Vegan Recipes, Ideas, and Living

Vegan Book Review: The Food Revolution

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:09:20 +0000

It’s been a while since I actually read the Food Revolution, so this review will be a bit abbreviated because of the fog of time, but I wanted to say a few things about the book in any case.

Written by John Robbins, son of the Robbins of ice cream fame, The Food Revolution is a hard look at the way we eat in the United States. My first impression of the book was that the writing style was a little annoying, to be frank. Robbins tends to ramble on about personal anecdotes or go on tangents that can be, frankly, a little boring and quite a bit distracting.

However, if you can get past that (or if that sort of thing doesn’t bother you), it is a quite informative book. Robbins focuses on established studies from major institutions, while at the same time working to debunk some of the crap the comes out of the press rooms of the meat and dairy industry.

Rather than being a whiny sort of “vegans are good because animals have souls too” sort of book, The Food Revolution doesn’t focus on the buzzword of veganism. The focus, instead, is on personal health, factory farming, and the use of genetically modified organisms. On this point, it is a very powerful, and, I think, convincing piece of reading.

Unlike many books that tackle the topic of food and veganism, this is one I would show to a non-vegan interested in these issues. Check out the book on Amazon if you want to pick up a copy.

When Eco-Nerds Eat Meat…

Benjamin Jones — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:22:20 +0000

…It can be a little annoying. Why am I such a disapproving, restrictive, hippy, liberal, evil person? Well, I’ll tell you a bit about something that recently reminded me of how it annoys me.

Meat-eating at HybridFest in Madison, WI

Recently I was at a car show all about saving fuel and reducing our eco-impact to talk about one of my other websites, and I happened upon a video display for the new Ford Escape Hybrid.

The display, to highlight how little carbon the car put out, said that it would take 168 miles of driving to emit the same amount of greenhouse gases as a single burger on the BBQ grille. Of course the numbers are a little twisted, but the point is valid, meat has a large environmental impact, even when compared to motor vehicles.

Hearing this, of course, is less than shocking for me. However, what did catch my attention was the number of steak dinners at the banquet for HybridFest members. A small minority of us ate vegan or vegetarian (I know of one other), but the large majority had large steaks and everyone else had grilled chicken.

It’s not shocking, people don’t always make the connection, but it’s an important one to make. So, if you’ve been on the bubble about veganism, vegetarianism, or even meat-light, please don’t forget that a meat-free diet is a comparatively large part of decreasing your carbon footprint.

StrawberryHedgehog.com’s Wonderful Vegan Soaps

Benjamin Jones — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:20:59 +0000

Soap is great. It makes you feel clean and smell better, which I find to be one of the simplest pleasures in life. However, the difference between a mundane experience and a refreshing one comes down to something as simple as soap.

And Tracy over at strawberryhedgehog makes great soap, which is, not coincidentally, vegan-friendly. I have been using some for the last week or two and I can truly say it is great stuff. Sometimes hard to purchase if you are a college student on a budget, but good for small, thoughtful gifts for others and for treating yourself every once in a while.

UPDATE: For those of us who stink at buying soap regularly, check out the soap club!

Kumamoto Vegan: Bunzo, a Nice Italian-like Place Downtown

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:35:10 +0000

Not exactly sure what Bunzo means, but it is a great place in downtown Kumamoto that calls itself Italian, though how authentic it is is, frankly, a little debatable. Some Italian, some French, and some uniquely Japanese things like potatoes on pizza.

The first time I went it was on the recommendation of a professor at the local college, the second time I returned with a traveller who was looking for good food in town. Though the place isn’t the most vegan-friendly, they have a few good items on the menu (just be sure to mention no cheese!).

Bunzo brings your food out on a few big communal dishes for sharing, which combined with the dark, comfortable atmosphere of the restaurant makes it a great place to go for conversation or friendship.

Anyway, on the menu last night was “mushroom tomato sauce pasta” and pizza. Though the name sounds a little weird in English, it is some of the best pasta I’ve ever had, made with delicious mushrooms of a generous amount and in a very light sauce.

The pizza, unlike any that I have had anywhere else, is a simple, yet delicious thing. Baked on delicious, slightly crispy crust, they are happy to make a cheeseless pizza topped with tomatoes and potatoes (which are the only topping options besides cheese). Unlike anything I’ve eaten before, it is quite good delicious.

Overall, Bunzo is a great, reasonably prices restaurant. For two main dishes, a pizza, and oolong tea for two, the price comes out to only 4,000 yen (40 dollars). And according to my Swiss companion, it was unexpectedly good.

Easy Vegetable Curry Cooking on the Go

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:32:43 +0000

You don’t always have everything you need to make a recipe perfectly. Sometimes you don’t even have access to a recipe. So what do you do? Make some curry!

Staying in Japan like I am now, it is often hard to find the ingredients that you would hope to find for curry (like coconut milk, chickpeas, or cauliflower). So you have to improvise a little bit. Luckily, curry powder isn’t a problem.

Anyway, here’s what I came up with for a very simple curry recipe (I didn’t measure any of the ingredients):

Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Onions
Curry Powder
Tomatoes (whole or pre-diced) for the base

The basic cooking instructions are similar to most curries. Sauté your onions, put in your tomato base and your dice veggies, bring to a boil, and leave covered for an hour or so (until the veggies are all thoroughly cooked). And there you have it, tasty curry without needing to know what you are doing.

Yakisoba: Quick, Easy, and Tasty

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:51:17 +0000

Yakisoba is one of my favorite things to eat. The thin noodles fry up quickly in some olive oil and then you can add whatever you want in the way of vegetables, mushrooms, etc.

It is also pretty cheap, at about $1.50 for 3 servings. Anyway, to prepare, just fry up some yakisoba in a little olive oil in a skillet, add in whatever seasoning or veggies you want, fry a bit more, and eat.

Takes about 5 minutes from start to finish and tastes great.

Amakusa Vegan: Baobab Cafe, Indian Food and Reggae Music

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:01:13 +0000

One day when I was rumbling around town visiting temples and shrines after I meeting I happened by an Indian place that wasn’t on the local map. What luck, I thought. I love Indian food and was wondering if there was any around.

So I decided to stop in. The place is small and has a good atmosphere. It is run by a husband and wife couple who are extremely interested in reggae music. The husband spent his youth travelling around Jamaica and India learning about music and food, which was where he became a cook.

The husband, like many Jamaicans and Indians, is a vegetarian as well and both of them are familiar with what “vegan” means, which is a very, very surprising thing to find in Japan.

When I asked for a recommendation, the husband said he would make me a special plate. Though it is not the curry you are probably used to, it was quite good. Amakusa is well known for having tasty vegetables, and the mushrooms especially were great.

I had this curry, rice, coffee, and tea all for a very nice 1000 yen (about 10 bucks), but I also got to stay and chat with the couple, who were pretty interesting people. The husband even took me over to a local historian’s place for tea to help with my research and showed me some of the more interesting local sites.

Though we spoke in Japanese, I got the impression that at least the husband knew English pretty well from his travels and the menu is partially in English, so I would call this a foreigner-friendly place.

They also have occasional events where they perform live music and have food and those sorts of things.

Curry: The Best Thing Ever Injected Into Bread

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:57:33 +0000

It is called curry pan (curry bread), and while I can’t speak to its origins, it is good stuff. Although I’ve known of its existence for some time, I never asked what was in it. Today I finally stopped into the panya (a fresh bread store) and took a look.

Turns out they make curry pan with a tomato curry that does not have any meat ingredients: success! I got some to go and took it home with me.

It was as everyone else had said: the best thing since coconut milk ice cream. While the taste is something like a high collar hot pocket, this is probably a good thing since tasty foods stuffed inside of other tasty foods seems to be a pleasant theme.

I’m not yet sure on how easy it would be to make at home, probably a bit like making a calzone, but more Indian. With curry being an incredibly creative sort of dish, you can imagine the possibilities with curry pan.

Amakusa Vegan: Sun Gourmet Pizza

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:50:12 +0000

Sun Gourmet is a pizza delivery place in downtown Hondo, Amakusa City. Though I never ordered delivery, their pizza is quite great and if you order in the shop you get a 10% discount.

In the US it can be difficult to get a pizza place to make an order like you want it, but in Japan it is a bit easier. Japanese pizza places aren’t used to the same norms and will often do wild things like put potatoes on as toppings and such, so you can imagine they might be more open to accommodation.

Well, Sun Gourmet was the first place I tried and they are definitely willing to do things however you like it. While they had the normal shock over a person unable to eat meat or cheese, there was no problem for them making a cheeseless pizza with whatever veggie toppings I wanted.

For 1,080 yen (about 11 bucks these days) I got myself an L-size pizza with mushrooms and black olives that was quite good. I felt the pizza itself was modest in its goals and that suited me well. The crust was just right and the toppings good. Overall, a good pizza.

I ended up ordering all three nights I was in town. Besides the good pizza, the owners are nice people and they have a cute son who hangs out with them after school doing child things.

Anyway, certainly one of the better places I have eaten since being in Japan, even if it is something as mundane as a simple pizza.

The Importance of B-12

Benjamin Jones — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:31:08 +0000

Today we have a guest post on CollegeVegan about important nutritional stuff we should all be paying attention to. Hope you enjoy!

Becoming a vegetarian or giving up a substantial amount of meat in your diet can have vast repercussions on your body as a whole. Leaving out any integral vitamins can result in a deficiency for a number of resources which your body counts on in order to function on a daily basis. B-12 assists the brain and nervous system, especially with DNA synthesis. Lacking this specific vitamin can be detrimental to your health and an unwise decision to make when switching your diet.

B12 is typically found in meat, milk, and eggs. This is not a problem if you still plan to consume dairy products, but many types of vegetarians refuse to consume anything that has an egg or dairy foundation, which rules out milk and eggs. Therefore, these specific vegans need to be even more careful about monitoring their B-12 daily intake. Alternatives to the afore mentioned non-vegan foods can be soy products, energy bars, or certain breakfast cereals. There has also been a multitude of recent supplements that have emerged in supermarkets; these vitamin pills can help ensure that you are getting the proper nutrients. Cyanocobalamin is a vitamer of the B12 vitamin family and can be ingested through a number of other alternatives, including in certain energy drinks and Diet Coke Plus. However, this specific vitamer only represents a fraction of the amount of B12 which is needed per day and therefore needs to be taken in great excess which is not the healthiest option in regards to energy drinks.

Avoiding or not taking the required dosage of B12 can have vast effects in relation to the deficiency including severe nerve and brain damage. Early symptoms of deficiency may seem to be related to anemia, but can lead up to subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord. Early symptoms are pretty common symptoms that can be traced to a plethora of other illnesses, including fatigue, decreased mental work capacity, decreased memory, irritability, and depression. Sleep disturbances are also a common sign of deficiency because B 12 is involved with the sleep wake cycle through melatonin. Left untreated, this deficiency can lead to bouts of mania and can also cause various tingling effects of the nerves and shocks throughout the body. More and more Americans and many other Westerners have a higher prevalence of B12 deficiency than was originally thought, which is an unnerving thought; many developing nations around the world have common B12 deficiencies but are brought about as an effect of the malnutrition which is so often found in these countries which we are all working to combat. B12 deficiency has become common among many vegetarians who are not taking B12 supplements to counteract the lack of vitamins that they are getting by their change from a meat lifestyle. Vegans are especially at risk for this deficiency because many natural food sources do not contain B12, and they instead have to take vitamin pills.

Therefore, it becomes an integral part of vegetarianism (and veganism) to keep up-to-date with your vitamin intake, including daily recordings of how much B12 you are getting, as well as other nutrients which have just as much importance on your body’s well-being. Without this type of enhanced diet, you can find yourself lacking extremely vital nutrients that can severely damage the many organs and systems of the body without you knowing.

This post was contributed by Kathleen Baker, who writes about an online health care administration degree. She welcomes your feedback at KathleenBaker3212 at gmail.com

Japan Vegan: Trials and Tribulations

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:08:40 +0000

Before coming to Japan this time around I knew I would have to make compromises. Compromises about what I would eat in order to keep myself healthy and be able to ride my bike around and enjoy the place.

I didn’t think too much about it before coming because I knew it would be practically impossible to predict what I would have to do before I actually got here.

I knew there was a special style of Japanese cooking practiced mainly by Buddhist monks and things, but I didn’t know if it would be accessible. I knew they were lots of naturally vegan things in Japan, but I also knew there would be less options away from the big cities.

Well, it turns out the monks that don’t eat meat and such are part of an older sect that really only hangs out around Kyoto, quite far from here. Furthermore, I was right about having less choice.

I am also burdened by knowing more about things.

For example, the last time I was in Japan I didn’t know that pretty much every soup base for everything had a fish base or used dashi, which is a little bit fish.

I also didn’t know that eggs were in the batter for tenpura or that even the most vegetable-type curries would have something like chicken or pork consume.

I also knew that if I ate nothing but rice I would quickly suffer from it and not be able to do much. So, I had to make compromises. Compromises like:
- Vegetable udon may have some tiny amount of fish in it, but oh well,
- This pasta may have a small amount of parmesan on it, but oh well,
- XYZ might not be exactly like I would want it, but I would rather not starve.

Most of these compromises are things that you can’t do much about. If you ask for a recommendation for what udon doesn’t have fish in it, you will end up with udon with a fish base and a chunk of naruto (which is fish) anyway. If you ask for something without cheese, you’ll get parmesan. If you ask for vegetable curry they’ll think you mean just with more vegetables and not with just vegetables.

This is probably because cooks don’t really get it, and you can’t expect them to. Especially in Japan, where cheese and milk is sort of a foreign idea, “cheese” isn’t really the same thing as we might normally think of it. Cheese might just be swiss cheese or something, and if you ask them about the parmesan you’ll get a “O RLY, you meant that, too?” sort of answer.

So, while I tend to play safe on veganism in the U.S., while I am here I am playing safe on keeping my body functioning healthily so I can do my research and ride my bike. Veganism is considerably easier when cooking for myself, and I’ll have more on that in the next few days, .

Japan Vegan: Putting Ajipon on Everything

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:58:34 +0000

The most difficult part of being vegan in Japan is that even the most innocent, vegan things you can think of are topping with, friend in, or souped (for lack of a better word) in something that is not vegan.

However, when you are cooking for yourself you have the option of putting your udon or salad or whatever in whatever you like. In this case, it is ajipon.

Don’t ask me what Ajipon means, something like “flavour pon” but it is vegan and it’s pretty good. It takes a bit of getting used to but not in the “this tastes so bad you’ll eventually kill your taste buds way,” more in the “Western cooking doesn’t use these sorts of flavours so it tastes different” way.

Anyway, ajipon is meant as a sort of all purpose flavouring, so you can use it on anything from yasai itame (something like stripped, stir-fried veggies) to udon, soba, chanpon, or salad.

Tasty Vegan Food on ANA

Benjamin Jones — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:26:20 +0000

The last place you expect to get something that tastes good (or even to get something at all) is on a plane flight. Luckily for me, they can’t really put you on a 13 hour flight without feeding you.

ANA is a pretty great airline. Unlike United (which grifted me out of 175 for luggage fees) ANA doesn’t charge you for oversized luggage and such things. They also offer a huge amount of special meals which you can reserve by calling in or placing a reservation online.

Luckily for us vegans, one of the online options is the vegan meal, which is actually pretty tasty. I couldn’t tell you what it is since it’s some Japanese food I’ve never eaten before, but you can expect the usual as you would with Japanese food: variety, pickled things, and rice.

Overall, pretty good. Given that their price is actually less than the American companies, I wouldn’t want to take another chance with an American airline. Last time they delayed me for a full day in Chicago, even though their Indian food was pretty decent. Also, the $175 I had to pay to check my bicycle one way to Chicago was more than the ticket.

In summary: ANA is vegan-friendly. More to come from Japan sooner or later.

Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream is the Bomb

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:52:52 +0000

This is the best stuff ever. If there were ever a flavor of Purely Decadent that was going to make me fat, it was the regular old cookie dough variety. But now that I’ve discovered it also comes in a coconut milk variety, I am even more susceptible to fattening from this stuff.

The coconut milk version is richer, smoother, and creamier than the normal kind, which is great in this flavour because overall the vanilla and cookie dough is a very light combination. The coconut milk adds just a touch of richness to what otherwise might be a very “vanilla” vanilla, making the taste just that much better.

If you haven’t had the chance to try out some of the coconut milk varieties, you definitely should, it’s well worth it.

The New Vegan Cookbook Review

Benjamin Jones — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:48:35 +0000

“The New Vegan Cookbook” has been sitting on my shelf for much too long without having the spine cracked. Sometimes things are too hectic to try out new things, and I feel like my life recently has been a good example of that.

Regardless, The New Vegan Cookbook has the prettiest pictures of any of the cookbooks I have yet to give a good run, so it was first in line for a little review.

Pictures

I think many of you will agree: pictures are one of the most important parts to any cookbook. If you’re going to actually cook (and not just look) recipes are obviously the most important, but it’s the pictures that get you motivated to cook all the delicious things on those pages. Words just aren’t as motivational.

The pictures are the best part of this cookbook. If the cover is any indication to you, “The New Vegan Cookbook” is full of beautiful pictures, on almost every other page. Unlike most cookbooks, which only highlight a few recipes in pictures, this one has colorful pictures of almost every recipe. I’m not much of a browser, but this is the one cookbook I look through just for fun.

Recipes

“The New Vegan Cookbook” has great, healthy recipes. While many cookbooks (and I do not fault them for this) focus on desserts and rich foods, “The New Vegan Cookbook” has almost entirely healthy, veggie-based recipes.

My only complaint is that the directions might be a little hard to understand. Reading through I have a bit of trouble keeping things in order, though that may be as much my fault as the cookbook’s. Otherwise, the directions and ingredients are easily accessible and the book is very easy to read from while cooking.

Overall Impression

This is already one of my favorite cookbooks. It may be a little small, with only about 100 recipes, but I’ve had good experiences with it and the wonderful pictures lead me to believe I will continue to have good experiences with the recipes I find in it. It’s not too expensive and it’s definitely worth picking up a copy of “The New Vegan Cookbook.”

Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder

Benjamin Jones — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:53:27 +0000

This recipe really makes me wish I knew how to take a food picture. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how bad I am at it. Let complaining about that be a clue as to how much I like this recipe which I modified from “The New Vegan Cookbook.”

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons corn oil
salt and pepper
1 pound of corn kernels
1 cup water
1 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups vegetable broth
1 baking potato

Directions

Oil a large roasting pan and preheat oven to 425F. Dice sweet potatoes and place in the roasting pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil and add salt and pepper to the sweet potatoes to taste. Then place the pan in the over for 20 minutes, tossing the sweet potatoes at 10 minutes.

Set aside 1 cup of corn. Puree the rest of the kernels in a blender until smooth.

Dice the onion and add the last tablespoon of corn oil. Heat in a large pot until the onions are soft. Then add tomato paste, broth, pureed corn, salt, and pepper. Once boiling, add the diced potato and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potato is soft.

Add the corn kernels and chowder to the diced sweet potatoes and heat until you are ready to eat.

Overall impressions

This is a great recipe. It takes a little while to make (about an hour), but there are tons of leftovers and the ingredients are fairly inexpensive. Give it a try if you’re up to it!

Restaurant Review: Wildflower Cafe in Watkins Glen, NY

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:19:16 +0000

This weekend I had the pleasure of being in Watkins Glen, NY for the Green Grand Prix (more on that here). Despite the area being wonderfully pretty, just off of Seneca Lake, one of the largest of the Finger Lakes, Watkins Glen was also a cute town.

Both nights I ended up eating at a place called Wildflower Cafe. The first night we were guided there by an ecomodder I didn’t know what vegan until later, and then the second night by a guy with a Prius painted to look like a shuttle craft from Star Trek. Certainly interesting company.

Day 1: Mushroom Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

The first time we went to Wildflower Cafe it was late on a busy Friday night. Despite the ruckus, we received good service and our food was out promptly, which I think reflects well on the quality of service at the establishment.

I didn’t know what to order so I let my fiancee chose for me: a burger made of some sorts of mushrooms and together we split an order of sweet potato fries. Overall, the burger was a little bland, but not unpleasant to eat. The fries were much better. I am a big fan of yam fries and the Wildflower Cafe definitely gets a thumbup for theirs. They also came with delicious dipping sauces, including avocado and some sort of spicy catchup. Good stuff.

Day 2: Moonrose Ribs and Haystack Onion Rings

Returning for a second time, I decided to order my second choice from the night before: Moonrose Ribs. The ribs were, of course, not real ribs, but a soy-based concoction in a tangy sauce (picture above). The onion rings were not traditional rings, but rather thinly shredded and without the breading. This time, it was the onion rings that were slightly bland and the main course that was delicious.

The Moonrose Ribs did not disappoint, and were even enjoyed by one of my omnivorous companions. I will definitely return to Wildflower Cafe next year for more of these ribs.

Overall, this was a great restaurant with good service and reasonable prices (dinner for 4 was less than 50 dollars). I look forward to returning and would recommend it to anyone.

POM Pomegranate Juice: Powerful Alone, Good in Tea

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:47:42 +0000

Recently, I’ve been trying to work my way through a small batch of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. I don’t have that much of it, but it’s lasted longer than any juice that’s every been in my fridge. Why?

POM is really strong stuff. It doesn’t look very intimidating sitting on the shelf in a little 8 ounce bottle, but it’ll give you a kick if you accidentally take too big of a sip. If you’re careful not to go at it too hard it’s good, but basically like any other juice, nothing special.

However, if you water it down at about 3 parts water to 1 part pomegranate it’s a bit easier to take. Better yet, a few tablespoons in your iced tea gives a great flavour without a bitterness that will turn your mouth inside out.

Why POM?

I always wondered what the big deal about POM was. Why did anybody care about pomegranate juice? It’s expensive and half the fun of pomegranates is painstakingly removing the seeds.

I won’t pretend to be an expert on health, but currently pomegranates are at the center of a debate on heart health, prostate health, and erectile function. It may be all hype, but POM has gone so far as to do their own clinical trials involving the health benefits of drinking POM Wonderful daily.

Believe it or not, it may be good for you. If you don’t believe it, at least you can admit that it tastes good. I plan to keep some in fridge just so I can spike my tea whenever I need a little bit more zing. As far as juices go, I still pick blackberry juice any day for the taste, but for the health-conscious, pomegranate juice may be a better choice.

What do you think about POM? Are their health claims any good or are they just more trumped up “sugar coated frosted wheaties increase attentiveness” type claims?

Nabisco Doesn’t Know What Sugar is in Their Products

Benjamin Jones — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:46:49 +0000

The other day I was thinking about how much I liked Nutter Butters, and I decided to drop Nabisco a line to see what kind of sugar they used in their products. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have any sort of consistent practice. This is probably to due different production facilities, suppliers, and prices, which makes sense. However, it does make it difficult to tell if their sugar uses bone char.

You can check out their email for yourself:

Hi Benjamin,

Thank you for visiting http://www.nabiscoworld.com .

Thank you for contacting us regarding the Nutter Butter Cookies.

The information that I have regarding you inquiry if the Nutter Butter Cookies are vegan is as follows:

I understand that knowing what ingredients are in the food products you eat directly affect how you practice your religion/dietary lifestyle, and Kraft Foods does all that it can to assist its consumers in making educated food decisions.

I apologize but unfortunately this ingredient information is not currently available.

As you can imagine our products change frequently, and maintaining a list of products for specific dietary practices would be virtually impossible.

In addition, in general, our products are analyzed for total sugars as opposed to specific types of sugar.

When sugar is listed as an ingredient, it refers to sucrose (table sugar).

Sucrose in our products can come from either sugar cane or sugar beets, depending on availability.

Sucrose is the same whether it comes from sugar cane or sugar beets.

“Sugars” as listed on the Nutrition Facts panel represents the total sugars in the product, not just sucrose.

“Sugars” refers to any sugar in a product that is added, naturally occurring or both.

An example of a naturally occurring sugar is the lactose in dairy products or fructose in fruits.

An example of an added sugar is sucrose (table sugar).

Thank you for taking the time to contact the consumer service center.

If you haven’t done so already, please add our site to your favorites and visit us again soon!

Kim McMiller
Associate Director, Consumer Relations

Cookbook Review: The Joy of Vegan Baking

Benjamin Jones — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:19:47 +0000

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s The Joy of Vegan Baking is one of the best cookbooks I have seen in a long time. Not only does it focus on baking, but it takes a practical and “demystifying” approach to the subject.

The cookbook begins with a quick chapter on the hows of vegan baking. Patrick-Goudreau takes us first through the use of egg replacers, from applesauce to baking soda and vinegar. From their she takes us through the multitude of options for replacing milk in vegan baking. Finally, the book outlines some options for replacing butter.

Then come the recipes

Clearly, the recipes are the best part of this book. The first thing I noticed when cracking the spine on my new cookbook was the superb images that not only jump out at you, but make you want to cook all the things you’d never been interested in before.

The first chapter of the book begins with recipes for a good breakfast. One of the simplest, and one of my favorites, is for corn muffins, which are a must for any good breakfast. Sure, they might be a little dry, but that’s all the more reason to have a nice glass of orange juice for breakfast.

If you’re looking to go from breakfast to after dinner snacks, you should try the Cinnamon rolls on page 175, which have been recommended to me by several people already.

Overall, I rate this book very highly. I hope I have some more time in the coming weeks to share even more recipes from this book with you, as well as my results with them. What’s your favorite recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking? Let me know in the comments and I’ll try it out!