Make No Bones About It We're Vegan


Friday, February 25, 2011

Want Some More Candy?

Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America (Harvest Book)
We didn' t grow up with much candy in our house. Our 92 year old baby sitter Mrs. Weinerman used to bring Heidels and me goody bags filled with Blow Pops and Bazooka and Tootsie Rolls. Stuff my mom never bribed us with. I was 8 years old when I told my mom that Mrs. Weinerman fell asleep on the job. Mrs. Weinerman often passed out during the Lawrence Welk Musical Hour. Who wouldn't? I actually have two pretty hip friends who have fond memories of watching that nightmarish show with their grandparents. We had no grandparents and Mrs. Weinerman was as good as dead. God knows what Heidels and I did while Mrs. Weinerman snored through the Lennon sisters. I think we waved bubble wands around Mrs. Weinerman so she would dream of Lawrence Welk. Anyway when Mrs. Weinerman finally really did die in her sleep candy became history for me and Heids. RIP candy, I mean Mrs. Weinerman.

Now for the most part, as a vegan I know what I can and cannot eat. I figured milk chocolate is out of the question. I boned up on candies a few years ago and read Candy Freak, an awesome book by Steve Almond. Smarty pants, here also knows that caramel is derived from milk. Late last week I whipped up my own vegan version and not particularly healthy version of that substance. Still it makes pretty awesome brownie topping and candy.
I did not know until last week why turtle candy was called turtle candy. I rightly assumed that no turtle was harmed in this confection. Bet you can't guess why they are called turtles.
Yes, my friend they are called turtles due to an uncanny resemblance to a turtle. Had I known that pre-refrigeration, I would have added an extra foot or something to the turtle on the bottom right. These are made with walnuts, but I've also made them with pecans and they work with both. They looked so good I mistakenly bit into the side of the plate.

Recipe
1 batch of vegan caramel (click on link)
1 C pecans or walnuts
1 C vegan chocolate chips

Line tray with parchment. Divide nuts into 4 batches. Make vegan caramel. Set aside. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Cover nuts with with about 1.5 T of chocolate. Top with same amount of caramel and then top with chocolate again. Freeze for about an hour. Partake.

If you've been around the vegan block I'm sure you already know that Oreos and TJ's JoJos are indeed vegan. But get this. Shock of all shocks. I was reading the deservedly much  touted Melisser Elliot's
the Vegan Girl's Guide to Life The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life: Cruelty-Free Crafts, Recipes, Beauty Secrets and Morelast night
 (the book I was supposed to receive from the publisher last October...harrumph)
and found out that Noah's Bagels adds a little somethin-somethin to their bagels called duck feathers. Say No to Noah's! I would eat a Noah's bagel with hummus about twice a year if that. Now I gotta wonder what Noah's puts in their hummus-pate?  Disgusted enough? Melisser says, stay away from those Planter's Peanuts too. They are laden with gelatin. Happy trails.

6 comments:

  1. Ummm yeah, I operate a candy turtle sanctuary so just send me your 2- and 3-legged turtles and I'll see what I can do to help the little guys.

    And who would even think to add duck feathers to bagels? Weird.

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  2. Droooooooooling on your turtles, sorry about that. They sound WAY yummy! I used to watch Lawrence Welk with my Grandparent's too. It was on rainy summer days in the North Forty, well Northern Part of NH, that is, and nothing else would even come in on their black & white rabbit eared TV. I used to hike around in their backyard & see the views of skiing hills & it had snow covered peaks complete with SKIERS, in the summers.. {sigh} memories! Planter's peanuts have gelatin on them? Do they mention that on their ingredients? I will have to check. I don't eat peanuts, but folks hereabouts do sometimes. TY for the heads up! XO

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  3. Stephanie- Hah.hah. I'll be selling these along with turtle brownies but I do not breed them.

    Heather-North Forty I like that!Not sure if gelatin is in their ingredients I would think so, though.

    Hi VeganCraftastic! Thanx so much!

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  4. Gigi, the turtles you sent with my birthday extravaganza package were so amazing that I hoarded them. I somewhat shared the first one and ate the second when Sandy was gone. The next day we rented a bunch of movies and she excitedly said...oh, we have that dark chocolate turtle. I looked away and said, no we dont. They are absolutely amazing and I can hardly wait to indulge in more. Thank you.

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  5. Sherry-
    So glad you had a blast with the turtle package. so when the cat is away the turtle will play. Hee hee. I'll be listing them on Etsy soon, hopefully. Sandy was really great about figuring out the package with me.
    You are so welcome!

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