“What I Had to Eat Today,” a Fictionalized Series Based on Real Issues of Food Access in the Americas, Written by Me

 Hi all!

It's been about eight years since I last posted. And a lot has gone on - relationships formed and lost, going to university and graduating, and finding out who I am. 

When I started this blog, I was a teenager who planned on attending culinary school. But things didn't go down how I thought they would. I'm okay with that.

I'm coming back to food blogging in a different way. So, please, follow my Substack to see me flex my fingers and spin a tale based on real issues in the Americas.

Thank you for following me, for your support, and for your attention after all these years.

Love,

Bou Shin

Guest Post: Vegan Cheese vs. Dairy Cheese

A note from Bou: Hi all! Super busy, busy! I miss blogging here so much but med school training is no joke! I hope you enjoy this guest post from Health Line - and feel free to contact me and add your own! <3 br="">
Cheese is often considered an integral part of a balanced diet. The art of cheese-making itself goes back at least 4,000 years, with some of the earliest versions surfacing in the Asia and the Middle East. Despite the popularity of traditional cheese, the fact is that it doesn’t fit all lifestyles. Aside from a saturated fat content, regular dairy cheese is not acceptable in diets based on plant foods. Still, this doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy cheese as a vegan. The key is finding the right cheese that fits to your dietary goals and overall healthy lifestyle.

Facts About Dairy Cheese

From a nutritional standpoint, dairy cheese is best-known for its calcium content. The precise amount of calcium depends on the type of cheese. According to the Dairy Council of California, this may range from 18 to 22-percent of the recommended daily value of calcium, per one-ounce serving.

However, dairy cheese comes with a cost. Saturated fat is among the most prominent nutritional concerns since it is made from milk. The Dairy Council of California ranks cheddar cheese at the top, with an estimated 6 g saturated fat in a one-ounce serving. The fact that dairy cheese comes from animals is also a reason vegans abstain from this food.

What to Look for in Vegan Cheese

The term “vegan cheese” can seem like an oxymoron because it is anything but the conventional dairy cheese. By definition, vegan cheese is not really cheese at all because it isn’t made from milk. Instead, this far-healthier version is made from plant-based ingredients, such as nuts, grains and tofu. Vegan cheese is nutritionally dense with antioxidants from the plant-based ingredients. It even contains fiber, which is an important heart-healthy nutrient not found in traditional dairy cheese. Some versions are even fortified with just as much calcium as cheese from cow’s milk. Depending on the type, vegan cheese may also contain a thickening agent such as organic flour.

There are a growing number of vegan food companies making cheeses available for easy purchase at the grocery store. However, it’s important to make sure that the cheese you choose is actually vegan. Some misleading companies actually use casein to improve the texture, an ingredient contained in cow’s milk. So while the whole product might not come from milk, there are still related ingredients. This is why it is important to read all food labels carefully.

Another problem with store-bought vegan cheese is that many of the products are overly processed. You may find a great deal of preservatives, as well as salt to help make the cheese last longer. This is certainly beneficial in terms of shelf-life, but not so great when considering your overall health.

Cheesing it Out Yourself

Perhaps an even better solution to packaged vegan cheese is to make it yourself. This way, you can be sure the cheese is purely vegan, and you don’t have to worry about added salt, sugar and preservatives. Almonds, soy and cashews are great sources for creating vegan cheese—the key is to make sure the consistency stays creamy. Soak the nuts overnight in cold water, and then rinse before use (this is the same technique as using dried beans). A food processor works best to achieve the right texture, but a blender will work, too.

Making your own vegan cheese also doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the same recipe all of the time. Spruce up your everyday cheese by experimenting with finely cut peppers, seasonings and herbs. Overtime, you’ll find that vegan cheese has far more variety and you won’t likely crave the conventional versions ever again.

Resources

• History of Cheese. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/cheese/history-of-cheese
• Mangels, Reed. (2000, December). Guide to Vegan Cheese, Yogurt, and Other Non-Dairy Product Alternatives. Retrieved from https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2000nov/2000novnondairy.htm
• Nutrients in Cheese. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Nutrients-in-Milk-Cheese-Yogurt/Nutrients-in-Cheese.aspx
• Palermo, Rochelle. (n.d.). Say Cheese! Retrieved from http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/say-cheese-2/

Author Bio: Kristeen Cherney is a freelance health and lifestyle writer who also has a certificate in nutrition. Her work has been published on numerous health-related websites. Previously, she worked as a communications and marketing professional. Kristeen holds a BA in Communication from Florida Gulf Coast University, and is currently pursuing an MA in English. When she's not writing or studying, she enjoys walking, kick-boxing, yoga, and traveling.

Vegan Pancakes: Cutie Style

I've been free-handing my pancakes lately - and I think they look really great!

I might not be on par with these peeps just yet;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McPBsNo367c

But hand me a squeeze bottle and you'll be saying hello to a few Chewbacca pancakes for your morning breakfast!

For a recipe - hit up my awesome recipe!

http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/06/its-pancake-time.html

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Hope you enjoy! <3 p="">

Vegan Orange Chicken (Gluten-free option, Chinese-American)

 

You know what I really miss? Seitan. Do you know what I really, really used to dislike? Orange chicken! Let's see how much my opinion will change when we combine them.

But this orange chicken was spicy, sweet, tangy and so simple! It was so complex and so smooth, it bared a slight resemblance to the bright orange sauce you would order at any quick Chinese restaurant, but once you get this awesome sauce in your mouth - there's no going back. It's medium-thick, so you can taste the crispy, nuggety goodness of the seitan without it being over-powered by an overly-saccharine thick sauce.

I didn't have time to actually MAKE the seitan, though...so that's where good Ol' Gardein* comes in. I just ignored the fact that they have a sauce to go with it, because that's how I do.

 *You can use tofu, for a sure-fire GF option!

 

Orange Sauce Ingredients:

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1/2 tsp Ginger

2 Cups Orange Juice

1 tsp Soy Sauce

2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar

3 tbl (Apple) Honey or Agave Nectar

2 tbl Sriracha

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Cornstarch + 1-2 tsp cold water (mix)
Sprinkle of Red Pepper Flake
Cracked Black Pepper
The best part of this sauce is that you can start it at any time - even the day before and then you can just warm it up or "bake" it onto the vegan chicken!

Mix all the ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry, and make sure to do a taste test before adding all the hot and sweet stuff!

Whisk it all together, and let it bubble a bit...keep stirring! Faster and faster, and then you can drizzle in the corn starch. Keep stirring until fully incorporated, and then a little bit after. Let it boil and cook down a bit and RESIST adding more!

Let the cool down while you follow the instructions on cooking Gardein's Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n. The plot thickens...

Or at least the sauce does! Pour it over your chick'n, slam it on top of rice and you're good to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tofu Breakfast Scramble (Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Fat)

I like things complicated. And I like things simple - now that I'm in the STEM field, all I have time for is simple. Unfortunately, however, I forgot my actual camera at home until November - so bear with me! :)

The best part is that you can just throw it together and be done, no need for a blender to make this fluffy, creamy, "meaty" breakfast! It's so fluffy and you can use this variation for anything else.

Tofu Breakfast Scramble Ingredients:
16 oz Tofu
2 cups Cooked Spinach
1/2 package Soyrizo
1/4 cup +1 tbl Cold Water
1 tbl Cornstarch
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Sazon Seasoning Mix
Ground Black Pepper
Olive Oil (for cooking)
Cheeze Sauce Ingredients
1/4-1/2 cup GF Flour
1/4 cups Cold Water or Non-Dairy Milk 
1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Squeeze of Yellow Mustard
3 tbl of Coconut Oil

Combine your cheese sauce ingredients in a sauce pan, do not turn it on. Then, mash* the rest of your ingredients together, and put into a medium pan over low heat in the olive oil. If you fear that it will be too watery, add the water gradually. Turn on your pot with the cheese-sauce, constantly stirring. Once it thickens enough, either pour into the middle of scramble or drizzle it on after your plate is covered in salsa!

*I made mine more of an omelets with the help of a blender I had

Super easy, super yum, and pretty healthy too!

Who says you need dairy?

Few more days...

Maybe I'll try to do a post a month - I love this blog! I love all of you guys!

Vegan Taco Dip Recipe in 5 Minutes or Less! (Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free)

"What do you want for your birthday?" my sister asked, standing next to me with a phone in her hand. "I want vanilla cake and nachos! Miriam will love them!" I excitedly replied.

It was my ninth birthday, and my best friend, Miriam, and her dreamy brother, Josh, came over to celebrate with me! We played Selena, and I kept obnoxiously asked if I sounded like her (No, no I didn't.) until Miriam relented, looked away, and said "Kind oooof," I continued to sing badly to more of Selena's music throughout the night.

I played with an amazing mermaid doll she gave me and I remember there was a cake with a plastic Barbie on it! She sat on in a princess dress while Miriam and I helped my mom arrange the candles on our cake. But that was just the afterthought. The real prize was nachos.

On our nachos, we put our Taco dip - and it goes like this!

*Cheezy Tortilla Chips
Taco Dip
Onions
*Cheeeeese

*Vegan, of course!

It's so yummy, Miriam and Josh ate huge amounts! They went home stuffed, and I went to bed thinking that I sounded "kind of" like Selena.

Ingredients
Refried Beans
TVP Crumbles (I used Boca Crumbles)
Vegan Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp Homemade Taco Seasoning
Water

Toppings
Onions
Tomato
Lettuce
Olives
Avocado
Rice Cheese

This recipe is soooo simple and you can make it in less than five minutes, in a microwave or on a stove top. Just add the ingredients in any order, in any amount. If there isn't enough seasoning - increase the amount by 1/4th until it's perfect!

Serve on top of nachos, melt some vegan cheese on top and serve! Yum!

How To Take Care of the Summer Flu (Stomach Flu)

Love and self-care go hand in hand! Unfortunately, my mother is sick again, and so is another friend...so I decided to give them a list of what they can do while I'm out.

It's seems to work so far - try it out! They're all great at boosting your immune system and keeping you from getting sicker.

Hope you all have a great day!

Tostones with Garlic Sauce

I love tostones - they're perfect! You use the best green bananas and don't even need a dipping sauce, but they're great with the one I made.

Usually when I make fried plantains, I cut the skins off and then cut into slices but I was watching Guy's Grocery Wars on the Food Network and saw a woman cut them into rounds before peeling. I was appalled - how come I never thought of that? They don't lose any bit of the plantains, and it's fun to slice a little notch in the green skin before rolling the deliciousness out.

These plantains are warm, crispy and so simple to make. The sauce is simple but SUPER flavorful. My mom complained that they were "too spicy" at first from all of the garlic, but she kept dipping more...hmm. Haha, oh mom!

Tostone Ingredients:
3 Large Green Plantains
1 Cup of Olive Oil (or enough to fill cooking vessel)
Salt

Garlic Aioli Recipe:
3 - 5 Garlic Cloves
1 bunch of Cilantro
1/2 bunch of Parsley
3 tbl Vinegar
1/4 cup of Olive Oil or Water

Step 1.
For the sauce, pour everything into a food processor except for the oil/water. Slowly stream in and once it is completely smooth and emulsified, move to a bowl and cover in plastic wrap. Chill for 1-2 hours.

Step 2. Cut the ends off of your plantains, then slice into rounds. Either pop the plantains out, if you can, or cut a knotch in the skin and roll away from the flesh. Set aside until all are done and get two plates and a stack of paper towels for draining.

Fry your plantains in batches until they are a light brown, and while still warm, smash them between the two plates until they are thin. Use plastic wrap or paper towels to keep the plantains from sticking or being crushed. Repeat until all of the plantains are flattened, then fry them again until they are crispy. Serve immediately with the sauce.

It's so delicious! Muy delicioso - hope you enjoy it!

T'was College That Changed the Blogger

Hey all! Bou Shin here with some mighty fine news and some information for those that are either currently running a blog or are inspired by mine! ;)


My first year at college has been both turbulent and smooth-sailing, chaotic and so calm. I've accomplished nothing but A's and B's, and I have so much to show for it! I haven't shown a huge portion of my personality on the site, and I feel that may be why some people aren't able to connect as much. I want to change that and be open while providing you all with yummy food!

College has changed my perspective and, as being a minority...it has caused for a lot of stress and defensiveness. With experience from my blog and having amazing support from campus staff and friends has helped me cope. What I've managed to do is learn patience, leadership and that I need to take time for myself! I'm not perfect but...being able to take control of my life as I see it is an amazing gift.





Speaking of patience - I felt like I didn't have enough with this blog, although I tried. At some point it wasn't about fun anymore. It was about views. I would LOVE to have a blog like Chocolate Covered Katie's or Fatfree Vegan...and I know that I will. For that to work, I need to put love and patience back here. I need to nuture this blog and I need your help!

Share your favorite posts with your friends, post me to facebook!

Friend me on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bou.shin?fref=ts

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shins-Vegan-Lovin/125788897505053?fref=ts

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AikoVenus1

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/aikovenus1/

I hope we all have a great time! <3 br="">

College Life

Hey all! Its been so long - almost a year since I've posted! Well, I'm a dietitian-in-training now, and I'm coming up with a cookbook soon so I feel really accomplished! Unfortunately, I never bring my camera with the other piles of belongings for college, and I haven't had the time to come back and post recipes. I will, however - start trying to do some blogs on ethics and start maturing a bit more! Feel free to comment or contact me if you want to know more - love you guys!

Mango Kesari Bath (Soy-free)

I don't know if you've heard - but I'm in one of the best vegan groups in the world called "Vegan Temptivists" where I was originally invited because of my Oatmilk Yogurt recipe (soooo long ago)! In it I've met so many amazing bloggers with the most TEMPTING food from all around the world and so we set up a gift exchange. Now, during that time I had just started working in a cafe (where I became head line cook, mind you ^.~) and got my first debit card! I had to buy something awesome for Somer of Vedged Out, and I knew that she was into healthy stuff so I decided to buy her some of that Sunwarrior protein powder I had been hearing about it and by chance I got Vanilla - the one that she wanted to try!

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I got the most amazing package from Susmitha of Veganosaurus, all the way from India! It took about a month to receive it and boy was it worth the wait. I started with the crunchy snacks and the cookies and found that the coconut ones were my favorite! I also looooooved those spicy banana chips and chickpea snacks. I probably ate everything, except for the adorable jewelry in the corner, within a week with the help of my mother. All that was left was the Mango Bar, Sesame Brittle, dried fruits and the Kesari Bath. Now, I've never had kesari bath a day in my life, and couldn't read the instructions other than the information of it being a dessert - Susmitha's favorite, if I remember correctly.

So, I decided to set it up for my "cheat day" breakfast, and instead of adding water and regular oil as suggested in the instructions, I put in about a cup or two of almond milk, 1/4 of the mango package, some of the dried papaya and a few bits of the sesame brittle and let it turn orange from the sweet fruit. Then I slowly poured in the kesari bath (which is made of semolina, and seems to be sort of like couscous!), thinking I would only use half of it for now. Well, apparently that wasn't enough for my taste so I dumped the whole package in and whisked it rigorously, folded in some coconut oil cubes from an ice tray and then sprinkling on more candied papaya.

On the side I had baked some un-sweetened puff pastry twists filled with cinnamon to counterbalance the sweet gooeyness of my kesari bath.

(Mango Kesari Bath Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2-2 C. Cold Almond Milk
• 1 16 oz package of Kesari Bath
• 6 tbl Chopped Dried Mango
• 1 tbl Cold Coconut Oil
• 2 tbl. Minced Sesame Brittle
• Candied Papaya

(Directions)

Start your almond milk in a pot and add in the mango immediately, stirring once in a while so nothing sticks or burns, then whisk in one part sesame brittle and some of the candied papaya, however much you like. Once your milk has turned orange and the mango melts, slowly whisk in your kesari bath and allow it to thicken, only just before it is the "right" consistency for you but make sure that it is fully cooked and not too hard or grainy. Fold in your coconut oil and the rest of your brittle and top with candied papaya. Enjoy!

Fun fact:Mangos contain 100% of the daily required Vitamin C, 35% of Vitamin A and 12% of fiber!

Animation Night Cookies

Hey all! Its been a while, hasn't it? I've been soooo busy with stuff for college, my job, my internship and most of all, me-time! I'm learning a lot about myself but most importantly I'm learning how to truly live my life and I'm so proud of myself and so happy to be surrounded by such amazing friends that are helping me get to my dreams, and accepting me for who I truly am. Those same friends are the ones who I made these cookies for! I rented a bunch of DVD's and these movies probably took about three hours, not including drying time overnight. They love them!

I've used a similar recipe before for my Christmas cookies but this time I used a total of five cups of flour which consisted of four cups of cake flour mixed with one cup of all-purpose and they were so soft! A few cracked, but I found that if I let them cool on the pan and firmly placed my spatula underneath the main structure of the cookie, it could come out perfect. The first batch (all square cookies) I over-cooked a little but I let them sit for a day before icing them whilst the two cookies at the bottom were under-cooked a little and then frosted within an hour of cooling. The under-cooked ones were my favorite! Kind of like lofthouse style cookies!

 I totally forgot to pop a lot of the air bubbles but I think they turned out fine - plus these were super fun! As you can tell - I'll be doing MANY more sugar cookie batches.

Extra-soft Sugar Cookie Recipe:
2 C. Medium-Hard Coconut Oil
1 & 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
4 tsp. Vanilla Flavoring
4 C. Cake Flour
1 C. All-Purpose Flour
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

Makes about 2 dozen medium-large cookies.

Cream your sugar and coconut oil together with your flavoring, sift together the rest of the ingredients and then wrap in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge while you spray a baking pan and preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and then roll out your dough to about 1/4-1/2 an inch thick, then cut into preferred shapes and bake for about 5-7 minutes or until cooked to your liking, try not to let them brown as they will continue to cook afterwards. Let them rest, then get to icing!

That recipe is right here -

http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-very-zombie-christmas.html

As for the cookies above - here's their movie list!

Top: "My Neighbor Tototo", "Coraline", Ponyo"
Bottom: "Spirited Away" (Soot Sprite and Round Cookie), "Howl's Moving Castle", Inuyasha
*Not Pictured: "Princess Mononoke"

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Protein Bites for Easter (Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, No Added Sugar)

Happy Easter, everyone! I don't really celebrate it - but when I did my Easters were filled with Cadbury eggs, bunny-shaped cakes and Chinese takeout on a picnic blanket. It was a little personal celebration between my mother and I as I'm the youngest in the family and the only one living at home, and it filled me with glee to decorate butterfly masks and watch old movies with her as we ate the treats. We never actually took the picnic blanket outside, and instead opened all of the windows and turned on the fans whenever it rained into our living room as we decorated the Easter eggs or took the time to unfasten the VHS tapes from their sticky, suctionny packages.

It still makes me happy to think of that and I hope to do that one day with my own children (if I have any).

Although I don't celebrate it as we used to, these treats are too cute to pass up! They're simple, sweet and easy to share.

(Peanut Butter Bites Ingredients)

• 1/3 C. of Peanut Butter
• 2 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder*
• 2 tbl. Melted Coconut Oil
• Melted Chocolate
• Your favorite Icing
• Rice Krispie Cereal for rolling

(Peanut Butter Protein Bites Directions)

• Roll your peanut butter, oil and protein powder together and place in the freezer. Once hardened, shape into eggs with your hands and two spoons.
• Roll in the rice krispie treats and freeze once more.
• Decorate and freeze.
• Serve and enjoy!

* I use Sunwarrior Vanilla Protein Powder

Peanut Butter Protein Pudding

I freaking love this pudding - its super simple to make and after pumping iron in the gym and running around...its a great pick-me-up! It reminds me of that delicious Reese's Peanut Butter Cup filling without all of the nastiness, and it only requires four ingredients (three if you don't want to be fancy). So, let's get started!

(Peanut Butter Pudding Ingredients)

• 1/4 - 1/2 C. Peanut Butter
• 3 Scoops of Vanilla Protein powder
• 1 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
• 1-2 C. Non-dairy Milk

(Directions)

• Simply add all of your ingredients together, adding the non-dairy milk last and blend. Place straight into a container to eat or refrigerate and have delicious pudding!

Guest Post by Pam Johnson

Here's a new guest post with a slightly different opinion and view on the vegan-vegetarian lifestyle by Pam Johnson.

If you wish to contribute your own post - be sure to hit "Contact Me" up on top! Otherwise, enjoy.

All About the Healthy and Economical Vegan Regimen

In today's world average people are granted an unprecedented level of food options. While some can get bogged down in the multiplicity of choices and waste time and money on unnecessary products (e.g., gluten-free crackers), others solder science to economics and seek nutritious foods at affordable prices. What's important to remember is that eating affordably should be coupled with modern science.

Food Pyramid
Alongside the World Health Organization, modern nutrition calls for a balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Did you know that you can die without protein or dietary fat? This explains why people on low-carb ketogenic diets or vegetarian diets low in sugars do quite well. The rest of this article will focus on eating vegetarian diets affordably and how to couple convenience with nutrition while eschewing meat products.

Levels of Veggie
There are many layers to becoming a vegetarian, oftentimes embodied in one person's experience from all meat to zero meat diet regimens. There are some vegetarians who just avoid meat and still consume eggs and fish. While this affords some vegetarians more protein and essential fatty acids, it isn't the full-throated vegan lifestyle. Full-bore vegan diets eliminate meat altogether with an eye towards the detrimental health and environmental impact of meat consumption.

Health and Economics of Going Vegan
Some people go vegan for other reasons though. For instance, a low-fat vegetarian diet has been linked to a decreased risk of numerous degenerative diseases. For instance, subscribing to the vegan diet lowers one risk for the following ailments, many of which are crippling to Western man: coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, osteoporosis, and late-onset diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. In fact, Time Magazine recently came out with a study showing that low-fat vegetarian diets are incredibly affordable and nutritious. A controversial finding in that study showed that regular grocery store vegetables rivaled the upscale Whole Foods-like "organic" foods in quality while sidestepping really breaking open the piggy bank. For this reason, budding vegans would do well to corral in the good deals in their local freezer department!

Veganism for All Life's Trials
The vegan diet has been shown to be affordable, safe, and even appropriate for different ages and life stages. For instance, modern studies show that veganism is apt for kids, pregnant women, and lactating women alike. Those who choose to avoid meat consumption have been shown to hold lower body mass indexes. Alongside this health boon, vegan subscribers are at lower risk for cholesterol or vascular problems.

Prescription for Health
The ideal thing to do is go to the grocery store and pick up rice and beans, which allots protein, or go for an affordable veggie dish like bok choi, which supplies calcium and other minerals. Veganism is not only a healthy diet but it can be employed long-term and cheaply in today's society!

Author Pam Johnson has been a vegan for 6 years because of all the health benefits, as she is in the healthcare field. She also enjoys blogging and is a contributing writer for Top 10 iPhone Apps for Healthcare Professionals

"The Vegg" Vegan Egg Yolk Review

You've probably heard of the Vegg (pronounced like "egg" but with a 'V') even if you aren't a vegan blogger or egg-replacement aficionado. The purpose of the Vegg is to replace the actual egg yolk instead of the whole egg and not only imports the slightly eggy flavor into whatever you like - it also has a beautifully golden color like an egg yolk. The flavor is very slight, at least to my tastes when I used it in my vegan omellete but I could smell it a bit better in my yellow cake recipe.

I thoroughly enjoy the packaging and the way the whole thing sent to me was in a beautiful brown envelope, containing the big Vegg packet and information cards. The mascot on it is adorable and its very easy to tell what type of product this is!

The Positive: It only takes a very small amount of the Vegg to make the equivalent of two and a half egg yolks (about a teaspoon) and the package can make up to 40 average "yolks". All of the ingredients are common and pretty well known - two components are added for color, the nutritional yeast (which is also added for taste, I presume) and beta carotene for a more golden color.

Plus, every 2-3 yolks are only about 10 calories and the product is free of (high) allergens! Can't say that much.


The Negative: It can be a bit pricey, depending on the shipping cost and the location that you're buying it from. You also have to be sure to have a blender because it will not turn out right if you try to hand-mix it, as demonstrated on the package.

I've found that I've also need to add cornstarch to the water and Vegg so it can be a bit more silkier and stronger for all of my needs.

Image from "Meshell in the City" http://meshell.ca/

The Interesting: The Vegg contains "sodium alginate" and if you're familiar with molecular gastronomy or just enjoying seeing spherical shapes on your dinner plate at a fancy restaurant, you'll be happy to see that this very ingredient aids in gellifying your yolks and if you place it in a calcium lactate bath - you'll have a gelatinous, ooey gooey and good for the Earth egg yolk! Just pop into your favorite molds (maybe a Hello Kitty one?), freeze and make your calcium lactate bath, then you can dip bread into it or meld with some delicious tofu egg whites for an amazing fried egg.

For flavor and the signature egg taste (brought on by sulfuric compounds) - an Indian black salt is used. Isn't that neat?

Here above you can see a picture of a spherical Vegg yolk! Isn't that exciting?


Average Price: $7.00

Price I Paid: Free for a review.
Despite it not having the huge strengths in taste and smell you would expect from an egg yolk, its a huge step and I would most definitely buy this product again and suggest it to all of my friends. Plus, its especially helpful when making such moist yellow cake!

Here's a link to where you can buy "The Vegg" but there are plenty of retailers around!


http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2013/01/vegan-yellow-cake-recipe-soy-free.html 

Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0085V3YFO/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Vegan Yellow Cake Recipe (Soy-Free)

Have you ever heard of "The Vegg"? Its a product that I've been using for a while this month and that I really like. Its meant to replace the egg yolk in most recipes and while yellow cake varies in amounts - its generally pretty high. I've found that "The Vegg" works excellent in replacing the egg yolk and that I can easily strengthen it by combining it with cornstarch. This cake ended up being really moist and great despite my oven having to be at 400 degrees for about an hour to cook anything now.

(Vegan Yellow Cake Ingredients)

• 1 C. of Coconut Oil
• 2 C. of Raw Sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2 TBL. Cornstarch
• 1 tsp. of The Vegg
• 1/4 C. of Cold Water
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 C. Non-Dairy Milk + 1 TBL. Apple Cider Vinegar

(Directions)

• Cream your coconut oil with the raw sugar then add in the baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Blend your cornstarch, vegg and the water together in a blender, then cream it into your oil and sugar.
• Alternate with your flour and milk and fold/stir them together
• Preheat your oven to 350, spray and line your pan with parchment paper
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until fully cooked, allow to rest and then frost with your favorite frosting recipe or use a chocolate fondant like I did!

Enjoy!

A Very Zombie Christmas

Hey all! I hope you've had many great holidays and a vacation! I'll miss being able to make so many yummy and fun treats at home but I can bring this to work with me and hopefully help sell a lot! While I do plan on making some stevia-cookies and showing off my stevia powdered sugar, I just wanted to do something a bit "rebellious". These cookies were excellent and the whole recipe makes about two dozen cookies so you can use anything you like. Also - a little tip, when someone suggests only a tiny amount of black food coloring gel...please believe them!

(Sugar Cookie Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
• 3/4 C. of Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp. of Vanilla Extract
• 2 & 1/2 C. All-Purpose Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• A pinch of Salt
• A few dribbles of Non-Dairy Milk (I used flax)

(Directions)

• Cream your coconut oil with the powdered sugar then add in the baking powder and vanilla extract.
• Fold in your flour and knead until it is like a store-bought cookie dough.
• Refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes, cut in half then roll out your cookies.
• Preheat your oven to 350, cut your cookies out onto some greased parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes or until sturdy but not browned.
• Allow to cool and then prep your vegan royal icing.

(Vegan Royal Icing Ingredients)

• 1 TBL. Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch
• 2 TBL. Non-dairy Milk
• 1/2 tsp. Clear Vanilla Extract
• 2 & 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
• Preferred Food Coloring.

(Directions)

• My bowls were wet from washing each time I made the royal icing but just add in a few dribbles of milk to your cornstarch and mix. It should resist a bit.
• Alternate your powdered sugar and milk until you get a thick consistency. Lift a spoonful up, then drip it out of the bowl. It should take 10+ seconds to complete for an outline.
• Outline your cookies and let it take an hour or so to dry, then add more liquid to the icing to just barely thin it and then flood your cookie. Decorate with more outline/piping icing and allow to dry for 5+ more hours if you can wait.

Pumpkin Risotto (Soy-Free)

When it comes to things for myself I'm really, really cheap. I've almost always been this way - its both a combination of greed for the few funds I do have and a way to make sure that my other family members have enough money and food. So, as I've mentioned once or twice before, I go on a fiscal fast once in a while to use up everything in the fridge and to ensure that I don't spend anything. Yesterday's meal was using up some fresh brussels sprouts and a huge can of pumpkin puree that I had used for a failed recipe.

About two months ago in one of my cooking classes/internships, a chef from a school in Chicago came and showed us all how to make pumpkin risotto without using butter or cream. He demonstrated nice knife skills of course, and he showed the others how to properly cut onions and even corrected me on a separate task. When it came to finishing the risotto after letting the orzo pasta strands being coated in extra-virgin olive oil, he added in a huge load of chicken stock and then covered the whole thing in parmesan cheese. While I obviously avoided that dish, I couldn't deny that it was visually creamy and it smelled so good.

A week later I had made it and shared it with my mother whom took it for lunch the next day. Today I'm sharing the "recipe" with you, as its really all about feel and what you like. You can even put a little chef's hat on and pretend not to be poor (Okay, maybe that's just me)!

(Pumpkin Risotto Ingredients)

• Boiling Water or Stock
• 1/4-1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• Olive Oil for sauteing
• 2 cups Orzo Pasta
• Pinch of Salt Pepper
• Basil, Italian Seasonings and Thyme
• Nutritional Yeast (optional)

(Directions)

• Start by sauteing your onions with the olive oil until softened. Then add in your minced garlic and continually stir.
• Add in more olive oil if necessary, then add in your orzo and coat in the oil for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add in about a cup of boiling liquid and continually stir. Add in your pumpkin and allow it to bubble. Add more liquid as needed and cook until the pasta is tender or al dente.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.