Category Archives: Veganism

Vegan N’Egg Salad – VeganMoFo 12

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** See below!

I admit it.  I miss those mayonnaise laden non-vegan (or even non-veg) salads like chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad.  I found a nice looking recipe for vegan “tuna” salad recently on Happy Herbivore and I can’t wait to make it.  I just need to find some kelp (which, by the way, is a totally fun word to say KELP KELP KELP).  Since I couldn’t make that, I turned to one of my old standbys, vegan no egg salad.  I’m not going to tell you it takes exactly like egg salad, but it’s close enough that my 10 year old omnivore, who is an egg salad lover, thought it was amazing and ate half the batch. And, like most of my recipes, it’s easy.

Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu, cut into very small cubes or mashed with a fork
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 small onion, diced
3 T sweet relish
1/3 C vegan mayo
1 t yellow mustard
salt
pepper

Directions…um… mix it up, chill, and put it on bread to eat it.

Enjoy!

Image from ChefInYou.com Check it out for ideas on egg substitutes!

You Don’t Know Grit! – Vegan MoFo Day 9

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Oh, grits!  If you don’t live in the southern part of the U.S., grits may not be a common part of your diet, and I’m here to tell you that you do not know what you are missing out on.  Grits, made from coarsely ground corn, have a long history in the U.S., dating back to indigenous populations.  While grits don’t have crazy amounts of vitamins, they do have a healthy dose of folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, and iron.  They are also a good source of carbohydrates.

Now, I could give you a “recipe” for grits, but that seems quite unnecessary, as the cooking involves… boiling.  But, let me make a couple of suggestions for what to do with them after they are done.  For a nutritious and interesting change of pace for breakfast, you can have grits in a savory or sweet fashion.  Savory grits are good with a bit of vegan margarine, salt, and pepper.  Sweet grits benefit from some agave and a splash of soy or rice milk.  If you want to live on the edge, cook the grits the night before and then put them into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and place in the fridge.  In the morning, you can tip the “loaf” out of the pan, slice it up, and fry it in some olive oil or vegan margarine.  Mmmm!  My grandmother was even a fan of the “grit sandwich” made with these fried slices and some cheese and sausage (or in this case vegan cheese and sausage) on toast.  That’s a little heavy for me at breakfast time, but I could be talked into it for lunch!  Fried grits are also great with a slice of fresh tomato on top, and a little fresh peppercorn and sea salt.

Grits – give them a try! 

3 E-Tailers that Rock My Vegan World – VeganMoFo Day 8

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Eating vegan is one thing, but I’ve found it almost more challenging to find the other items in my life that I need to maintain a vegan existence.  There are many larger companies out there that make vegan products, or even specialize in vegan items, but today, I’m focusing on online “e-tailers” because I do a lot of my shopping online and these three businesses are not only super vegan friendly, but also have AMAZING customer service.  One of them is a cosmetics company, one is a skincare and beauty store, and the final shop is for bags of all sizes.  Please note – I did not receive free items nor payment to recommend these shops; I just love them.  Here they are, in convenient (for me, because then I don’t have to decide what to do first) alphabetical order.

Borsa Bella Design Co.

I like bags, a lot.  I love to have fun bags for my gadgets and whosits.  But, I have found that it isn’t always easy to find cute bags that are also well made, reasonably priced, and vegan.  That’s where Borsa Bella Design Co. comes in.  I’ve been shopping with Borsa Bella for a few years, first through the Etsy shop and now through the website.  I have multiple bags for my book device, a bag for my phone, and a small gadget bag that I’m currently trying to decide how to utilize, because it’s adorable (in the interest of full disclosure, I did win that one in an online contest).    Each bag is amazingly well constructed, with multiple layers of padding and careful stitching.  The hardware is sturdy and the bags fit the items they are sold for with ease.  While I’ve never had to fully wash one of my Borsa bags, I have wiped them down and they came through that completely unscathed.  It’s important to note that these come in an amazing variety of patterns and sizes.  And (AND) the customer service is so good that if you have a need that is unmet by the current stock, it’s often possible to work something out.  Items are packaged in a jiffy and arrive quickly and safely.  Seriously, if you like purses and bags, check this site out!

Fyrinnae Cosmetics

Once in a while, someone will say to me “I know you aren’t really into makeup,” or something similar.  I find it interesting every time, because all I can figure is that said people haven’t actually looked at me (or I’m so good with makeup that it looks so fitting it’s subliminal?).  I like colors; I like artistry – makeup is a natural fit.  But, again here it can be a challenge to find items that meet my standards for veganism and general ingredients, as well as being the colors I want and the quality I expect.  Fyrinnae hits on all of those points.  This cosmetic e-tailer is all vegan, and has a product range that includes items for lips, eyes, and cheeks.  While many of the items have some shimmer, the full product range goes all the way from true mattes to gorgeous duochromatic wonders.  Because I’m, ahem, over 40 and work in a relatively conservative environment, I tend toward mattes or low shimmer neutrals during the week and save the bolder items for the far-too-infrequent nights out.  Again here, the customer service is so good it’s almost a sin.  I’ve never had a question go unanswered or an order arrive outside of the timeframe specified on the site (they always have the current time frame listed on the homepage).  As of this writing, they are taking a little time off from accepting orders to catch up, but it’s still a good time to build your wishlist!

White Rabbit Beauty

Need some skincare, shampoo, cosmetics, or nail products, but don’t know where to find cruelty-free and vegan items?  White Rabbit Beauty is my one-stop shop. White Rabbit is not in the production business, but is a shop that pulls together beauty products that suit a cruelty-free lifestyle.  This site, owned and operated by a wonderful woman who will answer your questions with cheer – pack your order with expertise – and ship your items with lightning speed, has both cruelty-free non-vegan and vegan items.   But, and this is the key for me, they are clearly and carefully distinguished and it’s super easy to find what you need if you are trying to maintain veganism in your non-food life.  Shipping for cosmetic items is free, and samples are available for some items.  Sales are frequent and substantial, and the level of information provided about each item is quite fabulous.  I’ve recommended White Rabbit for items ranging from lipstick to body lotion, and will continue to shop and recommend in the future.

So, there you have it – three e-tailers that have never let me down in my ongoing quest for great vegan products.  Thanks Borsa Bella, Fyrinnae, and White Rabbit Beauty!  And thanks to you for reading.

L