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!

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

Hungarian-Style Braised Mushrooms

This is my favorite PETA recipe that my hubby and I have been making for years and years. We absolutely love it! Tons of flavor and you can change the recipe up by using different types of mushrooms for variety. We served this over spaghetti, but we've had it over any grain like rice, quinoa, or different types of pastas. It is also delicious by itself as a type of soup or stew.

Fun DV Fact: PETA's recipes really saved my ass when I first became vegetarian and subsequently vegan. I also bought their recipe cards, that I still have to this day, and I spent a lot of time on their website and online learning everything I possibly could about animal rights. The reason I am the Dirty Vegan is because I watched an undercover PETA video that exposed animal cruelty at a factory farm. I started posting in the PETA2 forums and wished that I could be more of a voice for animals. I then started writing letters to companies, politicians, and law enforcement in response to action alerts. Every chance I could get, I would promote veganism and have been an animal rights activist ever since I became veg, which was the second I viewed that PETA video. Now, thousands of people from all over the world read this blog. I've received lots of emails from folks who were inspired to become veg after reading my work. Even if someone were to make my recipes, or go meatless sometimes in order to try them, we are still saving lives. Whether it is big or small, it is joyous to see the positive changes we are making for our cause and movement.

This is what this amazing Hungarian Mushroom dish looks like once you add in the cashew cream. Yummy! Definitely one of my favorite dinners ever! You should really check out the recipe.

What is your favorite dinner? You know, the type of dinner that if you had to choose only one dinner to eat for the rest of your life, you would choose it.

Down Home Tofu Stir Fry? What!?

I love to veganize Southern cooking, and vegetables such as okra or bell peppers are just plain comforting. I also like Asian, Indian, and Thai cuisine. Well, put some of these elements all together and you get yourself one really crazy meal that is totally deeelish!

Get Your Vegan Boots on, We're About to Make This Here 'Southern Tofu Stir Fry with Peanut Curry Sauce'

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 cups okra, sliced

2 cups bell peppers, any color or combination

1 block tofu, drained and cut into chunks

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce (or Aminos, or Tamari, or Shoyu)

1 tsp curry powder

sprinkle garlic powder

black pepper to taste

Heat coconut oil on medium heat in wok. Add vegetables and coat them with oil. Stir fry on high for a few moments, add tofu, then let simmer on low heat while you prepare sauce. In a bowl combine peanut butter, soy sauce, curry powder, garlic powder, and black pepper and add this sauce into your wok. Coat stir fry with sauce and stiry fry for about 3- 5 minutes on medium/ high heat. Serve over rice, over noodles, or with a piece on naan or corn bread on the side. Enjoy!

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Indian inspired Dish

I love the spices and flavors used in Indian cooking, and I was inspired by Indian cuisine while creating this recipe. I thought of dishes like Keema and ones with Paneer when making this vegan version.The ingredient's flavors all complement each other, making this meal tasty and mouthwatering!

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 14oz container firm tofu, drained & cubed
6 small carrots, chopped
1 15oz can sweet peas
26oz tomato sauce
2 cups unsweetened vegan milk (you can use coconut milk if you want that flavor, I used almond milk to make this sauce thick and creamy)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
sea salt to taste

Heat large skillet (I use a wok when working with big recipes and lots of ingredients like this) with olive oil and saute onion on medium heat until it begins to soften. Add tofu and saute until tofu browns. Add carrots and saute until they begin to soften. Add the remainder ingredients and heat until bubbly. Let simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Season with salt to taste. Serve over rice and/ or with naan. Enjoy!

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Easy Crockpot Thai Food!

"Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart, and cannot make a good soup." -Ludwig van Beethoven 

Luckily, we are all honest people here and this soup is amazingly delicious! You will love it!

Enjoy My Flavorful 'Crockpot Thai Coconut Vegetable Soup' Recipe


1/2 onion, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cup frozen broccoli
1 block tofu, drained & cubed
2 portobello mushroom caps, cut in chunks
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp Bragg's Herb & Spice Seasoning (or other mixed seasonings)
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy/ shoyu/ tamari sauce)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp agave nectar
sea salt & pepper to taste


Place all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on High for 4 hours. Serve in a bowl alone, over rice/ noodles, or with crusty bread. Enjoy!

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Sorta Thai, Sorta Indian

My inspiration for this dish was from both Thai and Indian cuisine. So it would not be fair to call it one or the other. No matter what we call this dish, you will love it regardless. Enjoy!

Try My 'IndiThai Tofu' recipe!

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegan buttery spread, like Earth Balance
2 tsp fresh garlic, blended into a paste
2 tsp fresh ginger, blended into a paste
1 cup tomatoes, diced (canned worked great for this)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
16 oz tofu, drained and cubed
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup Edward & Sons creamed coconut, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp sugar (raw or turbinado works great)
chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Melt the buttery spread into it. When melted, add garlic and ginger pastes. Let cook for about 1 minute and when fragrant, stir in tomatoes. Let it cook down until about 70% of the liquid evaporates. Then mix in spices and some salt. Let that warm and blend then add in cubed tofu. Gently stir around tofu until it is fully covered with the mixture. Then mix in water. Cover and let cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Then gently stir in the coconut cream and sugar. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Serving & Recipe Suggestion:

-You can serve this dish over brown or white basmati rice. You can also serve a vegetable side, soup, or a salad with this.

-You can find the Edward & Sons coconut creme at grocery and natural food stores. If you have trouble finding it, you can use coconut cream or milk in the can also. The coconut creme is just more convenient because it is packed and you add water to it, which is 1 part coconut cream to 2 parts hot water. It dissolves nicely and in my opinion, easier than using the canned kind.


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