We, at the GWG office, are obsessed with Alive & Radiant Foods’ Kale Crunch, but at $5.99 for a bitty bag and a hardcore Kale chip habit… it’s become a spendy obsession.  Cut to – we learned how to make them ourselves (fairly easy, btw)!

Our own GWG Kale crunch!

Admittedly, our Kale crunch isn’t quite as “cheesy” (and thusly, tasty) as Alive & Radiants’… but they are damned good!  Here’s the recipe (thanks to Gone Raw)…

Put coating ingredients in Vitamix. Blend until smooth. Using your hands, massage coating onto kale pieces getting it inside of curls. Put on teflex sheets (don’t worry about flattening them, they’re better bunched up) and dehydrate at 105 overnight or until coating is dry. Slide onto mesh screens and dehydrate 12 hours, or until very crispy.

I have a sweet tooth… no doubt about it.  I also have decided as of 2011, I will not be the self-appointed, Vegan sweets sampler that I’ve happily been up until now.  Just because a restaurant actually has a Vegan chocolate mousse cake – does not mean I have to order and eat it.  But here’s the rub… the sweet tooth still exists.  I’ve tried fruit after dinner before, but it always leaves me unfulfilled.  Until now.

It was just my husband and myself last night, so I prepared 1 banana each – which was plenty.  This is fast, easy, low fat and costs about a nickel!  Caramelized bananas!!!!!

Sooooooooooo dee-lish!

Ingredients:

1 banana per person

a teeny bit of canola oil

enough maple syrup for a drizzle

Process:

Heat your skillet while you peel the bananas and slice them in half long-ways.  Add just enough canola oil to the pan to lightly coat the bottom, place bananas in pan.  While each side is cooking, lightly drizzle the side facing up with maple syrup.  Continue to cook and flip until both sides are a bit crispy and brown.  Remove from heat and enjoy!

It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t have any vanilla soy ice cream on hand, but that definitely would have added to the wonder of it all.

This winter has been all about pie making.  The process is quite therapeutic for me…. and it always smells amazing.  I read a great article about how pies are “in” and cupcakes are “out” (certainly over-saturated, but sad to see them go) on Healthy Happy Life and decided to try her recipe (adapted for me).  Dee-lish!

Recipe

Filling:
3 pints blackberries, rinsed well
3/4 cup dry sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (I used cornstarch)
1/3 cup pure apple juice or cider
2 Tbsp vegan buttery spread
1/4 cup whole grain pastry flour (organic)
optional: 1 Tbsp lemon juice + a pinch of zest

Crust:

Here’s how I adapted the recipe (pure laziness on this one).  I used 2 ready-made refrigerated crusts (Pillsbury) – 1 for the bottom and sliced the other into strips for the top.  Below is the recipe from the Healthy Happy Life blog.

2 cups whole grain pastry flour + more for rolling out dough
2 Tbsp sugar ( brown or white will work)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2-3/4 cup warm water
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup vegan buttery spread, softened
1-2 Tbsp canola oil
dry sugar for dusting on top

canola oil spray can

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees here if you’re using store bought crusts (wait if you’re making your own). First prepare the pie filling. I like leave 1/2 cup of berries out – to add later. Add your berries, buttery spread, salt and sugar to a deep skillet over medium heat.

2. Using a fork, mash down the blackberries until they are all smashed. Bring this mixture to a simmer.

3. Mix the maple syrup, apple juice and corn starch/arrowroot in a glass. Dissolve the corn starch/arrowroot as well as your can. Add this liquid to the fruit mixture skillet. Also sprinkle the flour over top – and stir well. Continue to simmer and stir as the berries thicken – for about 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Add in the reserved 1/2 cup of fresh blackberries and fold them into the heated mixture. (note: I leave out 3-5 fresh berries out for garnish.) The filling will thicken even more as it cools. Set aside while you work on the crust.

4. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees now if you’re making your own crusts. Combine all the flour ingredients in a mixing bowl and fold with a spoon until a plump dough forms. As mentioned in this post, it is a great skill to be able to “wing-it” when making dough – instead of using always having to use precise measurements. Once you know what texture/wetness/weight you are looking for, you really won’t need to follow a recipe. Add water/flour to adjust as needed.

5. Roll out your dough in two sections. One for the bottom layer of pie crust and one for the weave on top. I press out the dough with my fist/fingers, then roll it out gently until it is the desired thickness. For the weaves, I use a knife to slice into strands.

6. Spray a pie dish with canola oil, then lay the bottom pie crust flat. I like a deep dish because I know the pie filling won’t bubble over the sides – but you can use any size dish you’d like. Press dough around the dish edges to make it look at pretty as you’d like. Rustic-looking crusts are OK too.

7. Pour your cooled pie filling over your crust. Then lay the weave strands on top of that. Do a light spray of canola oil over top the weaved crust and sprinkle with sugar.

8. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until crust begins to turn light brown. Cool before serving. Store pie in fridge. The pie will firm up nicely in the fridge. Allow slices to come to room temperature before serving for best taste results.

ENJOY!

When my wonderful sister came to visit we made this with all ingredients from our garden.
This was the first year we grew our own tomatillos, they are super easy to grow and require less maintenance than tomatoes. Perfect for a rooftop or fire escape garden. The best thing we found to do with these beautiful paper lantern looking fruits, is a quick salsa verde.  Trust us it’s so easy and quick, once you go homemade you’ll never go back to bottled!

Quick Tomatillo Salsa

6 Tomatillos, paper removed
1-2 heads of garlic (depending how garlicky you like it)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2c fresh cilantro
1/2c chopped onion
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350.
Leaving the bulb intact chop the bottoms off the garlic so the heads pop out easily once roasted.  Rub the garlic heads and tomatillos with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast in the oven for 30 min at 350.
Don’t be alarmed the tomatillos become deflated and mushy.
Place the tomatillos, garlic (remove paper casing), diced onion, and cilantro into a blender.  Pulse until blended.  Add salt and cayenne to taste.

Delicious addition to your breakfast burritos!!!

Abby Lutz & Shane Walsh

Switching gears from the fast-paced hullabaloo to the bucolic countryside, comes our new foodie team, Abby Lutz & Shane Walsh.   A clothing designer and photographer respectively, this couple traded in their edgy Brooklyn address for a bit of paradise on a farm in rural Vermont.  With a slower paced life now (though they still both work and turn out insanely gifted work), Abby and Shane have found themselves lingering in the garden and creating in the kitchen.  The result?  Mouth-watering, inventive concoctions crafted from the very food they grow.  Whatever is ready to be picked is what goes on the plate…  the very reason why they are The Accidental Gourmands.

The weather here in LA is getting better, but I’m still finding myself wanting warm and hearty soups.   Minestrone often gets overlooked for it’s simplicity… but this yummy recipe is definitely worth the (fairly short amount of) time!

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 cup of fresh spinach, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

3.5 cups of water

2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can kidney beans

1 can (15 oz) tomato puree

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

3 tbsp dried parsley flakes

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup small pasta shells or elbows

In a large pot, saute onions in olive oil for 2 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, zucchini and garlic – saute 3 minutes longer.  Stir iin the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato puree, tomato sauce and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in pasta and spinach and cook for 12-15 minutes longer – until pasta is tender.

Bon Appetit!

We’re currently on a bit of an Alicia Silverstone kick over here at Green With Glamour.  She has a brilliant new book, she’s given us self-designed beauty bags to give away (check back tomorrow for details) and she keeps a kickass blog called The Kind Life… so, what’s not to love?!  This recipe is from said blog – it’s hearty and delicious, but not in that post-holidays-can’t-overstuff way!

photo from The Kind Life

INGREDIENTS
1 large head radicchio
Olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
White truffle oil, to taste
1 fresh pizza crust (preferably a healthy, whole grain one)

STEPS
Cut the radicchio in half, then slice each half crosswise into thin ribbons (as thin as possible).
Dress with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a few dashes of white truffle oil to taste.
Preheat the oven to 415 degrees Farenheight.
Toast the pizza crust in the oven for 7 minutes, or until it is heated through and slightly golden, but not crunchy.
Scatter the dressed radicchio over the pizza crust and return to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, until the radicchio is warm and just starting to wilt.
Serve immediately.

Caramel Corn reminds me of my Grandfather… he’s got an incredible sweet tooth – and along with homemade fudge, Peanut M&Ms, Werther’s Originals and Brach’s Butterscotch Kisses, he always seems to have it on hand.  Since becoming Vegan, I haven’t crossed paths with many suitable Carmel Corns, so when I saw this recipe on Girlie Girl Army (via Eden Organic Foods) – my own sweet tooth swelled!

My Grandfather

Ingredients

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot and pop corn according to package directions. Place popped corn in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the barley malt, maple syrup, peanut butter and miso in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over a high flame, stirring frequently. Reduce the flame to medium-low, stirring constantly for 5 to 7 minutes. Pour over the popcorn and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture on an cookie sheet (do not oil) and spread out evenly. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately remove the caramel corn with a spatula to prevent sticking to the sheet.

Yields: approximately 16 cups

Note: For those with allergies to peanuts, substitute almond or cashew butter; or omit.

Serves 8 | Prep Time 0:10 | Cook Time 0:15

I love to bake – ask anyone.  I’ll use any excuse to bake and bring my sweet treats to any function, so for Thanksgiving I  knew I wanted to bring a baked item for the group.  I don’t have the patience to make a pie and cookies seemed “vin ordinaire”, so…enter Sweet Potato cake!  It was the 1st time I attempted this recipe (adapted from VegNews) and it could not have worked out better.  It was hearty and moist, sweet and a bit spicy – not to mention, it looked like a knockout!

For The Cake Batter:

• 3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1-1/4 cups unbleached cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potato purée (Or make your own from canned sweet potatoes pieces.  I did.)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

For The Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 2/3 cup margarine
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted and divided

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 8-inch cake pans (I used a round spring form for both layers). For the batter, in a large bowl whisk together pastry flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add sweet potato purée, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and whisk well to form a smooth batter.
2. Evenly divide cake batter between prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes in pans. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool 10 minutes, remove from cake pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
3. For the frosting, in a large bowl beat margarine with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. With beaters going, slowly add powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla, and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.
4. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread the frosting evenly on first layer. Place remaining cake layer on top. Frost the sides and top of the layer cake with frosting, as desired, and then sprinkle the pecans over the top.

Seriously delicious… people are still talking about it.

This week Living GWG Beauty Editor, Sara Jones-Rust, traded lip gloss testing for wine tasting!

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of a private tasting at Foxen Winery in Santa Maria, CA. And by private, I mean while my husband and his crew were there shooting footage for their documentary before business hours, I was being thoroughly entertained by Foxen’s amazing staff and falling under the spell of their magical wines. Nothing like a 10 a.m. wine tasting!

Foxen is more than just a maker of fantastic wines, in August their main tasting room and winery became solar powered. A portion of their grapes are ‘dry farmed’ – which means they grow their grapes without irregation, hence saving water. I have lived in Southern CA for a little over two years now and I can say with certainty I’ve seen it rain about five times. So coming from Indiana where we grow a lot of things (ok, mostly corn) that is an amazing feat. Their main goal is to be sustainable in as many ways as they can and it shows in the way they produce their wine and the way they serve it. Plus the staff are such a fun bunch I want to go back every weekend to hang with them.

I can say that you will be happy buying anything from a Chenin Blanc to a Pinot Noir anywhere that Foxen distributes (Whole Foods seemed to be a popular place on their distributor list), but if you are in So. Cal you should absolutely treat yourself to a visit. Their new (solar powered) tasting room is lovely and dog friendly and The Shack – the second of their tasting rooms – is a quaint lovely stop. I could sit for hours on their patio sipping their marvelous wines.

Looking for a holiday recipe in a pinch… we found it (via GirlieGirl Army via Veg News):

RECIPE: Chocolate Almond Brittle

When you’re not stressing about dealing with the family for Thanksgiving, whip up a batch of this decadent brittle from cookbook author and overall veggie goddess, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Easy, delicious, and way more fun to give out to during the holidays than fruitcake!

Serves 10

What You Need:

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 ounces vegan graham crackers (about 6 rectangles)
1-1/4 cups almonds, toasted and chopped

What You Do:

1. Lightly grease a 9-inch square or round cake pan. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the margarine and chocolate. Meanwhile, break up the graham crackers into small pieces (but not crumbs).

2. Once the margarine and chocolate are melted, remove from heat and stir in the graham crackers and chopped nuts.

3. Spread mixture into prepared baking pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or until set. Store in an airtight container.

Looking for a holiday recipe in a pinch… we found it (via GirlieGirl Army via Veg News):

RECIPE: Chocolate Almond Brittle

When you’re not stressing about dealing with the family for Thanksgiving, whip up a batch of this decadent brittle from cookbook author and overall veggie goddess, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Easy, delicious, and way more fun to give out to during the holidays than fruitcake!

Serves 10

What You Need:

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, room temperature
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 ounces vegan graham crackers (about 6 rectangles)
1-1/4 cups almonds, toasted and chopped

What You Do:

1. Lightly grease a 9-inch square or round cake pan. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the margarine and chocolate. Meanwhile, break up the graham crackers into small pieces (but not crumbs).

2. Once the margarine and chocolate are melted, remove from heat and stir in the graham crackers and chopped nuts.

3. Spread mixture into prepared baking pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or until set. Store in an airtight container.

As if one Thanksgiving feast is not enough… We’re going to have two!  We’ll be spending the actual holiday with a lot of our meat-eating friends, so I’ll be bringing my own Vegan feast for my husband & myself (and of course to proove to the carnivores how delicious animal-free food can be)!  I was going to do a tradtional Tofurky with all of the fixings (which I’m still going to do, but that’s meal #2), and this recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen REALLY caught my eye!  It’s a lot of work, but I feel resolute that it will be worth it…

Photo from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

Use any combination of baking dishes–several smaller or two larger–but be sure they’re deep enough to hold about 1 1/2-inches worth of stew plus another inch for the topping.

2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
2 large carrots, diced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper — or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 cups frozen baby peas
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon mellow white miso
6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water

Seitan  (*though I will probably just buy prepared at Whole Foods)

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup Imagine No-Chicken Broth, cold (or other veg. broth)
1 tablespoon tahini or other nut butter

Biscuit Topping

2 cups unbleached white flour
2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pumpkin (canned or cooked and water pressed out)
1 cup unsweetened soymilk –mixed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice
additional soymilk or water as needed

Put 12 cups of water on to boil in a large (at least 6-quart) soup pot. Add each vegetable (potatoes, onion, celery, mushrooms, carrots) to the pot as you chop it. Add the bay leaves, thyme, sage, garlic, poultry seasoning, onion powder, celery salt, soy sauce, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the seitan: Mix the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the broth and nut butter. Stir the broth mixture into the dry ingredients until well blended. Knead gently 10 times. Turn out onto a cutting board and press it as flat as possible. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. Then using a sharp knife, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the seitan cubes to the simmering vegetables, taking care to separate them before they go into the pot. Stir well and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 45 minutes, remove the bay leaves and add the peas. Mix the miso in a small bowl with a little of the hot broth, and then add it to the stew, along with the nutritional yeast. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring often. When mixture thickens, reduce heat and allow to simmer while you make the biscuits. (If stew does not seem thick enough, add a little more cornstarch/water.)

(You can make the recipe up until this point the day before serving and refrigerate the filling. When ready to assemble, reheat the stew as you make the biscuit topping. Stew should be hot when the biscuits are placed on top.)

Preheat oven to 400 and oil two or more deep casserole dishes (any combination of casserole dishes or pie pans to hold about 6 liters). Mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits in a medium bowl. Stir in the pumpkin and the soymilk/lemon juice. Add additional soymilk or water a teaspoon at a time as you stir until all flour is moistened and dough forms a ball. Turn out onto floured board and knead two or three times. Roll out to 1/2- inch thick, and cut into circles using a 1 1/2-inch wide floured glass or biscuit cutter. Gather remaining dough and use it to cut additional biscuits. You should have between 24 and 30. (Alternately, cut the biscuit dough to fit the pans, leaving about an inch all around to allow for dough to expand.)

Pour the stew into the prepared pans, making sure there is at least 1/2-inch free at the top. Place the biscuits on top, spacing them evenly. Bake until biscuits are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Servings: 12

We don’t typically re-post other people’s writing here, but considering how much we love Rory Freedman (best-selling author of Skinny Bitch) and the healthy-living blog, Crazy Sexy Life… we though we’d be fools to not share this wisdom:

1. Don’t say “yes” when you mean “no.” It’ll make you resentful. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

2. When driving, if someone wants to get in front of you, let him in front of you. And do it with a smile. It’ll make his day better, and it’ll make you feel good. You just changed the world.

3. Try to make a gratitude list each day. Include big things and little things. Invite your friends to make their own lists; you can all email one another each day, sharing your gratitude.

4. Don’t be a problem solver when a friend just wants you to be a listener.

5. Call your parents or grandparents. Sometimes, a five-minute phone call is all they need to feel loved.

6. Be a good neighbor: Be considerate inside and outside your home/apartment so your noise doesn’t bother those around you. That includes opening and closing your front door quietly.

7. Pee in the shower. If we each did this once a day, it would save an enormous amount of water and toilet paper (trees).

8. Write a “fan letter.” Tell someone you know, or someone you’ve never met, why you admire him or her. You’ll make someone’s day.

9. Curb your jealousy. Be happy for others.

10. Be willing to be wrong. If someone has a grievance with you, really try to see her point of view. If called for, apologize. It’s hard to do, but it feels really good and makes life so much easier.

11. If you are in a room with someone you don’t know, introduce yourself right away. It takes away the social discomfort immediately.

12. Pick a cause close to your heart, and get involved. You don’t have to quit your job and dive in headfirst. Just get involved on some level and do what you can when you can. Go slightly beyond your comfort zone but don’t overextend yourself.

13. Be a good friend to your friends. Tell them what’s good about them, that you appreciate them, and make the effort to spend time with them.

14. Go vegetarian. Animals raised and slaughtered for food suffer immeasurably. Visit GoVeg.com for a free vegetarian starter kit.

15. Do your best to think good thoughts. They affect your health, happiness, and the people around you.

16. Do something frivolous for someone you love. (It doesn’t have to be extravagant.) It feels so good to do nice things for other people, it’s almost selfish!

17. Practice accepting compliments. The person complimenting you is giving you a gift. Receive it graciously, even if it is difficult.

18. Be generous with your compliments. Don’t blow smoke up anyone’s ass. Just say nice things when they occur to you.

19. Forgive those who have wronged you. Holding onto anger and resentment poisons your body and your life. There are no benefits in staying mad. Let go. It’s okay.

20. Forgive yourself. It’s okay to be imperfect and to have made mistakes. Try to do better, that’s all.

We don’t typically re-post other people’s writing here, but considering how much we love Rory Freedman (best-selling author of Skinny Bitch) and the healthy-living blog, Crazy Sexy Life… we though we’d be fools to not share this wisdom:

1. Don’t say “yes” when you mean “no.” It’ll make you resentful. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

2. When driving, if someone wants to get in front of you, let him in front of you. And do it with a smile. It’ll make his day better, and it’ll make you feel good. You just changed the world.

3. Try to make a gratitude list each day. Include big things and little things. Invite your friends to make their own lists; you can all email one another each day, sharing your gratitude.

4. Don’t be a problem solver when a friend just wants you to be a listener.

5. Call your parents or grandparents. Sometimes, a five-minute phone call is all they need to feel loved.

6. Be a good neighbor: Be considerate inside and outside your home/apartment so your noise doesn’t bother those around you. That includes opening and closing your front door quietly.

7. Pee in the shower. If we each did this once a day, it would save an enormous amount of water and toilet paper (trees).

8. Write a “fan letter.” Tell someone you know, or someone you’ve never met, why you admire him or her. You’ll make someone’s day.

9. Curb your jealousy. Be happy for others.

10. Be willing to be wrong. If someone has a grievance with you, really try to see her point of view. If called for, apologize. It’s hard to do, but it feels really good and makes life so much easier.

11. If you are in a room with someone you don’t know, introduce yourself right away. It takes away the social discomfort immediately.

12. Pick a cause close to your heart, and get involved. You don’t have to quit your job and dive in headfirst. Just get involved on some level and do what you can when you can. Go slightly beyond your comfort zone but don’t overextend yourself.

13. Be a good friend to your friends. Tell them what’s good about them, that you appreciate them, and make the effort to spend time with them.

14. Go vegetarian. Animals raised and slaughtered for food suffer immeasurably. Visit GoVeg.com for a free vegetarian starter kit.

15. Do your best to think good thoughts. They affect your health, happiness, and the people around you.

16. Do something frivolous for someone you love. (It doesn’t have to be extravagant.) It feels so good to do nice things for other people, it’s almost selfish!

17. Practice accepting compliments. The person complimenting you is giving you a gift. Receive it graciously, even if it is difficult.

18. Be generous with your compliments. Don’t blow smoke up anyone’s ass. Just say nice things when they occur to you.

19. Forgive those who have wronged you. Holding onto anger and resentment poisons your body and your life. There are no benefits in staying mad. Let go. It’s okay.

20. Forgive yourself. It’s okay to be imperfect and to have made mistakes. Try to do better, that’s all.

I have never bought eggplant before, NEVER.  I don’t particularly care for it – other than as the delicious Middle Eastern dish, Baba Ghanouj.  And I’m almost embarrassed to admit the reason why I bought eggplant for the first time… I like the way they looked.  That beautiful, dark blackish purple, the smooth skin – they’re a handsome vegetable!  But as the days passed, there they sat on my counter top… I had no actual plan for them.

I love, Love, LOVE Baba Ghanouj!  It’s something that I have to order if it’s on the menu… and I had no idea how simple it is to make.

What you’ll need:

• 1 large eggplant (or 2 smalls – like my beautiful babies!)
• 2 cloves garlic (I used 3, but I’m crazy about garlic)
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  With a fork, poke eggplant(s) in several places. Bake on a cookie sheet for about 45 minutes, until eggplant is super soft and let cool.  Peel away skin (and cut off stem & leaves obviously).  Place mushy inner eggplant in blender/food processor with other ingredients and blend.  Enjoy with pieces of bread, pita chips, fresh veggies or even spread on a lavash to drive a fresh & delicious wrap!

October 1 is a special day to me… it’s a day to celebrate Vegetarianism!  I’ve been a vegetarian for (gulp) almost 26 years  – Vegan for 2) and finally my grandmother has accepted that it not a “phase”.  It’s my life.  And for the past 2 years, my once steak-savoring husband has joined the ranks.  When he went Veg, I was shocked!  He was someone who truly enjoyed just about every meat around.   But whether it was exposure to my lifestyle, his ever-growing love for animals, whatever… his priorities shifted and here we are.  If he can do it – anyone can!

Do the planet a solid and give up meat for 24hrs… and here are some suggestions if you want to get involved!

While everyone else has headed to the Hamptons (which makes me happier than ever that I am not there), we’ve been spending as much time as possible in Malibu.  It’s serene and beautiful, casual and cozy.  And though I’m not big on grilling, this week has put me in the spirit!  Fire-licked vegan brats with spicy mustard and Summer Chopped Salad… Deee-lish!

But what’s a veg to do when everyone else is bulking up their S’mores with gelatin (made from animal bones & skins)-filled marshmallows and milk chocolate squares?  Improvise!  I ran to the closest market and bought a bar of dairy-free dark chocolate (I chose the Lindt 85%) and 2 ripe bananas… and then I ran back to the grill!  Half of the S’mores fun is compiling them – 2 parts grahams cracker, 1 part chocolate, 1 layer of sliced banana.  Wrap in foil and grill…  O    M    G!    It’s crazy how the banana takes on a marshmallow-y taste and it’s just as melty and sweet as the old kind.  I do recommend that you turn them a couple of times on the grill as to allow the banana juice to evenly distribute.

 And I apologize for not having an actual pic, but the grim reality is that I ate a few of them immediately – never realizing it might be a good idea to photograph – and then polished off the rest withmy coffee the following morning… again not thinking of photos – only thinking of S’mores!

While everyone else has headed to the Hamptons (which makes me happier than ever that I am not there), we’ve been spending as much time as possible in Malibu.  It’s serene and beautiful, casual and cozy.  And though I’m not big on grilling, this week has put me in the spirit!  Fire-licked vegan brats with spicy mustard and Summer Chopped Salad… Deee-lish!

But what’s a veg to do when everyone else is bulking up their S’mores with gelatin (made from animal bones & skins)-filled marshmallows and milk chocolate squares?  Improvise!  I ran to the closest market and bought a bar of dairy-free dark chocolate (I chose the Lindt 85%) and 2 ripe bananas… and then I ran back to the grill!  Half of the S’mores fun is compiling them – 2 parts grahams cracker, 1 part chocolate, 1 layer of sliced banana.  Wrap in foil and grill…  O    M    G!    It’s crazy how the banana takes on a marshmallow-y taste and it’s just as melty and sweet as the old kind.  I do recommend that you turn them a couple of times on the grill as to allow the banana juice to evenly distribute.

 And I apologize for not having an actual pic, but the grim reality is that I ate a few of them immediately – never realizing it might be a good idea to photograph – and then polished off the rest withmy coffee the following morning… again not thinking of photos – only thinking of S’mores!

The past several months – food-wise – for me, have been all about the many ways I can consume Daiya cheese (for those of you who are new… Daiya is by far the best vegan cheese out there by a long shot).   And the latest is completely with thanks to Girlie Girl Army!

Pre-cheese & tomato topping… but isn’t it pretty?

Ingredients:

• 1 package polenta
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 ounces Daiya cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 red pepper flakes

Preparation:

Preheat grill for medium heat. Combine tomatoes, salt, pepper flakes, and parsley in a small bowl. Cut polenta into 12 slices. Brush with olive oil and place on grill rack. Cook on direct heat until one side is golden brown. Turn slices, place grated cheese on top and grill polenta for an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove polenta from heat and top off with tomato-herb topping. 

BON APPETIT!

I have a real semi-sweet tooth lately… I want things that are sweet, but not too sweet.  These little babies that I found on the Post Punk Kitchen site really do the trick!  Easy, chocolate-y and just sweet enough…

Ingredients
2 cups vegan sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup oats
1 cup coconut
8 Tablespoons cocoa

Directions
1. Boil sugar, soy milk and margarine.
2. Mix oats, coconut and cocoa in bowl.
3. Remove liquid mixture from heat and add vanilla.
4. Mix wet + dry.
5. Let cool and then spoon onto tray in little heaps.
6. Chill in fridge.

Makes 20+ delicious cookies!