My New Vegan Ankle Boots

I have a pear-shaped body so my legs are big, making it difficult to find knee-high boots that will fit my large calves, so that's why I buy ankle boots.

I found these two super-cool looking vegan ankle boots at one of my favorite clothing stores: Ross Dress for Less. Vegan fashion doesn't have to be plain-looking but can be very fashion forward!

These boots are awesome in the way you can wear them low or high...I love footwear with laces!

These ankle boots are cool in that it has both zipper and lace...I love the studs.

Earthlings - Full length documentary

My First Susan Nichole Bags!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE handbags, so when I checked out vegan designer Susan Nichole's handbags, I just had to have these two!! (click on images for close-up)

When the bags arrived today (fast shipping--in less then a week) I was amazed (well, I shouldn't be, right?) the materials of the black bag and the red shoulder strap on the gold bag (rest of gold bag is cloth) are vegan, because it feels so much like leather. Nice and soft, and very durable! Exquisite, great quality bags!

Susan Nichole designs wallets too! She has a full line of wallets also at her website.

If you love handbags as much as I do--or even not nearly as much!--Check out Susan Nichole's website, at:

Susan Nichole

Queen of Sheba: Ethiopian Restaurant

On Saturday, Jeffrey and I went to the Ethiopian restaurant, Queen of Sheba, in Portland.

No utensils are used; you eat with your hands (preferably your right hand only) using Injera, a flatbread with a slightly spongy texture to pick up the food. I ordered the Vegan Sampler; these delicious vegan dish can vary according to what vegan foods they have available on that day.

The Vegan Sampler serves a family of two and has their house salad. The meal includes 10 vegan options.

This very tasty meal definitely satisfied us!

Modak Recipe for Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday (rebirth) of Lord Ganesha the son of Shiva and Parvati, which will be September 9.

It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the gods, barring Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel. The festival, also known as Ganeshutsav ("festival of Ganesha") is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).

The main sweet dish during the festival is the modak (modak in Marathi modakam/kudumu in Telugu, modaka  in Kannada and modagam in Tamil). A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried.

Here is a Modak recipe to celebrate Ganesha Charturthi:

Modak

For the dough:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup rava (cream of wheat)

2 tbsp transfat-free vegetable shortening

Enough soymilk to knead

Mix the ingredients together into a stiff but pliable dough. Cover and set aside at least half an hour.

For the filling:

In a heavy bottomed skillet, mix together:

1 cup shredded coconut (I used the pre-shredded kind from Whole Foods)

1 cup finely grated jaggery (found easily at Indian grocery stores)

Toast on a low flame until the jaggery is almost melted through. Keep stirring because coconut burns very easily.

Now add:

3 tbsp canned coconut milk

1/2 tsp ground green cardamom seeds

1/4 cup finely chopped cashew nuts

Stir together well, mashing in any lumps of jaggery that might remain. Once everything is well-mixed add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, then turn off the heat and set the mixture aside to cool.

Break off a piece of the dough, about 1 inch in diameter. Roll into a ball and then, using very little flour, roll into a disc as thin as possible, about 3 inches in diameter.

Place a tablespoonful of the filling in the center. Now gather the edges of the on the top and pinch to seal into a pointed tip. Moisten with some water if needed to ensure a tight seal because you don't want the modak to come apart while it's frying.

Heat enough oil to cover the modaks in a skillet. Once the oil temperature reaches 375 degrees, deep-fry the modaks, a few at a time, until they are golden-brown all over. (Frying at this temperature ensures that the food will absorb almost no oil.)

Remove to a dish lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Cool to lukewarm before eating.

What Are You Wearing?

As the big clothing season begins, full of shopping for school clothing, special clothes for religious holidays and festivals, buying clothing gifts for holidays like Christmas, or just your everyday clothing...What are you wearing (or buying)?

Veganism isn't just about food. Veganism is also about what we wear (and items we use in any way in our life, like body care, cosmetics, and household cleaning products). 

With clothing, it's about wearing apparel and accessories that are created without the use of any animal materials, which includes not wearing clothing made with animal fur (like angora), wool, leather, any animal skin (like snake, sheep, lamb, suede), or silk.

Even if the animals are not killed (to make items like leather or silk), there is still cruelty involved. With down materials, starting at 9 weeks old, baby geese are strung upside down and their feathers are ripped out. This happens every 6 weeks until they are sent to slaughter. With fur, it comes from anal electrocution, by sticking a metal rod in animals' rectums and electrocuting them from the inside, or by catching an animal in a steel-jaw leg-hold trap, which often leads to the animal trying to bite off their own limb to escape before the trapper finds him/her. With wool, weeks after birth, most lambs have their ears punched and tails chopped, and most males are castrated--all without anesthetics. When shearing, it's done with speed and often results in bloody slashing and mutilation. 

Vegan fashion is not all expensive. Actually, vegan clothing comes at many different price points, depending on the label that makes it. Whether you're in the market for a $30 vegan bag or a $1,000 vegan coat, you can and will find something on any budget. A small, independent label using cutting-edge fabrics will have higher costs per piece because they aren't spreading out a large production run. Also, vegan fashion isn't difficult to find. It's likely you've already came across vegan fashion items at your favorite stores. Target, Bakers, and Payless all sell vegan shoes for instance. If you seek it out--and even if you don't--you'll find it! From feminine pleated-skirt peacoats to beautiful bronze metallic T-strap pumps, vegan fashion isn't just animal and eco-friendly, it's also stylish, sexy and chic from head to toe!

According to a report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, animal agriculture (raising animals for production) is the number one cause of global warming. It's the largest contributor of greenhouse gases--more than all transportation combined. By opting for vegan fashions, you're doing your part to make a difference for the world beyond your clothing. 

You don't have to throw out all your clothes with animal materials all at once restarting your style from scratch; you can simply make more vegan choices moving forward, like from now on, avoiding anything with fur (even trim). In addition, next time you're out shopping at the department store or mall, look out for vegan bag and shoe options--they're everywhere. 

Read labels. The way one would read labels on food containers, always read the labels on clothing and accessories to make sure what you're buying is truly without animal materials. For example, sometimes labels plainly state, "all man-made materials" on the inside of shoes and bags. Many shoes have leather soles and were made overseas, so you also want for words that mean "leather" in other countries. This includes "cuero" (Spanish), "cuoio" (Italian) and "cuir" (French). 

To keep your budget well-balanced with all of these fashion temptations, invest in good quality vegan clothing items that you know you'll wear often. The goal is to create an edited closet rather than a pile of clothes, so think about the true price of clothing in terms of how often you will wear it.

Vegan Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah (Hebrew: ראש השנה‎, literally "head [of] the year"), is the Jewish New Year. It is the first of the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora'im ("Days of Awe") which usually occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day celebration, which begins on the first day of Tishrei. The day is believed to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind's role in God's world. Rosh Hashanah customs include eating symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to evoke a "sweet new year". But you can use agave nectar, brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup in place of the honey. Additionally, various symbolic foods such as dates, pumpkins, leeks, beets and pomegrates are enjoyed during the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah, begins tonight at sundown. Here are a few vegan recipes to help celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

Whole-Wheat Vegan Challah Bread

2 1/4 tsp or 1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water

Mix the yeast and the warm water in a mixing bowl and leave alone for five minutes to ensure the yeast is alive. If it froths and bubbles, it is!

Add to the bowl:

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
4 tbsp ground flax seed + 6 tbsp water, whisked together
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sea salt

Mix on medium-low speed until blended. Add:

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cup bread flour

Knead on medium low speed in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes or about 10 minutes by hand. The dough should be elastic and smooth.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turn it once to coat the top with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for about 2 1/2 hours in a warm place.

Punch down the dough, knead a bit, and then refrigerate for about 4-5 hours until the dough has doubled.

Divide the dough into three balls and let them rest, covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, for about 15 minutes.

Roll each ball into a rope about 12 inches in length. Dust with flour.

Place the three ropes side-by-side. Now pinch together the top ends and carefully braid the three, like you'd braid your hair. For instance, pick the left rope and place it between the right and the middle rope, then pick the right rope and place it between the left and middle ropes, and so on.

Pinch together the ends and tuck them under the bread.

Transfer the loaf to a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.

Brush the top of the loaf with some olive oil which will give it a lovely glaze after baking.

Cover the loaf with oiled plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise. In about an hour, it would have nearly doubled in size.

Brush the loaf again with olive oil, sprinkle some sesame seeds over it, then place it in a preheated 375-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Cool the loaf on a rack before cutting in.


Sprouted Lentil Salad

¼ cup red lentils
¼ cup green lentils
¼ cup black lentils (or French lentils)

chopped celery
chopped green onions
chopped parsley
chopped cilantro
grated carrots
grated beets
chopped red cabbage
1 red bell pepper, or ½ red and ½ green pepper
½ sweet red or yellow onion
grated zucchini (optional)
diced cucumber (optional)
lemon juice
extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil
dulse seaweed, kelp seaweed, or sea salt
Nama Shoyu or Soy sauce
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic or more

Wash the lentils in water separately, making sure that there are no stones or other matter in the lentils. Soak the lentils in tepid water in a glass jar or in a bowl overnight. They will expand by at least a ½ if not more, so make sure there is enough water for them to expand without going dry. Drain the water in the morning, rinse them in cold water under the faucet and put them in a colander or other container where they can germinate for at least 4-6 hours. You will know they have germinated by a tiny growth tail, and they will be soft to eat.

Chop and grate your vegetables, adding or subtracting the vegetables you want to eat. Those in the list are some of the choices you have. Add your own favorites. Put all of these vegetables in a different bowl from the sprouted lentils.

Mix the lemon juice, oil, and spices in a bowl or container.

Putting your salad together

The amount of lentils in your salad should be about 1/2 of the ingredients. Add handfuls of your chopped and grated vegetables and mix thoroughly. Add the dressing and taste the salad. Let the salad “marinate” for at least an hour, so that the flavors soak into everything. Taste again and add more dressing if needed. This salad can be served with other vegetable dishes or green salads. For optimum digestion, do not eat this salad with fruit dishes.



Mock Gefilte


½ cup cashews, soaked overnight
½ cup almonds, soaked overnight
½ cup pine nuts, soaked overnight
½ cup green onion /scallions, chopped
½ bunch parsley, chopped
¼ cup water
2 tsp Braggs Amino’s, Dr. Bronners Bullion, Nama Shoyu or another “salty” liquid
¼ - ½ cup lemon juice
1 clove or more fresh garlic
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp – 1 TBS or more of kelp granules (this creates the “fishy” flavor)

In a Champion juicer, run the soaked cashews, almonds, and pine nuts through with the ‘solid’ blank attached. The mixture will come out very thick. Turn into a bowl and add the lemon juice, aminos, and a small amount of the water until it is a wet paté consistency, adding more water if needed. Mix. Add the onions, parsley, and other seasonings. Taste for flavor and “fishiness.” Form into patties, and let seasonings continue to flavor the paté. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a small amount of fresh grated horseradish on the side. Serves 4 – 8 or more depending on the size of the patties.



Chickpea Falafal Balls

• ½ cup bulgar wheat
• 1 whole yam (large)
• 2 tbsp plant-based milk
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 3 tbsp fresh Italian parlsey
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 3 tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. Add bulgar with 3/4 cup of water in a pot without heat and set aside to soak. Meanwhile, cook yam until fork tender by steaming, microwaving or boiling (peeling skin away is optional). Using hand beaters or a potato masher, blend cooked yam with non-dairy milk until the consistency is like mashed potatoes and set aside. Return to bulgar, which should have absorbed some of the water. Bring the pot to a boil and once boiling reduce to low heat and simmer. Continue to cook, uncovered, until all the water is gone, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

Meanwhile toss garlic, parsley, onion powder, cumin, coriander, chickpea flour, bread crumbs and salt in a food processor. Allow the motor run until it's very crumbly and spice-like. Mix spice mixture with yam mixture until well combined. Then add in cooked bulgar. Drop tablespoon-sized portion on to the cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Lightly cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Flip the balls, respray and then bake another 20 minutes, or until the outsides are crispy.

While the falafel balls are baking, make cilantro-yogurt sauce. Stuff warm whole-wheat pitas with falafel balls, chopped lettuce and the "yogurt" sauce.

Carrot Spice Muffins

Dry ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and unbleached flours)
• 1/4 cup natural sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 3)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Optional topping: Vanilla sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray or use muffin liners. (I used silicone muffin pans.)
2. Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the liquid ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry and mix just long enough to combine. Add the carrots and raisins and stir to combine.
3. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups–it will be very thick. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Note: People sensitive to soy may try substituting rice milk or other non-dairy milk.

Total time (duration): 30 minutes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup raw sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 whole carrot, shredded

1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a muffin pan or spray paper liners to prevent sticking and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt & cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add dry mix to wet mix in 3-4 batches. Stir until just combined. Fill cups to the top bake 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For cream cheese icing, use electric beaters to whip and combine 1 container Tofutti cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar at a time until the consistency is thick and sweet enough.

For maple icing, use electric beaters to whip and combine 1 cups confectioners sugar, 3 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tsp cinnamon, adding additional sugar as necessary to reach a thick and fluffy consistency.