South of the border!

Another delicious one from Silkology!

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

2 cups Silk soy, almond or coconut milk, any flavor except Unsweetened
3 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash of cayenne (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles for garnish

Directions

In a small saucepan bring Silk to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in chocolate and continue to cook
until chocolate is melted and fully incorporated.

Remove from heat and whisk in cinnamon, vanilla and cayenne.

Pour into two warm mugs. Top with chocolate sprinkles.

Liquor it up!

2 cups Silk soy, almond or coconut milk, any flavor except Unsweetened
3 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 oz coffee liqueur* such as Kahlúa
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
Dash of cayenne (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles for garnish

*You can also make your own

Directions

In a small saucepan bring Silk to a simmer over medium heat.

Whisk in chocolate and continue to cook until chocolate is melted and fully incorporated.

Remove from heat and whisk in coffee liqueur, cinnamon, vanilla and cayenne. Pour into two warm mugs.

Top with chocolate sprinkles.

Gingerbell!!!

Gingerbell Latte

Ingredients

1 cup Silk Vanilla soy, almond or coconut milk
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 shot espresso (or 2 Tbsp strong black coffee)
Cinnamon sugar and candied ginger for garnish

Directions

Place all ingredients except garnish in a saucepan and heat just until warm. Strain into a mug rimmed
with cinnamon sugar. Garnish with candied ginger.

Liquor it up!!

Ingredients

1 cup Silk Vanilla soy, almond or coconut milk
1 1/2 oz ginger liqueur*
1/2 shot espresso (or 2 Tbsp strong black coffee)
1/2 oz agave
Cinnamon sugar for garnish

Directions

Place all ingredients except garnish in a saucepan and heat just until warm. Pour into a mug rimmed with
cinnamon sugar.

*Here is a Sara the Vegan Mom recipe for Ginger Liqueur 

Ginger Liqueur

Ingredients

1 cup agave

1 cup water

3 tablespoons chopped ginger-root

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 ½ cups Scotch whiskey

Coffee filters for straining or a cloth strainer.

Directions

Bring agave and water to boil for 3-5 minutes.

Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Add ginger root and lemon zest. Boil for an additional 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand until just warm.

Using the coffee filter or cloth strainer, strain liquid mixture into a medium bowl squeezing out any remaining liquid with your hands.

Transfer liquid to a clean 1-quart container. Add Whiskey, store in a cool, dark place for 1 month.

After storing for one month take the liquid and pour the liquid through a coffee filter and into final serving container.

Age for another 2 weeks before serving.

Freshly Minted!

More from Silkology. Drinks both adults and children can enjoys!


Freshly Minted

Ingredients

3 oz Silk Mint Chocolate
2 blackberries, muddled (or mashed with the back of a spoon)
1/2 tsp freshly grated orange rind
2 tsp honey (to make it Vegan I use agave)
Peppermint stick, for garnish

Directions


Place all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice and shake well. Strain into a
glass. Garnish with a peppermint stick.

Adult Version


Ingredients

2 oz Silk Mint Chocolate
1 oz amber rum (I use white rum)
3/4 oz orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier
2 blackberries, muddled (or mashed with the back of a spoon)
2 tsp honey (again, I use agave to make it Vegan)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Peppermint stick for garnish

Directions

Place all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice and shake well. Strain into a
glass. Garnish with a peppermint stick.

'Tis the Season

This holiday has been... well... a lazy one for me and mine. I haven't blogged since the 20th and I am feeling bad about that.

I am conflicted, because I have nothing to say about this Holiday and at the same time so much to say. I respect the original thought of Christmas and what it represent for so many people. How could I not? Growing up in a Christian home? As a human being? As a Buddha?

As a child I looked forward to Christmas... not for the gifts (well maybe that was apart of it), but for all the "good tidings", all the family time, all the caroling, the various retelling of the story of the "immaculate" child. It was just the way it was. Today, it is so much more... and so much less.

Ok... let me not ramble on... I could go on forever. Let me just get back to my original thought... in the spirit it was meant:


 Happy Holidays!!

Another great recipe for us Vegan!

Spiced Snowflake (A Silkology Special)

Ingredients

3 oz. Silk Vanilla sky, almond or coconut milk

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of cardamom

Pinch of allspice

Dash Angostura bitters*

Cinnamon sugar for rimming glass

*Adds a trivial amount of alcohol

Directions

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled

Cocktail glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar.

Enjoy!!

Letting off some steam

So a friend invite me out to lunch today, and we went to an Indian restaurant that claims to offer Vegan options. I ordered the Indian rice with vegetables, but as the waitress was leaving I ask if I could have the ghee (ghee is made from butter... that's dairy, and used instead of oil) free meal. She said okay and walked away.
We sat and chatted for a bit, and then the waitress returned with my order. I asked her again, if this was the Vegan option and she said: "Yes! It is the Vegetarian meal." What? Vegetarian... Vegan and vegetarian are two completely different things. So I said, "No, not vegetarian, vegan. This one," I said pointing to the menu and the dish labeled "Vegan". She said she would double check with the chef and get back to me. I thanked her and waited.

She came back and told me the dish was mislabeled and it was vegetarian, not vegan and would I want to order something else. I asked her what vegan dish would she recommend and she was stomped. We thank her profusely and took our leave.

I thought we were getting better...

Sorrel!

Sorrel has been a part of my Christmas holiday as long as I can remember, however it is available all year now.

Jamaican sorrel, also called Roselle, a member of the hibiscus family, is an East Indian variety and is now accepted as an important nutraceutical in diet and nutrition.

Sorrel leaves resemble spinach in shape and range in color from pale to dark green. Grown for centuries in Asia, Europe and North America, sorrel leaves are frequently used in French cooking, for example, to add a refreshing touch to any sandwich. Young sorrel leaves are excellent when lightly cooked and has a taste similar to cooked spinach. Older leaves can be used for soups and stews because they add tang and flavor to the dishes.

Sorrel is more flavorful when served fresh. To select sorrel, choose stems with bright-green, crisp and arrow-shaped leaves. Sorrel with woody stems should not be purchased. Sorrel buds should be deep red in color and not be wilted. Fresh sorrel should be refrigerated in a plastic bag for no more than three days. Dried sorrel can be stored in a container in a cool, dark place for no more than six months.

Sorrel is rich in protein carbohydrate, trace amount of fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, niacin, and riboflavin. It is also rich in flavonoids; powerful antioxidants which help the body get rid of free radicals against certain types of cancers.

 Sorrel promotes proper kidney function and is considered a diuretic. It may also stimulate the production of bile by the liver.

CAUTION!

Sorrel is high in oxalic acid, so it may not be good for everyone. Oxalic acid may aggravate rheumatism, gout and kidney stones, so one has to take small doses. As sorrel ages, it tends to build up more acid because of the presence of oxalic acid, which actually gets stronger and tastes more prominent. Sorrel is a natural laxative, so overconsumption could result in problems for the drinkers.

When making sorrel drink, do not use aluminum pots to steep sorrel as it 'draws' the aluminum. You may recall a change in the color of the aluminum pot after straining the sorrel.

Sorrel Drink

Ingredients

6 cups water

3 cups sorrel, pedals

1 ounce gingerroot (peeled and crushed)

1 cup light brown sugar

Directions

Bring water to a boil.

Place sorrel and ginger into boiling water.

Boil for 5 minutes then turn the heat off.

Cover and allow to steep for 12 to 24 hours.

Strain and sweeten to taste.

Add Wray and Nephew white rum or Jamaican Red Wine if desired.

Serve cold

Vegan Chicken nuggets

Adrian and Little Aiden both have a fondness for these healthy snacks: Vegan Chicken Nuggets.

Vegan Chicken Nuggets (Sara the Vegan Mom original)

Ingredients

2 carrots
I small zucchini
I small bunch baby spinach
2 or 3 white mushrooms
2 pieces TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
Bread crumbs ( I sometimes like to use panko)
1 tsp coconut oil (or chili oil for a little kick)

Directions

Combine all the ingredients, except the bread crumbs in a blender or food processor until evenly blended.

Scrape blended ingredients out in a bowl

Place some bread crumbs into your hand then add combined ingredients.

Form into a shape ( get creative)

Preheat oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Place shaped nuggets into ungreased baking dish.

Bake for approximately 18 minutes.

Remove from oven a let stand until warm.

Serve and enjoy!

If you are a bit more adventurous... add some spicy BBQ sauce or some hot wing sauce!

An easy Eggnog substitute

For those of us who do not drink eggnog for whatever reason, here is a sweet and vegan substitute from Silk's Silkology.

Enjoy!


Orange Snowball

Ingredients

3 oz Silk Original soy, almond or coconut milk (we prefer cococnut milk)
1 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp agave
2 dashes Angostura bitters* (I would say optional, the kiddies do not like the bitters)
Candied orange peel for garnish
*Adds a trivial amount of alcohol ( gin, vodka, Scotch whiskey, brandy and white rum are all suitable vegan compatible)
Ice

Directions

Place all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice and shake well. Strain into a
chilled cocktail glass and garnish with candied orange peel.

Add Spirits (Holiday cheers... and alcohol... lol)

2 oz Silk Original soy, almond or coconut milk

1 oz orange juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 tsp agave

Candied orange peel for garnish

Place all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice and shake well. Strain into a
chilled cocktail glass and garnish with candied orange peel.

Fresh fruits and Vegetables!

I am giving a shout out to Corbin Hill Farm! I don't work for them, but I DO get my fresh fruits and veggies from them. Winter veggies are so expensive, so it is always a relief to be able to get fresh fruits and veggies at a reasonable cost. Here is the link if you are so inclined: Corbin Hill Farm. You can also find them on Facebook.

Little Aiden's first ear infection

For the first time since Little Aiden's chose me to be his mommy, he has the dreaded ear infection. He has been feverish and a bit off balance for a couple days so I decided to take him to see his GP just to ensure that he wasn't as bad as I was imagining it to be... it wasn't! An ear infection! His little body was fighting hard to mend his little boo boo, but he needed a little help.

In rides Miss Pinky - Amoxicillin... she will be visiting for the next ten days. Wish us luck!

Little Aiden finds this book so funny...

Here a little book I found in hopes of discouraging Little Aiden from lotioning, painting or coloring everything around him. Instead, I think he relishes this little boy's adventures in misadventures... I should have known better.

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont.

Scrambled eggs for breakfast...

Little Aiden has just discovered that people eat eggs... thank you Grandpa! So I decided I would make him some.. with a sweet Vegan twist.

Vegan Scrambled Eggs (A Sara the Vegan Mom original)

Ingredients

16 ounces white firm tofu

1 small onion

½ of sweet bell pepper (Color is key so go crazy, I used a couple colors here)

A small bunch of baby spinach

¼ cup olive oil or ¼ cup Vegan margarine/butter

4 ounces yellow soy cheese

1 tsp. turmeric for yellow coloring

Salt and pepper

Directions

Mash or break the tofu by hand into small pieces; drain.

Heat oil or margarine in a skillet and sauté onion, peppers and baby spinach for approximately 1 minute.

Transfer sautéed veggies to a bowl and set aside.

Add and cook the tofu for 2 minutes.

Drain water from tofu and place tofu back into the skillet.

Pour sautéed veggies in with tofu and stir.

Add the cheese and turmeric. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.