A Tempeh Tantrum

Happy World Vegan Day / Month!

2013-11-01T20:56:00.003-04:00

What a perfect time to get the blog going again! We are getting World Vegan Month started on the right foot at our house. Jess started her Pile On The Miles Challenge and we've been making some recipes from the Eat to Live Cookbook (We'll have a review post soon!)

We have a party to go to tomorrow and we are still deciding what to bring. Trying to be healthy seems to make food-centric gatherings harder. I have plenty of unhealthy recipes to please the omnis. I'm thinking perhaps a crockpot soup and a veggie tray with guaca-hummus. What are your favorite healthy recipes for large gatherings?

Reis says "Have a great World Vegan Day / Month!"

"& BEING NAUGHTY" indeed!

Pile on the Miles

2013-10-30T19:42:00.000-04:00

I've accepted a challenge! Monica at Run Eat Repeat recently wrote about a contest that she does every November to see who can run the most miles. It's called Pile on the Miles and this year, she has changed the rules a bit. Everyone sets their own goal for the month. I've decided to join to get myself back into running more regularly. I've done a few 5Ks since having Reis, but nothing consistent. I'll be doing another 5K on Thanksgiving, so this will help me prepare. I'm going to do a post every Sunday to keep track of my progress. My personal goal is to run 50 miles over the course of the month.

Anyone else want to join me?

Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the World, Reis! (6 months belated)

2013-10-29T21:17:00.000-04:00

On May 8, 2013 at 7:19pm, after 19 hours of labor, our world changed forever. Reis Chamberlin Smith weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 inches long.

So, what is life like now? Pretty chaotic, as I’m sure you can tell. It’s been almost 8 months since we have written anything! Reis is almost 6 months old now and he seems to grow and learn new things daily. We are lucky that he is a very happy baby!

Unfortunately though, Reis is not vegan right now. I started out trying to breastfeed him. I won’t go into all of the details, but it was quite the ordeal. Reis was considered to be underweight and they had to check his blood sugar regularly to see if he was getting anything. His blood sugar stayed low and they had to supplement with formula. Not a single drop of colostrums or breast milk ever came out. We tried it all, and nothing worked.

For the first 4 weeks, he was a pretty miserable little guy. We ended up figuring out that he has a milk protein allergy. So, we went to soy formula. He also developed an allergy to that. He is now on a formula that is made of milk, but the protein is broken down so that he is able to digest it. He has become a totally different baby since starting this. The crying stopped within days. Thank god for science!

Reis’ doctor thinks that he will outgrow these allergies by the time that he is a year old. I have a suspicion that he will always have a tough time with dairy. He recently developed bronchiolitis and I have read that this can also be a result of a milk allergy. It is also a sign that he could develop asthma. Avoiding dairy is a common thing for asthmatics. So, Reis will become vegan as soon as we can manage it.

I am going to request that allergy testing be done on Reis once he is old enough. We will move forward with food choices for him after that. We have agreed that Reis will eat vegan as much as we can control it. We won’t get upset if he has something that isn’t vegan (as long as it isn’t causing a reaction). We are hoping that educating him about why we eat this way will help him to make choices of his own when he is older. Basically, our plan is just to try our best.

As for me, I’m still a work in progress. I’ve been mostly vegan since Reis was born. However, I haven’t been the healthiest lately. Since Reis was born, I’ve lost 35 of the 38 pounds that I gained. The last few pounds seem to want to stick around. I’m working on not making excuses and getting back to a whole foods, plant based diet. I just purchased the Eat to Live Cookbook by Dr. Fuhrman and it’s been inspiring me to get back on track. I’ll write a review of some of the recipes shortly.

Are there any mommies out there who need to get back on track, too? Maybe we could start our own little group to support each other and give ideas. Leave a comment if you are interested!

Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, September 2013

Recipe: Peanut Soba Noodles

2013-03-27T21:11:00.001-04:00

Jess and I make a trip up to Ithaca, NY every month or two. We pick up some grocery items that can't be found in Corning and stop for a bite to eat at one of the many veg-friendly restaurants, such as the famous Moosewood. One of the items we pick up nearly every visit is a container of Macro Mamas' peanut noodles.

Here I create peanut noodles that don't require my wife and I to travel 45 minutes. This dish is absolutely delicious and goes together quickly and easily.

Instructions:

1 package (~10.5 oz) soba noodles
1 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
6 green onions, sliced thinly

1/2 cup peanut butter (I like crunchy variety for texture)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1-2 Tbsp Siracha hot sauce (depending on your taste)
sesame seeds

Cook soba noodles according to package directions, running under cold water afterward to halt cooking.

Place noodles in a large mixing bowl along with carrot, peppers, and green onion.

In a second bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients to create the dressing. Pour the dressing over the noodles and vegetables.

Toss it all together, sprinkle a few pinches of sesame seeds on the top, take a bite, and imagine you've been whisked away to the magical land of Ithaca.

(Also, baking some tofu to throw into the mix would be a pretty tasty decision, too, but baked tofu is a post for another day.)

Recipe: Vegan Macaroni and “Cheese”

2013-03-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

This is probably the unhealthiest meal I have ever prepared. I got the original (non-vegan) recipe from an old boss of mine. I honestly don’t know if the original was better or worse, but he even went as far as to top it with crushed Cheese-Its! I often bring this dish to parties with omnivores. No one ever knows that it’s vegan unless they know that I brought it. It’s always a huge hit!

There isn’t a picture with this recipe because I didn’t want to be tempted to eat it. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and I have to face the dreaded scale! Next time we make this, we'll be sure to update this post, though!

Ingredients:

1 lb macaroni
1 stick Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1/4 - 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper (depending on your taste)
3-6 Tbsp flour
1 pint of soy creamer
1 bag of Daiya cheddar or mozzarella style shreds
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the macaroni al dente and transfer to a greased 9" x 13" casserole dish.

Melt the Earth Balance in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.

Add salt, thyme, and crushed red pepper. This may seem like a large amount of salt, but it is needed to counter the sweetness of the soy creamer. Taste the sauce while putting it together and add more salt or crushed pepper if needed.

Add the flour and cook until thickened and bubbling – about 4-5 minutes. Stir constantly under low flame. Don’t let it brown or burn.

Add slowly, but stir voraciously at first, the soy creamer. Keep stirring until all of the creamer is in. Increase the heat to medium flame and bring to a simmer.

Add the Daiya to the sauce and continue to stir over heat until it has melted. The sauce will separate easily at this point, so stirring constantly is important.

Pour into the casserole dish over the cooked macaroni and stir until the sauce covers the pasta evenly.

Cover the casserole with bread crumbs. Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy! (But in moderation, Hahaha.)

Our Liebster Award Acceptance Speech

2013-03-21T08:42:00.001-04:00

So, if any of you scroll down far enough on the Confession Time! post, you may notice that Quincy Leah of the blog Shugurcan commented to us a nomination for the Liebster Award!

The Liebster Award is a cool little award that is given from one blogger to another, like a chain letter. Unlike a chain letter, though, you pass on the Liebster Award not to avoid a curse or ensure an ideal romance or whatever other superstition the given letter may choose to prey upon, but instead it's passed on to help build a stronger community of bloggers.

The Award builds community by asking participants to: Thank the blogger who nominated you with a link back to their blog; List 11 random facts about yourself and your blog; Answer 11 questions from the nominator; Nominate up to 11 blogs with 200 followers or fewer with a comment on their blog; Ask 11 questions for your nominees to answer in their own blog.

So, we may as well get right into it!

11 Random Facts About Jess and Josiah:

Jess is deathly afraid of moths.
Josiah broke his knee in two... while bowling.
Jess has weird thumbs. They're too short. Look up Megan Fox's thumbs on Google Image Search if you're needing a visual.
Josiah works for Corning Incorporated, mixing all sorts of nifty chemicals together.
Jess works as the Director of Corporate Compliance for an area nursing home.
Despite hating most of the contestants and despising most of the foods the show pushes, we continue to watch The Biggest Loser.
We're expecting our first child on or around May 5th.
We don't know the gender of the baby. Jess won't even venture to guess at it. Josiah thinks it's a boy. Then he thinks it's a girl. Then he thinks it's a boy. Right now he thinks it's a girl.
Jess's favorite dinner is hands-down Kale with Black-eyed Peas (The baby likes it, too)
Josiah's favorite dinner is Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA.
Our dog Obi often has gas so bad that it smells like a skunk has entered the room.

Answering Quincy of Shugurcan's 11 Questions:

What made you interested in food and fitness?
Food tastes good; vegan food tastes good and kind. Josiah is certainly interested in cooking. That was sparked when he was bedridden after a knee surgery. He had to watch more than his fair share of television. Lo' and behold, when he was back on his feet, he had absorbed a lot of cooking technique from the Food Network and was enthusiastic about trying them out.
What was your favorite subject in school?
Jess liked French and Psycology. She liked French so much mostly because she recalls her French teacher telling the story of her being stuck on a raft, smoking weed during the 1972 flood of our fair city, Corning, NY.
Josiah was always an art student, through and through. Any extra study hall time was spent in the art room. And of course, he moved on to study Design and Imaging in college at RIT.
Do you own any pets and if so, what kind?
We own two dogs, Ella and Obi. They are Boston Terriers, are obsessive snugglers, and are occasionally good.
How long have you been blogging for?
The blog has been online for about a year and a half, though it had a period of hiatus while home improvement projects and a pregnancy consumed all free time and energy. A Tempeh Tantrum is back to active now, though!
What the first concert you went to?
Oddly enough, both of our first concerts were in fact the same concert! Well before we had actually met--nearly a decade prior--we both saw Hootie and the Blowfish (Remember them!?)
If you could live in any decade, which would it be?
We would both choose the 60's. Jess would live then because of the cultural changes going on and all of the great music of the era. Josiah would live then to be with Jess. And he's a fan of mind-enhancing drugs.
Are you a night person or a morning person?
It most certainly depends upon the day of the week. If there's a day of work ahead, we'll take the night. Also, with Jess being pregnant, she's been awfully tired more or less all the time.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pineapple. Jess hasn't craved too many odd foods with her pregnancy, but she has craved pineapple, pineapple, and more pineapple. If our count is correct, we have gone through 8 fresh pineapples in just the past 2 months or so. Also, we've eaten one or two cans of pineapple on tonp of that.
What is your favorite hobby?
Josiah is still a child at heart and plays video games when he has the time. Running is the hobby of choice for Jess. And being pregnant is getting in the way of that. In that regard, she is more than ready to not be pregnant anymore.
Do you like coffee or tea (or neither)?
Jess misses her blueberry coffee, but she's moved to mint tea since our baby's started growing in her. Josiah isn't pregnant, so he still drinks plenty of coffee. Maybe even too much.
Do you prefer big parties or small group gatherings?
Small group gatherings. We both love all our friends dearly, but get anxious with too many people around.

Now, I'm sure you're getting sick of hearing all about us, so let's move on to our list of Liebster Award nominees! Drum roll, please! (Reader's Note: You're responsible for providing your own drum roll.) Our Liebster Award nominees are as follows:

11 Questions For Our Nominees:

How long have you been blogging?
What's your all-time favorite post on your blog?
What do you think is the king of vegetables?
What's a typical dinner look like for you?
What's your favorite book?
Dogs or Cats?
What was the first thing you wanted to grow up to be?
What are some of your favorite TV shows?
Where would you most like to go if I were to hand you a plane ticket right now?
Which would you choose: robotic super-legs or robotic super-arms?
What are you wearing? *Sly Wink*

And there we have it! Our acceptance of the Liebster Award! We had fun and urge you all to check out Shugurcan, who nominated A Tempeh Tantrum, as well as all the blogs we have in turn nominated.

Thanks for reading! Eat green!

Recipe: Corned Seitan

2013-03-16T09:23:00.001-04:00

Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. That means it’s time to celebrate the sliver of Irish blood that courses in my veins. I may not have matured all that much, but I’ve matured just enough so that I won’t be taking the day off from work to drink it away with my friends like I have in prior years. So, instead of overindulging in holiday appropriate beers and liquors, I overindulge in holiday appropriate foods.

Nothing says St. Patty’s Day like corned beef and cabbage (besides perhaps soda bread, but I have to save something to post for the holiday next year). So, I’ve come up with this recipe for the vegan-friendly alternative, corned seitan.

This seitan would go outstandingly roasted up with some cabbage, or sliced thinly and put onto some rye with some sauerkraut for a fantastic vegan reuben.

Ingredients:

1 c. vital wheat gluten
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash clove
dash allspice

1/4 c. vinegar (white or apple cider)
1/4 c. yellow mustard
1/4 c. gin
2 Tbsp olive oil

Firstly, this can be cooked in a couple different ways. You can either simmer the seitan in a pot of water, or if you have a steamer basket it can be steamed. In my experience simmering will provide a lighter, less dense texture—that my wife prefers—while steaming makes the seitan a bit meatier—which I prefer. So, get a pot of water on the stove on high to come to a boil—three inches deep or so if you plan to simmer, only about one inch deep if steaming.

While the water is heating, combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients thoroughly (I sieve all ingredients through a mesh colander too, just to ensure there’s no clumps). In a second bowl, mix the wet ingredients and stir together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until uniformly moistened. Knead the mixture for 2 minutes. Then form into a loaf-like shape and wrap into either some cheese cloth.

If simmering, drop the wrapped seitan into the water and simmer for 40 minutes. If steaming, set the wrapped seitan onto the steamer basket and steam for 30 minutes.

Once the 40 or 30 minutes are up, remove the seitan and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Unwrap the seitan and cut it up in thick slices for the dinner plate or thin slices for sandwiches.

Hope you enjoy! May the road rise to meet you!

Confession Time!

2013-03-12T22:10:00.000-04:00

Because we haven’t posted anything in ages, we haven’t had a chance to announce that we are expecting our first child in the beginning of May! We do not know if it is a boy or a girl. So far, it has been a fairly easy pregnancy, but here is where the confession comes….

Hello, my name is Jessica and I’m a cheese-a-holic.

For the first two trimesters, I fell off of the Vegan wagon. I cannot explain in words the exhaustion and nausea that I felt in the first trimester. I didn’t want to eat anything at all, but just the thought of vegetables made me sick. Of course, that’s the worst food aversion possible for a vegan. If I didn’t eat, the nausea just got worse. Thankfully, I never had any actual morning sickness. Some days I thought it might have been better, though.

I used all of this as an excuse and started eating dairy and eggs again. Am I mad at myself for this? Of course I am. However, I refuse to beat myself up over it. That isn’t going to help or change anything. I know myself well enough to know that if I do that, I’ll never get back to veganism.

I started to feel better in the second trimester, but the addictive properties of dairy had their hold on me. Also, by this point, our friends and family knew that I had gone back to a vegetarian diet. It was hard to tell them that I changed my mind… again. So, I continued eating this way and feeling guilty.

A funny thing happens when you’re pregnant. The opinions and concerns of others seem to make you worry more, especially if it comes from a medical professional. For example, I asked my doctor at my first appointment if I could continue running. I had heard from other runners that it was okay as long as you were already running regularly. My doctor actually told me no! He said that I would be putting the baby at risk for having a low birth weight. I now know that this isn’t true and I should have trusted my own instinct and research. When someone tells you that you will hurt your baby, and that person is a doctor, you will believe them.

So, then came the nutrition lecture. At my doctor’s office, they require all pregnant women to sit down with a Registered Nurse to discuss nutrition, things to avoid, family history, etc. They also weigh you at this visit which made me mad, but that’s another story. Josiah didn’t come with me to this appointment. When I told the nurse that I didn’t eat meat, I thought her head would explode. So, to make up for it, I told her that I drank milk. I still haven’t drunk any actual cow’s milk, but I figured that she didn’t need to know that this was of the plant variety. She immediately sent 100’s of doubts into my mind. I should have known better because I am aware of how little education they receive on nutrition. Funny enough—despite the pressures she laid on me to eat meat—when she went on to explain all of the foods that I should avoid most of them were meat and seafood. I wanted to make a smart comment, but I kept my mouth shut.

What has gotten me headed back towards veganism? An old friend of mine contacted me with questions and needed advice after watching Vegucated and Forks over Knives. This girl was the queen of bacon and cheese. She seemed really motivated and excited and it reminded me of why I first chose this lifestyle. Another thing was an image that I saw on Pinterest. It said “The reason people awaken, is because they have finally stopped agreeing to things that insult their soul.” What the hell was I doing!? I had gone against everything that I believed in. I consider Veganism to be like a religion to me and I had abandoned it. I have a strong desire to raise our children to respect all living things and I wasn’t doing it myself.

Then there is the health aspect. I can’t think about it too much right now, because it freaks me out. Actually—not going to lie—the whole having a human inside of me thing freaks me out. However, I’ve also been reading Happy Herbivore’s blog every day. She has always inspired and motivated me, but it seems to be more so now that I need to stay healthy for my baby. Luckily the vegetable aversion has gone away by now. I’ve also noticed that my weight gain has slowed significantly now that I’m not eating dairy and eggs.

I suppose I should mention that I never went out and bought gallons of milk, dozens of eggs, or pounds of cheese. I was consuming these things in foods at restaurants or foods that were already prepared. In other words, crap that I shouldn’t have eaten anyway. I can make all of the excuses in the world, but I will never say that it was out of laziness. I honestly did not feel like myself. My whole body felt out of whack and it was as if I wasn’t even in it anymore. I was lucky to stay awake for an entire day. Feeling that tired just made it seem okay to reach for the first food item that sounded even remotely appetizing.

I’m going to face a few struggles going forward. They are all social issues, which are the hardest for me. Right before finding out that I was pregnant (7 days before to be exact), I accepted my dream job. By the time that I started, four weeks later, I was eating as a vegetarian. This job is in a less rural area than the last one and the way that I eat seems completely alien to everyone there. I’ve had to remind people who try to get me to eat something with meat in it numerous times that I’m vegetarian. It’s gotten to be almost awkward. Yesterday I lied and said that I had errands to run on my lunch break to avoid the conversation of why I couldn’t eat the subs that someone had brought in. I’m such a chicken sometimes. I obviously need to work on my backbone again.

Another thing that I need to remember is to plan better! Just the other day we went to a family event and I hadn’t planned anything to bring. I brought some vegan blueberry bread, but that wasn’t enough for a whole meal. I ended up eating a very small quantity of the vegetarian foods just to be polite. Next time, I’ll remember to make some more food. I blame pregnancy brain.

Josiah and I have every intention of raising this child as vegan as we possibly can. I’ll even be that mom who brings a separate cupcake to parties if I have to. Luckily, the day care we have chosen has an excellent vegetarian menu and it should be easy enough to avoid the small amount of dairy in it. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. We have decided that we will not freak out if our child eats something that isn’t vegan. As we have mentioned before, we live in a relatively small town and not many people know what vegan means. Adults around here also LOVE to give children treats. I’m sure that’s everywhere, but I’m just starting to notice it. So, it’s bound to happen. I’m sure that this is going to be a huge learning process and our philosophy may change along the way. This is where we are starting and I’m really excited about it.

It feels good to be back.

Justin Timberlake Brought It On Down To Veganville

2013-03-11T21:32:00.000-04:00

Justin Timberlake hosted SNL this past weekend which I've found to be a pretty good indicator that it's going to be an entertaining episode. Justin has been featured in a huge portion of the most memorable sketches to come out of SNL in the past few years. He's shown us all how to love a mother, how to give the most memorable gifts, and how to conduct oneself around the ladies.

One memorable sketch from 2007 had Justin dressed in an enormous, foam cup o' soup suit. They rehashed that premise with the latest episode, but rather than a cup o' soup, Justin donned a suit fashioned to look like a giant brick of tofu! He danced and sang to encourage passers-by to "Bring it on down to Veganville", the new vegan restaurant on the block.

Not only was veganism featured on television, but it was funny! And not only was it funny, but the sketch ended with veganism winning over the sausage-peddling rival!

Kudos to SNL and Justin. I'll keep my fingers crossed that his next appearance on SNL will likewise include a nod to those of us with a kinder diet.

Television Review: How To Live To 100 With Jason Wrobel

2013-03-04T20:16:00.000-05:00

The day has finally come. The Cooking Channel has at last featured a special—first aired a few weeks ago—all about the benefits of a vegan diet. It’s about time! Well, let’s plop ourselves down on the couch and enjoy some How To Live To 100 With Jason Wrobel. This ought to be great, right? Right? …right?

I really, really wanted to like this show, but in the end, there were too many elements that turned me off and I came away feeling like it was a poor representation of a vegan diet and culture. As a matter of fact, my first complaint is that the show seemed to go out of its way to avoid saying that it was proposing a vegan diet. The V-word was only used once in the entire show and it was used derogatorily when Jason’s “neighbor” called him “vegan boy”. I know it was just a jest, but the show could have benefited from at least one instance of “vegan” being used in a positive tone.

All the recipes, of course, are vegan, but the show makes it seem coincidental. The foods are presented as having health benefits from their antioxidant-rich ingredients. This is fantastic, but the health benefits of a vegan diet cannot be summed up in the foods that it includes. Equally important are the foods that a vegan diet excludes. The foods highlighted in the show all sounded delicious and healthy, but if they’re eaten as a side to a double cheeseburger or a 24 oz. steak, the benefits are sure to be slim.

Aside from the show’s issues regarding the presentation of veganism, I found the show was just too difficult to enjoy. Jason Wrobel has an on-screen personality that is just too over-the-top. The jokes were seldom clever and he punctuated the poor jokes with outrageous expressions that did nothing but prompt my eyes to roll. Wrobel has said in interviews that his intent was to create a “cooking show meets sitcom”. It all comes off as trying far too hard, though. Especially disappointing is that this ineffectual humor element ends up consuming so much screen time that the recipe segments seemed to take a sideline to Wrobel being a ham. I for one prefer my cooking shows to be cooking shows and my sitcoms to be sitcoms.

So, my excitement over a vegan television show on the Cooking Channel has been tempered by the realization that I don’t actually enjoy the show, but in the end, it is an important step for veganism. With luck, How To Live To 100 will be at least successful enough to motivate additional vegan shows in the future. And for that reason, I still urge you to check out the show if for no other reason than to buttress the show’s ratings. Though I didn’t care for it, perhaps To Live To 100 With Jason Wrobel will resonate more with some of you.

Thanks for reading!

Recipe: Deviled Spuds

2013-03-01T21:47:00.001-05:00

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted any recipes. This one is pretty cool, though, so it will hopefully make up for the lull in posted content.

Deviled eggs have been a staple of dish-to-pass occasions since the days of ancient Rome (according to Wikipedia) and command a passion from fans unmatched by most other dishes. What other foods can brag that there are serving platters in thousands of kitchens designed specifically for them?

Unfortunately, though, egg stuffed with more egg isn’t very vegan friendly. This recipe instead opts to use potato in the place of the eggs, but keeps all the deviled flavors that are found in the traditional egg dish.

Ingredients:

6 egg-sized potatoes, peeled and halved
1/4 c. vegenaise
1 Tbsp sweet relish
1 Tbsp grated onion
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp fresh ground white pepper
Paprika or chili powder, for garnish

Put potatoes into a pot of salted water. Bring pot to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Carefully strain potatoes from the water.

Once cooled, gently scoop a yolk-sized piece of potato from the center of each potato half. A melon baller worked perfectly when I made my test batch.

In a mixing bowl, mash all potato “yolks” until as smooth as possible. Add all additional ingredients to the mashed potatoes and mix thoroughly.

Place the potato shells round side down on a platter and lightly salt the upright side of each. Fill each potato shell with a scoop of the mashed potato mixture.

Dust with the paprika. Serve cool.

UPDATE: After posting this recipe to reddit, user smallwhiteflower had a great suggestion. Check out their comment here.

Recipe: Josiah's Simple Gazpacho

2012-03-02T09:23:00.000-05:00

Jess and I stuck to a raw diet for a few week period. We've gone back to cooking some of our foods, but our brief raw experiment allowed me the opportunity to make one of my favorite soups that I usually only make in the hottest months of summer. This gazpacho, we found, is just as tasty even in the chilly months of winter!

Ingredients:

5 medium tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 medium cucumber, finely diced
1 large carrot, grated
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin
3-4 dashes hot sauce
3-4 drops liquid smoke (optional)

Cut the tomatoes into large pieces (knife precision will not matter on the tomatoes). Place the tomato and garlic into a high speed blender and blend until silky smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour for the flavors to meld together. Serve and enjoy!

A Change in Direction...

2012-02-25T10:00:00.003-05:00

After two weeks, I've decided to change my course slightly. This week was pretty rough in a few areas. Work has been crazy so that hasn't helped my stress levels at all. And then there's the food.... We used the dehydrator a lot this week. It's really nice and it works wonderfully. However, a majority of the food that we prepared in it, was nut and seed based. We made bread, burgers, and pizza crust that all had a lot of flax meal in them. Very rarely have I felt any worse than after eating these types of food. They make me absolutely nauseous. In fact, I took some pretty good pictures of the burgers and I don't even have the stomach to include them in here. They all tasted fine, but they did not make me feel fine. Maybe it's just my system and I don't have a good tolerance for large amounts of these foods. I also wonder, if a majority of my protein is coming from nuts and seeds, how much do I have to eat to meet my requirements? I am drinking a Vega smoothie daily, but I still need a lot of protein after that. I just feel gross. I never got that marvelous feeling that is supposed to come from a raw diet.

So, like I said, I've decided to make a change. I'm still going to be eating a large amount of raw fruits and vegetables. I'm just going to allow myself to eat whole and cooked foods. I guess you could say that I'm going to stick with an Engine 2 type of diet, with large amounts of fresh produce (For more information about this just Google "whole plant based diet", "Engine 2", "Caldwell Esslestyn", or "The China Study"). Oh and I'm going to continue with smoothies because I think that the Engine 2 idea that they are unhealthy is ridiculous. Basically, I'm not going to be eating processed foods with no nutritional value. I'm also going to be cutting oil down to a minimum. The raw diet allows for oil, but I just can't get on that bandwagon.

I also just got Brendan Brazier's new book, Thrive Foods. He doesn't necessarily call for a 100% raw diet, so there is a good mix of raw and cooked recipes in there. I'm really excited to try out the raw banana bread that is made in the dehydrator. It doesn't call for any nuts or seeds! I promise I'll take pictures of some of these recipes and actually post them.

I have accomplished a lot in the past two weeks, though. I've kicked my coffee and diet coke habit most importantly! I'm going to have to make sure to stay on track with this one. I know how easy it is to start up again. I also have no desire to eat fried and processed junk which were some of my biggest weaknesses before. I'm also craving kale and black eyed peas like you would not believe! If I had some in the house, I'd make it up right now and it's only 10am. So, I'd dare say that I did "reset" some things in my body.

Overall, I'm not disappointed with this experiment. I learned some things and I don't think that it's a failure. I'm just going to keep the fresh produce and add in other healthy plant based meals. I'll continue to post about this adventure but I'm not doing it for a set number of days. I'm trying to make that healthy lifestyle for myself so that I can continue to work on my food issues.

Thoughts From the First Week

2012-02-19T19:34:00.003-05:00

I'm a little short on time, so I'm not going to type out everything that I've eaten since the last post. I just want to share a few thoughts from the week.

Overall, I'm feeling really good. I haven't been overly hungry or feeling deprived at any point. There have been a few times where I have eaten foods that definitely aren't raw, but I haven't let that derail me like it would have in the past. I feel like the mental fog is going away slowly. It's still there a bit in the mornings. Oh and not counting calories? It's the best thing that's ever happened to me! I feel so much better about myself and I don't feel like I'm in a constant state of panic.

I've also had some really amazing food over the past week. I tried kelp noodles for the first time yesterday. They have a strange texture, but they are really good! The dehydrator arrived on Tuesday and so far we have made rye flat bread, buckwheat granola, marinated vegetables, kale chips, and we marinated and dehydrated some tofu. We also made our first batch of chocolate blueberry energy bars from one of the Thrive books. We have been so busy and I forgot to take pictures! I'll try to get better about that next week!

In more important news, my mom is turning into a veggie! She has read some of my favorite books and is horrified at the meat and dairy industry. So, she is trying really hard to transition to the vegan lifestyle. She and I went to a vegan cooking class on Saturday (I'll get into that further in a separate post) and tomorrow we are going grocery shopping in Ithaca because they have a better selection of vegan options. I'm so proud of her!

We slacked a little in our exercise this week, but today I ran 4 miles after a raw breakfast and I felt pretty good. Within this next week, we are going to make an effort to go to the gym more. Although, even with the small amount of exercise, my body fat percentage is already down 1%. I've tried the raw thing before, and I've always given up after a few days. This time it feels differently. I'm still motivated and I'm feeling really good. I'm still getting into the swing of it with preparing all of this food, but I'm having fun doing it!

Once Upon a Time....

2012-02-15T18:25:00.011-05:00

All good stories start with that phrase, right? I'm three days in and I haven't withered away! I've had a few headaches and I've been a little tired, but nothing too terrible.

Monday's are always rough for me. Obviously just the fact that it's Monday, but I also leave the house at 8:30am and I don't return until about 10pm because I have class. This week we gave our presentations for our first project. So, I was a little anxious about that. We did a great job, though! Afterwards, I was absolutely drained. I was going to go to the gym, but I knew that would be dangerous. I wasn't feeling too hungry at any point in the day until I got home from school.

Oh and the teacher brought us chocolate for Valentine's Day.... and at one point I had to stand there holding it for everyone. Talk about torture!!

Monday's Food Journal
Breakfast:
She Glows Oats - a recipe from Everyday Happy Herbivore. It's mostly raw, it just has some coconut milk in it.
1 banana
Snack:
1 serving of "raw" almonds - I'll discuss the quotation marks around "raw" shortly
Lunch:
Large salad with avocado and chick peas, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice for dressing
3 kiwis and some blueberries
Dinner:
1 apple
1 pear
Some baby carrots, cucumber, and red pepper:
1 larabar - these are mostly raw. Some people disagree over how raw they are, but it's good enough for me.
After school snack:
Carrots with hummus and some more almonds

On to Valentine's Day - It was a crazy day at work. I had a strong urge to snack mid morning. I'm pretty sure this was because of boredom and because it was Valentine's day, I felt that I deserved a treat. I didn't want my lunch right at lunch time and then I got called out to a home visit. By the time I got back to the office it was 3pm and I had a major headache. I ate my gazpacho, and I felt much better. My co-workers were also insanely jealous of this meal. They said that I made them want to go eat a cucumber. Not a bad thing! Dinner was also excellent and I was still full 2 hours later. Then of course was dessert because it was a special day. The "nutella" and berries was amazing!! I also had the best night's sleep. I definitely needed that.

Tuesday's Food Journal
Breakfast:
A tofu yogurt with a banana and raw granola - The yogurt recipe is also from EHH. The tofu isn't raw, but the rest was.
Snack:
Apple and some almonds
1 Larabar - no wonder I wasn't hungry for lunch
Late lunch:
1 pear
gazpacho
Baby carrots
Dinner:
Spinach scramble - from one of Ani Phyo's books
Dessert:
Strawberries and chocolate hazelnut kreme - tasted like Nutella!

Josiah and I also went to the gym tonight. I ran 1 mile and did 30 minutes of weights.

Oh,and I got flowers!

Wednesday, so far, has been a pretty exhausting day. I was out for home visits all day and we are in the process of switching offices. Everything just feels like a mess. I'm better now that I'm home, though. I saw this quote today on Pinterest and it reminded me of this journey I'm on. "Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off of the goal." I think I needed this for work, too.

On to my information regarding raw nuts. I've done some research and it appears that a majority of the nuts sold in the United States, even if they are labeled as being raw, really aren't. Apparently California law states that all almonds must be pasteurized. I read that almost all nuts, aside from walnuts, are pasteurized or steamed even if they are labeled raw. I'm not going to freak out about this. Just thought it was interesting. I've been eating a lot of nuts because I have them in my desk drawer at work. So, I might cut down a bit once those are gone.

Wednesday's Food Journal
Breakfast:
Smoothie made with Vega Complete Whole Food Optimizer, banana, cocoa powder, and ice
Snack:
Apple and almonds
Lunch:
Leftover spinach scramble
Salad
Kiwi
Baby carrots
Dinner:
Veggie wrap with raw hummus - see below!
Dessert:
Haven't had it yet, but I'm thinking a banana and some of that raw nutella!

The Veggie Wrap

Confessions of a Chronic Dieter

2012-02-12T10:54:00.005-05:00

We’re back! We apologize for not posting in months! Things have gotten a little busy here. The holidays were insane, as they are for everyone, and I started my last semester of grad school in January. So far it’s been the most stressful one yet (I’ll go further into that soon). April 9th can’t come fast enough!

So, here is today’s confession: I’m a chronic dieter. Borderline disordered eating, actually. Before any family or friends go freaking out - that does not mean that I have an eating disorder! It just means that I’m obsessive about health, calories, exercise, weight loss, etc. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who knows me. I can’t eat a meal like a “normal person”. I constantly think about the calories, fat grams, and protein in the foods that I eat. If I eat something that is “bad” I dwell on it for the remainder of the day and a majority of the next. It’s actually my belief that 99% of American woman are like this. So, I don’t think I’m alone. This entire country has a crazy mentality over food and it’s getting old for me.

I’ve tried many diets. South Beach was the first diet book that I ever read and I actually bought into that crap! Mostly, I’ve just counted calories. I never became vegan for health reasons; it was only for ethical ones. However, I can’t say that I wasn’t excited about the possibility of it helping me to lose a few unwanted lbs. No one told me that there was so much vegan junk food out there! I’d say for about 60-75% of the time, Josiah and I eat very healthily. That doesn’t stop the obsessions, though.

This all brings me back to the stress. I’m physically exhausted from all of the stress in my life right now. It’s hard to even get out of bed. Stress from school, stress from work, stress from diet obsessions, stress that the junk food has imposed on my body. I’ve recently read a lot about fatigued adrenal glands. I honestly think that mine are worn out. I believe that emotional and dietary stress has contributed to this. If you haven’t read Brendan Brazier’s “Thrive” books, I highly recommend it. This is where I’ve been getting the information regarding stress.

So, what’s a girl to do?! Well first off, I’m making a pledge to not count calories for the next 90 days. I’m just going to forget about it. However, this does not mean that I’m going to just eat whatever I want. I simply could not handle that – which is pathetic, I know. I’ve decided that I’m going to eat 75% raw for the next 90 days as well. I’m keeping it at 75% because I’m not going to deprive myself. I’m still going to enjoy meals out with friends without freaking out over whether or not my food is cooked. That would just add more stress. I’ve decided to go raw for many reasons. The largest one of which is that raw food causes the least amount of stress on the body. It doesn’t take as much energy to digest which means that the body, and adrenal glands, can relax. This also means giving up coffee and diet soda. Bring on the headaches!

I actually do welcome the discomfort that I may experience at first, though. My body is tired of the way I have been treating it. Want proof? I’m 5’2.5” and I weigh approximately 121 pounds which is a healthy body weight. I exercise about 4 times a week which includes weight training. My body fat percentage however, is almost 32%! That is considered overweight. I’m “skinny fat” yet I work out regularly and eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than most people I know. It’s my hypothesis, based on my research, that dietary and emotional stress is what is causing this large amount of fat to stick around.

I can’t say that I’m going to stay raw forever. However, my body needs a reset. We’ll see how I feel for the next 90 days and go from there. Usually, I would not write about something like this. I need to keep myself accountable though, or I’ll give up after a week…. Or the first headache, which will probably happen tomorrow.

I’m also pledging to not weigh myself every day. I can’t guarantee that I won’t do it at all, but only when I feel like it. I am not doing this to lose weight! I’m doing it to get my body back to being healthy and to (hopefully) reduce my body fat percentage as it is not healthy.

For the next 3 months I will

• Eat 75% raw

• Give up caffeine, except for 1 cup of organic green tea a day

• Not count calories or obsess over food – I’m going to try my hardest!

• Attempt to control my emotional stress. Meditation and yoga anyone?

• Not weigh myself daily

• Try plenty of yummy new recipes

• Drink lots of fresh juice and smoothies

• Post regularly on my progress

• Continue to exercise regularly

Josiah and I also ordered a new dehydrator yesterday! I’m so excited about this, I can hardly contain it. We’ve had a dehydrator for a while, but it’s a cheap one that is a total pain in the butt. It’s not even worth getting it out most of the time. So we ordered a Tribest Life’s Sedona Dehydrator after reading plenty of reviews online. It’s supposed to be very quiet and its square shaped so it should be easier to use (ours is donut shaped and very awkward). I can’t wait to make yummy raw crackers, breads, and kale chips!

I’m not going to get into all of the benefits of a raw diet right now, but if you are curious, here are some links to sites that I have found to be informative:

Kristen's Raw: I love her approach and attitude!

Ani Phyo's Webpage: Her “cook”books are amazing and offer a large amount of information as well.

Loving It Raw: Lots of good information!

Choosing Raw: Not 100% raw, but lots of yummy recipes!

Wish my luck on my journey!

Q&A With The Happy Herbivore

2011-12-12T18:59:00.007-05:00

Today A Tempeh Tantrum is featuring a brief question and answer with chef and author Lindsay S. Nixon. After the Q&A, there will also be a recipe to be featured in her newest book, Everyday Happy Herbivore.

Buy her two cookbooks here: Happy Herbivore Cookbook, Everyday Happy Herbivore

Lindsay S. Nixon is a rising star in the culinary world, praised for her ability to use everyday ingredients to create healthy, low fat recipes that taste just as delicious as they are nutritious. Lindsay's recipes have been featured in Vegetarian Times, Women's Health Magazine and on The Huffington Post. Lindsay is also a consulting chef at La Samanna, a luxury resort and four-star restaurant in the French West Indies. You can learn more about Lindsay and sample some of her recipes at happyherbivore.com

After vegan chef Lindsay S. Nixon wrapped up her popular cookbook The Happy Herbivore Cookbook last year, she went back to her kitchen in her new home of St. Maarten. Island living encouraged Nixon to come up with simpler fare, which led to a follow-up cookbook focusing on recipes that bring tasty back to quick-and-easy.

Now, in Nixon's much-anticipated follow-up cookbook, Everyday Happy Herbivore, readers will see, once again, that just because plant-based eating is optimal for health, it doesn't have to also be expensive or time-consuming.

Everyday Happy Herbivore includes more than 175 doable recipes--recipes that are so quick and easy, you could cook three healthy meals from scratch every day like Nixon does.

Each of Nixon's recipes are made with wholesome, easy-to-find, fresh ingredients and include no added fats. With additional notes indicating recipes that are ideal for preparing ahead of time and those you can whip up with just a few dollars, Everyday Happy Herbivore will be the must-have cookbook for anyone desiring a healthier, happier menu!

So, Lindsay, how is Everyday Happy Herbivore different from your first book, Happy Herbivore?

They both focus on wholesome "everyday" ingredients, low fat recipes... a no fuss cooking style, but Everyday has more vareity. For example, I have smoothies in Everyday (something you won't find in the first book). I also pulled in a lot of international inspiration. You'll find recipes with Cajun flavors, Thai, African, Indian, Italian and so many more.

My first cookbook has a lot of "comfort foods" and I'm sort of going back to basics with Everyday -- focusing on fresh ingredients, celebrating vegetables and legumes rather than remaking an old family favorite like I did with the first book.

Where did your inspiration for this book come from?

I started my blog (and now write cookbooks) with one mission: to show that eating healthy, plant-based meals is easy, approachable, affordable and most importantly -- delicious. I'm proving that healthy doesn't have to be expensive or complicated or a shore. It's possible -- and fun!

Everyday Happy Herbivore is just an extension on that. I was living on a small island in the Caribbean where I had to make three meals a day from scratch -- I developed a sort of "quick and easy" back to the basic approach, which lead to the second book. My recipes are all no fuss, everyday ingredients, quick and easy.

I'm going to be buying it for my mom for Christmas (If you're reading this, Mom, you didn't see that). Are there any recipes that are quick and easy to make for 1 person?

A ton! I actually have a special "serves 1" icon -- indicating recipes that serve 1 and ALL the recipes are quick and easy.

Do you have a favorite recipe from Everyday Happy Herbivore?

No, that's like asking a parent to pick their favorite child :-)

Are there any recipes in this book that would be appropriate for a holiday meal?

Absolutely. Although there are more holiday driven recipes in my first book (i.e. Thanksgiving Gravy) plenty of the meals in Everyday would be nice at a holiday dinner. I'll probably cook our Winter Solstice feast from Everyday.

Were there any obstacles in writing this book? If so, how did you overcome them?

I wrote this book living on a small Caribbean island where ingredients were limited, always changing, and would run out for weeks on end. It sounds like hell, but it was a great creative challenge for me. I had to cook three meals a day to feed my family, and it had to be from scratch. I needed meals that were fresh, fast and effortless but also felt varied and were satisfying... my streamlined "make it work" approach and attitude is what led to Everyday Happy Herbivore.

When you were growing up, did you do a lot of cooking or is this a passion that you developed as an adult?

Hahahah no. I didn't know how to cook anything until a few years ago. The few times I tried to cook in college, I nearly killed my boyfriend and roommates. When I decided to adopt a plant-based diet, I knew if I was going to eat, I had to learn to make it myself... and so in to the kitchen I went. Something happened once I got in there, I fell in love with cooking, and now it's my job. It's very natural for me.

I plan on doing a post soon about the difference between a "plant based diet" and the word "vegan". Can you tell us what a Happy Herbivore (my favorite term) is?

I wrote a post, "why I'm not 'vegan' anymore" where I gave up the title vegan, and decided to identify as a Happy Herbivore.

The reason I did this was because I was tired of the vegan police telling people (like me!) they are not vegan enough. I don't feel this approach benefits anyone --- so I will never define what a Happy Herbivore is or isn't. No one will ever be told they're not Happy Herbivore enough. My Herbies are perfect just as they are.

I have to ask, beccause I know very few herbivores.... and I'm a little nosey, what lead you down this veggie path?

I was motivated by my health and the plight of farm animals. I'd met some vegans who told me if I went vegan (from vegetarian) my skin would clear, I'd have fewer migraines and I'd lose weight -- and p.s. they were right. Then, the more i learned about the horrors of the egg and dairy industries the more I could not support them. The reason I continue to follow a plant-based diet today are long and vast, but it's all still deeply rooted in concerns for my health, concerns for the animals and concerns for the environment.

What's in the future for Happy Herbivore?

I'm in the process of writing my third cookbook, and as soon as I finish I'll be starting my fourth book.

There are lots of other projects going on with HH... we just did a charitable necklace project, and we might do another one of those in the future... right now we're selling 2012 calendars -- the proceeds are going to a student who designed the calendars; and I've recently launched Happy Herbivore Meal Plans. Lots of new and fun things. It's very exciting at HHHQ!

Thanks for your time, Lindsay!

And now for one of her delicious recipes!

Chocolate Mug Cake - serves 1

Chocolate cake? check. Single-Serving? check. Made nearly instantly? Oh yeah! This whole-wheat chocolate cake goes from flour to in your mouth in under 5 minutes.

4 tbsp white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp nondairy milk
¼+ cup unsweetened applesauce
vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
2-3 tbsp vegan chocolate chips

In a small bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon together, set aside. For a really sweet cake, add more sugar. In another small bowl, whisk ¼ cup applesauce, nondairy milk, and a drop or two of vanilla extract together. Pour wet into dry, then add chips, stirring to combine. Add another 1-2 tbsp of applesauce, until the batter is wet and resembles regular cake batter. Pour batter into a coffee cup, and microwave for three minutes (at 1000 watts).
Per Serving: 276 Calories, 4.1g Fat, 59.3g Carbohydrates, 7.8g Fiber, 31.6g Sugar, 8.3g

Congrats on the new books, Lindsay. Can't wait for the third. :)

Recipe: Tofu Scramble Mix and More

2011-12-03T19:38:00.001-05:00

On those lazy Sunday mornings, absolutely nothing beats a plate of warm, comforting tofu scramble.

When Jess and I first started in on our veganism, we would make tofu scramble using a pre-packaged seasoning mix. They’re excellent, but after a short while I realized that these packets are priced at a premium from a mix of seasonings that I already have in the pantry. I’ve made up this recipe as a pretty close approximation of the marketed tofu scramble seasoning mixes.

Tofu Scramble Mix:

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup nutritional yeast
4 Tbsp onion powder or dried chopped onion
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1-1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1-1/2 Tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper

Just combine all ingredients in a large canning jar (or comparable sealing container). Shake it up until everything has dispersed evenly within the jar.

Now, whenever you’re in the mood for some tofu scramble, it’s as easy as combining 1/4 to 1/2 cup--depending on your tastes--of the Tofu Scramble Mix with a 16 oz. package of tofu, mashing it all up together, and heating it on the stove.

Personally, though, I think it’s pretty important to doctor it up a bit with some veggies. Here’s how I like to prepare my scrambles.

Tofu Scramble:

Ingredients:
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 cup white mushrooms, diced small
16 oz. firm tofu
1/2 cup Tofu Scramble Mix (from above)

1. In your largest frying pan, heat olive oil over medium flame. Add the onion, pepper, and mushroom. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are all well softened.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mash together the tofu and the Tofu Scramble Mix until they resemble the consistency of scrambled eggs.

3. Add the seasoned, mashed tofu into the frying pan along with the vegetables. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.

The scramble should now be ready to serve up with some tasty whole grain toast and whatever else floats your breakfast boat.

If you’re looking for a change of pace--or just have tofu scramble leftovers--you can create another dish with your tofu scramble. Yes, tofu scramble is both delicious and healthy, but it is also incredibly versatile. How about breakfast burritos? Simple. Slap a few spoonfuls of tofu scramble onto a tortilla with some vegan “cheese”, salsa, and a dollop of vegan “sour cream.” I bet you haven’t had breakfast pizza since you’ve gone vegan, have you? Well, it can happen. I’ve the recipe to prove it.

It’s important to note, though, that this breakfast pizza takes all the healthy qualities of your tofu scramble and blots them out with plenty of high calorie carbohydrates and oils. It’s delicious and worth making from time to time, but don’t go eating it every morning. Also, is is a pretty fluid recipe. It’s your pizza. Feel more than welcome to make any additions or substitutions that you feel necessary.

Breakfast Pizza:

Ingredients*:
1 prepared pizza crust
1/4 cup veganaise
1/2 batch of Tofu Scramble
1/4 cup Bac-Os or other vegan “bacon” bits
3 to 4 oz. vegan “cheese” (we use and love Daiya brand)

*I made up the ingredients list for a medium sized pizza of 12”. Adjust quantities as needed for different sized pizzas.

Onto the pizza crust, spread each of the other ingredients evenly onto the crust in the order listed. Bake the pizza according to the instructions listed on the pizza crust packaging. Usually this should be in the ballpark of baking at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Our Vegetarian Wedding

2011-11-29T21:48:00.002-05:00

I’m currently working on wedding photo albums as Christmas gifts for our families. So, I figured that I’d write a bit about our vegetarian wedding.

Immediately after Josiah proposed, we started looking for a venue for our wedding. I hadn’t even thought about the food at this point, as I was so excited about getting married. Our first and final stop on our hunt for a venue was to Watson Homestead in Painted Post, NY. The woman that we met with explained that they only worked with one caterer. She said that her daughter was married there the year before and that all of the food was vegan. That fact, along with the beautiful chapel and reception hall, and we were sold.

When we met with the caterer a few weeks later, though, we discovered that he hardly knew what the word vegan meant. He did explain that he could do a vegetarian meal, though. We live in a semi-rural area of New York so, finding another caterer who could prepare a delicious vegan meal for 160 people for a reasonable price just wasn’t possible. However, we made sure that there were plenty of vegan options.

The menu included eggplant rollettes, vegetarian lasagna, bow tie pasta with marinara or alfredo sauce, steamed vegetables, tossed salad, a potato bar with vegan garlic smashed potatoes, and dinner rolls. We made sure that every item that would have had butter on it, went without it. I was disappointed that the entire meal couldn’t be vegan, but I was still happy that much of the food was prepared vegan and all was at least vegetarian. I mean, when was the last time that you had dinner with all of your family and friends and no one ate meat? Having the entire meal prepared vegan would have been ideal, but for it to be vegetarian was still a victory.

We received many compliments from our guests on the food. Thy all said that they didn’t even miss the meat. I’m a strong believer in food as activism and if we showed many people that a meal doesn’t need meat to be delicious and satisfying - I’m okay with that. Oh, and it turned out to be cheaper than serving meat. So, that’s another nice little perk too.

I remember right after we had decided on the menu, we were at a family Christmas party. One of my aunts asked “Are you worried about your guests missing eating meat?” My dad’s response was “Who gives a shit? They aren’t the ones paying for it!” Gotta love him! We got some jokes here and there but overall, everyone was really supportive and understanding of our decisions.

The beautiful cupcakes!

The best part of the meal was most certainly the vegan carrot cake cupcakes. They were baked by Cup of Cake in Corning, NY and they were amazing! As I’m writing this, my mouth is watering with the memories! You absolutely couldn’t tell that the cream cheese frosting wasn’t the real thing. After the whole party was over, we raided the kitchen to get more. We couldn’t get enough.

The final animal friendly thing that we did was during the dollar dance. We didn’t like the idea of a dollar dance at first. To us it seemed too close to begging for money for our tastes. All the guests had already come to the reception with wrapped gifts. We didn’t need to take any more advantage of their generosity. Instead, we asked that the DJ announce that the money would go to our local animal shelter. People seemed to really love the idea. I was told that some people didn’t want to leave until they had a chance to donate. Even the bartender pitched in with a donation. We ended up raising a nice wad of cash for a good cause and had a chance to chat with many of our guests while doing it.

Throughout the whole wedding planning process, I really learned a lot. I never fully understood how personal the event is. My heart and soul went into every detail of that day and there isn’t a thing I would change about it. I know some other vegans might criticise the fact that we served cheese, but we did the best we could with the resources we had. I’ll always cherish the memories that we made.... even if Josiah did try, unsuccessfully, to smash cupcake in my face.

He started the battle; I finished it.

Book Review: Vegan Pie in the Sky

2011-11-27T10:58:00.001-05:00

If there’s a single food item that brings to mind Thanksgiving with the family, for me it would not be turkey. Even before abandoning my carnivorous ways, another food item reigned supreme on my family’s Thanksgiving table. Our November holiday is dominated by the pie. I recall one year, back when my grandmother was still alive and hosting the Thanksgiving dinners, there were fourteen of us circling the table; she had made 15 pies.

My grandmother’s pie crusts, of course, were made with love... and plenty of lard. So, the classic pies of my youth wouldn’t jive with my dietary decisions now, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t still enjoy some pretty amazing pies. If you want the proof, just bake any one of the pies featured in Vegan Pie in the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, and More.

Jess and I were thrilled when we first heard of the book and even more thrilled when we first put our hands on a copy. This pie cookbook is written by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. The duo have collaborated on a number of cookbooks--many of which we own, and all of which have impressed us. Jess and I have never cooked a recipe of theirs that has been a disappointment.

We baked four pies out of this book in the past week. Two of the four pies were actually the same kind--Coconut Cream--because we loved it so much the first time we made it. The Maple Pecan Pie is also amazing. Grandma used to make an amazing pecan pie, but many of my family say the Maple Pecan Pie out of Vegan Pie in the Sky was the best they’ve ever had.

It’s important to note, as well, that pie isn’t all about the filling. I’ve long believed that a pie is only as good as its crust. Vegan Pie in the Sky has the best pie crust recipe that I’ve ever used. If by some outlandish change of heart I tomorrow went back to eating a diet totally unrestricted, I would keep and use this crust recipe. The price of the cookbook is justified by the crust recipe alone.

Vegan Pie in the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, and More is a must have for any vegan with a sweet tooth or, really, anyone with a sweet tooth. The pies are some of the best we’ve ever had, vegan or not.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-19T11:53:00.003-05:00

I’ve always had an tenuous relationship with this holiday. Maybe that started the year of my discovery of what turkey really is. Aside from the fact that the entire holiday revolves around a dead bird that never lived a natural life, I just don’t care for the food. Even if it’s vegan, it’s just too heavy for my taste.

When I first started my current job, the woman who was training me found this joke as she was cleaning out her desk:

A young many named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird’s mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird’s attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music, and anything else he could think of to “clean up” the bird’s vocabulary. Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird, and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked, kicked, and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he’d hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John’s outstretched arms and said “I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I’m sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior.” John was stunned at the change in the bird’s attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, “May I ask what the turkey did?”

I chuckled after reading it, but interpreted it on an additional level that I’m sure did not cross my co-worker’s minds. I didn’t share my thoughts with my co-worker at the time, either. She lives on a dairy farm and didn’t strike me as being particularly open to what I would have had to say. Poor activism, I know.

I read the joke to Josiah when I got home and asked him why it would be considered abusive to put a parrot in a freezer, but it’s common to do the same to a turkey. He said “Easy. Because a parrot can talk.” It’s obvious that as a society, we can justify hurting and killing animals as long as we don’t relate to them or they don’t offer us companionship. I try not to be too much of a “bleeding heart” because being to aggressive can harden people from the message. It’s easy to brush away someone's message if they are always crying over something. I also try to have a good sense of humor about my lifestyle. I don’t get upset when people criticise or question it. I just thought that this joke highlighted a bit of our cultural hypocrisy and would make people think about why some animals are “food” while others aren't.

If you are interested in saving a turkey from the same fate as the one in this joke, please consider adopting a turkey for Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Turkey Project. They can’t talk, but it would still give them something to be thankful for!

Okay, now that I’ve ranted, I’m going to end on a positive note. I’m thankful for this past year being the best one of my life. I married an amazing man which made me a part of his wonderful family. I’m also thankful for any friends and family who may be reading this. I love you all!

Recipe: Chocolate Apple Chipotle Chili OR The Cure for the Common Chili

2011-11-16T20:18:00.001-05:00

What do you do as a vegan when participating in a friend’s chili cook-off party? What do you do when you know a number of people in attendance think more meat makes a better chili? Blow their minds with some creative deliciousness, that’s what!

A friend of ours held a Mad Men / chili cook-off party this past weekend. So, we put on our finest 60’s era business executive/housewife attire, placed a pot of chili in the car, and drove across town to get our party on. After the drinking of much scotch and other equally classy beverages, of the six chilis in the informal competition... there was a four way tie for first place. But our Chocolate Apple Chipotle Chili was one of the four, at least. And with no meat. Go figure!

Before making this recipe, keep in mind that I made this for a large party of people, so this is going to make one big batch of chili. If you’re just looking to make dinner for your family you may want to consider halving--or perhaps even quartering--the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
4 medium apples, peeled and diced (I used Gala because we had them on hand)
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes, hand crushed*
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 oz. vegan dark chocolate (80% cocoa or higher)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar

*If you are adamantly opposed to getting your hands dirty by hand-crushing your tomatoes, you can use cans of diced tomatoes. Be aware, though, that the texture just won’t be the same.

1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrot, apple, and garlic to the pot along with a heavy pinch of salt. Saute for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften.

2. Add chipotle peppers with their sauce, bay leaves, chili pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring.

3. Add tomato and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the chocolate and sugar, stirring until they have dissolved completely into the chili. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

It’s all ready! Enjoy it with some vegan corn bread or some tortilla chips.

Recipe: Leek, Potato, and Celeriac Soup

2011-11-12T13:06:00.001-05:00

This soup is very simple and very delicious. The addition of celeriac (also known as celery root) adds some amazing character that does wonders for the dish. If you can’t get your hands on some, though--or you desperately need a way to put a dent in a potato surplus--you can substitute the celeriac with additional potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil
3 large leeks, chopped and washed
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt
6 cups water
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. white pepper
2 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced 1/2”
1 celeriac (approx. 1 lb.), peeled and diced 1/2”

Ingredients ready for the stockpot.

1. In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic along with a healthy pinch of salt. Saute about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the leeks are translucent.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until potato and celeriac are tender.

3. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Add salt to taste. By either transferring soup to a blender or using an immersion blender, puree the soup. It can be blended until uniformly smooth, but I prefer to only blend about half of the soup so that there is still some hearty potato and celeriac pieces to bite into.

There! The soups all ready. See! Told you it was an easy recipe!

Bowl up the soup and dig in with a nice piece of multi-grain baguette.

And So It Begins!

2011-11-08T14:45:00.000-05:00

Hi, we are Josiah and Jessica Smith. Welcome to A Tempeh Tantrum, our blog about veganism!

The Happy Couple

With A Tempeh Tantrum, we will consistently present posts covering a slew of topics. We will get you salivating with our favorite vegan recipes. We will help you treat your body like the temple that it is with our many healthy living tips. We will reinforce your enthusiasm for the lifestyle with our thoughts on vegan philosophy. We will guide you to take advantage of the best that the vegan community has to offer with our reviews of books, movies, and products. We may even provide you with a chuckle or two. We’ll see; not promising anything.

Please check back soon to see what’s new and feel free to post comments and perhaps spark a dialogue on some of the blog topics. In the meantime, if you care to read a bit about how we first decided to go vegan, check out Jess' Story and Josiah's Story.

See you soon!