We are raised on foods with rich, creamy bases. Letting go of these foods is hard for most of us. When going vegan we want to re-create the flavors we've learned to love. What would two professional cooks think of a vegan cheesecake -- esp. when one is a bacon-loving non-vegan?
Kitchen Shaman is hitting the road again in July. Destination: VeggieFest 2016. Held outside Chicago, IL, it is one of the largest vegetarian festivals in North American. Chef Johnna will be presenting two demos at this event, so if you’re in the area, please consider stopping by – admission is free!
veggiefest_chicagoLast year over 30,000 people attended this monster festival celebrating vegetarian, vegan, and raw food. In addition to demos by over a dozen chefs, coaches, cookbook authors, and brand representatives from Whole Foods and Nature’s Path, there will be nearly thirty presentations on vegetarianism, veganism, spirituality, wellness, nutrition, and health.
Happy National Grilling Month!
Summertime is perfect for firing up the backyard grill (or where ever you put yours) and July is the month to celebrate. Here are a few ideas for the vegan Grill Master to put between their tongs and on the flame.
As a chef, I’ve done my share of grilling.
July is the height of summer, the time for barbeques and picnics. Time to gather around the grill and cook great food. The food holidays for this month reflect the outdoor philosophy, appealing to the paleo monster inside all of us.
I've been remiss in posting one of my best-kept secrets: Grilled Vegetables. They are my go to summer filling for tacos, enchiladas, salads, and wraps. Grilled veggies pair nicely with garlicky hummus to make for a light summer lunch, especially when watermelon is served as a side.
Here's the best way to prepare the bounty of summer.
Granola is convenient yet expensive to buy. Luckily it is easy to make at home. Try this yummy orange-pumpkin granola recipe and learn how to mix and match your own perfect granola.
With the release of my new e-cookbook Things Vegans Fry, I created the video below, "How to Make Falafel." What makes it special, besides the fabulous falafel, is that a friend of mine makes an appearance and tries fresh out of the fryer falafel, which I am really happy about. I'm also thrilled they loved my crunchy little bits of fried fava beans and chickpeas.
The other day I got up and made tofu scramble. Pretty easy. A little chopping, then sauteing, add some seasoning, add the tofu and turmeric, and there you go, scramble. I made breakfast potatoes too, with onions and peppers. After everything was cooked, I made our plates and we sat down to eat. And then, for some unknown reason, I started putting a little of the scramble on the potato. Mind you there's a little vegan cheese on there, so it's a bit gooey. Then I stuck another potato on top of the scramble, then more scramble, then another potato. And took a bite.
Things Vegans Fry includes some of my favorite fried foods. If you think things like falafel or tater tots are hard to make, this book removes that fear with step by step instructions.
Yes, I use oil. I use all sorts of things that the Healthy Folks want you to avoid. When I went to the Vegan Street Fair in NOHO, the longest line I saw, besides the line for tickets, was for Southern Fried Vegan. Proving my theory that vegans love fried food as well as any other kind of food.
There's a vegan pulse in Los Angeles, CA. Restaurants abound that cater to the raw food lovers, the juicing crowd, vegans, and vegetarians. Many restaurants have a vegan choice on the menu because of the high demand. And recently, The Vegan Street Fair brought many of these venues together in one happy Vegan Street Fair.
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