Sensational Samosas

Have you tasted ajwain? Also known as carom seed, this lovely little grayish-green seed is closely related to thyme and cumin. It has a very fragrant aroma, which comes alive when cooked, and it is used in small quantities in dishes because of its distinctively sharp, pungent taste. Although most prominently featured in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, ajwain was discovered first in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, where it was used in Persian and Afghani cooking and as a digestive herbal remedy. Today ajwain is a common ingredient throughout the South Asian Subcontinent, where it is used in pickles for its preservative qualities and in vegetable dishes for its distinctive taste. It also compliments dals, parathas, rotis, and one of my favorite finger foods of all time—samosas. If you have an Indian grocery near in your city or town, you'll have no trouble finding ajwain. Even though we have a lovely little Indian grocery here, I get my organic ajwain seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs. You can order them online, too, by clicking here.

I tinkered with several different recipes before creating this lovely little dish. My husband said that these were the best samosas he'd ever eaten. I think part of the reason is that they are baked, instead of the more traditional way of making them, which is fried. Brushing them with a light coating of coconut oil also added an extra flavor dimension, and it never hurts to have the aroma of coconut oil wafting through the kitchen to whet the appetite.

I hope you'll try my recipe for samosas, and let me know what you think! 

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ajwain
1 cup Original So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk Beverage (kefir) or Coconut Milk Yogurt

For the filling:

2 medium-size potatoes, diced
1 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup onions, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
1-2 tsp green chiles, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup green peas (fresh or thawed, if frozen)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup water
1 tsp coriander
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup raw cashews
oil for brushing*

Directions:

To prepare the dough, mix the flour, salt, and ajwain seeds together in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the cultured coconut milk. Mix together to form a dough. Add extra flour if needed, to keep the dough from being sticky. Tightly wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the samosas.

To prepare the filling, peel potatoes and dice into 1/4 inch cubes. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and set aside. Some people like to mash their potatoes at this point. It facilitates the process of filling the samosas, but I find that if I dice them small enough, I don't need to mash. But either way is fine.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds and stir fry for about 30 seconds until cumin turns darker brown and mustard seeds begin to pop. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and green chiles (if using) and saute over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until onions are soft. Add the peas, potatoes, raisins, water, coriander, salt, garam masala, and lemon juice. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add cashews and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat, uncover, and allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 400°. 

To assemble the samosas, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth and soft. Divide dough into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion between your hands to form smooth balls. Pour 1/4 cup water into a small bowl and set aside.

Roll each ball into a 6-inch circle and cut in half. Take one half, dip your finger into water, and run it along the straight edge. Fold in half, overlapping on end about 1/4 inch over the other, making a cone. Press to seal.

Fill the cone with potato filling. Dip finger in water and run along the inside of the cone mouth and press the lips together to seal. Plase each samosa as it is made on greased cookie sheet or silpat. Brush each samosa with coconut or vegetable oil.* Although non-traditional, I like to use coconut oil, for that little extra flavor dimension and wonderful aroma. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°, turn the samosas over, brush the remaining sides with oil, and bake for 8-10 minutes more, until samosas are golden brown.

When samosas are done, serve immediately with mint or tamarind chutney. Makes 12 samosas.

For the Love of Lavender and a Winner!

What a glorious way to spend a summer day—visiting some of Oregon's lavender farms! This weekend the annual Oregon Lavender Festival took place, and I visited four lavender farms—two I'd visited two years ago during the festival, and two I hadn't been to before.

My first stop was Moonshadow Lavender Farm in Albany, where I tasted some lovely hibiscus and lavender iced tea, picked up some very fragrant lavender hydrosol and hand cleanser (much nicer than the generic hand cleanser I usually carry with me in the car), and snapped this fun photo of a small lavender field and vineyard with a snow-covered peak in the background.

My next stop was an hour north in the quaint town of Yamhill, where there are several lavender farms. Wild Rain Farm was the first Oregon lavender farm I visited two years ago. This year, the fields were not quite as mature as they were the last time I was here, but beautiful, nonetheless.

Here is where I picked up a jar of their lovely Lavender Blackberry Jam. I think I might have to make those yummy Lemon Poppyseed Muffins again. They went so well with the jam!

The next stop was Willakenzie Lavender Farm, the largest of all the farms I visited. They grow six varieties of lavender and their display beds feature dozens of others.

The owner's house is surrounded by lush gardens, sitting high up on a hill overlooking the lavender fields and valley below. It's such a spectacular setting.

It was fun to watch visitors picking fresh-cut lavender, taking photos, and just enjoying the beautiful summer day. I was inspired to come home and cut some of my own lavender.

I made my way inside the large gift shop and managed to escape with only a tiny vial of Grosso Bleu lavender oil. Outside, I met Kathy Gerht, author of Discover Cooking with Lavender. She was sampling her sensational Summer Mango Salsa (made with lavender, of course!) It was so delicious, I'm looking forward to making some this week. You can find the recipe right here on her blog!

My last stop was Lavender Lake Farms in the tiny town of Independence—about an hour south of Yamhill, and midway between Yamhill and my home.

At each farm, my favorite moment was walking by the distiller, where the fragrance of lavender was so intense, it almost put me in a trance. That's likely why I failed to take even one photo of a distiller. After driving around for hours and walking through all of these lovely lavender fields, I didn't even notice how hungry I was. So when Seth of Rolling Stone Pizza Company (who just happened to be at Lavender Lake Farms with his wood-fired oven on wheels), told me he could make me a cheeseless Purple People Eater Pizza, (purple cauliflower, purple onions, and eggplant on lavender-infused dough, I was more than ready to indulge. A seasoning blend of lavender, garlic, thyme, and pepper made the flavor come alive!

Here's a photo of all the spoils of my trip, along with the gorgeous cutting board I scored last weekend at a local arts festival.

Congratulations to The Vegan, who won a fabulous gift pack of Sweet Spice, Chocolate Fantasy, and So Delicious! Please let me know where to have the companies send you your booty!  Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway. Stay tuned for the next one. I love sharing my delicious finds with you!

This is Guilt-free Pure Decadence: Sweet Spice and Chocolate Fantasy Review and Giveaway!

Today I have two delightful new treats to share with you. I stumbled upon each of them completely by chance, and both are making life so much more delicious! Both of these culinary treasures will bring sweetness to your life without adding unnecessary calories, sugar, or fat. You can enjoy them together or on their own, and the ways in which you can savor them are limited only by your imagination.

Heather McClees is the creator of The Soulful Spoon's Sweet Spice, a special blend of five sweet spices. Heather started using her favorite sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg pretty much every day, and then began learning about and experimenting with other exotic spices. She honed in on two spices that are beneficial to health and taste great together with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. These two "secret" spices make up the remainder of ingredients in Sweet Spice, a truly unique blend, unlike any other five-spice.

What are some of the ways you can enjoy Sweet Spice? Well, in smoothies, for one. It has added a delightful flavor to every smoothie combination I've tried so far. (You'll LOVE the recipe below!) It's also fantastic in hot cocoa. (More on that in a minute.)

Sweet Spice is perfect for adding a touch of exotic flavor to baked goods like cookies, muffins, dessert breads, and cakes. I'm going to try adding it to a coconut nog scone recipe I'm working on, and I can hardly wait to taste the results!

I heard about Inspired Foods Dark Chocolate Fantasy Sweet Ground Cocoa from one of my readers. This lovely product evolved out of Daria and Darrin Danielson's passion for food and beverages. Daria grew up in a home immersed in tea culture, as her mom was a wholesale supplier of tea for many years. Daria and Darrin launched Eclipse Beverages (a Sparkling Tea company), and during their research into healthy alternative sweeteners, they discovered and fell in love with stevia. With their increasing passion for healthy and convenient beverages, they discovered the health benefits of cocoa and knew they needed to create a stevia-sweetened cocoa powder. The result is a delicately sweetened, ethically traded African rainforest gourmet cocoa that has just 9 calories per serving.  

You can use Chocolate Fantasy with your favorite non-dairy milk beverage. I make the most delicious cup of hot cocoa ever with Dark Chocolate Fantasy Sweet Ground Cocoa and So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk. A 12-oz cup has just 84 calories, but is so rich and chocolaty, it tastes fantastic. Add half a teaspoon of Sweet Spice, and now you've got an exotic hot chocolate! (See, I told you these are great alone or together!) I'm sipping one right now!

I also make a delectable smoothie with Trader Joe's Very Cherry Berry Blend, but you could use any frozen berries, cherries, or any other fruit you like. It tastes like something out of a dream!

Choco-Cherry Spice Smoothie

2 ripe bananas
1 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
1 Tbs Dark Chocolate Fantasy
1 cup frozen cherries and/or berries
1 medjool date
1 handful spinach
1 tsp Sweet Spice

Blend all together, pour into two tall glasses and serve!

You can order your very own jar of exotic Sweet Spice online right here. To fulfill your own Dark Chocolate Fantasy, click here to order. But wait—would you like to win a delicious prize pack? One lucky winner* chosen at random will receive a free coupon for their favorite So Delicious Coconut Milk, a jar of Sweet Spice, and a container of Dark Chocolate Fantasy! To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below telling me how you might enjoy these lovely treats. To earn extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. (Please leave a separate comment for each one you do):

1. Follow my Hungry Vegan Blog by clicking the "Follow" link in the upper left-hand corner of this page.

2. Follow The Soulful Spoon Blog.

3. Follow me on Twitter. 4. Follow Heather McClees on Twitter. 5. Like Chocolate Fantasy on Facebook. 6. Follow So Delicious on Twitter 7. Like So Delicious Dairy Free on Facebook

Good luck!

*Sorry international readers—Giveaway open to US residents only.

Avocados: A Taste of California Sunshine!

I'm crazy about avocados. So I was very excited when my box of California Avocados arrived at my doorstep today. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received the beauties you see here:

I love the pretty little magnets that were thoughtfully tucked inside the box with them. They're now decorating my new fridge, and they make me smile whenever I look at them.

Avocados are one of nature's most amazing foods and were once a luxury reserved only for royalty. They're a nutritional powerhouse packed with vitamins A, C, and E and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron all wrapped up in a package of buttery-like goodness. They also contain the highest concentration of dietary fiber of any commonly eaten fruit.

Here are some other interesting avocado facts: California produces about 90 percent of the nation's avocado crop, and San Diego County is the Avocado Capital of the US, producing 60 percent of all the avocados grown in California. A single California Avocado tree can produce about 500 avocados (or 200 pounds of fruit) a year! There are over 400 varieties of avocados, and the ones I received are my favorite—of those I've had the good fortune to taste—Hass variety, which is known for its rich, nutty taste and creamy, pale green flesh.

Scientists believe that avocados have been cultivated in Mexico for about 10,000 years, so a Mexican meal seemed like the perfect way to enjoy them.

A Mexican meal would not be complete without a nice bowl of guacamole. I like my guacamole on the simple side, without onions, garlic, or cilantro, so that the flavor of the avocados really shines. I mash one with a spoon, mix it together with a splash of lime juice, sprinkle in some salt, pepper, and a touch of cumin, and add in a small chopped tomato.

Here's our little fiesta table of fajita fixins, salsa fresca, guacamole, and oven-roasted sweet plantains.

While not traditionally Mexican, this luscious raw lemon pudding is so crazy simple and creamy-dreamy delicious, I couldn't resist making it for dessert. It's super rich, so even a dainty portion will make you feel happy.

Ingredients:

2 large ripe avocados, chopped
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions:

Please call ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Makes 4 servings.

Winning Sandwich and A Winner!

When I visited Sacramento last year, one of the highlights of my trip was dining at Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe, where I enjoyed one of the most delicious sandwiches that I have ever tasted, a Sweet Po and Avo Panini. (They now call it a "Garnet Yam and Avocado Panini," which is more accurate, but I like the old name better!) Either way, I'm sure it's just as incredible as it ever was, but since I didn't return to Sacramento as soon as I'd hoped to, I decided to venture into creating this sammie at home. Coming up with a tasty Lemon Poppyseed Aioli was a bit challenging, until I figured out that I like it better without garlic. (Typically, aioli is made with olive, oil, garlic, and eggs.) The most challenging part was figuring out how to assemble this sandwich so that it doesn't fall apart when you pick it up. But no matter how I layered the avocado, yam, grilled onions, tomatoes, and creamy dressing, it still was one sloppy sandwich. Some breads work better than others, (ciabatta and hard rolls were no less messy), but the combination of flavors is so delicious, it's totally worth getting your hands dirty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes or yams, cooked and sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1 large red onion, sauteed in water
1 avocado, mashed
Lemon-Poppyseed Aioli (recipe below)
Ciabatta bread, grilled (or use your favorite hearty bread)
Earth Balance for grilling
Daiya cheddar (optional)

Lemon-Poppyseed Aioli:

1 10.5-oz pkg Mori-Nu silken tofu
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp agave
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dry mustard
⅛ tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp poppy seeds

For the Aioli:

Place all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add poppy seeds and pulse a few times to thoroughly combine.

To assemble the Sandwiches:

Lightly brush one side of ciabatta with Earth Balance and place face down on grill. Lay some Daiya (if using) on other side of bread and place face down, and grill for a 1-2 minutes.

Spread mashed avocado over daiya side of bread, layer with yams, onions, and tomatoes, and spread aioli on other slice of bread. Repeat with other sandwich.

I'd like to extend my most heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in my So Delicious Dairy Free Ice Cream and Sorella Luna giveaway. It was the most successful Hungry Vegan giveaway to date, and I had so much fun sharing all the tasty new ice cream flavors and gorgeous Italian pottery with you. Congratulations to Cara, who won five free So Delicious product coupons and two lovely Deruta ceramic bowls. You can thank the handy-dandy random number generator for choosing your name! Check your email inbox, and as soon as you send me your snail mail address, your goodies will be on their way!

Ice Cream and Art, An Incredible Giveaway, and a Winner!

I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited about the new No Sugar Added Coconut Milk Ice Cream from So Delicious. As you may know from my earlier post, after reading Dr. Klaper's thought-provoking article, "Slaying the Sugary Beast," I've been drastically cutting back on my sugar consumption. And as if premature aging wasn't enough reason to tame my sweet tooth, a few days ago, I came across the New York Times article, "Is Sugar Toxic?" after my friend, Julieanna Hever posted it to her facebook page. (It's quite lengthy, so do save it for when you have time to read it.) Sweetened with erythritol (a plant-based sugar alcohol) and monk fruit extract, what a gift to dessert lovers these new No Sugar Added Coconut Milk Frozen Desserts are! They come in these five mouthwatering flavors and in two tasty bars:

The dreamy creamy Fudge Bars taste like frozen chocolate mousse on a stick! And weighing in at just 80 calories, it's a sweet treat I can enjoy every day, if I like! (And I do!)

I couldn't wait to sink my spoon into the Chocolate and Toasted Almond Chip flavors! They have all the sweet deliciousness of So Delicious agave-sweetened ice cream, but only 1 gram of sugar per serving!

The Vanilla Bean flavor just screamed to be enjoyed in a sundae. With just 100 calories per serving, I could add some delicious toppings like sliced banana, chopped walnuts, marionberry syrup, and Soyatoo Whipped Topping for a totally indulgent, but low-calorie Banana Split!

So right about now, I'll bet you're wondering where I got all these pretty bowls from, aren't you? They're on loan from my favorite new art gallery, Sorella Luna in Portland, Oregon. Sorella Luna means "Sister Moon" in Italian, a phrase taken from the Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon of St. Francis of Assisi:

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

These gorgeous Italian ceramic bowls are hand-crafted and hand-painted, making each piece a unique one-of-a-kind treasure! (And I know what you're thinking—and the answer is: Yes! It will be difficult to part with them!)

Mark and I got to visit Sorella Luna as part of my belated birthday celebration. Being surrounded by so much vibrant color was a breathtaking sensory experience. This feast for the eyes was totally intoxicating, and it was easy to get lost for hours in the beauty and wonderment of all this eye candy!

Speaking of eye candy, gallery owner Giovanni Angello is busy at work on his computer totally undisturbed by me (or at least pretending not to notice), as I'm going around snapping all these photos! And as I watch him I'm thinking how magical it must be to come to work each day surrounded by so much color and beauty! Can you imagine traveling to Italy to find all this stuff? (Dream job!!!)

Looking for an extravagant wedding gift? This jaw-droppingly exquisite place setting not only caught my eye, but had me oohing and ahhing. And although I'm not getting married again anytime soon, it's certainly on my personal wish list!

So now that I've let you in on my two greatest passions, I'm going to share the love. Would you like to win 5 FREE So Delicious product coupons so you can try their new No Sugar Added Coconut Milk Ice Cream? And would you like to own 2 gorgeous hand-crafted ceramic bowls from Deruta, Italy? Then here's all you do: Simply visit Sorella Luna's website, come back here, and leave a comment telling me which items are now on your own personal wish list. (This is mandatory for entry, but fun! Just peruse the fabulous eye candy, and pick something pretty to tell me about!) Please make sure I have your email address, so that I can contact you when you win. Here's what your prize will look like:

I'm so excited about this giveaway, I'm going to give you 10 ways to earn additional entries! For each of the following you complete and leave a separate comment for, you'll earn another entry!

1.  Follow Hungry Vegan by clicking the "Follow" button in the upper left-hand corner of this page.
2. "Like" Sorella Luna on Facebook.
3. "Like" So Delicious on Facebook.
4.  Follow me on Twitter.
5.  Follow Sorella Luna on Twitter.
6.  Follow So Delicious on Twitter.
7.  Follow Hungry Vegan on Networked Blogs.
8.  Post a link to this giveaway on your Facebook page.
9.  Post a link to this giveaway on your blog.
10.  Tweet this message: Enter to #win 5 FREE @So_Delicious coupons and 2 Beautiful @thesorellaluna Italian Ceramic Bowls! http://bit.ly/hEfhZP #vegan #giveaway (This one earns you two entries!)

Ooh, and I almost forgot some unfinished business—I have a winner to announce from my last post, too! Congratulations to Noelle who pens An Opera Singer in the Kitchen! She won a fabulous Mediterranean Bread-Dipping Gift Set from Olive Grand! Thanks to everyone who participated, and good luck in this week's giveaway!

*Sorry dear international friends. Coupons are only redeemable in the U.S. and giveaway is limited to entries with a U.S. postal address.

Olive Grand Tasting Bar and Delicious Giveaway

I spent the night of my birthday in the emergency room with my husband. (He's feeling much better now!) But as soon as he was well enough, we decided to celebrate my special day in grand style! We began our celebration with a trip to our local Olive Oil tasting bar, Olive Grand. I've never been much of a barfly, but that could all change now. This fabulous marketplace sells the most wonderful olive oils and balsamic vinegars (balsamic is my one true weakness), along with an assortment of teas, pasta, spices, cookbooks, and artistic treasures.

As part of Eugene's First Friday Artwalk, several artisans were in attendance at Olive Grand the evening we visited. Giovanni Angello, owner of Sorella Luna Gallery in Portland was there showing off his spectacularly beautiful imported pottery from Deruda, Italy. (I'll write more about Giovanni and his amazing gallery in a future post, so stay tuned!)

How blessed I feel to have been gifted with this gorgeous cheese plate. Thank you, Giovanni! It makes me wish I had some lovely Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheeses or Ste Martaan on hand. (Click on the pic to see a more detailed closeup of this colorful plate.)

Michelle McLaughlin of Copper Moon Artisans was there, with some of her partner Chardin Reascos' beautiful pre-Columbian-inspired embossed copper designs on handmade paper made from recycled newspaper and banana leaves.

Owners Tamara and Michael have created a beautiful and inviting haven for foodies and art lovers, alike. But the centerpiece of Olive Grand is the tasting bar, where you can sample shots of delectably flavored extra-virgin olive oils paired with some of the most amazing flavor-infused balsamic vinegars. Here, Tamara is pouring Mark one of his favorites, Blood Orange Olive Oil with Chocolate Balsamic!

As with wine tasting, there's an art to tasting olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You want to first warm the cup between your hands, then swirl the oil and vinegar around, take a small sip, and let the flavors melt on your tongue before swallowing.

I prefer to dip a small piece of Italian bread into the delicious mixture. This time it's a citrusy Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Blueberry Balsamic. It reminded me of a lemon and blueberry poppyseed muffin. So good!!!

The most difficult part of visiting Olive Grand is deciding which flavors to take home with you. They're all so amazing. In addition to the two pairings mentioned above we also tasted Peach Olive Oil with Cherry Balsamic and Rosemary Olive Oil with Chocolate Balsamic, which were both crazy good!

Explore these along with all of their other incredible flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars online at Olive Grand. And don't fret if you find something that sounds enticing. (Did I mention their Chardonnay Wine Vinegar?) They can ship to anywhere in the US and Canada. 

Here's a quick and easy appetizer that will make your tongue dance. You can choose any combination of  olive oil and balsamic. Let your creativity run wild!

Dreamy Basil and Balsamic Bruschetta

1/2 cup balsamic (I used fig)

2-3 Tbs olive oil (I used lemon)

1 large tomato, diced small

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

10-12 slices Italian or French bread

Directions:

Place  olive oil and balsamic in a small bowl. Stir gently to combine. Add chopped tomato and basil and mix to coat.  Toast bread slices, and spoon mixture over bread. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings. 

And now for the really fun part: One lucky reader is going to win a fabulous Mediterranean Bread Dipping Set—complete with a delicately balanced Spanish Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a sweet and syrupy Fig Balsamic Vinegar (my personal favorite!), and Olive Grand's own Mediterranean Bread Dipping Spice Blend with hints of Lemon and Garlic. The set also comes with two beautiful pour spouts so you can control how much you pour and savor the precious contents of your new bottles awhile longer. This is truly a Mediterranean food-lover's dream!

To enter to win, simply visit Olive Grand's website and come back here and leave a comment telling me which oil and vinegar pairing sounds most delicious to you. Please do make sure to include your email address in your comment so I can contact you if when you win.

If you'd like to earn additional entries, you can do any or all of the following. (Please leave a separate comment for each action you take, and you'll receive an additional entry for each one!)

1. Follow this blog by clicking the "Follow" link in the upper left-hand corner of this page.

2. "Like" Olive Grand on Facebook.

3. Follow Hungry Vegan on Networked Blogs.

4. Follow me on Twitter.

5. Tweet this message: Enter to #win a Mediterranean Food-lover's Olive Oil & Balsamic Bread-Dipping Set from @Vegiegail & @OliveGrand! http://bit.ly/fXT0xx

The winner will be chosen at random before my next post. Good luck! Oh, and I'll be sharing the rest of how we celebrated my birthday in my next delicious post. Ciao!

The Perfect "Cup" of Tea and The Most Sublime Sweetener Libre Tea Glass and Just Like Sugar

If you've been following Hungry Vegan, you know that I'm in love with glass. I never go anywhere without one of my pretty Glass Dharma straws. Now I'm taking my herbal tea to go with my new Libre Tea Glass. It's lightweight, durable, practical, and beautiful. A BPA-free polycarbonate surrounds a glass interior that keeps nine ounces of tea warm for up to an hour. The pretty flower in the bottle? That's a flowering jasmine tea bud from Mountain Rose Herbs.

I take my Libre Tea Glass with me everywhere! It's so much prettier and more stylish than a coffee mug. It also fits perfectly in my car's cup holder!

Notice the gorgeous detailing on the lid.

Underneath the lid there's a stainless steel filter that allows loose tea leaves to steep. (Alternately, you could place a tea bag inside the glass jar.) Simply fill the glass, wait a minute or two to allow the steam to dissipate, screw on the filter and lid, turn it upside down and let sit for a few minutes, and voila! Freshly brewed tea for one! If you love tea and want to treat yourself to something beautiful and practical, a Libre Tea Glass will make you feel elegant while you sip your favorite tea. It would also make a lovely gift for the tea aficionado in your life. 

Speaking of tea, just how do I sweeten mine? After reading Dr. Michael Klaper's illuminating article, "Slaying the Sugary Beast," I began weaning myself off sugar, and I no longer have these insatiable urges for sweets. That's not to say I won't ever enjoy a little something sweet. I just don't feel like I'm going to rip someone's head off if I can't get to the next vegan Boston cream donut. Stevia is a wonderful option, but its sweetness is very different than that of sugar, and it isn't always an ideal substitute for many recipes. That's why I love Just Like Sugar and have been using it to sweeten everything, not just my tea!

Just Like Sugar's sweetness comes from chicory inulin, a naturally occurring non-digestible carbohydrate. It's also nature's best example of a prebiotic, selectively stimulating the growth of friendly intestinal microflora. So Just Like Sugar tastes sweet, has zero calories, and it's actually good for you! 
And unlike artificial sweeteners, which are not only toxic, but actually increase your desire for sweets, Just Like Sugar satisfies without making you crave more. So now I'm sprinkling Just Like Sugar on my morning grapefruit, and it tastes just like sugar!

And I'm enjoying my bedtime hot cocoa-like beverage made with raw carob powder, Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk, Foods Alive Mesquite Powder, and Just Like Sugar!

The real test was baking with Just Like Sugar. I decided to first try it in Dreena Burton's Chocolate Pumpkin Pie recipe, which called for a scant two tablespoons of sugar. The pie was super rich and sweetly delicious

with a lovely cheesecake-like texture.

I've since made cookies, chocolate pudding, and slow-cooker oats with Just Like Sugar, all with superb results. While Just Like Sugar isn't cheap like sugar, it's comparably priced to stevia, and so much more versatile. If you're looking for ways to reduce your consumption of sweets but still want to have your cake and eat it too, Just Like Sugar may be just right for you!