Edamommy’s Vegan Diary: The Joy of Vegan Baking and I love Colleen
One edamommy attempts to cut meat out of her life.
My family is not joining me on my adventure, although I will make vegan recipes for all of our meals and add in extras. At first I contemplated being a covert vegan, but I thought it would be too hard to keep this on the down low without making my family suspicious. Veganism is a sea change from my normal routine.
My husband’s exact words: “If you get nutty on this, you’re stopping.” (I am secretly glad he said “get nutty,” as opposed to “get nuttier”). I intend to get nutty, silly! It’s all about nuts, beans, legumes, vegetables and fruit! Ship a’soy!
And, let me just say, there are not enough emoticons on the Internet to express my excitement over finding The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The author’s book and website, www.compassionatecooks.com, not only have recipes for
chocolate chip cookies and other treats, but every vegan resource you can imagine. I had no idea that you could still pig out and be vegan.
Not skinny-model pig out, but suburban mom-with-ice-cream- tub-calling-my-name, toddler-dodging-bedtime, dog-rolled-in-something, husband-away-on-business pig out. Really, how hard can this be if you can eat mousse?
I only have Colleen to thank (or blame) for the fact that I found vegan chocolate chips that are made from real chocolate. Not carob. Never carob. Carob hasn’t changed since I tasted it in the ’70s. There is nothing right about carob. Notice the second syllable is rob? That’s no mistake. It looks like chocolate, smells like chocolate and tastes like dirt. I hope the carob council doesn’t come after me like the beef producers went after Oprah.
-”Edamommy” Mary Talalay is a writer for KIWI Magazine
March 24th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I second your thoughts on carob!! It’s just wrong. No other way to put it! I remember growing up and having my mother try to convince me that she put chocolate chips in my muffins or on my frozen yogurt! The look like chocolate, they even smell a little like chocolate… but they DON’T taste like chocolate. I think I was forever altered from that experience.
Thanks for the suggestion on the cookbook and website. I’m going to check it out today!
March 24th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I wonder what Colleen (the author of the Joy of Vegan Baking) would think of my wedding cake. My husband is in the broccoli sprout business (more on that later) so we had a cake made by the now famous Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes - we knew him before his television show).
Check it out at http://www.charmcitycakes.com/ Go to “not so traditional” and then to “broccoli”. Yum.
I’ll will have alot more suggestions for products and cookbooks, and hope to get some from you, too!
March 24th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Have you heard of the cookbook “How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet”?
I have tasted some really yummy recipes from this book!
March 24th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I agree wholeheartedly: things pretending to be other things and falling horribly short carob me the wrong way.
Speaking of the 70’s–what in the heck was Magic Shell?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
As always, keep those suggestions coming. I will check out the cookbook, Jaleh. Thank you.
And, HappyHoarfrost, Magic Shell had to be the original action food. Food that does stuff other than just lay there and be food. Like pop rocks. I think, nutritionally, it is best to watch the food perform but perhaps not actually eat it.
I have to run. I have to find someone who blogs about how to get a stubborn kid to use the potty regularly, not just on vacation or on airplanes.
Good night and thanks for all of the comments!
The Vegan Mary
March 25th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Now what’s all this hating on carob, folks? My dog LOVES carob.
Oh wait.
Considering what else my dog is willing to eat…..hmm. I see your point after all.
“The Vegan Mary” - LOVE it. heehee
As for Pop Rocks and Magic Shell - I double dog dare somebody to eat ‘em together. We will all get a GREAT show.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:15 am
stop saying grose things about this! It’s your terrible way of thinking! Normal people don’t care about stuff like that
August 26th, 2009 at 11:25 am
very useful post, you should post more stuff related to this.