One of the best gifts anyone can be given in life is that of a special friend. You know the kind – the one who makes you try new things, the one you get into trouble with, the one who stars in all your best stories and memories, the one who is the sister you […]
Archive | 2012
VeganMoFo: The Pioneer Woman and "Chicken-Fried" Tofu Steaks and Creamy Mashed Potatoes with White Gravy
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the month of vegan food, with its theme, “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today our guest is Ree Drummond, otherwise known as The Pioneer Woman. If you will indulge me, I really need Ree to introduce herself to you. I’ll be over in the corner trying […]
VeganMoFo: Paula Deen and Tofu Georgia
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today’s entry focuses on Paula Deen. Paula Deen is one of those people who brings out strong emotions and opinions in people, myself included. When I first watched Paula’s shows on TV, I […]
VeganMoFo: Ina Garten and Tofu "Chicken" and Broccoli Salad
The “V” Word begins the 2nd half of VeganMoFo, the month of delicious vegan food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today’s chef was selected, not because there was any recipe I just had to veganize, but because I just wanted an excuse to write about her. Our guest chef today is […]
VeganMoFo Half-Time Recap
VeganMoFo is half over already. My theme is “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan” and in each post I have made my own vegan and gluten-free version of a celebrity chef’s recipe. So far I have covered Rachael Ray, Giada de Laurentiis, Gordon Ramsay, Michael Chiarello, Pat and Gina Neely, Melissa d’Arabian and Bobby Flay. I […]
VeganMoFo: Bobby Flay and The Eggplant Crunchburger
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today’s episode stars Food Network’s own Bobby Flay. Bobby Flay is all over Food Network and The Cooking Channel. I swear that one day he will take over as president of the network. […]
VeganMoFo: Melissa d’Arabian and Tofu or Vegan "Shrimp" Scampi
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today I’m writing about Melissa d’Arabian for the simple reason that I like her. Melissa d’Arabian was the winner of Season 5’s Food Network Star (I predicted that) and now hosts Ten Dollar […]
Vegan MoFo: The Neelys and Pear & Apple Cobbler
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today’s episode features Pat and Gina Neely and something very rare from me: a dessert!! Pat and Gina Neely host 2 shows on Food Network: Down Home with the Neelys and Road Tasted […]
VeganMoFo: Michael Chiarello and Peaceful Shepherd’s Pie with Scallion Cheese Crust
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today the focus is on Michael Chiarello: chef, cookbook author, TV cooking show personality, entrepeneur, restaurateur, and winery owner. He also owns NapaStyle, a company that sells food, cookware and furniture, and puts […]
VeganMoFo: Top Chef Masters Vegan Challenge
The “V” Word continues VeganMoFo, the vegan month of food, with its theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Today, however, I am taking a break from cooking and twisting the theme a bit to “When TV Celebrity Chefs are Forced to Cook Vegan.” One of my favorite cooking competition shows is Top Chef. Even more […]
VeganMoFo: Giada De Laurentiis and Tofu Cacciatore
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the month of delicious vegan food, with the theme “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” While Rachael Ray may be my favorite celebrity chef, I have to admit that I watch more episodes of Giada De Laurentiis’ shows than of anyone else’s on TV. It helps that […]
VeganMoFo: Gordon Ramsay and Brown Rice Risotto with Portobello Mushrooms and Soy Blue Cheese
The “V” Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, the month of vegan food, with this year’s theme: “If TV Celebrity Chefs Went Vegan.” Most of the celebrity chefs I will pick are ones I like, some may be ones I don’t like but have something to say about. Today’s celebrity chef fits both categories. Gordon […]
VeganMoFo: Rachael Ray and Yum-O Stoup
If I were granted a wish where I could choose just one TV celebrity chef to go vegan, it would be Rachael Ray. As I’ve written before, Rachael Ray is my favorite TV celebrity chef, though she would be the first to say, “I’m not a chef, I’m a cook.” Finding and watching Rachael on […]
VeganMoFo 2012: My 2nd Season
It’s October, my favorite month of the year. The weather is cooler and the leaves are turning to all my favorite jewel-toned colors: orange, green, brown, red and purple (hey, there are purple leaves!). It’s the month of Tom’s and my anniversary (our 5th wedding anniversary and our 9th since we met). This year will […]
Baked Tofu
Other than making scrambles, my favorite way to eat tofu has always been to fry it. Whether it’s coated with flour and lightly pan-fried or double-dip dredged in vegan buttermilk and bread crumbs and then fried a bit deeper, I love, Love, LOVE tofu. But it’s not the healthiest way to eat such an […]
Happy New Year: Rosh Hashanah Menu for 5773
Tonight begins one of the holiest holidays in the Jewish religion: Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah means “head of the new year” and is observed for 2 days beginning on the 1st of Tishrei, the first day of the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and […]
Ooey-Gooey Baked Ziti
You know how there are some dishes you can’t eat out at restaurants or when anyone else makes them because they just aren’t the same as how you had them when you were growing up? I have a million of those dishes – meals that no one could make the way my mother made them. […]
Tofu Pomodoro
It’s September and if you have your own vegetable garden, you are probably trying to find ways to use up all the bounty you harvested. Here is a simple and delicious dish to help you enjoy some of those juicy tomatoes and fragrant basil you planted. Tofu Pomodoro is crispy, pan-fried slices of tofu topped […]
The "V" Word Turns 3 Years Old Today!
Today The “V” Word turns 3 years old. My baby is growing up now and has become bigger, stronger and more than I could have ever imagined.The story of how The “V” Word came to be can be found here in the very first post I wrote 3 years ago today. It was not meant […]
Bok Choy Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates There’s bad news, there’s worse news and there’s good news. The bad news is that I’m currently suffering from a relapse of my autoimmune disorder. The worse news is that because I need to keep my skin away from heat, my doctor has ordered […]
Book Review: "The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals"
“For success, like happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself.” – Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning In bookstores, “The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals,” by Jenny Brown with Gretchen Primack, will take its […]
Chia Puddings: Chocolate Blackberry and Vanilla Banana
“Chi Chi Chia..” Who would have thought that the fad gift of the Chia Pet would end up being the source of a superfood decades later? But it’s true. Chia Seeds are an amazing food that you should add to your diet! This edible seed which comes from the mint family has some great nutritional benefits. […]
The Farmers Market Daughter, Pt. 1: Vegetable Pakoras and Cucumber Raita
Last summer was the 2nd worst summer of my life. I’m not exaggerating. Between personal problems, illness and staying with my in-laws upstate who hate me, I felt like I was in the deepest level of Hell. I was lonely, mistreated and very depressed. The only bright spot was on the weekend when Tom and I would […]
The Farmers Market Daughter, Pt 2: Spiced Rice and Indian Cole Slaw
Since I wrote the first part of my Farmers Market Daughter post, some good things have happened. I heard from Dammi who is in Sri Lanka with her mother again. It was nice to reconnect with her. She was very touched by my story about her. I also have been in contact with Save Animals […]