Mofo Case #15 Scotland Yard Investigates

GiGi's case has confounded Scotland Yard.

Sherlock Holmes: We know that the blogger did not leave through the window. 
Dr. Watson: Yes, it seems that a careful investigation of the blogger's kitchen reveals that she almost never even left her kitchen.
Sherlock Holmes: Except to go to a fresh produce market.
Dr. Watson: Or Trader Joe's. We will have to follow her footprints.
Sherlock Holmes: Keep in mind Watson that this blogger's footprints will be quite different. Vegans do not wear leather and the tracks they leave are extraordinary.
Dr.Watson: And she loathes Crocs.
Sherlock Holmes: Elementary my dear Watson, elementary.
Dr. Watson: Some tea, sir?
Sherlock Holmes: Lapsang Souchang please, oh and some 7% solution, Doctor.

.
Sherlock's Black Tea (or Chai Spice) Breakfast Bar 
Highly Suggested Serving Suggestion: superb with vegan clotted creme,or raspberry jam

1.5 C dates
1 C apricots soaked in a cup of tea that has been steeped with three tea bags
1/2 C dried figs
5 T dark cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Soak apricots in strong tea for about a half hour. Drain. Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Line an 8x8 pan with plastic wrap.Turn the mixture into the pan and pat down.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.


Anyone with any information about GiGi is urged to call 555-555 lost. Thank you.

June Recap In August, Pride and Loaves

I had no intention of blogging today. Yeah, what else is new? You might say. And I would say, shut up, but with an unmean inflection. I came here to look up one of my recipes, and realized, it's been a while. June seemed so promising, then July came and went, just like a few of my followers. Yep I lost followers even after I was granted not one, not two, but three Loveliest Blogger Awards!!! Maybe the award givers left. No, I still see Cadry's face in the follower section. That's a good sign. Thank you, Cadry. You are very lovely too.
Thank you Richa, and thank you Meg-Chickpea. Are you guys still on board? So who jumped ship, anyway?  I guess a jump is better than a mutiny with a box cutter.


I know that there are virtual love fest inspirational blogs out there. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. You know those blogs with a million followers? Don't pretend you don't. I'm talking about those saccharine blogs where every follower comment goes something like this,  "I love your blog so much. Thank you for your beautiful inner cookie child quote today. If it weren't for you I would have killed myself with glutenous flour. You saved my sucky life with your Marianne Williamson-Louise Hay-Leo Buscaglia- Alchemist plagiarism." Oh Barfy Barf Barf!

Don't get me wrong. I love helping people and I've been known to use a few Cafe Gratitude quotes and affirmations myself. For the most part my blog is sprinkled with prison time and slumlord references. So upward and onward. Lets' not boohoohoo about spilled almond milk and yesterday's followers. I will not conform.

June/July recap:
GiGi delivers to out of town customer who is in town at hotel.
GiGi is very tired after the delivery and Pride Day parade, so orders Vegan pie in.
GiGi makes Waldorf pizza that crazy boy declares is best pizza ever. For Vegan Pie day.
GiGi has an impromptu ice cream party with CB, me and two buddies.
GiGi receives 3 Loveliest Blogger awards, is interviewed for two blogs, has article in Zine.
GiGi loses several followers.
GiGi starts running again, after mega hiatus. Can now outrun box cutters, and rabid boxers.

1. Proud Israelis. 2. Gay Facebook. 3.Queer Buddhists
photo credit: Crazy Boy

Clockwise from left just so you don't confuse me with the vegan deep dish pizza. I once was a dish, but hey now I 'm old and chipped. Bahaha.1.GiGi with bakery box. 2. Bakery boxes. 3. GiGi outside Pickwick Hotel, SF. 4. Zachary's deep dish pizza with incredible marinara and stuffed with Daiya.



One of these babies on the right was in the foil packaging in the collage above. The remainder were on their way somewhere else. That's Sam Sam loaf on the left, punk-in on the right.

I promise to be back soon, armed with an acceptance speech, a thank you to the presenters, ice creme night and an exceptional recipe for Waldorf pizza,and an affirmation you can stick up...

on your mirror. Here's looking at you.

 



Fellowship of the Vegetable Interview

We interrupt this voopee contest for a moment of shameless self promotion.
Have you seen me being interrogated/ interviewed on Kylie's uber cool blog Fellowhip of the Vegetable?

So what are you waiting for? Hop on over!
Just a reminder the "Name That Voopee Contest" is still open. Enter here at you own risk.

We'll be back soon with Elvis Pie and a another post "Veganville Delivers, Baby!"

Happy Pride Day everybody!

She is the Most Interesting...recipe and video included

Since her reputation precedes her today's blog will simply include a video and recipe.

Music provided/played by Crazy Boy.

PB and Vegan Fluff Milk Shecky with ingredients Standing Tall

2 C vegan milk of your choice
1 C Peanut Butter
1.5 C vanilla ice creme of your choice
3/4 C plus one dollop of Ricemellow to top milk shecky
1 tsp non-alcoholic vanilla
2 T agave (sweeten to taste)
2-3 ice cubes

Blend until thick. Top with dollop.

Made in Berkeley, California. Drink responsibly.

Stay tuned, contest coming soon!

PS Below in the comments is a linky to the commercial this video spoofs ;)

What Do You Call Hoppin' John A Week Later?

Y'all know what Hoppin' John is dontcha y'all? I had a Southern accent once. It's true. I adopted a Southern accent after living in what I affectionately dubbed "the armpit of the South". I drank a lot of tequila in those days. Slurring my words could easily pass as a drawl. I was a veg back then too. My diet consisted of grits, hush puppies and spirit water. My favorite book about the South is "Tequila a Mockingbird". Did I just lose 15 readers? Bahahaha.

Enough tangentialism... Back to Hoppin' John. Does this make this a blog hop now? What are those things anyway? Blog hops. Hmmm.

Hoppin' John is a dish that is traditionally eaten in the South on New Year's Day. Hoppin' John always includes black eyed peas. I think black eyed peas represent prosperity. Either that or a can of black eyed peas will become a collectible. So remember to save black eyed pea cans.

Here's your trivia of the day: If you eat Hoppin' John as a leftover (like on January 2nd) it's no longer called Hoppin' John. What's it called?
Hint 1:  ( fill in the blank) let's not "jump" or "___" to conclusions, shall we...
Hint 2: She married a short Scientologist.

If you guessed "Leapin Katie" you are correct!!! Leapin Katie is leftover Hoppin John!

We had a small gathering of friends who mean a lot to us (and also had no place else to go) over on New Year's  Day. My friend Marcia and I had both planned to make Hoppin' John. So dang it we had a shoot out, to see which Hoppin' John was left standing. Actually both Hoppin' John's were vegan of course, but that's where the similarity ended. Marcia made a Hoppin' John salad, that was as lovely as it was delicious. Marcia remembered that I have a gag reflex when it comes to celery, but had forgotten that the gag reflex only happens with cooked celery. Marcia left it out even though the salad was cold.  You could make it either way, with or without celery but it would be  unlikely since I didn't get the recipe from Marcia. I'll hit Marcia up for it though. We'll probably have coffee and celery sticks later this week. I want Marcia to come work with me!!! Below  is reason # 575 I want to work with Marcia again! I love her salad.

Marcia's Hoppin' John

Hoppin' John with Fragrant Basmati Rice and Roasted Rosemary Reds

3 cans Black Eyed Peas drained and rinsed
2 C White Basmati Rice
3 C Vegan Broth ( I use 365 brand) for the rice
1-2  More C Vegan Broth for the Hoppin' John Mix
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 C carrots chopped
1 bell pepper medium dice
1/2 C (or more) Daiya vegan cheese
1/4 C low sodium soy sauce
1/2 packet creole or taco seasoning (taco seasoning has paprika, red chili and black pepper so it works)
2-4 T Tabasco sauce (to taste)
1 Package Italian Tofurky Sausage cut into rounds and halved
21 salute seasoning to taste
1 bag spinach optional (to add in the last 3 minutes of cooking)


Directions:
You can cook your Basmati rice in a separate pot than the Hoppin' John. You can  make any kind of rice you like. I'm partial to Basmati. The color of the rice comes from the broth it's cooked in (and the Daiya that is later added). Rinse and drain the rice and then add with broth to a big sturdy pot. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Spray another large pot with cooking spray and saute onion, and garlic for about 4 minutes, add carrots and pepper, and Tofurky and cook for another minute. Salt to taste. Add the drained and rinsed black eyed peas, and the remaining broth and seasoning mix. It should be ready about the same time as the rice. How cool is that.
Cook the rice for about 17-20 minutes. When I cook basmati it almost always takes 17 minutes. Stir in the Daiya, and salt to taste. Remove from stove.

Serve with vegan sour cream, Tabasco, spinach, balsamic, even roasted red potatoes.

Happy New Year y'all. Here's to a prosperous, healthy, compassionate 2012. Remember to stock up on those black eyed peas!

Spare a Farm Animal Eat Soy Curls



Set design by Psycho Boy

Even if you don't have the dough to adopt a turkey this year, you can spare a chicken or a pig or a turkey and eat soy curls. I heard about soy curls during MoFo season and couldn't find them in any of my local haunts. And here I thought I lived in the mecca of vegan products. I can't even get Ricemellow- the vegan answer to Fluffernutter around here anymore. This is very disturbing to me, why would anybody with a couple of brain cells discontinue Ricemellow? I considered upping my meds, but instead chose the all natural option and ordered hard to get goodies from Food Fight.

Food Fight is so great! Look at these goods, but not so close, huh!

We scarfed down the Ricemellow in about two days. We ate lots of almond butter and Ricemellow on whole grain. We're still on E2 you know.

Since I'm a soy curl neophyte, I had to check out Butler soy curls' site for prep tips. The package directions say to soak them in water or veggie broth but there are no measurements provided. It turns out it's a one to one ratio. Butler soy curl also recommends using their soy curl "chicken" flavoring to enhance the curls. I like to enhance my curls but didn't know I needed the flavoring. I decided to move on and check out the Nacheez site for nifty recipes and hints. I met the very cool owners of Nacheez at a vegan event a while back and had the opportunity to try their awesome product then. When I surfed their site I found a recipe that utilized the soy curls and Nacheez. How lucky is that?! I didn't have the flavoring or the broth so I tweaked the recipe a little. Check out their recipe though! They use a microwave and a griddle. I used neither. No nuking here.

1 C Butler’s Soy Curls

1 C water
2 green peppers
1/2 onion
2 T salsa
1-2 T sea salt
1T 21 salute
2 T NACHEEZ®
2 Whole grain rolls

Preheat oven to temperature desired for your rolls.
Combine water with soy curls. Let stand for 10 minutes. Spray fry pan and saute peppers and onions for about for ten minutes. Pour off any excess water from the soy curls and add soy curls, salsa and seasonings to the pan. Cook for another 6 minutes. Heat rolls.

Pile the Soy Curls/pepper liberally onto heated rolls. Spoon NACHEEZ® over the top and serve.



Enjoy! Don't be a chicken, you can always foster a new attitude. Cluck, cluck and Peace to all creatures :)

What?! A Veganville Contest for Carnivores and the Ilk? Contest! Contest!

What? It's been eight days without a blog, you say. In Beatles' lyric lingo eight days is a week.
Crap, I owe you a contest or something. I got a doozy of a contest right up my bamboo organic sleeve too.

Boy oh boy I hope people enter. This is open to all members of the human race, except members of the Tea Party. I think I contradicted myself there, since Tea Party members are not considered  humans or mammals.

Quite honestly I never could stand tea, and that kombucha stuff just stinks. I know I'm a vegan and I'm supposed to expound on the benefits of tea, right? Screw that I say. The only time I really drank tea was when I used to get my tea leaves read. My whole crazy family used to visit the tea leaf lady. She was a little old lady who wore a flowered mu mu and had a pornographic light switch in her bathroom. You know the kind. The switch has an erection when you put the lights on. And when you switched them off well...sometimes that happens in the dark. (bahahaha). Mildred the mu mu clad pornographer tea reader lady had a favorite phrase she used while reading your leaves to you. After each leaf  prediction "you will get married when you are 20" or "you will have a friend named John" she would add in this high pitched voice..."and that is that". "You will brush your teeth" and "that is that". One day you will not drink anymore tea...and that is that.

Back to the contest.

I won't leave you in the dark here. Stop playing with that light switch, would ya.

Anyway, this contest has a little twist to it because as we all know I can be a little twisted. I don't like to proselytize.Yeah, of course I'd love it if the whole world became vegan. I'd love it If everybody left the itty, little, bitty baby calves alone with their mommies. And I sure wish those little, itty, bitty babies weren't taken away from their mommies so they could be placed in a cramped disgusting box to live out their infancy just so you could make them into Italian V Parmesan sandwiches later. NO! I didn't bring you here to tell you that. No I did not.

This is not a conversion contest so I won't tell you how cows are abused just so you can eat some soft serve or coffee praline heavy duty ice cream sundae. I promise I won't mention how porky pig becomes your breakfast side at Denny's (bacon has a mommy too) or ramble about how chickens suffer in battery cages. Nope why should I become all hot and bothered about that stuff. I know you are still going to rush out maybe not today but tomorrow to get a triple heart attack burger with some drippy bleu. (I won't even mention the health benefits of eating vegan or how much water we save by going veg.) Nope I won't tell you that stuff.

This is a contest here and let's have some freaking fun. Shall we. Really I just want you to know how great the vegan options and food is today. If you are looking to feel better, look better or even want to be a little more eco conscious try 2 meatless Mondays. Try out your local veg restaurant. Try one vegan lunch one day, and a vegan dinner another. Oh don't be such a big baby.

This contest is for all you pesky pescetarians, all you died in the wool carnivores, the "I could never leave my cheese behind" vegetarians, the "I hardly ever eat red meat because I'm so effing healthy", and the "I eat only free range organic" gourmet, and of course let's not forget all you "I'm already vegan but only eat chips and salsa" friends.

********Think you can cook vegan? contest******
             Official Rules and What You Win****
1. Contest Starts Right Now. August 6th 2011 and ends August 26th 10 P.M. PST
2. You must make two completely vegan meals. It's okay to use prepared vegan food like vegan chili or vegan meat substitutes or vegan sour creme. 
3. Vegan means no animal products whatsoever. No meat, no dairy, no honey. You are welcome to use any of the recipes on my site, an original recipe or one from a vegan cookbook or a recipe you veganized from a regular cookbook. Send me the recipe and a picture of the meal you made. Tell me if you created the recipe or where you got it from.
Videos are welcome. I am open to questions and happy to make suggestions.
4. I will feature contestant's meals on the Veganville blog in the coming days and weeks.
5. You can enter as many meals as you like over the three week period.
6. You must be a follower of this blog.

7. I'll post your entry on my FB page too. Get your friends to enter or vote.
8. Let's rack up the comments and I'll bring in a surprise guest judge too.

Vegan newbies Hints
Some fave substitutes:
1. Daiya Cheez - perfect meltability, it's not soy based and tastes great.
2. Follow Your Heart Cheez is excellent as well.
3. Vegenaise mayonnaise is the only way to go in the mayo dept. (my mom even likes it).
4. Nutritional yeast (not Brewer's Yeast) is a great stand in for Parmesan and mixed and there are amazing recipes out there for vegan "mac and cheeze".
5. Wanna veganize a family recipe and not sure how, hit me up.


Prizes:
A big box filled to the brim with assorted Veganville goodies. And a beautiful handmade vegan bookmark from Lylah's Etsy shop. I have one myself. Please check out her shop for some more real gorgeous artwork. I heart her line drawings and doodles. You can also check out what project Lilah is working on right now at her blog.

I'll add some more prizes if we get a good showing here. Come on what are you waiting for? Get cooking. And tell your buddies. It's fun to share. Why hell, make a party out of it! Cook up some nifty vegan foods and have a vegan potluck.

And that is that!

I'm Stuffed....Peppers

There is a dizzying array of colors at my local produce market right now. You can walk out of  Berkeley's Monterey Market with two canvas bags filled to the brim with juicy seasonal goodness for under eighteen bucks, maybe twenty. I usually get very excited about a trip to the market but I must be prepared to wear my game face. I must be psyched and in tip top shape. Monterey Market is the Lohmann's of produce. While New York Jews might elbow each other and stampede a Lohmann's for a marked down Balenciaga or Kate Spade bag, Berkeley tie dyed grey haired hippies will squash your Tevas for the purplest plum. And no I don't wear Tevas. My 92 year old dad, Pete does. NO tie dye though. Pete usually dons Brooklyn Dodger Tee and NYPD sweat pants. Don't think I haven't thought about using Dad and his wheelchair as a weapon in the Roman Coliseum of fruits. Yep Pete is sure deadly in his wheel chair but  you know what else...he's  an ex-mucky muck on the NYPD. So watch out  and get outta our way Mr. Jerry Garcia look alike.You over there, drop the honeydew. Pete still remembers the Miranda rights too, or at least something cop like. How 'bout..."drop the radicchio, and nobody gets hurt". Ooh you go Daddy!
Last trip, Pete wasn't with me. I did manage to get away with some yellow peppers, blueberries and strawberries, but it wasn't easy. A pigtailed grandma in lederhosen got a little too close to my peppers and I had to bop her on the suspenders with my recycled Lohmann's bag.

Moral of the story: Violence doesn't pay. I got home and didn't know what the hell to do with the yellow peppers.

I decided to veganize and tweak a vegetarian recipe I googled. Eh. It wouldn't be worth it to give you the recipe but I'd be happy to give you some tweak pointers and an elocution lesson. Say "Pete's Peppers Pointers" three times fast. Now out of our way.

Pete's Peppers Pointers

1. Yellow peppers make perfect containers-boats if you will. Cut vertically. Leave the top and bottom but remove pepper membrane.
2. I think the pepper boats taste better roasted or charred before filled.
3. I used a combo of quinoa, roasted peppers, red onion, scallion, raisins, and pine nuts, and cumin- (none of these were in the recipe prior to the tweak). Any grain will do. I added olive oil and a touch of balsamic. The base works. I think cilantro would have brought it up a notch.
4. Needs lots of flavor and seasoning.
5. For leftovers we drizzled olive oil and sprinkled Daiya over the top. It works.
6. I think Black Forbidden rice inside the yellow peppers would give it a Gothic twist for a special occasion.

Do you have a favorite way to cook yellow peppers? I'm stuffed.

Mama GiGi's Back Porch Corn Bread (oh you know what I mean)

I am not necessarily prone to exaggeration. At least not the way my sister, who we call Heidi Hyperbole is. If Heidi tells you she found a $100 bill outside an AT&T store that enabled her to pay the remainder of her cell phone bill for the month, she most likely found five bucks outside Trader Joe's and was able to buy a burrito. Heidi is an embellisher not a liar-liar pants on fire. So when I tell you that this cornbread is the best you ever had, remember it's me talking not Heidels. When I tell you that people travel far and wide for this sweet moist cornbread I mean it! Far and wide might only be fifteen to twenty miles but since I am presently without a car, far and wide takes on a whole new meaning. To me far and wide is like living in the Old West. It could take me and my posse  twelve days to reach San Francisco from Oakland in a stage coach...(just once I would like to be upgraded from coach...bahaha). They'll be no Wild West campfire cooking today, unless I can getta hold of some Dandy marshmallows. No sirree boy, we're talking bayou cornbread cooking. Step aside Paula Deen. Here's some sauteed mustard greens, with hearty 'shroom gravy and Mama GiGi's mouthwatering cornbread "graced" with a pat of Earth Balance.
You have to say "grace" when you partake in Southern fare. It makes baby Jesus happy. And for some reason the cornbread tastes better.

Mama GiGi's Back Porch Cornbread 

2 1/4 C Flour
1 C sugar
3/4 C cornmeal
1.5 T baking powder
1 3/4 C rice milk or any vegan milk even vanilla flavored is fine
1/4 C water mixed with one T Ener-G egg replacer
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 stick + 1 tsp EB (hey it's Southern Cooking) melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8" by 8" pan. I line it with parchment and regrease lightly.
Combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder in a medium bowl.
Combine rice milk, Ener-G slurry, canola oil and melted EB in a small bowl.
Add liquids to flour mix. Stir with wooden spoon til just combined. Lumps are cool. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Warm cornbread....the stuff that food dreams are made of. Y'all come back now ya here. You too, Paula.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Sneaky Tzatziki

It's the aubergines time to shine. The price is great and eggplants are plentiful. They don't have that mushiness or bitterness that can sometimes be the case other times of the year. They are pretty versatile too. I wouldn't make rice cream or cookies out of them but they kick ass in gyros with some tangy tahini sauce. They rule in eggplant heros with a  smattering of  marinara  and hit of Daiya mozzarella. Don't wanna go the sandwich route, how 'bout vine ripened  tomato, eggplant, vegan sausage sauteed in garlic and oil and served over fresh pasta ? Damn I should never write this blog when I'm hungry. Be back in a jiff.

Oh yeah,  so I didn't make any of the stuff I told you about this time. I made the above plate.
I sliced the eggplant thin, lined a baking sheet with parchment and sprayed the veggies with canola oil, seasoned with "21 Salute" and sea salt and roasted them with the broccoli in a 425 degree oven for about 17 minutes. I suggest cooking the broccoli about 5 minutes before adding the eggplant (they take a bit longer).

Although the photo does not do justice. The veggies are accompanied by some delicious tzatziki. Tziki to you.

Sneaky Tziki
1 English cuke cut in half lengthwise and deseeded then in quarters
1 scallion chopped
3/4 C plain soy yogurt
2 T Vegennaise
1 TTahini
1 tsp lemon
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp-1 tsp cumin
1T dill (I like dill)
and here's the sneaky part...3 radishes chopped to give the Tziki a bite.

Mix all dressing ingredients together in bowl including seasonings. Add cuke, scallion and those sneaky radishes.Toss.

Take note. I find plain soy yogurt a little too sweet. Next time I might up the Vegennaise or use vegan sour cream. It's your call. The roasted eggplant and Tziki would be very happy together inside a pita for a perfect summer picnic lunch.

For The Horseys!

After last week's jalopy hullabaloo I almost forgot to tell you something. I like to share the good stuff too, you know. Particularly when it comes to some shameless self promotion. There's always good if you look for it.

Veganville's PB Lover's Voopee romantically dubbed "PB and Chocolate Get Married" Voopee was chosen as one of Etsy's top five cookies of the week over at this delightful blog called Silverrose Designs.  Holly Westfall promotes other Etsian artists as well as her own beautiful shop, but I made this ...She does not make voopees. Maybe she does, most people do these days.

Holly hand crafted these stunning earrings though. I did not. It's hard to make jewelry when I'm making voopees.

Here is the coolest thing about the above jewelry.You get to support a great animal organization! 100% of the purchase price on these earrings goes to benefit Forever Morgans. FM's mission statement:
ForeverMorgans is an organization of volunteers whose purpose is to be a resource for Morgans in need, whether they are surrendered, rescued from shelters, auctions, kill buyers, or simply removed from potentially dangerous situations. ForeverMorgans wishes to open our virtual barn doors to all Morgans in need of safe and loving homes. We focus on registered Morgans but will consider unregistered Morgans on a case-by-case basis.

So gallop on over to Holly's Shop. You'll be doing a good deed, indeed! I'm done horsing around (oh, boy- sorry). Thank you Holly!

Little Miss Cuffin

If you are a dedicated follower and all around Veganville pal and admirer then you would know that we recently invented something worthy of your knowledge. That's right we here at Veganvillle like to contribute to your over all mental health and adjustment.
In a recent post we introduced the "Cuffin". If you were paying attention you would know that a Cuffin has nothing to do with fisticuffs, although they are so delicious you could probably get away with smashing a Cuffin in someones face. They might even like you for it.
Don't confuse a Cuffin with:

Q:What did one casket say to the other casket?
A: Is that you coffin?

Oh take a riccola already!

A Cuffin is not a coffin and vice versa. Yes, it's true I often eat my Cuffins in a cemetery but that's just me. I like walking after midnight. 

 A Cuffin is a cross between a muffin and a cupcake. Get it?? Bahahaha. 

Check out our new Little Miss Cuffin. And because Miss Cuffin is vegan she'll never include curds or whey ;)

Little Miss Cuffins With PB Glaze
Makes 6 Jumbos
3 medium overripe bananas
1+1/3 cup peanut butter
¼ C agave
¼ cup rice milk mixed with 1tsp apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon non-alcoholic vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 6-cup Cuffin pan .

Peel bananas and place in a large mixing bowl mash, then mix in the peanut butter with a fork until well blended. Add agave and stir in the rice milk mixture, and vanilla. Mix in the flour and baking soda. The batter will be thick. It’s cool if a few lumps remain. Using an ice cream scoop, divide batter between cuffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and remove to cooling rack. Cool in tin for ten minutes, remove from tin and cool on rack. Cool completely before adding glaze.

PB Glaze3-4 Tsp Rice milk
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T creamy peanut butter
Directions- Just mix them together and drip over cooled Cuffins, or dip Cuffin tops upside down in glaze. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes.


Share them with your favorite spider!

Lady Marmalade, a Quiz and Analog Accessories

It's word association day here in Veganville. If you like, phrase association day. There is one rule. As beautiful as the word "sunshine" is you will be exempt if you use it.
What 4 things come to mind when you think of the word "orange"? I'll go first.

1. Tango- It is an orange flavored vodka one drinks from a paper bag when Ripple isn't available.
2. Tang- a space age drink astronauts used to drink when Tango wasn't available.
3. Charlie Manson's jumpsuit.
4. Orange you glad I didn't say Sirhan Sirhan's jumpsuit ---I mean banana. No pun intended.

Now you go. I'll make the sound of a clock while you pick your four words. Go! Tick, tick (sorry I just had a little tic...bahaha). Anyway, times up. We don't have all day. I want to present this new recipe but first I want to bring you this cool little Etsy shop, called  Analog Accessories They carry all sorts of cool bags, pouches, totes, even coasters (perfect if you get tired of swigging  Ripple from a paper bag). Take a peek at this.

I love corduroy and the lining is just so pretty. Boy I wish I knew about this orange pouch before I used up my four guesses. You can find Annalog Accessories-  Just click on the link above and Anna the store owner even has a great blog called Carrot and Potato Time where she talks about vegan dining experiences and posts great recipes. Carrots, damn those are orange, why didn't I think of carrots? Anyway, before you hightail outta here to do some shopping therapy at Analog Accessories or check out Anna's uber cool blog-Here are my new cuffins.

Lady Marmalade Cuffins (Cuffins because they're not a muffin and not a cupcake exactly)

Makes 6 Jumbo Cuffins

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached flour
3 tablespoons organic sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 C Water mixed with 1 T Ener-g egg replacer
3/4 cup rice milk
2/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup canola oil
ICING:
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons tofutti softened
1 T orange juice concentrate thawed
1 cup confectioners' sugar
 or use your own glaze, why don't you. I can't really see what you're doing anyway.

Directions: Line Cuffin pan with cuffin liners


1.In a large bowl, combine  flour, sugar, baking powder and seasalt. In another bowl, beat the egg replacer slurry, marmalade and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.


2.Fill paper-lined cuffincups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20- 24 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or they get springy to the touch. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.


3.In a small mixing bowl, beat the marmalade and tofutti until fluffy. Stir in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Dip and swirl tops of cuffins in glaze.

  Works for me.

Here's  a little music to get y'all cookin! Thanx for stopping by!

What a Croc!

Take a glance at my profile and you will see that I am not a fan of a certain Hu-gley rubber holed garden gnome shoe. Yes I realize a lot of chefs wear these "F" for Fashion shoes. A lot of people fall off escalators when they wear these plastic monstrosities. Did you know that? I mean I don't think I'll be wielding a Wusthorf or whipping up a frosting on an escalator any time soon, but still. Gag. Yes I am on my feet sometimes 13 hours a day, but my Chucks rule, as long as I put insoles in them. I also work with chef's gel mats which save my ass and my feet. Wouldn't it be great if they could save face too?

So imagine my surprise when I was surfing the net looking for a cruelty free pair of black ballet flats or some facsimile of to change into when I go ingredient shopping. I was looking for something versatile, something to don with a pair of skinny jeans or rolled up Levis or summer skirt. Lalalala. Ooooh look these are kind of cute and economical and Eco friendly. WTF? Noooo. Shield my eyes. They are a Croc. Can't be. Let me see them again. Yep my eyes do not deceive me. Those are a freakin' Croc!

It might be time to throw those Croc prejudices aside, GiGi. Well since Zappos does have free shipping returns I decided to give the Crocs a whirl.

I wore them to go get ingredients yesterday. They look cuter in person. The cool thing about them is that when I dropped organic powdered sugar on them I just wiped them right off with a wet nappy. Wore them in the kitch today and they were quite comfy. While at the Croc store I kind of liked another flat not suitable for the kitchen but great to knock around town with. Check 'em out. Kinda cool right? So what do you wear on your tootsies when you are cookin?

Happy Birthday Cupcake For Mommy

They say it's my mommy's birthday. Every year my mommy says, "didn't I tell you and your sister not to get me anything?" One reason my mommy doesn't want anything is because she stopped counting birthdays.

She doesn't want my sister to get her anything because my sister's perpetually broke and getting my mom a present would mean just hitting my mom up for more money later which really kind of means that in the long run my mom bought herself the present.This does not at all indicate that my sister is ungenerous or slothful or frivolous. Her Dickensian story is for another day. (this is what I call a cyclical gift-not to be confused with the diabolical "re- gift")

Did you ever receive a re- gift? I did. From a wealthy cheapo. Mrs. Scrooge didn't even have the decency to re- wrap the crappy gift they didn't want. They gave it to me with the original paper hanging off. Yuk. I mean why splurge on a piece of scotch tape.

The most prevalent reason my mom doesn't want anything is because many birthdays ago and one particularly auspicious April 17th my mom went into labor and gave birth to a 2.75 pound preemie...Me! (April 18th)

Now isn't that the best gift ever? Happy Birthday, Mommy.

Vegan raspberry cream cheese cup cake for Mommy! xoxox

Raspberry Frosting

4 Oz. tofutti
1/4 stick earth balance (softened-room temp)
3 C powdered sugar
tsp rice milk
tsp vanilla
2 T TJ's organic raspberry preserves (or your fave)

Cream tofutti and earth balance. Add powdered sugar. Beat 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and rice milk. Continue to mix to frosting consistency. Stir in preserves.

Share with your birthday pal.

PB Swirl

9/10ths of the time I've got some gratitude going on. Even if I have to drum it up and eek it out. I'd rather be happy and dopey than a pitiful slug. A lot of people like to step on slugs. Vegans aren't even that fond of them. Not that we would intentionally step on anything. I won't even step on a crack because I don't want my mom to suffer.
The 1/10th part- you know, the grimacing gastropod part hit me upside the head this week. It all started with an honest mistake. I sent out caved in cupcakes. I tried covering the offending grand canyon cakes with mounds of icing. The client wouldn't have it. Of course I replaced them, apologized profusely and offered them a free trip to Arizona. Water under the bridge, as they say. Lalalala. I let it go and moved on. It's not good to stress. So I mosied over to my Etsy account. Yep I'm in treasuries everyday, but the sales are bupkus this week. In an effort to make myself feel better I decided to check out other vegan bakers sites to see if perhaps their sales were down too. I consoled myself with, "oh well maybe it's a slow week".  350 sales on one vegan baker's site and 450 at Megaprettyvegan's online account. I just wanted to clear my 60 sales this week.  I tried to let it go. I really did. And just when I was thinking of packing in all my cupcake liners, blue icing and Swedish fish I received a convo on my Etsy account. Nope it didn't make me richer, or even get me past 60 Etsy sales but somehow it kept me at this baking gig for one more day. Here is the letter and our correspondence. Thank You Bakado!


Hi there,

I get mine (pb lovers voopee) at catahoula coffee in Richmond, I'm using them for motivation while training -they are my "cheat" meal (I'm assuming somewhere around 600 kcal for a whole pie) and plan my day's meals accordingly. So far it's been working - down 20 lbs with 5 to go. So thank you for making these pies.
Only problem - is they are too popular at catahoula lately, and I haven't been able to get one for at least a week and a half - and I am feinding FEINDING I tell you!
I would order through easy but the danger of a 6 pack of these sitting on my freezer ( they freeze well right?) scares the dickens out of me - as at least having to get to catahoula stops me from eating these every day of the week.
So please, please please I beg of you - deliver more to catahoula - you can always complain to me via email if they aren't moving and I will make sure everyone I know gets some...
Thank you for your time and voopies
~ ~
Hi Bakadoh (ha ha)
Thanks for your nifty letter of PB Love. If you are picking up this message now 1:45 Friday some Fresh PB voopees should be in your local Catahoula by 2:00 today. I just sent some out.
PB in a jar often calls my name from an undisclosed location, so I can understand your voopee in the house predicament. They do freeze well, by the way. But A freezer never stopped anybody!
Down 20 pounds, that's terrific. What are you training for? You can always order a batch to bring to a friends (just convo me) and I can drop them off at Catahoula sans shipping of course. I'm not sure about the caloric content, but be assured the calories are much less than a whopper, a better source of protein and cruelty free.
Would you mind if I used your letter on my blog today?

Run don't walk to Catahoula now.

Thank you again. Always happy to motivate. (I'm an ex-athlete and coach)
Keep pedaling.

GiGi
Head Honcho of Veganville
~ ~ ~
Of course you can use my letter in your blog. I'm at catahoula right now - buying three... But I love how many there are here.

I won't bore you with my life story - but I'm training to see how fit I can be. Even when I was body building many years ago I never was able to get under 190 for very long. Now I'm hovering between 180 and 177 steadily losing since January 31st.
Sorry chocolate all over my iPhone from the vooper... I'm good for another week- I'm going to try to addict two people for you today, by sharing.
I love your idea for drop ship at catahoula

In honor of the lovely letter I received I am creating a PB Lovers Box that will include PB Voopees, Vanilla Cupcake with PB frosting and PB Swirl Brownies. 60 Etsy sales here we come.

Wanna add some swirl to your brownie now? Make your fave brownie batter and place in prepared pan. In a separate bowl make the PB mixture.
Mix together:
2/3 C PB
2 T canola oil
2 T organic powder sugar

Place dollops of PB mixture on the panned batter. Swirl with knife. Bake according to your favorite brownie recipe directions. Feel free to write me a very nice letter.

Twas a Vegan Night Recipe

Twas a cold and rainy night. The floorboards creaked and lightening bounced off the antiquated telephone lines. Two flea bitten soggy ferals clawed to get into to their human companion's condemned apt.

Our human companions always have treats, they said.

The tired old baker pulled her Eco-friendly afghan over her head and pushed herself up off her rickety up cycled rocking chair. The unbotoxed old baker sighed and let the tiny tuxedo and the alpha grey male in.
Aaaaarh I should have stayed on my arse...

If I had half my wits about me today,  I would have just left you two out in the cold to fend for  your grizzly selves.
But you know how to play this old vegan, don't'cha?
Well here's the last of yer treats.
Barely eatin ourselves ,we are.
A sixpence and your pops is fixing me some comfort food before we lose all the 'lectricity. Comfort food is different for a baker. Nope no sweets tonight, sweets.
Pops is fixin up a helpin of...


Take down ur favorite skillet down from the cubbard. You know the one, the one you thwacked over the miserable Mr. McGrumpy slumlord's head. Spray with some good ol TJ's cooking spray. You don't want it sticking now.

Here is the rest of Pop's recipe. He's a good man that Pops. Cooking for us two and all.

1 bag frozen ye old Trader Joe's soycotash thawed
1/2  a good sized onion chopped (don't worry about crying)
2 tofurkey Italian sausages sliced and cut in quarters
1 cup of broccoli
1 clove garlic- smashed (think of Mr. McGrumpy) and chopped

Go on now. Sizzle that onion and garlic. Now add broccoli it's got good vitamins. Now add ur protein and the soycotash (that's protein too ) Stir it all up. Get it nice and hot and add a dash of sesame oil, or soy sauce and some sea salt. It'll comfort you up, I promise.

Yep, he's a good man, that Pops. Who makes your comfort food? What food makes you all warm inside?

The Dope on Opie?

So what's the dope on Ope? Looks like all the vegan boards are lit up. Yesterday I was even featured in an Etsy treasury curated by sister vegan Etsian, Heather Vegan entitled Oprah It's Vegan Not Veganish (While you're there check out Heather's beautiful shop).

Let me first say this. Over the years that Oprah has been the reigning queen of daytime TV I've maybe seen the show once or twice. Once when she pulled a wagon filled with pounds of hamburger that equaled the amount of weight she had lost to fit into her size ten Calvin's. I think I saw the Tonya Harding baseball bat episode.You remember the episode where Tonya tried to reenact the Nancy Kerrigan debacle by taking out Oprah's knees. I don't have a TV. Here is the proof that I do not own a TV.

Oprah weeps openly because GiGi does not have a TV and has to miss the Howard Lyman vegan show.

Check out Howard Lyman here. You know the mad cowboy, who's a 4th generation cattle rancher and vegan. Apparently Howard did not want to hear Michael Pollan, (or is it Pollen-I'm definitely allergic to this guy), say "happy meat" 300 times in one show. What? Drive past Coalinga, CA on the 5 interstate and you can taste the death for miles.You can see the unhappiness in those animals eyes. Happy? I never thought of being brought to slaughter as a joyous moment. But what do I know, Howard?

Howard also didn't want to be there because he makes Oprah cry too. "Please Mr. Lyman I can only do this vegan challenge for 7 days. I know it's not compassionate to eat animals but on day 8 Gail has got to go get me some big ass 1/4 pounder, and a large strawberry milk shake. Just to show you how compassionate Oprah can be I am  going to give everybody in the audience a new car. Check under your seats, everybody" .

A handful of vegans were ecstatic to see Veganism get some mainstream exposure. Most said we were misrepresented and that Lisa Lings visit to a factory farm was pure pablum and overly planned. Her visit certainly did not feature atrocities that most vegans are aware of.

Okay, I know I just gave you the Opie Cliff Notes, but remember, I don't have a television so I can only make things up in my head. I'm not going to leave you hanging though. I just read a blog written by somebody who just so happens to have a television set, and boy oh boy is her Oprah blog chockful of perspective. (In my mind the right perspective). Thank you Cindi!
http://www.blog.farmusa.org/oprahs-vegan-challenge-the-good-the-bad-the-truth/

Has anyone seen Tanya?

Uh-oh! I'm outta here.

Carmine? Carmine Who?

I really didn't know. I swear. But first I have to tell you a little story, to explain away my stupidity.

When my dad and mom whisked us away from our beloved Brooklyn to live in the land of manicured lawns and jockey statues and 5 million dollar gold nativity scenes, they were good intentioned. Fresh air was on their mind. My dad, a Jewish Head Honcho on the NYPD, could never have guessed who his neighbors would be. Marian the Jesus Freak with the long polyester skirt and 11 inch crucifix necklace, her husband Dudley who mowed their lawn in a shirt and tie and her 2 future mass murderer children, (one shot a hole through my parents dining room wall and hid a cat in their gas barbecue), lived on one side. Carmine, the small town mafia crook and his brood lived on the other side. Marian religiously tried to convert my dad. (I know stupid joke). Carmine on the other hand would give you the shirt off his back which was often taken from someone else's back. Still he was generous and he and my dad became fast pals except when Carmine's other pals were there, (he didn't want to look like a snitch). So that was Carmine. Carmine had a son named Carmine Jr. Carmine's grand daughter was  named Carmella. And lots of the their friends were also named Carmine and Carmine Jr. Long Island in fact was infested with Carmines.

Carmine Example

I know. I know you probably found out all about a different "carmine" in HS biology class. Suffice it to say, I was elsewhere. So today, yes today, (the total shame), I found out that Carmine the ingredient found in some cosmetics is not just an Italian ingredient. Carmine is a pigment prepared by boiling dried insects in water. Other ingredients are added to precipitate the coloring process. Ingredients, like egg whites, fish shells and gelatin are often used to bring out the red. I mean who knew-everybody but me apparently. I usually purchase cosmetics that are labeled vegan or at the very least say no animal testing. Well Marian, if I find Carmine, (wait in my cosmetics... (wait does that mean Carmine is a cross dresser?) I'll just have to convert.
Here are some beautiful and economical vegan cosmetics that keep there distance from Carmine. Check them out. They'll make you look hot.

From Brazen Cosmetics -I love this! "Screw Cupid"

or their sizzling pot of red...

Brazen.etsy.com



Passionate about purple and animals- check  out mineral love's array of shadows

Without Carmine you can pucker up those vegan lips with awesome lip picks like EpicallyEpicSoap's Noir

or Bohemian Beetnick's Cabernet.

You can keep that pledge to take off that makeup before you go to sleep with Daisyware's super gentle vegan eye makeup remover.

Nighty-night dolls!