pornographic cashew... 

Saturday, November 20, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 9:07 PM
The little cashew that could....

I'm off to Paris to do my demo at Paris Vegan Day, and also, to squeeze in a much-needed vacation. Since I've been frantically tying up loose ends before I leave, I have been living off leftovers for the past week.  I was a bit disheartened at the fact that I didn't have any new and exciting food shots to post. And then I saw it, a standout amongst its not-so-well endowed peers. This little cashew gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "food porn."

These phallic foodstuffs seem to be a "popping up" rather frequently in my life, as of late. [Some of you may recall my recent adventures with Phallic Caponata.]  I don't know if they find me, or if it's the way I see things. But it sure makes suppertime a lot more interesting, wouldn't you say?

See you when I get back in a few weeks. À très bientôt...

9 vegabytes

vegan mish-mash 

Saturday, November 13, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 2:14 PM
Sorry for the delay in putting up this post. I've been dealing with a slightly scary medical problem [not fun] – and preparing for my cooking demonstration at Paris Vegan Day [loads of fun!]. Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terri Hope Romero, Virginie Péan of Absolutely Green, The Urban Housewife, and many other cool herbivores will also be giving talks/doing demos. Oh là là! More on both later. Until then, I hope these shots of what I've been consuming and doing lately will tide you over. 

First, the doing...
I met one of my favorite food writers, Nigella Lawson, at a book signing. I gave her a copy of my cookbook, and she seemed genuinely touched.  She's even more gorgeous in person, if you can believe that.


Here's what Nigella wrote inside her new book, Nigella Kitchen...  It's impeccably written, as you would expect nothing less from Nigella. I love how she approaches food on such a visceral, sensual level. Yes, many recipes are meaty. But yes, everything translates quite nicely to vegan. 



Melisser Elliot, the lovely Urban Housewife, was also in town, promoting her fab new book, The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life. We caught up at the Grindcore House, South Philadelphia's newest vegan café.  See you in Paris, Melisser!


Next, the consuming...

 CSA share watermelon radishes...


That quickly became...


Sauteed radishes. When you saute radishes, it tempers their bite, making them taste ever-so-slightly like mushrooms.


Chickpeas with chard and turnip greens...a classic beans-n-greens combo.


New recipe! Pumpkin-Maple Muffins. WIth coffee, these are heavenly: light as feathers and just sweet enough.


From heavenly to devilish. Tis the season, after all! Try Silk Nog with just a tiny splash of rum, and a dusting of nutmeg. Serve it to your non-vegan friends and believe me, they won't ask any questions.


The more virtuous side of me used the bunch of spearmint from my CSA share to make nana, or mint tea.  I love this simple-but-elegant tea pot that Jeff and Amy, my nephew and his wife, gave me for Christmas last year.


Virtuous yet utterly hedonistic, I threw together this dessert smoothie using almond milk, raw coconut,  medjool dates, vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon. Seriously addictive.


Finally, I was too tired to cook last night, so I  whipped up this chef's salad using arugula, lettuce, tomatoes, jicama, seitan,  and toasted walnuts, tossed with a basic vinaigrette dressing. Until next time, bon appétit!

19 vegabytes

veggie curry in 4 easy steps 

Monday, November 01, 2010 - Posted by urban vegan at 7:58 PM
Curry in a hurry...
This easy recipe uses pantry staples and demystifies Thai curry. It's so much easier than you think!




1. Buy your favorite curry paste. I purchased mine at my friendly Asian supermarket, but these days, you can find curry paste at ethnic markets, gourmet shops and just about everyplace in between. Don't forget to read the ingredients, because some pastes contain shrimp paste.





2. Heat some oil in a casserole over medium-low. When it's warm, add curry paste to taste [A few tablespoons to start], then toss in chopped onions, garlic, and ginger, if you like [Although some curry pastes already contain more than enough ginger]. Saute until the veggies are transparent and the paste is well integrated into the oil.




3. Whisk in a can of coconut milk. [Light is fine if you're fat-conscious]. Stir well to blend in the paste. My Penang curry paste tinted the broth a glowy ochre.





4. Add chopped veggies of your choice, then cook partially covered until tender. I used CSA share organic carrots, cauliflower, collards, and sweet potato, along with some cilantro to balance the heat. Other solid curry veggies include peppers, beans, potatoes, and snow peas. Don't be afraid to experiment: toss it in and see what happens! Serve over rice. It's that easy.

27 vegabytes

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