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Help Vegan Mashup (TV Show) and Food Blog South Recap

February 2, 2012 · by · Leave a Comment

It looks like Spring but it's still winter...

I keep telling you how warm it’s been this winter and you can see some of the proof above.  Those usually come up in late February or March, not in January! It’s a mixed bag. On the one hand it’s awesome to be harvesting Swiss chard from my garden, but it leaves me wanting all the Spring produce instead of making turnip stews.

I got an email today about an online fund-raiser for a new vegan tv show – Vegan Mashup. The show features Terry Hope Romero, Toni Fiore and Miyoko Schinner cooking up some goodies in their kitchens and they’ll have surprise guests.

The are trying to raise funds and you can pitch in here. You can also see a video about the show there so take a look and give a little money. Even 10.00 would help and you know we all want a vegan show!

Last weekend I was at Food Blog South. The vegans in attendance were the minority, but we all managed to find each other. I had emailed with Heather Blackmon of Better with Veggies before the conference and we found each other via Twitter during the opening remarks. I was planning on meeting up with Susan Voisin of FatFree Vegan Kitchen since I hadn’t seen her since Vida Vegan and she found Katie Cain of Bistro Katie. I also got to finally meet Neysa King who runs the Key Ingredient blog that I write for every Wednesday.  You should take a peek at all their blogs and get some February inspiration.

The pre-party had pickled okra, but no other vegan options so it was good we ate dinner before just in case. There was also nothing vegan for breakfast – not even soymilk for coffee. It was good that a few of us had oatmeal at the hotel before going. Alabama wasn’t seeming as vegan friendly as I had hoped. But then Shindigs Catering had a great lunch for us plant-based folk, vegan veggie balls over spaghetti squash with sauce. I had to go up to them and tell them how amazing it was. (And it really was incredibly good!)

But I wasn’t there just to eat. Friday I attended a Media Skills workshop with Lisa Ekus and Virginia Willis. Both of them seem to be endlessly knowledgeable. Plus they supplied tips and tricks even I can remember. It was 4 hours long and I could have listened to them for at least 4 hours more.

They were 2 of my favorite speakers the next day too. Virginia talked about recipe development and Lisa was on the Brand panel with another fav of mine, Hanson Watkins of Indie Candy (allergy free and many vegan products too).

There were a few misses in the agenda but all in all I want to go back next year. Add to the vegan force and think about attending too!

Filed Under: Conferences, Food Blog South, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

That’s It Fruit Snack Bar Review and Giveaway

January 8, 2012 · by ·

It’s still early in the new year and I think that you, like me, are still working on eating better and adding even more fruit and veggies into your daily routine. Here’s an easy way to get 2 servings of fruit with nothing added. It’s like 2 pieces of fruit only you can keep these in your desk drawer or even in your pocket.

When the people at That’s It asked me to try these I didn’t have high expectations. Most bars that I try – even the ones I consider to be my favorites – let me down when it comes to flavor or texture.

But I have to say I really like these. It’s like a juicier fruit leather, which at the same time makes it not like fruit leather at all because it’s not hard and chewy. The flavor of the non-apple fruit really pops and makes it pretty darn delicious.

Each bar has 1 apple and a serving portion of the “flavor” fruit like cherry, pear, or apricot. Those 2 fruits are the only ingredients in the bar. They also talk about it being Diabetic friendly since they use low glycemic index fruit.

They are 100 calories each and have 3 grams of fiber. Vegan, gluten-free, and kosher all the while giving you vitamins a and c. Not bad for something that feels like a treat.

Enter this giveaway and you may just win your own That’s It Fruit Snack Bars to try!

There are a few rules to this giveaway – the winner must be at least 18 years of age and that the winning address is within the U.S. The winner will receive a variety pack of That’s It bars (12 bars – $21.18 value - http://www.thatsitfruit.com/shopbuy-our-products)

You will get one entry for each task you do as long as you enter a new comment for each one on this blog post. I’ll announce the winner this Friday.

  • In a comment tell me your favorite way to sneak in extra fruit or veggies into your day.
  • Become a Facebook fan of That’s It
  • Follow That’s It on twitter
  • Tweet the following:
    Win fruit snack bars from @ThatsItFruit and @geekypoet just by leaving a comment here: http://wp.me/pLJaT-Lj #vegan 
  • Post a link on your blog that links to this post and That’s It Facebook page (leave link in comments)

Filed Under: Giveaway, Product Review · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Subs – Review and Giveaway

December 30, 2011 · by · 82 Comments

Since you have already entered the Hearty Vegan giveaway and the Love Your Library giveaway – here’s one more chance to win a cool cookbook to start your new year off right. (If you haven’t entered the others there is still time!)

This book, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, is more than simple substitutions for meat, eggs, dairy, soy, gluten, and sugar though it gives you that too.

Each chapter starts off with a reference table with detailed substitutions. These are perfect for new vegans and a great quick reference for more seasoned ones.

The next thing Joni and Celine do are to dissect a traditional (non-vegan) recipe and show you where to change it to use the substitutions that they gave you. It’s a great way to get ideas to redo old family favorites. Joni and Celine are all about veganized comfort food and  their recipes are perfect to serve to people who aren’t quite sure about vegan food. (What is it they think we put in food anyhow?)

The very best part of the book comes after that with their tasty original recipes. I made their Eggs Benedict with Ham for Cheryl. She is not a vegan, though trying to eat less eggs and dairy for her health, so her love of this dish proves that it goes beyond a typical vegan recipe. I didn’t make the ham from scratch since I had some vegan ham to use up in the fridge. But the Hollandaise is the highlight of the dish for me (and Cheryl too).

Photo by Celine Steen

The other recipe I tried was the BBQ beans. I slow cooker-ized them and they turned out great. I loved the balance of flavors. I opted to use ketchup instead of tomato paste. They give you a choice in the recipe. Next time I would use the tomato paste because I think I would like it better slightly less sweet. The liquid smoke, mustard, molasses, balsamic, and other sauce ingredients meld together for a bold bean dish you really need to try.

The only downside in the book is that the recipes are organized by the kind of substitution they are using. This just means it will take a little longer to find something on the fly. But with Celine’s beautiful photos you really want to go through it a few times just to take it all in anyhow. I sat with my copy and bookmarked about 10 recipes in my first look through.

The variety of the recipes alone makes it worth the money. Breakfast, baked goods, stews, soups, burgers, ribs, vegan cheese, and more can be found in the pages of The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions. This book is a perfect gift to someone who wants to eat less meat but is afraid they will miss out on all their favorite foods.

To enter the giveaway do one or more of the following. You must leave a separate comment for each one you do to get the extra entry! The winner will be announced January 1.

More beautiful pictures from Vegan Subs. These were taken by Celine Steen.

Marinated Tofu Mozzarella, Baked Macadamia Brie, and Nutty Pepperjack

PB & J Waffle

Sushi Rolls

Salted Caramel Treats

Amaretti


Filed Under: Book Review, Giveaway, Vegan · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Healthy Holiday Giveaway – Nacheez

November 29, 2011 · by ·

There are “those days” – the kind where you come home and plop in a chair and wish that dinner could magically appear. Those are the days that I take a jar of Nacheez from my pantry and find my secret stash of baked blue corn chips. It’s an instant cheater dinner! I don’t eat like that often, but when I need something impossibly easy it’s a lifesaver.

Of course, it’s great for a quick Mexi-man and cheez even if you come home tired. It’s the perfect topping for steamed veggies if you have haters in your house. They won’t even notice that “green stuff” underneath it because it’s so tasty.

You can also use it in casseroles, burritos and anywhere else you might want some vegan cheese. They even have mild or spicy depending on your preference. The spicy is not fiery hot, so it can be used in recipes too.

If I were you, I’d get a few of these in my pantry for the holidays!

Enter this giveaway and you may just win your own Nacheez to try!

You will get one entry for each task you do as long as you enter a new comment for each one on this blog post. I’ll announce the winner Friday.

  • In a comment tell me how you plan on using your Nacheez.
  • Become a Facebook fan of Nacheez
  • Follow Nacheez on twitter
  • Tweet the following:
    Win some @vegannacheez from @geekypoet for your holiday nachos: http://wp.me/pLJaT-Gf #vegan 
  • Post a link on your blog that links to this post and Nacheez’s Facebook page (leave link in comments)
Filed Under: Giveaway, Product Review · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Pink Kitchen’s Vegan Gingerbread Scones

November 7, 2011 · by · 25 Comments

I want you to know upfront that Lisa Grey’s Scone book is not a slow cooker book, though I have plans on trying to cook one of Lisa’s tasty scones recipes in the slow cooker sooner or later. I’ve linked to several of Pink Kitchen’s slow cooker recipes on my Facebook page when she posts a vegan one. But once I found out her Pink Kitchen Scone book was vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free I couldn’t help but share it here.

Gluten-free readers – I obviously didn’t check enough sources and got bad info. I’m so sorry for incorrectly stating that barley flour was gluten-free earlier! (Though I think you could sub gluten-free baking mix in any of her scone recipes.)

There are 21 original scone recipes both sweet and savory. She uses a unique combination of barley flour, refined coconut oil, and a specific brand of stevia called Nu Stevia. I wasn’t using any of these ingredients before Lisa sent me a copy of Pink Kitchen’s Scones to review. I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but I was won over by my very first batch.

These scones have a tender crumb, unlike the scones at many coffee shops. The NuStevia sweetens them perfectly – without the usual bitterness that can come by cooking with stevia.

I became a convert of NuStevia pretty quick and you can even send them a self-addressed stamped envelope and they will send you a free sample to try. At my local Whole Foods store they have sample packets that you can try as well.

I tried the apple pie scones and they were easy to make and delicious. Yesterday I made the gingerbread scones and they were awesome. They are the perfect healthy treat to make for the holiday season. Lisa has kindly agreed to share her recipe here, so go ahead and get the ingredients and make a batch yourself!

I’m also giving away a copy of her book this Friday and all you need to do is one or more of the following list. But make sure you leave a separate comment for each one you do – it’s the only way you will get your extra entries.

  1. Leave a comment letting me know what sweetener you usually cook with.
  2. Like Pink Kitchen’s Facebook Page
  3. Follow Pink Kitchen on Twitter
  4. Tweet this message: Win a copy of the Scone Book by @PinkKitchen – just comment on this post http://wp.me/pLJaT-Ej by @geekypoet 

Gingerbread Scones From Pink Kitchen’s Scone Book
soy-free, (Can be made gluten-free if your substitute gluten-free baking mix for the barley flour – as stated in intro text)
Serves 6 to 8

  • 2 cups barley flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 packets NuStevia
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
  • 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk
    (or plain with 1 teaspoon cocoa – this is my substitution not Lisa’s)
  • ground pink peppercorns for topping, optional

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in oil until dough becomes crumbly (begins to form large pieces). Stir in the molasses and all of the milk. If the dough is too dry, add only enough milk until the consistency is thick and sticky. Gently stir dough, only until ingredients are blended.

Place dough into a glass pie plate and shape into a large circle. Pat the top so it is somewhat flat. Lightly sprinkle pink pepper over top (optional). Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 45 – 60 minutes. Scones should be very firm to the touch. Let scones cool before cutting.

Filed Under: Busy Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Uncategorized, Vegan · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A So Delicious Giveaway – Vegans Rejoice!

April 11, 2011 · by ·

You already know how much I love my So Delicious Coconut milk and the unsweetened is my absolute favorite. Now’s your chance to win coupons for five So Delicious products of your choice. There will be one winner who gets all of the coupons.

To enter like both the So Delicious Facebook page and the Healthy Slow Cooking Facebook page. Then leave a comment below letting me know that you liked them both. If you are already a fan on both leave that in a comment too and you’ll still get an entry.

Get a bonus entry for each of the following:

  • follow me on twitter
  • subscribe to this blog via rss, email, or networked blogs
  • Tweet this message: Enter to #win 5 free So Delicious Coconut Products of your choice from @geekypoet & @So_Delicious! http://wp.me/pLJaT-lD
  • Put a link to this page on your Facebook page

You must make a separate comment for each bonus entry task that you complete.

I will use a random number generator to pick the winner. I will announce the winner Friday afternoon.

Filed Under: Giveaway, Gluten-free, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,