Vegans can be fashionable, too!

One of the unexpected side effects of going vegan for me was taking a long, hard look at my wardrobe. Aside from the obvious offender - leather - I never realized how much clothing is made from some form of animal product. Wool seems to be in everything, down is a big part of winter clothing, silk and cashmere (while usually out of my budget) had to be crossed off the list, and, of course, fur is heinous. Poor animals! I had no idea how much I'd been contributing to animal suffering just by buying a sweater. 

Rather than get rid of everything I'd purchased prior to going vegan, I made the choice to keep what I have and use it until it's worn out. But every purchase going forward has been free of animal products and I'm not gonna lie, it's taken some research! As a recent transplant to somewhere that actually HAS a Winter, I needed some cold weather gear and had a tough time finding items that weren't made with down, wool, etc. I think I managed to piece together some adorable and conscious staples that got me through the Winter. Now I get to shop for Spring/Summer! (PS - These pics are taken from various spots on the internets as they do way more justice to the products than my crappy photography ever could!)

Boots

It was quite the task to find a vegan boot that was sturdy, comfy, and cute. I lucked out by stumbling across the Colorado Vegan Boot by Jambu. As someone who suffers from plantar fasciitis and who does quite a bit of walking, I need lots of support in my shoes. I have literally worn these boots everyday this Winter through rain and snow and walked for miles on end, but my feet remain happy! I've gotten a ton of compliments on them, too, so I know they're not only cute by vegan standards. And the fact that they have "vegan" right in the name means there are no hidden animal products (like in the glue).

Coat

Winter coats are generally made of wool or stuffed with down. There is an amazing company called Vaute Couture that makes vegan, eco-friendly coats, but they are a bit out of my price range. I found this coat made by American Rag at Macy's on-line (the one I purchased is black). It's made of all man-made materials and it is SO soft and warm! The buttons and detailing make it very trendy and it got me through some tough 20 degree days.

Purse

I saw my first Big Buddha purse while living in Tucson, before I became a vegan. I was instantly in love with their asthetic and counted the days until I could call one my own. My parents bought me the pink Mia bag for Christmas and I am still in love with it! Again, I've received more compliments on it than I can count, and I definitely plan on buying one of their many other adorable styles for Spring.

Wallet

I love to support the little guy when I can and I'm so happy that I stumbled across Couch Guitar Straps and Wallets one day on Etsy. This company is based on Long Beach, CA and uses new or recycled automotive upholstery vinyl or seatbelt material to make some of the most creative and rad guitar straps and wallets I've ever seen! They're always cruelty-free (vegan) and sweatshop-free and each item is handcrafted with love. I bought myself the Oldsmobile Station Wagon Wallet which I think is meant for dudes, but who cares? I've always loved mixing feminine and masculine styles, and there's no better representation of that than by having a men's wallet hanging out in my pink, flowery Mia purse! Check them out next time you want to buy your dad or significant other a cool gift.

What are some of your favorite eco-friendly or vegan clothing companies?

Recipe - Veggie Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is one of Johnny's *favorite* meals. I held off on attempting to veganize it for one reason: I was scared of making the crust! Homemade pastry always seems so time consuming and messy. An easier option would be to do a top crust only version using frozen puff pastry, but Johnny has to have his pot pie a certain way - crust on top AND bottom. What a diva.  

A few weeks back, I finally decided to give it a go after a visit to the Union Square Greenmarket. I picked up some crimini mushrooms, onions, new potatoes, and the biggest carrots I've ever seen! I didn't have a plan in mind, but the ingredients just screamed "POT PIE" so I set out to find a base recipe as I've never made a pot pie from scratch. I settled on one from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes, a really beautiful blog by Vaishali who has allowed me to share her recipe with you! I made the crust exactly as she did, but changed up the filling a bit. I wasn't too keen on using sweet potato or tofu in my pie as I wanted it to be as authentic as possible, so instead I added mushrooms, celery, and corn. 

The crust was really tasty, not quite as flaky as I'd thought it would be, but I think it's due to the size of the baking dish I used (a 8 1/2" x 11" glass dish). I had to roll out the pastry pretty thin to cover the top and bottom, but I didn't want to use a smaller dish and waste a bunch of filling. Vaishali uses a round pie plate and her crust looks a lot thicker and flakier. Crust envy! I also used regular whole wheat flour rather than whole wheat pastry flour, so that probably had an effect. As for the filling, it was like a cornucopia of veggies! Next time, I may scale back on the types of veggies I use and add in some cooked and diced Gardein Chick'n Scallopini. 

Johnny seemed to really enjoy it and went back for seconds - love it when that happens! This version is so much healthier than any pot pie you would find at a restaurant (have you ever looked at the nutrition info on one of those Marie Callendar's frozen pot pies? Makes you wanna grab a chair and go all Chris Brown on the nearest window). So give it a try, mix it up, try some new fillings and let me know how it goes!

Vegan Pot Pie

Serves 8

(I am posting the recipe as I cooked it, but click here for the original)

For the crust:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

4 tbsp vegetable shortening

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried herbs

1/4 cup very cold water

Combine the flours, salt and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Add in the shortening and use a fork to cut it into the flour until no large chunks remain. Slowly drizzle in the water and mix until a dough forms and no loose flour remains (you may not use the entire 1/4 cup of water). Divide the dough in two and form two balls. Cover each in plastic wrap and refrigerate as you make your filling.

For the filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

3 small onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (Or one Schwarzenegger carrot)

4-5 small thin skinned potatotes, skin left on, diced

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)

2 stalks celery, diced

1 tsp fresh diced thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups plain soymilk

2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tbsp vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until transluscent, but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots, potatoes, peas, corn, mushrooms, celery, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes stirring occasionally. Add the soymilk, flour, and margarine and stir until combined. Cook for 5-10 more minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray your baking dish with canola oil spray. Lightly flour a surface and roll out one portion of the dough until it is in the shape of your baking dish. Transfer to the dish ensuring that about 1 inch hangs over the sides of the dish. Pour your filling into the baking dish and smooth out the top. Roll out the rest of the dough and place on top of the filling. Seal the top and bottom crusts by using a fork to crimp the edges.

(The original recipe stated to brush the top of the crust with a mixture of 1 tbsp soymilk and 1 tbsp oil, but I don't think this assisted the browning process much. Next time I will brush with melted Earth Balance or spray with canola oil spray.)

Cut an X in the middle of the pie to allow it to vent while cooking. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. The pie is done when the crust turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before cutting and serving.

Nutrition info per serving: Calories 292; Total Fat 11.3 g; Saturated Fat 2.5g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 375 mg; Carbohydrates 41g; Dietary Fiber 4.2g; Sugars 5.4g; Protein 7.6g; Vitamin A 97%; Vitamin C 18%; Calcium 7%; Iron 9%

Odds and Ends

Hi guys! Sorry my posts have been so infrequent. My cold stuck around long after I'd given it an eviction notice, but it seems to finally be gone now. Tomorrow I am getting an upper endoscopy (where they stick a scope down your throat) to find out why I've had acid reflux for the past three months, so that oughta be totally rad. Sometimes I feel like an old lady! At least I will be sedated so I should be in a great mood for a few hours afterward. :-)

Anyhow, still haven't been doing much cooking, but I do have a few restaurants on which to report as well as some other miscellaneous items. So here we go with the most random blog post of all time!

Steel Cut Oats

Every vegan blog posts about them at least once and I am no exception. Have you guys tried them? I gotta say, I'm a big fan. Apparently the only real difference between these and regular "oats" is that they have not been pressed (or rolled) to be flat, therefore they take a bit longer to cook. This gives them a rounder, heartier texture and they pop a bit when you chew them. I like to make a big pot of them then store them in the fridge. I don't add mix-ins to the entire pot, because then you're stuck eating the same type of oatmeal everyday and no one wants that. Instead, I heat up my individual portion each day and add in whatever the heck I feel like! One day I used the same type of filling from my failed Farina Cake - I toasted walnuts in a dry pan, then added a bit of sugar, some orange blossom water, dried cherries, and a little water. I let it simmer until a syrup formed and then mixed it in to my oats - WOW! So, so good. I've also been known to add combinations of almond or soy milk, maple syrup, nuts, raisins, cinnamon, bananas, apples, nut butter, maple sugar, jam... you get the point. The possibilities are endless. And steel cut oats are a great source of fiber and protein, so it's much better than starting your day with tater tots (the cafeteria at work calls them "breakfast potatoes", but I realize this does not absolve me of my guilt). 

Moo Shu Vegetables at Wild Ginger. Isn't the lighting positively seductive?

Wild Ginger

A few weeks back Johnny and I went to an Asian vegan restaurant called Wild Ginger in NoLita. It is tucked away in quiet neighborhood on Broome Street. It's a tiny restaurant and they don't take reservations for small parties, but we went a bit early on a Saturday night and had no problem getting a table. Dim lighting, tropical decor, and a candle on every table make for a very romantic setting. We started with their version of a Scallion Pancake - one large, crispy pancake topped with a fresh mango salad. If it's any indication of it's tastiness, Johnny insisted on ordering a second one because he liked it so much! For our entrees, Johnny went with the Orange Seitan at the suggestion of our server. Yum! Thin slices of seitan, breaded and fried, dipped in orange sauce and served over broccoli. The seitan was really tasty, my only criticism was that the sauce was a bit too thick, but still yum. I ordered the Moo Shu Vegetables: a huge serving of stir-fried veggies with Moo Shu pancake wrappers and hoisin sauce. Loved it! It was fun to make little burritos and dip them in the sauce and all the flavors worked so well together. For dessert we "shared" a sundae of vanilla soy ice cream, mango puree, and fresh fruit on top. This was a piece of heaven to me -so creamy, just the right amount of sweetness, and the crispness of fresh pineapple... Johnny hated it! Don't know why, but I was happy to eat his share, too. An adorable family was celebrating their mom's birthday and at one point, the staff turned down all the lights and the whole restaurant sang her "Happy Birthday"! I love stuff like that. And did I mention how insanely cheap this place is? All the food mentioned, plus a small pot of tea for me and iced tea for Johnny for... $40? We thought we had the wrong check, but no, this place is just that awesome! I also love how close it is to Little Italy, we took a romantic stroll down Mulberry Street after dinner and Johnny got some cherry italian ice, much to his satisfaction. We will definitely be back to Wild Ginger!

Cherry Ices are the other woman in our relationship. Look at that face... so ADORABLE!

Teqa

This past weekend, we tried a new place in our neighborhood called Teqa. They advertise it as a Taqueria/Tequileria, but it's much more. I had been intrigued by it because the restaurant itself is just gorgeous! It recently opened and I often walk by it on my way home, so it was fun to watch it transform from a hole in the wall to a beautiful space. We started with the All Greens salad: baby spinach, asparagus, roasted Poblanos, and avocado. I didn't even use dressing because the grilled asparagus and roasted poblano provided a perfect amount of flavor. This salad was HUGE and I was shoveled forkful after forkful into my mouth until it was all but gone. I'm pretty sure I made Johnny swoon a few times it was so attractive. I told my server I'm vegan and she told me they could make the veggie tacos for me and leave off the non-vegan elements. The finished product was three corn tortillas stuffed with mushrooms, peppers, caramelized onions, crispy potatoes and a romesco sauce. Amazeballs! That romesco sauce was SO good, I am definitely gonna be trying that at home.  All recipes I've found for it are 100% vegan! Johnny went for the shredded chicken quesadilla and was so enamored of it that he was ready to go back and get it again the next day! Unlike Wild Ginger, this place is pretty darn expensive, even by trendy Murray Hill standards ($14 for chips and guac? Ohhellno.) but if you order wisely you can escape with your limbs intact. And the quality of the food makes you forget how much you're paying anyway. Typical, New York. Typical.

Isn't it pretty? Just wish they'd get rid of the cowhide chairs.... ewww.

We went to the famed Apollo Theater for the first time that night, too, to see one of Johnny's favorite singers, Salif Keita. This man is amazing! To give you a little background: he's from Mali and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire. However, Salif was born with albinism and he was cast out by his family and ostracized by society because of it. His decision to pursue a career in music was also not considered suitable for a member of the royal family, but his passion for music was unstoppable. He is often called the "Golden Voice of Africa" and is one of the most successful African recording artists of all time. How's that for inspiration?

This show was so amazing! A group call the Pedrito Martinez Trio from Cuba opened the show and they totally blew me away - lots of percussion, male and female vocals, and piano made me wanna go to the nearest class and learn how to salsa dance! Then Salif took the stage with a group of about ten musicians and two gorgeous back-up singers. His voice is truly unmistakable and rich and the rest of the group was so talented, some playing instruments I have never even seen before. I was surprised when during his first song, a woman from the audience walked up on-stage, handed Salif some money, danced for a minute or two, then walked back offstage. I thought she was very brave for walking straight past security to do this as they were a bit aggressive that night. But into Salif's second song, another woman, then a group of men, even some children did the same thing! One after another, showering him with money, hugging and kissing him, dancing around the stage... woah! This continued on for the rest of the show and security was totally cool with it, even helping people come off the stage so they didn't fall. It was refreshing to see someone this famous be so accessible to his fans! Everyone seemed so joyful to be in his presence, it was really incredible to watch. He also started a charity called The Salif Keita Global Foundation to bring attention and support to those affected by albinism. In Africa, many babies who are born Albino are killed due to superstition and ignorance. The Foundation  educates about albinism and collects donations of sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats. Pretty amazing guy, huh?

Anyway, I've rambled long enough, hopefully I will be sharing a recipe or two with you very soon! xoxo

Just checking in...

Hey guys. How's it going? Good? That's good. I've had a cold since Sunday. I think it's bronchitis. I was stuck on the couch for 4 days, watching terrible TV and going out of my mind. (I did gain a new found love for "Bethenny Ever After". She's actually really funny and smart. Johnny no likey.) I haven't cooked all week and I am absolutely DONE with delivery food, but also too tired to go shopping and slave over a hot stove. It has been overcast and rainy in New York for days now, adding to the doom and gloom. I really wish Spring would hurry up and get here with all its new produce, flowering plants (achoo!), and outdoor activities.  I want to have a picnic in the park or go to a drive-in movie or take a walk on a beach. Alas, I am relegated to wearing my tired old winter coat and carrying my umbrella in my purse for at least a few more weeks. Harumph.

My plan is to get back in the kitchen this weekend and shake things up. I want to make a batch of potato tacos with some fun toppings like pickled red onion, homemade salsa, cashew cream and maybe a side of homemade frijoles. I have the urge to make sugary cupcakes and baked goods, too, but that might be counterproductive to feeling good. Any other ideas to culinarily reinvigorate me? Maybe it's time for a cleanse or something. I dunno.

Anyway, here's a picture to pull you out of the hole I just pushed you in. Wish I had one of these cuties to cuddle with!

I'm really good at naming pets: (L-R) Joe Biden, Sniffles, Skepticon, and Bernard Black.

Recipe - Chick'n Noodle Ssssoup

IT IS SNOWING IN NEW YORK TODAY. Can you believe it? It's like the worst April Fool's joke ever! It's probably warmer where you are, but I wanted to share my recipe for a delicious soup that I made this week. Johnny's had a nagging cold and all he's wanted is soup. He was eating can after can of that nasty supermarket Chicken Noodle Soup that is so high in sodium and cholesterol. I couldn't stand to watch it anymore, so into the kitchen I went!

This recipe keeps it simple with classic, subtle flavors and lots of hot, delicious broth. Perfect for an unseasonably cold day or for the next time you catch a bug. The carrots mean this soup fulfills your daily RDA for Vitamin A and the Gardein adds a lot of protein. 

The name is a tribute to the Bronx Zoo Cobra who escaped from her habitat this week and had the city going crazy! Her Twitter feed had me cracking up, she took a fictional tour of NYC while on the lam. My favorite tweets were: "Got a bagel at H & H Bagels on upper west side. When I ordered I said, 'I'll have the snakes on a PLAIN.' He did not laugh. Tough crowd." and "There are hundreds of sports bars in this city, but I can't find one reality show bar! Where am I gonna watch the Top Chef finale?!" And when Bergdorf's invited her to their store, she tweeted "If I recognize one belt..." HA! She was found yesterday safe and sound, turns out she never left the Reptile House, she was just playing an epic game of hide-and-go-seek. I think she'd appreciate this animal-free soup so, BZC, this one's for you.

Johnny gave the soup a "ten out of ten" review (WOW!) and was very grateful for it. He seems to be on the mend now, so I have a sneaking suspicion that my soup may have magical healing powers.**

**This claim has not been substantiated by the FDA. Yet.

Chick'n Noodle Ssssoup

Serves 8

2 vegan bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel brand with Sea Salt & Herbs)

8 cups water

8 oz. dried farfalle pasta (may substitute other pasta if you wish)

1 package Gardein Chick'n Scallopini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium white or yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

3 celery stalks, sliced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tsps fresh rosemary

2 tsps dried thyme

1/2 tsp black pepper

First, make your broth by crumbling the bouillon cubes and adding to 4 cups of boiling water. (I do this in my big glass measuring cup.) Set aside and stir occasionally until bouillon has completely dissolved. Prepare your Chick'n by heating a medium skillet over medium heat for several minutes. Spray with canola or olive oil and add the Chick'n Scallopini, cooking on each side for 3-4 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, dice the Chick'n.

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent, but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the celery, carrots and herbs and cook for 5 more minutes or until celery and carrots are tender. Add the 4 cups broth and an additional 4 cups of water. Add the pasta and Chick'n and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, continuing to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

Nutrition info per serving: Calories 197; Total Fat 4.5g; Saturated Fat 1g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 708mg; Carbohydrate 28.8g; Dietary Fiber 3.4g; Sugars 3.1g; Protein 11.2g; Vitamin A 143%; Vitamin C 9%; Calcium 6%; Iron 23%.

Wait a minute, that's not soup...

Bonus dish! I made the Rustic Bread & Eggplant Lasagna from VeganYumYum this week and was blown away by how good it is! For some reason I thought it would be a quick dish to prepare, but 2 1/2 hours later I realized how wrong I was. Luckily, the hard work paid off. As the name indicates, it uses grilled bread instead of noodles and the result is like a savory bread pudding. The grilled bread soaks up the tomato sauce, but is in no way soggy, and the breadcrumbs on top give the perfect crunch. I honestly did not miss the cheese in this lasagna AT ALL! Try making it on a Saturday or Sunday when you have some leisure time to cook. (What the heck happened to VeganYumYum, BTW? It is one of the best vegan blogs ever, but Lauren hasn't posted anything since January 2010! Where'd she go? Still enjoying working through her archives, her food and photography are stunning!)