Post Holiday Stuff

We had a really good holiday long weekend. Now we need to catch up with stuff and chill! Mady has the right idea (thanks Matt for getting her to sit still for a picture)! Speaking of Mady as you can see she is doing well, getting big and being a brat! We are looking forward to 2015 and all the projects we are dreaming up!

Granola Goodness

About a week ago I started on a granola making spree. Everyone seems to enjoy my small batch granola or as I call it 'friendship granola', because I give it to friends. I figure it would make tasty treats for friends and those I see daily for the holidays. So far I have made a coconut, almond slivers, cacao nibs and, ginger version. Then I did a super nutty version with two types of almonds, cashews pecans and some cranberries thrown in. In the oven right now I have a batch with almond and cranberries toasting.
I made Matt a power breakfast of coconut yogurt topped with sliced bananas, granola and drizzled with chocolate syrup over the weekend. I like mine sprinkled on peanut butter or coconut milk ice cream. I even like munching on it strait from the bag. There is no wrong way to eat the crunchy goodness! 

EBABZ 2014 - New Zine

I tabled at EBABZ on Saturday. I was so happy to be there! My mood has been dark and rather gloomy due to anxiety but I was happy to be going and I put all of my fears aside to think of happy rainbows and meeting new people.
We started on the wrong foot, the alarm clock did not go off but Mady woke us up in time though. I scarfed down a bowl of cereal, took a shower smeared on some black eyeliner and off we went. Traffic was good, we got there when the doors were opening to the public, jumped out with my stuff and let Matt find parking. I set up my zines and met my table mate and proceeded to engage in as much zine talk, trading and putting myself out there as I could for the next seven hours.
Thanks to Matt and not thanks to not getting an extra chair Matt and I switched off table duty. Me heading to the farmer's market to get Flacos's, tofu sushi and coffee to try and wake myself up early on and him later on getting me an almond milk late to kick start my heart mid fest. We also took turns walking around both levels, buying zines, buying art, trading, seeing friends and making new ones.
By the end of the event I only had two zines left, a bag full of zines to read and a happy feeling that stretched through to every cell in my body.

After the zine fest I needed more coffee so we walked around. I grabbed another almond milk late, a vegan cookie to share with Matt and encountered some of the biggest fluffiest cats I have seen around town. In turn for good cat energy I bought them some treats and their human companion a smoothie. We made our way to Fantastic Comics and made our purchases just as protestors, cops and the helicopters were coming our way. I am all for protesting but getting caught up in a crowed with violence is not my thing. We went to Telegraph and found that a handful of the stores were closed because of protestors, bought some music/movies and went to go grab some food.We made our way back through Berkeley to Oakland's Whole Foods, bought food and shared some sweet confection from the bakery on our trip home.

I am still recovering! I have so many new zines to read, people to find and I need to catch up on some sleep. I am making my way to the printers this week to restock my zine supplies. I do have issue #13 of The Stay At Home Girlfriend out now, just listed. It made it's debut at EBABZ and sold out fast. I also want to give a zine shout out to No Means Yes, Right? A Street Harassment Guide - I have a small piece on my mean face in this issue!

New Zine - Vegan Meals Made Fast & Easy Thanks To Trader Joe''s

This handy zine has over a dozen fast and easy vegan recipes using food stuff from Trader Joe's. Included are breakfast tacos, carnival tots, Island stir fry and dips to dip stuff into. You can buy the zine in my Etsy store and I will ship it out right away. I hope to release a few more of these zines and am always looking for people to submit recipes.

Review: Blossom Vegan - Pleasanton, CA

Last weekend Matt and I had lunch at Blossom Vegan. It is pretty much a Loving Hut in a strip mall but the food is good and if you need to stock up on groceries there is a Trader Joe's in the parking lot. Be warned it seems popular and since it is small seats fill up quickly. Service was good and the food came out fast.

 

My go to meal whenever I hit up one of these locations: Yum Yum Vermicelli - I love how all the flavors come together and you get a bit of everything in one bowl.  

 

Matt got the Five Spice Tofu over rice. Another one of those a little bit of everything plates. Not pictured is the Organic Vietnamese Coffee that we split - really sweet but good!

A Few Zine Reviews

Here are a few zines that I have read recently. I know I have said in the past I would do more zine reviews but I forget! I also did a handful of reviews in my latest zine. Please buy zines - read zines - make zines!

I am hooked on the art in Plush Issue 1 . Very dreamy, cute and a bit creepy. Perfect tattoo inspiration and some fashion inspiration thrown in there as well!

Eudaimonia #5  has a super rad flying bettle cover (I am into bugs right now!) and the art inside is really cute and inspires me to doodle more. From plants to hair this zine feels whimsical but personal and the art just floats it along.

Double Chinchilla Lucky #13 - Cat art and lots of it! "Nuff said!

Things Men Have Told Me About My Body - Some are wird, a few funny but more than anything a lot will make you angry. Why do men (and women) think they need to comment on other people's physical appearance without thinking twice of it?

Shotgun Seamstress #7:  Fliers for shows and the stories behind them. Inspiring for any of those looking to create an alternative to the alternative.

Simple Vegan Fall Inspired Plate Of Food

Just a simple fast weeknight meal that had a kick of fall thrown in. Pasta with Oh She Glows Pumpkin Cheeze Sauce - I used turmeric, ginger and extra garlic to help fight off cold germs. I also topped it off with some hot seasoning sprinkles from our CSA box over the summer. I made sauteed kale sprouts fried in a bit of Magic Bacon Grease and tossed in some walnut pieces. Also I used up the rest of thhe weeks loaf of bread we had kickin' around for garlic bread. Tasty and fast and it warmed us up!

Zine Stuff

I have a new issue of The stay At Home girlfriend up. Inside you will find the usual: vegan recipes, living with OCD and cat chat! Also a vegan/cool guide to LA, Ladyfest Bay Area recap and some zine reviews. Please check it out, buy a copy today!

I am also working on a zine about cats and mental health called  theraPURRy. Cats are therapy for me and I believe others as well. I would love to showcase our bonds with our companion cats. I would like submissions to start coming in so I can work on it this fall. So if you have any submissions or even questions let me know!

CREAM Berkeley

When we were in Berkley last weekend hunting for music and movies on Telegraph when we spotted an unusual sight! CREAM did not have a waiting line! So we ran in, looked over the menu and settled on soy vanilla ice cream hugged between two massive vegan chocolate chip walnut cookies! $3.99 for this massive sharable treat. We ate it on the street in bliss and it fueled us for our shopping adventures! I will go back - even if there is a line! Bonus: the staff were friendly and they asked customers about allergy concerns!

One Year Ago Today

One year ago today I had to say goodbye to my best friend. A day has not gone by when I have not thought about Mar.I miss him everyday. I dream about him often. I continue to help kitties in his honor. I tell Mady about him (when she can sit still long enough to listen). I love him as much as if not more than when he was here. He was an awesome cat that continues to live on in our hearts and in our memories. 

We love you Mar.

Bay Area Ladyfest - Zine Fest

Here is my table for the Bay Area Lady Fest Zine fest in Berkley last weekend. I brought all my issues of The Stay At Home Girlfriend including 11 that I printed and stapled the night before. I also had to bring some of my classics like the Easy Vegan to round out my table.My sign markers were construction paper kittens I spent some time cutting out!

We were on time and some may evenn say early! That's a first because I am constantly behind schedule. I set up my table and told Matt that I was going to scope out the coffee place out front. The coffee place was a big deal to me, I searched online beforehand for coffee places nearby but could find nothing.

Not only did Rasa Caffee have almond milk lates that tasted of rose petal and spice, they had vegan doughnuts from Peeples! I was happy to have a warm drink and something sweet to share with Matt to perk my tired bones up.I came to the even not feeling good, allergies and the effects of crappy sleep were effecting me.

I did have a good time staying until 4 when the crowed started to thin. I sold zines, traded zines, made friends and just talked to people - many who inspired me for future projects. I missed out on workshops but I was busy getting my zines out and chatting up people. I left feeling really happy!

 

I took home a phat stack of zines that have been my constant companion as I rest and catch up on sleep.

All in all a good day. I just wish (Matt said this as well) that more people came out. Throughout the day it was a rotating cast of about 20 people, same in, same out. I did make fliers for the event, passed them out - it worked. I also tried hitting up online spots and posting the event. I do not know if it was lack of promoting or lack of zine love. Whatever, again I had fun.

Pumpkin O's - My New Fave Cereal

 

I found Pumpkin O's cereal at Trader Joe's last night, when I saw that they were labeled vegan I snatched up a box. So far today I have had two bowls! The remind me of a cross between Apple Jack (cinnamon flavor) and Fruit Loops (fruity tang) and I love 'em. They are a limited product so you know I have to buy a few boxes to hold me over. If you need me I will be watching American Horror Story munching on cereal!

Bay Area Ladyfest - Zine Event

If you are in the area please come say hi to me and ch

 Please come out say hi to me and buy zines from all the tables this Saturday!  This is the first show I have done in awhile, I have been prepping for a few days now. I hope it will be a awesome event.

East Bay Eats & Stuff

The last few weekends Matt and I have been in the East Bay every weekend. Concerts, food, art galleries, food, film fests, food, passing out fliers....food! Yes, we love our food!

Eat Real Fest was awesome once again. We got to try S+M Vegan and I fell in love with their bbq slider.  We also snacked on Spicy Balovento chocolate, Seitan wingz from Souley Vegan and filled up our water bottle a few times from the water spot!

 

A bite of heaven: A Mollie Rose bun stuffed with bbq pulled seitan, aioli and slaw. 

Wingz!

My new fave chocolate from Barlovento Chocolates - went to the Grand Lake Farmer's Market the next weekend to buy more.

Hello Source Mini - sorry it took us so long to get on over to you. Now we cannot leave! We finally made our way over to Source Mini after missed meetings, not finding the location, hesitation - all lame excuses. After we both tried burgers we just fell in love. This Source outpost has the original beat tenfold, customer service and food improvement alone has me doing my best Fonz with two thumbs in the air.  The burgers are house made patties composed of beets so you get that lovely red tint to your bite. The fries are done to perfection and I love mine drenched in garlic aioli (I can drink the stuff). This is our new spot and we hit it up both days we were in town and already planning our next burger run.

Spicy Peper & Onions - My fave because of Sriracha!

 

 Grand Lake Farmer's Market picnic spread via Liba Fallafel. 

 

 Power snacks to power us  through a cemetery hike and magazine shopping via Timeless Coffee.

 

 While on Piedmont we hung out at a pumpkin patch and the hay made my butt itch.

 

We will be back shortly to the East Bay. More burgers, cemeteries and chocolate treats to come! We have some zine-film stuff in the works so I will be talking about that shortly so stay tuned!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tofu Buffalo Bites With Garlic Aioli

 I have the desire to eat party food for meals. If I could get away with having a plate of appetizers as a meal I would! Actually some of my fave meals have come from reworking an appetizer to super size standards, adding soup or a salad and calling it a day. Buffalo wings are one of those things I look forward to in all of their vegan reincarnations!
This is a super simple take on the dish, anyone can do it. It can be served as a snack, add the tofu bites to a salad and a bit more lemon to the aioli and use it as a dressing. Recipes are often a jumping off point to something more grand and as I wrap up Mofo I have been inspired by all that I have seen and will be taking that with me into the kitchen.

5 ingredient stars: Extra firm/firm tofu - drained and pressed, Frank's Hot Sauce, Hampton Creek Just Mayo, Sicilia lemon juice, garlic powder.

Cube the tofu into bite sized pieces. Fry on medium high heat till browned on each side. Turn heat down and add about a 1/2 cup of Frank's. You may need more or less - you just want each bite coated. Cook a few minutes longer till the sauce browns. Serve with 1/2 cup Just Mayo mixed with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a big pinch of garlic powder mixed together. Yummy!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tropical Parfait

As it rains outside my window I am thinking of tropical climates and sun! So here is a breakfast parfait or a glorious snack to get you feeling sunny even when the weather is blah.

5 ingredient stars: Canned coconut cream/milk chilled in the fridge for a few hours, agave nectar, granola (Target has a variety of vegan ones to choose from I went with the Renola by the makers of Lara Bar), container of fresh pineapple, shredded coconut and macadamia nut pieces.

Scoop out the cream solid from the canned coconut cream, mix in a tad of agave nectar to sweeten. Cute the pineapple into bit sized xchunks. Toast the coconut shreds and nuts in a non-oiled pan till golden (it takes a few minutes). Get a mason jar (if you are hip), tall glass or bowl ready. Layer the sliced pineapples, granola and whip till you end up with a whip cream layer.Sprinkle on nuts and coconut flakes. Eat it up and feel your body think it is on vacation!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Italian Style Sloppy Joes

Growing up I remember having sloppy Joe's as a kid. I did not care for the sauce much. So as I got older and tried things on my own I discovered I like sloppy Joe's if they involve an Italian twist.

5 ingredient stars: Beyond Beef crumbles, bag of mixed peppers, Newman's Own Sauce, Oroweat buns and chips on the side (I like salty with this dish).

Saute crumbles and peppers in a bit of oil (freebie) till browned. Add sauce, turn heat low and simmer for about 7 minutes, give it a stir at the half way point. Spoon on buns (you can toast them if you feel fancy) and serve with chips! Dinner is served!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingrediets Meals - Super Fast Stir Fry

It has become a tradition to eat a big plate of stir fry after the gym on Tuesday. I suppose it helps me clear out any vegetables that are lurking to make way for new produce after midweek shopping. Also the carbs from the rice, the vitamins/good junk from the vegetables, the protein from the faux meats + nuts and the kick from the Sriracha balances my body out!

5 ingredients stars: 1 bag of the new vegan-chicken strips (go for one of the Asian flavors like teriyaki), 1 bag of frozen mixed veggies (Asian Blend - Target brand has one with edamame that is good!), a handful of unsalted cashews, 2 cups of cooked basmati rice (or your fave rice variety) and Sriracha for serving.

Heat a bit of oil (ingredient freebie) in a non-stick pan on medium. Dump the strips in and cook for a few minutes till the strips are lightly browned. Add veggies, sauce and nuts and cook for 5 - 6 minutes till veggies are cooked through. Spoon over a bed of rice and squirt on a healthy dose of Sriracha and eat away!

[Vegan Mofo] 5 Ingredient Meals - Tacos!!!!

This week I bring you 5 recipes using 5 ingredients from the food section of Target!  My initial plan was to group food items together by recipe and get pictures but after people started looking at me funny in the store I just gave up and snapped photos in the wild. I may just try to do the grouping later on this week instead of a Friday night!

Processed food police you may just want to lock me up now. These meals for the most part are healthy, fast and super tasty. That being said most items are bagged and boxed. Don't shoot me, don't judge me, just eat and be happy!

We have been on a Taco kick lately, Tacos like 3 times a week or more! So here is a simple taco recipe that takes about 15 minutes to get done and plate!

5 ingredient stars: 1/2 bag of Beyond Beef Crumbles, 4-5 (depending on size) Mission tortillas, 1 can of Amy's refried beans, big pinch of chili powder, 1/2 cup of salsa (Herdez or Mi Casa are both good).


Use a bit of oil (oil is a 'not counted' ingredient) heated on medium in a frying pan. Add crumbles and chili powder, Cook for a few minutes. Warm up your black beans. Add salsa to crumbles, stir and place tortillas on top of the mixture to warm up/soften. Remove tortillias, spread a layer of beans on each tortliia and then spoon in crumble-salsa mixture and eat! Simple and fast.

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Nuts

Protein packed and a variety to choose from nuts are a healthy go to snack to keep around. Full of good for you fats, stay strong protein and fiber that helps curb the hunger monster, nuts are a winner.

I like to keep a small pouch in my purse, so finding nuts with a zip top bag is pretty nice. Matt is allowed to snack at his work desk and he likes keeping some almonds in his drawer and having pecans packed in his lunch. Nuts are also great in a stir fry, cashews being a fave of ours and a Thai dish in my book is not complete without peanuts!

Grab some nuts today! 

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Kombucha

Your either a fan of it  - sipping it and promoting all the glories of it. Or you think it is another health fad...I am talking about:

Kobucha! Usually for me I reach for a bottle when I have extra cash to blow and want a fizzy pick me up. Target has kombucha, fancy pressed juices and natural energy drinks a plenty that will not break the bank. I like a good fizzy drink but am not a fan of soda so a swig of kombucha stands in!

Are you a fan of kombucha? Is it a fad that is on its way out?

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Vegan Chicken Strips

Target has packed it's shelves recently with vegan finds that have the vegan community buzzing. Most buzz worthy is that they released their own brand (under Simply Balanced) of mock-meats. As soon as I saw them I had to pick up a bag!
I know some people (processed food police) will nag on you about frozen foods, anything trying to come off a traditional meaty product. I really do not care. I think seeing more vegan options that replace meaty counterparts opens the world to change and acceptance. I know without these products a lot of vegans might not be vegans today! So bring on all the vegan equivalents that can remind us of our youth and get people to open up about vegan food choices!

We tried the Korean BBQ Chicken on tacos. The strips look weird when they first come out of the bag, kinda like rubbery ice cubes. Once browned with a bit of oil and the sauce added they come out golden and tasty! Speaking of sauce you get two packets of it, so you can divide your package into more than one use!

The tacos I created

Besides Korean BBQ the other varieties include mushroom and chipotle. Bonus: if you shop at Target this week all Simply Balanced stuff is on sale! Fill your freezers!

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - So Delicious No Sugar Added Ice Cream

Target gets a handful of So Delicious Dairy Free ice creams in the freezer section. My favorite is the coconut based no sugar added vanilla and chocolate. That way I can come home and not feel so bad dumping stuff like chocolate sauce, potato chips and chocolate pieces on a scoop!

 

Do not like the no added sugar label foo you, this ice cream is perfectly sweet. Creamy, rich sweetness and the right ice cream texture you can eat it as is or like I said add your favorite mix ins and toppings. So Delicious usually runs at $6 a pop at the store, Target clocks in at $4.99 and makes me feel less budget guilty when I want to indulge.

[Vegan Mofo] Healthy Eats - Amy's Black Bean & Rice Taquitos

 

This week I start off with more Mexican inspired food because you know how well  I love the stuff! It is also the week I kick of healthier picks from the shelves of Target. Now since the 'clean police' have raided social media and tried to shut down anything they feel is not 'clean', people are afraid of anything from a box or a can. It is silly because you can find healthy picks in the frozen section of the store or canned veggies with more nutritional value than what has been trucked in from over seas in the produce department (depending on season).

Last week Target rolled out a lot of new vegan products and Matt and I picked up a few to try out. One of them being Amy's Black Bean and Rice Taquitos. They are not even listed on the site yet - super new right? What makes them a healthier pick is they can be baked (like I made them) in the oven and for 2 rolls they clock in at 190 in the calorie department. Traditionally taquitos are deep fried - so good (Go to Flacos if you are ever in the East Bay or Fresno!) but having deep fried food daily is not a wise option - sorry  Matt I will not buy that deep fryer at Costco! 

These tasty lil taco rolls have a comfort food feel, taste yummy and can be topped or served in a variety of ways. I made them using vegan nacho cheeze sauce, garden fresh salsa, Golf Sauce (see Sept/Oct15 VegNews for recipe) and some pickled peppers I made last week. Since they are baked they do not have that super crunchy texture that you get from deep frying - but I am okay with that. They bake in about 15 minutes making them a fast lunch. If you are looking to make them into more of a meal, serve them with rice, beans and a side salad.

These will be making a appearance in my Target basket again real soon!