I am in Minnesota. Boxes are (mostly) unpacked. Kitties are no longer terrified of being stuffed in a cat carrier and are fat and playful. Flour has been flung. Baked goods have been made. The air is chilly and warm lattes and hot cocoa are being consumed in [...]]]> Wowie. This month has just barreled along!

I am in Minnesota. Boxes are (mostly) unpacked. Kitties are no longer terrified of being stuffed in a cat carrier and are fat and playful. Flour has been flung. Baked goods have been made. The air is chilly and warm lattes and hot cocoa are being consumed in copious quantity.

Life is good.

So, I apologize for taking so long with the last drawing. Your suggestions were excellent and much appreciated. Therefore, I’m going to select 3 winners, one for each week since I posted the drawing. Each winner will get a random goodie bag of vegan treats.

Heather!

Em!

MollyG!

I’m adjusting to bad kitchen lighting and fleeting daylight, but I will have some new recipes up soon– just in time for soup/baked good/sweatpants weather!

Fall is in the air and along with the change in seasons comes a life change, too.

In two weeks I am moving back to my home state of Minnesota. (Hence, my lack of failing at participation in Vegan Mofo this year.) The whole time that I’ve been blogging these past 5 [...]]]>

Fall is in the air and along with the change in seasons comes a life change, too.

In two weeks I am moving back to my home state of Minnesota. (Hence, my lack of failing at participation in Vegan Mofo this year.) The whole time that I’ve been blogging these past 5 1/2 years has taken place in the Southwest and then the PacNW. While I’ve enjoyed (and gotten spoiled with) the effortless vegness that this part of the country provides, I’m looking forward to whipping up some mean vegan hotdish.

So, for 2 1/2 days I’ll be driving across the country with upset kitties, attempting to steel myself against the siren’s song of potato chips and soda (my road trip vices). This is where you guys come in.

I’m going to do a giveaway, but I don’t know what yet– it’s a surprise giveaway! Perhaps it will be some awesome vegan treat from Oregon or Minnesota or who knows! All I know at this point is that it will be good. Leave a comment with your favorite non-perishable road trip treat or meal to be entered. I’ll pick the winner next Monday, the 10th. That is, if I don’t get buried behind a pile of boxes and bins.

I have a serious issue with being overly ambitious at [...]]]> So awhile ago, the kind people at Clearly Fresh contacted me to see if I was interested in reviewing their produce storage bags. I’m a long time user of Debbie Meyer Green Bags, so I was happy to put them to the test.

I have a serious issue with being overly ambitious at the grocery store on Sundays. Kale! Chard! Brussels sprouts! Zucchini! Bell peppers! We’ll eat them all! Then as we creep towards the next weekend, or even upwards of two weeks later, I find those produce bags with questionable brown goo in them and shake my head at my naivete. Alas, I am slow to use my delicious veggies. It’s so sad to let them go to waste!

I’ve had good success with produce bags extending the shelf life long enough to minimize my veggie waste, so I happily swapped out the Green Bags for Clearly Fresh.

And what can I say– they work great! Not only do they help keep greens green and crisp, but they have a recloseable top that is priceless. You should see how many chip clips I’ve used to mangle a Green Bag closed before. I like the fact that they are also clear, so it’s easy to survey what you have in the fridge, plus there is an area to label the bag. And there are 10 bags in a bag of them, so you have plenty to go around.

Now it’s your turn to take Clearly Fresh for a test drive! Leave a comment with your favorite simple way to prepare your favorite summer vegetable. Next Tuesday I will pick a random winner to receive their own 10 pack.

Also, don’t forget that I still have a handful of lingering days left in my 20’s… leave a birthday treat idea on this post and be entered to win a copy of one of my books!

Not only do we have Treat of the Week this week, we have a super cool giveaway, too!

When you are a kid, there is nothing more exciting than getting the mail. My grandparents would always give me junk mail, which was so exciting, until I realized it [...]]]>

This week’s winner is: Heather! Congrats Heather!

Not only do we have Treat of the Week this week, we have a super cool giveaway, too!

When you are a kid, there is nothing more exciting than getting the mail. My grandparents would always give me junk mail, which was so exciting, until I realized it was just junk. Then as you get older, you appreciate junk mail more because it’s not a bill. Such is life of the adult.

Any time there is a box in the mail, that’s cause for extra excitement, I was super stoked to get this in the mail from the lovely people at Kelapo.

When they contacted me, as an avid coconut oil lover, to try their product and I was excited. And when they agreed to offer a jar of their product to one of my readers, I was extra excited!

Their coconut oil is definitely the creamiest that I’ve tried. It’s also the only brand I’ve tried that is both organic and fair trade, which is fabulous. I usually use it in my smoothies and have lately been relying on it to lend some great flavor to cream cheese icing as well. I decided to kick it up a notch and take it for a whirl in pie crust, with two of my summer favorites– strawberries and rhubarb.

To be fair, this isn’t a new recipe. It’s a throwback to a summer staple I posted a couple of years ago, but with a twist.

This is my standard Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe. What I did do differently, though is use 2 tbsp. less oil and splash more water in the dough. Then I divided the dough in half and returned half of it to the food process (my pie crust maker extraordinaire) and added 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup oatmeal for the crumble topping.

Let me just say that baking with coconut oil smells heavenly. It’s so amazing. And the crust was tender and buttery and delightful. Next up I want to try making some raw fudge. Any suggestions?

Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for your very own jar of Kelapo Coconut Oil! Winners will be drawn next Wednesday!

Sorry for the lack of Treat of the Week last week. I’ve been kind of crazy with things going on– including rejoining the world of the working! I got a wonderful job offer last week that I’m totally stoked about and I [...]]]>

Last week’s winner of the Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free cooking is: Liz Dean! Congrats!

Sorry for the lack of Treat of the Week last week. I’ve been kind of crazy with things going on– including rejoining the world of the working! I got a wonderful job offer last week that I’m totally stoked about and I can’t wait to start. Horray!

This weekend I got some time in at the Oregon Coast. It’s so crazy beautiful and I was graced with clear skies and comfortable enough temperatures to comfortably walk the beaches, do some trails and site see congregations of sea lions (it’s mating season, of course!)

Ah, Oregon. I luvs ya.

I’m so happy that spring is really, truly here!

In honor of that, this week I’m giving away a copy of my very own Have Your Cake and Vegan Too! Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing and I’ll actually be announcing the winner this Friday with the Treat of the Week!

In case you aren’t a fan of the lottery, I have also added some special shopping options to the site. I’m doing signed copies of both Have Your Cake and 100 Best, you can buy them separately or together, domestic or international! This is a limited time offer, simply to help me thin out my inventory, so get ‘em while I got ‘em!

Firstly off, for you Harry Potter nerds, today is the anniversary of the fall of Voldemort. Let us celebrate this historic occasion with the viewing of the trailer for The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, [...]]]>

The winner of the antioxidents book is: MollyG! Yay, Molly! See the end of this post for this week’s giveaway!

Firstly off, for you Harry Potter nerds, today is the anniversary of the fall of Voldemort. Let us celebrate this historic occasion with the viewing of the trailer for The Deathly Hallows Pt. 2, which was just released late last week.

I had my book signing at Hartwick’s this past Saturday. Hartwick’s was literally one of the very first places I ever came to in Eugene, years before we moved here, and I immediately fell in love. When debating places to contact to arrange a signing, they were at the top of my list. I had a great time, hundreds of samples were enjoyed by many Eugenians and visitors prepping for Sunday’s marathon.

And now, for this week’s giveaway, we have another title from Kelly Keough, her previous title Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Baking and Desserts. It’s all vegetarian and mostly vegan and is an excellent tome on baking and sweets with no gluten or sugar! How cool is that?!

Leave a comment and the winner will be drawn and announced next Monday, the 9th!

This week’s book giveaway is a very different kind of title:

The Antioxidant Counter is not a diet book, but rather a book that focuses on the quality of the food we eat. It provides information and quick reference to help [...]]]>

The winner of last week’s book giveaway is: lucky #12– Aubrey!!!

This week’s book giveaway is a very different kind of title:

The Antioxidant Counter is not a diet book, but rather a book that focuses on the quality of the food we eat. It provides information and quick reference to help make the most of meal time choices, so you are getting the most bang for your buck (or perhaps, nom for your nosh?). It also includes a recipe section that details not only what to eat, but why, and the majority of which are vegan. If you have an inquiring mind, like myself, this is a great little book.

So, like the past couple of weeks, leave a comment and the winner will be drawn next Monday!

Also, super cool tasty website news– if you are vegan and gluten-intolerant or just looking for more variety in your diet, check out the recently debuted [...]]]>

The winner of last week’s giveaway is: Lucky comment number #28!  Elisabeth from Czech Vegan!  Woo-hoo!  Read through to the end of this post for this week’s giveaway!

Also, super cool tasty website news– if you are vegan and gluten-intolerant or just looking for more variety in your diet, check out the recently debuted XGFX, a website hub for vegan and gluten-free goodies, brought to you by Allyson from Manifest Vegan, Jessy from happyfacevegan and Kittee from Cake Maker to the Stars. Read it! Cook from it! Contribute to it!

Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago what my favorite recipes from Have Your Cake and Vegan Too are. With 50 cakes of all types and sizes to pick from, I had to really think long and hard about this one. Like many lists I’ve made, I think this could fluctuate each day, depending on my feelings, cravings, the way the wind is blowing… Regardless, here is my Top 5 (for the moment). Oh yes, and another book giveaway!

#5
Spiced-Rice Cranberry Cake
This cake is baked in a rice cooker. I know, crazy huh? It makes for such an incredibly fluffy cake and it’s so simple… The spices really pop and the cranberries are so tender. We just love whipping up this simple cake that requires no oven, so it’s excellent for warm summer days.

#4
Orange You Glad It’s Pudding Cake
Warm and fluffy cake with a bit of crispness on the edges, with creamy orange pudding underneath. Ooh, baby. I eat this one straight out of the pan, I just throw a trivet on the table and we dig in. A little vanilla ice cream on top… This cake comes together super simply and you just throw it in the oven and let it do it’s thang.

#3
Pressed Plum Coffee Cake
This cake is tender and moist with a pleasantly dense crumb and the baked plums gain this wonderful sweetness to accompany their usual tang. It’s an elegant and SO SO SO simple breakfast cake that is easy to make and has a striking presentation.

#2
Amy’s Huh What Peaches Cake
Dedicated to my BFF, this cake is an upside down cake and is simple and incredibly intoxicating (baked peaches?! what could be better?) and the raspberry cream really just takes it over the top.

#1
Peanut Butter Chocolate Dream Cake
Haha, you silly people! Did you really think I would make any kind of list that wouldn’t include chocolate and peanut butter? No way! Moist chocolate cake layers, fluffy PB cream in the middle and the motherlode– ganache!- on top? Oh yeah, me likey.

Whew! Even a I write this, I’m mentally reordering it and and adding other cakes in… they are just too good! You’ll have to pick up a copy of this tasty guide to all that is cakey and see what tickles your taste buds!

Now, onto the giveaway! After all that cake, what do you say about a little bit of healthy livin’?

I’ve been trying to get you guys excited about green smoothies- how about a tasty book to help you experience the deliciousness and nutrition that green smoothies can bring to your life?

Robyn Openshaw’s book on green smoothies is like a yummy crash course that will have you tossing kale into your blender in no time! Leave a comment to be entered into the drawing and the winner be announced next Monday!

…and it can be yours.

Warehouses started receiving their shipments mid-week last week, so they should be arriving at bookstores and mailboxes any day. If you tested for me, I will be getting your copies in the mail by Tuesday, so you can expect them soon.

Want [...]]]> My new baby is here:

…and it can be yours.

Warehouses started receiving their shipments mid-week last week, so they should be arriving at bookstores and mailboxes any day. If you tested for me, I will be getting your copies in the mail by Tuesday, so you can expect them soon.

Want to support a vegan cookbook author? Request my book at your local bookstore. Not only do you get it, it might inspire them to keep it in stock if they don’t already. Or you can go double vegan (all the way, across the sky) and buy it from a vegan-owned store (once it’s in stock).

Another option? Gambling, of course! Leave a comment and I will draw a lucky winner to receive a copy of Have Your Cake and Vegan Too this Friday!

Again, I [...]]]> This week concludes my series on nutrition. If you haven’t seen the other videos, I highly recommend at least watching this one. This week I cover food labeling, how to read the nutrition facts, FDA guidelines on some things that can and can’t be said on food packaging, the food pyramid and more!

Again, I am now up in iTunes as a video podcast, so just search for “nom blog” and you’ll find all 3 nutrition videos, plus 3 older cooking show videos and whatever else is to come.

Here are some links for further info related to the show:

*A link to reading nutrition facts on food labels.

*A link on fast food marketing.

*A link to the “Clean 15″ and the “Dirty Dozen”, useful to have with you at the grocery store.

Oh, yes, and wait, a giveaway!

Nothing too big, as I have some awesome surprises and contests coming up in the very near future, but I will pick 2 people who leave comments related to this week’s video to receive a copy of one of my very favorite stickers:

And now, on to the show!