To Fu or Not To Fu?

Hello again! Two posts in a week..what has gotten into me? Well, I'm very excited about two new soy products I found in the market last week and just had to share. This is NOT the promised tofu post I wrote about in my last post..that's coming soon (and there will be mangoes)! But first, I have some older friends (boomers) who write and pronounce tofu as "To Fu." I have no idea the reason for this. When they speak it, they even pause between the "To" and the "Fu." It sounds and looks so odd to me! They can't explain why..it's just how they were first exposed to tofu. I, however, was raised on the Fu but we always called it "tofu" back in the seventies and eighties. Gosh, did my mom rock or what? Small town in NH back then when tofu wasn't a staple in the markets..yet hummus and tofu were regulars in our house. I'm still amazed...anyway, I digress, check these guys out:

I stumbled across Nasoya's Silken Creations soy starter for desserts/smoothies. I thought, well, how good could this be? I picked up the chocolate and thought, well, let's give it a try. OMG. Like total rich chocolately velvet pudding. I remember trying some other brand of soy chocolate pudding cups..found them disgusting..thought this might fall into this category. Happy to report that I was TOTALLY wrong. This stuff is amazing! You can eat it right out of the container (um, which is why I don't have my own pics..devoured this stuff..okay in several sittings but forgot to take a picture). Whirled with a little almond, coconut, or peppermint extract OR with some berries, amazing dinner-party ready dessert if you don't have time to whip something else together. Trust me, I am the toughest chocolate critic I know..this stuff rocks!

The second product I found was from Vermont Soy. They make a variety of products including artisan tofu! Wow..it's about time, yay! This tofu will be featured in an upcoming tofu post dancing with mangoes..he he he! I was also so excited to see that they have just released a maple-ginger tofu..oh, wait til I get my hands on that one. I'm also thrilled to support a local New England business. I keep thinking of Vermont as "just across the river" on account of me growing up in New Hampshire, right on the border of Vermont..in reality I am now a couple of hours away here in Boston. However, the distance does nothing to quell my fondness for all things Vermont (and of course, Maple..grade B? Oh yeah). And just look at the goodies Vermont Soy is working on for us! "We're working on an okara burger, a soy creamer and a new soymilk flavored with organic Vermont maple syrup. Stay tuned!" You betcha! Check out their web site recipe section..

Do you have trouble with soy sometimes? Me too. I was so upset last year when I thought I'd have to break up with tofu! However, I've found that my stomach is selective about just what exactly kind of soy I am eating. Super processed soy such as soy protein powders or the soy protein isolate that is found in so many vegan/vegetarian "fast foods" really bothers my stomach. I can't eat very much, especially of those bars that have a lot of processed soy. BUT soy that is less processed such as artisan tofu and tempeh are not a problem. Organic probably helps too since so much processed soy is GMO (nasty genetically modified). If you have trouble with soy, could it be the same with you? Not sure but maybe try my little experiment by looking at the kind of soy that you are eating and see what happens. Then you and tofu can be true loves always once again!

April Catch-up

Hello everyone! I've been MIA again for a bit..lots of stuff goin' on.

One thing that has been keepin' me really busy is that I am a volunteer for a local pedestrian advocacy group here in Cambridge, MA. Cambridge was voted #1 walking city in America last year (and we hope this year!) by Prevention Magazine and it feels great getting to participate in making my city more walkable! In May we are running a program called "The Golden Shoes" program where we hide 100 "golden" shoes throughout the city..they are in reality old shoes, spray painted gold but regardless, everyone gets a kick out of it. The "finders" of the shoes get a giftie baggie full of fun stuff collected by my team from local merchants, etc. So I've been busy in my free time doing some marketing and soliciting sponsors for the program. I'm having a blast!

Yesterday, I contacted Barefoot Books here in Cambridge. Barefoot is a publisher of children's books and they just happen to have their flagship retail space down the street from yours truly. Since many of our golden shoe "finders" are kids, I thought Barefoot would be a good match for a sponsor. They kindly agreed to participate! What impressed me the most is that they have a whole selection of kids books with an eco-friendly message. How cool is that? If you have kids in your life (or if you just like kids books!) I hope you'll check them out because they rock! And with Earth Day today, how timely.

The Degus (aka the "Goos") we adopted almost a month ago are doing really well! Degu Manor is still not complete but it's livable. We have noticed a big difference in the Goos' climbing and jumping skills. We think this is because they were probably in much smaller cages in the past that didn't allow them to jump and play as much as they need. I gave them some sunflower seeds for the first time last night and wow, squabble fest! My mom got a chuckle out of this having raised three girls who are close in age. Everything must be equal..no one child must get more than the other. Well, the Goos are the same. Squabbles break out if I give a peanut to one..the other two will chase him to get the peanut (cause it's only fair, right?!) even though I have peanuts for all. So I figured out that I must put all three nuts in my outstretched hand and they will each pick one (and only one) for themselves. My mom is secretly giggling to herself after what my sisters and I put her through for years I am sure! Although my Goos have a gigantic amount of space to play in Degu Manor, we like to let them out. Since they are little gnawers, I cannot let them run free because their fav thing to gnaw are electric cords. Ack! So when I saw these balls in the local pet store I thought, let's try it. I'm still shocked how much the Goos love these balls. They practically jump over themselves trying to get into a ball when I offer them up. Check this out:

The weather is getting warm! Time for smoothies, right?! Here's my favorito favorite! Choco-Raspberry...Take 1 cup chocolate "milk" (I use Almond Breeze), 1 cup frozen organic raspberries, 1 tbsp. cocoa powder and whirl in your blender until smooth. Add liquid sweetener such as agave or maple syrup to taste if you want (I rarely do because the "milk" is sweet enough for me).

Pre-blender button push..

The result is a thick and frosty smoothie in a gorgeous pinkie color. I have these all warm weather long as my favorite healthy treat!

This past Sunday, I visited Greenward, my local eco-friendly store for some finishing details for my PIF'ers (yes, it's comin' soon!). They were having a birthday/Earth Day Celebration and each customer received an adorable decorated brown bag with a variety of gifties. Check out my loot generously donated by The Sampler. If you haven't heard of the Sampler, please check it out! It's a super cool way for indie crafters like, well, all of us, to get the word around about our wares. Now I do not sell my stuff 'cause a.) I don't have the time b.) I am really lazy and would rather dream of making vegan pancakes on a weekend BUT I love to support peeps who do. You can subscribe to the Sampler and get a gifty bag each month full of crafty fun. Love it!

Cute paper flowers decorating the bag...


Just call me Strawberry Shortcake, I won't mind berry much at all..strawberry hair clips from Cherry Red Studios. They are having a sale..check 'em out. Now I finally have hair clips to match my strawberry handbag..he he he!


A cute pendant made from a bottle cap by Emily Kirscher, recycling artist..I've worn this several times since Sunday. I love it...


For keeping your tissues cute in your bag! From the Blankie Keeper..cute stuff especially if you have kids..or just act like one. Guilty!

Magneto kittie by Dismissie..for my new metal bulletin board at work. Great stuff on their site and their Etsy store...


A pencil from beaconbookmarks.com..let's forgive them because obviously they haven't read OUR blogs right?? Not to mention most bloggers I know are darn fierce readers too..check out their site..darn cutie wooden bookmarks!

Cards! Vegan perfect, huh?


Handmade soap from Naikid..was excited to see it 's vegan!

So I've got a ton more things to share but don't want to make this blog post any longer and bore you to death! In the coming week I will finally post about the following things I've been promising for oh so long:

• My animal rights study group (which is wrapping up early May). I'll get into the details of New Welfarism vs. Abolitionism
• Making your own vegan lip balm
• Making your own vegan laundry detergent
• An amazing vegan lemon bread recipe
• Tofu, tofu, tofu!
  

Finally, I'll leave you all with a new product announcement that I cannot wait to try but it hasn't shown up in my Whole Foods yet:

I haven't tried a Turtle Mountain Foods brand that I don't like..I especially LOVE their So Delicious line of coconut products. Check 'em out online and enter to win a cooler full of coconut milk! Contest ends May 15th, 2009.

Later friends!! Hope you all can get out and enjoy some warmer weather wherever you are!

April Showers Bring Lots of Photos

It's April? Easter is this coming week? Oh dear god. How did that happen??!! My nose has been to the grindstone at work lately but my camera tells me that I actually have been doing some fun stuff too. Wanna see? Well, the first is a cute little vegan tea cafe I stumbled upon one rainy day when walking outside of Harvard Square. The Karma Tea Cafe is connected to the Karma Yoga Studio. You can volunteer to work at the cafe in exchange for free classes at the yoga studio. How cool is that?! Love it!


Only tea here. I had a "honey" rooibos which didn't actually have any honey in it. Just tasted a little like honey. They had a variety of locally baked vegan goods. I had a pumpkin chocolate-chip muffin. Yum...


The lovely zen-like decor is very tranquil. I can see sitting here to write my squirrel book, hopefully this summer!


This past weekend my girl, Sarah and her hubster, Tom, came down for a visit. They wanted to see the Shepard Fairey exhibit (the Obama "Hope" poster artist) at the new Boston Institute for Contemporary Art. And since I rarely get my lazy self actually into Boston, let alone a museum, it was a good excuse to check it out! Here we are posing at the Water Cafe at the museum. The menu was created by Wolfgang Puck (a vegan chef he is not sadly) but was easily veganized by request. Do you think we look like sisters? Lots of peeps tell us that!

The entrance to the exhibit...sorry..not pictures allowed in the exhibit. But it was amazing..

Sarah looking down at the harbor..this room had stairs going down towards the water. This picture doesn't give you a true impression..you literally feel as if you are going to tumble into the water...


I was part of the effort to fete Shellyfish's mom on her 60th birthday! My gift to Mamafish is a homemade vegan lemon bread and two of my handmade lip balms. I hope Mamafish likes them! The card, which is hard to see here, is a pattern I created in Adobe Illustrator for some squirrel pillows I'm working on.


Don't they look so pro? He he he..wait til my next post where I spill the beans on how easy it is to make and package your own vegan lip balm.


A quick dinner we threw together tonight. Two cups water, boiled with a bouillon cube, some saffron threads. Add two cups couscous, let it sit for 5 minutes. Add in peas, carrots and chickpeas. Yum..we gobbled this up. It's kind of plain Jane but such comfort food.


And last but not least..the Degus. Or the "Goos" as we're calling them. Officially it's been a week since we adopted them. I can see why degus, although very sweet animals, do not make good pets. They need A LOT of space. They love to run around, climb, and chase each other. I did read up on the little guys before we got them. Some web sites talked about an ideal amount of space. We had no idea just how much space. We bought a cage but the little guys were fighting like mad the second day home. Um..so bad that one brother ripped off the other's fingernail. I felt so horrible..and somewhat irresponsible. True that there is not a lot of info out there on degus but I should have planned better. So off to Lowe's we went on a Thursday night. A three level Degu Manor is in the works. Here are the Goos watching the construction.


H has been hard at work building Degu Manor. The Goos moved into the first level on Friday night. H has been working feverishly to get the rest done. Complete with a PVC tunnel system (they love it!), chain ladders, a rock garden and more. Degus never had it so good!


The Goos are adorable little guys, very affectionate, very mild-mannered but full of energy. They have taken to grooming us lately..ruffling our hair when they sit on our shoulders.


Since Degus love tree bark and blossoms, we felt these knobs were appropriate for Degu Manor.


Some of the PVC tunnels. Degu Manor is right smack in the middle of our open kitchen/living room area so the Goos are right in the middle of all the action, just the way they like it.


I'm really glad that these little muffins have found a home with us but it reinforces some growing ideas that I have about certain kinds of pets, especially exotic pets. I don't regard these guys as our pets even though others might..I see us as their caretakers instead. Unless I want to smuggle them back to Chile, where they are originally from, they are dependent upon us humans to care for them. We owe them that much especially since their great-great-great something grandparents were originally imported to the US for animal testing against their will (ack! I cannot imagine anyone testing on these sweet little animals). I do not recommend degus as pets at all..they need so much space and care that unless you're willing to drop ~$600 on supplies for a home and supplies at the get-go they may not be happy. That is a bit of money to spend on a small rodent pet vs. say, a gerbil or hamster. They'll pay you back in love though..mine already have!

Degu Vu

Things are busy here in the gemusings household (okay, apartment!) because we have some new furry guests. On Friday, I read about an animal shelter closing in western Massachusetts. Four dogs, three cats, and three degus still needed homes. Degu-what? So I looked 'em up. Small social rodents who look a bit like squirrels. Well, needless to say we were smitten. After tracking them down, they were transferred to the local Boston shelter. We stopped by yesterday to adopt them. We went into the adoption room and well, the hamsters, gerbils, etc. were all minding their own business. The degus? Well, these three brothers were hopping over themselves to see us. Love at first sight! Meet Keebler, Scout and Troll. We didn't name them..their names were already given when we got them. They are just four months old and full of energy. Shhhh! Don't tell the squirrels...

Road Trippin' To Toronto

I've been away, playing in veggie paradise up north! Have you been to Toronto? If not, please, please, please, hop in your car, on your bike, lace up your skates or book that plane tix, 'cause this is one veggie friendly city not to miss! I don't mean to be down on my own dear Boston but frankly, our veggie restaurant scene is no NYC or even close to Toronto so I always jump for joy when we're heading north. So the plan was drive from Boston (specifically Cambridge) to Buffalo, NY to pick up my sister who was flying east from San Diego to attend a massage therapy workshop (that's her line of work) in Toronto. We'd then continue together up to Toronto. So crack of dawn last Wednesday, we prepared to leave. And then, finally, at 7:45am we actually got on the road despite our good intentions! Now to go west, most people take I-90 which goes from Boston all the way to Buffalo. Way convenient, huh? Yup..except for the quirky traveler aka me and H. When we hit the exit for Rte. 128 which is just a few miles to 1-90, we saw nothing but cars at a standstill. Well, there is nothing we hate more than traffic jams! Okay, well, maybe a few things more but to continue: we decided to take the road least traveled. And that has made all the difference right?

Sorta. It also means that you get stuck behind logging trucks followed by tow trucks. And you get to drive through the mountains and famous hairpin turns. But hey, a heck of a lot more interesting than a flat toll road!


Around 11am, we stopped in the town of North Adams, MA which is very close to the NY/MA border. It was rainy but nothing was keeping up from our second breakfast!


We found a cute local coffee shop for our second breakfast, Cup and Saucer. That's camera-shy H .
I had a toasted bagel with peanut butter..not memorable except for the fact that it was diamond shaped!


Back on the road, we did several hours driving to Syracuse, NY where we stopped at the Strong Hearts Cafe for lunch. I realized the name was necessary because any vegan entering this establishment will feel a quickening of the heart when they enter! Amazing food..we were in heaven.

We didn't have much time so I randomly selected a few things from the menu that maybe normally I wouldn't eat together but since I rarely go to Syracuse (okay, this was actually my very first visit!), I needed to make the most of it. Mouth prepare for ecstasy! We started with the chipotle potato salad..yum...

I got a strawberry "milk" shake made with Temptation vegan ice cream..delicious...

We got a takeout mint chocolate cupcake for my sister..she kindly shared half with me later. Seriously, the best vegan cupcake, wait make that cupcake vegan or not, I've ever had! Good thing I don't live nearby or there would be "more" of me to love I told H.

I got a tofu rice bowl with a tangy sesame oil flavored dressing on greens. Loved it.

H ordered a chickpea salad sandwich. He loved it which is saying a lot. He's not vegetarian although he's pretty close (still hoping someday, Mihl!) and willing to try most things. His latte was made with soy and he thought it was decent. Unfortunately, he thinks the cow's milk he uses still tastes better but it got him thinking about alternatives.


We stayed at a b&b in "Cabbagetown" pretty much in downtown Toronto. Look at the fattie kittie. She was a sweetie!


The b&b has four rooms. Some b&bs we've stayed at in the past have individual tables for breakfast but this one has one long table that seats 10. Which means that guests and hosts sit together and share a leisurely breakfast. Everyone was wonderful and we enjoyed hanging out with Lorrie and Robert from Ottawa and Daryl and his partner from the UK each morning. I realized afterwards, I should have taken a picture of the yummy food our hosts, Nick and Ted prepared for us. But it's enough to say that when I asked about vegan food, they were more than willing. Breakfast was grainy porridges or banana-blueberry vegan pancakes. And lots of tea and conversation. It was my favorite part of the day!


Our first full day in Toronto, H and I wanted to hit the Thai Princess , a local Thai restaurant. My sister was happy to join us. This restaurant is unlike any Thai place in Boston (and we have A LOT of them as I'm sure you do too!). The vegan options are so tasty and yummy that H and I at different points in the year will stop and think about that mango dish from Toronto from past trips. We loved it so much. Seriously. Yes, we are a bit strange like that! Below is my hot and sour soup. Note the fresh peas and cilantro? I've never had hot and sour soup so full of veggies and yumminess. Even a spice whimp like me would gladly endure the spiciness to eat this!

Sister N had the vegan Tom Yum soup. She traveled to Thailand two years ago and actually took a cooking class there so she's on more intimate terms with Thai food than I am and she felt the food at the Thai Princess wasn't quite as spicy as you'd get in Thailand. But for a western city, it was excellent.

The previously mentioned mango tofu dish. I will attempt to recreate this soon. I cannot find anything like it here in Boston for whatever reason. Dreamy...


H's peanut tofu with veggies


N's basil tofu with veggies..this was my second favorite.


Have you heard about the annual seal hunt in Canada? On Saturday, at breakfast, our host Ted told me that he was attending a seal hunt protest at Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto. I didn't know that much about seal hunting in Canada or elsewhere but the little that I was informed, I knew it was very cruel. So downtown we went. People from all walks of life where there. I liked this woman especially:

Here's what I learned: Why are the baby seals killed? For their fur. Who is wearing the fur? For the most part it is imported overseas particularly to Japan. Japan has a big demand for the white baby seal pup fur for whatever reason but it is now dwindling. Animal rights activists are making a difference in spreading the word!

Interestingly enough, the eastern provinces who claim that the seal hunt is a part of their economic vitality originally were the poorest in Canada. They used that excuse to claim that the seal hunt was a must for their economy. They have in recent years begun producing oil and now are fast tracked to becoming the richest provinces in Canada. I'm not a big fan of oil money but if it allows these provinces to focus on more profitable and less cruel endeavors, I'm for it.

The Canadian government subsidizes the hunt for up to $7 million Canadian dollars yet it is a profit losing enterprise. Each "hunter" makes less than $1,000 off of the hunt and most of that money comes from the government subsidization.


I was surprised to hear that the US has had a seal hunt ban in place since 1973! I mean, we're usually like Canada's mean older brother so it was surprising to hear that for most of my lifetime this ridiculous practice has been banned. I was thrilled to hear Ted, my b&b host, discussing the protest with some of the other guests, one who unfortunately was for the hunt. Ted told me that the Canadian news coverage of the hunt has been minimal. Some Canadians believe the hunt no longer takes place whereas others believe that it is necessary for economic reasons for the eastern provinces. There has been somewhat of a media blackout on coverage but the international community is now putting pressure on Canada to stop the hunt. This is Ted posing with his new hat.


This was my very first animal rights rally ever believe it or not. I have a mixed reaction to these events. I think it is very important to show up and be counted. They need the numbers but emotionally, it is very difficult for me to hear about animal cruelty. There is a certain amount of shock element that is needed to get people to pay attention but for someone who loves animals as much as I do, it was very upsetting. I had tears in my eyes as I listened to what they do to these animals. I won't repeat it here..I'm sure my fellow vegan bloggers are as sensitive to animal cruelty as I am. We don't need to be shocked by the details but if you are interested you can find out how to help, please sign this petition. The Canadian government is considering for the very first time a bill that will end the hunt! Please let Canada know that you support this bill! This is me with my new friend, Sealy..


Speaking of animal friends, of course, the real attraction that Toronto holds for us is squirrels! Here's a black one. They are actually dark brown, not black. They are eastern greys just like my dear little Squirrelly but they have what is called a "black phase"..which is scientisty type talk for a black color variation gene not some moody or punk phase that a disillusioned young squirrel may experience! The second would be more interesting, don't you think?


While N was at her massage therapy training workshops on Saturday and Sunday, H and I wandered the city. I admit that we had good plans, museums, cultural stuff but none of that happened. We slept late, spent the morning chatting with our b&b hosts and fellow guests, got a late, late start, indulged in leisurely lunches, walked a whole lot, went into bookstores, got hot drinks at cute little cafes, and then shopped A LOT. Tee hee! I don't think I've felt that relaxed in a long time. One such lunch place we tried was Richtree Market Restaurant. Are you familar with these? Ten years ago I became aware of Mövenpick restaurants while traveling in Europe. They appeared at many rest stops along the highways in France, Switzerland and Germany. Mainly cafeteria style (although I saw some that weren't) they always seemed to offer much better quality food than our typical rest stop fast food here in the US. So in the late 90s when I heard "Marché" was opening in downtown Boston and that it was from the same chain as Mövenpick, I was excited. Unfortunately, it didn't last in Boston (not sure why..maybe just a poor location as downtown Boston is saturated with tons of good eating) but while in Canada I noticed Richtree with the same logo design, colors, etc. We had to go!


When we entered, they handed us each a plastic credit card of a sorts. We would get a tray, walk around the different stations and hand the card to the servers and they would add the price of the food onto our card. Tons of yummy bean salad type things...sorry for the lack of clarity in the pix..it was hard to get a shot without someone arm or legs getting in the way.


Stations like these set up all over. I remember the following stations: pasta, salad, wine/beer, sandwich, pizza, pasta, waffles, dessert, coffee bar, asian and there are probably many more I am forgetting!


Our conclusion: a bit pricey but tons of fun and the food was really good. We'd do it again. I got a Rösti dish..a swiss potato dish and a sampling from the salad bar. Finished up wit a soy mocha latte! But I think the best part was the presentation of the food..it was nice to actually see the food before you ordered it and the indoor seating felt like a nice escape from the chilly Canadian weather.

Later that night, we were hoping to try Fressen, the local higher end vegan restaurant. After locating the address on Happycow.net, we walked down to the address. Hum, not there. Using my trusty Blackberry, I looked up the address. Ack! Happy Cow put Queen Street East but Fressen is located on Queen Street West. Let's just say an hour and a half later we arrived at the restaurant. The menu looked promising. We were hungry. There were empty tables. Sounds good right? Hum, no. It took a moment for the wait staff to acknowledge us. That's okay, we were understanding. When finally someone greeted us, the first question, "do you have a reservation?" Well, no, we hadn't thought of that. Confusion sets in. Why so many empty tables? They told us that they were filled for the evening. Again, my head had trouble reconciling the fact that there were several empty tables. "You can wait around and if one of the reservations doesn't show up in 20 minutes, you can have the table." At this point we decided to go elsewhere. It felt too exclusive, too unfriendly. Fressen, I hope you are doing a great business, I truly do. I love to support vegan businesses but one of my cardinal beliefs is that vegan food should never be presumptious or inaccessible. It was a very bad introduction for H to a high end vegan restaurant. This made me sad. However, not to despair, we found a much better option. We dragged our weary selves to Live, a local vegan partially raw restaurant. It was casual and super friendly. Our waitress was a sweetie and we immediately felt at home.


We loved their veggie themed decor!


We started with the avocado tempura..very good..a little unusual but very tasty.

My sister's kale salad..delicious..

Sis' raw tacos with cashew sour cream

H's raw veggie burger

My "roast" tempura with potatoes and veggies...

The vegan raw dessert case..are we in heaven?

The raw avocado chocolate pie..it was smooth, chocolately and so so good! I'm still thinking about it. We found out that Live has its own cookbook but an e-version only. It's a little pricey for an e-book but if the recipes in the cafe are indicative of how good the book is, I will buy it soon!

We're back at home in Boston now with a full belly and great memories. We can't wait to go back north sometime soon again. That's it for now..I'm off to catching up on my animal rights study group reading. As we say in Boston, I'm wicked behind!