The HappyCow Cookbook Review and Giveaway

With vegan eateries springing up everywhere (hello Omaha!), living and traveling as a vegan has gotten so much easier and lots more fun. A quick visit to the HappyCow website will point the way to veg restaurants from Milan to Minsk—complete with reviews from diners. And with the release of The HappyCow Cookbook, now you can take your vegan palate around the world right from the comfort of your very own kitchen! I was excited to find recipes from some of my most favorite vegan eateries like Café Blossom and Hangawi in New York City and Real Food Daily in Los Angeles. Even more exciting was the opportunity to sample fare from restaurants I have always wanted to visit but haven't had the chance to, like Vertical Diner in Salt Lake City and Ain. Soph Ginza in Tokyo.

Here in Eugene, OR, we've got our very own famous vegan restaurant, the Cornbread Cafe, which has the distinction of being the very first vegan restaurant to be featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives! I've been a fan of Cornbread Cafe's down-home, delectable vegan comfort food since it first opened as a food cart downtown on Oak Street.

It wasn't very long before Cornbread Cafe evolved from its humble beginnings as a food cart to a colorful, full-service restaurant complete with comfy diner-style booths and lunch counter. When friends visit from out of town, I can't wait to take them to Cornbread Cafe to experience the decadently delicious Eugenewich. Take a peek at my very own personal Cornbread Cafe photo gallery. Look closely—you may even see someone you know!

Cornbread Cafe is renowned for its incredible Eugenewich, pictured below. Also shown are several of its fabulous side dishes: (clockwise from top left to right) Mac Uncheese, Uncle Todd's Greens, Sassy Slaw, and just visible all the way over on the left is a hunk of my favorite side— Cornbread Cafe's scrumptious namesake cornbread.

To put it mildly, I'm cuckoo for Cornbread Cafe's signature cornbread. So when I flipped through the pages of  The HappyCow Cookbook and found the recipe for Skillet Cornbread along with recipes for the cafe's crispy-good Chicken Fried Tempeh and impossibly thin and delicious Tofu Omelet Sheets, I just about flipped! (I also just about kicked myself in the pants for recently getting rid of my cast-iron skillet.) But I made the cornbread in a muffin pan instead of a skillet, and it came out gorgeously golden and tasted every bit as delicious as the cornbread I've enjoyed so many times at the restaurant. With just a schmear of strawberry jam on my cornbread muffin...WOW! What a treat!

Following is the recipe for Cornbread Cafe's Skillet Cornbread reprinted with the kind permission of BenBella Books. A couple of notes: I avoid products containing palm oil, so I used vegetable oil instead of EB to grease the pan. And because I used a muffin pan instead of a cast-iron skillet, the cornbread was fully baked in only 17 minutes. (Be sure to use a toothpick to test your batch.)

Cornbread Cafe Skillet Cornbread
Serves 6–10

1 to 2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter substitute (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup cornmeal (medium ground)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup soy or rice milk
1⁄3 cup oil
Egg replacer for 2 eggs (follow directions on box)

For the topping (optional):
Earth Balance butter substitute (I opted for strawberry jam)
Agave syrup 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put 1 or 2 tablespoons Earth Balance butter substitute (or other vegan margarine) into a 9" cast-iron skillet and put in the heated oven for about 10 minutes.

Add together the dry ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl and whisk together, combining thoroughly.

Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients (soy or rice milk through egg
replacer). Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well, just until all of the dry mixture is incorporated with the wet. Some small lumps are okay.

Remove skillet from oven and coat bottom and sides with the melted Earth Balance. Pour (or scrape)
batter into skillet, spreading evenly with rubber spatula. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes in
the middle of the center rack. Test the center of corn bread with a toothpick after 20 minutes. When the toothpick comes out clean without crumbs sticking to it, the corn bread is done. Let it cool for a few minutes and, if desired, serve with Earth Balance and agave syrup.

If you'd like to take your taste buds on a tasty trip around the world, get yourself a copy of The HappyCow Cookbook. You'll soon be enjoying dishes like the Pistachio-Crusted Eggplant Napoleons from Millenium in San Francisco and Red Curry Tempeh Tempura from Veggies on Fire in the Netherlands. And now you can win a copy of The HappyCow Cookbook just by leaving a comment below and following the prompt in the Rafflecopter box! (This step is required for entry.) After you leave a comment, you can earn additional entries by following any or all of the other Rafflecopter options. I'll be selecting one lucky winner at random.* Good luck!

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Salad Samurai Review and Giveaway

We eat lots of salads at our house, especially in the summertime. And while most people think of salad as a rather uninspired dish to be served "on the side," (or worse, as a chilled vehicle for consuming tuna, chicken, shrimp, or eggs), the artfully crafted plant-based culinary creations you'll find in Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-To-Make Salads You Don't Have To Be Vegan To Love will lay any such notions to rest. Made with a variety of vibrantly delicious whole-food ingredients, sumptuous dressings, and a cornucopia of tasty toppings, award-winning chef Terry Hope Romero elevates the art of salad making to soaring heights of satiety and yum. No longer will salads be relegated to the lowly side dish. Within the pages of Salad Samurai you'll find entrée-sized salads that will satisfy your hunger for a meal that is healthy, hearty, and delicious.

When you get the book into your hot little hands, do take the time to savor the spectacular, full-color photos. Because I flipped through all 180 pages just before bedtime one night, I found myself dreaming about Terry's Tempeh Reubenesque Salad and her Bacon, Kale, Tomato Bowl. And while my photos may not do justice to the recipes, here is my rendition of the BKT. This luscious concoction of kale, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, Tempeh Bacon Bites, and Coconut Bacony Bits (recipes included in the book!) in a tangy maple-Dijon vinaigrette was extremely filling and made my taste buds very happy.

Tip: It doesn't hurt to make friends with the nice people working in the produce department at your local store. Case in point: I was asking one of the produce managers at my neighborhood supermarket if he would be willing to mark down some organic bananas that had brown spots on them, which he was happy to do. Just then, a co-worker walked by, overheard our conversation, and asked me if I would like some super sweet organic corn he was about to mark down to 3 for $1. (Yes, please! I'll take them all!) That was not only lucky, but serendipitous, because I was planning to make the recipe for Mexican Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado (aka Esquites) from Salad Samurai that very evening and just hadn't gotten around to picking out the corn yet!

I am crazy for super sweet, organic, fresh corn, and I could eat this twist on the classic Mexican dish, every day. (Given my fondness for Mexican food, art, and culture, I swear I must have lived in Mexico in a previous life.) A medley of avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, chilé pepper, and corn (still warm from roasting!), are bathed in a creamy, cashew-lime dressing. I'm pretty sure this must be what paradise tastes like. Make sure to scroll down, and grab the recipe, because it is that sensational!

The following recipe for Mexican Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado (Esquites) is from Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero ©2014. Reprinted with the kind permission of Da Capo Lifelong Books.

Serves: 3 to 4

Creamy Lime Dressing

½ cup unroasted cashews 

½ cup hot water 

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 

1 teaspoon olive oil or coconut oil 

1 clove garlic, peeled 

2 teaspoons white (shiro) miso

Corn Salad

4 ears of corn, husks and corn silk removed 

Olive oil 

½ cup lightly packed, chopped fresh cilantro 

2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced 

1 green or red jalapeño pepper, roasted or fresh, seeded and minced 

1 ripe avocado, diced 

1 big red ripe tomato, cored and diced 

2 teaspoons chili powder (preferably Mexican, such as ancho or chipotle) 

Lime wedges, for garnish

 

Make the dressing first. Soak the cashews in the hot water for 30 minutes, then pulse the cashews and soaking water in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, pulse until silky, then chill until ready to use.

Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub the ears of corn with olive oil and grill each ear until the kernels are lightly charred, turning the cobs occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them from the pan to a cutting board and cool just enough to handle. Use a sharp knife with a thin blade to slice the corn kernels from the cob; for best results (and to prevent kernels from taking flight), slice a few rows off an ear, lay it flat on the cutting board, then slice off the remaining corn. Always keep one side of the ear flat on the cutting board.

Transfer the corn to a big mixing bowl. Add the cilantro, scallions, and jalapeño. Drizzle on the dressing and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to serving dishes. Top each serving with diced avocado and tomato and sprinkle each serving with chili powder. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the salad while the corn is still warm!

Want to be the master or mistress of your salad-making domain? Get your hands on a copy of Salad Samurai! Want to win your very own copy? Simply leave a comment below, and then follow the prompt in the Rafflecopter box.* After you leave your comment, you can earn additional entries by following any or all of the other Rafflecopter options. I'll be selecting one lucky winner at random. Good luck!

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*Sorry international friends. The giveaway is open only to readers with US postal addresses.
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Electric Green Smoothie Recipe and a Delicious Giveaway!

When Allison Rivers Samson's new video went live online, I couldn't wait to make my very own Brazil nut milk. It looked so simple and fun! I often make my own cashew nut milk, but I hadn't tried making milk with Brazil nuts. WOW! It is truly creamy, rich, and delicious! I was completely hooked after taking my first sip, and once you try it, you'll fall in love, too!


Such heavenly milk inspired me to create a new smoothie recipe with my favorite organic matcha powder. I feel utterly energized when I start my day with it. And I feel divinely decadent enjoying something that tastes like dessert for breakfast and savoring it slowly through my beautiful, environmentally friendly Glass Dharma straw.

1 1/2 cups Allison's Brazil Nut Milk (you can substitute soy milk if you have a nut allergy)
1 teaspoon Kiss Me Organics Matcha Powder
1 very ripe banana
2 medjool dates, pits and stems removed

1 tablespoon chia seeds

2 drops liquid vanilla stevia (optional)

Blend all together, pour into a tall glass, and enjoy!

As a special treat just for Hungry Vegan readers, here's an exclusive coupon code you can use for 20% off your purchase of Kiss Me Organics Matcha Powder on Amazon.com until September 7th:

In the US, please use this code: 2YMPWMC8

Canadian readers, please use this one: SQ7FNCPB

And now for a delicious giveaway!* Share your favorite smoothie secret with me in a comment below for a chance to win a package of Kiss Me Organics Matcha Powder and a $25.00 gift code from Glass Dharma!** Then follow the Rafflecopter prompts for more chances to win! Good luck! 

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**This giveaway is open to both U.S. and Canadian  residents.

Vegan Chocolate Review and Giveaway

Vegan Chocolate—the two sweetest words in the English language and the title of pastry chef extraordinaire Fran Costigan's latest book. Within the pages of this gorgeous, museum-quality, hardbound edition you'll find nothing less than the fulfillment of all of your chocolate dreams.

Do you dream of decadently delicious chocolate creams, puddings, truffles, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, or frozen desserts? With recipes like Intensely Chocolate Trifle, Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Coffee Cake, Chocolate Pecan Pie, Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream, and White Chocolate Mousse, Chef Fran has got you covered! I flipped when I read the recipes for chocolate eclairs, blackout cake, and gelato! (Now that's what I'm talking about!) And with so many enormously helpful tips on techniques, sweeteners, and yes—choosing the perfect chocolate for your recipe, you'll feel like Fran is standing right beside you in the kitchen.

I received my copy of Vegan Chocolate just in time for Passover and couldn't wait to make Fran's Dukkah-Spiced Chocolate-Covered Matzoh. What's dukkah? It's a fun-sounding word and a lovely Middle Eastern blend of nuts and spices. The result: savory, salty, spicy, and sweet flavors all dancing together deliciously atop a chocolate ganache-covered matzoh!

My husband thinks that the Almost Instant Chocolate Pudding tastes just like the Jello Instant Pudding he loved eating as a kid. I think it tastes like creamy brownies. He said that's the same thing. You'll say "WOW!" when you taste this dreamy creamy treat.

With almost a dozen tantalizing recipes for chocolate truffles in Vegan Chocolate, the challenge was deciding which one to make first. Since I adore chai, I honed in on Chai-Spiced Truffles. These melt-in-your-mouth cocoa confections were heavenly.

If you want to treat yourself or your favorite chocolate lover to a spectacular gift, indulge all of your chocolate fantasies, or just tease yourself silly with the exquisite photos in this book, don't wait another second to get a copy of Vegan Chocolate! Until your copy arrives, here's a little nibble of what you'll find inside. The recipe for Very Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies from Vegan Chocolate ©2013 by Fran Costigan is reprinted with the kind permission of Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group. And if you're feeling lucky (and even if you're not—someone is going to win, and it could be you!), scroll down to the bottom of the post, leave a comment below, and then follow the Rafflecopter prompts to enter to win a copy!* Your comment is the only mandatory entry requirement, and you'll earn 10 easy entries with just one little comment! To earn additional entries, you can also follow any or all of the other steps. Good luck!

Photo credit: Kate Lewis

Very Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies

You’ll get plenty of “brownie points” for these soft, fudgy, and rich chocolate treats studded with chocolate chunks or chips. Walnuts add crunch and cut the sweetness, but if you like a brownie unencumbered by nuts, just say no to this option. No matter what you prefer, these brownies will stay fudgy when frozen, making them the perfect cake for ice cream sandwiches or any of the frozen desserts in chapter 8. Make a Blow Them Away Brownie Sundae or just dip into some of the Thick Fudge Sauce. Just watch out: These brownies are not low fat or low sugar—a small square should satisfy. Note: If using coconut oil as the fat, make sure the other ingredients are at room temperature, or the oil will harden into clumps.

Makes one 8 x 8-inch / 20 x 20-cm square pan

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon/73 grams organic all-purpose flour

½ cup/70 grams organic whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup/58 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder

½ cup minus 1 tablespoon/98 grams organic granulated sugar

¼ cup/38 grams organic whole cane sugar, ground in a blender until powdered

2 tablespoons/12 grams arrowroot or organic cornstarch (14 grams)

1 teaspoon/5 grams aluminum-free baking powder

½ teaspoon/2.5 grams fine sea salt

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons / 90 ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil or an organic neutral vegetable oil

½ cup/20 ml pure maple syrup, Grade B or dark amber

¼ cup/60 ml any nondairy milk

2 teaspoons/10 ml pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon chocolate extract (optional)

Heaping ½cup/85 grams vegan chocolate chips or mini chunks

1/3 cup/43 grams lightly toasted walnuts or mixed nuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350˚F / 180˚C. Oil an 8 x 8-inch / 20 x 20-cm square pan and then line the bottom with parchment paper. Do not oil the paper.

2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, whole cane sugar, arrowroot or cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to the strainer and stir with a whisk to sift the ingredients into the bowl. (If any small bits remain in the strainer, add them to the mixture in the bowl.) Whisk to aerate the mixture.

3. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, nondairy milk, vanilla and chocolate extract, if using, in a separate medium bowl until completely combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula until the batter, which will be thick, is smooth. Allow the batter to rest for ten minutes.

4. Stir the chocolate chips and nuts, if using, into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, and spread into an even layer with a metal spatula.

5. Bake for 23 minutes until the top is set and dry and the sides have pulled just slightly away from the pan.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Immediately insert a wooden tester diagonally into the brownies. The tester will be coated with batter, but not wet. If necessary, bake another minute.

7. Cool to room temperature. The middle of the cake will sink as it cools; don’t worry. Once cold you can push the sides down to level the cake if you like. Refrigerate until very cold before cutting into squares.

Keeping: Refrigerate the brownies in a covered container, in layers separated by parchment, for up to three days, or freeze for up to one month. Defrost unwrapped or eat straight out of the freezer.

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OATrageous Oatmeals? You Betcha! And How About a Pre-Release Giveaway!?!

I have literally been waiting for more than five years for Kathy Hester to come out with an oatmeal book. I mean, she comes up with oatmeal recipes that are truly oat-rageous. She can turn a simple breakfast food into gourmet fare and somehow manages to come up with seemingly endless oaty variations. Irish Cream Oat Pancakes, Pear Rose Cardamom Cake Oatmeal, and Coconut Banana Pecan Coffee Cake Oatmeal are just a few of the yummalicious recipes that have made me swoon.

Kathy used to post a new oatmeal recipe to her blog every day. And I would wake up each morning with unbridled giddiness, looking forward to every new recipe she'd create. Now that her oatmeal book is finally here (well, almost here—you can pre-order it now at amazon.com), I feel an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation all over again.

I had a chance to preview a pre-release copy of OATrageous Oatmeals: Delicious and Surprising Plant-Based Dishes From the Humble, Heart-Healthy Grain, and the recipes in this book are out-of-this-world fabulous! With offerings like Cashew-Oat Cream Cheese, Southern-Style Oat Biscuits, Butternut Squash Maple Walnut Scones, Pomegranate Rose Smoothies, Curry Cashew Savory Granola, Creamy Butternut Squash Oat Soup, Eggplant Pizza Sliders (Yup! They're made with oats!), and Dreamy Dark Chocolate Oat Cream, you will never look at the humble oat quite the same way again. And yes, there are lots of recipes for morning oats, too!

Here's a sneak-peek of the deliciousness that awaits readers who get their hands on a copy of OATrageous Oatmeals. I made this recipe for Blackberry Mojito Oats last night and savored every bite of it this morning. With just the tiniest smidge of rum, it won't get you tipsy, but you may feel a bit decadent starting your day off so deliciously!

Photo credit: Kate Lewis

Blackberry Mojito Overnight Refrigerated Oats
(Copyright ©Kathy Hester 2014, reprinted with the kind permission of Page Street Publishing Company, Salem MA)

Sweet juicy blackberries soaked in bright lime and mint flavors with the faintest aroma of rum will perk you up even on the toughest mornings. You can add a teaspoon or two of chia seeds to make this extra thick.

1 cup blackberries (cut in half if large)
1/2 cup (120ml) unsweetened nondairy milk
1/2 cup (31g) rolled oats
2 Tbsp minced fresh mint or 1/4 tsp mint extract
Zest from 1/2 lime or 1/4 tsp lime oil
1/2 tsp rum or rum extract, optional
1 Tbsp agave, to taste (or your choice of sweetener, to taste)

Add all the ingredients in a mason jar or a dish with a cover. Mix well and let sit in the fridge overnight. Stir and eat. Makes 1 serving.

Per serving: Calories 255.8, protein 4.8g, total fat, 4.3g, carbohydrates 52.9g, sodium 90.0mg, fiber 10.8g

Now you can be among the very first to dig into all of the delectable recipes in OATrageous Oatmeals when it is released in September, because I'm giving away a copy to one lucky reader! To enter to win, simply leave a comment below, and then follow the Rafflecopter prompts.* Your comment is the only mandatory entry requirement. To earn additional entries, you can also follow any or all of the other steps. Good luck!

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It's Time for a Mocha Frappe!

It was a balmy 85° here today and the perfect occasion to enjoy this season's first mocha frappe! I can't think of a more luxuriously delectable way to cool off. I made mine caffeine-free with Teeccino Mediterranean Herbal Coffee, but feel free to make yours with your favorite brew. My recipe is featured in SO Delightful: 50 Dairy-free Recipes that are Truly SO Delicious!

Mochalicious Frappe
Makes 1 serving

2/3 cup hazelnut coffee or herbal caffé, chilled
1/3 cup So Delicious Original Coconut Milk Creamer
1 scoop So Delicious Mocha Almond Fudge Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert
1/4 tsp vanilla extract or 2 drops vanilla-flavored liquid stevia
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Dairy-free whipped topping
Grated dark chocolate

Place first five ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass, and top with dairy-free whipped cream and grated dark chocolate. For an added touch of elegance, sip through a GlassDharma decorative dots glass straw.

My Great, Big, Yummy Breakfast: Pistachio-Crusted Matcha Green Tea and Coconut French Toast

Nutrition pioneer Adelle Davis once said, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” Now science confirms that was she spot on, and most of us have our daily calorie intake turned upside down. Two 2013 studies (one conducted at Tel Aviv University and the other by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Tufts University, and the University of Murcia in Spain), studied how changing the timing of meals by switching a high-calorie dinner with a high-calorie breakfast but keeping the total daily calories the same would impact weight loss. The results of both studies conclude that a great strategy for losing weight is to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day. That makes sense, because eating the most calories earlier in the day gives you more time throughout the day to burn those calories off. But even if you don't want to lose weight, there are other significant advantages to eating heavier in the morning and lighter in the evening. Starting the day with a big breakfast causes your body to have significantly lower levels of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin, making you feel more satiated and far less likely to snack in-between meals. Additionally, eating within one hour of waking jump-starts your body’s metabolism, and a large breakfast appears to keep your metabolism revved up throughout the day. Since I hate feeling hungry and love feeling energetic, this is one strategy I am doing my best to adopt. On days that I stick to it, I notice a dramatic difference in the way I feel throughout the day and even in the quality of sleep I get at night.

Lucky for me, breakfast is quite often my favorite meal of the day. (I have been known to eat breakfast for dinner!) While most days, many of us don't have time to prepare an elaborate breakfast, on weekends and holidays we often have the luxury of a little extra time to prepare a special breakfast feast. So I rounded up a few of my favorite ingredients, and came up with this recipe for Pistachio-Crusted Matcha Green Tea and Coconut French Toast. Choose a nice, crusty, whole-grain bread for this recipe, and be sure you toast it first.

Pistachio-Crusted Matcha Green Tea and Coconut French Toast
 
4-6 slices crusty, whole-grain bread, toasted
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage)
1/4 cup non-dairy creamer (I used So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer)
1 tsp matcha green tea powder (I used Kiss Me Organics Matcha Powder)
1 large or 2 small, very ripe banana(s)
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsalted roasted pistachios
1 Tbsp flour (any kind will do)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp organic raw cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
Vegetable oil for coating the pan
Organic powdered sugar and coconut

Combine the coconut milk, creamer, and matcha green tea powder in a blender, and pulse a few times to allow the matcha to blend into the liquid. Add banana, 1/2 cup of pistachios, flour, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into a large bowl. Lightly oil a large non-stick skillet, and heat on medium-low. 
Dip a slice of bread into the mixture to coat well on each side, being careful not to soak.

Add the bread slices to the pan, and slowly cook until nicely browned on both sides. Sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar, coconut, and reserved 1 tablespoon of pistachios. Serve with maple syrup.

Power Breakfast

Most days we may not have time to prepare an elaborate breakfast. But we do want to jump-start our body's metabolism with a morning meal that is delicious, filling, and energizing. For me, the perfect weekday breakfast combination is a matcha green tea smoothie paired with a slice or two of whole-grain toast topped with sunflower seed butter. This delicious day-starter is loaded with nutrition and comes together in minutes.

Unlike coffee, matcha green tea powder provides a boost of mild, sustained energy throughout the day, while also enhancing calm. (Apparently, Chinese Daoists and Japanese Zen Buddhist monks use matcha to relax and meditate while staying alert.) Matcha is also said to increase focus, boost energy, and detoxify the body. And, it tastes delicious! So give this luscious green smoothie recipe a try, and let me know if it makes you feel pretty wonderful throughout the day, too.

Power Green Smoothie

1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp organic matcha green tea powder (I like Kiss Me Organics brand)
1 very ripe banana
1 mandarin orange, peeled and segmented
1 apple, cored and chopped
2 large kale leaves, chopped
3-4 drops vanilla stevia liquid

Place the milk and matcha in a blender container and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass, and enjoy. (All the better through a Glass Dharma straw.)

More Quick-Fix Vegan Review and Giveaway

Ever since the publication of my first book, So, Now What Do I Eat? The Complete Guide to Vegetarian Convenience Foods, readers have thought of me as the Queen of Quick and Easy. And that's just fine by me, because when it comes to cooking, I'm all about quick and easy.

However, my diet has evolved over the years. I no longer rely heavily on transition foods: meat, butter, and cheese analogs, processed and prepackaged foods that are the ultimate in convenience. My preferences now lean towards more nourishing, healthful, whole foods. I love every second I spend in the kitchen preparing delicious, healthy meals. But the reality of life is that I spend the bulk of my working time outside the kitchen, and sometimes it's almost dinner time before I realize that it's time to make dinner! So on those all-too-frequent days, I look to tasty whole-food recipes that can be put together in a snap. In this regard, Robin Robertson has been a lifesaver. Her earlier book, Quick-Fix Vegan, which I reviewed back in 2011, has become an invaluable friend.

Robin's latest book, More Quick-Fix Vegan, delivers 150 flavorful new recipes that take no more than thirty minutes of hands-on time to prepare. I could not wait to dive in!

Although many of my friends often rave about Vietnamese banh-mi sandwiches, I have never tasted one. Flipping through the pages of More Quick-Fix Vegan, I noticed that Robin included a couple of intriguing variations, and the recipe for Banh-mi Bowls called out to me. Made with crunchy toasted croutons, homemade marinated tofu, crisp, fresh vegetables, and a rich sweet and spicy sauce, it sounded intriguing. The dish came together very quickly, and was so scrumptious, even my finicky husband approved. We loved this meal so much, I think you will, too, so make sure you scroll down to the end of this post, and grab the recipe!

The recipe for Red Kidney Bean Loaf with Barbecue Glaze piqued my curiosity. Red kidney beans are not at the top of my list of favorite beans, so I had to step outside my culinary comfort zone a bit to try this recipe. I'm so glad I did, because I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this dish. While the loaf was baking, our home was filled with such a delicious aroma that we could hardly wait to dig in. I think that if the end result had been anything less than spectacular, we would have been disappointed. But our taste buds were very happy, because this dish is sensational. The red kidney beans gave this plant-based "meat" loaf a very unique and unexpected flavor.

At the supermarket the other day, I noticed the selection of Passover foods that had taken up residence on an endcap display. I looked longingly at the containers of coconut macaroons I adored as a child and looked forward to with great enthusiasm every year at this time. If not for the egg whites, Manischewitz Coconut Macaroons would actually be vegan. I did leave the store with quite a hankering for something coconutty like a macaroon. And then I discovered Robin's recipe for Piña Colada Balls in More Quick-Fix Vegan. I love the tropical taste of piña colada, and this recipe even has a dash of rum! It was so quick and easy to put together, and so sweetly delicious, I really had to restrain myself from overindulging. I have lovingly renamed this delectable recipe Passover Sex on the Beach.

Thoughtfully included within the pages of More Quick-Fix Vegan are recipes for making your own homemade "convenience" foods like vegan sour cream and baked marinated tofu. (Perfect for a convenience-and-whole-food-loving girl like me!) And there are four pages of metric conversions and equivalents, which, because of all the crazy package downsizing, I'm finding more and more useful all the time. Like all of Robin's books, More Quick-Fix Vegan is jam-packed with a bounty of delicious recipes that you will want to make over and over again. From scrumptious Mediterranean Tofu Scram-Bowls to elegant Cavatappi and Broccoli with Creamy Artichoke-Walnut Sauce to the adorably named My Thai Sundaes with Green Tea Syrup and Berry Fool-ish, the recipes in More Quick-Fix Vegan will be a wonderful addition to any foodie's cookbook collection.

And now's your chance to win your very own copy of More Quick-Fix Vegan ! I'm giving one away  to one lucky reader. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below, and follow the Rafflecopter prompts.* Your comment is the only mandatory entry requirement. To earn additional entries, you can also follow any of the other steps. May lady luck be shining down upon you, because I know you're going to love this book!

Reprinted with the kind permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC, here is the recipe for Banh-Mi Bowls from More Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson ©2014:

4 (½-inch thick)slices Italian bread or 8 slices French baguette
1 large carrot, finely shredded
½ English cucumber
2 cups finely shredded cabbage (I used Napa)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (I omitted)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup minced scallions
1½ tsp grated fresh ginger
1 (8-oz) package baked tofu, cut into thin strips
3 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 to 2 tsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp natural sugar
2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler on both sides, turning once. Remove from the oven and cut the toasted bread into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the carrot, cucumber, cabbage, and cilantro. Drizzle on the sesame oil and toss gently to combine. Divide the vegetable mixture among serving bowls and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, scallions, and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the tofu and 1 tablespoon of the tamari and mix well to coat the tofu. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons tamari with the hoisin, sriracha, sugar, and vinegar, stirring well to blend. Arrange the reserved toasted bread on top of the vegetables in the bowls. Top with the tofu mixture and drizzle each bowl with the sauce.

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*Sorry international friends, this giveaway is open only to U.S. residents.  

The 30 Minute Vegan Soup's On! Review and Giveaway

If you're a Hungry Vegan subscriber, then you know that I'm a huge fan Chef Mark Reinfeld's The 30 Minute Vegan series of books.  Every edition (The 30 Minute Vegan, The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of the East, and The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe) is a winner, featuring recipes that are so layered in complexity of flavors, it's hard to believe they can be prepared in under an hour, let alone, thirty minutes. The latest installment is called Soup's On, and it's filled with more than 100 quick and easy recipes that will delight every palate. And we're not talking appetizer soups here. We're talking show-stopping dishes that are so nourishing, filling, and satisfying, you'll never think of soup as just the prelude to an entrée again. 

Along with a scrumptious variety of soups and stews, you'll find lots of delicious extras—from Herbed Bread Sticks to Red Pepper Coulis, Soup's On elevates the art of soup making to new culinary heights. While every soup and stew within the pages of Soup's On stands on its own, each recipe comes with suggested variations as well as the perfect accompaniments, so you don't have to guess how to put together an absolutely fabulous meal. Take for example, this sweet and spicy Brazilian Black Bean Soup with Baked Plantain.

Black beans make this sumptuous Latin treat nutritious and hearty. Maple-baked plantain and a bit of freshly squeezed orange juice add a touch of sweetness, and jalapeño and chipotle pepper add a zesty bite. Raw Cashew Crème fraîche counterbalances the heat, and Candied Pepitas add another lovely touch of sweetness and a bit of crunch. 

Mark's Asian-inspired Hot Pot with Soba Noodles, Seared Shiitake Mushrooms and Baby Bok Choy is a heavenly choice on a cold, wet, winter day. Broken down into three simple-to-prepare recipes for Baked Tofu, Seared Shiitake and Baby Bok Choy, and a savory noodle-and-vegetable-infused broth, you'll love how this dish comes together so easily. With clear and concise instructions, it's a breeze to flow from one step to the next, tackling more than one task at a time. While the noodles and broth are cooking, it's time to prepare the shiitake and bok choy. What a beautiful presentation, don't you think?

If you love the sweet, smoky flavor of BBQ, then this delectable down-home BBQ Tempeh and Roasted Corn Stew is right up your alley. I served it with Cosmic Double Corn Bread and topped it with toasted pepitas. Until toasting pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), I hadn't realized I enjoyed them so much. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of vitamin E, protein, iron, magnesium, and zinc. And toasting them for less than 20 minutes ensures that they're cooked under the threshold for unwanted changes to the seeds' healthy fats.

With another wave of Arctic cold air whipping through this week and anticipated temperatures dipping down into the teens, I will surely be making this soul-satisfying Roasted Root Vegetable Soup again. Loaded with onions, carrots, fennel, parsnips, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes (I used yams), it's seasoned to perfection with just the right blend of herbs and balsamic. Topped with Tofu Feta, it's a Mediterranean feast in a bowl!

Everyone who knows me knows I'm cuckoo for coconut. Mark's Thai Coconut Soup with Lemongrass had me enjoying five-star Tom Kha in no time at all. Coconutty, rich, fragrant, and filled with all the yumminess you'd expect from this classic Thai dish.

 
The 30 Minute Vegan Soup's On will have you turning out tasty, filling, and hearty bowls of goodness in less time than it takes to order takeout. And your meals will be so much more delicious, nutritious, and satisfying than anything you'll find on a takeout menu. While we're still in the midst of winter's cold embrace, get your hands on a copy of this wonderful book. The recipe for Seared Shiitake and Baby Bok Choy alone, is worth the modest cover price. And if you enjoy slurping soup in the warmer months, you'll be covered, because there are lots of spring and summer soup recipes in Soup's On, too!

Update: Congratulations to Georgie Miller! She's the lucky winner of a copy of Soup's On! Georgie, please shoot me an email, to claim your prize. Thank you to all of my readers for all of your wonderful comments and for participating in the giveaway. Stay tuned for more fun to come!

Now, on to the giveaway: One lucky reader will win a copy Soup's On! For a chance to win, simply leave a comment below and tell me what your very favorite soup is.* (Please make sure to include your email address if I don’t already have it, so I can get your book to you!)

To earn additional entries, you can also do one or more of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each item you complete: 

1. Follow this blog.
2. Follow @vegangail on Twitter. 
3. Follow @veganfusion on Twitter.
4. Follow @mostvibrantlife on Twitter.
4. "Like" Vegan Fusion on Facebook.
5. “Like” Your Most Vibrant Life on Facebook. 
6. I’m tweeting to #win a copy of @veganfusion’s terrific new book Soup's On! Enter for your chance to win here: http://bit.ly/30MVSO #vegan 

Good luck!

*Sorry international friends, this giveaway is open only to U.S. residents.

Comfortably YumReview and Giveaway

What happens when a trailblazing vegan chef/entrepreneur and award-winning food columnist sets out to write her very first cookbook? Magic happens. Pure magic. Fans of Allison’s Gourmet vegan bakery, confectionary, and chocolaterie and Veganize It! column will be blown away by the recipes in Allison Rivers Samson’s gorgeous new ebook Comfortably Yum. 

Within its brightly colored pages, you’ll be treated to a collection of vegan comfort-food recipes that will transport you and your taste buds back in time. As a lucky taste tester, I had the privilege of getting a sneak peek of all the recipes, and with dishes like Magic Mac ‘n Cheese, Homestyle Veggie Pot Pie, and Open-Faced (Save the) Tuna Melts, I felt like a kid again, savoring (and reliving!) many of my most cherished childhood food memories.

A few of my friends have asked if I have a favorite recipe. But it’s impossible to choose just one, when every recipe is such an outta-the-park winner. However, given my insatiable sweet tooth, I wouldn’t mind being stranded on a remote desert island with Allison’s Chocolate Salted-Caramel Pudding Parfaits. Who doesn’t love chocolate pudding? This one is so velvety rich and chocolatey, it just melts in your mouth. And the salted-caramel pudding is the closest I’ve had to butterscotch in twenty-five years. (Yikes! I’m smacking my lips just thinking about it!)

 Photo: Nicole Axworthy from Comfortably Yum ©Allison Rivers Samson 

Each recipe is exquisitely photographed and will whet your appetite for all the deliciousness to come. (You can feast your eyes on all of the photos here.) And as though a kitchen angel had landed on your shoulder, Allison has included her Top Tips for Culinary Success in the Kitchen. These wonderful little pearls of wisdom will save you oodles of time and energy and ensure that you’ll have delicious success with all of your cooking and baking.

Allison's long-awaited first e-cookbook, Comfortably Yum, features 10 scrumptious recipes that will delight not only vegans, but omnivores, too. It will  make such a lovely gift for you or someone you love, and right now you can grab a copy for $5 off the regular price! If discovering 10 tantalizing gluten-free, whole-food, plant-based recipes that will win over even your most hard-to-please non-vegan friends isn’t enough to inspire you to grab a copy this very instant, perhaps knowing that you can do good while eating fabulously will. $3.00 of every purchase will be donated to Animal Place, a wonderful farmed animal sanctuary in Grass Valley, California.

Feeling lucky? I’m giving away a copy of Comfortably Yum to two readers!  Simply tell me which of the recipes you’re most excited to try in a comment below for a chance to win! (Please make sure to include your email address if I don’t already have it, so I can get your book to you!) 

Update: Congratulations to HilLesha and Terri Cole! You each won a copy of Comfortably Yum: 10 Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes for Everyday Yum! Please check soon for an email from Allison Rivers Samson! Thank you so much to everyone for taking part in the giveaway! 

Comfortably Yum: 10 Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes for Everyday Yum

Magic Mac ‘n Cheese
Open-Faced (Save the) Tuna Melts
Meltable American Cheese Slices
Homestyle Veggie Pot Pie
Clam-free Chowder
Vegan Egg Salad
Beet Burgers
Caesar Salad
Chocolate Salted-Caramel Pudding Parfaits 
Chocolate-Glazed Fudge Cupcakes

To earn additional entries, you may also do one or more of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each item you complete: 

1. Follow this blog.
2. Follow @vegangail on Twitter. 
3. Follow @allisonsgourmet on Twitter. 
4. Follow @yourmostvibrantlife on Twitter. 
4. "Like" Allison’s Gourmet on Facebook. 
5. “Like” Your Most Vibrant Life on Facebook. 
6. I’m tweeting to #win a copy of @AllisonsGourmet’s new ebook Comfortably Yum. You can win a copy too: http://bit.ly/cmftblyum #vegan #tunamelt

Happy holidays, and good luck!

The Great Vegan Bean Book Review and Giveaway

Nutrition. Flavor. Value. Variety. Versatility. Sustainability. What's not to love about beans? Along with other legumes, beans have been harvested among the Earth's most ancient cultures for a very long time—as far back as the Bronze Age. But aside from baked beans, refried beans, and bean burritos, many of us really don't know beans about beans. And if you ask most people to list their top ten favorite foods, I would venture to guess that beans would not hold a spot on most lists. Take me, for example. I really do love lentils, I favor fava, I'm crazy about cannellini, and I'm goofy for garbanzos. But when it came to knowing about the amazing variety of beans and the multitude of ways they can be deliciously incorporated into just about every kind of recipe imaginable, well, what I knew about beans didn't amount to a hill of beans. 

Beans are inexpensive and packed with nutrients. They're low in fat, high in protein and fiber, and are a great source of B vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidents. Some beans are also a great source of other vitamins, like edamame, which has a whopping 30 mcg of vitamin K per quarter cup. Just about every culture is known for its own special bean dish, and according to perennialsolutions.org, beans are a perennial staple crop that can be harvested non-destructively. Like all legumes, they are one of the world's basic foodstuffs, and the harvesting of beans does not kill the plant nor prevent future harvests.

Kathy Hester's latest book, The Great Vegan Bean Book contains more than 100 delectable recipes that will revolutionize your relationship with beans. 

The recipes are broken out into type of dish, and you'll love the cute chapter titles like "Noshy Beans" and "Portable Beans." I wanted to try something completely different from my typical bean fare, which consisted mainly of black bean burritos and various kinds of dal, so I started with the recipe for Pineapple Rum Beans Over Coconut Lime Sweet Potatoes. The flavors were every bit as lusciously tropical as they sound! I'd show you my own photo, but it doesn't compare to Renée Comet's lovely image from the book:

From breakfast (oh yeah, I'm making those Enchanted Vanilla Pancakes!) to dessert (there's a little sneak peek below)—The Great Vegan Bean Book contains an enticing collection of recipes that will quickly elevate your opinion of the humble little bean.

As a side note, I  admit that I have come to rely a bit to heavily on canned beans. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But my friend Allison, has been telling me for years that there's nothing like the flavor, texture, and extra nutritional boost you get from cooking beans from scratch. And while I don't own a pressure cooker (Allison's preferred method, because they cook up in just 35 minutes!), I do own a slow cooker (thanks to falling in love with Kathy's first book, The Vegan Slow Cooker), so I followed the directions for slow-cooker beans at the beginning of The Great Vegan Bean Book and have been cooking up perfect beans every time! There are cooking instructions for every kind of bean imaginable—Rattlesnake beans? I had no idea! Nor had I ever heard of Barlotti, Apaloosa, or Goat's Eye beans! (Have you?)

I couldn't recall the last time I'd enjoyed beans as part of a dessert, so I couldn't wait to try Kathy's creative recipe for Vanilla and—my heart be still—Rose Water Parfaits. Sandwiched between bands of vanilla cookie crumbs, the lusciously creamy layers are made with lentils, tofu, and coconut milk yogurt (I used So Delicious, of course!) delicately flavored with vanilla and rose water. I improvised a little by mixing in tiers of strawberry sauce infused with Rose Petal Jam from Premrose Edibles. These parfaits would make such an exquisite finish to a special meal, an indulgent breakfast, or a delightful midday treat!

If you love beans and especially if you think you don't, get your hands on a copy of The Great Vegan Bean Book! Your taste buds will thank you, and your appreciation for one of nature's most perfect foods will soar. And if you'd like to win a copy, I'm giving one away. Here's all you need to do:

Update: Congratulations to Lizzie Bordello, the lucky winner of The Great Vegan Bean Book! Huge thanks to everyone for participating in the giveaway! More fun reviews and giveaways to come, so please stay tuned ... Lizzie, please check your email inbox for a message from me on how to claim your prize. 

Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite bean dish is.* To increase your chances of winning this fabulous book, you can also do one or more of the following, and leave a separate comment for each item you complete:

1. Follow this blog.

2. Follow @vegiegail on Twitter.

3. Follow @geekypoet on Twitter.

4. "Like" Healthy Slow Cooking on Facebook.

5. Tweet the following message: I'm Tweeting to win a copy of Kathy Hester's The Great Vegan Bean Book via @vegiegail http://bit.ly/Gr8VegBean #vegan #recipes #book #giveaway

Good luck!

*Sorry international friends. This giveaway is open only to US residents.