Labels: New Year's Eve

And wishes for a "Meowy Catmas" from Gary!

Labels: gary snowglobe

Labels: vegan eggnot cupcakes

When I heard that Quorn was finally coming out with a vegan product, my first thought was "It's about time!" My second thought was, "I can't wait to try it!" So naturally, when the Quorn representative asked me if I'd like to sample the new product, I said yes.  With all the strides many companies have made in producing vegan products, it always baffled me that Quorn continued to use egg whites in theirs. So it's great news that they have produced their first vegan product: a vegan burger. (Please excuse the quality of my photo -- it was taken with a flash -- wintertime is not kind to food bloggers!)

The burgers come four to a box and weigh in at just over two ounces each. They are thin and cook up quite quickly, so quickly in fact, that you want to be sure not to overcook them so they don't dry out. In my first taste test, I wanted to sample them without any adornment so I could get the full impact of their flavor and texture, so I simply sauteed them in a little olive oil with sliced mushrooms and parsley and served them for dinner as cutlets rather than burgers. And I'm glad I did.  The texture is great - very firm and dense.  The flavor fairly bold, slightly smoky, but not overpowering.  Some people may find the these burgers to be too "meaty" for their taste, while others may like them just fine.

For the second taste test, I cut the remaining two burgers into strips and sauteed them with sliced onions. I then added some hot red pepper spread and melted a little Daiya on top.  Served in rolls, these were among the best "cheesesteaks" we've ever had. 

Bottom line: Jon and I enjoyed them, although we felt that their taste and texture made them better suited to be used as cutlets or strips rather than "burgers."  I prefer making my own burgers and usually defer to my homemade seitan for cutlets and strips. Still, I can see where keeping a box of these in the freezer would definitely come in handy.

A check of the Quorn website says the burgers are "making their way into stores now, so be on the lookout." I take that to mean they're not widely available yet, so if they interest you, you may have to ask for them to be carried.
12/26/11 UPDATE: I have recently been made aware that there is a controversy concerning Quorn and the fact that some people have had adverse digestive and allergic reactions to it. See Center for Science in the Public Interest for more info. I was not aware of this issue when I posted this review.

Now, on to the Holiday Giveaway!   I'm happy to announce that the winner of Party Vegan and 3 riotbars by sweetriot is #32:  Jessica Caneal.  Congratulations, Jessica!  Send me an e-mail with your mailing address and I'll get your goodies right out to you.

For everyone else who entered the giveaway: I hope you'll consider getting yourself a copy of Party Vegan.  It's a fun read and loaded with great ideas and recipes.  And if you're a chocolate lover, then you'll adore the sweet riot riotBars -- they're soooo good!

Coming up next time:  my recipe for Vegan Eggnog Cupcakes.  YUM!

Labels: Party Vegan, Quorn vegan burgers, riotBars, sweetriot

Try as I may, I'm having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit this year, so I thought maybe doing a holiday giveaway would help.

Nothing says holidays like chocolate and the nice folks at sweetriot sent me samples of their new riotBars! Make from fair trade chocolate, these delicious bars are made with actual cacao beans.  I'll give one lucky winner three (count 'em: 3) of these amazing new riotBars, one each of pure 60% dark chocolate with crunch nibs, pure 70% dark chocolate, and pure 85% dark chocolate. And that's not all....

I'm also giving away a copy of my cookbook, Party Vegan.  It's a must-have book for every occasion that calls for good vegan food, including holidays, as well as potlucks, casual get-togethers, and even kid's birthday parties.  The recipes are also great for "anytime" meals and the book includes loads of tips from my days as a professional caterer.

Labels: holiday giveaway, Party Vegan, riotBar, sweetriot

For your viewing pleasure is this photo of Gary and Mitzki.  They may look like best friends, but don't be fooled.  Most of the time, they ignore each other.  Although on cold afternoons these days, they can be found hanging out on the same patch of sun to keep warm.  Great minds think alike!

Thanks to everyone who left such nice comments about my carrot cupcakes.  I hope you all try the neat little trick with the carrot juice -- if you do, let me know what you think.  I already have some more ideas in mind for quick and easy 2-ingredient cakes, so stay tuned.

It's time to announce the winner of the Tribe Hummus Giveaway.  Random.org chose lucky number 8: Michelle W.  Congratulations, Michelle! Send me your address and I'll get the coupons for two containers (either 8-ounce or 16-ounce) of Tribe Hummus in the mail to you. Thanks to all who entered this giveaway.

Labels: cats, giveaway winner, Tribe hummus

and now… A Giveaway:

Labels: carrot cake, quick carrot cupcakes, Tribe hummus giveaway

If you hang around my blog long enough, you’ll soon find out that I love kabocha squash, a wonderful winter squash with a dark green skin, deep orange interior, and more flavor than you’d ever think could be possible in a squash. I can’t find them locally, so every time we travel to the Asian market (an hour away) I stock up on a few — where they’re also less expensive than in a regular supermarket anyway.In previous posts, I’ve used the roasted squash in a variety of ways including this luscious soup:


Because it has a large cavity, the kabocha squash is also ideal for stuffing with your favorite bread or grain stuffing:

 One of my favorite ways to enjoy the kabocha is to transform it into a rich, creamy (and colorful!) sauce for pasta. Last year, I tossed the sauce-cloaked pasta with chestnuts and cranberries for an amazing autumn meal.

For another take on the pasta-kabocha sauce combo, I tossed the sauce with some cooked gnocchi and used it as a topping for cooked lentils and kale as shown in the top photo. Wow! Talk about a powerhouse of nutrients. And of course, there are all those wonderful flavors and textures going on that complement each other perfectly.Here’s how to make it:

1. Roast the squash: cut the kabocha it in half, scoop out the seeds and then place it in a shallow baking dish, cut side down. Add a small sliced onion or a few quartered shallots to the pan, along with a little water. Cover and roast at 400 degrees until very soft.
2. Make the sauce: Scoop out the roasted squash and transfer to a food processor, along with the roasted onion or shallots, and salt and pepper to taste, and some ground dried herbs like a little sage and thyme. Process until smooth, adding a little almond milk or vegetable broth to achieve the desired consistency of a creamy sauce. Transfer to a saucepan and heat it, stirring. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
3. Cook the lentils and steam the kale, then heat a little oil in a skillet and add some minced garlic and cook until fragrant, then add the cooked lentils and kale season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat with the garlic.
4. Cook the gnocchi (or pasta). Drain well and return to the pot. Add as much of the sauce as needed to coat.

Is anyone else a fan of this amazing squash?

Labels: gnocchi with kabocha sauce, kabocha squash, kale, lentils