St Patrick + St Pierre

My favorite party holiday, St Patrick's Day, is happening this Sunday!!! With the added bonus of the there being a UFC fight with George St-Pierre fighting the title match today. We are going to DVR it and watch it tomorrow. So don't you think about spoiling it for me.

So....

+

Equals one heck of a party.

We will be featuring the same food and drink as last year. Vegan Irish Hand Pies and Vegan Irish Car Bombs.

What to do for our man from America's Hat?! Well unfortunately I don't have time to figure out the best way to make Poutine. So I am just going to buy some of those delicious vegan maple cookies from Trader Joe's and maybe get a Canadian Whiskey for good measure.

Will post pictures on Monday, in what I am sure is going to be a headache fog.

CHEERS!!!!!

Beauty featuring Body Butter

VanVeggie has decided to start sharing awesome vegan beauty finds we come across.

In order to make it on to the blog they need to be 

a) vegan - containing no animal byproducts

b) cruelty free - meaning the products were not tested on animals

c) super awesome - which is the smell, look, or work great. (or they are really cheap)

Donna has a lot of experience with cosmetics, she has worked for MAC and Bobbi Brown and was the make-up artist at the Salon she used to work at. I am not so well versed, but I have a weird addiction to buying drug store cosmetics and so my "good deal" radar is pretty accurate. 

Above stated radar is what led me to - Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter

Straight up here is the first thing you need to know about it. It is $3.99.  THREE NINETY NINE!! You can probably dig that kinda change out from the sides of the seats in your car. At least in my car you can. 

Okay so 3.99! Next it is a huge pot. 8 oz (227 grams) (So cheap and huge...like your mother Trebek.) And it has a flip-top!!

Next is the texture. It actually feels like frosting. When I put it on I felt almost perversely decadent.

Now here is the only downside for me which may not be a downside for anyone else. The fragrance.  It smells delicious, like edible. But I am kinda over the whole scent of shea butter and coconut. I seriously felt like a frosted cupcake that got drunk on Malibu. The good news is it wasn't so strong that I was bothered by it all day. Plus Sir K thought it smelled great. So really this is just a personal thing.

The sum-up is - worth the buy, would be a great addition to a gift for vegan or omnivorous friends or for yourself!

Quinoa Taco Salad

In my house, not only are we vegan, but we also have to be wheat/gluten free, and now our daughter  has to be soy and sugar free as well. This can make cooking.....challenging. I have had to do a TON of research (still do daily)  I am constantly trying new things, and try to have an arsenal of quick and easy recipes that I can pull together on the fly. Because guess what? If my day/evening gets crazy, we cant just order a pizza, or drive thru somewhere to grab a quick dinner. *Look for future posts with tips for being plant based and allergen free =)

Right now, we are quite fond of Quinoa. I like to cook up a large batch on sundays to use through out the week.  The other night, it totally came in handy as I through together this super yummy recipe last minute. 

Quinoa Taco Salad

You Will Need:

1 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa

1 can drained Organic Black Beans

1 can drained Organic Pinto Beans 

1 package taco seasoning (I use Trader Joe's Taco seasoning, if I don't make my own. It is one of the only ones that doesn't have gluten or soy in it)

Shredded Lettuce

1 handful of tortilla chips, crushed

Taco Toppings- We used diced avocado, diced tomato, olives, salsa, green onions, bell peppers. You can use whatever toppings you wish, Some Daiya pepperjack or cheddar shreds with a dollop of "Sour Cream" would be great.

1. In a large skillet, heat up the Quinoa and beans. Add Taco seasoning, and cook as directed.

2. Place Lettuce on plates (or in bowls) Place about a cup of 'Taco Filling' on top of lettuce.

3. Add toppings, and finish with a sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips on top. 

4. Enjoy!

Recipe - Broccoli Pesto

I am on a huge broccoli kick right now but I am getting seriously sick of stir-fry. I was stoked when I came across a recipe for Broccoli Pesto in the Happy Herbivore cookbook. Unfortunately the recipe isn't on her website and so I can't give it to you exactly, you will have to buy the book for that but I can give you my variation on it.

Pesto Broccoli -
2 Heads cooked broccoli
.25 cup silken tofu
appox 1 cup basil leaves
1 large clove garlic
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Sea Salt and Pepper

After you cook the broccoli, blend all the ingredients until smooth. Then toss with freshly cooked pasta. I really like whole grain pasta with this because it adds a nutty flavor. Also instead of silken tofu, an avocado might be tasty.

Happy New Year!!!

Now that it is 2013 maybe I can start blogging a little more. That is how it works, right? One day passes and for some reason the next signifies a fresh start. Logically, it makes no sense but I still love a new year.

So in celebration I am going to give away a $20.13 gift certificate to Herbivore Clothing. Don't worry out-of-towners, you can use it online.

How do you win this? Leave a comment below or on our facebook page. You have until 12am PST 1/2/2013  1/3/2013. Then a random comment will be selected as the winner!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Oh and I can I suggest this - for your hangover?

Breakfast Scramble - only add home fries, biscuits and this gravy. With a Vegan Bloody Mary you are all set. To make a Bloody Mary vegan just use vegan Worcestershire sauce. Easy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update 1/3/2013

WINNERS!!!!!
Stephanie R and Eileen C - Woot Woot since you are the only two comment leavers, you both get one!

Gifts in a day!!

Holy Mother of Sweet Little Baby Jesus in a Manger. You need to get a gift for someone. You are totally a broke ass. What are you going to do?


You can wipe out your Christmas list in a day! You Aunt Gertie's Gout? Covered! Your Brother's mousing injury? Taken care of. Your Significant Other's Guaranteed Hangover Caused by Drinking Because You Are Just Now Getting Gifts?! Slightly made up for...

Hot/Cold Barley Packs to the rescue!!

What you need if you are crafty -

• 11x11 pieces of scrap fabric
• 2 cups of dried pearl barley (find in the bulk section)
• A sewing machine

What you need if you aren't crafty

• a pillow case or long shirt sleeve
• enough dried pearl barley (find in the bulk section) to fill your pack 2/3 of the way.
• a needle and thread or get your butt to your mom/grandma's house and borrow their sewing machine. They will be so happy you probably won't need to them a present.

Also a funnel will help. So break apart your beer bong and get crafting.

I really should show with amazing crafty pictures what you need to do. But really you can just google it.

Here is the gist. 

Crafty peeps -

1. Cut out your square.
2. Fold it in half with the pretty side facing in. 
3. Sew - one short side; one long side; half of one short side. (do a 1/4 inch seam)
4. Turn it inside out so now the pretty side is showing and there is a little hole on one of the short sides. 
5. Fill it between 2/3 full of pearl barley (this is where the funnel helps). You can use any rice or grain but I love the weight and roundness of barley.
6. Push all the barley down to the closed end and stitch the seam closed.

Peeps that aren't so crafty -

1. Cut 6 inches off the closed side of your pillow case or you can use a long shirt sleeve cut how ever long you want to make it. (Wash it first, Bro)
2.  Turn it inside out and sew up everything but two inches and then turn in right side out. 
3. Pour in the barley (this where the funnel is helpful). You only want to fill it about 2/3 full. It needs to nicely lay on someones sore body part and won't if it is stuffed full.
4. Sew up the gap.

Lord this really needs pictures!!! But I am sure you can get the idea. And honestly, I am too busy whipping these out to take pics. Again, I am not original, you can google this shiz.

Here are the instructions to include with your gift. 

• Keep in the freezer for a great cold pack
• To use as a hot pack heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes.

NOTE - If you use flannel, sew two lines of stitching or serge. It shreds easily. Make sure your cute fabric doesn't have anything like gold or sparkles painted on it because if it does it can't go in the microwave.

Medic is modeling it, much to his extreme humiliation.

One more week til Christmas

Are you hearing "One More Sleep til Christmas" in your head? You aren't?! Well then rent A Muppet Christmas Carol. If you can find the VHS version then you can hear this -

Okay not the song I was talking about but still. All the ladies wish it was still in the DVD version and all the men are thrilled it isn't.

Okay back to the main thing. Christmas...it's soon. 

As with all holiday meals it is hard to do a traditional meal without animal products. Traditionally it is a turkey, or a prime rib, or a ham, or if Dickens is involved - a goose.

Instead we did spaghetti! Noodles, Sauce, Bread and Salad are very easily vegan! Plus it is easy and everyone loves it! It is easy to serve, easy to make and easy to enjoy.

Look at all these happy faces!!!

We had a blast!!! Tomorrow I will give you awesome ideas for Vegan gifts that you can make in one day. And the next day gravies and the next day...

Well I guess I will just tell you!! On the 1st of the year one of you lucky readers are going to get a gift to get those New Year's Resolutions going!!!!! 

Stayed tuned and happy holidays!!!