MoFo is Coming MoFo is Coming!

It's twue it's twue. MoFo is just about here. Bet you noticed that fancy pantsy banner above my blog too. What the fo is MoFo? No it's not Frank Zappa's MoFo, (R.I.P Frank)! And no it's not the U-2 tribute band- MoFo. Although I kind of wish they were here. I think they do dishes. Speaking of U-2  wouldn't you think with all his humanitarian efforts that Bono would be a natch for Veganism? No dice. Bono's incisors are permanently engraved in mounds of UK Filet Mignon.


Okay, granted Bono's food habits are gross but I'll cut him some slack since he is a good guy to have in the world, you know with his peace efforts and rain forest concerns or is that Sting? Shit!  I hope Sting is a Vegan. If he isn't Trudie and his best buddy Paul should just give him a good talking to. 
 I digress VeganMoFo is... (rim shot please).

VeganMoFo IV: Vegan Month of Food, with over 400 blogs participating!


Below is the press release I cut and pasted for you.
The 4th Annual Vegan Month of Food, (aka Vegan MoFo), is ready to take the blogosphere by storm! Starting November 1st, several hundred bloggers from all around the globe will pledge to post about Vegan food at least five days a week for the whole month of November. The most dedicated participants try to blog all 30 days. Food writers, bloggers and home cooks will write about what they eat and what they cook, all with the intention of showing off the wide and varied world of Vegan food.


VeganMoFo kicks off on November 1st and continues through the month of November. You can find the alphabetized list of all participating blogs online at VeganMoFo Headquarters International, (http://veganmofo.wordpress.com). There you will also find information about generating an RSS feed to help you keep track of all the food writing. VeganMoFo can also be followed on Twitter.com (@veganmofo).




First organized by Vegan chef and cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz, (theppk.com), VeganMoFo has been gathering more and more enthusiasts each year. Participants begin brainstorming themes for their month-of-daily-entries well in advance. In previous years, bloggers have written about everything from veganizing grandma’s recipes, to eating in foreign countries, to 31 days of Vegan Halloween-themed treats. Posts include beautiful photographs, tantalizing recipes and thoughtful musings.





Veganville, (that's me), is one of the bloggers participating this year. Yippekayay! I'll be doing a blog a day. Add yourself as a follower, throw me some comments and give us vegans some kick butt support.


VeganMoFo is a grassroots event that evolved from a community of vegans who love to cook, love to be Vegan, and are passionate about sharing their love of Vegan food with the rest of the world. Anyone interested in food should definitely go online and check it out. But be prepared for a growling stomach!



This is going to be  a blast! Thanx in advance for your support. I'll be having some contests too. Stay tuned!

Jerk!

The heat is cranked and my Tuxedo cat Satchmo Girl has found a new bed for herself on a rug under a table. My chubster grey male cat, (Satchmo's BF Zuul), sleeps in a plate, more like a platter. Zuul is a huge guy, but I like how "Cat in a Plate" sounds more Seussical. Around Halloween time Zuul likes walking after midnight in a cemetery.

I find this refreshing.  All this warmth and dry heat cuddliness, just makes me dehydrated.

What I really want is a nutrient rich Vegan ice cream soda for dinner. I know just the guy to make it for me too. Laaaaareee. Hey remember when they used to call soda tenders, Jerks? Soda Jerk is not a derogatory term. In the 50's Soda Jerks were much like the Barristas of today except that their counter art  involved flavored syrup mixed with carbonated H2O, not coffee brewed with soy whipped cream and cinnamon. Everybody called them Jerks. Some were, some weren't. The ones who weren't stupid jerks were thus named after the jerky action of the soda fountain handle.

Jerk ^

When I was a kid growing up and a mere Vegetarian my parents used to buy this wretched Neapolitan ice milk from "Dairy Barn". Neapolitan is a a brick of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry sections. Vanilla was my first choice, then chocolate and I left strawberry untouched.
So when El husband came home with Strawberry Rice Dream Ice Cream by mistake one day neither one of us thought we'd like it. Well we didn't like it we loved it.



Yummy With

Larry added a scoop and a half of this to a cold glass of Crystal Geyser Blackberry Pomegranate Juice Squeeze and the result was a light purple ice cream soda. Quite possibly the best I've ever tasted. Hey, just be a Jerk and try it.



Puffy Pastry

I know, I know I'm late to the party, but I'm fashionably late. Just found out that Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry is Vegan. It's uber versatile and can magically transform it's puffy self into a savory tart or cutesy little dessert bundle or even a ginormous Napoleon. You can follow the directions on the package or go to the Pepperidge Farm website and veganize one of ye old recipes but they will only work if you pronounce the product name properly.
Repeat after me..." I am making Pepperidge Faaahm delights while I churn Vegan buttah and feed my mule."

Ingredients

1 large Spanish or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed (read instructions on Pepperidge Farm package carefully)
2 tablespoons Dijon - style mustard
1 cup shredded Daiya mozzarella
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or a T of dried oregano
Directions


Preheat the oven to 400°F.


Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the onion into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil and toss to coat. Place the onion onto a baking sheet. Place the tomatoes cut side up onto another baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining oil.


Roast the tomato and onion for 25 minutes or until the onion is well browned. Remove the onion from the oven. Roast the tomatoes for 20 minutes more. Let the onion and tomatoes cool on the baking sheets on wire racks.
Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 12 inch square.

Place the pastry sheet onto a baking sheet. Spread the mustard on the pastry to within 1 inch of the edge. Prick the pastry thoroughly with a fork. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup Daiya cheese. Arrange the tomato pieces over the cheese. Spoon the onion around the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining Daiya.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the Daiya is melted. Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Mo Made this in Class. She never worked with a rolling pin before and she did such a great job!





Now put on your bonnet, get in your new buggy and boogie to get some puff pastry at your country store!

Shrink Wrap is My Craft

I am invited to paper mache day at my crafty friend Catherine's house. All the craft genius gals will be there. My friends assure me that the glue there will not contain any horse remnants. This puts me somewhat at ease since I would not show up if there was nothing for me to sniff. I am very creative but I suck at crafts. I have PTSD from finger painting, hand print tracing and teeny tiny macaroni art. After five plus years of kindergarten you'd think I'd walk away with some ability other than being able to memorize a couple of rounds of Old MacDonald. Ei-ei-ooooh. Sorry got lost for a minute.
True, I made my 91 year old father an ashtray once, when he turned 90. I forgot it was in the kiln, and we both forgot he gave up smoking 40 years ago.
I'm grateful for the abilities I do have. Why, my new Pumpkin Voopees even made this tasty new Treasury on Etsy. Okay mine are the only ones not decorated but the Voopees are the only Vegan product in it. It took several tries but now I'm really good at shrink wrap. I was looking for Vegan Candy Corn the other day. I was surprised to see that nobody manufactures Vegan Candy Corn, but some multi-talented Vegan mama turns it out in her home kitchen. The recipe reads like "War and Peace". She churns out the candy corn whilst whipping up Vegan Cured Tofu Prosciutto with melon shaped as a bat. Her Halloween costumes are fine stitched from hemp. Said wunderkind does this all while rock climbing in Peru to save some exotic flat footed Platypus. I hate her. Mommy, if you are reading this, I know it's not nice to hate, but that Miss Smartypants didn't stay in Kindergarten until she was 11.

Here I am in the Etsy Treasury.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4cb52b28b5fb6d91818a046b/forget-the-tricksgimme-treats

Looking for a fantastic Vegan gift for under $11.00, (one item is $10.00). These are from my very talented friend's shops.




These Balms are the bomb. I love the root beer. A steal at  just $4.00. They come to you from Daisy Wares in Berkeley. Check out the rest of my friend Roni's shop for great jewelry, and Vegan soaps. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56924537/vegan-lip-balm-you-choose-flavor-root




http://www.etsy.com/listing/57049246/be-here-now-pif

This necklace is a beautiful reminder to keep it in the moment! Can't beat the price at $6.00 from my friend Sherry's shop Solstice D out of Michigan.



http://www.etsy.com/listing/58744063/whos-your-mummy-creepy-bat-doll

Although my friend Brooke's shop is not entirely vegan, Brooke does so much work for dog and animal rescue. Major props to Brooke. The newest addition to Brooke's menagerie is a sweet little blind chihuahua named Charlie. Bat Girl is made from recycled materials and found objects and is Vegan. Bat Girl is such a weird little cutie and what a great price too. You can purchase Bat Girl for 10 bucks at Brooke's "Feral Artery" Shop.

Happy shopping everybody.

GiGiTown

Who cares if I wrenched my back boogieing to the new Robert Plant tune. It seemed like the right thing to do, after all me and the little old bloggie had reached a benchmark. Yep we now had 55 followers. 55 followers in blogsppeak means 55 people sign up to follow what I regurgitate, (not such a good choice of word for a cooking blog), I know. 55 followers mean that in actuality 2 people occasionally read Veganville. One brave soul actually contemplates  making one of my recipes. But Wowee anyway!  With 55 followers I could call my blog GiGiTown. We could be a cruciferous cult and wear faux fur hats. We'd all eat my tofu nuggets three times a week. Followers would build GiGi Town cupcake goddess shrines. Just when I was coming up with a good chant, "I wanna take you to GiGiTown, GiGiTown", I saw that one follower had jumped ship. GiGitown was but a dream. Veganville now had 54 followers again. I know exactly who jumped ship too. It was someone with the handle veggiegail. My mommy almost named me Gail too. I was almost my own follower. Well that's too bad, veggiegail. You'll just have to miss out on my delicious agave sweetened kool - aid.

Soup Challenged No More

Are you a nudnick in the kitchen? Never made a soup in all the years on the planet? Opening a can of Amy's or Campbell's tomato soup and heating it in a nuke proof bowl is the most prowess that you've ever had. Fall is the perfect time for soup, but of course you knew that. Winter is around the bend and wrapping your hand around a steaming mug of goodness is a perfect way to warm up those delicate mitts of yours. Don't fret my little noodle brained soup challenged reader, you can do this! Stay warm.

Based on a Soup from "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" by Paulette Mitchell

2 Boxes "365" Vegan Broth (or vegan stock) = 8 Cups
1/4 C Soy Sauce
4 Ounces dried Rice Noodles
8 Ounces Spinach (bag of organic is good)
2 C Fresh or Frozen (thawed) Corn
2 Green onions finely chopped
2 T Earth Balance
Red Pepper Flakes
21 Salute Seasoning (optional)

Combine Veggie broth, corn, and green onions in heavy pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Add corn and green onions. Add rice noodles and cook according to package directions (around 6 minutes). Half way through noodle cooking time, add spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To serve, use tongs to divide noodles, spinach and corn among bowls, then ladle in broth. Top each bowl with a teaspoon of Earth Balance and red pepper flakes.

See I told you you could do it!

Hoops and Basmati Rice Pudding

My tummy is doing tricks and looks like a basketball. The Harlem Globetrotters want to recruit my tummy. Our dribble is very good too. I told the Harlem Globetrotters' scout that my tummy and me could not play every game. The tummy needs consistent carbs to be bouncable, specifically Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding and besides my tummy and me get somewhat drowsy after the first lay-up. Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding is an interesting dinner choice, even for me and said tummy. I must say it was very satisfying, (of course filling and comforting), and the aroma of Basmati Rice cooking is tantalizing. For all you raisin haters and coconut cringers out there you can just leave that stuff out. I hope my hubby doesn't roll us out with the garbage. Me and tummy are holding out for the NBA offer.
I've included a lovely side salad in case you want more sustenance and a drop of veggie before the playoffs. (My student Mo shredded those carrots for me and made the awesome dressing in cooking class)

Basmati Coconut Rice Pudding (serves 4 - 6 generous portions)
1 1/2 C  Basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
2 C  Water
2 T  Earth Balance
2/3 C Agave plus about 1/4 C more to sprinkle over the parfait glasses when filled

1 1/4 14 oz cans lite coconut milk - I like Trader Joe's brand
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 T non-alcoholic  vanilla
1 C Raisins
4 T Unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Add rinsed and drained basmati rice and water to pot.  Add 2 T EB. Bring to a boil. Lower flame to a simmer, (low), and cover. Cook rice about 21 minutes more. No peeking or lifting that lid...it will screw up the rice big time. After your timer has dinged, now go ahead lift the lid... what are you waiting for? Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, 2/3 C of agave, vanilla and raisins and cinnamon. Let stand 20 minutes, or refrigerate. When ready, spoon into parfait glasses or fancy pants bowls and add 1 T of agave, a drizzle of coconut milk to each vessel, (Oh you know what I mean), pour a generous tablespoon of coconut milk over each "vessel, or glass or bowl". Add coconut if so desired.

Simple Asian Side Salad With Sesame Dressing

1 Package of Butter Lettuce

2 Celery stalks chopped

1 Carrot grated

TJ's Roasted Seaweed Snacks

chopped peanuts, or cashews (optional)

a handful of bean sprouts (optional)

Sesame Dressing

1/2 C canola oil

3 T toasted sesame oil

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

3 T soy sauce

1 T agave

Gomasio

Divide butter lettuce evenly amongst salad plates. Top with carrots, celery and other fixings.

Whisk all dressing ingredients in bowl. Drizzle dressing over each salad and sprinkle with Gomasio. Garnish with TJ's Roasted Seaweed Snack.

Now go shoot some hoops.