gate blogging and book review

Ok, sometimes I seem like a really distracted bloggers, and yet at other times, I seem like an insanely dedicated blogger. Case in point: right now, I'm sitting at the gate for my flight at JFK airport, and they have started boarding people for our flight to London. But what am I doing as everyone's running around? Well, how about a book review?

I was really happy to have a chance to read Gillian McKeith's latest book, Food Bible: The Complete A-Z guide for a healthy life. Those of you who watch BBC or BBC America might be familiar with McKeith's slightly sensationalistic t.v. show "You Are What You Eat" - where she basically prods, scolds, and if necessary, shames people into eating healthy and losing weight. If so, you'll be happy to note that the tone of this book is tons more circumspect and way less shrill. I love the way the book is set out- you can either look up specific ailments (acne, motion sickness, pms, etc.) and find out how better to manage them through food, or you can read about foods and nutrients in groups. It really is an invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in whole foods eating, with plenty of emphasis on raw and plant foods.

Ack- I have more to say, but they're calling our seat numbers! Next time I "see" you guys, I'll be in jolly old England. Cheerio!

gate blogging and book review

Mea Culpa and book review

blueberry lemon scones with lemon sauce from Vegan Lunch Box

Wow... I've never let a blog post get so delayed! As some of you might remember from my last post, I promised a review of the new edition of Vegan Lunch Box, oh, about a week ago. The only possible explanation I can offer is that my life has been a bit insane lately. I've been traveling between Syracuse, New York City, and Northern Virginia and all the mileage I've been logging has been having a toll on my brain. My move to England is less than 4 days away (!!!) and I still have so much to do. However, in the midst of packing, trying to see friends and family one last time, and living in places other than my house, I've still been managing to get plenty of cooking and eating done, including many yummy recipes from this book. So on to the review!

As I'm sure is the case with many vegan bloggers, Jennifer McCann's Vegan Lunch Box was the first vegan blog that I found. It was pretty much my introduction to the blogging world, and I will not forget the excitement of those early times, as we in an increasingly larger and more besotted audience awaited the moment each day when Jennifer would post that day's lunchbox. Her son, Shmoo was the lucky recepient and evaluator for each day's cute and elaborate lunch. There was just something so fascinating about seeing how this mom managed to send her son off to school with a new, exciting, and healthy vegan lunch every day.

However, when the Lunch Box book came out, I have to admit that I never got around to buying it. The food looked great, but I wondered if recipes for a young child would translate to our adult palates. Well, I was thrilled when I was given the chance to review this book. The recipes are endlessly sophisticated and just as good for grown-ups as they are for kids. In fact, the world would be a better place if all adults were as adventerous in their eating as little Shmoo is! The book gives plenty of tips and tricks for how to make dishes with plenty of healthy ingredients. So far my favorite recipes have been the split pea alecha (an Ethiopian stew similar to, but less spicy than, wat) and the lentil-brown rice balls. (Lentils and brown rice are one of my favorite combinations!) I also made a dessert that my whole family enjoyed- blueberry scones which I served with lemon sauce, another recipe from the book. (pictured above) The scones were winners, made with 1/2 whole wheat flour, bursting with blueberries and the zing of lemon. The sauce was wonderful- it thickened to almost a lemon curd consistency- the recipe made a lot, so we used some on toast too!

This book has so many recipes that I want to try. Sometimes, I want more spices and heat in my dishes, but those things are relatively simple to add. If I had a kid, this book represents how I would want them to eat- healthy and full of variety, but with plenty of yumminess and fun as well.

I promise this blog is not going anywhere! We are fast approaching another VeganMoFo, and so you'll be getting daily or near-daily updates from England (as well as plenty of catch-up posts) soon!

Mea Culpa and book review

coming tomorrow...

... A review of the newly updated edition of Vegan Lunchbox!

P.S. I realized that my last post, the Vegan 100, had a very confusing color scheme, which made it hard to tell which foods I'd marked as having tasted! So I decided to go back and put a big "X" next to the foods that I have tried. Hope this helps- thanks for pointing the visual confusion out!

coming tomorrow...

vegan 100 in da house!

Behold! The Vegan's 100 list compiled by the awesome Hannah of Bittersweet Blog fame. As you guys know, I'm nuts for lists, so the idea of compiling a list of the 100 foods that every vegan should eat at least once in their lifetime is quite intriguing to me. You can participate too! Just go to Hannah's blog for the original list, and then follow these directions:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten. (edit: I've also added a big X next to them for greater visibility)
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto I've heard tons of stories about this scary fermenty Japanese specialty, but I've never tried it. I have promised myself that I will once I get myself to Japan, though!
2. X Green Smoothie Baby spinach and spirulina powder are my smoothie greening agents of choice.
3. X Tofu Scramble Oh god yes. I like tofu scrambled any which way, any which day.
4. Haggis I have not tried vegan (or non-vegan!) haggis yet, but I'll be much closer to its birthplace in a couple of weeks, so who knows...?
5. Mangosteen I've come close! I've had dried mangosteens and bought some fresh ones in Paris which turned out to have gone bad. This fruit sounds so good by all descriptions, that I can't wait for a trip to southeast Asia, to finally try some fresh ones.
6. X Creme brulee I have had this in vegan form in a number of restaurants, but have yet to try making any at home.
7. X Fondue Yes! Fondue is too fun not to have tried.
8. X Marmite/Vegemite I have tried both, and Vegemite is a kitchen staple in our house, to give a savory, "meaty" taste to lots of comforting dishes.
9. X Borscht Yes. Again, I've had yummy veggie borscht in restaurants, but have never tried it at home. Why not? This goes on this Winter's to-do list!
10. X Baba ghanoush Heavenly stuff. Fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, and plenty of garlic, what's not to love? We have this frequently at our house.
11. X Nachos Yes! For Daiku and me, Friday nights are fun nights for dinner, which often means a big plate of nachos.
12. X Authentic soba noodles I can't live without soba noodles. I have them about once a week.
13. X PB&J sandwich
14. X Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart I will not rest until I can say that I have!
16. X Boba Tea
17. X Black truffle
18. X Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. X Gyoza
20. X Vanilla ice cream
21. X Heirloom tomatoes
22. X Fresh wild berries
23. X Ceviche Yes. =)
24. X Rice and beans
25. X Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper - I don't know if I've ever had a raw one!
27. X Dulce de leche
28. Caviar I don't remember, but I don't think I have.
29. X Baklava Mmmm hmmm.
30. X Pate veggie pates kept me alive in Paris.
31. X Wasabi peas
32. X Chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Mango lassi It's funny- I don't actually know if I've had one since becoming vegan!
34. X Sauerkraut
35. X Root beer float
36. X Mulled cider
37. X Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly *adds to must-try list*
39. X Gumbo
40. X Fast food french fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans I'm so intrigued by these, can't wait to come across some
43. X Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk I don't think I have had this!
45. X Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. X Stroopwafle good god they're tasty.
47. X Samosas
48. X Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut - hmmmm. Come to think of it, all the vegan donuts I've had have been cake-style rather than glazed! This must be rectified!
50. X Seaweed
51. Prickly pear - it's about time, though!
52. X Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey I've had lots of Tofurky products, but never the actual big roast.
54. Sheese England, here I come!
55. X Cotton candy
56. X Gnocchi
57. X Piña colada
58. X Birch beer
59. Scrapple sadly, I've never made or tried one. I will soon, though!
60. X Carob chips
61. X S’mores
62. X Soy curls
63. X Chickpea cutlets
64. X Curry
65. X Durian and I liked it!
66. X Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake - again, I'm not sure that I have had vegan versions! Weird...
68. X Smoked tofu
69. X Fried plantain
70. X Mochi
71. X Gazpacho
72. X Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. X Absinthe
74. X Corn on the cob
75. X Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. X Pomegranate
77. Fauxstess Cupcake - Oh god, I'm such a PPK failure... I've never gotten around to making these!
78. X Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. X Jerky
80. Croissants It seems really bizarre, but I can't remember whether I've had vegan croissants or not- crazy!
81. X French onion soup
82. X Savory crepes
83. X Tings
84. A meal at Candle 79 Does Candle Cafe count?
85. X Moussaka
86. X Sprouted grains or seeds
87. X Macaroni and “cheese”
88. X Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. X White chocolate
91. X Seitan
92. X Kimchi
93. X Butterscotch chips
94. X Yellow watermelon
95. X Chili with chocolate
96. X Bagel and Tofutti
97. Potato milk No, but I'm duly intrigued
98. X Polenta
99. X Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. X Raw cookie dough

Whew! 80 out of 100... I just squeak by with a B- ! Well, now I've got some clear goals set out before me of foods to try. Try this fun meme yourselves- I can't wait to read your lists!

vegan 100 in da house!

bagels R us

If you ask me what my favorite meal is, I will answer without hesitation: brunch. Brunch has so much possibilities- from light to substantial, sweet to savory, and everything in between. Lucky for me, I have had the opportunity to test recipes for Isa Chandra Moskowitz's next cookbook which just happens to be dedicated to brunch. One of the best things about testing for this book is that it has made me cook and bake things that I previously thought too difficult and complicated. I love Isa's DIY philosophy- why buy something that you can make easily, healthfully, and cheaply? Case in point: bagels. If you're like me, you've probably put off making homemade bagels because of the seemingly intricate technique. But I'm here to tell you that it's mind-blowingly easy and doesn't even take that long.

Don't believe me? Check it out:

After a short rise, shape your dough. Don't worry about perfection!

Boil for a few minutes in a saltwater solution.

Top with favorite toppings- such as poppy seeds.

Bake.

Perhaps with some homemade raspberry jam?

Try all kinds of different flavors and toppings- Daiku and I especially liked these salt bagels- the sea salt really brought out the fresh-baked flavor.

We've since tried whole wheat and rye versions of these bagels. For a relatively simple investment of time and effort, the results are incredibly rewarding. Fresh bagels will never be in short supply at brunch in our home now!

P.S. An update on my fundraiser for the La-No-Che orphanage. It is going wonderfully! Everyone's generosity has truly touched my heart. As you can see in the update at the top right of the blog, we have exceeded our goal and the donations are still rolling in every day! It seems as if you guys really want me to jump out of that plane...! And I will be doing that in exactly one month. I'm still trying to figure out how best to live-blog from the jump site. Thank you all so much, and I will be emailing all donors to thank them personally in time.

bagels R us

2nd bloggiversary!

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Yes, folks, Where's the Revolution is 2 years old today! Little did I know two years ago that blogging and the vegan online community would become such a huge part of my life. I look forward to more years of sharing my life, my thoughts, and my food with you all. However, tonight's post has to be short and sweet. You see, Daiku and I are preparing to go camping tomorrow with 14 fellow veg-heads! So tonight, to celebrate the blog birthday, I bring you a simple and nostalgic summer treat:

Take some premium vegan vanilla ice cream...

...and some natural and authentically brewed root beer. Mix them together and what do you have?

A rich concoction known as... a root beer float. So simple, and yet so satisfying. These photos are from a party at our friends' house, and it was my first time trying the new coconut-based flavors of Purely Decadent ice cream. The ice cream was fabulous- coconut, vanilla, and even a hint of butterscotch perfectly offset the zing of the root beer. I raise a glass to all of you!

P.S. Thank you all SO much for your support and donations for my sky dive! Because of your generosity, I have raised over $700 of the $975 goal. I feel confident that I can raise the full amount which means *gulp* I get to jump out of a plane after all...
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2nd bloggiversary!

JUMP! (It's for the kids)

image courtesy of Lucy Hall, 2008

Ok, I must be insane. How else to explain this? Well, let me put it to you this way. I arrive in England on September 14th. On September 20th, I've agreed to jump out of an airplane!

It's a sky dive for charity, and I figured doing it for a great cause would be the only way to motivate myself to take this frightening step. The goal is to raise money for the La-No-Che Camp and Orphanage in Tanzania, an organization that provides housing and other services for children orphaned to AIDS and other diseases. My friend Lucy has been involved with this project for a long time now, and it has been inspiring to see the camp become better-established and better-funded every year. My goal is to raise £500 (roughly $975) in the next 5 weeks. And this is where I ask you for help. Would you be willing to donate to the cause? All the money I raise will go directly to Camp La-No-Che, where it will fund infrastructure (new roof, supplies), and programs for the kids.

image courtesy of Lucy Hall, 2008

The catch is that I will only be able to jump if I raise that minimum amount, and that is why I'm asking for everyone who can to donate what they can. As any of you who have raised money for good causes know, no contribution is too big or too small, and contributions add up quickly! If I raise under £500, all the money will be given to Camp La-No-Che, but without the whole Bazu jumping out of the airplane part.

image courtesy of Lucy Hall, 2008

What's in it for you? Well, everyone who donates money will receive a personal thank-you from me, and all names will be entered to win a super-special thank-you prize. Oh, and I pledge to live-blog from the actual jump! So if you are able, won't you make a contribution to Camp La-No-Che today?

There are 2 ways to pay:

1. Paypal. You can pay me directly through paypal (my account is bazooq (at) gmail (dot) com)
2. Check or money order. If you live in the U.S., you can mail me a personal check or money order, but I need to receive it by the first week of September. (email me at bazooq (at) gmail (dot) com for info. and address)

Please make sure to include "La-No-Che" on all payments, and let me know if there is a blogging name I know you by! Also, please feel free to email me for more information about this project.

With everyone's help, hopefully in about 6 weeks, you'll see me doing this:

image courtesy of: http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/

Cheers, everyone!

JUMP! (It's for the kids)