Lifestyles of the Chic & Vegan

Glorious Vegan Nut Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 04:07:00 +0000

Back in my pre-vegan days, I loved cheese. On any given day, there would be a wedge of cheese in the refrigerator- a creamy reblochon or a sharp shropshire blue or a simple piece of edam or soft-spreadable Alouette. Once I gained the full knowledge of the horrors & cruelty & pure heartbreak of dairy production, no piece of dairy cheese could ever taste delicious again.

Of course, there are amazing vegan substitutes for cheese like Daiya nowadays, but sometimes I crave a little wedge...

So what's a former cheese-lover to do? The answer is pretty damn simple. Make your own fabulous cultured nut cheeze! Guess this was always somewhere on my to-do list, along with making vegan kimchi and once I conquered that I was on the fast-track to fermentation. And once my Vita-Mix arrived, I had the tools to make my own glorious vegan cheeze. I found some adapted recipes from The Sunny Raw Kitchen and voilà!

Here they are just flavored:

Peppercorn & himalayan sea salt being molded:

I varied the recipes a bit with extra probiotics instead of rejuvelac, but definitely want to try that next time. These were all cashew nut based- one with peppercorn, the paprika one based more on an Alouette flavoring with added white wine and one herb flavored. They fermented in a warm spot above the 'fridge for about 16hours and then the real fun begins- adding all the yummy flavors. The hardest part of all- was waiting for the cheeze to really firm up in the 'fridge. Had to wait about three weeks, though they were definitely ready for snacking in about two days as a soft spread...The beauty of fermented food is the pungent taste but also added health bonus of probiotics. I have all kinds of nutty cheezy plans dancing through my head...apparently cashew based will always be softer, plan on experimenting with pecans soon!

Finished product three weeks later:

Do yourself a favor and make some cultured nut cheeze now!

Hamptons Getaway - Vegan Style

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:40:00 +0000

Can't believe it's September already- summer has just flown by & fall is sweeping in, it's either been really busy or I'm having way too much fun or both? We didn't go anywhere- just out to the beach a few times, but we did have one especially fun experience....

One summer weekend, we were invited out to Southampton by some dear friends, who just happen to be way fancy...they rented a small house for the season and by "small", I mean small for them which is six bedrooms (Universe, if you are listening- I would be happy with a one or two bedroom bungalow by the beach)...anyway, we were looking forward to a fab few days!

It happened to be the hottest weekend ever in NYC & we were just happy to be out of the concrete jungle and in the lushness of the Hamptons. The icing on the cake? Quality time with our friends and well, them having a personal chef definitely did not suck. Chef never cooked vegan before, but she's a pro & as she put it- cooking vegan was no problem!

Here's a quick show & tell:

Friday night dinner:
a most delectable watermelon avocado salad and yes, it was delectable, delicious, delicate & perfect...

My entree was curried tofu- was super tasty- everyone else had fish in curry & Chef apologized for my dish not looking as pretty...um, no complaints here!

Poached pears for dessert- sans honey mascarpone topping for me...

Here's where we spent most of our time- lounging, eating & drinking by the pool- well we also got a great beach day in, but forgot to grab some pics...

Here's where Chef prepared our meals- this was mushroom risotto in the making:

Note to Universe: I would also like a nice Viking outdoor grill at my beach bungalow- thanks!

The roasted artichokes were divine.

Am not a big fan of zucchini or summer squash, but this raw dish with meyer lemon dressing was quite edible!

Buffet style & ready to eat- the vegan risotto was incredibly delicious.

We were in a lovely octagonish bedroom:

The pups know exactly where to dry off after a swim in the pool!

Earlier in the day, we went into town for lunch- which was an unmemorable salad for me, but then I found an Organic Avenue - hurray!

Got some Hail Merry raw chocolate almond butter tarts- tasty.

There was a lot more shopping & then back to the house....
Table dressed for a Sunday get-together:

Ready to feast!

Assortment of sauteed mushrooms

My plate consisted of: amazingly roasted/charred corn on cob- sans butter, portobello burger, beet salad, quinoa salad & more roasted veggies- YUM!

Monday's light breakfast- watermelon, pineapple, canteloupe & mint:

Chef built a yummy tower of leftovers for lunch:

We had taken the train out & our friends offered to bring us back to NYC- I just assumed that we would drive...silly rabbit, why drive for three hrs and that's not counting traffic when you have your own helicopter that can get you back to NYC in thirty minutes?

It was quite cinematic...just a lone spot along the road with helicopter waiting. As cool as the whole production was, I was simply unimpressed because I was just plain scared!

Yep, never been in a helicopter & have retained all the random helicopter crash stories heard over the years for an occasion such as this...there were six of us altogether including three schnauzers. Everyone engaged in conversation except me...frozen in fear & breaking into a cold sweat. I was also super nauseated- combination of fear & the giant headset/noise buffers trapping heat. Tried to stay calm and after what felt like forever, I calmed down a teeny bit...

The views got more amazing as we got closer to NYC...

And here's our little ole Long Island City- we were able to kind of spot our building...

And pulling in to land at the 34th Street helipad...

We watched pilot & helicopter head back out as we waited for the ferry to take us home straight across the East River. The weekend was definitely relaxing, but it was also nice to get back to the furry kids in our little abode....

I know they felt us fly by in the helicopter...and they were probably by the window...

Hope everyone had a great summer!

Wildflower, a NYC Vegan PopUp Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:16:00 +0000

A little over a week ago the NYC vegan community got to experience the pop-up restaurant trend. A pop-up restaurant is a temporary restaurant, great for young chefs starting out or even notable chefs who might want to test out an idea with less financial risk.

Wildflower, NYC's first vegan pop-up was created by Ayinde Howell , with the help of donations large & small of many many other supportive people such as yours truly who contributed via Kickstarter. It was wonderful to see Wildflower come to fruition! And indeed it did, starting the evening of June 10th & serving brunch & dinner thru the 12th. The setting was LTO- Limited Time Only, which is the former space of Broadway East where I had a birthday dinner many many moons ago!

I had sampled Ayinde's food last year at a Gracious Gourmand dinner event. So I gathered up my friend, Elizabeth & new friend, Kera and it was vegan girls' night out for Wildflower's Sunday Vegan Street Food Menu. Here was the menu:

Sunday Night: Street Food Favorites

Biscuit Slider Duo:

featuring the Crazy Jamaican Burger & the Flaming BBQ Burger

Seitan Shwarma

The favorite plant based meat substitute… on a stick

Pineapple Pizza Sliders

Hearty tomato sauce, italian tofu sausage, red peppers pineapples & white onion

Quinoa Nachos

Savory quinoa, onion, black olives, cheesy sauce served over yellow corn chips

Street Taco Duo:

Ayinde’s twist on two classics, Korean seitan taco & Beer battered tempeh taco

Churros

A classic street food served with hot chocolate

Belgian Beer Floats

Vanilla ice cream over an ice cold stout.

Featured Cocktail:

Poached Pear Manhattan

And here's the location:

One of my favorites of the evening: the biscuit slider duo- we all agreed that the biscuits were divine, vegan or not, best biscuits ever. And the burger was really yummy- we couldn't believe that it was all tofu. I've eaten a lot of tofu & I have NEVER had it taste so burger like, the BBQ burger was delish...the Jamaican burger was a tad spicy for me & I like me some spice...

Next up, the seitan street meat on a stick- now I've had this before at the Gracious Gourmand dinner where it was absolutely delectable....here, not so much, the texture was a little strange & just tasted oily & strangely bland.

This little Pineapple Pizza Slider was yummy for sure!

And this simple Nacho dish, blew me away- a modified Daiya creamy cheese sauce with smokey quinoa & olives. OMG, so good & the very idea of combining smokey quinoa with nachos was absolute brilliance.

And the one dish that I was looking forward to- the tacos! We were presented with two Korean seitan tacos, not sure what happened to the beer-battered tempeh which sounded amazing...but sadly the Korean tacos were way too salty. The yummy Korean, spicy sesame oil flavor was definitely there, but was oversalted which was really disappointing because they would have been so delicious. Also thought there might be more add-ons on the taco like kimchi or cilantro & salsa variation, that might have cut the saltiness. I'm never one to pass on a taco, but I couldn't finish these....I was very sad.

The Churros with Hot Chocolate never appeared, so not sure if that was crossed off the menu or just never made it to our table...Our meal ended with a Belgian Beer Float - I'm not big on beer at all, but my companions found it interesting & tasty.

The general consensus was that dinner definitely had highlights for sure. There was a lot of hard work that went into Wildflower & it showed. But of course with anything new, there were kinks to work out, but for certain, I definitely appreciated being able to dine at a vegan pop-up and am certain there are more in NYC's future.

Going to Eataly

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 00:50:00 +0000

I love Italy. I have been to Italy so often, one would have thought that I had Italian roots (far from it, I'm of Asian descent)...I fell in love with the country & it's language. For years, it was a nonstop love affair with Italy from Bellagio & Lake Como to Venice, Florence & Naples. I came back from my first visit & attempted to learn Italian. There was the year that I decided to travel to Ravenna and planned on coming back with a new career as a mosaic artist (still love mosaics, but hate the craft). That was also the year, I studied Italian for two weeks in Siena and still only speak rudimentary Italian enough to get by. There was the time some friends & I rented a seriously haunted villa in Lucca- ghostly piano playing at night & traversing the Tuscan countryside by day....And the time that flights to Rome were so cheap, I convinced my dad to pull my sister out of school so that I could take her...I am years overdue for a trip back to Italy.

In the meantime, I make due & peruse old pictures and of course, head to Eataly- the mega-market/eatery Italian food mecca....

This pic is of Assisi:

As one can see from the sign- Italy is Eataly...

This place is filled with gorgeous produce...

And even a Vegetable Butcher- for the New Yorker who couldn't possibly prep their own veggies....

Bottled Italian water con gas & senza gas & soda galore...

An Italian dessert bar...

Aisles filled with Italian torrone candy (no vegan, but I used to love this stuff)....

Jars of jams & preserved fruits...

Walls of Italian candy in super cute packaging....

Fresh pasta....

Dried pasta for miles...

Pesto & tapenade for days...

Freshly baked bread....

And even a restaurant where they only serve vegetables! (they also have other separately sectioned restaurants for pizza, seafood, meat, etc) Haven't eaten there yet, but there are a few vegan options....

Eataly is 50,000 square feet & stuffed with people & products & sights & smells- most of them not vegan sadly...like the giant ham hocks that hang in the wine & cheese eatery or the live lobster tank in the seafood restaurant...boo, but will be back to check out the veggies for sure.

This was my small stash takeaway- it can be quite overwhelming doing any shopping there- picked up some pasta, Balsamic, chocolate, candy, olives & some antipasti.

The olives were cured with citrus & basil & just tasted bright & yummy:

Sundried tomatoes, artichokes & capers:

And my American-Italian Fcat made the most delicious sauteed garlic with fried, crispy basil- so amazing on crusty bread:

And this was Fcat's Italian masterpiece- the best Italian food is simple & fresh, but big on flavor and this definitely delivered on all. This simple little plate of pasta was simply amazing.
Fcat veganized this recipe here which is adapted from Scott Conant of NYC's Scarpetta.

Viva Italia!

Farm Sanctuary's Gala Event

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:53:00 +0000

Have been a busy bee as usual and am a tad late on the Farm Sanctuary Gala update! Two Saturdays ago, I attended the best birthday party ever!!!! Farm Sanctuary turned 25! This amazing non-profit organization has been working hard to rescue & protect farmed animals for twenty-five years strong & growing. Farm Sanctuary has campaigned to educate on the horrors of factory farming, and importantly, they work to push legislation to protect & alleviate the suffering of factory farmed animals. Farm Sanctuary is also a haven for lucky rescues- happy, sweet pigs, cows & goats that get to live out their natural lives running around, playing, cuddling- go visit Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY or in Orland, CA. This is an organization dear to my heart & I was so thrilled to be at Cipriani Wall Street to celebrate their hard work.

Here's my hero & hero for the animals, Gene Bauer, looking so dapper in his tuxedo! Gene started Farm Sanctuary by selling veggie hot dogs out of the back of his VW van. That VW van! It's been refurbished & ready to take Gene on his Just Eats Cross-Country Tour to explore vegan American eats & to celebrate Farm Sanctuary's 25 years. Yes indeed, bet the folks at Cipriani have never had a VW van highlight the entrance to their grand space.

There were vegan pigs-in-blankets served along the red carpet entrance...

And little pig ice sculpture graced the VIP cocktail area:

Just to give a sense of how grand the space is, take a peek at the ceiling:

The lovely Ashley Lou Smith from the Board of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary bedazzled all with the plastic farm animals in her hair:

Ashley, Marisa Miller-Wolfson of Kind Green Planet & new documentary, Vegucated & me posing with the piglet- yes, did I mention the drinks flowed from 5pm-12am?

Me, Elizabeth from Olsenhaus & two talented designer friends from the West Coast:

Ashley again with better hair shot of plastic animals and Rory Freedman, who authored Skinny Bitch...crazy thing, I haven't seen Rory in over twelve years since we both worked at Ford Models...who knew back then that she would go on to be a vegan rockstar & that I would actually be vegan?!?!

Here's Joshua Katcher from The Discerning Brute & Pinnacle with his boyfriend, James:

Leanne from Vaute Couture & I in ambient dinner lighting...haha.

There were a ton of hor's d'oeuvres being passed that I didn't get pics of because of course, my friends & I were too busy taking pics of ourselves ;) Especially memorable was the phyllo cup with porcini mushrooms, had quite a few.

David Lee of Field Roast Grain Meat Co. worked closely with Chef Paolo Dorigato from Cipriani to create the menu.

First course: Heirloom Tomato, fava beans, romaine salad, crostini with tapenade- yum!

Second course: Ravioli with Field Roast Chao Cheese- extra yummy, though the chickpeas draped on were bland & unnecessary...

Main Course: porcini, shitaki mushroom Field Roast cutlet topped with marinara sauce, side of polenta & asparagus

After the delicious meal, was the award ceremony- so many amazing stories of all Farm Sanctuary has done, as well as inspirational people who advocate for the animals:

Here's David Lee from Field Roast- those blurry cow paintings are Peter Max originals of Maxine the cow, a resident of Farm Sanctuary- those paintings were auctioned at $10,000 a piece- whoo hoo, go Maxine!

Kathy Freston was one of many honored for her work on behalf of the animals.

Plenty of auction items to bid on!

And the cutest dessert ever from Vegan Treats- there were ducks...

And piggies...

And cows...

Oh my...at this point, I was too stuffed to even try dessert, but Vegan Treats is always da bomb, especially the peanut butter bomb...

Animal Planet was there to film Vegan Treats for their new reality show, think working title is Sweet Avenger- yay for vegans on reality tv!

The party went late into the night...

And us girlies couldn't stop taking pictures because everyone looked so damn cute & well had more than our fair share of drinks...

Yep, that Cipriani clock had struck well-past midnight...

An amazing, wonderful evening celebrating Farm Sanctuary....I was so thrilled to be in the same room with so many inspirational people celebrities & not, all with the same purpose to save farmed animals. When Kathy Freston was asked what she would say if she could talk to the animals, she would tell them- "Hold on, we're coming..."

Brings tears to my eyes. The world will be vegan one day- hope springs eternal.

Seitan Worship

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Seitan or wheat gluten is the original meat alternative. Developed by ancient Chinese monks, it is gluten which happens to be high in protein that is extracted from washing flour. Now how did this idea even enter these Buddhist monks' minds, I have no idea. It must have been a divine inspiration from the universe! And I was going to have a whole lot of fun cooking with the divine inspiration that is seitan.

The whole lot of fun took place at Natural Gourmet Institute, last Monday night. Had signed up for The Amazing Seitan Workshop with Peter Berley months ago, and after an interminable wait, was excited to learn with my two best buddies, JK & Leinana from Vegan Good Things . Let the kneading begin!

I had assumed that the class would be more focused on different seitan recipes, rather than actual making seitan from scratch since I had heard how hard & tedious it was. I'm used to easy peasy vital wheat gluten from a box. Hmm, boy was I wrong! Lo and behold, we entered class & giant bowls of flour greeted us. Yep, we were going to make seitan from scratch. We were going to extract that gluten ourselves.

After incorporating water and forming a dough bowl, we had to really work the dough by hand- this was a serious workout. Lots of jokes abound about how seitan making could be a gym class.

After working the dough forever by hand to full incorporate the flour & water, we let it rest and then began the process of washing the dough ball in alternate hot/cold water baths, kneading & washing to extract the actual protein. This took about seven washes of five minutes each, til the dough became stringy and soft. What's interesting is that in a Chinese household, I grew up with seitan- in Chinese it actually translates to Flour Muscle/Tendon. Pretty gross looking- the strand look like muscle for sure, yuck. There it was the extracted protein, ready to be cooked. We placed it into the oven to cook in broth.

What really makes a class of course is the teacher! Peter Berley is an amazing instructor. He taught and entertained us and cooked at the same time, quite the feat!

The class split into teams to make the recipes. Leinana & I chose to make Pan-Seared Seitan Steak with Chimichurri.

Since the seitan took sometime to actually cook, we didn't have the proper time to fully marinate it. So after Leinana risked her limbs to sear the partially marinated seitan on an extremely high flame, we covered it with more sauce.

Not the most beautiful dish, but it was easily my favorite dish and us making it notwithstanding- the chimichurri was really just divine & come on, pan searing is so good!

And other favorite dish of the evening was the Eggplant & Seitan Falafel, made by JK & her partner. The flavors & texture was simply delicious!

There were Gluten Puffs with Sweet & Sour Sauce- also tasty, because who doesn't love a deep-fried, light seitan ball?

The Seitan Wrapped Burdock, Leek & Carrot Roll was interesting- the marinade for the burdock was quite tasty,but the texture of the seitan was a little strange for me.

Here's a savory seitan cutlet:

And a Seitan roulade stuffed with veggies:

Braised Chickpea Stew with Seitan Chorizo & Fennel:

Savory Seitan-Stuffed Summer Squash Provencal- might not look so pretty, but was so flavorful and yum!

Love how everyone takes pics before diving into the food- at this point we were all hungry since it was almost 10pm, but come on, priorities people- pictures first!

Look at my cute BFF, JK:

And look at Leinana & I & Peter Berley & our smothered chimichurri seitan! It's a love fest- pure & simple. Am now a serious Peter Berley fan and have just ordered, The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen. Can't wait!

All our collective hard work on a plate:

It was nice to enjoy the delicious fruits of our labor. Am definitely looking forward to another Peter Berley class - tofu making perhaps? Now, am going to be making seitan from scratch on a regular basis? Hell no!! Way too labor intensive when vital wheat gluten seitan taste just as good. But I will certainly be making it for special occasions for sure!

Scenes From A Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:44:00 +0000

Booboo Kittie had a birthday. She turned nine years old over the weekend. The birthday girl wore a bow & received a catnip mouse. We had a little party. Alas, Thelonious has no party manners...

Yes,Thelonious loves a party.
Happy Birthday Booboo!

Mini Rant on Vegan Scandal & Yummy Food

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:33:00 +0000

It's been a weird couple of days- but thankfully I can blame it on mercury being in retrograde! For those of you not familiar with this dreaded astrological happening- the planet, Mercury rules communication...when the planet retrogrades, there are setbacks, communication & electronics tend to break down or go strangely wrong, miscommunication & confusion rules. And yes lucky for us (insert sarcasm), Mercury retrogrades a few times during the year...

So of course, no surprise that the huge VegNews scandal and their non-apologetic apology would occur in the midst of Mercury in retrograde. I'm not here to bash VegNews- I produce photo shoots. They cost a pretty penny. However, I think most of us were left seriously wanting in terms of an apology. Their response was inadequate- citing cost as a reason to use actual meat/fish/animal based food stock photos is one thing but they simply could have noted that these were stock photos that contain animal product & not actual results from the recipe listed. They also misused the stock photo agreement by not crediting the photos as well. What's most upsetting is the cavalier attitude of deception & the fact that they were involved in a bit of a coverup. They had a chance to come clean & say, you know what guys- we totally messed up & we are exploring other options such as asking vegan food bloggers to contribute food photos for editorial credit, etc. A true sincere apology from VegNews would be widely embraced by the vegan community, not - sorry we got caught & we're sorry that you found out response. I believe that VegNews needs to step up, not gloss over it & prays that it goes away. Thought the best coverage on this scandal is this: VegNews Mess via lolcats!

Update: Finally, they heard us! Read the actual VegNews apology!

On a more fun note, I found a cute new small studio for castings! The only downside is the leather couch, shaggy lambskin pillow & cow hide on the floor- sads & ewww. Animals skin, fur & hides are so not cool & super creepy if you gave it any thought.

I love when models come to castings with their little animal companions- you know how it's always been said that people look like their animal companions? What I didn't get a pic of was the model in her grey sweatshirt- yep, she & pup matched!!! It was too cute.

Another fun discovery last week was Calexico in Greenpoint, Brooklyn! We are always in search of Mexican food in or near the 'hood & lucky for us, Greenpoint is so close. Calexico started out with a taco cart in NYC and has now branched into two brick & mortar spots in Brooklyn. It's the perfect combo for this omni/vegan couple! There is only one main vegan protein- the tofu asado, but it's truly delicious and I'm thankful for it.

There were also a bunch of other vegan yummies like their three salsa sampler- roasted tomato salsa, tomatillo salso & my absolute fave- pumpkin seed arbol- roasted pumpkin seeds& arbol chile, garlic, onion, cilantro.....so good!

Here's my tofu asado w/ vegan avocado crema- make sure you hold the cheese! Tofu was marinated to perfection.

We also had watercress salad with jicama & grapefruit:

The black beans & red rice are vegan- the beans had a different taste to it, hard to pinpoint- tasted a bit licorice-y, but once mixed with red rice, it was all good- (again make sure they don't do the sneaky cheese sprinkle!)

The space was also nicely done- casual, but warm & a great place to go with omnis and still get a delicious vegan meal. This place is a definite score!

Have a great week & if any confusion, miscommunication, frustration & drama occurs just know that Mercury is in retrograde and that is a reminder to slow down & take things in stride because this too shall pass.

Pure Food & Wine, Always So Divine

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:25:00 +0000

Sometimes I have homebody tendencies, I simply mean that I opt-out easily from plans if the weather happens to be sketchy or friends declare that they are on the fence about going out or not- I never push it because I am pretty content staying in. My friend, D & I haven't seen each other since last November & we don't even live in different states-we both live in NYC. We had planned a dinner months ago but we both forgot or something or other. Well, this time we made definite plans and I was already feeling the excuses pile up- oh, I really haven't finished my taxes yet or I'm feeling kind of tired...and then, of course, I realized during our phone conversation that my friend needed a friend and needed to be out, and so we kept our reservation & dinner with each other at Pure Food & Wine.

And more often than not, I'm always glad that I didn't cancel after all.

We started with a whole lot of catching up and some sangria & wine, then quickly moved on to food:

Hazelnut Crostini w/Crimini Mushrooms & Caper Bearnaise w/caraway sauerkraut- so yummy!

We also had a spinach avocado starter as well- which turned out to be amazing!

My friend had the Portobello w/brussel sprouts- it was okay but underwhelming. I tried to steer her towards the tamales, but she didn't want something so nut heavy. Now, this friend is not vegan, but we always go somewhere vegan because she's great that way- but she usually always sticks to veggie dishes that are straight-up vegetables.

I had Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles & Baby Bok Choy, w/snow peas, king oyster mushrooms, tamarind sauce, sesame salted cashews & cilantro oil. It was so good- didn't even realize that I wasn't having a cooked dish! That Pure Food & Wine kitchen makes some serious magic back there.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart- pecan caramel, dark chocolate ganache, maldon sea salt & vanilla cream- should have been delicious but was simply okay.

The Mint Sundae of course is always a big hit- pure decadence.

It was great to share delicious food & share all the things that are going on in our lives in such a perfect setting. Good friends & good food are good for the soul.

Addictive Vegan Eats

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:22:00 +0000

There are some things that you just can't get enough of despite knowing one shouldn't indulge too much...giant sundaes, a whole bag of Kettle Chips Chipotle Death Valley chips, a whole pie pan of coconut custard pie, back to back Bravo's Housewives episodes- can't stop watching that trainwreck of bickering & sheer pettiness...ok, am not cutting back on Housewives but I have found two "better for me" things to indulge in that I just can't get enough of:

1) Cheesy chipotle raw kale chips:

They may not look so addictive in the pics, but trust- one bite and I almost cleaned off the whole tray from the oven. I don't have a dehydrator, but my oven actually goes down to 105 degrees. So with a whole lot of patience & wait time, these raw "cheesy" chipotle kale chips were born! The person that discovered cashews, red pepper, nutritional yeast & lemon= cheese-like flavor is genius. And I bow to them, I give myself a little pat on the back for having the foresight of adding chipotle powder to the "cheese" which made the kale chips pure genius. Here's the cheesy crack sauce in the vitamix:

Yep, getting crunchy spicy cheesy goodness on as well as getting my kale on? Brilliant. Just remember to drink lots of water when eating dehydrated raw foods, so that you can rehydrate properly!

Cheesy Chipotle Raw Kale Chip Recipe adapted from here. I just added 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder to the mixture before blending. I had some of the "cheese" leftover & have been dipping veggies into it, would also make an amazing nacho queso dip.

2) Homemade vegan nutella aka "hazelnut chocolate crack"

Back in the day, I loved Nutella. Then I went vegan & discovered that it contained dairy & partially hydrogenated oils- bad bad & more bad. It's been many years since I've tasted that nutty chocolate-y yum until now...am disappointed that I didn't purchase a larger bag of hazelnuts or else I would have had a full jar & I poured more oil in than need be, so it's more like a fondue consistency but I got no problem with that, that just means more dipping fun.

The Not Nutella inspired me to make crepes- mainly crepes with strawberries because the bananas weren't ripe enough yet, but that is certainly on the list!

And since we are onto crepes, back in the day my favorite crepe would be a citron-sucre, which is simply a crepe with lemon, butter & sugar- easily recreated with earth balance for butter. So good. Made whole wheat crepes because Fcat likes it healthy, but I made the mistake of subbing 1/2cup of whole wheat pastry flour, which gave it a smoother texture than I had wanted.

There are plenty of vegan nutella recipes online and even in Veganomicon. The one that I used was actually on a non-vegan blog, Su Good Sweets. It had the simplest number of ingredients & super easy to whip up in a vitamix or food processor, now with all that sugar, am not claiming that it's healthy, just not as bad for you as the original spread. But am planning on making Ani Phyo's raw nutella soon and I imagine that will be even better, will share when I do!

Playing Hooky

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:08:00 +0000

Every now and then, one should play hooky from work.

I am not an advocate of shirking your duties, but sometimes you just have to do something fun & spontaneous. Now just a small caveat, Fcat & I are both self-employed, so it's a bit easier for us to play hooky, but surprisingly, we rarely take advantage of it where we do something fun. However, when the opportunity arose in the form of extra MoMA tickets from a neighbor that were expiring soon, Monday morning became Ferris Bueller's few hours off!

We didn't "borrow" a Ferrari to crash through a modernist home's window...but we definitely do like our modern musuems- soaring space highlighting the pieces displayed.

Can you spot Fcat? That is how he takes a photo, work or not. Really loved two of the Frank Stella pieces in this room...

We only had time for one exhibit, so Abstract Expressionist in New York was it.

Here were the requisite Warhols, which are always fun:

Loving the cow wallpaper...

This piece by Lee Krasner really drew me in- her secret language & hieroglyphs of love, frustration & pain. The painting's texture captures the layers of emotion & turbulence, yet ultimately there is a sense of order.

Here's a Pollack piece that I've never seen before & so different from his famous drip works:

We also loved the Rothkos:

We could have spent another hour or two in that exhibit alone, but we have priorities- lunch! The Cafe On 2 (it's on the 2nd flr) at MoMA is a perfect place to relax & have some yummy eats after looking at all that intense art. The executive chef was so friendly & helpful- she walked around chatting with all of us in line. It's kind of upscale cafeteria style- get in line, place your order & servers will bring your food. The food has an Italian/Mediterranean spin, which makes it very vegan friendly! And when I place my order, the person ringing us up took the time to make sure that my order indicated vegan on it and she did it with a small without me asking!

Look at all yummy vegetable offerings:

Love having lunch here at these long tables- the numbers are for the servers to bring your food:

Iced teas to start:

At the Cafe, they are collecting digital wall art from anyone who wants to participate & leave them a note:

I had a trio of bruschetta- butternut squash puree with sauteed shittake, peppers, squash & microgreens (this was absolutely delectable), hummus (ask for it w/o the prosciutto) and a white bean puree with root veggies. These were seriously veggie dishes done well!

Also got side order of olives, these were also delicious!

I love lunch at Cafe on 2 at MoMA, it's not inexpensive, but it certainly is a nice treat in a great space. Was especially impressed by how friendly & gracious everyone was at the Cafe- guess it does stem from the executive chef on down. They are very vegan friendly and if I still drank coffee, I would have ended my lovely little meal with a soy cappucino...next time, am going to ask if they have any vegan desserts, if enough people ask, it could happen- especially since they are so accommodating.

Spontaneity & art & delicious vegan food are good for the soul. I want to play hooky at MoMA more often!

Busy Bee: Castings & Photo Shoots & Eating

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:49:00 +0000

Hope everyone has been enjoying the transitioning spring weather! Perfect timing for the nicer weather for me since it's been a busy time filled with meetings, castings & shoots and honestly, I am loathe to leave my office/apt in nasty, NYC winters...

On a recent casting, I ran into two vegan models- have seen these girls for years, but only just discovered they were vegan while casting for Pinnacle Magazine- Reinvent the Icon , the anti-fur magazine & website.

Emily looked amazing in the VPL shoot, didn't she? Fab VPL designer, Victoria Bartlett designed accessories out of human hair. Here's Emily from another casting showing all that cruelty free is simply beautiful!

And then there's Karolina B. who is as stunning as she is vegan:

Those girls were definitely the highlight of my casting. Am always on the lookout for more vegan models now with this amazing anti-fur magazine pushing ahead! Okay, now getting back to my real-world work...once the rounds of castings & callbacks with clients are done, we can move forward to the actual shoot days at the studio.

We happen to love a certain studio down in Tribeca- the aptly named Tribeca Skyline Studios. Stunning views from the studio:

I tried to sneak a few shots of the shoot going on, but a lot of my clients are hush-hush and do not want any pics taken of their shoot...so I took pics of the studio instead. Here's the makeup station- hair had a whole other side which was double in size:

The studio that we rent is actually two studios put together- megastudio...

The biggest distraction shooting in studio is food. Everyone is always snacking & eating if they are not on-set. Luckily for me, this catering day was full of veggie yummies that I could partake in!

There was edamame- which they fried in chili oil, good but honestly, I liked my edamame steamed & lightly salted, but listen, I was not complaining. When everyone snacked on non-vegan cookies at the end of the day, I had more edamame!

Love when sushi days at the studio as well, the photographer is allergic to fish- so there is never fishy sushi & always veggie sushi- SCORE!

There was also a lightly steamed veggie bowl of cauliflower, carrots, snowpeas, drizzled with soy sauce & topped with sprouts & sesame seeds.

The salad of radicchio, cukes, celery & bell peppers was refreshing!

And the shallot, veggie rice was wonderfully carb-y!

With these shoots, there usually is always a salad & a side of vegetables- sometimes even tofu. This was definitely a good lunch day for the vegan in the studio! Now if this was a shoot that I was producing, I would normally have the caterers prepare a small vegan entree just for me...

Okay, lunch is over-now back to the studio tour, there's a table outside for meetings & castings:

And a couch for the waiting area, also good for napping if need be:

TV & magazines if models or clients get bored, though I have never seen anyone actually watching TV here...

A coffee bar, that doubles as an actual bar whenever the space is rented for events:

End of day, sunset views:

The set is broken down:

And someone has been patiently waiting for her owner to say "let's go home!":

Makeup station packed up & everyone's gone:

And that meant time for me to leave the studio & meet a friend for dinner nearby! We decided to check out Mexican Radio since it had good vegan options. I had been here years before in my pre-vegan days & I'm pretty sure they didn't have vegan options then....but I can't believe that I didn't know they have vegan options now!! Turns out that the owners- the guy is an omni & the girlfriend/wife is vegan. Was thrilled to pieces! It's a casual Tex-Mex place in Nolita, but it's not inexpensive...but who cares? They have vegan options for most dishes on the menu!

We started with some garlicky guacamole and drinks, but quickly moved on to the good stuff.

Check out my Plaintain Rellenos stuffed with Seitan, covered in soy cheese & tofu sour cream- it was so good. The seitan was so tender- it was just perfect.

They even knew not to sprinkle cheese on the rice & beans side dish because they know vegan! A lot of times at Mexican places, I tell them no cheese & they only remember on the entrees...the rice & beans were just okay.

My friend & I were stuffed, so we definitely had leftovers to take home. Made for a perfect lunch the next day! Studio days are not too bad these days....

Confessions of a Vegan Junkie

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 01:28:00 +0000

I am vegan.

I love vegan junk food.

Yes Virginia, one can be vegan and not eat any healthy greens.

Foods that I love: chips, anything fried, ice cream, french fries, Vegenaise, bread, Daiya cheese, sweet potato fries, cupcakes, cookies, Tofurkey, meat alternatives, shakes, burgers, mac n cheeze, tofu, pizza, the list goes on & on...yes, everything in moderation is not a bad thing but, I must confess- there are days on end when greens don't make it onto my plate, sigh.

Now, let me just say that all these dishes are not necessarily "junky" and are definitely fine in moderation of course....I just like them a whole lot more than in moderation. This is obviously not how I eat all the time, just a roundup of some "bad" faves.

Cue the confessional evidence:

My favorite at Veggie Dim Sum House, hotbed of white flour decadence- the fried turnip cake which the Fcat pointed out long ago, was just mostly flour with teeny bits of turnip & mushroom...hey, leave my turnip cake alone, I'm part Chinese and grew up on fried turnip cake (the non vegan version has tiny bits of Chinese sausage & dried shrimp). They make it to perfection at Veggie Dim Sum House, even grandma said so.

Dumplings- fried doughy goodness with "non" meaty filling, yep, 'nuff said.

This is hands down the most amazing sandwich I've ever had- the Tofu Banh Mi at Brooklyn Standard Deli in Greenpoint- crispy deep fried tofu topped with pickled daikon carrot & cilantro aioli, crunchy on the outside & soft melty tofu on the inside- trust, this is divine.

Cupcakes & donuts from Babycakes:

Vegan "Italian Sausage Roll" from Vince's in Williamsburg- sausage, peppers, onions, vegan cheddar & mozzerella and red sauce, wrapped in doughy goodness.

My favorite falafel pita sandwich (french fries optional, hell yeah- pile on the fried food!) from Hoosmoos Asli- so perfect after a day wandering around in SoHo or Nolita...

Vegan coconut custard pie from Hannah Kaminsky's My Sweet Vegan- I could easily polish off a whole pie in the course of a day or two, flaky crust & the most custardy non-egg custard ever...

Mac & Cheeze from S'Nice leftovers & taken home & baked to perfection.

Gardein's Buffalo Chik'n with vegenaise as a dip...

The Butterfinger shake at Terri NYC is thick, creamy & dreamy. My junky tendencies are so not what The China Study authors advocate as an ideal vegan diet.

I love carbs and I love vegan cheese- vegan pizza at Pala- one spicy red pie with cherry tomatoes & asparagus & a white pie with Field Roast sausage & mushrooms.

Every now & then, I have a vegan hot dog- we buy whole wheat buns in an attempts to make it healthier, but honestly it's just that combo of ketchup, mustard & sauerkraut with the Smart Dogs as a vehicle for said combo.

Other days call for grilled daiya cheese sandwiches with a side of pickles...

A little over a month ago, I went to Kris Carr's book signing for her new book, Crazy Sexy Diet. I've met Kris before & what impressed me most each time was how she just GLOWED. This is a woman who has cancer. She radiates sunshine and I needed to get with that program asap!

But of course addicts & junkies need a fix, especially when there is talk & thoughts of giving up the drug...so of course right after the signing, we headed over to Cafe Blossom where I promptly ordered a shake and soy-bacon-cheeze burger with sweet potato fries. Definitely gorged myself as if it were to be my last meal...

To be honest, I haven't gotten with the program yet- comfort foods are hard to wean from especially during a depressing winter, but I did start incorporating green monster smoothies into my day and that is a step in the right direction. Now that spring is coming, where I would normally do a juice cleanse, the Crazy Sexy Diet 21 day cleanse might be a better option. Time to come clean: sweep out the emotional crap & eat more whole foods. Will let you know how it goes...

Coconuts & Thai Food Yum

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:32:00 +0000

Has this been the longest winter in recent memory? Don't know the statistics but it sure feels like it! Spring is coming soon, but not soon enough...so to get thru the last cold days of winter, dream of the tropics...

A great way for to bring the tropics home? Buy a young thai coconut & open it yourself! Make sure you pick up a young thai coconut- they usually sell them individually wrapped in cellophane at the health food store. (If you get addicted like me, you might consider buying it by the case online which is much more economical.)

Coconut water is a great source of natural electrolytes- so much better for you than a Gatorade. And coconut meat is rich in good fats, medium chain fatty acids, vitamins & protein. Coconuts are the ultimate superfood. We always have a large jar of extra-virgin coconut oil as a nutritional supplement, for cooking and even as a moisturizer!

When choosing your coconut, pick one that feels dense & heavy, but you shouldn't really feel any liquid sloshing around inside. The coconut should be so filled with yummy liquid that there's no room to hear it...

Then cut away the white fleshy part around the top until the hard brown shell is exposed. Hack a slit with the bottom of the knife & then wedge the knife in to cut & pop off the top.
Once you get the hang of it, it's easy peasy- really!

Coconut water is so delicious & refreshing, you'll wish you had already opened ten more.

Don't forget to scrape out the precious coconut meat. It's a bit of a hassle & my least favorite part of the process, but so worth it, especially since these coconuts are not cheap. Put it in your smoothies or make a raw pudding or even better, make your own coconut milk!

If opening young Thai coconuts, leaves you wishing to indulge in Thai food, one can trek out to Woodside, Queens and have the best Thai food in all of New York at SriPraPhai Thai.

They have an extensive vegetarian menu, just make sure you tell them no fish sauce! My favorites are the crispy watercress salad with king oyster mushrooms with a delicious lime sauce, mint & cilantro.

And I always get the eggplant dish with a side of coconut rice, simple but so perfectly made- divine.

Then there's my favorite dessert, which is kind of like a mochi rice flour cake with coconut milk- the middle has either three little corn niblets or a little bit of scallion- strange but I just love the sweet coconut flavor & the chewy, light texture. I could easily eat this whole plate myself- don't think I didn't want to...

Yes indeed, I will be repeating all the things in this post quite often to get through the next three weeks of winter. Happy last remaining weeks of winter!

Loving Fall 2011 Already!

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:41:00 +0000

About another month before winter is out the door- am pretty over the snow, sleet & cold. Definitely ready for some sprightly spring weather, but this weekend surprisingly gave me some red hot fall/winter desire...

Was helping out my friend, Elizabeth & her fabulous vegan line, Olsenhaus at the NOW Showcase. Was really fun to hang & meet some cool people- designers & store owners are all about eco-friendly, sustainable fashion. And added bonus, got to see the hot new Olsenhaus fall line. Olsenhaus is debuting bags in the Awakening Collection/Fall 2011 and boy, am I coveting hard.

This gorgeous, ultrasuede giant tote is screaming to be in my closet or balanced in the crook of my elbow heading to brunch or clutched in my hand going away for the weekend...it's super roomy and the best part, it's got little feet- bags like these need feet, who wants to be setting down this gorgeousness on the filthy floor. Yes, I must admit I have some dirt issues...in my pre-vegan years, I used to set a cloth napkin on the floor at fancy Cipriani for my precious Celine bag. When I was 3yrs old, me the obnoxious, privileged American kid, would not set foot in Laos because it was dirt, not sidewalks- my parents carried me for two weeks.

Anyway, I love this bag, the Olsenhaus Bjorn Tote- reminds me of a way more compassionate & eco Hermes Birkin and for a fraction of the cost at $330. Some may balk at this price, but it's valid for the quality, eco-friendly, non-sweatshop production. I just love that there is yet another high-quality, fab vegan bag line! Yay!

Here's a peek at some of the other bags- one is embossed linen croc print....

This was the space the show was in over at The Terminal Building by the West Side Highway.

Look how hot this wooden platform wedge is- perfect for girls like me that need more height, but not wanting to balance on spindly heels which I happily did in my twenties....yep, age is catching up- but this Olsenhaus platform wedge is perfect for old ladies like me...

There were wallets, and heels and loafers...oh my! Even sequined "Toms" type loafers!

At the end of the day, there was a wine & cocktail hour, which also featured delicious snacks.There was super yummy salsas from The Brooklyn Salsa Company- especially yummy was Queens, The Tropical- it had coconut milk...yum!

I also got to sample Zhena's Gypsy Fair Trade Coconut Chai with soymilk, delicious!

There was also my favorite vegan snack ever, The Regal Vegan's Faux Gras, which is the most awesome stuff ever that's healthy & delicious. Made from walnuts & lentils, it is the cruelty-free version of disturbingly, cruelty-packed foie gras. It's also my favorite snack because Ella Nemcova, The Regal Vegan rocks & she really makes the most delicious food!
Wanted to post a pic, but Blogger is being troublesome...boo.

Would have taken more pictures walking around the show, but I was hobbling from hurting my bad knee at hot yoga a few days earlier, boo. But love that eco-friendly, sustainable fashion has a trade show to call their own. Now, can't wait for a vegan fashion trade show- bet that's coming soon!

Anniversaries Are For Eating

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:30:00 +0000

It is 60 degrees today here in NYC- so grateful for a winter break and to toast all things spring-y & lovely...I changed my blog to pretty shade of pink! Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day as well- Fcat & I don't celebrate Valentine's Day per se, we celebrate our anniversary which is actually the day before, whew. I dislike having to be out with a million other goggly-eyed couples, red roses in hand, paying for hiked up dinner prices...

I got to pick anniversary spot....

We started the day off with brunch at Pure Food & Wine. I love the space at PFW- it's intimate and warm- perfect for drinks & dining. Was excited to try their brunch- I've had raw food brunch before but was looking forward to PFW for quite awhile. We started with mimosas while we perused the menu.

Fcat went with the quiche which was recommended by the waitress. It was a bit smaller than we had expected. Honestly it was almost laughable how teeny it was. Fcat was incredulous. Luckily, it was really delicious. Fcat just wished that there was more of it- he finished it in four bites. We actually contemplated ordering an appetizer. Had we ordered an app with entree & dessert- it definitely would have been enough food. Raw meals are very filling, but Fcat's entree was definitely almost hors d'oeuvres sized.

My spinach florentine was a bit more substantial than the quiche, but that's not saying much...but then again, it was absolutely delicious. Spinach atop manna bread & marinated mushrooms with "hollandaise" sauce- all raw & all yum. I have made a raw eggplant manicotti meal before, so I can imagine how much work & time is involved in raw food prep, but I have to say- we won't be rushing back anytime some for brunch. Having had dinner here a few times which was great & fab, the brunch portions just seem smaller and still as expensive. If you want a great raw food experience that won't break the bank & still leave you satisfied, check out Quintessence in the East Village.The portions & food itself will make up for lack of ambiance & space.

Now what is definitely worth the money at Pure Food & Wine, is the mint sundae. It's so good that it led me to tweet & shout to the world that it was the gateway drug to raw food! Yep, minty, chocolatey yumminess from and not a drop of dairy or processed crap...wow.

Yes indeed, 6 years just fly by...we had the hostess snap this pic on our way out- Fcat has his snow hat on- that is not spray on helmet head...and me wrapped up in my Vaute Couture coat...

After brunch, we walked over to our favorite store, ABC Home, where we would buy everything if we could. Everything is so gorgeous & displays are done so well- makes me want everything!!

Love all the crystals they have- if it were up to me, our apt would be swimming in crystals & Buddhas, though if you ask Fcat, it already is...

Love white dishes...

We decided to catch a movie after- The Fighter was really great, though I always hate having to pay for movies that I get invited to screenings for...just happened to be out of town for The Fighter...We also missed the screening for Black Swan, The King's Speech, True Grit. I was going through my freaked out by bedbugs in NYC stage- didn't want to go to any movie theaters...we came out of The Fighter a little itchy, but it was all in my mind.

We had planned on heading home after all the popcorn I had during the movie, but then decided to treat ourselves to pizza at Pala, which is so perfect for the omni-vegan couple and gluten-free as well if you want to make it a threesome! Love that the vegan menu gets a whole page alongside the omni page.

I had a yummy ginger apple vodka cocktail.

We split an argula salad with Daiya cheese & apples. It was yummy.

We each got our own pizza, which of course we ended up ordering the same pizza, except one omni & the other vegan. Mine was Daiya cheese, Field Roast sausage & mushrooms....we didn't realize that there was no tomato sauce- so we had a side of marinara to dip into...perfect.

It was a perfect way to spend our anniversary- eating our way thru it. Yum! Have a gorgeous weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:49:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope everyone is stopping to smell the fair-trade, organic roses and letting your friends, family & fur companions know that they are loved.

Theo knows exactly how to appreciate the love, breathe in deeply!

And these two little well-fed strays, enjoy the sunshine & the love that's provided to them by the very generous people that share food & the porch & baby Jesus with them.

Have a heart & help adopt or rescue a shelter animal! Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Year of the Rabbit!

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 04:48:00 +0000

Happy Chinese New Year! It's the year of the rabbit and this promises to be a year of gentle ease, prosperity and peace. During the new year celebrations, always make sure you get your share of lucky foods! The easiest way is to surround your home with tangerines & clementines. They symbolize luck & good fortune. And they can brighten up any decor- we've been keeping bowls of clementines around to cheer up the winter blahs & getting added yummy vitamin c as well. They are just the perfect dose of happy!

Another new year's tradition is getting the hong bao, which are red envelopes with money inside, given by older relatives- kids really make out like bandits here....

There are lots of lucky foods to eat. Since my family's new years's celebration was delayed, we had a quiet dinner at home with noodles (longevity), shitake (seizing opportunities), pumpkin (abundance, prosperity) & greens (close family ties).

We made sure to have mochi red bean cake for dessert- sweets & rice cake (safety, good fortune, sweeten the year).

For Chinese New Year, we don't really make resolutions- just celebration, but because I'm also American- I saw it as another chance to incorporate new changes...like giving up coffee. Coffee is super acidic to the system (I've been reading Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet & loving it!) which is not a good thing. We should strive for a more alkaline diet. So when I heard about Teeccino, an herbal coffee alternative, I had to try it. Chicory, dates, almonds, figs, barley and other yummy things....I got Teecino Hazelnut & I absolutely love it. It brews just like coffee, now don't expect it to taste like coffee because it doesn't, but I really enjoy it and it's good for you- the chicory contains inulin which is a prebiotic that helps to supports probiotics & healthy digestive system .

We also got a Vitamix- it's like the Cadillac of blenders. I love it & it's a wonderful way to get a ton of raw greens in via monster green smoothies. Blends everything super smooth in a minute or less- here's a whole thing of organic kale, organic frozen peaches, coconut meat & 2 dates (one of which I forgot to pit, but wasn't a problem for super blender!)- I was really concerned with the noise level but I've gotten used to it & the most importantly, the cats don't mind at all!

Yes, all these green smoothies & no coffee thing doesn't mean no to fun nights out- my friend, Elizabeth invited me to a book signing & reception for Jane Velez-Mitchell's Addiction Nation at fancy schmancy, A Voce at the Time Warner Center. Alas, the party was way overpacked & over booked- we stayed for a glass of champagne & had to go in search of some grub. We decided on V-Note. I had been here once before & wasn't completely impressed, but wanted to give it another shot. Bottom-line: it was decent vegan food, but am not rushing back here anytime soon with so many other options in NYC.

Here's the ceasar salad with soy chicken- the ceasar was yummy, the soy chicken not so much...

Elizabeth's "not crab" cakes were good- but it was really all about the sauce- (here we are trying to get a shot of her fabulous swarovski ring, but flash wasn't working out so well)

And this hideous monstrosity- was actually not bad. This dish really need to be worked on presentation wise, it came as giant piece of ravioli with globs of sauce covering the whole dish until I cut into it. This was a mushroom, lentil, walnut ravioli with cashew cream, spinach, capers. The pasta was too doughy & the inside of the ravioli wasn't really flavorful, but if you had a bite with the cream spinach & caper- then it was good. But honestly, this dish looks like crap.

Here's the chocolate ganache- which I thought would have some cake to it, but really more like a chocolate, peanut butter fudge with a scoop of vanilla vegan ice cream.

My tofu cheesecake was okay, the texture a little smoother than I prefer and the flavor was okay, but wouldn't cry if I couldn't have it ever again...

The setting at V-Note is nice but honestly, the food is just okay. The good thing was that they were fully booked for Friday night, but I really wish they would get their act together since they are part of Blossom & totally capable of serving amazing vegan food. Am sure they get plenty of omnis being on the Upper East Side, they have a great opportunity to show how delicious vegan food can be, please V-Note, get it together!

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy, peace-filled & prosperous Year of the Rabbit and another year closer to a more compassionate world for all sentient beings.

Way Too Much Vegan Yum

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I love Vietnamese food. I'm part Vietnamese. How and why did it take me this long to discover Lan Cafe in NYC? Can't believe that I have not been indulging in this delicious vegan Vietnamese food for all these years! Well, no one has to tell me more than once...the first time I went to Lan was about a month ago & I have been dreaming about it ever since. So of course, it was a perfect spot for our vegan Asian girls' night dinner (aka the self-styled vegan Asian mafia-hehehe) with Leinana, Leanne & Sara. There is nothing better than delicious vegan eats & good vegan girlfriends for a fun night out!

Excuse the lighting which does the yumminess no justice, also should mention that Lan Cafe is tiny and decor & ambiance is not a reason to go, but the food absolutely is. Here's how it went down:

We started with the BBQ Seitan, which was super delicate & tender and came with a dipping sauce.

The other appetizer was the "not" Shrimp Papaya Salad- shredded green papaya, carrots, cilantro, onion, chili paste, peanuts, lime dressing and "not" shrimp, served with a side of "not" shrimp chips. I can't wait to bring my grandmother back for this one- it's that spot-on delicious.

We split a few entrees since there were so many things that we all wanted to have- that's the beauty of getting together with a few girlfriends- entrees to share! Yay!

Grilled Lemongrass Seitan on rice vermicelli, peanuts, mint- this was good, but the vermicelli a little overdone, but still tasty.

The Baguette w/ "not" ham, carrots, cucumber, cilantro- this is the ultimate Banh Mi, baguette toasted to perfection- so good.

The Pho is divine because of the broth, rice noodles & veggies. The tofu meatballs- not so tasty, but this is the quintessential Vietnamese noodle soup and trust me, it's all good.

What could possibly follow such a yummy meal & some serious girl talk? Why just the best vegan ice cream on the planet, courtesy of Lula's Sweet Apothecary & a whole lot of laughs. This is where I have truly been a bad vegan- this was my very first time to the temple of vegan ice cream goodness. Vegans everywhere shook their heads in disbelief upon hearing my shame. Well, I finally got there and wow, was I kicking myself for missing out on the best vegan ice cream ever.

Yes, Lula's is so good that New Yorkers trek through the mounds of snow & cold to get that creamy goodness. Lula's is teeny tiny, but it was packed with a line out the door. Look at these girls trying to figure out what to get-

This is what was decided- a sundae with strawberry, coffee and caramel graham cracker marshmallow made with Sara's own Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows-how cool is that (the best vegan marshies out there!), topped with hot fudge, marshmallow sauce & sprinkled with gummy bears- yep, all vegan. Amazing.

So the moral of this post, get a bunch of friends together and share some fun times & yummy eats!

Vegan Kimchi Yum!

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:18:00 +0000

Yet another snowstorm is hitting NYC as we speak, it's been such a long winter...the best way to counter more snow, slush & cold? The most obvious would be to book the next flight to anywhere in the Caribbean or Mexico but if that's not happening anytime soon, I say- bring the heat to the kitchen & fortify yourself from the cold with some vegan kimchi!

I live for the tangy, spicy fermented Korean veggie goodness that is kimchi. If you've never had kimchi before, it's similar to sauerkraut but even yummier. It's a perfect condiment for all meals year round, but especially if you get those winter blues. The tanginess wakes up your hibernating tastebuds! And did I mention that it's good for you too? Yep, the good bacteria in live cultured foods such as kimchi, boosts the immune system. The fermentation process also boosts the vitamins & minerals of the vegetables being cultured- kimchi being a great source of B12 vitamins. Homemade kimchi is like a fun magic trick that's delicious & nutritious. You can buy kimchi in stores, but many of them are not vegan since they contain anchovies. Honestly, it's so easy & inexpensive & fun to make, it's a perfect snow day activity!

I veganized & modified this recipe:

MAKE AHEAD: The vegetables need to soak in saltwater for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight (I soaked napa for 4.5hrs-it depends on your veggies/cut, thickly cut daikon, should soak longer.)

Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sea or kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1 medium head Napa cabbage
1 Asian radish (nu or daikon) - (optional, if you don't like daikon, add more cabbage)
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2-inch piece peeled ginger root, minced (2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoons soy sauce
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces (1/2 cup)
Leaves of 1 bunch mustard greens, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)/ (optional)
3 tablespoons coarsely ground Korean chili powder/ you can get this at asian food market
1 teaspoon sugar or agave (option, you can also add 1/2 apple or asian pear, if so cut back on sugar- but it is the sugar/fruit sugar that starts the process, so you do need some kind of sweetener.)

Directions:

Dissolve the salt in the water in a liquid measuring cup.

Rinse the leaves of the cabbage and cut into 2-inch lengths (12 to 14 cups). Peel the Asian radish (if using) and cut into quarters, then cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Combine the cabbage and radish (if using) in a large bowl and pour the saltwater over them. Soak for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.

Drain the soaked vegetables in a colander, squeezing out as much water as possible. Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

Combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce in a food processor or blender; process until finely minced. (I just combined everything together with rubber gloves on- don't rub your eyes!)

Add the scallions, mustard greens, garlic-ginger mixture, chili powder and sugar; toss to coat evenly. (If you use your hands, wear food-safe gloves; the chili might sting or stain your hands.) The mixture will have the consistency of a well-dressed salad.

Pack tightly into glass jars or a large food-safe plastic container- glass is preferable. If there's any liquid leftover, pour into jar so that there are no air pockets. Close the lid, but don't make it too tight because as the vegetables ferment, there may be some leakage. Leave the jar/jars out on the kitchen counter, maybe with a towel underneath, in case it leaks. The kimchi will be ready in 2 to 3 days and then it should be stored in the refrigerator. It will grow increasingly pungent as it sits. It is ideal after about 2 weeks and best eaten within a month.

Once you start getting a feel for making kimchi, you can experiment with different vegetables & fruits!

Not only is kimchi a delicious condiment for Tofurkey sanwiches & such, you can also make an easy Korean savory pancake called bin dae duk with kimchi. I made mine with chickpea flour, maitake mushrooms, scallions & kimchi.

Have I made a convincing argument for kimchi yet? What's your favorite fermented food?

L.A. Warmth-A Photo Shoot Recap

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Baby it's cold outside! As an arctic gulf blasts NYC, it might be more fun to recap the photo shoot that I did out in warm, sunny L.A. early last year.

All the weeks of shoot prep stress & flight where I never sleep is always immediately relieved by heading straight from the airport to Swingers for my tofu chilequiles fix, trust me it's essential. Swingers is THE happy place for omnis & vegans to dine together in a fun setting- how can it not be fun, their tag line is "ass, cash or grass, nobody eats for free!"

After my Swinger's fix is met, it's time to head to the hotel- settle in, followed by quick pre-production meeting, dinner with clients, make schedule adjustments and run thru everything with my assistant producer and off to bed.

One of the perks of being the producer is that oftentimes, you get a fancy upgraded room since you are booking a whole ton of people on your credit card. Here's my room at The Mondrian in West Hollywood, it had a full on wet bar (my room could have been fab party central- but alas I no longer party like I did back in my twenties)...

The very large, double sink bathroom...

The living room...with a giant daybed/couch that was great for my Assistant Producer, who's also a good friend, to crash without incurring extra room charges since she was hired as a local.

A few days after, I switched to a slightly smaller room, since they needed the suite back...

It was still a great room, with large bathroom as well...

However, it no less a "party" room, check out the interesting setup of clear glass wall that divides the shower from the bedroom...yes, with that sheer shower curtain- it's a bit peek show, but that shower curtain pulled aside, it's full on nudity. Um, did I mention that this shower is as long as the length of the bed & has two shower heads at either end? Yep, showcase for two & more in the shower & an audience. Let's say that I definitely didn't feel clean after that shower- you know all kinds of nasty, kinky stuff has gone on in there- eww.

Okay, enough about dirty thoughts shower...had decent call time next day for the pre-light, so it's not that painful waking, but I do need a grande soy latte. Thankfully the hotel is not too far from Starbucks, which is a quick walk, but since no one walks in L.A., definitely felt cars were slowing & people staring/pointing from their cars....

So we booked a gorgeous location in the Hollywood Hills and of course, nothing ever goes smoothly at a shoot. We were met by the house location rep who apologetically said that there were still people in the house but that they were getting ready to leave in a few hours....That's a problem, since we were paying top dollar for the house rental so it should be empty & ready-to-go at the time we agree to. Not only that, these people had a party the night before & were still cleaning up in the kitchen & bags of garbage everywhere. What the f***??????? I was not a happy camper. And on top of it the gym/office area where our celebrity talent was going to be changing and relaxing, was filthy. The room smelled like sweatsock funk & the bathroom was disgusting. Let's just say that nice words were not coming from my mouth, but even then this person was making no real effort to get the people or garbage out, nor clean the bathrooms properly. The house rep was useless, lazy & incompetent and on top of it, I had to pay for her as part of the rental- um, hell no.

Everything was taken care of eventually, but needless to say, this house rep was not coming back for the shoot day & I was not paying her. The crew unloaded & setup all the equipment and everything was falling into place. Despite, the messy location & the owner's super strict rules (um, if you're going to be so strict at least have the decency to have the place scrubbed down every once in a while), it was a gorgeous view!

Here's our stand-in for the celeb on pre-light day- he's obviously a bit smaller than our celeb, but he'll do...

Here's our celeb on shoot day...so yes, LDC is actually pretty tall in person at 6'2 and more handsome in person (I was never a big fan, but now I am!). He was also extremely down-to-earth. Yep, he drove with his assistant in a small Prius while his publicist & agent came in much fancier vehicles- now that's cool.

Was so busy putting out fires, forgot to take a pic of the gorgeous catered setup- I did have time to get a quick bite of this delicious beet salad...

And after all is said & done, shoot wrapped, equipment load out, house restored, I had to get to M Cafe for some restorative macro goodness- this is another of my favorites in L.A. & also great to for my omni boyfriend because macro places also serve fish.

Couldn't wait to bring my goodies back to the hotel & park myself on the couch in front of the tv- Fizzy Lizzy, inari sushi with hijiki & edamame, The Big Macro (think healthy big mac) & side of kale and the yummiest thing ever, M Cafe's "rice krispie" treat.

Ah yes, another day's work, warm weather & good food- life is good. Let's get through this winter by thinking warm thoughts & cozying up with our furball companion animals. Grateful for all that we have, don't forget the more unfortunates ones out in the harsh winter- provide even simple shelter for strays such as a lined cardboard box, or even better- really help the strays by building an easy-peasy shelter.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Vegans Gone Gourmet

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:35:00 +0000

The James Beard House, bastion of all things foodie & gourmet, held an event last week with restaurant extraordinaire,Candle 79. The event, Enlightened Eaters: Pig Out On Plants Cocktail Party, featured Candle chef, Angel Ramos and special guest, Ironman Triathelete/Vega Founder, Brendan Brazier. The last time The James Beard House invited vegans into their sacred space, it was the chefs of Horizon in Philadelphia, and I had balked at the hundred plus price tag for dinner. Of course, I've always regretted missing out on since I still haven't made it to Horizons. So when this vegan foodie opportunity arose, I was definitely not going to pass it up, (well maybe a brief second my budget doubted the merits of seventy-five buckaroos for three hours of hors d'oeuvres), but attend I did.

It was so worth it. A fortuitous event that combined vegan food and a term not normally synonymous with vegan, "foodies". Yes indeed, the prestigious James Beard House had vegans in the house! I went with my designer friend, Elizabeth of Olsen haus fabulousness and it was a blast. The food was amazing (to note, the food passing didn't come as quickly nor as copiously as I had expected, but then again, I should have been parked closer to the kitchen where all the smart hungry people were...duh.) and there was plenty of delicious wines from Calypso Organic Selections.

Without any further ado, here's the deliciousness that put vegans on the James Beard "foodie" map:

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Crispy Sage- everything about this was pure yum, down to the crispy sage. There was also the Seitan Grille with Chimichurri Sauce which I didn't catch a pic of because I was probably too busy shoving several down my gullet...

Arancini with Wild Mushrooms, Squash & Truffled Cashew Cream- delicately fried on the outside & creamy riceball on the inside, so delicious.

Seitan Cakes with Cashew Creme Fraiche- this was good, but my least favorite, hence the dark pic- (hehe, not really, just a bad pic).

Ravioli with Tofu Cheese, Roasted Tomato Sauce & Cashew Cheese, this was my absolute fave, tasted a slight hint of Thai spin to it- could that have been? Or too much Shiraz? I tasted a hint of lemongrass in the cheese & Sriacha in the sauce- whatever it was, it was true deliciousness!

And the perfect end to the party, Hot Mulled Apple Cider, Phyllo Cups with Cashew Cream with Berries and Miniature Chocolate Cakes with Chocolate Ganache- perfect bites.

Not only was it amazing to see vegan food & Candle 79 recognized by a main "foodie" institution, it was a wonderful event to mix with fabulous vegans. I met the glowing, Kris Carr (she's got a new book out, Crazy Sexy Diet- got to get on that!), Gena from Choosing Raw, Linda Long of Great Chefs Cook Vegan & Vegan Hotspot and Victoria Moran.

Look at the happy, smiling vegans: me with Elizabeth and Joy & Bart of the extraordinary Candle restaurants. Behind us is a portrait of James Beard, Bart joked that the last time vegan food was prepared here, he saw a tear roll down Beard's cheek.

The townhouse was filled with cookbooks, but what most of us found interesting was the area that was James Beard's bedroom- an area large enough for just a bed and this was not a man of svelte girth...but the kinky part, um the mirrored area above...just had to share that!

Hopefully, there will many more vegan events like these and hopefully, more of us will be able to attend & support them. Last week was yet another giant step forward for vegan cuisine and that is definitely another step towards the abolition of animal exploitation.

Vegans Eating Well

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:58:00 +0000

When I began my vegan journey, I didn't know any other vegans and I didn't know that vegan food can be amazing. Nowadays, I feel especially blessed to have like-minded friends to share delectable meals with and rant about being vegan in a non-vegan world.

Here's a recent girls' night at Soy & Sake with Leinana & Leanne, the food was simply amazing and the company as well! Soy & Sake works wonders recreating all those dishes I missed from my pre-vegan days. It's so good that the simple mention of Soy & Sake can easily stimulate a Pavlovian response...please see exhibits A, B, C, D & E below

Vegan coconut battered "not" shrimp-amazing!!!!

Vegan deep fried sushi with spicy "not" tuna & asparagus roll- so good!

Vegan sushi roll with eel & crab alternates & avocado

Vegan lemon "not fish" fillet- this dish is especially tasty

Vegan peking "not" duck- my favorite


Cute Vegans!

And speaking of fabulous vegan friends, my dearest friend- The Urban Vegan is coming out with her second cookbook soon, and I am lucky enough to be testing some of her fabulous recipes. Yes indeed, we have been eating quite well here at home these days. Will be testing more in the weeks to come, so more yum to come!

Urban Vegan's Test Recipe: Ethiopian Collard Greens

Urban Vegan Test Recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash

Urban Vegan Test Recipe: Jambalaya

Am so happy to be blogging and sharing yummy vegan eats again. Hope everyone has been indulging in delicious cruelty-free food this week too! Tonight, am super excited for a very special vegan event with Candle 79 at the prestigious James Beard House, can't wait to share all that fun...

London Calling

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:34:00 +0000

Same Starbucks fix, different city, but doing it right in my fab new Vaute Couture coat! Don't mind my just-arrived-pooped-I-got-no-sleep-on-flight look...

My little sister, SKO is spending her junior year abroad at The London School of Economics, so of course, I had to take grandma to go visit for Christmas. Note to self, never visit another cold weather city in winter, not only was it damp & chilly (not so conducive to sight-seeing)...but winter snowstorms did throw our trip for several loops. Thankfully, it never got to apocalyptic magnitude, let's just say it wasn't the most seamless visit. And I was cranky. A lot. However, now that I am happily back home in NYC, I look back and we had a fabulous time.

London is a beautiful city with needless to say, a whole lot of history. No easy task to pick a handful of the 681 pics I took to put in this post, but I tried- bear with me:

The weather in London is always damp, coupled with the unusual colder weather, made for really cold feet- not so fun for sight-seeing, but one of the many great things about London- all the museums are pay what you want. We went to The British Museum & The National Gallery a few times, which even then, we didn't cover all the galleries filled to the brim with the most fabulous ~~stolen~~ treasures. London as a city is also filled with architectural & historical treasures.

Yes, Big Ben is a whole lot smaller in person.

Just another fabulous typical street in the center of London, replete with super expensive cabs & double deckers. Don't ask how much we spent from the airport to the hotel...

Fountain in Trafalgar Square, yes, fountains run through the London winter- they typically don't have freezing winters. Yep, just our luck- snow.

This was the site of many a beheading at the Tower of London, including Henry VIII's lovely wife number 2, Anne Boleyn. Yes, the Tower visit was at times beautiful & gruesome.


Westminster Abbey

Horse Guard Parade

Changing of the Guards in front of Buckingham Palace. Boo hiss on the bear fur hats- there is no pomp nor circumstance in killing an animal for an accessory. What if there was a vegan guard- would he be able to get a faux fur bear hat?

A street in the lovely neighborhood of fancy Marylebone

A view from St.James Park

A very snuggly squirrel feasting on a nut

Snowstorm at Windsor Castle

And what might this extremely long line be for? what fabulous historical site? Yes, that would be the very celebrated Abercrombie of Fitch. Churchill & Lord Nelson's bespoke tailors are turning in their graves.

Cat mummies at The British Museum

Let's talk food. There is and there isn't a whole lot for vegans in London. Most of the museum cafes had zero options- as one of the Italian managers at the Tower museum said- "The English cook everything in butter." So seemingly perfect vegan pan-fried mushrooms at my hotel breakfast buffet were sitting in butter. Yuck.

The Wagamama noodle chain was our lunch standby- tons of vegan options & noodle soup was the only way to go to defrost our toes & fingers. The Pho chain was another good one as well.

Wagamama: vegan udon noodle soup

Pho: spicy vegan noodle soup

Another Wagamama yumminess: vegan curry noodle soup- so divine

The neighborhood Tesco or Sainsbury, always carried Alpro soy yogurts, pudding, soymilks and that's what I supplemented my meagre breakfast buffet options with...


Love the soy yogurt & soy puddings

Grandma also loved Tibits on Heddon Street. Tibits is basically a vegetarian buffet with vegan options clearly marked. No faux meats- just vegetables & grains done really well. The atmosphere was cute & the food delicious. They are owned by the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Switzerland- they know their veggies.

One day, we trekked to Camden Locke Market, which turned out to be a bust. Just cheesy, cheapy clothes & accessories- we should have gone to the Portobello Market instead- oh well, now we know. Cold & hungry, we ended up at inSpiral Lounge which I was grateful for their mostly vegan menu but definitely way too much of a hippy dippy vibe for me. The vegan lasgna was good though.

Ah little bird, were you warning me to enter not to this cheesy marketplace?

InSpiral Lounge vegan lasgna

My favorite meal in London was at Mildred's. The place was absolutely packed. It's a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options. Of course, all my pics from the most amazing meal ever were too dark! We started with the most delectably grilled artichoke bruschetta with garlic cream and then I had mixed mushroom ale pie with mashed peas. The pastry was flaky & perfect and the mushroom rich and fragrant. Was simply delicious & the atmosphere totally cute.

For Christmas Eve dinner, we made a last minute reservation at Shanghai Blues which turned out to be perfect because they didn't have a set menu so everyone could order whatever they wanted and for me, a yummy vegan mapo tofu. We had such a great time on Christmas- wearing our Christmas crowns, what a fun British tradition. Might try to my hands on some Christmas crackers for future celebrations.


Christmas Eve dinner with our lovely Christmas crowns from our Christmas crackers.

Delectable silky spicy mapo tofu from Christmas Eve dinner at Shanghai Blues

Part of my Christmas present to my sister was high tea at The Ritz, yes fancy we were indeed. High tea is so quintessentially English, how could we not partake. Through much research & inquiry, I discovered that The Ritz could accommodate vegans. The room was gorgeous & the table perfectly dressed. Christmas high tea required reservations & we had a lovely time which was well worth the price.

Vegan tea sandwiches

Vegan desserts

Vegan blush from too much champagne

London is a delightful city. My only complaint- they have no resources to deal with the mini- snowstorm that hit the U.K. Heathrow was shut for days with an amount of snow that would have been laughable in NY. Because of that, our Stonehenge/Bath tour was cancelled as was our mini-trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, boo. I would definitely venture back, though not any time soon two weeks in London is more than enough time- we were delayed three days longer than planned because of the snowstorm in NYC. We finally got home via flight to D.C. and then train back to NYC- it much more convoluted than it sounds...

Was wonderful to see the city that my sister has been living in for the year. Am so proud of her & we really enjoyed spending the holidays together. But am thrilled to be home at last. Have had my share of traveling for a bit, but then again this is a new year....

A Wandering Back Of Ulyssian Proportions

noreply@blogger.com (vko) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:48:00 +0000

One year ends and another year begins. Fresh with the promise of a new beginning, I revisit my much neglected blog. I have been gone a long time. I began this blog four years ago in January of 2007, so technically this would be my 4 year blogiversary if the last year or two hadn't been so post sparse. This blog began with my passion & a need for a platform to give voice to my veganism. Somewhere along the way, my little blog fell by the wayside, but my passion for being vegan has never faltered. Procrastination, excuses and doubt set in as to whether or not my blog was even interesting enough to continue or relevant- just felt like a self-indulgent, show & tell. It just seemed boring & pointless. However, when I really start reflecting on what this blog & blog community has brought to me & what I have been able to share as well, I am grateful. When I went vegan in 2006, I knew no other vegans. Blogging and at a later date,Twitter, opened up a world of vegan friends & sense of community. I had wanted to show anyone who happened upon my blog, how easy it is to be vegan and fab- that the term "vegan" was no longer synonymous with just earthy-crunchy-hemp-wearing types. I have made such amazing friends along the way, how could I not return and give thanks.

I return to my blog with the power of intention that this is my-little-blog-that-could, that it becomes a personal vehicle for change, however small- that it inspires me again to share my vegan voice with anyone interested in listening. I am filled with excitement to return to the blog community that I love. Hope this year is filled with peace, prosperity, love and even more compassion for the animals than ever before.