Testing Exciting New Vegan Products: Enjoy Life Foods!

This is such an exciting time for vegan food and I'm so grateful that companies send me care packages to try out the latest products. There are so many amazing new food items just recently released or that will be available very soon, and I am over-the-moon happy about this!

The latest Enjoy Life vegan stuff! Yay!!!

I wanted to talk about the latest three delicious and gluten-free Enjoy Life products added to their line of wonderful vegan offerings and allergy-friendly foods.

The red bag is the Dark Chocolate Regular Size Morsels, which I thought they always had but maybe these are new because they are 69% cacao. Anyways, these are for baking and other recipes but are so good straight from the bag! What?? I didn't eat the whole entire bag before getting a chance to use them for a recipe post. What? There's a recipe using these scrumptious chocolate morsels coming soon...maybe.

Then there's the brand new protein bites, ProBurst Bites that I'm most excited about! They are nut-free, made with sunseed butter (sunflower seed butter), they are completely natural, they pack a 6g of protein punch, but most importantly...they taste more like a dessert than a snack. I was expecting these to taste like the protein balls that I sometimes eat (you know when I'm in workout mode, occasionally) but they actually taste like the best chocolate truffles I've ever eaten! You get 5 servings per (resealable) bag, however that's 3 bites per serving and they are so rich and decadent that I can easily eat one or two and be satisfied. These are a great value and nutritional, but yummy, offering.

And last but certainly not least, the Muffin Mix with Ancient Grains. My favorite aspect of this muffin mix is that the mix has 5g of protein per serving developed with probiotics. I absolutely love when something like muffin mix isn't void of nutritional value. These muffins are coming in at only 170 calories each prepared muffin, and you can make about 10- 12 muffins per box, so if I am in workout mode (haha, yeah right) I won't feel guilty at all eating them...all...eating all the muffins. Damn, they are tasty muffins - don't judge me.

Big thank you to Enjoy Life Foods for sending these new products over to me to try. I am a big fan of this company and they really continue to make vegans lives so much easier with their delish and revolutionary products. Bravo!

Which of the latest Enjoy Life products are you most exciting to try out? 

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Malt Candy Cookie Bites Recipe featuring Postum

I have been really enjoying my morning cup of Postum. I'm sure you guessed that from my Postum review, if you read it. I like to drink a variety of beverages, like many of us do, so I don't limit myself to just coffee or tea. I have added Postum to my daily beverage intake, just like I enjoy water and other drinks throughout the day. What has been perfect about drinking Postum, is that it is ideal for those mornings that I want the taste of coffee or a nice warm drink (and that distinct and comforting flavor of Postum), but don't want the caffeine. I would drink coffee all day if I could, but the caffeine often makes most of us feel jittery, for me even decaf can do that, so enjoying a Postum has been awesome lately! I'll have one in the morning or sometimes if I fancy a coffee first thing, I'll sip a nice cup of warm or iced Postum at night, without worrying that it'll keep me up for hours! I'm loving the Postum product so much that I thought to myself, what else can I do with it? The flavor is amazing and there are so many servings (a whopping 75!) per can. How about experimenting with some recipes?

I was sitting down with a cup of Postum and a book the other day, and was really stuck on what it had reminded me of, in that one sip, in that moment. Then it struck me! Remember those chocolate malt candies that you get at the movies or they came in a speckled candy coated Easter egg version at this time of year? Those types of candies have been off limits for us vegans but also for people who avoid overly processed foods and candy, and those who prefer to make their own sweets. After countless hours and testing in my kitchen, I perfected the recipe inspired by what I remember, what my childhood memories recall of those chocolate malt candies, but with a healthier twist and in the form of cookie bites! It was all possible because of this wonderful and versatile product, Postum. So here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy them! When you try this recipe, I'd love to see your pictures or hear what you think about it. Feel free to mention or tag me and Postum on Twitter!

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Malt Candy Cookie Bites Recipe featuring Postum
Makes 2 dozen cookies

Cookies Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 cup Postum (or more for stronger malt flavor), I used Original (Roasted Wheat-bran Molasses) Flavor
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegan milk (use a little more if needed to achieve cookie dough consistency)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking-safe parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, mix first five ingredients (dry ingredients) then add in vegan milk and vanilla extract. Drop small balls of dough, about one teaspoon in size, on parchment lined baking sheet, about one inch apart. Bake for 8- 10 minutes then remove from oven and allow cookies to cool. Place cookies in freezer for about 5 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together and blend well. Dip each cookie in chocolate to coat, then place on parchment paper. Freeze cookies for 30 minutes, or until coating is dry, to set then enjoy! Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Coming soon: a Postum prize pack giveaway!!! Keep an eye out for that in my next Postum post!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

Breakfast Banana Bites: Toddler Approved!

Any parent knows that getting a toddler to eat, especially around that molar-teething phase, is a full time job in itself. If you have a toddler like mine, who yells "cupcake!" in poo-poo protest of my delicious and nutritious full course meals that I serve, you have to get inventive. I am betting that you'll appreciate this recipe for banana bites.

These breakfast bites are not just for kids... and not just for breakfast either. You can make these anytime, for anyone. Dipped in warm maple syrup, they are a delightful addition to your day. Toddler and mama approved!

What you will need:

• 2 large bananas 
• 1 cup all purpose flour (I used Target's brand this time)
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup vegan milk (I used Very Vanilla flavored soy)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To garnish and dipping:

• vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
• pure maple syrup

What you will need to do:

Slice your bananas in long horizontal slices, try to keep them thick enough to handle without breaking, but thin enough to warm nicely, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Then make your batter by mixing the rest of the ingredients.

Dip your banana slices into the batter and place on your preheated griddle. Grill each side for about 1 minute, or until you see tiny bubbles in the batter.

Keep doing that until all of your banana slices and batter are gone. Butter your bites when they come off the griddle and place them onto a plate while you're doing this. Once you are finished griddling, warm up some maple syrup for dipping.

Enjoy!

Amazing 4 Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

The concept of peanut butter cookies has always baffled me. You know, the true flourless peanut butter cookies that you probably made in home ec. class when you were a kid. Not only did the recipe perplex me then, but even more so as a vegan. Now I understand that eggs played an important role in that recipe from home economics.

When we were challenged to perfect the recipe for eggless, flourless, 4 ingredient, vegan peanut butter cookies, we jumped at the chance, as well as added chocolate chip cookies. Peanut butter is awesome... combined with chocolate, it is perfection.

You must try this vegan cookie recipe. It is life-changing. Plus, you won't believe that there isn't flour involved and that this took just 4 ingredients. We still can't believe it, as we are eating the entire batch right now!

What you'll need:

- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 vegan "egg" equivalent (we used Vegg)
- 3/4 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

What you'll need to do:

Preheat oven 350°. Combine all ingredients. Form into balls using 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie. Place dough balls on greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly. Bake for 12- 15 minutes or until cookies are slightly brown, firm, and no longer doughy. Let cool then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

You are VERY welcome ;)

Vegan Blueberry Brown Sugar Coconut Muffins Recipe

Blueberry Brown Sugar Coconut Muffins

What you will need:

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 400°. Line 12 spots in a muffin pan with liner cups. Combine first 3, dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine next three (wet) ingredients. Combine both dry and wet ingredients, then fold in blueberries and coconut. Divide batter evenly among 12 spots in muffin pan. Bake for 20- 30 minutes, or until toothpick can be inserted and come out cleanly. Enjoy!

Edward & Sons: Review, Lactation Cookie Recipe, and GIVEAWAY!

I have always been a huge fan of Edward & Sons food company. If you don't already know, they are also the makers of Road's End Organics, Native Forest, Premier Japan Organic, Let's Do Organic, and The Wizards. The quality of their food products is outstanding, and with their slogan, Convenience Without Compromise, you can understand why. Edward & Sons aims at making healthy packaged food products, and it never misses the mark. Here are some of the new or popular products that I wanted to show you today.

Who doesn't love Chreese? What is Chreese, you ask? Well, it is Road's End Organics deliciously healthy, nutritional yeast based cheese, and I love it! Not only do I love it, but my 13 month old kiddo does too! And this is great for me because this stuff is good for her! Each serving of Mac & Chreese contains a whopping 13g of protein and tons of Vitamin B12 (the goodness increases when you mix it with vegan milk and butter)! This is important for vegans, and everyone, to be including B12 in their diets, making this product a slam dunk in the natural community. These are so super easy to make and pack a nutritional punch. My daughter definitely gives these her seal of approval. She especially loves the 123, ABC's & Chreese 4Kidz pasta; these are incredibly easy for older babies and small children to eat because of their tiny shape and size. Love this.

Edward & Sons are like masters in coconut. Their coconut is always amazing tasting. Their Let's Do Organic fine shredded coconut and toasted coconut flakes are so amazing, fresh, and delicious, that they taste like you harvested them right from the island yourself. You rarely come across a shredded coconut product that has that cool coconut taste that is completely saturated in tropical coconut. You can tell it is minimally processed and doing amazing things for your body as you're eating it. This is the only shredded coconut that I buy. And toasted coconut flakes save you time when you are going for that in recipes. Well done.

Speaking of coconut, Native Forest has amazing coconut oil. It is great quality and gets the job done. I can't say enough good things about it. We all have heard of the amazing benefits of coconut oil, and this particular brand has the quality and flavor that a consumer deserves. Love it! I use it for oil pulling, cooking, baking, on my skin, and anything else that I can use it for! 

I also really enjoyed the Native Forest canned okra. They are organic, whole pods, and I must admit that before trying this, I had only used fresh or frozen okra. It is refreshing to have the convenience of a canned product with the organic quality that Edward & Sons continually deliver.

My pals at Edward & Sons also make amazing soupy-type products. I love their bouillon, which makes the best broth around! They come in flavors like "Chicken", "Beef", and Vegetable, but I definitely enjoyed their new Red Curry bouillon. It would be fantastic in any Indian or Thai dish, or just on its own as a cup of yummy broth with a spicy kick. I recently made a great Thai soup and this bouillon perfected it. You know what else I love about these vegan bouillon cubes? Because I'm a freak, I love the packaging so much. The name of the broth flavor is on the side of the box, so I stack them up on top of each other in my pantry, and I can easily grab the flavor I need without sorting through all of them. I know, wicked nerdy... whatever.

I'm also a fan of their Miso-cup. It is not like using fresh refrigerated miso paste, so you're not getting that freshly made taste, I hate to admit, but it is the best in a packaged miso that you can get since it uses a packaged paste that mixes with the water. It is definitely tastier than the powder miso soup pouches, plus you get the convenience of taking this soup with you on the go. If you were to take freshly made miso soup, it would obviously spoil, however it is nice to be able to take this along with you to places like work, travel, camping, etc. Plus, it doesn't taste overly salty and has a really nice, balanced flavor.

Would you like to WIN a box full of Edward & Sons goodies, just like mine? The fabulous folks at Edward & Sons are generously providing two of my readers with their very own package of goodies! Stay tuned after the recipe...

RECIPE TIME!!!

I used Native Forest Coconut Oil and Let's Do Organic Fine Shredded Coconut in this cookie recipe. Technically, they are "Lactation Cookies", but my family has been eating them and they are not producing any breast milk like I am, so it is safe to say that these are also "regular oatmeal cookies". Wink, wink. This is an amazing oatmeal cookie recipe, the ingredients just so happen to be lactogenic and support a nursing mother in making extra milk.

Oatmeal, Coconut, Raisin "Lactation" Cookies

Makes about 56 cookies

What you will need:

2 cups oats

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

2/3 cup Native Forest Coconut Oil, melted

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup oat milk (or vegan milk of your choosing)

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

4 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup Let's Do Organic Fine Shredded Coconut OR Toasted Coconut Flakes

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease about two baking sheets. In a medium bowl, mix oat milk and flaxseed, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix you melted coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, yeast, and add in your flax mixture. Now, mix together your wet and dry bowls, then fold in raisins and coconut. Roll into balls about the size of a large tablespoon and bake for about 10 minutes. Enjoy these yummy cookies!

Now, I bet you're eager to know more about this giveaway that I mentioned earlier. To enter: 

• Follow me @theDirtyVegan on Twitter and also follow @EdwardAndSons on Twitter. 

• I will tweet a giveaway tweet and all you have to do is retweet that. I will be choosing two winners. Winners will be chosen and announced on Monday morning, 5/19/14. 

Let the tweeting begin!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Go coconuts!

SoDelicious: They Ain't Kiddin'!

I thought that I have tried all of the SoDelicious vegan products. From the beverages, creamers, frozen desserts, and other vegan dairy products, SoDelicious seems to always be coming out with something new. With that being said, there is always something new to try! Lucky for me, they sent me a couple coupons to try some of their new, or new to me, stuff. I perused Whole Foods and found a couple things that I hadn't tried before so that I can review them. Here it goes...

I decided to try SoDelicious Almond Milk Minis ice cream sandwiches in Vanilla. I have tried their other Minis sandwiches that are made with coconut milk and soy milk, so I was curious to try these. They were delicious but not as creamy as the coconut and soy ones. They tasted lighter than the others. If given the opportunity, I would definitely get them again, however if I had a choice, my favorite minis are their coconut milk ones. I'm a huge fan of their Coconut Milk Minis bars in Coconut Almond flavor. Aside from their Coconut Creamers that I use in my coffee and recipes, those minis are my favorite item in the line.

I then chose to try their soy ice cream in Chocolate Velvet flavor. I have had practically every ice cream of theirs whether it be soy, coconut, or almond, but haven't tried this flavor. I am a fan of their Chocolate Obsession and Chocolate Peanut Butter flavors, so I thought that this would be pretty similar. I thought wrong! Chocolate Velvet is hands down the best chocolate flavored vegan ice cream that I have ever tried. It is so smooth, creamy, and downright velvety! Even the look and texture is like frozen velvet, it is just beautiful! I had this by itself and also made milkshakes with it. Once I made a chocolate and vanilla shake and the next time I made a chocolate peanut butter shake. The peanut butter paired with this chocolate flavor was out of this world! This is my new addiction and definitely the only vegan chocolate ice cream that I will be buying.

SoDelicious has so many products out there that it is hard to keep up! I recently found out that their super new products are their Culinary Coconut Milk (I imagine would be great in Thai recipes), Mini Dessert Bars that are organic, Gluten Free ice creams, and Cashew Milk. All of which, I am extremely interested in trying! Hopefully I'll get my hands on those soon so that I can let you all know what I think of them.

On a side note, and a random one at that, I would love to see SoDelicious make a vegan cream cheese. I think that they would be great at that since they certainly have a way with vegan dairy.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Sweet velvety deliciousness to you my friends!

The Dirty Vegan's Everything Bars

These bars are so amazing that I really don't have words for them. So I'm just going to post the recipe. However, I do want to mention one thing...these may become your new favorite food. Just saying.

The Dirty Vegan's Everything Bars Recipe
makes 16 bars

What you will need:

• 10 oz of chocolate sandwich cookies (I used 365 brand from Whole Foods), crushed
• 10 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance Buttery Spread), melted
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I used Edward & Son's, Let's Do Organic)
• 12 oz package vegan semi sweet chocolate chips (I used 365 brand from Whole Foods that are vegan)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 Jokerz bars by Go Max Go Foods, cut into chunks

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with a piece of parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together crushed cookies and melted butter then press into pan in an even layer. Bake in oven for 5 minutes then let cool slightly. In a large bowl combine coconut flakes, chocolate chips, and pecans then spread evenly into pan onto the crust. Finally, sprinkle Jokerz chunks on top and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool completely then transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. Cut into squares. Enjoy your new favorite food! 

Tip: Best eaten room temperature.

Look at that melty deliciousness...just out of the oven!

Store bars in an airtight container!

What Time Is It? Cookie Time!

Peanut butter cookies are timeless. They are also very easy to make with minimal ingredients on hand. The go-to for when you want cookies but don't have a ton of ingredients or don't feel like getting too complicated. I made these cookies yesterday for my sweetie. They were fast and easy to make and he loves them. I needed time to get ready for our Valentine's date, and wanted to make him a treat for all the sweet things he sent to me throughout the day. You can make these with or without the frosting. The frosting is from my cupcake post this week and you can find the recipe here. Have fun and happy baking!

Peanut Butter Almond Cookies

What you will need:

• 1 1/2 cup flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Garbanzo Bean flour)
• 3/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter (I used Trader Joe's brand)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure almond extract

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Mix together the dry and wet ingredients into a dough. You can roll these into balls and pat down a little on an ungreased baking sheet or you can use cookie cutters in your favorite shapes. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Let cool completely before you remove from the pan (or they will break apart because they retain heat in the middle). Enjoy with a glass of almond milk perhaps!

Always Share Your Vegan Desserts!

In my almost 9 years of being vegan (and even longer than that being a vegetarian), I have witnessed a lot of wacky happenings. One thing in particular, is when you don't share a major vegan find like Dirty Vegan Foods. As tempting as it is to keep nostalgic and retro-inspired vegan goodies to yourself, I recommend being kind and just sharing them from the start. Or something like this may happen...

Don't say I didn't warn you!

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What Do Vegans and the President Have In Common?

The President just loves Dirty Vegan Foods! Do you like how I totally nailed the accent and speech pauses?!


He likes us so much, he has even sent us on very serious missions to change America and save animals, such as this one...


Wowzers, look at me in my belly shirt! Those abs gotta be from being vegan!!!

Hope these gave you a laugh and helped brighten your day. Now continue to giggle through the rest of it!

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Mister Winky's Sweet Giveaway: Announcing the WINNER!

The last blog post introduced Mister Winky and his super sweet giveaway. I am excited to announce the winner in today's post. We asked you guys to be creative with a photo with Mister Winky for a chance to win $30 worth of Dirty Vegan Foods goodies. This was such a hard decision to make; all of the entries were so good, funny, and imaginative! The chosen winner is the entry we felt to be the most original in use and creativity. Thank you D.J. Hops for this awesome picture and Congratulations! Please e-mail your mailing address and we will send out your prize! info@dirtyveganfoods.com

Again, thank you everyone for your entries; they were so all amazing! And don't worry, there will be more fun and exciting giveaways to come very soon! Don't forget that for the rest of May, if you order $30 or more of product (before tax and shipping) from www.dirtyveganfoods.com/ you will receive $5 off!

And for now, Mister Winky the Dirty Vegan is signing off!

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Mister Winky's Sweet Giveaway!

Introducing Mister Winky! This adorable and creme-filled cartoon wants to make your acquaintance in style - by giving you free dessert! The Dirty Vegan and Dirty Vegan Foods are announcing Mister Winky's Giveaway! Please read on to find out how you can win a box of sweet goodies from www.dirtyveganfoods.com!

Dirty Vegan Foods - Home of the Original Winky!

The Prize: 

Sweet treats from Dirty Vegan Foods!

HOW TO ENTER

Send me a picture of you and Mister Winky (using the above picture) or show me the funniest, coolest, unique Mr. Winky somewhere (click on the picture of Mister Winky to print him out). The chosen winner will be the one with the most creative and original photo. You can send the photo to me:

Via E-mail: thedirtyvegan.blogspot@gmail.com OR info@dirtyveganfoods.com

Via Twitter for ex. by Twitpic: @theDirtyVegan and/or @DirtyVeganFoods (don't forget to follow us!)

Via Facebook wall: The Dirty Vegan Facebook Page OR Dirty Vegan Foods Facebook Page (and don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook!)

DEADLINE TO ENTER: Entries must be received by Thursday, May 19th at 9:00 PM EST.

WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AND ANNOUNCED ON Friday, May 20th!

*by entering you are agreeing that we can announce your name and share your photo if you win* the Dirty Vegan reserves the right to change the prize in the unlikely event that the prize is no longer available* - Good luck!

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Vegan Food Saving Marriages?

Saving Relationships Since 2011!


Was that a quick fix or what?!?!

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Homer Simpson, Vegan Donuts, Farmer's Markets, and Sugary Fun!

Donuts are fun! Just ask Homer Simpson...



Unlike Homer's situation, Dirty Vegan Foods donuts are not forbidden, they are just so good that they taste like they are.

This is the *Butter Cake Donut with Chocolate Frosting dusted in Coconut*!

Other varieties of Vegan Donuts include:

*Chocolate Glazed Donut*

*Strawberry Glazed Cake Donut*

*Strawberry Glazed Hemp Cake Donut*

*Hemp Cake Donut with Chocolate Frosting dusted in Coconut*

*Chocolate and Coconut Dipped Cake Donut*

Honestly these are the best donuts I've had in my life...gone are the days where vegans had to be without donut shop style donuts!

Also, Dirty Vegan Foods is now offering chocolaty and creamy Whoopie Pies!

You can find all of these new products along with the Winky, Knock Knocks, DVF Cupcake, and Rocky Bites, on DirtyVeganFoods.com in the online shop. If you like Dirty Vegan Food and would like to come meet The Dirty Vegan Crew and pick up some famous sweet treats, please see the farmer's market schedule below:

Mondays (May 2nd- October 24th): Whole Foods Market University Heights, Providence, RI 3:00-7:00 PM

Tuesdays (May 17th- October 25th): Whole Foods Market Garden City, Cranston, RI 3:00-7:00 PM

Wednesdays: TBA

Thursdays: TBA

Fridays (July 29th- October 7th): Rhode Island College (RIC) 3:30- 6:00 PM

Saturdays: Various Festivals & Events TBA

Sundays (June 12th- October 30th): Elmhurst Farmer's Market, Fargnoli Park, Providence, RI 11:00 AM- 2:00 PM

Thank you everyone for all of your support! It makes me so happy to have you all coming up to the booth telling me that you are Dirty Vegans and love the blog and products! Means the world. Thank you for all that you do for animals and the environment. Together, I know we will change the world for the better. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Hope you have a sweet-sugary-donut kind of day!

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Etsy Love!

Esty is so cool! So we've made an Etsy shop for anyone who has an existing Etsy account or who is accustomed to using Etsy. We are offering our variety pack only on our Etsy shop. If you would like to purchase single items, multiples of particular items, etc., please visit our website www.dirtyveganfoods.com. Etsy accepts Paypal, checks and money orders (along with the major credit cards) - our website accepts credit cards and we are working on adding Paypal to it soon. Both are super easy to use, but its nice that Etsy accepts those things; I know a lot of you really like it. So let's link up on Etsy too, and join the DVF circle! Cheers! :o)

Vegan "Twinkie", Cupcake, Snack Cake, Cookie Variety Pack - on Etsy! Click Me!

ENJOY and have a Naughty Day! 

Yuuummmm! So good!

Meatout 2011 on March 20th! And in Honor of This, Crispy Rice Marshmallow Treats!

I was honored to be asked to participate in the Meatout 2011 blogging event. On this day, March 20th, 2011, so many people from all over the world are campaigning, handing out samples of vegan food, handing out brochures, spreading the word, and blogging about veganism. We also have kind hearts who are pledging to go veg!

Don't worry, we will get to these treats in just a minute!

I understand that today I am going to have some first-time readers and visitors. Welcome! The link below has some great past Dirty Vegan posts that introduce myself and my mission, introduce veganism, and some easy tips on how to transition.

Past Blog Posts Labeled: Intro

This is also a post dear to my heart - Believe

Also, please feel free to search this blog with the search function, and browse the different labels, archives, and past posts/ yummy recipes. I also invite new readers to interact with me on Facebook and Twitter using the widgets on the right-hand side. 


This is an exciting time in your life and you will see your whole world (and your health) change for the better, once you adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. Whether it is just for the day, committing to participate in Meatout 2011, a transition phase where you include more veggie meals into your lifestyle, or a permanent decision, you are doing the hugest kindness for animals, the environment, and for yourself. Going vegetarian saves approximately 100 animals live's per year! If you are feeling like this is a lot of information to take in, no worries. The recipes and tips on my blog are easy and laid back. So please subscribe to this blog and you will see tons of simple vegan recipes with ingredients that can be so easily found in most supermarkets (and its not health-food believe me!). There will also be more giveaways, more information, and more fun stuff to come -please see veganism as a place free of stress. And if you think about it, by no longer ingesting the pain, suffering, fear, and death of animals, you are ridding your body and mind of that negativity. For now, lets get Dirty!

So in honor of this wonderful Meatout 2011 event, I wanted to provide a yummy vegan alternative to a classic treat. And it is EASY!!! That's how I like it, quick, easy, and Dirty!

Crispy Rice Marshmallow Treats

What you will need:


3 tbsp vegan buttery spread (I used Smart Balance Light - it is vegan and easily attainable, in almost every grocery store)
10 oz bag of vegan marshmallows (I used Dandies - in my opinion the best vegan marshmallow out there right now and it doesn't need refrigeration - these taste as good as what I remember them to taste like and even better!)
5 or 6 cups puffed rice cereal (I say 5 or 6 because you can make them a bit less sweet and lighter tasting by adding more cereal - I wouldn't use more than 6 cups however, because you don't want them to be too dry)
Fun add-ins: chocolate chips, coconut flakes, peanut butter chips (optional)


What to do:


Melt the buttery spread in a large saucepan on medium heat. Then add the vegan marshmallows and melt, stirring frequently. When the mixture is very melty and gooey, remove from heat and add in the cereal. Form mixture into a greased pan using a buttered spoon. Let cool; once cool you can cut them into squares and serve. Enjoy!

The treats cooling in the pan

YUM! So good! Enjoy and thanks for visiting! Bookmark or follow this blog for more Dirty!

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Vegan Strufoli, Yum!

Strufoli - Italian "Honey" Balls

Strufoli or otherwise known as, Italian Honey Balls, were a tradition in my Italian community growing up. I have made this traditional recipe vegan by replacing a few ingredients like honey with agave nectar, and making this family recipe my own as well. I am happy to share this with you all. It was also very nostalgic to taste these vegan "honey" balls after all these years, and for it to taste so much like what I grew up enjoying as a child.

What you will need:


3 cups all-purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup and set aside for use later)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pure lemon extract
6 tsp Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 8 tbsp water (makes 4 "eggs")
1/4 cup buttery spread, melted
2 cups fry oil
1 1/2 cups agave nectar (dark and thick - not light)
1/4 cup round dot sprinkles


What you will need to do:


Take the first 5 ingredients, which will be your dry and extract, and mix in a large bowl. Then add in your egg-replacer and melted buttery spread. Mix and knead until doughy. Take some flour from your 1/2 cup reserve to add in (and flour your hands) until the dough is no longer sticky and it is easy to work with. I did this all in my large bowl and used that as my kneading surface. Then take small pieces of the dough and roll into strips like you see in the picture. Then cut off pieces and roll those pieces into small balls. As you see in the photo, I was using floured paper plates to keep my strips on, so that I can place the dough balls in the floured bowl. Then, in a large pot or fryer, carefully heat your fry oil on medium heat. Fry your dough balls until they are golden, then remove with a slotted spoon. Place these balls on a baking sheet lined with paper towel to catch the excess oil. Then heat your agave nectar in a saucepan until it begins to boil. Add balls into the agave and give it a turn, just until balls are covered with it. Then with a slotted spoon, remove and let cool a minute on a baking sheet. Once slightly cool, sprinkle and toss with round sprinkles.

I added my sprinkles too soon and the colors ran a little on my "honey" balls (showcasing the importance of letting them cool slightly). You can eat these fresh or store in a container and enjoy later. Either way, they taste great! Enjoy!

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To Tickle the Roof of Your Mouth With, My Dear

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." -Ernestine Ulmer

'Dirty Vegan's Mouth Tickling Chocolate Walnut Cookie Bars' Recipe

Dry ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Moist ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp Earth Balance buttery spread
1/4 cup vegan mayo (like Veganaise)
3 tsp almond milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. In a sauce pan, melt buttery spread and sugar, whisk. Then whisk in the rest of the moist ingredients. Once saucepan is cool, combine with dry ingredients. Pour batter into a greased brownie pan. Bake for 35 minutes (or until toothpick prick comes out clean). Let cool for a while then cut into bar squares. Enjoy with a nice cold glass of soy milk or with a hot coffee or tea!

Maple, Wanuts, On Cookies? Oh My!

"No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace,
As I have seen in one autumnal face."
-John Donne

Fall for My 'Maple Nut Cookie' Recipe

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground sea salt
1 1/2 tsp. all spice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter/ margarine (like Earth Balance)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 "egg's worth" of egg replacer (like Ener-G, banana, or applesauce)

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp. soy milk (or rice milk, or almond milk, or coconut milk; whatever you like)
2 tsp. butter/ margarine (like Earth Balance)

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

To make cookies, mix all the cookie ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then use electric mixer on low until everything batter is evenly mixed, slightly moist, and starting to look crumbly. Next, pack with hands so batter is in a big ball like dough. Get all those crumbles together and really mush them into the ball of dough. Then take a tablespoon and scoop dough into it. Pack it into the tablespoon until it is full and holds together nicely. Press lightly into one side of the dough in the tablespoon and it should slide right out. Place onto baking sheet covered in parchment paper (I got a great unbleached all natural roll from Whole Foods). Place mounds of cookie dough about 2 inches apart. This recipe should yield about 25 cookies. Cook in oven for about 15 minutes.

To make frosting, combine all frosting ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk then mix until smooth.

Let cookies cool in pan. When cool to touch, transfer to wire rack and let cool for about 10 more minutes. When cookies seem cool enough to frost, give frosting one more mix in bowl before you begin using it, then frost the cookies. Lastly, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Then enjoy!

These cookies were amazing on a cool crisp autumn afternoon, with a nice cup of coffee, amongst great company. They were a big hit too! This is a super quick and easy recipe to make that tastes amazing, and is perfect for fall.