Pretty-Cheesy

It’s smelling a little funky around here… it must be the cheese!

Let’s face it; cheese is delicious.  No, not the titty-suckling kind of cheese, I’m talking about cheese made exclusively from soybeans, nuts, seeds, and more delicious options!  I can’t even begin to explain to you how many times I have heard people say; “I could never give up my cheese”.  As for us Veteran Vegans, well many of us have been there.  From ooey-gooey grilled sandwiches, to brie covered crackers and the pungent smell and flavour that bleu cheese lends, there’s no end to the diversity.  Thankfully none of us Vegan-folks have to choose between our morals, ethics and empathetic evolution in order to enjoy the taste, texture and overall use of any cheese-centered dishes.  So for this blog post I won't be sharing any of my own creations, but instead gleaning and showing-off the shiny and all-too-delicious sexiness of other's delectable delicacies.  Scroll along and find what you like, as I've detailed which Vegan "Cheeses" are most suitable for different uses.  There really are options for everyone, and every style of food and different "levels" of a Vegan diet.  Try them all or try a few, but you can't go away thinking you don't have tons of options.

Vegan "Cheese" and some other stuff! - the packaged variety

Chocola Tree - Chocola Tree's Website
Try their Vegan Cheese Crumbles which come in Cheddar or Parmesan.  Sprinkle them over popcorn, salads, pasta, tofu, veggies and whatever else you want!  You could eat them out of the jar if you wanted.

Daiya - Daiya's Website *Aubrie's favourite for using on pizzas!

Daiya is the perfect substitute for classics like pizza, lasagna and quesadillas because it melts, stretches
and tastes just like it should.  Whether you suffer from allergies or are committed to a vegan lifestyle, our products are the perfect addition to your favorite dishes.
*Aubrie's Tip: when making pizza, nachos, or almost anything with Daiya, I add a bit of extra oil.  Just a drizzle of your favourite oil over the top of a pizza or nacho's makes it melt and stretch more, and also gives you that full-on fat flavour that you tasted when eating cheese from mammals.

Dr. Cow - Dr. Cow's Website *Aubrie's favourite for "just eating".

They have a variety of different Raw Cheeses.  Here's what they have to say about their "Cashew Nut Cream Cheese": Very fresh, very simple with a creamy texture. Traditional cheese maker style . Serve like cream cheese or sour cream. Try spooning it over freshly cut celery or cucumber. Smeared on sprouted bread or over crackers.

Food for Lovers Vegan Queso - Food for Lovers Website

Choose from their Mild or Original flavours. Our main ingredient is nutritional yeast. It looks a bit like flour but smells like cheese (in a good way). It's completely vegan and packed with Vitamin B. It's been a vegan go-to ingredient probably since the start of vegan cooking. We use this in addition to spices, tomatoes and green chiles to create an incredibly creamy, delightfully spicy dip. You'll understand everything you need to know about TexMex food after your first bite.

Go Veggie! - Go Veggie's! website *Aubrie's favourite for "Parmesan"

They carry Slices, Blocks, Shreds, Cream Cheese Alternative's and Grated Topping's.  Grab one of each to use on different things!  Try the slices in a sandwich, the cream cheese alternative in brownies, and sprinkle the grated topping over salad, popcorn or pasta.
*Aubrie's Tip: to maintain "fully vegan" status, please only buy their "Dairy-Free" products, which do not contain Casein, a milk protein with addictive qualities (and not because it tastes good).

Nacheez - Nacheez's Website *Aubrie's favourite Nacho cheese/dip for chips

Try their Mild, Medium or Spicy flavours.  A delicious dip or sauce to pour over just about anything you want to add a cheesy flavour to.  I love it over nacho's, or I could really just drink it.  Yes, it's that delicious!

Nacho Mom's Ultimate Vegan Queso - Nacho Mom's Website
A delicious soy-free Queso's for dipping or dripping over nachos!  They have three varieties: Ultimate Vegan Queso, Fire Roasted Queso, and VooDoo Queso.  Grab one of these jars of goodness for the next time you need a little comfort food.

Parma! - Parama's! Website

Sprinkle Parma! (or pour) on popcorn, pizza, pasta, ​soup, and salad.​​ It is also great on sandwiches, ​tortillas, beans, avocado, lightly steamed ​veggies, grains, ​and most savory food.

Parmela - Parmela's Website

Delicious Parmela Parmesan style cheese cups add a rich authentic flavor to your meals.  Using entirely dairy-free ingredients, the nut based cheese undergoes a fermentation and aging process unlocking that rich savory flavor.  Parmela is perfect for a finishing touch sprinkled over your favorite dishes: pastas, stir-fries, salads, and sandwiches.

Road's End Organics Chreese Sauce Mixes - Road's End's Website
Comes in little packes that you mix with water or your preferred non-dairy milks to make sauces.  They offer Alfredo Sauce or Cheddar Sauce.  You can stir these into pasta dishes easily!  Try their Mac 'n Chreese, as well as their gravy.

Ste Martean Vegan Cheese Alternative - Ste Martean's Website 
Makers of Colby, Muenster, Pepper Jack, Olive and Smoked Gouda!  Grate these into a layer dip, slice and spread them into enchilada's, or chow-down on them with crackers and a sip of wine or your favourite spritzer.

And in keeping with a new tradition, I give you a cheesy-unicorn.  I'm not sure I'd want to eat this one, as it looks pretty sharp.  Get it? SHARP! Har-har-har!

Teese - Teese's Website

Teese Vegan Cheese, a 100% dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free alternative to dairy cheese, first launched in 2008. We created a product that tastes, melts, and stretches better than any other dairy-free cheese alternative on the market. Teese can be used just like regular dairy cheese in all of your favorite meals. Perfect for pizzas, mac 'n' cheese, grilled cheese, and nachos.

Toffuti - Toffuti's Website

One of the most popular, old Vegan brands!  They make Better Than Cream Cheese, dairy-free Slices, Sour Supreme, and Ricotta Cheese for your dining pleasures.  They also make Blintzes, icecream sandwiches, icecream cones, fudgecicles and pints of icecream.

Vegan Gourmet - Vegan Gourmet's Website

The makers of the amazingly popular "Vegenaise: better than mayo spread".  For their Cheeses, they make Fiesta, Cheddar and Mozzarella shreds.  Use them like you would any shredded cheese.  They also offer Salad Dressings!

Vegcuisine  - unfortunately they don't have their website up and running, but click HERE for a link to their outrageously tasty-looking Bleu Cheese

Vegcuisine (formerly Sunergia) strives to create innovative, delicious, and nutritious soy foods, and their Organic Soy Bleu 'Cheese' is no exception! Use any way you would use dairy bleu cheese - paired with bread, crackers, or fruit for an appetizer, crumbled into salads, or melted on pasta or other entrees. 

"We can't say it's cheese" spreads from Wayfare - Wayfare's Website *Aubrie's favourite cheesy-spread

There are many things in life that taste good; but few taste great…our cheeses are in the “great” category. It is not easy to recreate the flavor and rich taste of typical cheese, but our customers say we have done it. The good news is that we have done it without the casein, high fats and cholesterol. Ours even melts just like cheese. So next time you are wanting some nachos, mac ’n cheese or a quesadilla, look for WayFare!

They also make Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Pudding, and "Bacony Bits" -- all Vegan and all delicious!

Bon appetit!




Aubrie is an incredibly "Vegan- Cheesy" person. No seriously, it's everywhere I ever go.  It's like The Blob and wants to eat me.

Locavore Vegan Pizza + Homemade Omega-Rich Red Sauce

This pizza and it's unrelenting name, "Lovavore Vegan Pizza" are a mouthful x 1,000!  

It's delicious.  It's nutrient-dense.  It's sustainable.  It's VEGAN!  What more could a girl ask for on a super-warm summer afternoon?  Not a whole lot more.  WAIT.  Ponies!  Ponies would be nice.  Pizza eatin' ponies?  I hope it's got grass on it (not that kind, silly).  

This 'zah is dense enough to satisfy your biggest hunger pangs, but won't leave you with your head hanging like the Queen or King of lethargy. Indeed, it's delicious with it's perfect combination of the bittersweetness of the tomatoes and the creaminess of delicious Hemp Oil, combined with a perfectly browned crust.  Mmmm...  An added bonus is that this pizza is naturally and unwavering with nutrient density!  Packed full of omega's and fresh vegetables you'll find your skin glowing and your smile getting progressively more pretty and bright (not that you needed help, you beautiful person you!).  Basically this means that when you are ready to get movin' again it won't take long to get up to your favourite rate of speed -- which I imagine if you are reading my blog is fairly fast-paced, giggly and maybe a tad impish.  Teehee!

Where I live on little Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest, it is easy-peasy to find seasonal produce almost all year-round.  I often head North from my home-sweet-home to Coupeville where I can stop-by Mile Post 19 Farm and snag 3 pounds of delicious, farm fresh and chemical-free Raspberries for $12.  What a steal!  Even though I have my own small gardens, plus a large conglomeration of fruit trees, such as 4-5 different varieties of apples, pears, plums, peaches, kiwi's, and more; I still love to solicit other farms that grow things I haven't grown this year, or haven't got a clue how to grow in the first place!  My next door neighbours grow their own veggies on their gorgeous 20 acre farm called "SkyRoot Farm", part of which I am lucky enough to be able to let my horses graze on (bless your hearts, SkyRoot folks!).  A short walk and I can get to other farm stands filled with different seasonal produce or flowers.  My favourite stand for the past couple of years is Bur Oak Acres, who's delicious produce I used on the pizza that I'm sharing with you today.  Their farm stand is adorable and comfortable, and often bustling with other local fruit and vegetable lovers like myself.  I could probably survive on their mouthwatering melons alone, although the farmers at B.O.A are smart enough to know that a balanced diet should probably incorporate a few other things too (dang it...)

So without further adieu, I now give you the reason you visited my blog (it wasn't to read my ramblings and partake in my verbose enthusiasm?!); the 'ZAH, or more commonly known as... P-I-Z-Z-A! 

Note: I have broken this recipe up into three parts: the crust, the sauce, and the toppings/cooking.  I find it is easier to read recipes this way.  And if you don't like the recipe... well, have a Unicorn.


What I listened to while I wrote this blog:

Sherlock - SHINee
(click to listen/watch)

Locavore Super Hero Vegan Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza dough - You can make your own, or buy one from the grocery store that is already pre-made.  If you buy premade, I love Essential Baking Co.'s pizza dough, which as an added bonus is a locally made product from Seattle!

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 450 fahrenheit.

Oil a pizza pan or cookie sheet with Hemp or other omega-rich (Flax or Chia would work) oil of choice.  Roll pizza dough out to desired thickness and place on baking sheet.  Set aside.

For the Red Sauce:
4 large ripe Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Hemp Oil
1 tablespoon Braggs Amino's or Soy-Sauce (if you're allergic or sensitive to soy, opt for a soy-free sauce or just replace the sauce with a few pinches of salt)

2-3 tablespoons basil, rosemary, thyme, or a combination of the three
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup raw, whole chia seeds

           Directions:

Slice the tomato's into quarters and place in to a blender or food processor.  Add oil, Braggs/soy-sauce/salt, herbs and cayenne.  Blend until desired consistency (I love a few chunks).  Pour into bowl and stir in the chia seeds.  Allow to set until the sauce is a relatively thick, tapioca pudding like consistency (see photo). Now it is time to prepare your toppings.

For the toppings:

1 whole Bellpepper

1/2 large Yellow Onion

1/2 small Eggplant

1 bag of Daiya cheese, or other favourite dairy-free "cheese" (grated)

1 tablespoon Hemp Oil

Salt to taste

Directions: 

Chop all vegetables to desired size.  Set aside.  Once the tomato sauce has thickened; spoon it onto the dough and spread it evenly until it is about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Place veggies onto pizza as you like them, pressing down gently so they are "embedded" in the sauce a bit.  Cover with your dairy-free cheese.  Sprinkle with oil and salt.  Place in oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the pizza is a light golden brown.  

This pizza is a serious NOM-NOM-NOMBOMB, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Namaste! xoxox

Aubrie is an avid food blogger chew-and-swallower.  She loves pizza's of all types, the red sauce being the best part in her opinion.

Nixie's Little Nom-Bombs (cookies), Earth Balance: 3rd Annual Holiday Bake-Off, and to top it all off I think I am turning Japanese!

Good-afternoon, folks!

It's a gnarly, rainy day in Washington state and I am happily cuddled indoors on my extremely "fluffy", "cushy" couch.  Need I mention that my infamous laptop is doing a fine job keeping my legs warm? (even though my feet are now resembling freezer-burned Popsicles)

I love rainy days.  Especially rainy days where I am forced outdoors due to a mandatory prior engagement  What could I possibly schedule into my life that would force me into such a vulnerable position?  Why getting all 4 horses hooves trimmed o'course!  Not to mention I took the time to fully clean out the duck/chicken night house and brush and super-hydrate the goats with Vega Electrolytes .  They seriously love those electrolytes!  I scrubbed out all of their feed buckets and then I filled one bucket with hot-hot water and electrolytes, set it in their barn and 1/4 of it was gone within about 10 minutes!  Dietrich wasn't too keen on sharing with the girls, Euncine, Gladyse or Alice though, so I gave them some other treats while he drank.                                            

(Pictured right, from front to back: Alice, Eunice, Gladyse)

I have continued the life-long process of learning Japanese.  I got the first collection of Pimsleur Japanese I from my local library a few years ago and never took the time to finish it.  Well, I have recently started becoming more-'n-more interested in learning more languages, and challenging my brain so I opted to check it out again.  I am also eagerly anticipating Pimsleur's Korean I, but I am 8th on the list of people waiting for it, so... I'll just have to eagerly await it's inevitable availability a bit longer.

In the midst of all this busy-ness, I took the time time to look around as I was running errands and did notice that a local Mexican restaurant, Tres Gringos Tamales, has put the glorious word "Vegan" on their menu; which I had not noticed prior to seeing it today, even though they have happily made me Veg-Friendly food in the past, per my request.  The menu features a variety of delectable Vegan items that have delighted my taste buds in the past, and by the pitter-patter of my plant-powered heart they will likely grace my taste-buds yet again, and again... and again.  To be perfectly honest, I strongly recommend that you solicit these awesome folks for some delish grub!  Make sure you give them a call first though, 'cause it's not a "walk-in and eat" style restaurant.  You have to pre-order items that will be made the day they are in their kitchen, which they rent and must share the time and space with other culinary gods and goddesses.

Alright, alright.  I bet you're wondering when I am going to share with you my absolutely amazing cookie recipe, right?  Well, now's the time babe!  But first and foremost, make sure that you check-out the music that I am diggin' on right now.  Yes, this is a mandatory step in the cookie-creating process, so-much-so that I will actually insert it as a step into the "Directions" section.

Just so you know: I am entering this exact recipe (and two others) into Earth Balance: 3rd Annual Holiday Bake-Off, in hopes that I will be the grand-prize winner and be honoured with a trip to Las Vegas, PLUS $1,000.  I know that I will at LEAST place well, if not win.  And if I don't win anything this year (I'll cry), then at least I would have learned something AND put my delicacies out there, right?  Right!

  

Nixie’s Little Nom-Bombs

Created by Aubrie Rose Keegan

Nixie was a goat.  I started, although have never really begun; a business that I named after her, called “Nixie’s Kitchen”.  Needless to say Nixie was an adorable little Lamancha Doe, and also had brown and white colouring.  I decided to make a “token cookie” that represented my business idea and Nixie herself:  this cookie is what I came up with!  These little cookies, filled with delicious chocolate, coconut, oats, flax and raw pumpkin seeds are dedicated to her (don’t the ingredients sound like things a goat would just love?); hence the name.

Note: I use mostly, if not ALL, Organic ingredients.  If you want to experience the true, unrequited love that these cookies will give to you then you oughta put your money where your oven mitts are and... don't burn the whole house down.

While I baked these treats, I listened to:

The Vapors - Turning Japanese

(click to listen/watch)

2 Cups of Gluten-Free oats

2 cups, plus 1 tbsp. Gluten-Free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Redmill)

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of Celtic or Himalayan Salt, finely ground

2/3 cup Earth Balance Coconut Spread, melted (coconut oil works well, too)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup cane sugar

1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar, or another dark sugar (Sucanat, Coconut Palm Sugar)

½ cup non-dairy milk
2-3 tablespoons ground Flax seeds

1 cup shredded Coconut (I prefer a medium shred)

¾ cup Chocolate Chips or Chunks

1 ¼ cups raw pumpkin seeds

Directions:
TURN ON MUSIC THAT I SHARED, ABOVE!

Preheat the oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit.  Cut 2 pieces of non-silicone coated parchment paper to fit your baking sheet, and set aside. 

Put a few large spoonfuls of Earth Balance Coconut Spread in a pan on a med/low heat to melt.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, flax, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Now whisk  the oil, sugars, nondairy milk, flax seeds, and vanilla into the dry ingredients.  Mix in the coconut, chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds before the mixture is fully combined. 

You can make these cookies any size that you like, but I have found that a cookie the equivalent of 3 tbsp. to ¼ cup works well.  Feel free to experiment.  Wet your hands lightly with water before rolling the dough into little balls, as this mixture is really sticky and dry hands make it harder to roll.  Flatten the balls a bit when you put them on the cookie sheet, and make sure to place them about 1 inch apart as they will spread.
Place on the center of the rack in the oven, and allow to bake for about 7-8 minutes.

Remember: gluten-free flour burns more easily than regular flour, so the shorter baking time makes them less likely to burn.
Pull them out of the oven and allow to set for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack, or a plate by an open window (yes, I am old fashioned and enjoy this method best!).

*if you do not eat these cookies straight away, when they are completely cool make sure to place them in a container or an airtight bag in the refrigerator.  The Earth Balance will harden a bit at room temperature (assuming your room isn't over about 75 degrees!) or colder which will bind the cookies and prevent them from crumbling.  You may also freeze these cookies and pull them out at a later point.  Make sure they are completely cool before putting them in a container, though!

Bon appetit!

Sweet 'n Salty Coconut Blackberry Cupcakes

Wow, it has been quite some time since I last updated my blog!  I must say that I have been handling quite a lot, and although my lack of frequent posts is obvious my life is still hustling and bustling along, with a hitch or two tossed in for the sake of my character developing well.  Whew!

So, I'm backatchya with a great little cupcake that I just "invented", and it's called...

Sweet 'n Salty Coconut Blackberry Cupcake
I love this little cupcake, and so does anyone who's tried it sooo... here's the recipe!

Please note: I am writing down the ingredients and instructions based on how I begin the process and throughout assembly.  It may be a bit unconventional but it works well for me, so I hope you find it easy to follow.  Feedback is always appreciated.

Please use ALL ORGANIC food items, folks.  For your health, and for the sanity of the world.  Thank-you!

While I baked these treats, I listened to:
Black Eyed Peas - Hey Mama
(click to listen/watch)

For the Cake

3/4 to 1 cup coconut milk

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup teaspoon coconut oil

1 large ripe banana (not an overripe banana)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, plus 1 teaspoon coconut extract, and (optional) 1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup brown sugar, sucanat, or coconut palm sugar*1

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup millet flour

1/3 cup arrowroot flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon plus another 1/4 teaspoon Celtic, French, Himalayan or unrefined sea salt*2

1/2 cup fine or medium shred dried coconut

-Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit, or 163 Celsius

-Line your cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

-Put 3/4 cup coconut oil into a pan on low-medium heat to melt.
-Pour 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into a large bowl, then follow with about 3/4 cup warm coconut milk, leaving as much cream behind in the can as possible.
-Whisk the vinegar and the coconut milk together in a large bowl until it becomes moderately fluffy.  Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow time for curdling.

-While you wait for the coconut milk to curdle; peel 1 large ripe banana, and place into a separate medium-sized bowl.  Pour the vanilla, coconut, and (optional) almond extract directly onto the banana and then begin mashing the banana into a thick paste with a large spoon, ladle, or whatever you find works best, making sure that the extracts are combined well with the banana.  For the sake of fun and flavour, you may choose to let the banana marinate in the extractives, which gives it a nice full-bodied flavour, or you can simple add brown sugar and mix the two together. until well combined.

-Sift all flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the same bowl the banana is in, then add the shredded coconut.  Mix well.
-Now is the time to take the melted coconut oil off of the stove and add it to the curdled coconut milk mixture.  Stir.
-Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until no lumps, large or small remain.
-Fill cupcake molds about 3/4 of the way full.
-Put cupcake pan on the middle rack in the center of the oven, and cook for about 10-15 minutes.  I use a fine-tipped chopstick to check if my cupcakes are done by inserting it into the center of a cupcake, and it should come out mostly clean.

Note: due to the density of these cupcakes I find it's best to "undercook" them a little, but not a lot.  If you pull your "sticker" out and batter sticks to the tip only, then that's good enough for me.  This allows for a very moist, delicious and a little bit of a sticky cupcake.

For the Fluffy Buttercream:

1/4 cup Organic Earth Balance

3/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (I use "Spectrum Organic Shortening")  

1/4 cup coconut cream

3 cups confectioners/powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, plus 1 teaspoon coconut extract

For a SOY-FREE version (here's looking at you, Joan) of this buttercream, just remove the Organic Earth Balance and replace it with an extra 1/4 cup of shortening.  It's still really delicious.  

Cream the Earth Balance, Shortening and coconut cream, or just the Shortening and the coconut cream.  Add the extracts and half of the sugar.  Blend well in a food processor or with a handheld mixer, then add the other half of the sugar.  If you have a piping bag, pick your favourite tip and decorate these cupcakes for added pizazz, or just smear the buttercream on top and add the Sweet 'n Salty Toasted Coconut and the blackberries.

Sweet 'n Salty Toasted Coconut

-1 Teaspoon coconut oil

-1/4 cup shredded coconut

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

In a small frying pan (the one you used for initially melting the coconut oil is fine) melt what's left of the coconut oil, and add the remaining dry coconut, sugar, and salt.  Stir well and allow to cook until the coconut is browned on both sides.  I highly recommend allowing extra time for the coconut to cool completely outside of the pan, prior to using it as a garnish: if the coconut is hot and you put it on the buttercream then the buttercream will melt, and that just won't do!  If you are in a hurry, put the coconut into a small bowl or cup and place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.  

*1 -  When baking Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free the end result has the increased potential to be really heavy or dry, especially when using highly absorbent flour such as coconut flour.  This is why I recommend sugar's that have retained moisture in them, which not only adds a nice texture and richness to the baked goods, but also adds extra moisture without having to add more liquids or oils.

*2 - I do not condone the use of generic, refined table salt.  It has been so highly refined that all that is left in this bastardized version of salt is sodium.  If you use a high-grade, unrefined sea salt like mentioned above then you are also adding naturally occurring minerals to your food as unrefined celtic, french and himalayan salt contain all 84 minerals.  It also tastes a lot better, has a robust flavour and makes things "sweat"  more than table salt does which increases the overall flavour in the food that it's in.

Enjoy your day, my sweet loves!
Love, Aubrie

Nixie's "Vegan" Kitchen!

Ahhhh, snow! I have quite the love-hate relationship with that notoriously beautiful, soft, tasty, fluffy white stuff -- especially when it came to be about 1' tall in only 3 days. For some of you that may seem minor, and I am sure you're thinking; "Hah! She thinks 1 foot of snow is a lot?! She should come to [insert place here] and see how much snow there is!". But the fact of the matter is I have never lived in a place with so much snow... until now. The best part of the snow (besides the natural, pristine beauty) is... well, the nonhuman animals that are playing in it (with me, preferably) of course! The dogs eat it, roll in it, lay in it, and basically live in it day in and day out until it has completely melted -- let me put it this way; if snow were a god, they would worship it.

I think that the only nonhuman animals on the farm that did not seem to enjoy it were the hens and the rooster, and the goats. The horses did not seem too fazed by it, except for the fact that it was (no pun intended) freezing. Otherwise I think we all got a big kick out of it while it lasted. In fact I know that I got a HUGE kick out of it the first day and a half, and then I really started to feel a little bitter that it wasn't melting. Yeeeeeeahhh........

In the midst of the snowiness, I felt very strongly compelled to eat. Go figure! And with eating (at least in my house) usually comes... COOKING. And when creating new food I love to jot down the recipe in a notebook of mine; which is beautifully decorated with wooden dragons and spiral bound (thanks to my Auntie Judy-Bee for giving me this notebook -- it is my absolute favourite!), and my favourite "lucky" pencil that has a fuzzy whale on-top and says "Save Me" beneath it -- it may sound silly to some of you, but I honestly believe that this pencil/notebook combination is one of the reasons I am able to write and create foodie things as well as I do. Hopefully, when the book fills-up and the pencil is only 1" long, I will still be able to write and create!

Kaiba and Meiko -- Chillin' in the snow!

Now that I have typed and typed about my need for certain materials in order to be creative (I am being dramatic, I assure you!), please continue reading so that you may embark on the culinary journey that I created, as I have done my very best to pull together helpful nutrition information and health-related tidbits for your education and enjoyment.

This is a very simple, warm, flavourful, and heavy stew. I have made various types of soup and stew using similar ingredients, and I think that I finally settled on my Hearty Root and Shoot Stew. One of the reasons that I like this stew so much is because of the varied textures of the vegetables. It is a given that each vegetable is at least somewhat different than the next, and a contributing factor, in this recipe specifically, is the fact that I cook each ingredient for a different amount of time.

I want to stress a few things about this stew and the importance of the quality of ingredients. I use mostly, or exclusively Organic ingredients, and I try to use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. I know that some of you find this difficult for various reasons, and I urge each and every one of you to try to buy at least some of the ingredients Organically. Over time you will find that they are much more delicious than their non-organic counterparts.

I also use high quality fruit oils, such as coconut oil or olive oil. I prefer the taste and health benefits of cold pressed or extra virgin oils, which have a much higher nutrient content as they have not been refined as much as high heat oil would have to be in order to be used without burning. If I were to use any high heat oils I would use coconut oil, not olive oil which is much easier to burn and typically has a strong flavour (especially if you are using a high quality, organic oil, which lacks chemical residue and will flavour dishes intensely) or vegetable oil. You can buy large tubs of coconut oil online, or at many grocery stores. I, personally, would recommend searching online, as they are typically less expensive, you can buy them in "bulk", and you have the option to have them autoshipped to you as often, or infrequently as you like! I have found this method extremely convenient, and much more cost effective in the long run. Just be sure to try out different types of oil, as some of them have a stronger coconut flavour, some are more oily, some have a lower burn-point... etc!

For curious folks, I primarily use Nutiva Coconut Oil, and it is purchased through Amazon.com. I usually ONLY use this oil for baking and cooking, and the only thing I have had difficulty with is getting it the consistency I want when I work it into a fluffy buttercream to top-off the cakes, cupcakes, or other little pastries that I love to make. With that said, here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Coconut-54-Ounce-Containers/dp/B003QDRJXY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327201791&sr=8-2

Salt is also a big deal for me! If you were to look in my kitchen you would find that I try my best to acquire the highest quality, unrefined salts that this big ole' world has to offer. Himalayan, Celtic, Brittany Sea Salt, Hawaiian Rock Salt and Hawaiian Sea Salts -- they all have a lovely flavour of their own. Unrefined salts are typically tasteless and void of nutritional value. Unrefined, pure salts however are rich in minerals, in fact they sport all 84 minerals -- that's a lot! So if your salt is white, small, dry... I would encourage you to try out some other salts. There are big granules and small ones, and you can usually buy them in the baking, bulk or natural food section in many grocery stores and co-ops.

For the new-to-healthy-salt people, I recommend trying out a fine grind of Himalayan Salt, or you can try a more widely known salt, such as Selina Natural's Celtic Sea Salt: http://www.vrp.com/minerals/celtic-sea-salt?skuvalue=9128&campaign=feed_Amazon.com_product9128&utm_content=product9128&utm_source=feed_Amazon.com&utm_campaign=Amazon.com&utm_medium=feeds

Now, for the recipe (in order from first ingredient needed to last):

*indicates details or clarification at the end of this recipe.

Hearty Root and Shoot Stew

3-4 cups filtered Water

1 Tablespoon Celtic, Himalayan, or other UNREFINED Sea Salt

2 ½ Cups Black Beans, previously soaked*1

1 14.5 ounce can of “Fire Roasted Tomato’s”

3 Tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

1/4 cup Basil, coarsely chopped

1 or 2 Large Pinches of dried, or fresh Thyme

2 Large Yukon, Red, or other choice of Potato

1 Large Yam (when making this recipe for the first time I used Japanese Yam—Delicious!)

1 Large Beet

1 Onion, Red is preferable but any type of onion will do

4 Large Cloves of Garlic

1 Tablespoon Chipotle or Cayenne Pepper

1/2 – 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast*2

Make sure all preparation surfaces are clean, and that you have a clean cutting board and knives at the ready. When you have done this; turn the stove to Medium-High Heat. Add the Salt, Pre-Soaked Black Beans, Fire Roasted Tomato’s, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, Basil and Thyme. Stir, then cover and allow the herbs, tomato and other ingredients to simmer while you prepare the vegetables.

Slice the potato's into eights. Slice them so they are similar in size, but not uniform. Carefully slide them into the simmering liquid and then follow the same preparation ideal above for the yams, and again for the beets. Please Note: Yams have what I like to call “Tails”, or “Hairy Nubs” on the end – remove these. Where stems and leaves grow from the beets (which are often removed entirely from the beets prior to selling) there will be a “hairy” spot – remove this part, and put both the yam and beet bits into a container to compost or feed to some adoring nonhuman animals. Slide the yams and beets in to the stew, and allow them to simmer.

Take your onion and cut both ends and peel the outer layer. Halve the onion, then cut it into quarters and chop coarsely. Slide into the stew, move on to the garlic.

Mmmm... it's almost ready! This photo was taken after the onion and garlic were added.

To remove the skins easily from the garlic use a Skin Remover if you have it, OR you can use the side of a knife. If you use the knife be careful to turn the blade away from you. Place the side of the blade on top of the garlic and press firmly down until the garlic is crushed. You will now easily be able to remove the garlic’s skin. Coarsely chop the 4 cloves of garlic and sprinkle into the stew.

Add Chipotle of Cayenne pepper at this time, then turn down the temperature to medium and allow the stew to simmer until the potato is easily cut with the side of a spoon.

Ladle into a bowl while still hot, and sprinkle Nutritional Yeast on top. Enjoy!

Voila! Finished Hearty Root and Shoot Stew, or Snowy Stew if you prefer! I choose to forego Nutritional Yeast in this photo.

Notes:

1* I soak my black beans in cool water, in the open air for at least 24 hours prior to use. I rinse them at least 1 time in that 24 hour period. Their preparation is really that simple, but in order to be a helpful chef I will break this down for those of you whom are new to bean soaking.

Take 1, 2, 3 or even 4 (what the heck do you need a whole 4 cups of beans for?!) cups of beans and put them in a large bowl (really, 4 cups of beans?! I can hardly believe I even suggested such a thing! Like, WOW!). Add a bit of salt if you want (now is a great time to try out your delicious, nutritious, unrefined salts!). Add twice the amount of water than you did beans, so if you put 2 cups of beans into the bowl then make sure that you follow it with 4 cups of water. Follow above directions for bean soaking maintenance. I would recommend that you follow a recipe when it comes to cooking them until you are accustomed to them.

2* Yellow in color and with a nutty, cheesy flavour, nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast that is a favourite amongst many Vegans and Vegetarians because of its rich flavour and creamy texture when added to foods. It is a reliable, and delicious source of B-12 vitamins.

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Pink Himalayan Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, Hawaiian Black Lava Or Red Alaea Sea Salt