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.

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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!!!

We are still here!

Sorry to be MIA but we are still in action. We have just been so busy! We have a backlog of stuff to show you. Continue to stay tuned.

Sunday Morning Pancakes

I love Sundays. By far my favorite day of the week. On a typical Sunday here is our family schedule -

Hang out

Go get coffee and hot chocolate at River Maiden

Driving around and looking at houses we can't afford

Today we are adding in pancakes. 

I used to be a Snoqualmie Pancake Mix snob. Sadly, they use buttermilk and egg yolks in their mix. So now I need to make them from scratch.

The first issue is eggs. A lot of things can replace eggs, but for this I am using flax eggs.

Flax egg = 1 tablespoon flax flour (fresh ground is really best) + 3 tablespoons water. Let is rest in the fridge for about twenty minutes. 

The next issue is milk. Use your favorite milk substitute, I am using rice milk. Remember even "Original" contains sugar, so if you don't like sweet pancakes you may want to omit the sugar in the recipe.

Pancake Recipe  (makes 4-6)

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1.5 tablespoons raw sugar
• 1 cup rice milk
• 2 tablespoons melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread (this is salted so you don't need to add salt to recipe)
• 1 flax egg

Mix the dry ingredients together (including sugar). Mix wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, don't over-mix. A few lumps are okay.

Over medium heat pour 1/3 cup mix on to pan. (Use whatever oil you desire to make it non-stick). When the edges of pancake start to get dry and there are a lot of bubbles; flip your pancake. I swear, wait until the edges are dry and you will always get a well cooked pancake.

You may want to warm up your oven if you are making a lot, so you can keep them warm while you make stacks of pancakes for your loved ones. 

Top with REAL maple syrup. (and peanut butter, if you live in our house.)

**Kris doesn't really like pancakes. He just told me that he really likes these! He even said "Husband approved!" That's high praise.**

Squash, Anyone?

So I totally said I would put this recipe up today only it turns out that "today" was three weeks ago. Whoops. There are excuse, some of them valid but let's just pretend this happened right away and I am an excellent blogger.

Okay moving on.

Acorn Squash Filled with Onions, Sage and Oyster Mushrooms (this is a variation of something I saw on jointhereboot.com)

You will need -

• An acorn squash
• Sage
• Yellow onion
• Oyster Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Chili flakes
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

First take an acorn squash cut the ends off, cut it in half lengthwise -

Get rid of the guts brush it with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on it -

Turn it upside down and bake on foil or parchment paper at 450 degrees for 35-40 minutes until it is soft. Seriously make sure it is soft. Mine wasn't done all the way and it sucked.

While baking the acorn squash dice up a medium yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic and sauté with olive oil over medium heat. You don't want the garlic to burn - 

Add fresh sage. About this much... -

Get your oyster mushrooms (or any you want, I like these because I am new to mushrooms and they have a pretty delicate taste and texture) and chop them into small pieces.

Add to them to the pan and let everything get nice and soft -

If you are like me you may want to add a few dashes of chili flakes. It was a nice kick. I buy them in the bulk section. Turn down the heat on the pan to low until your squash is soft.

Once your squash is nice and ready, flip it over and spoon the mixture into it. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Tah dah!

 If you go sparingly on the oil this is a really healthy meal!! Low fat, high in fiber and it kinda makes you feel domestic.

I ate a Muchas Gracias burrito in less than 3 minutes

It was 11 in the morning.

It was so awesome that I stared down at my wrapper in disappointment that it was all in my belly already. I only made it through 1.5 hot sauces.

But Gretchen!! Dude, you can't eat Muchas Gracias burritos. Those days are over!! They are all lardy and cheesy.

Not so, says I.

Get your burrito loving booty the awesome Muchas that used to be an A&W. They have the "Vegan Burrito" on their menu.

Whole wheat tortilla, whole pinto beans, guacamole, lettuce and pico de gallo. All for like $3. I paid a little more because the guy at the drive through flirted with me so much I tipped him.

Really. I tipped the drive-thru guy and then I ate my burrito in less than 3 minutes.

I am not even remotely ashamed.

This day rules.