Almost Vegan

Here’s a tip from a very nice Almost Vegan regular, she happens to be very pregnant right now and this is one way she deals with her cravings in a vegan way. Here’s her email to me:
Denise,
Hope you are well- I wanted to send you info on the latest dessert craze in our house—the Cherrybrook Kitchen mixes (I’ve tried the chocolate cake and frosting- makes great cupcakes!- and the sugar cookies…they also sell chocolate chip cookie mix and vanilla frosting–and maybe even more at other stores). You can buy them at SuperTarget here in the midwest. They are not only dairy and egg free but also nut free and gluten free! AND YUMMY!!! I’m pregnant (only 15 weeks left!) and these mixes have been a craving woman’s life-saver!
Ever a fan of your website- be well and happy holidays,
Eliza
Here’s the website and you can order their mixes online — http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com

Parma! is Good!
The people that make Parma! contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if they could send me a sample of their new vegan parmesan cheese called Parma! — I of course said sure. (FREE FOOD!!!) Well, I do worry that I might not like some of these free offerings and then I think, what am I going to say on my blog about it? Lucky, I have not answered that question yet.
Parma! is not cheese, it’s not like the other soy parmesan cheese I usually eat which is made from soy and is more like cheese, but has a strong aftertaste. Parma! is actually made of walnuts, Celtic sea salt and yeast and then some seasonings. But this stuff is so darn tasty I found myself eating it right out of the little shaker they sent me. (pictured)
The first night I made a pasta dish with a tomato sauce. It was good on that. Now it being from walnuts, there is no melting involved, so it is more of a seasoning than a cheese, but it actually does taste like parmesan and I was surprised.
In the note that came with it, the marketing person said her favorite place to put Parma! is on salads. This is a great use for it, it is perfect for salads, for pasta and pasta salads. Heck, the other night I put it on toast with Smart Balance and it was really good.
Parma! Website >>>

Here’s an email from Jodee, who is a very nice vegan guy. He sent me this tip about site that carries vegan edible treats.
Hey there Denise!!! Jodee here – some yummies for Holidays? Aplets and Cotlets! Totally Vegan – Totally good! They just e-mailed me back this morning – From the great Northwest – Apple/Walnut, Apricot/walnut, cranberry/walnut, blueberry/pecan, pineapple/macadamia (oh my) – rose/pistachio, Orange blossom/almond, peach/walnut, strawberry/walnut, grape/walnut, and SOOOOOOO many more, including nut-free. Downside, dusted with a tiny amount of powdered sugar. WEBSITE: www.libertyorchards.com Don’t be put off by the ones drenched in milk chocolate – they don’t look half as good the originals – they have been making old fashioned candy – the old fashioned way since like, the 20’s! Very good. Very, very good – Thanksgiving and Christmas tradition at our house for many years. Talk at ya later – keep it up! Jodee.

I made a vegan B-L-T sandwich for lunch the other day. It was not bad, not really the same though because nothing is as tasty as a pig. I say this with no intention of eating one, they look to be very nice animals. Smart, loving, very sweet. It seems they also make good pets.

The Smart Bacon meatless strips from Lightlife I used instead were good enough. I made it on sun dried tomato bread, which made the sandwich quite tasty and special. Be careful not to cook the Smart Bacon too long. It gets to be nasty-crispy very quickly.

I received an email today that cheered me up and surprised me a little. I make websites for a living and created a fitness website for a former client, they sold heart rate monitors, body fat monitor scales, stuff like that. Now to be up with the competition I subscribed to their email newsletters. I never unsubscribed to one of them, just out of laziness, I wasn’t normally interested in them because these “health” types, mostly body builders and exercise fanatics (heaven forbid), are not exactly my kind of healthy…
That’s why this issue of Megafitness, Health News surprised me. It’s all about vegetarianism and veganism. If you have a moment, it is an interesting read. Very sensitive and supportive comments from a non-vegetarian. This leads me to believe that vegetarianism and veganism is getting more and more mainstream.
Click here to read it for yourself.
I am featuring the vegan recipe they sent in the newsletter because it looks really good. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will.

Read more

I have been rather devastated myself, even though I’m safe, well fed, watered, and dry in my Midwestern home, by Katrina.
My fear and concern for the people of the region had lessened a tiny bit today with the entrance of the forces in New Orleans yesterday and the progress they seem to be making, but my worry for the animals has not.
The sight of dogs and cats on rooftops, porches and in trees alone and confused killed me, so I got on my computer and looked for animal welfare societies that might be helping.
Well Peta was a huge disappointment, but The Humane Society of the United States was not. They were finally admitted into New Orleans to begin an animal rescue effort today, Sunday the 4th. Thank God and go folks go. Get that huge dog I saw today on CNN out of that tree and give him some food, water and a comfy place to take a nap!
I hug my dog, Weim, a lot these days, but it doesn’t wipe the scenes of lonely, stranded animals out of my mind.

After a summer here in Michigan of more 90 degree days than in 70 years, it went down under 50 last night. “Good sleeping weather” as some would (and did) say. I love it warm, so I must find things to start comforting myself at the slightest hint of fall.

Bob’s Red Mill is a great company. Not necessarily vegan or vegetarian, but so health conscious their products are often vegan. (Yet they often suggest pork products to be added to their soup, etc.)

I love the Vegi Soup Mix, you can find it in numerous supermarkets or you may also buy it online along with the rest of Bob’s offerings.
Read the labels, but mostly just keep an eye to adjust their recipe suggestions. From the comments I receive, I think you all know how to do that.
To everyone going back to school, my condolences (study hard and be great!)

I found these scones at my local upscale grocery store, from their in-house bakery. Now I just read the ingredients on a lark thinking, no way will these be vegan… BUT THEY WERE!!!!

So the moral of the story is — read ingredient lists on baked goods in your local upscale grocery store. You never know what you’ll find, and thank God for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. It is saving some cows some work.

Summer is chock full of re-runs and Almost Vegan is no exception, but this post is good enough to revisit every year.
I just may make it an annual thing for blueberry festival. Which is very big here in blueberry country and coming up this week.
Follow this link to
VEGAN Blueberry Coffee Cake heaven >>>

I am into leafy greens. I got some collard greens, (frozen) and made up this tasty dish of the greens, vegan sausage, dark red kidney beans, mushrooms, onions and garlic saut?ed in a little olive oil. It was good and very healthy.

I found the trick to collard greens is vinegar. They don’t taste good unless you drizzle in a bit of cider vinegar. That seems to bring out their flavor.
I boiled them first, then tossed them into the mixture I had saut?ed. Great source of iron. I sprinkled a bit of Veggie Shreds on top after I put them on the plate. Yum.