Hurom Slow Juicer Model HU-100

I am usually not one to give product reviews, but when I find something that I believe is FABULOUS, then I have to share. In my never-ending quest to eat better, juice more, etc., I am scouting out what new appliance I can buy and try. Like most of you though, you know how that ends up? Sitting on the counter taking up space never to be used again. C'mon now, I am not the only one who is like a child on Christmas with their "new toy", only to end up using it once and deciding that it was more trouble than it's worth! But ha! Not this time, no this time I have finally found an appliance that even I and my "wanna be healthy" husband will use!

It's called the Hurom Slow Juicer, and it's not like any other juicer that you've ever used! The Hurom Slow Juicer's upright design is a new take on masticating juicers, which are generally built in a more space-hogging, horizontal design. It measures 6.81 x 9.84 x 15.83 inches and weighs about 11.5 pounds. Power consumption is an energy-efficient 150 watts and the motor spins at a slow 80 RPM. Accessories include two pitchers for juice and pulp collection and a cleaning brush. It is made from GE Ultem material and is BPA-free. The motor comes with a 10-year warranty (awesome!) Unlike some of the industrial-looking masticating juicers on the market, this actually looks nice on a counter. It's heavy, sturdy, and seemingly very well made. In operation, the juicer is very quiet – a plus when I'm making juice early in the morning and don't want to wake the rest of the family! It also doesn't rattle around like many home juicers tend to do. It's not just for juicing. While my experiment was limited to juicing fruit, Hurom's recipe booklet offers ideas for sorbets, soups, ketchup, jams, and soy milk. Cleanup is a breeze. The Hurom has a separate spout that spits out the pulp as it's created, and you can clean the bowl as you juice by periodically pouring water through the machine. Sure, it still has several parts, but each piece is detachable and cleans easily with dish soap and a sponge. I didn't need to scrub much, and I wasn't left with any stray seeds or pulp.

The downside (if you consider any), is the price. It is about $350, but if you consider all the benefits, the price pays for itself in the long run. To me, it's well worth the investment. You can purchase the Hurom at http://www.amazon.com/Hurom-Juicer-HU-100S-Silver-Cookbook/dp/B007V26FCM/ref=sr_1_1?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1355244736&sr=1-1&keywords=hurom+slow+juicer

German Chocolate Pancakes

I know, I know! You're thinking , "how can one make German Chocolate pancakes"? Oh, my friends, anything is possible, especially with trial and error! I am a HUGE fan of German Chocolate Cake, and since going vegan years ago, it's one of those desserts I have always missed, but, I thought to myself, "why can't I have my favorite dessert for breakfast"? With a bit of practice and lots of time spent in the kitchen, I think I came up with a most splendid and delicious recipe (well, the family gobbled them up anyway). Thus, no picture for this one as they went to quickly!

Ingredients:

Pancakes

• 1 tbsp lemon juice + enough nondairy milk to equal 1 cup (use soy milk or the lemon may not "curdle"). This will make a “buttermilk” that will give the pancakes a lift.
• 1 cup flour of choice (I used all-purpose)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1 tsp extract of choice (I used chocolate extract, but vanilla works well too)
• 2 tbsp oil (I used coconut oil)

Coconut Pecan Sauce

• 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• First, toast your pecans and coconut! Preheat oven to 350, put pecans on a baking sheet, toast for about 6 minutes, add coconut to the baking sheet and toast for another 2 minutes. Remove and chop pecans. Set aside. Turn down the oven to the lowest setting so you can use it to keep the pancakes warm as you make them.
• Now mix up the pancake batter! Add lemon juice and milk in a medium bowl and set aside for a few minutes to allow to "curdle".  In a large bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the extract, sugar and oil to the bowl with the milk and mix. Form a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet. Mix until just combined and set aside for a few minutes to give the baking soda time to work. This will give you nice and thick pancakes.
• In the meantime preheat a griddle or pan over medium heat and start the sauce. Combine the coconut milk, coconut flakes, chopped pecans and sweetener over low heat, stirring occasionally. You want it to get a little thicker but not too much so make sure and watch it! When it’s at it’s desired thickness take it off the heat and cover.
• When the pan is preheated spray cooking spray or put some oil in to prevent sticking and scoop 1/4 sized scoops of batter. It is really thick, so you will need to spread it with a spoon to get a pancake shape. This pancake doesn’t get bubble on the surface when it’s time to flip like others so flip when the edges start to look cook, about 5 min. Cook for another 2 min on the other side. Put finished pancakes in the oven to keep warm and repeat with remaining batter. I yielded about 6 pancakes using 1/4 cup scoops.
• Serve the pancakes in stacks – pancake, ladle of sauce, pancake, ladle of sauce, etc, just like a german chocolate cake! Drizzle maple syrup and garnish with additional coconut and pecans if desired!

Vegan for the Holidays

It is that time of the year again, and if you are like me, then you are looking for that "something special" to make, or even a nice book to give to your vegan friends and family. Vegan for the Holidays: Celebration Feasts for Thanksgiving Through New Year's Day, is just that book!

Zel Allen has brought comfort foods from the holidays and made some new vegan holiday favorites! What a joy it is to have such fabulous recipes like Thanksgiving Phyllo Pie, Savory Lentil Terrine with Mushroom-Wine Sauce, Tangy Cranberry Soup, or Holy Mole Posole. The list goes on and on. Zel has got you covered for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's! This is such a nice collection of recipes to have that they are sure to become part of your family's vegan tradition and even impress your non-vegan family and friends. Bonus! Bravo to Zel Allen for a different and new twist for vegan holiday cooking! For more information about Zel, visit her website at http://nutgourmet.wordpress.com/

Quinoa Burgers

I like quinoa because it's not too grainy like say, bulgur and, it;s good for you, seeing as it is a complete protein a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is also a source of calcium, and thus is useful for vegans.

I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical when I tried this recipe for quinoa "burgers." My experience has been that grain-based veggie patties tend to fall apart when you try to flip them in a frying pan. Which is why, really, I didn't even make burger buns when I made these; and figured I would just toss them on top of a salad or have them with a tofu scramble. But, to my chagrin, they held up amazingly well, and rightfully deserve the name as a "true" veggie patty.

Quinoa Burgers (slightly adapted from Eating Well Living Thin)

(Note: This recipe yielded 4 big burgers for me.)

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa (cooked according to package directions)
1 cup daiya cheese

1/2 cup shredded carrot OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry
1 flax egg
3 tablespoons flour
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
olive oil

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl and mix well.

Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Using a half-cup measuring cup, drop quinoa mixture by the cupful into the pan and cook each side for about 4-5 minutes, flipping each patty carefully with a wide spatula.

Serve patties on buns with traditional burger toppings or bunless, as fritters, with chopped tomato, and avocado

Winter Salad

Salads are often one of those rare meals which are both delicious and nutritious. For vegans, winter salads can be a great way to create a simple and easy-to-make meal which can be enjoyed at any time of year. If you're keen to make sure that your vegan means are as healthy as possible, and then why not try your hand at the recipe below. Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 50g baby spinach 20g sugar snap peas 1 medium cauliflower 1 red onion 3 tbsp raisins 3 tbsp flaked almonds Heat an oven at 200C (gas 6). Break the cauliflower into small florets, then toss in olive oil (and any addition seasoning which you may decide to use) and place in the oven for around fifteen minutes. If you’ve already prepared the salad dressing, then you’ll have a chance to put your feet up, play FoxyBingo or read your book while the cauliflower roasts. If not, then you’ll have plenty of time to put together the delicious dressing whilst it’s in the oven. After about ten minutes, add the sugar snap peas, still in their pods. In a separate baking tray, roast the almonds until a golden brown (unless already pre-roasted). Finely slice and fry the red onion in a dash of olive oil and balsamic theatre. Add the raisins and almonds into the pan and stir until warm. Add the spinach last to avoid too much wilting. One the cauliflower and sugar snap peas are cooked, take out the oven and place in a salad bowl. Then, pour the dressing over the dish, and mix well. Serve whilst still warm, and seasons with pepper or fill. You can even use different vegetable to create delicious seasonal variations!  

Artisan Vegan Cheese Book Give-Away and Photo Contest! It's a photo contest, and all you have to do is snap and upload a photo of a cheese from the book. LOTS of FUN PRIZES! The grand prize is a shipment of artisan vegan cheeses!

Photos can be uploaded via twitter or instragram using #artisanvegancheese, or posted to Vegan Mainstream's FB page. Here's the link to the contest rules and registration:

http://www.veganmainstream.com/artisanvegancheese

Vegan Food Gifts: Review

I thought it only fitting to begin my new blog with a book that's appropriate for the upcoming "gift-giving" season.

Vegan Food Gifts: More Than 100 Inspired Recipes for Homemade Baked Goods, Preserves, and Other Edible Gifts Everyone Will Love

I'm sure you've probably seen or at least heard of this book by Joni Marie Newman. I have to say, that I was a bit skeptical when I first saw the title of homemade gifts. I am NOT one who is a DIYer! But, once I actually went through this book, I discovered that if I could make this AND the things turned out well, certainly anyone with less or just as much talent as I could do it too! This book is well worth the buy. No more going out and buying those gifts that looked as if you spent hours putting them together, when you can ACTUALLY make them yourself. What a novel idea.