Would i like to try some chocolate?

I was asked this question. I replied by saying something to the effect of "is the pope catholic?" I'm a bit of a whore when it comes to free samples. Maybe not a whore, because i don't have to actually do anything for it....except talk about it, and that's not even mandatory. 

So the Missionary Chocolates have been around for quite a few months. I believe they officially debuted at the VegFest in May. Jess (of GetSconed) and Webly (of Fueled By Popcorn) invited me to be on their podcast that they were doing for the their collective blog, StumptownVegans. We talked about VegFest, which we had just been to and we oohed and ahhed over the Missionary Chocolate truffles we gotten to taste there. 

They have a lot of flavors and they're sold in various shops here in town in Portland (Food Front and that store in Jantzen Beach that sells local stuff....can't remember the name! it's in the Target building with the carousel and food court...) 

Vanessa kindly dropped off 10 flavors for me to try. I don't know which one i was most excited to try, they all sounded delicious. I had a few friends and coworkers to help me out. (i couldn't do it all myself! they're too rich! it would've taken me a long time to get through them all. ) Almost all the ingredients are local and some are organic, the chocolate is fair trade and they're all handmade. 

Peanut Butter Passion (according to the website it's called Treasures now): i actually couldn't really detect the peanut butter in this, so i wouldn't consider it very "passionate", but that didn't mean it didn't taste good! I thought it was creamy delicious. My friend Anna declared it "fuckin' delicious!" and my roommate Missy said it was rich. 

Boule d' Amandes (Almond Ball): The center of this one was almost fudge-like and it was creamy chocolate goodness. Anna was a fan of the fudgyness and said it was pretty much perfect. Missy really liked the crunch of the nuts that coated the outside of this truffle and i believe it was her favorite.

Meyer Lemon Explosion: The won the award for the #1 People's Choice at the Northwest Chocolate Festival. I wasn't too excited about this one since i'm not big on citrus-y things, but i liked this one. It was surprisingly tasty and it had a nice tart flavor. Anna said it was the perfect amount of tanginess and was clean and refreshing. Missy wasn't a fan and said people with TMJ need to be careful with this one.  :o)

Coconut Haystacks: I thought this one was going to be my favorite, but i was wrong. Don't get me wrong, it was good, there wasn't a bad chocolate in the bunch. I think i just like a creamy/fudgy inside to my truffles and this one had shreds of coconut in it and didn't have as much coconutty flavor as i thought it would. Anna liked it alot, but did wish it had more coconut flavor to it. 

Sweet Raspberry Heart: I took this to work with me. I have a gluten-free coworker that i thought would enjoy trying out some chocolates (these are all gluten-free....i'm not sure how many chocolates actually have gluten in them, but it's nice when they're labeled as such). I liked this one more than i thought i would because i'm not a big fan of raspberries and mixing fruit with chocoate(though i have been known to love cherries in my chocolate). Vanessa told me they simmer the berries for 6 hours and then mix it with chocolate ganache. Another coworker of mine really liked the flavor of this one and said she couldn't tell it was vegan. 

Dark Chocolate Delights: this was the other one i took to work and my gluten free coworker liked this one a lot. This may be my favorite. I was told by Vanessa that it's usually a little different but i can't remember how. Maybe something about how it's not usually as soft? I liked that it didn't have a shell around it, just some cocoa. So it was like eating a ball of fudge. 

Smooth Espresso Spheres: Smooth, indeed. A little more coffee taste than i'd like but maybe if there was more chocolate i would like it better. Though my roommate Missy had the exact opposite reaction, she wished for more coffee flavor and chunks of bean. She really liked this one. Our friend Corinn said it was a smooth mix of coffee and chocolate.

Peppermint Perfection: i thought this one tastes like an Andes mint, which i kinda miss eating as a vegan. It was Corinn's favorite of the ones she tried and she said it was a good combination of flavors. 

Ginger: Tasted like the pickled ginger that you get with sushi.....that's all i could really taste. I couldn't really taste the chocolate part. Not bad, but not something i'm looking for in chocolate. Missy, on the other hand, said "OMG"....yeah, she liked it. She likes ginger a lot more than i do.

Cinnamon & Chipotle: Spicy! Tastes like burning! ok, it's not that bad, but i sat there kinda waving my hand at my mouth until the burning stopped. Missy liked this one, subtle and delicious. This is a girl that uses Aardvark Sauce on everything, so it was right up her alley.

These were really good chocolates and for about $4 each, a good treat when you want or need one. You can really tell they are high quality and made with really good ingredients.  I look forward to some of the other flavors, such as the seasonal Champagne and the Black Cherry Bombs. 

 

The cheese i most miss...

Actually, Vegan MoFo is supposed to be about all the good stuff that is vegan, not what we're "missing" out on....but really, i haven't posted in days and i wanted to post something. i haven't uploaded any new pictures lately and i'm not ready to post about the Missionary Chocolates (coming soon...hint: they were damn good!).....

So the cheese i most miss: feta, i would have to say. I'm a sucker for salty things. When i eat pretzels i usually suck some of the salt off before biting down on them. And when i get to the bottom of the bag, i lick my finger and dip it into the fallen-off salt like it's a Lik-M-Aid. When i was in Germany, my boss made me a special Christmas dinner of a block of feta (about a 3/4 inch thick, 5x3) wrapped in puff pastry, the others were having the same thing but with meat inside. It was tasty. The Greek salad is just a....man, i can't think of that expression! you know like peanut sauce is to noodles....and um.....i don't know....

But really, when it comes down to it, i don't miss cheese. I don't daydream about it. I don't spend time thinking about how i don't get to eat something anymore. I will have occasion thoughts, like "man, havarti cheese sandwiches were really good" or "cheese pizza is damn good." But they're fleeting thoughts and i continue about my day. I've read that cheese has some kind of enzyme or something that makes you kinda addicted to it, so once you haven't had it for awhile, you don't crave it. I don't think i had an addictive response to quitting cheese. Perhaps b/c i still have it on rare occasions? (i don't send food back when i get it accidentally with cheese, i'd just rather not waste. i don't grossed out by cheese, meat, on the other hand, would be sent back) 

In my year in Germany i ate a lot of cheese. I gained 15 pounds, my face rounded out. My sister was excited, thinking that i finally wouldn't be as thin anymore. But, alas, i came back to America and lost the pounds. Not eating bread with butter and cheese, with lots of milk chocolate in addition, will help you lose weight.....

Crispy Rice

I had the chance to try 2 of the Envirokids Crispy Rice bars, the Peanut Butter and Berry (which i think are called something else....i thought the word "drizzle" was involed in the pb one....ok, i found out i had the Peanut Choco Drizzle....oh, and i think i had the Fruity Burst one not "berry"....so yeah, neither are pictured here.....). Anyways, these kinda remind me of rice krispies treats and they're probably supposed to. 

The berry one had a pleasant berry "essence" to it. It was reminiscent of Fruity Booty, a Robert's American Gourmet snack, you know, the same people who make Tings. It's not something i would normally buy, but if i was ever offered one again, i would accept. Not exactly a glowing review, but fruty stuff  just ain't my thing.

However, the Peanut Choco Drizzle one was more my thing and i found it enjoyable. It was crispy, peanut buttery and chocolatey. A good combination, indeed. 

I think it's nice to have a gluten free option like that for those poor kids that can't have gluten. I did notice these have honey in them, so if you're not into that, stay clear....

don't call me [slacker], not fit to....

Yeah, Pearl Jam....
but i am fit to....

Anyways, thanks be to Jess of Let's Get Sconed, i'm posting today. She did a survey on her blog today and, if you know me, you know i *love* surveys. For realz....


What was the most recent tea you drank?
Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasonings. I really like the taste of that stuff.

What vegan forms do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill!
I post on the PPK and i'm theprocrastinatingcook. I live up to my name. I don't go on any other vegan forums, though i used to on veganfreaks and when Food fight! had one.

You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first?
i don't cook italian much. maybe stuffed shells? i've never made them before.

How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day?
probably about 4-5.

Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read?
Lets Get Sconed! Jess has a great blog and she's a friend of mine so it's fun to see what she's making and if i've made it into a post :o)

If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trilogy – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be?
Definitely the tofu. I love the other 2, but tofu is very versatile.

If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be?
frozen block of tofu

Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice!
i don't use frozen tofu often but i would do the "chicken nuggets" (breaded and baked or fried), miso soup, enchiladas

What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing?
gosh, there's so many......and i can't think of a particular one actually...

Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them?
yeah, i'm a sometime model for Herbivore (herbivoreclothing.com) and i get them on discount so i end up with a lot of their stuff. I have the Cowhugger green longsleeve, wings are for flying hoodie and boatneck, green on black herbivore cross hoodie, elephant black sleeveless

Have you made your pilgrimage to the 'vegan mecca' yet? (Portland, duh)
i live in it.

What age did you first go vegan? Did it stick?
umm.....about 26. pretty much.

What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it?
i'm not a big fan of most tofu scrambles at Cup & Saucer. but i'm sure i've had worse things

What made you decide to blog?
Jess kept on hounding me to...

What are three of your favorite meals to make?
pizza with Hot Lips crust, some kind of grain with sauteed veggies and tofu topped with better than sour cream and srirachi(sp?), chickpea noodle soup from V'con

What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck?
sweet potato casserole or mashed taters

Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it?
the vegan ham and cheese from Tube, seriously. i was there on Tuesday and had 3 of them (they are english muffin sandwiches)

What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is?
Sweet Tomatoes, maybe...

My kitchen needs a………
blender and/or food processor.....side note: jess, you don't have a sifter??

This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen…..!
not a big celery fan.

What's for dinner tonight?
i'm going out tonight so i don't know yet...

Mac N Chz

Unfortunately, i haven't taken a picture of the mac and cheeze that i will be referring to, maybe i will later....

On the PPK (Post Punk Kitchen) someone started a thread about VegNews' Mac N Chz recipe. I'm not sure when it was printed but here's the link: http://www.vegnews.com/pdf/veganize_it.pdf....I was intrigued since it had cashews in it and cashews seem to do magical things when used to veganize recipes, like my sister's cashew "whip cream." And this recipe contained no nooch (aka nutritional yeast, for those who don't know veg slang), which i'm not against but i wanted to see how "cheesy" it would be since nooch is used for that reason.

I made it for the first time a few weeks ago at Joanna's (of yellowroserecipes.com) BeRightBack brunch(and no one took pictures of the food there, which is weird since all the vegans i hang out with are always taking food porn whenever they eat). The recipes called for potatoes and i didn't have any, so i added some zucchini, which i knew would kinda change the recipe since it's not at all the same consistency and more watery. It's a very easy recipe, the only annoying part is how many dishes you end up dirtying. Everyone at the brunch seemed to enjoy it, especially Maeve (http://strawberryrock.wordpress.com/) and Big Rubes (the 3 1/2 year old daughter of Josh and Michelle, owners of Herbivore). It has a bit of kick to it from some cayenne. Maeve had about 3 servings of it and requested that i make this for our Gossip Girl night the next day, so i took that as a compliment. It was good though, and i had added some chopped up chard before baking it for some extra nutrition and color.

I made this again on Saturday evening. I used potatoes this time and definitely noticed a difference when i was stirring the sauce with the pasta. Like it had a stretchiness factor. It was kind of weird actually. I used a little more cayenne and I also sauteed up some mushrooms and, again, added chard. The first time i didn't use all the bread crumbs but this time decided to go for it. I think it made it too dry, so i think next time i'll just use 3 slices of bread. Maybe add some peas and/or corn.....Yeah, you can do a lot to this to use up whatever veggies you got kickin' around in your fridge or freezer and it's just makes a great comfort food on these cool, crisp fall nights. It makes quite a bit so invite some friends over.....

Farmers Markets: Produce on Parade

Yesterday i found myself at the farmers market on the PSU park blocks for the first time in months. The weather was sunny and cool and crisp, a perfect day to go. It definitely has been feeling like fall here in Portland the last week or so. It's a welcome change but i'm not looking forward to rainy winter weather just yet, the days when you just don't want to get out form under the covers. I do have a plan ticket home for Christmas, so at least i know i'll see some good ole Florida sunshine then.

I'm not sure why i haven't gone to the market in so long. Although i guess maybe it was partly because i was dating a boy that worked at an organic produce distributor so i was kinda gettin' the hookup. Why pay for veggies, right? I do love the market, for not just its' produce, but for the people watching and the wholesome feeling that it exudes.

I went with my roommate Missy and we met up with my sister Kim, her dog Mo, and her husband Ben. It was lovely day. Me and Miss spread out our bounty so that you could see what we got:


Apples, kale, celeriac, pear, garlic, green onions, Dave's Killer Bread: Good Seed, radishes, multi-colored bell peppers, zucchini, leek, red potatoes and shallots

Pretty produce....taken by Missy



I still end up buying produce at grocery stores around here and when i do, it doesn't feel the same. It's nice buying directly from the farmers/farmer helpers.

Fundraiser meal- vegan style

A few months back I went to a fundraiser dinner cooked by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (of Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance) that raised money for....hmm....good question...i don't remember what it was for, but it was an all vegan meal that used seasonal produce and was 4 courses long!

ok, so i looked into it and found out it was a benefit for the Let Live Conference. Here was the menu:

Soup
Spicy Cream of Sweet Potato with Lime
A creamy puree of sweet potatoes and a little parsnip, with a kick of lime and chili

Salad
Jicama Salad in Citrus Vinaigrette
A Thai inspired salad of crisp, sweet jicama in a tangy vinaigrette of orange, lemon and grapefruit. Served with grilled and chilled asparagus and garnished with beansprouts, cilantro, roasted peanuts and avocado

Main
Blackened Seitan With Corn Pudding And Chocolate Chili Mole
Cajun rubbed blackened homemade seitan and grilled zucchini over a sweet and savory creamy corn pudding, with a mild chocolate chili mole

Dessert
Raspberry Brownie And Vanilla Ice Cream
A warm raspberry brownie with chocolate drizzle, raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream

Homemade ginger lemonade will be served. Please bring your own beer and wine.



The jicama salad was off the chain deliciousness! I do remember that my salad was avocado-less and my dining companion let me have some of hers. I love me some avocado....

Everything was good, but i'm really looking forward even more to the next one that Isa's planning. It's on Friday, October 24th and there's a limit of 40 place settings so go PayPal it up before it gets sold out. The price is sliding scale, from $40-100. All proceeds are going to the House of Dreams, a no-kill kitty shelter that a friend of mine works at. I'm not a huge cat friend, but i know that if it were for dogs i would tell people to go whether they liked them or not. Plus i am selfish and do it for the food.

Here's what Isa concocted:

Soup
White Bean And Roasted Garlic
A puree of navy beans and sweet smoky roasted garlic with leeks and fresh herbs

Me: leeks?? i love leeks!

Salad
Golden Beet And Shallot
Warm roasted golden beets and baby greens in a creamy vinaigrette with caramelized shallots and a handful of toasted walnuts

Me: beets! shallots! oh my!

Main
Autumn Plate
Cornbread and homemade sausage stuffed acorn squash, smoky grilled tempeh in a wild mushroom ragout served with garlicky purple kale

Me: smoky grilled tempeh w/mushroom ragout (whatever that is) with garlicky kale?? get in my belly now!

Dessert
Caramelized Apples
Warm apples in a caramelized maple sauce, served with crisp gingerbread shortbread and topped with homemade coconut based vanilla bean ice cream

Me: OMG!

Housemade hot chai will be served. Please bring your own beer and wine.

Me: don't you worry, i will




Yeah, i'm totes excited!
For reals...