'Cheesy' Enchiladas

Tonight we made ‘Cheesy’ Enchiladas for supper. The cheese sauce for this recipe was exceptional. I will definitely use it again for nachos or maybe a macaroni dish. The filling was easy to make but, the enchiladas just took a while to bake. This recipe made way too much for two people but I think we’ll freeze the rest. Here’s the recipe:

Cheesy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups water
1/4 cup vegan margarine
1 teaspoon mustard

2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce
3 (14.5-ounce) cans beans, drained (e.g., white, kidney, pinto, black) (I only used 2 cans)
1 (15-ounce) can olives, drained and chopped (I used corn instead)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup salsa (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
10 tortillas

Directions:
1. "Cheese" Sauce: In medium-large saucepan, combine flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder. Whisk in the water. Heat on medium heat until bubbling and thick. Remove from heat and add margarine and mustard. Set aside 1/2 cup of cheese sauce in separate container.
2. Set aside 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. For the filling, add the beans, corn, onions, and salsa to the rest of the cheese mix.

3. Pour the 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Place a tortilla in pan and cover in enchilada sauce. Spoon in filling. Roll and push to one end of pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top and then spread reserved cheese sauce on as last step. 4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until brown, 30 to 45 minutes.
Makes: 6 servings, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 30 to 45 minutes

A Celebration!

Tyson finally got home this week which gave us another reason to celebrate! Friends and family from near and far gathered for his arrival. So, of course… tons of food was involved in this joyous occasion. And, Tyson’s sisters also made me a vegan cake for my birthday! They baked a banana peanut butter cake—now, what’s not to LOVE about all those ingredients? It was very rich and moist. YUM! Tanya also made some zesty sweet potato hummus, and other dips. While we toasted with champagne, we snacked on crackers, nuts, chips, dips, and of course…CAKE! We had three to finish!
For lunch, Haley made a delightful salad of mixed greens, nuts, peppers, mushrooms and pears topped off with maple balsamic vinegar and raspberry vinaigrette. I baked some bruschetta and sprinkled it with some nutritional yeast flakes, which are packed full of B12 and act as a cheese substitute.
There was SO much delicious food! It was a great celebration and we are all so glad that he is safely home! :)

Birthday Supper

For my birthday supper this year, we dined at Brewbakers restaurant. They already have great vegan items on their menu, and are also very accommodating to any dietary needs. I didn’t even have to order ahead because I got the Seasonal Vegetable Curry with Tofu from the menu. It’s made with coconut milk, Indian spices and it’s served on top of Jasmine rice. Talk about delicious!
I also ordered the Sweet Potato Hummus for an appetizer. It had a kick of spice, and was full of flavor. Three people ordered the Maple Chicken Curry dish…without the chicken. It was nice not to have any meat on the table, and everyone still had a scrumptious fulfilling meal.
After supper, we came home to yet another vegan birthday cake! My mom made a delicious moist chocolate cake, and I blew out the candles for my 24th birthday.
It was a wonderful night full of many laughs and good food. Thanks everyone!

Amazing Vegan Birthday Cake!

This has been one busy week full of surprise birthdays, welcome home’s and celebrating. To celebrate my birthday, which was last Monday, my best friend Haley made me the greatest vegan birthday cake! Not only was the top very creative and thoughtful, it tasted AMAZING!
Thank you so much Haley :)Here’s the recipe she used below:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp vinegar
5 tbsp melted vegan margarine
1 cup lukewarm water

Combine dry ingredients, add remaining ingredients, mix well. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

The icing:
1/2 cup vegan margarine
3 cups icing sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
3 to 4 tsp nondairy milk

Cream butter until smooth, add sugar. Cream 2 minutes. Add other ingredients. Beat until light and fluffy (~3 mins). Add soy milk if too dry.

Canadian Animals

I’ve really been trying to find some Canadian websites about our farming practices and laws. A lot of the books and websites out there are American Based, so it’s not easy. I really like the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies website. It has up to date news on a lot of our practices. And guess what, we still have A LOT of things to work on. Our animal transportation laws are disgraceful and read here if you want to learn more about our farm animals.
http://cfhs.ca/farm/farming_in_canada/ Let me know if you find any other good Canadian websites!

VegNews

Since beginning publication in 2000, VegNews has become the most talked about vegetarian magazine. The premier magazine to focus on a vegetarian lifestyle, VegNews offers its more than 210,000 readers up-to-date information on living a compassionate and healthy lifestyle.
VegNews is such a great way to learn about everything vegetarian. I found some great websites to buy vegan food (vegan marshmallows/chocolate), clothes and products. One I like is www.veganessentials.com. It’s nice to have a magazine dedicated to this lifestyle. It’s also interesting and comforting to read about how other people are living their lives. They only have an issue published every couple of months, but the holiday issue is on the shelves already! I definitely recommend picking one up :)

Tuna Salad (Kinda)

This recipe is from The Kind Diet. It’s the first time I have used tempeh, and I am impressed! This “tuna” salad is so tasty and zingy! It’s definitely something I will make again. I omitted the corn and just used canned peas instead of frozen. Here is the link to the recipe: Tuna Salad (Kinda)
For supper, I spread it thickly on some whole grain toast with a side of veggies. Yum!
My friend Jenn, who is vegan, also started a blog. She has tons of great recipes on there to check out, including some more that use tempeh. She has also tried this “tuna” salad recipe with some alterations, and gives it the seal of approval too!
Check out her blog by clicking this link: Livin' on the Veg

WOOL

I really wanted to do a post about wool. But, Alicia Silverstone just posted a beautifully written blog about it on her website. I think she covers it all.

http://www.thekindlife.com/post/whats-the-deal-with-wool

I think we all have a misconception that wool is just a by-product of helping sheep out. Well, the majority of the wool that is produced comes from Australia, and you can imagine what happens in mass production facilities, and the end is obviously a sad one.

Here’s a video from the artist PiNK, and her views on wool.
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=823

Rescue Chocolate

Rescue Chocolate is “the sweetest way to save a life!” From each chocolate purchased, 100% of the net profits are donated to animal rescue organizations around the country.
http://www.rescuechocolate.com/

I was so excited when I found out about Rescue Chocolate. Not only is the chocolate vegan (YAY), but all the profits go to saving animals. I ordered some and it is already on the way. I will let you know how it tastes.
What a great idea for a gift during the holiday season…it’s win-win!

Cozy Chili

I’ve made this chili a few times so far. The recipe is from Tanya and Steve’s cookbook! I just omit the meat and add some more chickpeas and red kidney beans. This is such a cozy meal during cold weather and it’s packed full of nutrients and protein. I always make a big batch and freeze individual servings so I can pull them out whenever I’m craving something delicious. Try making a vegetarian chili this fall or winter!

WSPA

The World Society for the Protection of Animals, commonly known as WSPA, is an international animal welfare organization. Comprised of more than 1,000 member societies in over 150 countries around the world, WSPA is the single largest animal protection network in the world.

WSPA was born out of the desire that humane societies and animal welfare organizations should work together. Here in Canada, our members include the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, the Animal Defence League of Canada, and many provincial humane societies.

For over 25 years, WSPA has striven to protect, rescue and care for animals. A hands-on network of animal protection professionals, WSPA field teams often go where other organizations can't or won't. Our leadership in the animal protection field has earned us consultative status with the United Nations Economic-Social Council and the Council of Europe.

WSPA does so much for the welfare of animals, and you can help too. They have many online petitions and letters you can send to your designated parliament members. Many online actions help animals in other countries, but there are some campaigns for Canada as well. Such as trying to change our animal transport laws, and trying to increase animal protection by passing and enforcing legislation on animal abuse. See below:

The dog in the picture above was nicknamed 'Lucky' because he narrowly escaped death. His neck and back were broken, he was also malnourished, dehydrated and covered in bed sores. The perpetrator received a $50 fine. © Ontario SPCA

"It's been one year since Parliament amended Canada's animal cruelty laws to increase the jail time and other penalties for animal abuse. Recent headlines show that little has changed.
Offenders and their lawyers continue to exploit flaws and loopholes in the law to get off with a mere slap on the wrist or no penalty at all. The burden of proof that Crown Attorneys, police and SPCA investigators must meet in order to successfully prosecute these crimes is too high since it's virtually impossible to prove that the cruelty was 'wilful' in its intent and 'unnecessary'.
We need modern legislation now.
We need the government of Canada to pass modern and enforceable legislation that protects all animals from cruelty and abuse. Animals matter to Canadians - it's time to reflect this in our laws" -WSPA
Please take a moment to send a letter to the Minister of Justice, Rob Nicholson, as he has the authority to strengthen the animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code.

A Good Fortune

Chinese restaurants have many vegan options, so don’t forget about them on your next outing! Mom and I split a vegetarian combo last weekend. It had veggie fried rice, spring rolls, vegetable chow mien and deep fried wontons…SO yummy.
The fortune cookie was priceless. Not only was it a vegan fortune, but it had incorrect grammar. Love it!

World Vegan Day

November 1st is World Vegan Day! I just wanted to thank everyone for their support throughout my transition into becoming vegan. This is something that has sparked a fire inside of me, and it is a lifestyle I am very passionate about. I also love hearing from all of you. When you let me know that you’ve changed your lifestyle, or even that you have enjoyed a vegetarian meal, it makes me smile all the way down to the core. I really want to bring awareness to this amazing way of life, and I am learning more and more each day. This past weekend, I was cleaning out my room and found one of my journals from when I was eleven. This was the excerpt:
Friday, November 21st, 1997
Hello. My name is Jenna White. I’m here to tell you what I want to be when I grow up. I want to dedicate my life to animals and helping them out. I want to help them so much and I’m willing to do it!

It makes me happy to know that in 1997, I had some of the same mindset as I do now. It validates my thoughts and actions that I have now in 2010. Thanks again and a Happy World Vegan Day to you all!

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
—Martin Luther King, Jr.