One World

The Spokesman Review published an article last week about One World, one of my favorite places to eat in Spokane. I was interviewed for the story and was happy (and flattered!) to share my thoughts on this great organization. I'm quoted in the article, but those quotes are not accurate, so I'd like to set things straight.

“I think if you’re used to eating food that comes out of a box or your standard dining out fare is at one of the chain restaurants or fast food you might not like One World,” says Crystal Clark, organizer of Spokane Vegans, a social group for vegan eaters.

“I think this kind of dining experience is intimidating to people, but I also think some of the fun of dining at a place like One World is the surprise. You don’t know what you’re going to get.”

I would never suggest that people would not like One World. When I spoke to the journalist, I suggested that the unique dining experience at One World may be a little intimidating to some less adventurous eaters, but that it didn't have to be. I explained that the model that One World uses - cooking with whole, local, in-season foods is not as predictable as eating at one of the many chain restaurants in Spokane. It's a bit of a surprise every time you eat there – it's always good, but the menu is never the same – and I like that! The friendly volunteers and chefs are knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. They might even share a recipe with you!

I think everyone in Spokane should eat at One World and I can't imagine anyone not liking it. The food is delicious, creative and gives a real sense of place because you know exactly where it came from. Spokane has a lot of great local restaurants serving delicious food and One World is definitely one of them. They always have vegan options and do fun things like tapas nights and guest chef nights. Visit their website and Facebook page to learn more. (Hint: They'll have vegan meatballs tomorrow night.)

Spokavore Challenge Round 2

I really had the best of intentions when I signed up for round two of the Spokavore challenge. Round one was a lot of fun–even though I didn't make it to the end–and I was looking forward to giving it another shot. However, as the first day dawned, I found my self completely unprepared. I could give you all sorts of excuses about how I've been busy with this and that and how challenging it would be for me to limit my diet even more, considering I'm gluten-free and soy-free (more on that another day) this time around. But really, I just wasn't prepared.

So yeah, I was out before the challenge even started. But I wish all the other contestants luck! I'll be following everyone's progress as the week goes on.

Free!

We all like the word free, but when is something really ever truly free? Not often. But this Sunday at the Peaceful Valley Community Center, a small group of community-minded individuals will be hosting the Really, Really Free Market. The idea is to give away want you don't want or need anymore and take what you do need - for FREE. This isn't a swap or a sale. It's simply free. What a great answer to our throw-away consumer culture that is even more rampant this time of year!


Besides offering tables of free stuff, the market will also include workshops and a vegan potluck. So if you're in Spokane this Sunday, get together your old winter coats, too-tight jeans, extra chairs and your favorite vegan dish and get down to the Really, Really Free Market! See you there!

What: Really, Really Free Market
When: Sunday 11/22 @1pm - 6pm
Where: Peaceful Valley Community Center 214 N Cedar
Tentative Schedule of Events:
1:00 – Doors Open
2:00 – Vegan Potluck
3:00 – Creative Writing Workshop
4:00 – Crocheting Workshop
5:00 – Singing and Dancing
6:00 – Doors Close

For more info or updates about the RRFM, write to spokanefreemarket@gmail.com

Black Beans with Roasted Pumpkin

Did you know you can eat those mini pumpkins that often end up as seasonal decoration? I received those two little cuties pictured above in my produce box a few weeks ago and had no idea what I'd do with them. I was a little upset to think that they'd just serve as knick-knacks for a few weeks before ending up in the trash. (I don't compost. I know...) I couldn't believe that Fresh Abundance would throw ornamental food into one of their weekly produce boxes, so I did a little research. A friend told me that she was told our particular variety is a mini jack-o-lantern. Doesn't sound very appetizing, but then I came across this post over at The Kitchn. I thought stuffed pumpkins would be cute (sans egg, cheese and meat, of course!), but I wasn't really in the mood for cute. I wanted something hearty. Something satisfying. I remembered seeing this recipe for black beans on the same website and suddenly I had my inspiration!

I peeled and cubed the pumpkin and tossed it with olive oil, cumin, nutmeg and salt and pepper and roasted for about 15 minutes. In a large pan I sauteed some red onion with pickled garlic, added some black beans and drizzled in a little tamari, balsamic and sake. When the pumpkin was tender, I added that to the pan also and threw in a little bit of fresh sage. I served the beans and pumpkin over jasmine rice. (We usually eat brown basmati rice, but sometimes I just crave jasmine!) I was so pleased with how this came out. I hadn't even finished eating my first helping and I was already looking forward to making it again. My son loved it too and specifically requested leftovers for lunch the next day.

I love autumn!

A Face for Radio

In little more than an hour, I'll be on the radio with Leah talking about Spokane Vegans. One of our group members, Lindsae hosts a show called The Dreadful Show every Thursday on KYRS and she's invited us to join her this week! If you're local, tune in to KYRS at 92.3 or 89.9 FM. You can also stream online at KYRS.org. See you on the radio!

More Soup!

We celebrated my mom's birthday on Sunday. Her has back was giving her trouble (she's not that old!) so we stayed in and made soup! We took the idea of Vegan Dad's Creamy Chunky Cauliflower Chowder and used it as a base. My mom wanted curried cauliflower soup, but my step-dad really doesn't like curry, so we made two batches. We added coconut milk to both, curry to one and went super savory on the other with lots of Dijon mustard. Vegan Dad's recipe is great to play around with and build on. The chowder takes a lot of prep, so it probably isn't a weeknight dinner, but it's totally worth the effort!


I had a great time cooking with my family and the soup was awesome! (In fact, I was so busy enjoying my dinner, I almost forgot to take a picture until it was almost gone.) My mom said it was better than anything she could have ordered out and was happy we stayed in. And it was all vegan! After dinner, we had some GF vegan chocolate cupcakes (a Cherrybrook Kitchen mix - meh) and watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Happy birthday, mom!

Soup Season

This is the year of soup! Until recently, I never really got too excited about soups or stews. I don't know what changed, but all of a sudden I'm crazy about the comforting ease of making and eating soup. I've been eying a recipe for pasta & bean soup from Maxine Clark's cookbook, Italian Kitchen that was printed in October's issue of Woman's Day magazine and finally decided to give it a try. Once again, my co-worker's abundant magazine subscriptions and my employer's frugality inspired my dinner. Who knew?

(Please forgive the poor picture quality. Soup tends to be a little camera shy and photographing steaming-hot food is a bit of a challenge.)

The original recipe calls for dried beans, but I used canned and adjusted things accordingly. I also used a Not Chicken veggie bouillon instead of the broth called for in the recipe. The bouillon added more salt and oil, I believe, so I adjusted the oil and did not add any additional salt. The soup turned out really well! We'll happily be eating leftovers for lunch the next two days. Another great thing about soups - leftovers!

You'll Need:

2 cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 C vegetable broth or equivalent prepared veggie bouillon
1 C short pasta (I used Ancient Harvest quinoa elbows)
4 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped (thanks, Keena!)
1/4 C Italian parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add broth (or prepared bouillon), reserving 1 cup, to a large soup pot with garlic and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. While pasta cooks, puree 1 1/2 cans of the beans with reserved liquid and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Stir bean puree and remaining whole beans into pasta and broth, simmer until pasta is tender. Remove pot from heat and stir in tomatoes and parsley. Ladle into individual warmed bowls and garnish with fresh cracked black pepper. Bellissimo!

Mushroom Dip Sandwiches

The past month has kept me pretty busy and because of that, I've neglected this blog. But I'm back with a recipe to share!

Growing up, French dips were my favorite sandwich. It was always a special treat when my dad took us out for lunch at the little cafe next to the repair garage that my mom and dad owned and operated. I always ordered the French dip. I loved the combination of textures, the warmth of the au jus and the act of dipping the sandwich that made the sandwich so much fun to eat. Something got me thinking of all that the other day and inspired me to come up with a vegan version of this forgotten love.

My step-dad and step-brother were working on my car yesterday and a home-cooked lunch seemed like the perfect thank you for their help. My mom helped me with the shopping and in the kitchen while the guys did their thing outside. Mushrooms were the obvious stand-in for the traditional roast beef, but the au jus took a little more thought. I wanted a mushroom broth, but the store we went to didn't carry any. I ended up getting a creamy portobello mushroom soup (Imagine brand) and it worked well enough. I realized today that one of those Not Beef bouillons would have been great, but there's always next time. Going beyond the traditional recipe, I spread some aioli on the rolls and melted some mozzarella (vegan for me, everyone else had the real stuff) over the mushrooms just before serving.

The sandwiches turned out great. My omni family loved them, even my veggie-suspicious step-brother and my step-dad insisted that I make them again. We made up a simple salad to accompany the sandwiches and we all left the table satisfied. This ones a keeper!

Aioli

You'll need:
(All measurements approximate)

4 T Vegenaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 t lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. This has a very strong garlic flavor, adjust if needed.

Mushroom Dip Sandwiches

You'll need:

1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced (I used 1 lb cremini and 1/2 lb portobello)

1 recipe aioli

4 oz. vegan mozzarella (I like Follow Your Heart)

4 French rolls (this is a great use for any leftover baguette!)

1 t olive oil

4 C your choice of broth for dipping, heated

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat a large pan and coat in olive oil. Add mushrooms and saute until just brown. If using portobellos, grill slices (George Foreman or panini grill) until tender, about 8 minutes. If using fresh French rolls, slice them open and put them under the broiler until just brown while mushrooms cook - don't leave them in too long! To assemble the sandwiches, spread aioli on the rolls, divide mushrooms among rolls and top with mozzarella slices (top and bottom). Return rolls to broiler until cheese starts to bubble and brown (yes, FYH mozzarella will do that!). Portion broth into individual warmed bowls and serve alongside the sandwiches.

And Go!

The challenge has officially begun! For the next five days I will only be eating food that was grown within a 100 mile radius of Spokane. I spent the week preparing by researching local food, buying said food and weaning myself off coffee. That's right, like many other participants of this challenge, I have a nasty caffeine addiction. I realized early on that it could be my downfall, so I limited my consumption leading up to the contest. I have to be at work at 7am (so why am I up writing this?!) and coffee is my constant companion, but this week I'm having an affair with the local dried mint tea that I picked up at the Roots Market at Fresh Abundance on Sunday.

After stopping by the market on Sunday, my friend Amy and I drove up to Green Bluff where I picked up some apple cider, onions, peaches and honey. Add to that the carrots, acorn squash, dried mint, blackberries, comfrey, jalapenos and bok choy from the Roots Market and the zucchini, tomatoes, corn, chard, bell peppers and rhubarb from the Perry Street Farmers' Market and potatoes and garlic from the Spokane Farmers' Market, I'm in good shape so far. I only wish I'd known about the hazelnuts up at Green Bluff. The only allowable grain I've found so far is rolled emmer (farro) and have not yet identified a source for beans/lentils. Fresh Abundance carries camelina oil, grown and processed in Marlin, WA that is safe for the challenge. I picked up a bottle of that for almost $17. The price seems a little steep, but as a vegan, that will be the only fat in my very limited diet this week.

For breakfast, I'll be replacing my usual cereal of quinoa, hazelnut milk, fresh fruit and cinnamon with rolled emmer, honey and blackberries. I combined the remainder of the emmer I cooked up with some sauteed zucchini, onion, garlic, comfrey and heirloom tomatoes for lunch and packed a peach for a mid-afternoon snack. For dinner, I think I'll roast some of that squash.

There are still a few things I need to work on acquiring: more rolled emmer, China Bend wine (after much debate about yeast, this item has officially been added to the allowable list), more fruit and hopefully (fingers crossed), a legume.

Another Vegan Bake Sale!

The Spokane Vegans are at it again! This time we're supporting KYRS, Spokane's only community radio station. Stop by the Community Building tomorrow between 11am and 5pm (or until we run out of treats). All the usual suspects will be there, including evildoodles, cupcakes and fudgacado with some new friends like muffins and double chocolate almond cookies. See you there!

Midnight Baker

It's hot! With temperatures at or nearing 100° for weeks now and no A/C in my apartment, the only time to bake is late at night to early morning. My best friend had a bridal shower on Saturday and one of my co-workers had a baby shower today. I volunteered to bake cupcakes for both events. For the bridal shower, I used the basic chocolate cupcake recipe and buttercream frosting recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (VCTOW). I added blue food coloring, because blue is her wedding color. I wasn't happy with the finished product though. I felt like I was molesting a smurf when I ate the frosting. No good.

For the baby shower, I made gluten free cupcakes using Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix and topped them off with the chocolate buttercream frosting (I used Dutched cocoa, yum!) from VCTOW. My son loves this mix and you'd never know it's gluten free. The cupcakes came out really moist and fudgy. My new manager is gluten intolerant and she really appreciated the cupcakes. As a vegan, I know how it feels to be surrounded by all kinds of food at various gatherings and not be able/willing to eat it. I always like to share something that everyone can eat, no matter their dietary restrictions. Food should bring us together, not separate us!

It looks like I'll be doing even more baking in the near future. The Spokane Vegans have been asked to do bake sales for two different benefits this month. We're still working out the details, but they should be great community events. I'll share the info once we have the details down.

Potato Salad with Tempeh

I made this potato salad for July's vegan potluck. Apparently, it was a hit! Head over to the Spokane Food Blog to check out the recipe and be on the look out for a growing alliance between the Spokane Vegans and Taste Everything Once.

Vegan Cupcakes at the Rocket Market!

Before today, I hadn't been up to the Rocket Market on 43rd in a long time. But I saw an ad in the Inlander on Thursday advertising vegan cupcakes. How could I not go? I had two cupcakes and an Americano for breakfast. The cupcakes were so tasty! I tried the Raspberry Grand Teton and Peanut Butter and Jelly. The ganache was rich and decadent and the peanut butter frosting wasn't overly sweet and actually tasted like peanut butter. This was a wonderful breakfast, if not terribly healthy. I was also pleased to find a considerable variety of vegan deli items available. I think I'll be making the trek up to the Market more often now!

You should definitely go get some of those cupcakes! Did I mention how good they are?

Review: Lazy Bones Barbecue

Vegan Barbecue in Spokane? Oh, yes! I've been hearing a lot about Lazy Bones the past few months. At first I just ignored the place, but then a friend told me they have vegan offerings. In addition to the usual fare, they serve Small Planet tofu. They cook all vegetarian items on a separate grill, so you needn't worry about your bean curd hangin' out in pork juices (gross!). The veg*n menu also offers a nice variety of vegan sides, like mac-n-cheese.

After much anticipation, we finally made a visit to the Upper South Hill restaurant today. The atmosphere is very casual, but inviting, with counter service. My son and I both ordered the Tofu Plate; he chose a side of vegan mac-n-cheese and I ordered the sweet potato fries and a bottle of Fat Tire (which according to Barnivore.com, is vegan). The north side of the building is lined with garage doors. Since it was a lovely afternoon, the doors were open and we decided to dine on the patio.

I suspect they cook the tofu to order, as it took a little while for our meals to arrive. But it was worth the wait. The Tofu Plate came with two slabs of tofu (with a dry rub and BBQ sauce slathered on top), a side of vinegar slaw, a slice of grilled bread with olive oil and a choice of side. The tofu was perfectly cooked and seasoned with a slightly sweet and spicy flavor. The slaw had a lot of flavor and was great when combined with the tofu. My sweet potato fries were delicious, but had maybe a touch too much salt. My son loved the vegan mac-n-cheese. I haven't found a recipe yet that he likes, but he loved this stuff. I thought it was pretty good myself, although it is definitely not mac-n-cheese. The sauce was more like an alfredo than the traditional yellow cheese. And with a lot of visible oil, it is not a healthy side dish.

All in all, the meal was wonderful. We'll be going back soon to try more of the menu items. The Lentil Apple Salad, Grilled Veggie Kebab and BBQ Tofu Slab Sandwich especially caught my interest. My only regret is that I didn't have my camera with me. Oh well, next time!

**Update: The in-store menu does not jive with the online version. If you go, you'll want to spend some time getting yourself familiar with the menu before ordering.

SpoVegan Bake Sale: Because Factory Farming is Shitty

The Spokane Vegans will be selling cruelty-free goodies this weekend to benefit One World Spokane!

Friday: @ the Community Building/KYRS 35 W Main from 7 - 9pm

Saturday: @ Caterina Winery 907 N Washington & the Community Building/KYRS 35 W Main from 7 - 9pm

Cookies $1
Brownies $2
Cupcakes $2
Fudgacado $2

*Poster design and screen printing by Joe Preston - Thanks, Joe and Leah!

Waste Not...

What do you do with week old brownies? Top them off with Cappuccino flavored Coconut Bliss and fresh strawberries! I made brownies last week for some unknown reason. (I'm currently helping plan a vegan bake sale and have had so many goodies around me it's ridiculous!) Half the pan of brownies have been sitting uneaten on the counter wrapped up, but have gone a little stale. I hate throwing food out, so stale brownies were the perfect excuse to pick up some Coconut Bliss at Fresh Abundance today. Actually, my son has a sore throat, so the ice cream was really for him... At any rate, this was a perfect combination! The ice cream softened the brownies and the strawberries were simply delightful. I love summer.

Dinner, as usual

Dinner at my house on a week night is usually a variation of this simple idea and is based on whatever I have in the fridge and cupboards. Since I started getting my bi-weekly Fresh Produce Variety box from Fresh Abundance, I get a good selection of fresh veggies every other week. It also keeps my meals season appropriate and helps me avoid getting stuck in the ruts of relying on the same two or three favorite veggies. Actually, I picked up all the ingredients here but the olive oil at Fresh Abundance. I have a tendency to not only find myself using the same vegetables again and again, but also the same herbs and spices. Last fall I fell in love with oregano and used it in almost anything. Lately, I've found myself using gomasio on everything. The combination of sesame seeds and seaweed is a nice addition to veggies or tofu and reduces the amount of salt needed.

Here's the basic recipe for one of our dinners from last week. Use whatever veggies are sitting in your crisper, grains you have in the cupboard and your favorite seasonings. I use quinoa and rice noodles a lot because they are much quicker to cook than rice.

What you'll need:

1/2 box stir-fry rice noodles
1 package lemongrass ginger Small Planet tofu, drained and cubed
2 small heads broccoli, chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
1 t sesame oil, or to taste
gomasio to taste
tamari (or soy sauce) to taste
olive oil, to coat pan

Method:

Bring large pot of water to boil. While waiting for water to boil, heat large frying pan (or wok, if you have one) and coat with olive oil. Add rice noodles to water, stir, remove from heat and cover. Let noodles sit for about five minutes, or until soft, but not squishy. When noodles are done, drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer back to pot, or serving dish and coat with sesame oil and gomasio, set aside. When frying pan is heated, add onions to saute for about a minute. Add tofu to pan to brown slightly and then add broccoli. Cook until broccoli is tender, but still crunchy and has that nice vibrant green color. Serve veggies and tofu over rice noodles, add tamari and gomasio to taste. Enjoy!

Spokane Vegans

About a year ago, I started organizing monthly vegan potlucks for Spokane Vegans and am so encouraged by the growth we've had. When I started the group, I only knew one other vegan in Spokane and now I've made friends with several other veg*ns through out the Inland Northwest. It's nice not to feel so alone, but most importantly, we're building a community and developing a vegan culture in a place that didn't really have one before. I admit that the idea of starting the group was daunting at first, not knowing what kind of response there would be, but the results have been so rewarding! We have such a unique opportunity to really build a vegan community from the ground up and connect with other conscious eaters. The Inland Northwest has so much to offer in the way of sustainable agriculture and is something we veg*ns can encourage and support. Businesses like Fresh Abundance and restaurants like Picabu and Mizuna already serve the (growing) Spokane veggie community well. Now it's time to encourage other area business owners and restaurateurs to do the same - and I hope to see Spokane Vegans start doing this.

I'm really excited about the future of our group. We've just made the switch from Meetup.com to a mailing list format with a supporting group blog and Facebook group. There is talk of starting a vegan/food-conscious reading group and a pet-sitting network. I'd really like to see the group develop some visibility within the community at large and become more active in making Spokane a decidedly veggie-friendly city. I know we've all heard it a thousand times, but this quote from Mahatma Gandhi still inspires me: "Be the change you want to see in the world."

*For more information, or to get involved, please email spovegan [at] gmail [dot] com

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Ganache - Two Ways

I've had a couple of requests for this recipe, so here it is! The first time I made these I used flax "eggs", but found the cookies to be a little dry. However, they came out softer and were my favorite. The second version uses a banana as the egg replacer and imparts a subtle banana flavor. Those came out crispier and a little flatter, but still tasty. These are easy cookies to make vegan even if you don't keep a vegan kitchen because they don't require any special ingredients (except maybe the chocolate ganache).

You'll Need

1 1/4 C AP flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 C (1 stick) veg shortening (I use Earth Balance)
1/2 C creamy peanut butter, plus a few teaspoons
1 C brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 t vanilla extract
1 flax egg* or very ripe banana

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside. Cream shortening, peanut butter and sugar (and banana if using). Beat in vanilla (and flax egg if using) . Mix in flour mixture, blending well. Shape mixture into 3/4-inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Flatten each cookie with the tines of a fork, sprinkle with coarse sugar or sea salt if desired, and bake for 6 - 8 minutes, or until lightly brown. (The banana version bakes quicker and should be checked after 6 minutes.) Let cookies set for one minute and then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cookies have cooled, finish with drizzle of ganache**.

*Flax egg

(This is a great way to add some of those important omega-3's into your diet!)

1/3 cup of whole flax seeds 1 cup of water

In a food processor or blender, grind the flax seeds until they are a fine flax meal. Slowly add the water until the mixture becomes gooey and gelatinous (like an egg white). 3 tablespoons of flax mixture is equal to 1 egg.

Makes a total of 6 "eggs". Keeps 3-6 days, refrigerated.

**Chocolate Ganache

1 oz (1 square) semi-sweet baking chocolate, broken
1/2 t margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1/2 vanilla
1 - 2 T rice milk

On low setting, heat chocolate, margarine, vanilla and 1 T rice milk. Stir constantly adding more rice milk to reach desired consistency. (You want the chocolate thick enough to coat the spoon, but thin enough to drizzle.) Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow the chocolate to set before serving.

Cucumber Melon Soup with Mint

My best friend and I have a tradition of sharing Easter Breakfast together. This year I made a delightfully refreshing cold soup. I also made sweet potato pancakes (with Field Roast sausage on the side), but those didn't turn out so well. In fact, I was so disappointed with them I didn't even take a picture. And I take a picture of almost all of my food. Thankfully, the soup was great. I have a potluck at work this Friday and I think I'll be bringing this soup - the theme is "Spring".

You will need:

1 1/2 C soygurt (plain or vanilla)
1 medium English cucumber, peeled and rough chopped
2 C ripe honeydew melon, rough chopped
1/4 C fresh mint
pinch of salt

Method:

Combine cucumber, soygurt, mint and pinch of salt in food processor or blender and puree. Pour into a bowl. Puree honeydew melon and add to cucumber puree. Stir to combine. Chill. Serve in individual glasses or bowls and garnish with fresh strawberries. Enjoy!