you hear about our giveaway? Read this post for all the details and thanks for visiting Turning Veganese. You are awesome!

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Jul 14 2012
4 Comments
Recipes

Put the Lime in the Coconut Rum and Mashed Papaya

Is it just me, or do cocktails taste better in the summertime? Don’t get me wrong: nothing beats a spiced up cocktail on a cold winter night. But yummy cool refreshing fruity cocktails when it’s hot out? Perfection. (An ice cold beer on a hot summer day is also perfection.)

This concoction requires three ingredients:

1-1 1/2 c papaya
1-2 shots Malibu
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix it all together. Yes… that’s a lot of Malibu in there. Don’t judge me; I was home for the night. Pour it into a glass over ice and garnish with a lime wedge. If you’re able, take it outside and enjoy it in the nice summer breeze.

Mmmmm…. rum… –Melissa

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Jul 09 2012
2 Comments
Desserts

Easy Breezy Refreshing Dessert

This is one of my favorite things. It brings back memories of summer picnics in the park. I remember helping my mom cut the almond jello into squares. We would add ice cubes to the bowl to keep it cool.

All you need is a packet of almond jello, a can of fruit cocktail, and a can of lychees. You make the jello first. Once it’s formed, cut it into cubes and throw it into a large bowl with the other items. The jello will glide right out of the pan you put it in.

You should be able to easily find almond jello in any Asian supermarket. The brand we use is agar-based. I found a recipe for making almond jello on HapaMama if you can’t find the mix.

Yum! Let me know if you try this refreshing summer treat! –Melissa

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Jun 10 2012
5 Comments
Desserts, Snacks

Cantaloupe Bowl of Berries!

Summer is here and local fruits are ripe and gorgeous. There aren’t any words for how delicious this was so I’ll let the visuals speak for themselves.

Enjoy your summer bounty!

This is Christie, signing off!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 14 2012
2 Comments
Desserts

Let Them Eat Cake! I’ll Have Fruit Instead.

It’s really starting to feel like summer here in Chicago! We had some crazy 80 degree weather at the end of March, but that was a complete freak show, weather-wise. It’s mid-May now, so the warmer weather is a lot more appropriate, and much more springy and refreshing: it’s warm but breezy, and cool in the AM and PM. Perfection. Outdoor Farmers Markets are starting up again in full force, I got to indulge in mangoes during peak mango season, and street festivals will be starting soon. I’m pretty freaking excited!

It was a bit of a letdown this past weekend when the Mother’s Day desserts were brought out and none of them were vegan. I passed on having a slice of marzipan cake, which is my absolute favorite, you guys. However, I made up for it by making myself a fresh treat for dessert this evening:

I started with a handful of pretty strawberries. Hey, they match my nail color!

Then I took a sprig of mint…

I cut up the strawberries and shredded a bit of the mint and mixed it together. But, wait! There’s more! I kept thinking that it was missing something, and the missing ingredient I couldn’t stop thinking about was Cool Whip. I blame Mad Men, which had a Cool Whip bit on last week’s episode. Cool Whip is not cool for strict vegans. So I sprinkled some fresh lemon juice and coconut onto the fruit (I stole the lemon juice idea from Jamie Oliver’s recipe; the coconut was all me).

DELISH! Let them eat cake. I’ll have fruit instead! –Melissa

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
%d bloggers like this: