Fruit Vinegars by Mangé
For years, people have expounded on the health benefits of vinegar and although I was never able to bring myself to drink vinegar straight up, I often used vinegar to dress foods and make salad dressings. Balsamic vinegar has been front and center on my counter top but there’s a new vinegar that now warrants counter top space: Fruit Vinegars by Mangé. Different from balsamic, rice, apple cider, and white vinegar, Mangé fruit vinegars are smooth (really), slightly sweet vinegars that have been flavored with natural fresh fruits. Each vinegar is special in its own way and conducive to making sauces, marinades and dressings more flavorful. Read more 
Nora Fleming Platters
Everyone loves a celebration and especially a table filled with platters of salads, desserts, side dishes and more. Some platters in my cabinet are single purpose – designed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day or a birthday party – which means they take up a lot of space and don’t get used very often. So when my very thoughtful cousin, Nancy gave me a Nora Fleming platter this past week, I instantly fell in love with a serving piece described as “one platter….every occasion.” Read more
Vegan Banana Bread
Banana Bread is one of those recipes that I turn to when the fruit bowl is full of spotted overripe bananas. Delicious with morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or as a dessert, banana bread is usually made with oil, eggs, and dairy products which is what makes the bread taste so good. So, the challenge is how to make a satisfying banana bread without oil, eggs, and dairy based products. For inspiration, I turned to The Happy Herbivore whose recipe for banana bread is very good but I wanted a banana bread that was a bit less sweet and one that had a crunch that only nuts could provide. Read more
“The Hunger Angel”
I KNOW YOU’LL COME BACK. I didn’t set out to remember her sentence. I carried it to the camp without thinking. I had no idea it was going with me. But a sentence like that has a will of its own. It worked inside me, more than all the books I had packed. I KNOW YOU’LL COME BACK became the heart shovel’s accomplice and the hunger angel’s adversary. And because I did come back, I can say: a sentence like that keeps you alive. Read more
Artisana Nut Butters
Fresh peanut butter and almond butter have permanent shelf space in our cabinets because we love to spread it on crackers, toast, crisp apples, and even on California dates. With no added sweeteners or salt, these natural butters are delicious on their own and from time to time, we’ve been known to take a spoonful and enjoy the butter au natural. Read more
Going to Boston? Go to Veggie Galaxy!
What is it that makes a diner a diner? Is it the feisty, but warm waitresses, quick with a cup of coffee and assumed familiarity? Is it the curved ceiling, the tiled floors, the classic stainless steel exterior? The cozy booths, the counter with stools that puts you right near the action at the grill? The reassuringly familiar menu? Breakfast-all-day? The wide range of customers, who mirror the diversity of America itself? Adam, Founder of Veggie Galaxy Read more
The Vegan S’More
July 4th is right around the corner and for most people the celebration will include a barbecue, fireworks, and hopefully, a campfire. Traditionally, we sit around the campfire, roast marshmallows and either eat the gooey mess au natural or pile the partially burned white blobs on graham crackers with chocolate bars to make the classic campfire treat: the S’More. But, when you have a vegan in the family, making a S’More is a challenge. Read more
“The Dinner”
That which falls is weak. That which lies on the ground is prey.
Several years ago I read a book called We Need to Talk About Kevin which was one of the most disturbing books I ever read. Written by Lionel Shriver, We Need to Talk About Kevin was about a little boy who grows up and commits unspeakable acts. The author – through the eyes of a mother – explored themes we rarely talk about: not loving your children enough, preferring one child over another, loving a spouse more than a child, and nature versus nurture.
So, when I picked up The Dinner by Herman Koch and started reading, I realized I was again reading a book that touched on the same mostly unspoken topics. Mostly unspoken because parents won’t admit they don’t love their children enough, or that one child is preferred over another, or that a spouse is loved more than a child..and most controversal of all, that parenting or genetics (or a combination of both) may have created a bad child. Read more
FoMu Alternative Ice Cream
FoMu is not an alternative to ice cream – but instead, an alternative ice cream or what the company describes as “a new take on a traditional favorite.” Dairy-free and vegan certified, FoMu is a hard ice cream made from either a coconut or nut blend base. The coconut base flavors are made with coconut milk – a creamy, natural and nutritious base that is sweetened with agave and unrefined cane sugar along with a trace amount of plant-based stabilizers (guar and xantham gum) whereas the nut blend base is made with almonds and cashews. Read more
Vegan Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms
Risotto is usually thought of as a wintertime dish because of its hearty nature but during the summertime, a light risotto with asparagus and mushrooms can be a refreshing change. Skip the butter and parmesan cheese; instead rely on a bit of olive oil, dry white wine, vegetables, a small amount of mild elephant garlic and broth to give the risotto body, flavor and texture. Tender and creamy but not heavy, Vegan Risotto with Asparagus and Mushrooms is especially delicious with chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt added just before serving. Read more
Paddock Post 