Did you say green curry paste? Is this Tuesday already?

Let's call this Product Test Tuesday, because I'm about to give you the heads up about several things I've been tasting lately. When someone asks if they can send me a product to sample, it's hard to say no. Especially if it sounds really good, and I'm hungry when the offer arrives in my inbox. Such was the situation when the folks at Hail Merry offered to send me a bunch of raw, GF vegan snacks to sample. Would you say no?


Blonde macaroons

The first thing I tried was a blond macaroon and it tasted great — a sweet, moist mix of coconut and bourbon vanilla flavor with a hint of maple syrup. It was small but dense, with a serving size listed as two pieces, and there was no way I could eat more than that. A serving has 11 grams of fat (8 grams saturated), 10 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein. Everyone has a different opinion about fat, so I'll let you come to your own conclusions about the nutritional profile of these treats. If you can limit yourself to one or two, fine, but if you're looking for a a snack you can eat a lot of, this might be a wrong choice — delicious, though.



The next thing I tried (the next day, actually, I was full after the blondes) were the Choco Macaroons. I didn't like these nearly as well because they tasted kind of dry to me, and the chocolate flavor seemed muted. My co-taster, however, thought that while they were dry, they were also delicious. She described them as "subtle and not too sweet."


Grawnola

After the Choco macaroons, it was on to the Grawnola in orange cranberry. At first I thought the cinnamon flavor was too strong, but I've changed my mind. Now I'm kind of addicted to the stuff and need to finish this review quickly and get it out of the room so I'll stop tasting it.



In my box of samples were also three bags of flavored pecans — orange rosemary, lemon thyme and chimayo chile. Like the other treats, they are raw, vegan and gluten-free. My co-tester loved the lemon thyme and I thought the chimayo chile pecans were fantastic, with their slightly gooey, spicy coating. I could eat way too many of these amazing gourmet morsels.


Orange rosemary pecans

The nuts are soaked and dehydrated at low temperatures before being mixed with organic palm sugar and other flavors. Once again, they are a bit high in fat (110 out of 150 calories), which you would expect from nuts. But eating nuts in moderation is part of a healthy diet. I usually don't like sweetened nuts, but these were delicious.

Thank you Hail Merry for sending me these delicious treats.
disclaimer: I was sent the Hail Merry samples without obligation to publish my opinion. I was not paid.

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Thai and True



In my last post I talked about visiting Sidecar Vegan store and purchasing two varieties of Thai and True curry paste, which is made in Oregon. Last night my son whipped up a Thai coconut curry with the green curry paste. This stuff is so GOOD! All three of us who ate it were enthusiastic about the results. The curry was made with Thai eggplant, carrots, broccoli, red onion, cashews, hot peppers, lots of young ginger, garlic and coconut milk. My son likes very spicy food, so after dinner, I tasted a bit of the plain curry paste from the jar in order to gauge its heat. I'd call it mildly spicy with a slight after-kick, and wonderfully delicious.



Although called green curry, it wasn't exactly green. It was actually kind of brown.



Jar size, 6 ounces. Cost at Sidecar: $4.45. Made in Oregon
Ingredients: green curry paste (green chili, shallot, lemon grass, salt, garlic, galgangal, kaffir lime zest, cumin powder, coriander seed, turmeric), rice bran oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tblsp = 1 serving
total fat .5g
sodium 5mg
vitamin C 6%
everything else: 0

Date syrup

Colleen from Organics are for Everyone sent me a sample of date syrup. Date syrup is a staple in the Middle East but is relatively unknown here in the U.S. At least, I'd never heard of it. I love dates and eat them regularly because they're delicious and healthful, but I'd never had date syrup before. When the thick, rich syrup first hit my tongue I was reminded of molasses, but then the taste mellowed and became sweeter. I'd have to say the syrup possesses its own unique and wonderful flavor, and is hard to compare to anything else.



The literature that accompanied the syrup suggested using it as a sugar substitute in baked goods or anywhere you might use a sweetener like maple syrup or honey. (There are recipe suggestions on the Organics are for Everyone Web site.) I haven't tried this but I imagine the taste would be wonderful. The only problem I can see would be the relatively high cost of this product. That's why I'm saving mine to use sparingly as a topping for pancakes and such, or as an addition to sauces and glazes. The date syrup is:

• Organic
• Kosher
• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free

It's imported from Israel and contains only dates.



I can personally tell you it's delicious on pancakes, oatmeal, or from a spoon! Have you tasted it?

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me as a free sample with no requirement that I blog about it or make positive statements about it. All statements in this post are my honest opinion.

Wayfare Foods review | honest scrap award

The kind folks at Wayfare Foods sent me several samples of their product, We Can't Say It's Cheese. I was pretty excited to hear that this "cheese" is made from oats, and curious to try it. When my kids were young I made a lot more cheesy sauces than I do now, and one of our favorites was from Joanne Stepaniak's "The Uncheese Cookbook," and it was made mainly from oats and nutritional yeast. Also, my favorite soft serve ice cream, OatsCreme, is made from oats so I figured there was great potential here. I received four samples — Cheddar-Style Spread, Cheddar-Style Dip, Mexi-Cheddar-Style Dip and Hickory-Smoked Cheddar-Style Spread.


Very cute double-dipper with cheese stains

I tried the Cheddar-Style Dip first, and my initial reaction was that it reminded me a little of Cheez Whiz, though it's been an awfully long time since I've tasted that, so I could be wrong. I liked it but not as much as some of the other reviewers seemed to. I took the Cheddar-Style Dip and another sample — Mexi Cheddar-Style Dip— to a family dinner that included vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. My 2-year-old granddaughter loved the Cheddar-Style Dip, and had to be given her own dip in a bowl. (Even very cute people double-dipping is kind of unsavory.) She used a baby carrot to scoop it up and suck it off, and referred to it as "hummus." Everyone else ate it but to my surprise, no one was extremely enthusiastic, and there was a lot left over. Leftovers are unusual in our family. The Mexi-Cheddar-Style Dip was less well received than the Cheddar-style, and it sat relatively untouched. This is a group of people that LOVES spicy food so I was surprised by their reaction.



Today I tried the hickory smoked spread, and I really liked it. My husband thought it was good, too. I had some plain, and then used some to make a grilled cheese sandwich on sourdough bread. It had a pleasing, smoky-cheddary flavor, and the sandwich was good. Because the spread is already soft, it doesn't need to melt — just heat. In addition to spreading on crackers or bread, I can see using this product to conveniently add a cheddary flavor to sauces, baked goods and casseroles. I haven't tried the Cheddar-Style Spread, yet, but assume it's similar to the dip only thicker. I was kind of hoping for a mozzarella flavor but these dips and spreads are pretty dependent on nutritional yeast for their cheesy taste, making them more like cheddar.



Here is the promotional and nutritional information from the company:
Wayfare Foods has created incredible cheese alternative spreads and dips, and we’re just crazy about them! We Can’t Say It’s Cheese is not only absolutely delicious, it’s made only from simple high-quality ingredients, making it our favorite new brand for creamy, spreadable vegan cheese. Made from whole-grain oatmeal (though you’d never know it!), this unique and healthy product is unlike other vegan cheese spreads and dips in that not only does it taste like real dairy cheese, it’s actually good for you and isn’t loaded with artificial ingredients. We think it’s one of the best vegan cheese developments in years, so be sure to try it today and you’ll be a fan, just like we are! We Can’t Say It’s Cheese is available in 4 varieties – Cheddar Spread, Hickory Smoked Cheddar Spread, Cheddar Dip and Mexi-Cheddar Dip. Each 8 oz. (226g) container is $3.49.

Cheddar Spread ingredients: Non-GMO Whole grain oatmeal (water, oats), vegetable oil blend (may contain the following: safflower, olive, and coconut oil), sesame, pimentos (pimentos, water, citric acid), nutritional yeast, sea salt, calcium carbonate, onion powder, evaporated cane juice

Hickory-Smoked Cheddar Spread ingredients: Non-GMO Whole grain oatmeal (water, oats), vegetable oil blend (may contain the following: safflower, olive, and coconut oil), sesame, pimentos (pimentos, water, citric acid), nutritional yeast, sea salt, natural hickory smoke flavor (water, natural hickory smoke concentrate), calcium carbonate, onion powder, evaporated cane juice

Cheddar Dip ingredients: Non-GMO Whole grain oatmeal (water, oats), vegetable oil blend (may contain the following: safflower, olive, and coconut oil), sesame, pimentos (pimentos, water, citric acid), nutritional yeast, sea salt, calcium carbonate, onion powder, evaporated cane juice

Mexi-Cheddar Dip ingredients: Non-GMO Whole grain oatmeal (water, oats), vegetable oil blend (may contain the following: safflower, olive, and coconut oil), sesame, pimentos (pimentos, water, citric acid), nutritional yeast, sea salt, calcium carbonate, onion powder, evaporated cane juice, spices

Spread nutritional information:
Serving size – 2 tbsp. (28g)
Servings per container – 8
Calories per serving – 60
Total fat – 5g (3g saturated, 0g trans fat)
Sodium – 190mg
Total carbohydrate – 3g (1g fiber, 0g sugars)
Protein – 2g

Dip nutritional information:
Serving size – 2 tbsp. (28g)
Servings per container – 8
Calories per serving – 50
Total fat – 4g (0g saturated, 0g trans fat)
Sodium – 180mg
Total carbohydrate – 3g (1g fiber, 0g sugars)
Protein – 2g

disclaimer: I was provided with free samples of this product. I did not have to write a review, nor did I have to write a positive review.

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Penny (A.K.A. Scottish Vegan Homemaker) has given me an award, and I thank her for that, but now I have to share 10 honest things about myself, and present this award to 7 others. I'm particularly bad at choosing favorites, and usually avoid this by not participating, or by choosing everyone. This time I'm doing it — choosing seven blogs that I enjoy reading. Mostly they are blogs I've discovered fairly recently. Of course, the minute I transcribe this list I immediately feel terrible guilt about not picking all the other blogs I read and think are great, and which are equally deserving of recognition, even if it's only from me. On the other hand, I also feel guilty asking people to do what I just had to do. Oh well. If I don't just get on with it I'll never get this post written.

I've had to write 10 things about myself in the past (these honors used to be called memes instead of awards), and I'm thinking there might not be 10 more things to write. (I'm feeling a bit boring lately.) Anyway, since this is a food blog, I'll restrict myself to 10 food-related honest facts.

1. I love peaches. I mean, I really love them. When we lived in Madison we used to buy whole cases of peaches from a fruit and vegetable store. My husband would always ask if I thought we could really use up a whole case, and I'd murmur, "mmhmm." I felt bad about buying all those peaches because they weren't organic, and peaches are always on the "only buy organic" list, but they were so GOOD. All that pesticide residue, though. I won't disclose just how many of those peaches I could eat in a day, but let's just say if I were standing in a garden, all the insects that landed on me would probably die.

2. I really HATE the taste of fennel, anise, black licorice. Sometimes it makes me throw up. Sometimes I just feel very agitated. My husband only added anise to a dish once, and he was sorry.

3. The very first vegetarian dish I made was a vegetable loaf; I used a recipe that was filled with brewers yeast. Actually, I think every recipe in that early vegetarian cookbook was filled with brewers yeast. I pretended to like it even though it was vile because I wanted my husband to like being a vegetarian. And he didn't. (In case you're wondering, brewers yeast is NOT the same thing as nutritional yeast flakes. Not at all.)

4. I was very young when I got married, and I had no idea how to cook. Most of the vegetables I'd eaten were frozen or canned or salad ingredients. I had to ask the farmers at the farmers market what the vegetables were, and how to cook them. It was humiliating but informative.

5. I got to drink the liquid from a branch of cat's claw in the Amazon Rain Forest. Yes, this is true.

6. I once brought carob brownies to a party, and when my friend took a bite of one, he gagged and spit it out. He was upset that it wasn't chocolate, and I was very embarrassed. I would only bring chocolate, now. Only chocolate.

7. I've never been able to eat nuts in things. I like them well enough alone, but not when they mix in with other food. I'm trying to get over this because it's such a bother to pick the darn nuts out. I can eat them in salads and casseroles now, and I recently managed to eat them on TOP of cake. Still can't quite deal with them in baked goods or ice cream unless they are ground up fine.

8. Before I became a vegetarian, at a time when I was seriously considering changing my diet, I said, "I'll never be one of those weird vegetarians who asks, "what's in the soup stock?" Yes, I said that. Out loud. I'll go hide behind a rock now while you throw tofu balls at me. (This is the sort of thing I try to remember when dealing with "clueless" omnivores.)

9. I was macrobiotic for a few years and followed the macrobiotic diet pretty enthusiastically. Because we lived in the Midwest, this meant avoiding tropical fruits and veggies like bananas and mangoes. We avoided members of the nightshade family such as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. One evening we went out to dinner, and our young son said to the waitress, "I think I'll try the mashed potatoes, I've never had those." The waitress rolled her eyes and snorted, "Where do you keep him, in a closet?" The nasal twang of her voice was not friendly, and it still buzzes in my ear when I think about it. Ouch.

10. I keep a jar of coconut oil in my bathroom to use as a moisturizer.

I'm forwarding this award to:
The Airy Way
Chow Vegan
The Crafty Kook
Haiku Tofu
Here's What You're Missing
Mitten Machen
Seitan is My Motor

Here are the rules. Do as you see fit:
Thank the person who bestowed the award and link back to their blog. List 10 honest things about yourself, and link to 7 blogs you feel embody the spirit of Honest Scrap, and which you find brilliant in design and/or concept.
(Also, I suggest being very careful how you pronounce the name of this award.)

PranhaBar/Boomi Bar

I was recently the lucky recipient of two free products sent to me by Divine Foods. I just love to get free stuff in the mail — especially when it's edible. I received a coconut acai PranaBar and a cashew almond Boomi Bar.



The 1.7 oz. PranaBar contains organic almond butter, organic agave nectar, organic date paste, organic dried coconut, organic almonds, organic raisins, organic puffed amaranth, organic acai dry powder, sea salt. According to the literature I received it is vegan, certified organic, GMO-free, unprocessed, enzyme active, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, hand rolled and sweetened with agave nectar. My bar had 220 calories and 13 grams of fat. It reminded me of a Larabar only I thought the PranaBar tasted better. It seemed fruitier and fresher. PranaBars come in several different flavors but I only received one so can't comment on the others.



The cashew almond Boomi Bar looked really good but because it isn't vegan (it contains honey) I gave it to a willing volunteer to try. It has a similar quality profile to the PranaBar, but fewer ingredients. In fact, the cashew almond bar has only almonds, cashews, honey, dates, crisp rice, amaranth, salt. My volunteer was very much enjoying her bar when her toddler perceived the situation, and enthusiastically required a bite. After being given a taste, she refused to relinquish the bar, and when asked if she would share it, said with a huge grin, "nooooooooooooooooooo." The baby ate the whole thing.




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More recipe testing





Since I've been testing recipes for Celine and Joni's upcoming cookbook, I like to torture you all with photos of the results. This is a pasta bake. I just love the sound of that, don't you?

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On toast



This is not a recipe but a suggestion. I came upon a small amount of leftover tofu scramble in a pot, and though it wasn't really enough for lunch, it occurred to me that putting it on toast would make it more substantial. I've lately become very fond of putting things - beans specifically - on toast. So very British, I've been told, and also very tasty! (I got the idea from Trinity.) I was especially delighted to find chipotle in adobo generously laced through the scramble. If you make a scramble, try adding chipotle in adobo, and putting the scramble on toast.

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Please help
I can't write a post without encouraging all the generous bloggers out there to make a contribution to help the people of Haiti recover from the horrendous earthquake. Here's a list of trusted places that will put your money to good use. Even a small donation will help.

Doctors Without Borders

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/haiti

http://www.redcross.org/

http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti

https://re.clintonfoundation.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=3869


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Would you like to win a VitaMix? Click here.

I'm the winner ... I feel so random / winter fruit salad with pomegranate

"We are happy to let you know that your blog was randomly selected as the winner for this week's Foodie Blogroll "POM Wonderful Comment to Win Giveaway" giveaway!
You will receive a receive a package containing: 1 bottle of each flavor of POM Juice (100%, Blueberry, Mango, Cherry, Kiwi, Nectarine) 1 POMx Tea, 1 POMx Iced Coffee, a POM branded journal, a POM pen and a POM branded tote bag made from recycled goods!"



This is the email I recently received with the good news that I won a gift package from Pom Wonderful. I've been feeling kind of unlucky lately with my back and all, and this certainly cheered me up. The package came, and I'm excited to be sampling all the Pom flavors. (The iced coffee and the bars contain dairy so I won't be sampling them. And there wasn't a tote bag.)

First I tried the blueberry-pomegranate juice and it was delicious, though I thought the blueberry flavor was overpowered by the pomegranate. My son thought the opposite so I guess you'll have to taste that one for yourself. The cherry flavor, on the other hand, came through loud and strong. Mostly I just drink the juice rather than use it for cooking, but I did use some of the cherry-pomegranate juice for a fruit salad I was concocting for dessert.



Winter fruit salad with pomegranate
For the salad I used one large org. honey crisp apple, one large org. red bartlett pear, one large org. navel orange, two small org. bananas and one pomegranate. The apple and pear were cut into small cubes, the orange was peeled and each segment cut into thirds, the bananas were sliced. The pomegranate seeds were mixed into the salad except for about 1/3 cup which was held back and placed on top.

Before peeling the orange I zested about a teaspoon of the peel to use in the dressing. First, as the fruit was added to the bowl, it was mixed with the juice of half a small lemon to keep it from browning. When all the fruit was cut and mixed together, I made a simple sauce of about 1/4 cup of cherry POM juice with a small splash of vanilla, and the orange zest. This was mixed with the salad before it was topped with the extra seeds. The juice gave the fruit a mellow, rosy glow and a gentle, undertone of mysterious flavor. Along with small baked goods, it was a very pleasant way to end a casual company dinner.

Now I'm off to sample another POM flavor!

Soy Curls vs. TVP / vegan mofo 2009

Soy Curls after soaking, seasoning and sautéing.

I've gotten a couple of questions about the differences between Butler Soy Curls and TVP. As far as I can tell, the Soy Curls are made from whole soy beans, and TVP is made from de-fatted soy flour, a by product of soy oil production. There is no fat in plain TVP. The soy flour is cooked at high pressure, extruded and dried. Some manufacturers add oils, flavorings and assorted chemicals to achieve meat-like qualities, but TVP is also available plain.

According to the Butler Soy Curl Web site:

Select certified Non-GMO soybeans grown without chemical pesticides are soaked in spring water. Then the soybeans are cooked and delicately textured after which they are dried at low temperature thus ensuring the natural goodness of the whole soybean high in fiber and omega-3. Soy Curls™ are one of the most pure, healthful products on the market containing no chemicals, additives, or preservatives.

Both products are high in protein, low in salt and relatively high in fiber, and I'm not endorsing or denouncing either one. I've never been a big user of either of these soy products. In fact, when we cleaned out the kitchen before our recent move, I found a quantity of TVP that was probably at least 10 years old. I couldn't remember either buying or using it, and it went into the compost. Processed foods like this usually make me nervous, and I tend not to eat them very often, though I agree they taste good, and are satisfying and fun to eat.

Given the convenience, good taste and texture, and nutritional profile of TVP and Soy Curls, they are probably very popular food choices. Are they healthy? Are we getting too much soy in our diet? Too much protein? Should we eat "mock" foods? I don't know, but I'd love to hear your opinion. I think I'll use Soy Curls as an "occasional" food rather than as a regular part of my diet.


Fresh food from the Farmers Market.

This is part of the haul from our Saturday farmers market trip. We went to a different market this weekend, and were pleasantly surprised by the more reasonable prices and fantastic selection. It was in a parking lot, and lacking some of the quaint charm of the market we often go to, but the vegetables, nearly all organic, were gorgeous, and the prices were better. The University District Farmers Market is Seattle's oldest and largest "farmers-only" outdoor neighborhood market (more than 50 vendors) — in operation since 1993. We were delighted to learn that this market is in operation all year! Next week I'm taking the camera.



Here's what my son whipped up for lunch.

From bean to bar - chocolate bar of course / fudge sauce

The Theo Chocolate store is filled with chocolate you can taste and buy.

On Labor Day six family members and I took a tour of the Theo Chocolate factory in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. This was the second time I had been to the store but my first tour of the factory. The first time I visited the store front, I was a bit overwhelmed by the quantity and variety of chocolate available for sampling, and quickly became a fan of the delicious Theo chocolate. Theo has earned the title of the only organic, fair trade bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the U.S. Here's a quote from their Web site:

At Theo Chocolate, we are changing the definition of “quality” by uniting creative excellence that results in deliciously award-winning chocolate with our unwavering commitment to changing the way the cocoa industry conducts business. At Theo, we believe there is no luxury in products that benefit us today, while jeopardizing future generations ability to meet their needs. When you taste our chocolate you will experience our passion and integrity in every luscious bite. We promise, there is something for everyone from the adventurous “foodie”, to those seeking the simple comfort of a delectably creamy milk chocolate bar.

We follow our passion for excellence to bring you chocolate that will delight your palate, ignite your imagination and inspire you to think and act sustainably! Be a part of our movement to save our planet and its capacity to nurture and sustain all living things. We can’t do it without you!

Even Jane Goodall has given the chocolate her blessing, and has two varieties, a milk and a dark, in her name. "Proceeds from the sale of these [Jane Goodall's label] chocolate bars will benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rainforest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to save chimpanzees, develop community centered conservation efforts and direct youth education programs around the world."


We had to wear cool blue hair nets on the tour.

After our first little excursion to the shop, we blabbed so often about how much we loved it that our son decided to host a tour for his family, in-laws and parents. Whoohoo. We got the low-down on the history of the building and company, and a tour of the factory itself. Because it was a holiday and the factory was closed, no chocolate was actually being made while we were there, but the aroma of chocolate floated around our heads, and the samples flowed into our greedy little mouths.



Our animated guide, Abby, a food scientist by trade, was incredibly well-versed in all things chocolate. We learned more than we thought we wanted to know! It was so fascinating, and Abby was such a talented guide I found myself wishing I had become a chocolate maker instead of a graphic designer. We learned that the historic building was still in it's original state - just as it had been in its past lives as a trolley barn and a brewery. We learned about the fair trade practices involved in procuring the chocolate beans and the difficult task of gathering and fermenting the beans. (Did you know that fermentation was part of the chocolate-making process?)



We saw the machinery involved in making chocolate and learned how it worked. The machines were brought from Germany and are very old. (There is actually someone whose job it is to keep the machinery running, usually by making new parts to replace the old, worn-out ones. I think his name is Willy Wonka...)





In addition to the crazy machinery, there were buckets of beans and shelves full of chocolate molds. Did you know the reason chocolate bars are divided into sections is because they were originally designed by doctors, and each section was a dose? Yes, my friends, dark chocolate is a medicinal product.



We saw the kitchen where new flavors are created, and special chocolate confections are literally made by hand.



After the tour we re-entered the store and discovered a new display that we hadn't seen before. Theo has collaborated with a small vegan online company in Philadelphia to produce vegan specialty bars and hand-made chocolate confections.



Nicobella is an online small business. Click here for the Nicobella blog.



Since chocolate has been touted for its health benefits (lots of antioxidants in dark chocolate), and we can eat it with a little less guilt, I made sure to pick up a 91% cacao bar - for medicinal purposes, of course. I may need a daily dose!




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I wish I could send everyone a bar of Theo chocolate - perhaps a giveaway would be appropriate. What do you think? In any case, I'll share a chocolate recipe.



Back in 2007 I blogged a recipe for chocolate crispy rice treats. I just made them the other day because I needed a quick dessert, and as I was stirring away at the stove, dipping my (clean) finger in for a taste, I thought, "this would make a great fudge sauce for ice cream or whatever." I made some (with slightly different ingredients) to try it out, and it was really good. As it sits on the cold ice cream it starts to harden and become caramel-like and stretchy in consistency. Makes my teeth tingle just to think about it. This recipe makes one cup of thick sauce.



Chocolate-almond hot fudge sauce
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup barley malt syrup (for gooeyness and caramel-like texture)
1/4 cup agave syrup (for sweetness)
1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch sea salt (opt.)

Place almond butter, syrups, and chips in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until melted, thick and hot. (about 5 minutes) Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. (Gets thicker as it cools.) Make hot fudge banana splits using 1/2 banana, a scoop of ice cream and a ladle of fudge sauce.

Here's a link to a chocolate - peanut butter dessert sauce that I haven't tried but sounds wonderful.

note: Instead of saving my leftover sauce as sauce, I stirred crispy brown rice cereal into the pot of chocolate then pressed the mixture into a pan for some brown rice treats to have on hand.

Nasoya Silken Style Creations / banana cream pie / FTC targets blogger freebies

©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

Several years ago I came across a recipe for vegan banana cream pie and was so excited I couldn't wait to try it. I didn't make a single change to the recipe - just followed the directions exactly. That pie was gorgeous, and it was with great anticipation that we waited until dessert to try it. Let me tell you, you could have bounced a ball off that pie. Couldn't crush it with a sledgehammer. Couldn't dent it with a crowbar. Couldn't eat it with a fork. That pie could have stopped a speeding bullet faster than Superman. And it didn't taste good, either. We stared at the pie in horror and disappointment for a brief moment, then collapsed in hysterical laughter. We laughed about it for days, and even now someone might occasionally say, "remember the banana cream pie?" Have you cooked something that brings back memories like this?


©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

So, it was with some trepidation that I decided to try again. The Nasoya company sent me coupons for free samples of three different varieties of Nasoya Silken Style Creations, a new dairy-free, lactose-free, low-fat, gluten-free pudding-like soy product that can be used as a base for creamy desserts. I meant to use the vanilla for a banana cream pie but Whole Foods was out of vanilla, so I made a chocolate banana cream pie instead. I couldn't find a recipe for banana cream pie on the Nasoya Website, so I followed their directions for similar pies and hoped for the best. The filling right from the container has a taste and texture similar to very sweet chocolate pudding, and you could layer it as is with fruit and ice cream for an easy parfait dessert. It was a little too sweet for me, but I imagine a "normal" person would find it quite delicious. And it tastes like "real" chocolate pudding. I doubt that anyone would think it was vegan.


Fill the raw crust with sliced bananas
©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

I made the pie with a pressed pastry crust, substituting agave syrup for the Sucanot and whole wheat pastry flour for the white whole wheat, but you could use a prepared crust or whatever crust you like to make. Oddly enough, once the pie was baked, it no longer tasted too sweet - it was really creamy and good. And it was unbelievably easy to prepare. The pie tasted richly of fresh banana with the chocolate taking a complimentary role. I definitely want to try this again with vanilla so I can compare the two. (fyi: I served it as a "birthday pie" for my husband's birthday and that's why it has a candle!)


Just out of the oven - still molten and bubbly
©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

All right then. I present you with a chocolate banana cream pie. But first I have to insert a little disclaimer.

The June 22 edition of our local morning paper had a front page headline blaring, "Bloggers' Freebies are Under Scrutiny." Subhead: "The Federal Trade Commission is expected to issue guidelines for online consumer reviews, which can be tainted by perks." Gasp. The article goes on to describe how bloggers accept "free laptops, trips to Europe, $500 gift cards or even thousands of dollars for a 200-word post." Then it describes how a blogger from New Hartford, N.Y. who earns up to $800 per month as well as assorted gifts from her five blogs, now worries that even an innocent review of a product she purchased herself could bring an inquiry if the FTC gets involved in bloggers' lives. Does this free product thing sound familiar? I have to admit I didn't realize some bloggers were cashing in to this extent.

Anyway, in anticipation of the proposed FTC scrutiny for every little review we bloggers do, I just want to come clean and say that although Nasoya gave me thousands of dollars, a free laptop, a free trip to Hawaii, a Vitamix and a new car, in addition to three coupons for their product, my review is totally honest and above board. I'm stating only what I truly believe to be truly true. And that's the truth.


©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

Chocolate banana cream pie

• Crust for an 8- or 9-inch pie
• 4 bananas, sliced (You may need more or less to fill the crust, depending on the size of the bananas.)
• 1 package of Nasoya Silken Creations chocolate flavor
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 banana for decorating (optional)
• lemon juice (if using banana for decorating)

1. Place the arrowroot in a bowl and add the water. Mix thoroughly until arrowroot is completely dissolved.
2. Add the Silken Creations to the bowl and mix until completely combined.
3. Slice the bananas and place in the crust.
4. Pour the Chocolate mixture over the bananas, covering them completely.
5. Bake in a preheated 325˚ oven for 45 minutes.
6. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until completely cold.
7. If desired, slice a banana just before serving, and toss with some lemon juice so it won't turn brown. Arrange the banana slices on the top of the pie.

Silken Creations Dark Chocolate ingredients: soymilk, dried cane juice, cocoa, rice starch, natural flavors, salt.
1/2 cup has 120 calories, 1.5g fat, 18g sugar, 1g fiber, 3g protein, 45mg salt.
The package contains approximately 5 servings. I used one container plus five bananas in the pie filling. The pie contains 6 to 8 servings, depending on the size of a serving.


©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

Mock chopped liver/gluten-free crackers

One (just one) of the reasons I started this blog was to have a place to share recipes with my kids. They sometimes ask me how to make a particular dish they remember from when they lived at home. This is especially true around holidays, but it can pop up anytime. My son recently sent me an e-mail asking if I had my recipe for mock chopped liver on the blog. He wanted to take it to a potluck, but no, I didn't, and I couldn't remember where it was. I was going to a potluck, too and decided to add this to the things I was already bringing, so I searched the internet for recipes. It sometimes seems that every recipe ever created already exits there. (I swear, even when I go into the kitchen and think I'm making something up, the next thing I know someone posts a similar recipe before I've even posted mine, or I google what I've just made and 10,000 similar things pop up. It's uncanny and unnerving.) I was sure the exact paté I used to make from string beans and walnuts would be there, but I couldn't find just what I was looking for. Instead, I found one that used mushrooms and celery, and decided to use that for my base. I've tweaked the recipe a bit (click here for the original) and the result was the one of the best mock chopped livers I've ever tasted. The weird thing about this recipe is that for people who have grown up vegetarian as my kids have, the original chopped liver is something they've never actually tasted. This should just be called "paté." But it does have a flavor that is so like the original, it's hard to ignore. Call it what you will, it tastes great, and serves a large crowd.

Mock chopped liver (Real mushroom pate)

• 3 large onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup walnuts
• oil or oil spray for cooking
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 scant teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper (lots)

1. Sauté the onions in a large wok until they start to brown. Either add a little oil to the wok or spray it with oil, and spray occasionally to keep the veggies from burning.
   
2. Add the celery and cook until soft.
3. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. The onions will be very brown, but not burned.
   
4. Add the cashews and walnuts and cook 3-4 minutes.
5. Put everything in a food processor. Add the salt and pepper. Process several minutes until the mixture is very creamy.
6. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process just until mixed.
7. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for several hours. Check the seasonings.
8. Serve with crackers or as a dip.

FYI: The crackers in the photo are Mary's Gone Crackers which are a staple at our house. This line of crackers is gluten free, and although I don't avoid gluten, I'm addicted to all varieties of Mary's Gone Crackers.

p.s. Uh oh. I just discovered I have another version of this on the blog already, but this newer one is better and more like its namesake. (In a good way, of course!)

Ricemellow Creme review (and lots more)

After I made this cake, I said I would do a review of Suzanne's Ricemellow vegan marshmallow cream as soon as I got around to trying it. I'd never used vegan marshmallows for anything except this particular cake, and my current need for Ricemellow was zero. Honestly, I didn't know quite what to do with it. Finally, last weekend, I opened the tub and put a blob on my oatmeal!



I had to try it on something, and although I felt silly, I just plopped some on my breakfast. This product is made from brown rice syrup, soy protein, natural flavors, natural gums. It's non-dairy and gluten free and it tastes exactly like marshmallows. It's light and creamy and sweet. If you miss marshmallows, you will LOVE this stuff. I'm sure you can find a better use for it than oatmeal. I have to say, though, that the oatmeal tasted great. So, what would you do with a tub of vegan marshmallow cream?

When we're not eating oatmeal with marshmallow cream, we're eating stuff like this:


Broccoli with peppers and mushrooms over oven-baked polenta
(tempeh on the side)


Felafels (sort of but not quite) with tahini sauce
(Made with 1 can of drained and rinsed chick peas, 1 onion, 2 large cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons Chinese red pepper flakes*, 1/4 cup potato flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1/4 teaspoon salt and just enough water to form it into small rounds - maybe 2 tablespoons. Everything minced fine in the food processor but not puréed. Chickpeas added last. Sautéed slowly in an oiled cast iron pan until browned and firm. The sauce is tahini thinned with lemon juice and water. I would have added tons of parsley if I'd had some in the house.} This is all from memory the next day. I hadn't really planned to do a recipe — just needed something quick to eat!


Cuban black beans over brown rice


Pasta with kale,olives and canellini beans

note: *Chinese red pepper flakes are a great seasoning. I buy them in in a bag at an Asian market, transfer them to a glass jar and store them in the refridgerator, as advised by a Chinese friend. They look kind of like paprika but they have a mildly hot flavor. They add a pleasant heat to just about anything.