Winners of The Daiya Cheese Coupon Giveaway

The two winners of the Daiya Cheese coupon giveaway are Sarah and Ashley!


Please contact me at aikovenus@gmail.com with the following info;

Name:
Address:
Email Address:

The last coupon is for wedges.

Daiya Cheese Coupon Giveaway!



Images from daiyafoods.com/

In celebration of my birthday week (and another part of Shinmas going by) I am offering two coupons for Daiya cheese products! One is for their wedges and one is for their delicious, easy-to-melt shreds which means that there are TWO winners possible for this giveaway.

Never experienced Daiya Cheese before? Daiya cheese is a vegan cheese that contains absolutely no soy, gluten, dairy (including lactose and casein) or eggs. It has the ability to melt and stretch and tastes exactly the opposite of what most people know of other vegan cheeses. There are six different flavors (three per each type of cheese) so you have a great variety! Any product you buy from Daiya will be melty, creamy and needs nothing but heat to get it to be so.

Here are some amazing recipes and ideas that utilize Daiya Cheese.

Tofu manicotti smothered with Daiya Cheese (Mozzarella-Style)

From "Wanna Be A Vegan".

http://wannabeavegan.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/12-days-of-daiya/

A sandwiched stuffed to the brim with Daiya Cheese, fresh foccacia, seitan and tomatoes.

From "JL Goes Vegan"
http://jlgoesvegan.com/rosemary-bread-grilled-seitan-daiya-sandwich/

 

 A great seitan philly improved by Daiya Cheese wedges.

from "Busy Vegetarian Mom"

http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com/recipes/vegan-philly-cheese-steak-sammies/

Want to get in on making your own deliciously-creamy creations but don't know where? Have you already fallen in love with Daiya and now all you want is to buy it every day and you want a little break? Here's how to enter!

Store Locator:
http://www.daiyafoods.com/where-to-buy 


Mandatory Entries:
'Like' Shin's Vegan Lovin' and Daiya Cheese on Facebook and leave a comment.
Follow me on Blogger through Google Friend Connect and leave a comment.

Extra Entries:
Tell me whether you would prefer wedges or shreds.
Comment about your ultimate vegan cheese-dish.
Comment to wish me a happy birthday!
Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest and comment about it.

Enjoy!

 Giveaway ends on November 18th, 2012 at 12:00 am.

Day 12 of Shinmas

I'm surprised that we haven't had drinks featured before!

Day 11 of Shinmas

We have a bunch of great recipes for this one in the queue! ^^

Day 10 of Shinmas

Today we have a very creative article instead of a blog presentation. I was contacted by a nice man named Allen with this nice vegetarian article that I wish to share. This was the one thing that interested me the most on all of the sites.

http://www.parttimenanny.org/blog/how-to-encourage-healthy-eating-habits-in-kids/

 

It has a list of ways to get kids to eat healthier without completely giving up snacks and sweets - something that I like.  

 

 

 

 

Anything else that is found on this website is not in any way connected to myself, my thoughts or opinions.

 

 

If you want to participate in any of the days - here's the list!

http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

Day 9 of Shinmas

Day 8 of Shinmas

PB & J Brownies with(out) Crackle Crust

I'm trying something a little different with my photographs - you like? This brownie recipe came to me when I got tired of just peanut butter sandwiches (I'm not really a big fan of PB & J anymore) and I had a huge bag of chocolate that just needed to be used. Add in my love for all things that are a little crazy, I also tried a somewhat successful crackle bread crust on top that broke enough to hold onto piece of jelly, but I think it needs to be adjusted before I post it. These brownies are moist, fudgey and super fun to make!

 

 



 

 

(PB & J Brownie Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2 C. Cake Flour
• 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 3/4 C. Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 C. Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 C. Melted Chocolate
• 1 C. Raw Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 C. of Non-Dairy Milk
• Peanut butter, powdered sugar and Jelly of your choice

(Directions)

• Combine your liquids and sift your dry ingredients (except the ones at the bottom and the melted chocolate) together.
• Fold them all together, then fold in your melted chocolate.
• Combine the powdered sugar and peanut butter together, then place them on top of the whole thing.
• Swirl in as much jelly as you think is necessary and bake for about 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Day Seven of Shinmas

Today's first post for Shinmas comes from "Oh She Glows" with a fantastically simple and delicious roasted tomato and basil pesto. Slather it on sandwiches, dress up some slaw or fold into your vegan cheese and bake with some nice pasta for a great meal. The roasted tomnatoes and aromatic basil are sure to make anything delicious.

 

"Oh She Glows" is a fantastic blog filled to the brim with beautiful photography and enticing recipes, it is also filled with a lot of heart. I've been a fan of this blog even before I started blogging myself and this recipe was absolutely perfect for Day 7. In my opinion, its filled with the raw richness and kindness of Angela - the author of "Oh She Glows". Not only are there beautiful recipes and sights - there are few times that you WON'T see something related to a fundraiser or giveaway posted.

In this blog you truly see an ongoing journey and its much more than a recipe blog.

I think that when you step inside and see what I'm talking about, you can experience it for yourself and roam through. Its a fantastic blog from the heart. :)

Oh She Glows Blog Link: http://www.ohsheglows.com/

Roasted Tomato-Basil Pesto Link: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/09/06/roasted-tomato-basil-pesto 

 

 

Something that would be absolutely fantastic to go along with that delicious sauce is my friend Susmitha's Neat balls. A super surprising ingredient in them? Turnips! They're filled with lots of flavorful goodies and the two recipes would be a great, tantilizing meal!

Veganosaurus Blog Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/

Neat Balls Recipe Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/2012/10/spaghetti-and-neat-balls-vegan-mofo-day.html 

 

 

Merry Shinmas! Start it off here - http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

Day Six of Shinmas

Day six is here! Just thirteen days to go so join now!

Day Five of Shinmas

Today we have a great, simple apple tarte that is both easy and love and easy to make. Its filled with pre-cooked, caramel glazed pears and coated with a bit of sugar, cinnamon and coconut oil (if you like).  If you wish to join in on the second post - feel free to comment here.

Pear Tart Recipe Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/04/tarta-tarta-tarta.html 

Shinmas Gifts for You!

Now, what's a holiday without lots of gifts? I understand that a lot of my readers and followers may not have any favorite bands, blogs, or pieces of artwork - but I know a lot of you still want to get in on the action. That's why I've decided to show off my art skills a bit more and offer you guy's free artwork for participating in Shinmas each day. The first will be an image that says "I've participated in Shinmas!" with a link to my blog, as shown above, and the first will be whatever you like (as long as it is appropriate for all ages).

If you have participated in Shinmas for any of the last few days - you're eligible to participate as well!

Example art;

 

 

So just put in your request for the poster and your custom-made artwork and we can get this going! The next post for Day 5 of Shinmas will be up within ten hours!

 

Shinmas Event Days List: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

 

 

Day 4 of Shinmas

We didn't have anyone sign up for Shinmas today but that doesn't mean that I have nothing to share! I love to make seitan and I would say that there are an abundance of recipes that both I and my non-vegan family love, but there are other dishes with plenty of "umami" as well.

My absolute favorite seitan dish happens to be this nice, thinly sliced and shredded, Italian "beef". It was so juicy and flavorful we sometimes make three pounds of seitan to feed just two or three people, and we found the perfect way to have this was with vegan garlic & chive cream cheese and lots of Pat's Giardineria. Divine and melt-in-your-mouth tender!

Italian Beef Recipe Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/08/vegan-italian-beef-w-homemade-hot.html 

Another one of my favorites is a very early recipe from my blog - vegan haemul pa jeon. These are seafood pancakes that are (traditionally) filled with calamari, scallops and shrimp but instead I used the much more vegan-friendly mushrooms and Chinese seaweed. It was salty, chewy, crisp and full of flavor - I still love it today with its umaminess. The shiitake mushrooms really brought it out, I feel, but I think that its best if you guys experience it for yourselves.

Vegan Haemul Pa Jeon Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/05/vegan-haemul-pa-jeon.html 

Enjoy!

Day 3 of Shinmas

Today we have a great post from one of my favorite blogs - Scrumptious Gruel. I happened upon the blog about five months ago over the summer and saw a super easy English pudding that didn't need to be baked. I loved the author's pictures and although I used way too much sauce for my own ( which was still delicious and quite healthy), I tried a few other recipes out her vegetarian (with vegan attributes) blog. One thing that really piqued my interest was her hilarious sense of humor. Presenting Ellen of Scrumptious Gruel!

 

In the picture above she has utilized agar-agar to replicate several different versions of American Jello's and puddings. The lovely mulberries are very beautiful in the way they are suspended, and I think I might start making pandan and mochi "puddings" with her recipe. She's imaginative and full of kindness - her blog is most definitely something I could read everyday and I think the rest of you would really enjoy, whether vegetarian, vegan or far from either.

 

 

 

Another thing that interested me as of late (besides her obvious friendliness and love for trying new things) has been this very lovely pumpkin soup. It has been adapted from a different recipe, made vegan and has a bit of spice for those cold nights.

 

Scrumptious Gruel Blog: http://www.scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/

 

Scrumptious Gruel Pudding Recipe: http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/it-is-a-pudding/

 

 

Scrumptious Gruel Pumpkin Soup Recipe: http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/for-one-second-annual-pumpkin-week-in-spring-day-one/ 

 

Enjoy!

 

Day 2 of Shinmas

Today we have another two special treats - my first guest had actually contacted me last month to talk about their products. I really loved the neatness of their website and that they wanted to sell a variety of seeds, but more importantly, they love to advertise. While you may not think of this site having anything to do with anything creamy or saucy - they often lead to delectable recipes for almond butter, sesame sauces and lots of other lavish things to do with nuts and seeds. I still haven't been able to post my ground pumpkin seed risotto for the site, but I would say that this is a great alternative. The company is named "EatSeed" and I would definitely suggest checking them out.

EatSeed has a nice variety of seeds that you can get on their own OR you can get your own special seed blend. In this you could buy one of their own special seed blends or make your own. They sell specialty flours and if you can't find chia, flax or black sesame seeds too often (like I do) this would be a great website to check out. Their prices are quite equal in proportion to the amount you get and you have the option of receiving roasted and toasted seeds if you do not wish to have them raw.

The variety of seeds is very nice - as they even serve hemp along with chia, pumpkin, flax, sesame ect. And one thing that I absolutely cannot forget is their "Superseed Of The Month Club" for less than $90 a year for eight ounce bags for each seed selection. It can get a bit pricey depending on your own market, but to offset that it appears that you also get reward points which you can then use to counter-balance the cons. I was smitten.

EatSeed Website: http://www.eatseed.com/
EatSeed Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EatSeed/483750051643395?fref=ts 

Speaking of smitten - my next guest has me Susmitten, she has guest posted for my blog before and I her, so she is no stranger! Something that interested me very much on her blog recently was her post about "Vegan Ice cream Basics". In this she shows how to make an extremely simple ice cream base in which you can make anything interesting and, if you feel up to it, quite gourmet. You'll never have to worry about finding an entirely new recipe when you want a big change up from your typical ice cream flavors with this post. Don't forget to check out the rest of her blog for more imaginative recipes such as these.

Veganosaurus Blog Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/ 

 

Day 1 of Shinmas

Its already the first day of Shinmas and I've got so many entries! In reality my birthday is in a little over two weeks, but I'm the type of person who wants to have my cake over several days and not feel guilty over it because everyone else is celebrating as well. Today we've got a lovely blog and a heartfelt story from two people who have recently contacted me - feel free to chime in any time!
The first posting spot is from my friend "Ignatz" who has been really into featuring his blog. He's just starting out with his beautiful blog and has a lot of great recipes even though he's quite the busy guy.

Here is one of the most suiting recipes I've found for this post and it also happens to be one of my favorite ways to prepare apples.

If you want to check out this blog and his recipe - here's the link!

http://ignatzziller.blogspot.co.nz/ http://ignatzziller.blogspot.co.nz/

The second person to message me last night had presented to me something that I haven't dealt with a lot on my blog. This has to do with animal welfare - their names are "Lou and Bill" and they are often called the Green Mountain College Oxen and they are from Vermont. After research I see two different sides that are both overtly-complicated and yet simple to explain (nothing is truly easy when lives are hanging in the balance). The debate between the two sides is that they want to slaughter these oxen, aged about 12 years, and serve them to the community instead of living out their old age. They have been battered and injured over time and people believe that the $300 a month needed to take care of them is un-necessary and that instead they should be used as food. On the other hand, these are 12-year old animals that have been living out their lives on the campus and that many people consider as "one of their own". I can see and understand both sides but as I feel it - why not just let the poor animals live out their lives and have fun? These animals were not 'raised' for meat
and I believe that no animal should just be treated as property, and so that's why I decided to sign this petition on www.change.org/.

It has also been stated that a sanctuary has offered to take in both Lou and Bill on their own behalf, but the school refuses to do so and instead wishes to continue the the slaughter.

If you wish to save these animals from slaughter you can click this online petition: http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/green-mountain-college-springfield-vermont-stop-the-slaughter-of-bill-and-lou-the-2-oxen-at-green-mountain-college 

If you wish to learn more about Lou and Bill you can any of the links click here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/green-mountain-colleges-f_b_1967361.html

http://www.boston.com/news/education/2012/10/10/oxen-from-college-farm-slaughterhouse/BwDzvpIyREhVloN8tt4RZL/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-schmitt/green-mountain-college-oxen_b_1987920.html

Some of these links conflict each other to show you the different sides so feel free to look at all of them.

Happy (day one of) Shinmas! ^^

 

19 Days of Shinmas Event (Sign-Up Now!)

 

 

 

 

 

This entire event is leading up to my golden birthday on November 18th! Each day I will be posting a selection of blogs, groups, Facebook pages, musicians, artwork and recipes made by vegans for vegans. If you want to join in on the fun feel free to email me whatever you want that's vegan-related and all-around friendly at aikovenus [at] gmail [dot] com, contact me on the "Contact Me" page or post it to my page's Facebook Wall!

All you have to do is follow me here on Blogger and Facebook to join in on the fun.


Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shins-Vegan-Lovin/125788897505053 

Below are the themes of each day for posting recipes and everything else. Join in on the fun to be further promoted!

Day 1: On the first day of Shinmas my true love gave to me - a pear that's been candied!

 

Day 2: On the second day of Shinmas my true love gave to me two foods to shove (in my face)

 

Day 3: On the third day of Shinmas my true love gave to me three types of pies.

 

Day 4: On the fourth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me four strips of seitan.

 

Day 5: On the fifth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a sackful of seeds!

 

Day 6: On the sixth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me six beautiful garnishes.

 

Day 7: On the seventh day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me seven roasted vegetables

 

Day 8: On the eighth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me eight original recipes.

 

Day 9: On the ninth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a nine-ingredient food.

 

Day 10: On the tenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me 10 creative tips.

 

Day 11: On the eleventh day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me 11 different posts from their blog tree.

 

Day 12: On the twelfth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a surprise!

 

Day 13: On the thirteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a spicy food for three.

 

Day 14: On the fourteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me Asian Sensation.

 

Day 15: On the fifteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me something crunchy.

 

Day 16: On the sixteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me Cinnamon spice.

 

Day 17: On the seventeenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me some spaghetti (any pasta). 

 

Day 18: On the eighteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me an amazing birthday "party".

 

Day 19: On the nineteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a bunch of delicious yummies!