Meet The Shannons's Blog

NYC gets Vegucated!

2011-10-20T17:06:48Z

It's a scientific fact that for centuries, New York City has attracted a higher percentage of the most talented and creative people in the world than the original York (or as some might call it, Old York City). When we moved here, I have to admit I was both excited and intimidated by this. I mean if we're being honest here, I'm more Brooklyn than Manhattan, and sometimes I'm pretty sure the Manhatteners can spot it. How could they not? But tangents about my awkward nerdness and the social dynamics between these two neighboring boroughs aside, we were both excited about moving to New York because the few people we knew here were part of that talented and creative demographic I mentioned earlier who are busy doing some of the most amazing things to make the world a better place for animals. A lot of those spectacular people were at the New York City Premiere of Vegucated last week.

Veganistas Alex Jamieson and Marisa Miller Wolfson - Photo Credit : Jessica Mahady

It was a sold-out show with an audience of 500 beautiful people dressed for the red carpet in a city know for its fashion. But people weren't just there to get their picture taken; this crowd came ready to see this new feature-length documentary that followed three meat-loving New Yorkers experimenting with a vegan diet for six weeks. I know I've been raving about this film a lot lately, but I just got so excited when they won the award for Best Documentary at this year's Toronto Independent Film Festival. It's the kind of film that everyone - even the most experienced activist and hardcore vegan - should see. It reminded me of the days when I first made the choice to go vegan, what it was like to become the kind of person who cared about what I ate, and realizing for the first time the implications of my eating habits on others.


I had the best looking date there.* Photo Credit : Jessica Mahady

I won't lie. It won't be like some highschool yearbook that only shows the fun parts. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you might even blush a bit; but you'll be glad you took this trip down memory lane by proxy. Every vegan's story is different. Some people are like me, and decided in some kind of lightening bolt moment that they didn't want to contribute to the suffering of animals and went vegan on the spot. But for others it was a growing experience that took time and a little effort to find a way that worked for them. I think it can be easy to forget that journey when you've been vegan for years and your closest friends are vegans and activists. Watching Vegucated didn't just remind me why what we do is important, it also has some encouraging and inclusive messages that people at any stage in the vegan spectrum** can relate to. Plus, I couldn't be happier or prouder of my friend Marisa Miller Wolfson. I mean seriously, how many people can honestly say they're a documentary filmmaker? And no I don't count all those people who say it to get women into bed... that's why I added the 'honestly' part.

Vegans are so good looking - Dan Piraro and his lovely wife Ashley.

Back to the event! The food was remarkable! Brooklyn's own V-Spot served their infamous black bean empanadas. There was actually a pretty notable spread featuring food from quite a few of New York's Vegan Hot Spots like Candle Cafe, FoodSwings, Cinnamon Snail, and Verite Catering. Even Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows to dip in a dark chocolate fountain. And of course we can't forget Smuttynose beer from City Swiggers and organic wine from Frey Vineyards. They even had some of my favorite frozen treats from Soy Delicious. I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating: no one loves food like a vegan! You had to be brave and assertive to get the good stuff from the buffet table. If it wasn't for Dan, I'm pretty sure I would have starved.

Girlie Girl - Chloe Jo Davis - Photo Credit : Jessica Mahady

We had great seats between Matt Rice from Mercy For Animals and the Cartoonist and longtime Animal Advocate Dan Piraro and his wife Ashley. If you've never met Ashley, you should know that she is probably one of the most passionate and exciting activists on the planet. Lord only knows how many animals she has saved just by being awesome. We got to see Chloe Jo Davis from Girlie Girl Army, which is always pretty much the definition of 'Vegan Treat', and catch up with more friends than I can name.

Between the film, the food and the friends - it was one of the first nights of hopefully many that reminded me why this is the best city on Earth.

If you haven't seen Vegucated yet - The Let's Get America Vegucated! Autumn 2011 Tour is currently underway and might be coming to a theater near you soon! Click Here to find a screening near you!

Click Here to read to get vegan recipes and read more adventures from Meet The Shannons!

* The skirt is part of H&M's New Conscious Collection, and this photo is a great reminder on why I need to remember good posture. SIGH.

** The Vegan Spectrum - I like to think that inside everyone is a vegan waiting for their chance to get out. Some of those inner vegans are completely free to live and explore all aspects of a cruelty-free life with no exceptions and for others that vegan is only allowed out to enjoy a cute LOLcat... but I have a hope that even the furriest wearing, meatiest eating, heart-of-ice hunter will someday have that personal moment many of us have had that made being a vegan make sense and work for them. They'll let that inner vegan out and start making choices that reflect that innate compassion for animals so many of us started out with as children. I mean there are very few of us out there that were born vegan and if we can make this choice why can't they? I'm believer that there is always enough room in the Vegan Club and everyone is welcome.

Fettuccine with Cannellini Beans & Artichoke Heart Alfredo

2011-10-05T23:40:57Z

When I was a little eater who had no idea what a calorie was and where cheese came from, I loved cream sauces. In 4th grade I even wrote a poem that I was very proud of about my favorite food: Fettuccine Alfredo. I wish I still had a copy of this literary masterpiece, or at least remember the good parts. I have a feeling it would be comedy gold now. What I do remember is my teacher making a joke to my mom that I should enjoy it while I could, because lord knows Italian women shouldn't be eating cream sauce after they turn 18 unless they've completely given up on themselves.

To be fair to this teacher who was suppose to be a female role model in my life, it was the 80s, when women all over the US were unfortunately starving themselves to be able to wear white spandex. But let's be honest - those kind of jokes are still around today. Which in my opinion is ridiculous. I mean, I'm vegan now, and I enjoy vegan alfredo sauce all the time completely guilt-free. Is it the healthiest sauce you can pour over some pasta and clean up with some garlic toast? Not really. But as far as 'guilty pleasures' go, it's pretty harmless - especially for those cows.

I didn't add any vegetables to this batch for the photo, but I recommend adding some zucchini, asparagus, broccoli, or carrots to make it more of a Pasta Primavera because vegetables are our delicious friends. Also, this recipe is unbelievably fast and easy. I mean if you can make a smoothie, you can make this sauce.

So I'll break it down like this: this recipe is awesome! Let's make some!

Fettuccine with Cannellini & Artichoke Heart Alfredo Sauce

1 Package Fettuccine (cooked and drained - Fettuccine is one of those pastas that often has eggs in it - so please read your labels to make sure your brand is vegan)
1 Can Cannellini (also called Great Northern) Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Artichoke Hearts (drained)
1 Cup Soymilk
1/4 Cup Vegan Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast
2 Tablespoons Braggs
2 Tablespoons Kalamata Olive Brine (this is the juice that Kalamata Olives come in)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Margarine
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1 Tablespoons Vegan Cream Cheese
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon White Wine
Fresh Parsley for garnish
Freshly Ground Black Pepper and Salt to taste

Prepare Paste per instructions on the package.

In your cherished food processor or over-worked blender, toss in all the ingredients except Pasta, Salt, Pepper and Parsley and blend for over a minute. You want to liquify your ingredients - especially the Artichoke Hearts - so stop blending when they are completely mixed into the sauce.

Then pour your sauce into a saucepan and heat on a medium heat until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and add our preferred amount of Salt. We only added one dash but you might prefer more.

When you serve your dish toss a pinch of chopped Fresh Parsley and some Freshly Ground Black Pepper on top and put on some white spandex. I mean - why not? You're pretty.

Click Here to read to get more recipes from Meet The Shannons!

The Betty Crocker Project : Siesta Taco Soup

2011-09-14T19:46:22Z

Some of you have been wondering where the frak we've been, and it's justified. I mean, seriously, it's been a week and we've been completely and unforgivably MIA. It really is a fair question to ask of bloggers who cook and post every day but who, without warning, disappear like magic. It's kind of nice to know that what you put out into the world would be missed.

Well, nothing scandalous happened. We weren't abducted by aliens or trapped under something heavy. We just went to a wedding. A charming and sublime DIY wedding at a breathtaking ranch in San Luis Obispo, CA. A wedding that I will gush about in another post, because last week I posted this photo of our Taco Soup in progress and there were so many messages and emails... well, I feel like you'd rather welcome September with a yummy soup recipe you can make in your slow cooker so you don't have to worry about heating up your home while fall is still more of an idea than an actual weather situation. I mean, I'd rather be eating this soup right now than pretty much doing anything else. So I get it.

If you take a look at Betty's Taco Soup, you'll see we took a lot of liberties... and since we made ours in the slow cooker it only seemed right to throw the 'Siesta' in there - sleepy little soup that it is*. If you're following along in your own copy of Betty's Big Red, you'll notice a few 'Feistas' thrown about from time to time on the Mexican-themed recipes. Which I actually kinda like. Those 'Feistas' are just the prefect level of campy. They remind me of something Mad Men's Betty Draper would serve to her kids during a break in her chain smoking. I'm not sure why that appeals to me, but in a weird way it totally does.

Taco Soup might not sound that good at first, but much like its friend Pizza Soup, it's surprisingly delicious and awesome. You might have to look over the ingredients to be won over. Here's just a hint of how good this soup is - if you slice your onions thin enough, they'll melt in the broth, making an onion soup flavor and texture that I actually described as "gorgeous" like a tween with a crush. Yeah - that really happened.

So - Here's your rain check for an 'update' blog post about LA, Fashion Week in NYC, and a bunch of other random thoughts, rants and obsessions. Let's get this Soup Party started.

Siesta Taco Soup (we didn't add some of the traditional taco toppings this time like sour cream and avocados but maybe you should... I would skip lettuce though)

1 Can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (28oz)
2 Cups Better Than Bouillon - Vegetable Broth
1 Can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Lentils (drained and rinsed)
1 Red Onion (very thinly diced)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1-2 Fresh Jalapenos (sliced - the more you add the spicier it will be)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced into large pieces - you can use any bell pepper - we went with yellow because it would look pretty)
2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
2 teaspoon Braggs
2 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
1 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (add more if you want take up the spice a notch)
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Oregano
Dash of Liquid Smoke
2 large Tortillas (you can substitute Tortilla Chips if you want to skip a step and if you prefer "hard tacos" like me)
1/4 Cup Diaya Vegan Cheddar per bowl of soup (shredded)
Sliced Black Olives and Diced Fresh Cilantro to garnish the top of each bowl
Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients except Tortillas, Daiya, Olives, Cilantro, Salt and Pepper into your faithful little slow cooker and mix. Fire up your slow cooker to high and cook for 2 hours. Then taste test it and add any Salt and/or Pepper - maybe some Hot Sauce - till you like the flavor. Then cover it up and cook for another hour.

If you are making your own Tortilla garnish : Heat oven to 400. Cut your Tortillas into thin strips and place on your handy pizza stone. Bake for 5 minutes or until the edges are crispy. I baked mine for about 3 minutes but I wish I had done it longer so they would have looked more like these. Keep your oven going for the final step.

You're going to know your soup is ready when you taste test it and your heart does a little two step and your Onions have melted. Fill oven safe bowls 3/4 of the way full of your new favorite soup and then sprinkle some baked Tortilla slices and Daiya Cheddar over the top and bake until the Daiya gets all melty. It should take about 1 to 2 minutes. Then remove from the oven using mitts - your bowl is going to be hot. Let your bowls cool for about 15 minutes or until you can handle them without burning yourself. Then sprinkle some Cilantro and Olives over the top... or really whatever your favorite taco topping is... and serve warm with a little smile.

Fall is coming...

* Um... Google "Cute Soup" sometime. Apparently in Japan there is some freaking adorable soup. I mean just amazing. I'm blinded with cute. Panda Noodles. GASP.

Click here to check out more recipes at MeetTheShannons.com.

The Betty Crocker Project : Siesta Taco Soup

2011-09-14T19:46:22Z

Siesta Taco Soup (we didn't add some of the traditional taco toppings this time like sour cream and avocados but maybe you should... I would skip lettuce though)

1 Can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (28oz)
2 Cups Better Than Bouillon - Vegetable Broth
1 Can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Can Lentils (drained and rinsed)
1 Red Onion (very thinly diced)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
1-2 Fresh Jalapenos (sliced - the more you add the spicier it will be)
1 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced into large pieces - you can use any bell pepper - we went with yellow because it would look pretty)
2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
2 teaspoon Braggs
2 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
1 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (add more if you want take up the spice a notch)
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Oregano
Dash of Liquid Smoke
2 large Tortillas (you can substitute Tortilla Chips if you want to skip a step and if you prefer "hard tacos" like me)
1/4 Cup Diaya Vegan Cheddar per bowl of soup (shredded)
Sliced Black Olives and Diced Fresh Cilantro to garnish the top of each bowl
Salt and Pepper to taste

Come & Get It! Our Top 15 Favorite Vegan Recipes for Picnic & BBQ Season!

2011-05-27T18:44:01Z

Howdy Partner! (Just kidding; I won't write this whole thing cowboy-style.)

Let's get serious here, because we're about to talk about something I take very seriously... POTLUCKS! See, planning a really amazing group dining event combines art with mathematics, originating in imagination but ultimately rooted in procedure. There are relationships between the invitees and seating to take into account, and let's not forget making sure you have enough silverware and cups and all those basic resources. And of course, there's the menu. We've collected a few of our favorite Summery BBQ, Picnic, and Potluck favorites in time for this long weekend and compiled them here to make your menu planning easier. OK - maybe more than a few.

These vegan recipes are BBQ and Potluck Tested and Approved.

And before we head out into a sunset or something to set up some of the awesome things we have planned this summer (yes, that's a teaser for contests!), here are just a few Potluck tips we've picked up over the years.

You need to have a spot for everyone you invite to sit. Even if it's just in the grass. People rarely like to stand and eat. Shade is also something good to provide as well.
When you're getting your resources together for your event, it's always good to have a few extra plates, cups, forks and spoons than guests. You never know who will bring a friend or drop something.
If you're uncomfortable with using disposable**, you can always get extra silverware, cups and plates at thrift stores for a few cents an item. Then you can keep them afterwards to reuse again and again or donate them back. Either way, your footprint on the planet just got a lot smaller for not that much more money - maybe even less. Also it can give your party a cool eclectic look!

Photo Credit : The Kitchn

Don't forget that your little furry friends might want to join the party so have some treats for them ready but also keep an eye on them. With doors and gates opening and closing constantly, it can be easy for someone to wander off. So make sure your companion animals are safe. If they're more the private type, try to give them a quiet spot to hide out the party. (this goes for roommates too)
Don't start cleaning up unless you want people to head home. It's the universal clue that it's time to go. Tidying up - yes! But the second you turn the water on to wash a dish, expect the crowd to thin.
When inviting - be sure to use a method you know you're friends use and it's not rude to follow up with folks who haven't RSVPed. Especially if you're having a potluck - it's always good to know how many rears need seats and faces need food!
Not all vegan parties are a great place to win over hearts and minds! So bring something really cool and good!
Have a good time. You might think I'm nuts for saying that but I count on Dan to remind me of that pretty much every party.

Please leave a comment with one of your favorite tips! We'd love to hear what you've come up with.

Have a great weekend and don't forget to send us any pictures of Meet The Shannon recipes you make for The Family Album!

Click here to read the orginal post.

* Not sure if that makes any sense but you need all those things.
** Please don't buy disposable.

The Betty Crocker Project : Fresh Berry & Tea Tart & Announcing THE CLEAN LIVING CONTEST!

2011-03-23T16:36:00Z

I love this time of year, the dogwood tree outside my office window starts to get little bright green buds. Daffodils and crocuses are sprouting up throughout the neighborhood and the grocery stores are full of fresh berries. Berry stands are opening up anywhere near North Carolina and if you're lucky enough you can find a stanc that has asparagus too! - but more about that later. Let's talk tarts.

These tarts are just... lovely. But even though those bright flavorful berries kinda steal the show, I have to mention the crust and crumble for this are pretty exceptional as well. The crust was made with Earl Grey Tea (my personal favorite) and then we topped the tart with an orange zest crumble to bring out the bergamont* flavors in the tea. The combination of them all make this tart really stand out in The Betty Crocker Project. Yeah this tart has that "it factor" to make it in the world of food blogging.

Springtime isn't just about blooming flowers and the revamping of the produce section. Around this time of year, we all open our windows and look around our caves and start well - un-caving. Spring cleaning it one of my favorite projects all year and not just because I like things that smell good! I love making a space my own. Some of you might remember awhile back when I talked about my Pink Lady Kitchen. Well, Method has changed up their products a little bit since then but we're still a Method house** and we'd love to help get you excited about Spring cleaning too!

So we're giving away 2 Method products*** of your choice! To find out the details - visit Meet The Shannons and we'll help get you started on your way to another level of clean living!

Let's make some tarts!

Fresh Berry & Tea Tart (this is an adaption of Betty's Mixed Berry Crumble Tart and makes 2-4 mini tarts depending on how big your dishes are. We made 2 using 4.5" tart dishes.)

Earl Grey Tea Crust

1 Cup All Purpose Flour (you will need more to flour your surface for rolling out your dough)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/3 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Vegetable - Vegan Shortening

2 - 3 Tablespoon Earl Grey Tea (chilled)

Fresh Berry Filling

1 1/2 Cups Fresh Strawberries (sliced)

1 1/2 Cups Fresh Blueberries

1 1/2 Cups Fresh Raspberries

2/3 Cups Sugar

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

Citrus Crumble Topping

3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Teaspoons Orange Zest (Grated Orange Peel)

1/3 Cup Margarine

Heat oven to 450.

Prepare 1 mug of Earl Grey Tea per instructions on the package and then put in the fridge.

Make your Pastry Dough - Crust first. In a large bowl, mix all the Crust Ingredients with a hand held pastry blender. Once your mix is blended and looks like pebbles, sprinkle with the chilled Earl Grey Tea 1 Tablespoon at a time. Continue to blend with the pastry blender and once your Dough is moist and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, gather it into a ball in the center.

Flour your surface and rolling pin for rolling out your Dough. Roll out your dough and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 45 minutes. You want your Dough to be firm but still pliable. Chilling your Dough will make your crust flakier.

After your Dough has chilled, roll it out again to make sure it has stayed even and fix any cracks or splits. Then divide your dough into segments to fir your tart dishes. Then press your Dough into your tart dishes. If there are any cracks or splits that comes up - just takes some extra dough and press them into the spots that need a little help. If you smooth out your edges - no one will ever know!

Be sure and cut off any extra dough that might hang over the edges. You want your crust to look kinda like this - not go over the edge like a traditional pie :

In a large bowl, gently toss Berries with the Sugars and Cornstarch. Spoon into your Pastry lined tart dishes.

In another bow, mix the Crumble Topping Ingredients with a fork until they are crumbly. Sprinkle an even amount over the berries in each tart. You want some Berries to peak through so don;t get to heavy handed with the Crumble Topping.

Bake for around 30 minutes or until the Berries are bubbling and your Crust has a light golden color. Let them cool until they aren't too hot to touch but still warm. Keep in mind also that the Crust will continue to brown a little bit as it cools because your dishes are still hot. So be sure and pull them out before they are too brown.

*Bergamont is the best flavor it the world. I love citrus but bergamont really stands out with the perfect mix of tartness and sweetness.
** We love Method products not because they make my home smell good! They have this great business model that promotes having an environmentally friendly home with their book . I have given copies of this book to several people over the years because it is full of great tips and a detailed look at how to detox your living space. Even folks like us who have been been trying to live environmentally friendly for years and years can always do a little more. PLUS - Method performs absolutely no animal testing on any of our products, and does not endorse, request, or commission any animal testing on our behalf. Which is also SUPER COOL.
***We'll send you 2 coupons good for 2 Method Products of your choice - up to a $3.99 value.

Fat Tuesday Fried Pickles & The Homemade Vegan Mardi Gras

2011-02-28T19:31:51Z

Tomorrow is the infamous Fat Tuesday. People all over the world will be doing this and this. We're super married, so we're going to have our own little Homemade Vegan Mardi Gras, and start it all off with these babies. The other day we posted Vegan Shrimp Gumbo and listed some of our favorite Cajun and Creole recipes so you can have your own too. But in case you missed 'em - here they are:

Beighnets
Po'Boys (Vegan Bourbon Chick'n and Shrimp)
Hush Puppies
Hoppin' John
Red Beans and Rice
Jambalaya
Deep Fried Cajun Tofurky
Strawberry Margaritas

OK - Enough of this chatter... let's git 'er done*&**. If this is your first time having fried pickles, you're in for a real treat... I hope you're ready to make a new favorite food memory!

Fried Pickles

1 Jar of your favorite Dill Pickles (we choose chips that had been cut into ovals so they were bit larger, but spears or regular old chips will work)

3 Cups Vegetable Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Mustard Seed

1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

1/2 Cup Dry Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Cup White Flour

4 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat your Oil on hot.

In a large shallow bowl, mix Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Dry Bread Crumbs, Whole Wheat Flour, White Flour, and Nutritional Yeast with a whisk until it is blended completely.

One at a time, take your pickles with your left hand and drop them into the Flour Mix, and then coat with your right hand. Your hand being used to fish out pickles will get wet, and your other hand will get kind pasty - so if you keep each hand doing a separate job, the whole process is a little less messy and easier. Once you have a coating on your pickle you like, remove it with your right/wet and pasty hand and carefully drop into the hot Oil. They fry fast, so once you see the coating turn a nice light golden brown, remove the pickle with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate with a paper towel on it to soak up extra Oil. Just keep repeating this process till you've fried the whole jar. Once you get the hang of it, you can do a few at a time, but start off with one so you can see how fast they brown and if you want to adjust how much coating you're getting.

If you want a thicker coating, coat the Pickle like it says above and then set them aside for 30 seconds to kinda soak up the dry coating. You'll see the powdery coating start to get kinda pasty. Then recoat with the Flour Mix and drop in the Oil like is says above.

Serve warm, and if you're feeling like a more Southern BBQ experience, you can always add a little pot of Vegan Ranch Dressing or some Bourbon BBQ sauce to dip it in.

*Pew Pew Pew
** For all you vegans playing a Meet The Shannons drinking game at home : Liquid Smoke

READ THE ORGINAL POST BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK.

The Betty Crocker Project : The Vegan Pudding-Palooza!

2010-07-27T13:46:17Z

I learned something new about my marriage recently: one of Dan's favorite desserts is pudding! Luckily, I can make some pretty tasty vegan puddings! !

At Meet The Shannons, we recently asked folks on Facebook and Twitter what flavor of vegan pudding they wanted a recipe for. The response was a little overwhelming! We not only had a lot of comments and tweets, but there were write-in candidates and someone even wrote me a poem. Which was thoughtful. Everyone likes presents.

The thing was that the votes were all over the place. We had everything from Tapioca to Lavender Vanilla Bean which sounds pretty heavenly to me! Flower flavored foods. are my favorite. There were a few strong contenders, and few random ones (Bacon & Peanut Butter?), but they all (or almost all) sounded pretty fabulous My inability to deny the world of any flavor of vegan pudding lead us to the obvious: We needed a Pudding-Palooza.

Pudding-palooza will be playing on 3 stages at MeetTheShannons.net over the next few weeks, and hopefully will include your favorite flavor. This week, we're featuring the classic trio: Vanilla, Chocolate and Butterscotch! And the crowd goes wild!

OK, before you guys rush the stage here's your first batch of vegan pudding!But don't wander too far. Coming up next: Tapioca, Coconut and Banana

Vanilla Pudding

1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Vanilla Soymilk (it doesn't hurt to get a tiny bit more in there, about 1/2 Teaspoon)
2 Tablespoon EnerG Egg Replacer (just use the powder; don't mix with Water)
2 Tablespoons Margarine
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

In a saucepan, mix Sugar, Cornstarch, Egg Replacer and Salt. Stir the mix while pouring in the Soymilk and heating the saucepan at a medium heat. Stir constantly. The mix will start to thicken as it boils. Boil and stir for about a minute.

Remove from heat and mix in Margarine and Vanilla. Then pour the mix into a large mixing bowl with high sides, and blend with a hand mixer at the highest setting with the whisk attachments. One thing I like to do is turn the bowl slightly to the side; it whips a little more air in there and makes the pudding a little lighter. Do that for about a minute, then cover the bowl and put in the fridge about an hour or until chilled.

Chocolate Pudding
Take the Vanilla Pudding recipe above and make these adjustments:

Increase Sugar to 1/2 Cup
Stir 1/2 Cup Baking Chocolate into the Sugar Mix (let it mostly melt before adding Soymilk)
Skip the Margarine

When you blend it at the end with the hand mixer, use the flat beater attachments, not the whisks; you want to make sure all the Chocolate gets blended in.

Butterscotch Pudding
Take the Vanilla Pudding recipe above and make these adjustments:

Substitute 2/3 Cup + 4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar (packed) for the Regular Sugar
Add another 2 Tablespoons Margarine

This doesn't have that Golden Brown color of Old School Jell-O Pudding Butterscotch. If you want that kind of mythical beast, you can add 2 Drops of Yellow Food Coloring.

*OK I admit I have no idea how the scoring in Magic Cards works. I might lose a few Soul Mate points for that BUT I should get +10 My Wife Knows What I Like points...which should make up for any loss.<-->

Special Edition : Jambalaya and a tribute to Cafe Bamboo

2010-06-28T16:37:10Z

We recently heard some sad news.

Dan and I went to New Orleans for our honeymoon last summer and it was pretty hot, Dan caught a cold and we saw alligators. Basically, We had an amazing time in one of the most charming cities in the country! The best part of the trip was being pleasantly surprised by all the delicious vegan Creole, Cajun, Soul and just plain ol' Southern food. I mean we enjoyed Po'Boys, Key Lime Pie, Gumbo, Sweet Potato Fries, Cajun-Spiced Veggie Burgers and Fried "Chicken". One of the best spots was called Cafe Bamboo.

I have eaten at vegan restaurants all over the world and Cafe Bamboo was easily in the top 10 of my favorite spots I've ever visited. That's why it broke my heart to hear they are closing their doors and that there are people who won't get to experience their awe-inspiring take on vegan Cajun, Creole and Soul food. We're dedicating this Jambalaya to those folks at Cafe Bamboo.

Good luck to you guys and I hope to hear you'll open your doors again someday!

Jambalaya

1 Cup Match Vegan Meat Italian Sausage (rolled into meatball-ish chunks) or 1 Package Tofurky Italian Sausages (cut into coins)

1/2 Cup Fake Shrimp (defrosted - we used the May Wah Shrimp Balls cut into fourths because they have the best texture and firmness in my opinion but there are several fake shrimp products to choose from )

2 Tomatoes (diced)

1 Red Onion (diced)

1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)

1/2 Fresh Parsley (chopped)

1 1/2 Cup Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth ( made per instructions on the jar)

1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves

1 Teaspoon Tony Chachere Cajun Seasoning

2 Pinches of Chili Powder

8 ounces Tomato Sauce

2 Splashes Beer

1/4 Teaspoon Red Wine

Dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste (we used 3)

Olive Oil for Cooking (suggested : 3 Tablespoons for the Match - 2 Tablespoons for Tofurky)

Dash of Liquid Smoke for Cooking

2 Cups Brown Rice (cooked)

In your cast iron skillet beaux, heat the Olive Oil and Liquid Smoke at a medium heat. Brown the Italian Sausage and Red Onion in the heated Oil. Once the Sausage is cripsy and the Onions are tender remove them from the heated skillet and set aside.

Then throw in the rest of the ingredients, mix and let simmer until tit starts to boil. While your waiting for it to boil, stir the Jambalaya to keep it from sticking to the side. Once it starts to boil, mix in the Sausage and Onions.

Serve with a tall glass of sweet tea or a cold beer - maybe have a second one for Cafe Bamboo.

On the Menu this Week at The Shannons: Ceasar Salad Burgers, Feista Taco Casserole, Cream Cheese Brownies and Spinach Salad

Some Highlights Thus Far in The Betty Crocker Project: Corn Bread Topped Pie, Orange Teriyaki Beef with Noodles, Pizza Burgers, Corn Flake Covered Chicken Fingers and Oven Pancakes.

The Betty Crocker Project : Vegan Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce

2010-06-10T12:34:36Z

Until I lived in Virginia, I was really not aware of what can only be called The Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake Phenomenon. It's impossible to ignore all the crab themed items littering every store along this coastline. Aprons, cereal bowls, utensils of any kind, beanie babies, lollipops, mechanical claws for picking up things less than 2 feet away - whatever the kitschy knick knack - you can find one with a smiling cartoon crab it - eager to be eaten. Disturbing doesn't even begin to describe it. It's like those BBQ places with the happy pig on the sign - In what bizarre mind does that make sense? I think Kermit said it best.

I can't really remember ever eating a meaty crab cake before I went vegan but now I feel like I see them on every menu and sandwich board on every corner. People really love their crab cakes around here - poor little sea spiders.

Betty has quite a few seafood recipes in her book. I have to admit I was looking forward to veganizing her crab cakes to see what all the fuss was about. So, we had prepared ourselves for experimenting with the wide variety of faux seafood out there - when the most amazing thing began to happen. We started getting emails from readers telling us to try this new mock meat called MATCH. Hmmmm - Curious.

We ordered the faux crab and waited impatiently. All I can say is TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT! Vegan Crab Cakes are pretty much awesome and expect to see more MATCH Mock Meat .

Crab Cakes

1/3 Cup Vegannaise
1 Tablespoon EnerG Egg Replacer (just the powder not made per the instructions on the box)
2 Pieces of Bread turned into Soft Bread Crumbs ( just put them in a blender or food processor till they are nothing but crumbs)
1 Teaspoon Ground Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
2 Green Onions (chopped)
6oz of MATCH Crab Meat (it's vegan mock crab meat and I would recommend it)
1/4 Cup Dry Bread Crumbs (be sure and read your label to make sure it is vegan - we used Old Bay Dry Bread Crumbs for a little extra flavor)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

In a bowl, mix Vegannaise and EnerG Egg Replacer with a whisk. Stir in remaining ingredients except Olive Oil and Dry Bread Crumbs. Shape mixture into 6 - 7 patties about the size of your palms. Put your Dry Bread Crumbs into a shallow bowl. Coat each patty with Dry Bread Crumbs.

In your beloved little cast iron skillet, heat the Olive Oil over a medium heat. Place patties in the Oil once hot. This is an important tip - don't crowd the patties. They will stick together or break apart when you bump them when you flip other patties. Give them room. Cook patties till they are golden brown on each side.

Tartar Sauce

1 Cup Vegannaise
2 Tablespoon Sweet Pickle Relish
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley (chopped)
2 Teaspoon Pimiento (chopped)
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Nutritional Yeast

Mix all the ingredients and eat up!

This recipe is part of The Betty Crocker Project from Meet The Shannons. For more recipes or to just hang out visit us at MeetTheShannons.net

The Betty Crocker Project : Eggs Benedict featuring The Vegan Poached Egg

2010-05-19T16:21:20Z

When you go vegan, there are a few things you prepare to live your life without.. They aren't big deals really--things you may have not even really liked in the first place, before you realized that they didn't fit into a compassionate lifestyle. For someone like me, with a mild case of oppositional defiant disorder, this could go either way.

Exhibit A: Eggs with a liquid yoke.

I liked them well enough. They played a critical role in the traditional American breakfast. But let's be honest, is having an egg you can dip your toast in worth the systematic cruelty and sociopathic exploitation that is the egg industry? I know I could never enjoy another egg that came from a helpless little bird confined in a filthy crowded cage for their entire life. How those folks over at the UEP can look themselves in the mirror is beyond me. So, I live my life enjoying the scrambled tofu version of American breakfast and sleep at night.

That is... until now! There is one motto Dan and I live our life by: We can make anything vegan!

When I first started looking through Betty's book, I have to admit there were a few recipes that stood out as being somewhat impossible. Poached eggs was one of them. The vegan poached egg seemed like a culinary trick that would be some kind of mythical beast; rumored to have been spotted at a random veg restaurant stumbled across on a road trip. One might even be inclined to call it a "Unicorn" of sorts. It takes a few steps and a nifty little tool but it was so worth it. Who doesn't love unicorns?*

SO: here is the first of many "Unicorns" featured in one of the most popular breakfast dishes of all time...

Poached Egg

1 Package of Firm Tofu (drained and cut into 4 rectangular pieces)
1 Batch of the Cheese Sauce in our Mac & Cheese recipe (I know you will have a bunch leftover, but if you pick up some Macaroni, you'll also have lunch for a week)

Hollandaise Sauce

1/2 Cup Vegan Sour Cream
3 Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast
3 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Margarine
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Braggs

Other Ingredients

4 English Muffins
1 Cup Raw Spinach (this is how much we used but really you can use more or less--up to you)
1 Avocado (sliced)
6 Pieces Tempeh Bacon (I know I usually have a few suggestions here BUT I really must insist you use the Tempeh)
Paprika to dash across the top
Olive Oil for cooking (around 2 tablespoons)
Dash of Liquid Smoke

Heat oven to 400.

Make the Cheese Sauce from the Mac and Cheese recipe.

With warm water rinse your Flavor Injector. Yes, I know these things are meant for crazy meat eaters and are seriously scary looking. But I really love mine now. It has been pointed out to me that I am partial to food that has some kind of injected filling--and my response to that is "Who doesn't love pie?". OK; back to the recipe.

Fill your injector with Cheese Sauce. Take your Tofu and one at a time, slowly stick the injector in the center of one of the shorter sides of the rectangle. Make sure it doesn't go in to far [editor's note: that's what she said]. You don't want to pierce one of the sides. Then--this is key--gently move the Tofu back and forth. Don't move the needle - it will tear a big hole on the outside of the tofu. But if you move the Tofu, it creates a pocket in the tofu while keeping the injection spot as small as possible.

Fill all 4 Tofu Pieces.

On a lined cookie sheet, bake the Tofu for 20 minutes or until it is a golden brown. At 10 minutes, flip the Tofu to make sure both sides get brown. Some of the Cheese Sauce will pour out. Don't worry about that. When you pull it out ,right before you put it on the dish, slowly inject more Cheese Sauce. You're going to want to inject so much the Tofu looks like it might burst. That's why you go slow, so you can watch it.

While the Tofu is baking, make your Fake Bacon and other parts of the dish. In your beloved little cast iron skillet, cook the Tempeh Bacon in some Olive Oil and Liquid Smoke.

In a small sauce pan, mix all the Hollandaise sauce ingredients with a whisk over a low heat.
(this will thicken pretty fast so don't prepare until you are almost ready to make up the dish)

Toast the English Muffins.

Stack the dish like so: one half of an English Muffin, desired amount of Spinach, Bacon, Avocado, "Poached Egg" and then pour the desired amount of Hollandaise sauce over the top. Throw a dash of Paprika on there to top her off. This recipe should make 4 servings.

* Yeah--that is Obama naked on a Secret Service Unicorn.

Betty Crocker meets The Shannons

2010-04-27T13:37:30Z

We recently saw the movie Julie & Julia. Being armchair chefs ourselves, it's surprising it took us so long to see a movie about a book about a normal person finding her way through Julia Child's classic cookbook in a normal kitchen. We love food, movies, books and eating--so what took us so long? I was charmed at first. I mean, here was a devoted, vintage-clothing-wearing, amateur foodie who wore pearls in the kitchen--one of my own personal dreams, although in my dream, the pearls would be fake just like my meat. I admit I was intrigued by finding someone who, on the surface, was a little like me. But as you can imagine, she lost me at the Lobster Killer scene and I never really bounced back.

The Lobster Killer scene planted a little seed in my brain. I kept waiting for her to have a change of heart and save them. But she never did--and that is just not OK. There needs to be a humane alternative to the Lobster Killer--and The Betty Crocker Project was born!

Yes, after years of meeting and knowing literally thousands of vegans from all over the world, and working at the largest animal advocacy agencies on the planet, I can say with complete confidence that no one in the world loves food the way vegans do. We think it about food constantly. We read labels with a Christmas Morning eagerness, searching for those deal breaker words: Whey, Egg Whites, Skim Milk Protein, Casein. We sit around talking about food like the gals in Sex in The City talk about orgasms. We send emails to all our friends and family telling them about new products with an eagerness that can only be compared to Beatle Mania . . . or these days Bieber Mania.

We love food almost as much as we love saving animals and the planet. So why not find a way to make everything vegan? All those casseroles that feed a family of four for a week, or those childhood favorites you think about from time to time when you think about mom... we're making them vegan. For as long as it takes, we'll be veganizing every recipe in The Betty Crocker Cookbook and sharing our tips and secrets with you. We've always said we can make anything fat and vegan ... now we're putting this claim to the test! Thank you, Lobster Killer, for inspiring a project that I suspect you would hate. . .

On the menu this week : Potato, Bacon & Egg Scramble, Chicken Chow Mein, Coq au Vin, Tuna Casserole, Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Cream Sauce, Clams in White Sauce

Some Highlights Thus Far : Garlic Cheesy Biscuits, Osso Bucco, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Turtle Cheesecake, Stuffed Crust Pizza, Cheeseburger Pie

Please know we have kept the orginal names for the recipes so you can follow along in The Betty Crocker Cookbook if you wuld like and that all recipes are 100% Vegan! For more recipes and to follow this vegan venture, check out MeetTheShannons .net.