Vegan MoFo Day 28: Food Fight Delivery!

Last week a friend asked why I didn't time the cleanse so that it ended on the weekend, allowing me to really go to town. I had just discussed this with my boss because I actually thought it was better that it was ending midweek- so that I could attempt to maintain some measure of self control.  I also told her to expect to find me at my desk hidden by a mound of candy wrappers, but that's neither here nor there. For the record, she told me that if I put myself into diabetic shock at this busy time of year I'd be fired. Incentive to take it slow! Or so I pretended... Of course my ruse of self-control was to be exposed, since I had my massive Food Fight order shipping to my office. Curses! Foiled again.

As it turned out, I didn't have to worry about overdoing it; right after the cleanse ended I took it slow and did just fine.  Then, a few days later, there I was, sitting at my desk, minding my own beeswax, when it happened. The friendly, neighborhood, UPS man arrived with my bounty.

I really think Food Fight could sense how desperate I was to receive these goodies because they shipped them right away.  And, may I say, did a superb and most impressive job maximizing the capacity of the relatively small box by fitting everything in like a gloriously edible, vegan puzzle.  I considered leaving it sealed until I got home, but haven't I suffered enough?

I'd just eaten lunch (romaine with carrots, celery, and tomato), but I still couldn't resist the Uncle Eddie's peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  At first I just sat them on my desk.  Then, a nano-second later, I dug in.

If you've never tried Uncle Eddie's before, let me assure you that they are a-ma-zing.  I haven't had them in years, but I always recall them as one of the first and best store-bought vegan cookies I ever tried.  They are as soft, chewy, chocolate chippy, peanut buttery, and fantastically decadent as ever; I can't recommend them highly enough.

So, it's official; I'm not over sweets (I still get credit for the potato chip revelation, though).

Now I know you took one look at that first picture of the order and called me a fatty in your head.  Well, I'll have you know that the entire bounty was not mine; it was a combined effort.  Don't worry; I accept your apology.

As it turns out, my friend, MVG, purchased these items:

A respectable assortment of Secret Aardvark Habanero hot sauce, pomegranate hint mints, Chreese mix, peanut butter cups, and peppermint patties (that I resisted even though I inhaled the intoxicating aroma as soon as I opened the box). 

As for me, I ordered one or two things more: Holy Kakow chocolate sauce, Uncle Eddie's, Horchata (first time trying), Secret Aardvark (What? It's supposed to last me all year), a few hint mints, Nacheez (for blogging comparison purposes only), corn-taters, cocomels, a Rescue Chocolate peanut butter pit bull, and the newest Go Max Go candy bars: Snap and Cleo's.

Hey, don't judge me; I just finished a 21 day cleanse!!!

To make me feel like even more of a fatty, ever-generous MVG immediately offered to share his goodies.  This while I was scarfing my third, okay, fourth cookie in as many minutes.

It was at that point when I packed everything up and re-sealed the box.

Mother's Day: Vegan Biscoff Spekuloos Crepes & Chocolate Almond Cookies

Not only doesn't VM like to cook, but other people cooking in her kitchen puts her on edge (oh the mess!)- making it kind of difficult to cook for her, especially on a day when you'd most prefer not to annoy her by spilling sugar in her silverware drawer (why don't I ever remember to push it all the way closed?).

There were things I could have made in advance, but lots of correlating reasons not to do so.  I thought of quiche; great savory breakfast, right?  Except for that I forgot to pick up broccoli; it's just not quiche without broccoli.  Scratch that.  Then I considered tofu scramble.  Except for that VM cannot admit that she likes it.  She insists she doesn't, has to be forced to taste it, and then- only fleetingly (while she's chewing), concedes.  No bickering on Mother's day.  So, I was back to cooking day-of; why not go all out?

Crepes!

I chose the sweet crepes from Vegan Brunch (p. 77) and was happy to find that one batch of batter fits perfectly in the Magic Bullet.

The crepes were a perfect opportunity to showcase the Spekuloos spread (a.k.a. Biscoff spread) I've been saving for a special occasion.  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, this is the spreadable version of the hard-to-find-in-America Biscoff cookies and it will knock your socks off.  Seriously, the spread might even be better than the actual cookies and it was phenomenal in the crepes.  I had the forethought to give everyone two Spekuloo crepes each and they were undeniably the crowd favorite.  The drizzle of Holy Kakow chocolate syrup didn't hurt either.

I also had another spread on hand.  Spread #81 to be specific.  A friend gifted it to me recently (noticing a pattern?) and I'd never heard of it.  Once I saw that the ingredients were peanuts, chocolate, and pretzels we were adequately acquainted.

But, I was unexpectedly unimpressed.  Actually, I didn't like the spread at all and didn't wind up eating this crepe.  It was, unanimously, the least favorite crepe of the assortment.

The last crepe was filled with raspberry preserves: simple and delicious.

We did manage to ingest an actual, non-sweet meal at some point during the day and then, for dessert, I tried to recreate one of VMs favorite cookies, the almond cookie with a chocolate dollop in the center.  For some reason she associates this cookie with Chinatown, but I really have no idea of the true origin or ingredient specifics.  I decided to use Terry's Favorite Almond Cookie recipe from Veganomicon (p. 235-236).

My Magic Bullet never ceases to amaze me; it ground my almonds into meal in nanoseconds.

After the finished cookies had cooled,

I melted 8oz of chocolate chips for the dollops and allowed them to harden in the fridge for 40 minutes. 

These were never my favorite cookies, but they smelled delicious and sure looked snazzy.  The cookie was soft with the faintest almond taste, but VM said that's exactly how she remembered them.  The inauthentic disproportion of chocolate to cookie was purposeful (duh) and much appreciated.

As with all celebrations, ours ended on a full note; I hope yours did too.  Happy Mother's day to moms of all kinds.

Back to Eden Bakery

Lucky for us, Back to Eden Bakery had just opened a week prior to our visit. Ardent Vegan Treats fans, we hadn't had much luck on the baked goods front since arriving in Portland, but we entered the Back To Eden shoppe and were immediately blown away; it is decorated with such exquisite charm and care: the personality comes through in every adornment. It has a decidedly Lula’s Sweet Apothecary flair and John, the owner, even told us that they were his inspiration. He was warm, welcoming, and the embodiment of the personality that his shoppe conveys. It’s hard to decide where to look first at Back to Eden. Besides the decoration, there are a bunch of great things to buy: from pre-packaged vegan foods to handmade items from local artists, to beautiful artwork: everything is displayed in such a way so as to fit with the theme of the shoppe.

And then there is the food. The cases are full to the brim with an eclectic and inviting assortment of freshly baked goodies: both sweet and savory. Every single item looks just-baked and delectable; it’s impossible to choose just one thing. Take a moment to read the framed article on the wall overhead: it details how everything is baked out of their home’s garage, which has been newly renovated into a commercial kitchen. Also learn how many of the ingredients have been grown in their own garden. You just can’t fake this kind of dedication.

On our first visit we showed some restraint and went with the following:

pumpkin whoopie pie: DIVINE. What’s not to love about something that tastes like a perfectly spiced, pumpkin devil dog?

butterscotch white chocolate chip pecan cookie: Fantastic. Just soft and chewy enough, while retaining a crisp-- possibly my new favorite vegan cookie (and I'm very picky about my cookies).

lemon blueberry scone: Perfect texture, flavor, etc.; now THIS was a scone.

And the piece de resistance: A sundae made with ½ Dark Chocolate Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream, ½ Chicago Soy Dairy Temptation soft serve twist, smothered in Holy Kakow chocolate sauce, homemade caramel sauce, and a chopped up Go Max Go Jokerz candy bar. Let me be the first to HIGHLY recommend this concoction. May I even be so bold as to name it “The East Coast”? Besides being a veritable Snickers sundae, the cold of the ice cream had an incredible and unexpected freezing effect on the already incredible Jokerz pieces and I enjoyed every single chomp of this hefty sundae.

We, of course, returned to Back to Eden on the last day of our trip in order to bring home an assortment of their ever-revolving, equally scrumptious goodies. This time we went for:

More pumpkin whoopie pies: You’ll understand after you’ve eaten one...or 12.

macaroons: regular, chocolate walnut, and strawberry

hazelnut shortbread: delicate and delicious

marionberry muffin: soft, airy and fresh

marionberry pie: delectable

apricot scone: fantastically filled with dried apricot pieces and a center of apricot preserves

cherry pecan tart: tasty, gooey tart of caramelly goodness...oh yeah, cherries and pecans too

chocolate strawberry cupcake: You know the run-of-the-mill vegan cupcakes with overly sugary icing and bland cake? This was the antithesis of that.

I can’t say enough about the incredible offerings at Back to Eden. They have attended to every single detail and it shows. Now THIS is the kind of bakery I expected of Portland. And now I hear that they have chocolate croissants? Let’s work out a coast-to-coast shipping estimate, shall we? Thanks to John, the bakers, and the friendly staff for all of the incredible goodies. You are officially our go-to West Coast bakery. Continued success!

Night of Bliss, Courtesy of Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss

Question: How do you get carnivores to admit that a vegan diet isn't all about the sacrifice of taste and open up a dialogue about the cruelty involved in the dairy industry?

Answer: Start with Luna and Larry's chocolate hazelnut fudge Coconut Bliss ice cream and go from there.

As one of the winners of the Night of Bliss contest, which provided one person from each state with enough goodies to host a Coconut Bliss party for 20-25 people, I decided to share the evening with omnivore friends in order to open up the world of vegan eating to them in a fun and light-hearted, make-your-own-sundae kind of way. Sure, I only serve vegan food at any gathering held at my house, but people who are used to consuming the standard American diet easily bypass the offerings that are more foreign to them (you'd be surprised at how many people haven't ever eaten lentils) and stick with the more mainstream and recognizable staples like hummus and guacamole. However, not many people can pass up ice cream: especially if that's the point of the whole event. And, the make-your-own-sundae aspect doesn't hurt either.

The ingredients: After canvassing the Coconut Bliss offerings within the tri-state area with ice packs and coolers in tow (thanks to Pangea Daiya orders), I wound up with a few pints each of the following assortment: Naked Coconut, Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge, Cherry Amaretto, and Cappuccino. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of fruit flavored desserts and so I chose to omit such Coconut Bliss offerings like Pineapple Coconut, Vanilla Island, and Strawberry Lemon Love from the offerings.

Some delicious toppings were provided as part of my contest winnings:

Essential Living Foods organic chocolate covered goji berries: To compare them to raisinettes would be a huge understatement, but you get the idea...multiplied by a million on your taste buds. Everyone went gaga over these and there was a lively debate over whether they were better enjoyed room temperature by the handful, or a little frozen from being paired with the ice cream. My vote: by the handful, so you could enjoy the tastes and textures to the fullest. These morsels are delicious, good for you, and good for the planet. Check out their website and order some goodies.

Grizzlies Brand organic Calypso Crunch granola: As a sweets lover surrounded by glorious ice cream and topping options, I uncharacteristically wanted to pour some of this granola into a bowl of vanilla soy milk and call it a day. Instead, I sprinkled it over some Naked Coconut ice cream and enjoyed it so much that I had to go back and taste each individual ingredient dry so that I could confirm the deliciousness. They have a ton of flavors (and other products) to choose from, but Calypso Crunch was right up my alley with coconut chips (giant, toasted flakes) and cashews.

Navitas Naturals sweet raw chocolate nibs Cacao Power: How can you go wrong with ultra dark, sweet, cacao crunchies sprinkled generously onto your already chocolatey sundae? You can't. This sweetened superfood reminded even me how healthy and delicious raw options are and I've learned even more by browsing their website; I urge you to do the same. If you do it whilst enjoying a sundae covered in nibs, more power to you.

And I also provided some house sundae topping favorites: Holy Kakow chocolate syrup, pecans toasted with cinnamon sugar and maple syrup, wet walnuts, Magic Bullet crushed Chick-o-Sticks, peanuts & raisins, Go Max Go candy bars, chocolate covered pretzels, Laura Lee's Flaky Peanut Butter Treats, and rainbow sprinkles.

More important than all of the delicious sundaes that were enjoyed was the fact that I learned something very important and had the opportunity to explain something that would have otherwise continued to go misunderstood. Without me knowing, these omnivores that I've known for a long time (some even before I was vegetarian, let alone vegan) didn't understand why people become vegan. They equate vegetarianism with "not wanting to kill animals", but don't understand how dairy factors in, since the animal has to be alive to provide milk/eggs. As strange as it sounds, the idea of these animals living lives of cruelty never occurred to them. And even now, as the term factory farming is in the news as being an environmental issue, the cruelty that is associated has yet to go mainstream. So here I was, thanks to my contest win, in the position to explain that the idyllic image of happy cows being hand-milked is a fallacy of the highest order. So, between my calm, fact-oriented explanation and the delicious Coconut Bliss, I think I may have changed some minds about veganism...or at least gave my omnivore friends an alternative option to reach for in the dessert freezer.

Thank you, Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge, for being the favorite flavor of the evening and to Coconut Bliss, for the opportunity.

Dad's Homemade Birthday Ice Cream Cake

In honor of my Dad's birthday I decided to regale his carnivorous tummy with a vegan ice cream cake, inspired by and courtesy of The Discerning Brute's recipe. You guys on the west coast have Maggie Mudd, but I've yet to convince the incomparable Lula's to move into the cake business (I admit they don't have to since they do what they already do so damn well). So, it was a do-it-yourself job that could have gone either way (like most of my cooking).

Anyhoo, the DB assured me that I did not need a spring-form cake pan to make an ice cream cake at home, just some waxed paper. So, I lined my pound cake loaf pan and went to town with my layers:

#1, the bottom crust: crumbled vegan thin mints mixed with Holy Kakow which, by the way, is the best chocolate sauce ever. They should really reconsider calling it "syrup" because it is so much more than that; I don't even like chocolate syrup! And, besides being TBCSE, I took the liberty of comparing the ingredients to those in my Dad's non-vegan standby: U-bet syrup. Holy Kakow's list was- of course- organic and completely impressive, while U-bet's ingredients actually made me shudder. Tossed! Sorry, Dad; I know it was your birthday. Instead, enjoy the better sauce with a half naked man on the front!

#2, first layer of ice cream: Dark Chocolate Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss ice cream (pure chocolatey, coconutty goodness)

#3, center topping layer: crumbled Vienna fingers (I know, but it's the Dad's favorite cookie and it is vegan by default. I will note, though, that the Magic Bullet completely pulverized the Vienna fingers so they didn't make an impressive filling and will thusly not be re-used for this purpose.)

#4, top-most ice cream layer: Naked Coconut Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss ice cream (coconutty and the creamiest CB flavor yet...& that's saying A LOT of creaminess)

#5, pizazz: ye old standby...rainbow sprinkles

I have to say that I was utterly impressed by how easy it was to make this cake and how much "fancy" credit you get for creating an ice cream cake (and serving it drizzled with more Holy Kakow). I wasn't prepared for the adoration! Ok, the adoration was from the vegetarian Mom, but carnie Dad did eat it.

I just want to share one suggestion about the cake assemblage: be sure to "sprinkle" your dry topping layers so that the ice cream layers can merge at various points in between. Otherwise, too much tightly packed dry topping will cause your layers to involuntarily and, quite spontaneously, disassemble! Also note that the waxed paper very easily peels away from the cake, so you may want to go crazy and even try an ice cream layer as your bottom so that all of your toppings are neatly sandwiched (my bottom layer was a little crumble-a-fied). All in all, you really can't mess up this recipe. Enjoy.