GO VEGAN. WHY NOT?

Popcorn Treats

you already know how to make popcorn. take it one delicious step further - make carmel corn!  here's a no-fail + fast recipe.

for about 8 cups popcorn (from 1/4 cup kernels)

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance

• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

have your freshly popped popcorn in a large bowl and a sheet of parchment paper the size of a cookie sheet beside it. in medium saucepan, bring the sugar, Earth Balance, corn syrup and salt to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. 

pour the sauce over the popcorn and give a quick stir with a wooden spoon - quickly dump the mixture onto your parchment paper.  molds nicely into popcorn balls. 

if you do that, and it is awfully nice, rinse your hands frequently in water to keep from sticking.

this recipe is easy and it will make you very happy.

by the way, julie christie says "go vegan - why not?" 

Vegan Soul Man

Bryant Terry is an intellectual, food justice activist, writer, cutie pie and now author of the newly published book, Vegan Soul Kitchen.  I've been following Bryant's career since I bought his first book Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen.  He co-authored that with Frances Moore Lappe's daughter, Anna.  That book I like a lot. 

But Vegan Soul Kitchen I love! 

I'm a sucker for chatty cookbooks with new fresh ideas.  Though Terry has been formally trained, his recipes are accessible and easily reproduced.  His take on Soul Food is definitely not heavy, greasy or fried.  He's worked at teasing out the most flavor with a premium on freshness.  Examples are: succotash transformed into Succotash Soup with Garlicky Cornbread Croutons, and okra enjoyed as Crispy Okra Strips with Lime-Thyme Vinaigrette.

Along with life reflections, kitchen tips and tehchniques, the chatty part includes a suggested sound track for each of the 150 recipes to inspire and illuminate your labors.  Three suggestions are offered up for Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce: 1. a soundtrack - I.T.T., Pt. 2 by Fela Kuti, 2. a work of art - Three Wise Men Greeting Entry into Lagos by Kehinde Wiley, and 3. a book - How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by Walter Rodney. 

We saw Bryant present himself today @ the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD).  He's an urban hipster with loads of style.

See him if you can.  Buy a copy or two of his book, and move out of the ordinary!  His website is www.Bryant-Terry.com.

By the way: Kimora and Tyra say: "Go vegan - why not?"

my arch nemesis ---- grrrrrrrrrrrr

Every year it's the same.  Peeps.  My annual Easter un-doing.  That whole "hate her / can't live without her" thing.  There I am, innocently strolling through Safeway, Long's, Walgreens, you name it.  Once I see Peeps, those brightly colored, sugar sanded, chick or bunny shaped marshmallow Easter treats I must buy them.  A lot of them.  Now.  Take them to my car, rip apart the first package - colored sugar flys everywhere - and devour it. 

Why the rabbits and not the chicks?   I can bite the tasty little ears off first, then the head, then the body.  I can put away a four-pack in as many minutes.  Once I get that fool wrapping off.  That barrier is a drag!

As I said, every year I try not to succumb - but do.  Why would I care?  Because they're made with gelatin.  Gelatin is ground and melted pig snouts, skin, hooves, etc.  Erp.  Excuse me, I think I'm going to be sick.

If I've helped you off Peeps, more power to ya.  Cause they're still a monkey on my back, sistah.

By the way, Shirley Bassey says: "go vegan - why not?"

Entree Helpers !

The field of Vegan food options has expanded and become so much more sophisticated.  Here are a few products I love to cook with now.  Keep 'em on hand and when the mood strikes, branch out!

First, SoyRizo.  It's a product with authentic chorizo spices that mixs with any taco, tamale or scramble.  Not only for Mexican-inspired meals though!  I always have a SoyRizo package in the freezer to add to dishes calling for a deeper, spicier note.  It defrosts almost immediately.  Keep some always on hand along with some fermented black beans and silken tofu to whip up a batch of soul satisfying Mapo Tofu!

There's a company out of Seattle, Washington called Field Roast Grain Meat Company.  Their hot and spicey Mexican Chipotle sausages are grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!  It's not a crumbly product like the SoyRizo so you can cube or slice and it will not lose its integrity in a soup or casserole.  I used it twice this last weekend.   I made grilled sausage sandwiches this weekend.  They Blew Harrison's MIND! 

Field Roast Grain also makes a product called Celebration Roast: their answer to Tofurkey.  I cooked up a little Celebration Roast for Christmas Day and was entirely pleased with it.  Note: best to carve very-thin to razor-thin slices.

 

Finally, there's Gardenburger with their good tasting, good looking and very useful BBQ Riblets.  I used them recently in a batch of steamed buns.  oh goddess they were good!

 

Oh, and by the way, Marilyn says "go vegan.  why not?"