It feels like every year vegan cheese just gets better and better, with more innovation, more creativity, and more variety. But despite the epic advancements made in meltiness, stretchiness, and salty savory deliciousness, there’s still one thing that’s been sorely missing from the vegan cheese scene.

Because aside from high-priced or homemade cultured nut cheeses, we’ve pretty much had to live without a cheese that could be eaten cold, straight from the package. Like, a fruit or crackers cheese. Like . . . something sharp and creamy to eat with baguette. Or a tangy provolone to pair with crisp, sweet apples. Simple. Easy.

You know what I’m talking about. That delightful experience of slicing cheese straight from the block, bit by bit . . . best when done with friends. And wine. I mean, amiright??

And that’s what’s been missing from our vegan cheese scene! Well, until now.




(There is some wind noise going on here, and I apologize for that. I’m still getting the hang of this whole video thing, and there’s a learning curve. I hope you enjoy it despite the background wind!)

Quick video recap –> THIS STUFF IS FANTASTIC!


There are four flavors in the new line: American, Provolone, Mozzarella, and Garden Herb. And honestly? *Creamy* was the word of the day when we tasted these cheeses. Like, we all just couldn’t believe how amazingly fantastic the texture was! I’ve never tasted a vegan cheese that was so delicious and delightful to eat without heating.

But also, in case you’re wondering how it melts . . .




KAPOW!

Vegan 4-cheese lasagna. Waits ate 2 giant platefuls of this. Big hit, haha. Big hit.

So the new line of Follow Your Heart vegan cheeses should be hitting the shelves of Whole Foods and health food stores nation-wide, like now. Keep an eye out for this stuff!

OH AND ALSO! The awesome folks at Follow Your Heart are giving away THE ENTIRE LINE OF CHEESES to one lucky Bonzai reader! All you have to do to enter is answer this question in the comments below:

What are you dying to make with this new vegan cheese???

And as always, your friendly reminder – I think “like-gating” / “fan-gating” is weird and insincere, and I’ll never make you guys do it.

That being said, the truth is that social media stats are pretty important these days, in blogging as well as in business. So no, I’m not going to require you to “like” me all over the Internet just to enter this giveaway. BUT, if you do like my blog and enjoy the work I do here, then liking my Facebook page, or following me on Instagram or on Twitter, or subscribing to my Youtube channel, is a great, easy way to help me out. Those numbers really do count for something.

But no coercion. ALL you have to do to enter to win this WHOLE line of vegan cheese, is just leave a comment here, on this post, answering that question above. That’s it!

This giveaway will end on Saturday 25 April at midnight PST. I’ll contact the winner the next day.

Good luck guys!

♥ ♥ ♥




Congratulations to Linda Fritz-Murphy, who said:

“First, cubed with crackers and vegan red wine, on the patio, with a friend. Then, creative quesadilla time – mushrooms, greens, cranberries and provolone on a whole wheat tortilla shell…thanks for this opportunity!”

Yay, look for an email from me!

So anyway, I quickly became an Ethiopian lover, and I spent many a birthday or date night huddled around the table at Bete Lukas, happily soaking up miser wot, shiro, gomen, and tibs with springy strips of injera.

*sigh* I miss that.

Santa Barbara has no Ethiopian restaurants, and I’ve spent the past few years in a serious berbere deficit. Until now!

Because now I am completely equipped to make all my favorite sauces and stews – as well as oil and spice blends – thanks to my friend Kittee‘s new Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love.

YOU GUYS THIS BOOK. This book is amazing. And really, Ethiopian cooking is amazing! I’ve been a bit immersed in it for the past few weeks, and I just keep thinking “The French ain’t got nothing on this!” Okay, perhaps an exaggeration, but truly. Everyone considers French cuisine to be the height of flavor and technique, but man . . . the intricacy that goes into an Ethiopian meal!

Complex doesn’t even begin to describe it. (Complex, yes, but not difficult. It’s a lot of steps but very straightforward, so don’t be intimidated. Plus, it’s WELL worth the work.)

I began my adventure by getting a batch of injera started. Injera is the traditional bread that’s served with Ethiopian food, and it’s sort of like a sourdough crepe made from a very nutritious and high-protein grain, called teff. You all know how much I love my ferments, so setting up a sourdough teff starter was pretty exciting for me. I even made a video on the last day of the process, because I was so proud of my bubbly little beasties!





Once the injera-making went off without a hook (see my excited Instagram that night) I knew this cookbook was a keeper. So from there it was on to ye’wot qimem, an incredibly aromatic spice blend that’s used in a number of dishes.

All in all, I’ve made four separate dishes out of Teff Love, not including the injera and the ye’wot qimem.

First up was ye’nech bakela alicha – creamy garlicky white beans in an onion-turmeric sauce (top left in the first photo up there^^). This dish was amazing, smooth and garlicky. It got better each time I ate it, as the flavors continues to merge and steep.

Next up was an old favorite, ye’misser wot – red lentils in a spicy sauce (top right in the first photo). Loads of berbere and perfectly soppy, it balanced so nicely against the crisp fresh salad.

Then came ye’atakilt alicha – stewed cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a mild sauce (bottom right in the first photo). This was Jeremy’s favorite dish, and probably mine as well. Everything was so perfectly balanced, light yet comforting. Also, really easy to make!

And finally, on a totally last minute whim I threw together some ye’atakilt wot – potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower in a spicy sauce (bottom left in the first photo). I needed an excuse to use more of that delicious ye’wot qimem!

By the end there, I was an old pro at dry salt-sweating the onion, adding the oil and spices, and layering the flavors. These techniques were all new to me but I picked them up pretty quickly, and man, I learned so much! This book is just packed full of tips and tricks, troubleshooting and all sorts of amazing advice. Truly, Kittee went above and beyond.

What is your favorite Ethiopian dish, OR, if you’ve never had Ethiopian food, what are you most excited to try?

Remember – I think “like-gating” / “fan-gating” is weird and insincere, and I’ll never make you guys do it.

That being said, the truth is that social media stats are pretty important these days, in blogging as well as in business. So no, I’m not going to require you to “like” me all over the Internet just to enter this giveaway. BUT, if you do like my blog and enjoy the work I do here – and this goes for any blog really – then liking my Facebook page, or following me on Instagram or on Twitter is a great, easy way to help me out. Those numbers really do count for something.

So no, I will never manipulate you into following me as a way to get more entries in this contest. But hey, maybe you appreciate that, and want to follow me just because? Yay! Thank you!

But no coercion. K? ALL you have to do to enter to win a copy of Teff Love, is just leave a comment here, on this post, answering that question above. That’s it!

This giveaway will end on Wednesday 15 April at midnight PST. I’ll contact the winner the next day.

Good luck guys!

♥ ♥ ♥

Congratulations to Gillian, who said:

“I love all (vegan) Ethiopian food, but my favorite is usually the yellow lentil dish, which google tells me is kik alicha!”

Yay, look for an email from me!

Here’s what we found in our snack box this March:





So what do you think of the question I asked at the end (see how I did that there? now you HAVE to watch it, ha!). Yes? Or no? Lemme know in the comments below!

And if you’re interested in learning more about Vegan Cuts, I can tell you that they have a lot to offer!

As you already know, we get the monthly Snack Box Delivery, which we just adore.

There’s also a monthly (or one-time too, if you just want to try it) Beauty Box delivery service for makeup and body products.

Or, if you’re interested in easing into a plant-based lifestyle, they have a “Healthy Vegan Starter Kit” to kick off your adventure!

Maybe you have an awesome new mama in your life? The “Family Starter Kit” is perfect for the wee baby vegans (and the ones who love them!)

And just last week, Vegan Cuts released their brand new “Vegan Vitamins Essential Box“, which is a perfect spring pick-me-up if you’re wanting to shake off that winter slump.

In other words, SO MUCH GOOD STUFF! And just so you know, those are all affiliate links up there (ie, if you click through and buy, I’ll get a commission – a great way to support the site!). But if that makes you feel uncomfortable just skip these links and make your way to Vegan Cuts here <-- NOT an affiliate link. My intention is never to deceive you, so I'll always tell you when links are affiliates. Groovy?

Alright guys, so let me know! Yes? No? I can handle the truth! I really just want to give you what you want, so let me have it.

Thanks y’all! Happy Monday!

♥ ♥ ♥

Two years in a row I secured a press pass, got everything all lined up, scheduled the time off . . . and then had to cancel my trip at the last minute. Two years in a row I missed my chance, but this year, I finally made it. EXPO!

For those of you unfamiliar, Expo West is the largest natural products convention in the world. It takes place annually at the Anaheim Convention Center, and sees over 70,000 people perusing the thousands of companies exhibiting their latest and greatest natural food, supplement, bath and body, and eco-lifestyle products.

But . . . mostly food.

And she’s right. And it got me thinking, as I drove myself and a trunk full of product samples, and also half of a 37 pound fresh jackfruit, 3 hours home to Santa Barbara.

What would my readers be interested in? Cutting edge food science innovation? (you guyssss the new cheeses are crazy, crazy I say! SO good. Daiya ready-made mac is what dreams are made of)

Or the most creative, most whole-foods-plant-based, absolute healthiest new foods? (like you guys, Miyoko’s Kitchen makes amazing artisan vegan cheeses using whole, natural ingredients and applying ancient, traditional cheesemaking techniques. And they’re SO good!)

And then I realized, that really, I – and my readers too I’m guessing – appreciate both. Because we believe in balance. Because we know that processed foods, though maybe not the healthiest, is also a wonderful treat that make veganism more accessible and more enjoyable. And we know that the healthiest foods are equally as important, to keep us nourished and strong and happy and vibrant. It’s all about balance, and embracing the entire spectrum of vegan options.

But then, I began to think about what’s really important to me. Like if I were to make my “Best Of Expo” list, what would be my most important criteria? Food science innovation? Ultimate health?

And I bet that’s important to you, too.

So this year I’m giving out three awards. #1 – for the Best Food Science Break-Through, #2 – for the Best New Healthy Option, and #3 – the Integrity Award.

Plus pics of all the other goodies, and oh-so-many shenanigans! Without further ado, I present: Highlights From The 2015 Natural Products Expo West

Daiya cheesecake drops in Whole Foods and health food stores across the nation, like ASAP. Like this week.

GO GET IT.

I was a little hesitant to pick these as my winner for “healthy option” because they contain sugar, but in the end I had to do it. These Hemp Heart Bites by Manitoba Harvest were simply my favorite, and I haven’t seen anything else like them out there. Just organic hulled hemp seeds with organic cane sugar, a bit of vanilla and a hint of sea salt.

THESE ARE SO TASTY. They’re kinda crunchy and kinda chewy. They remind me of a Bit-O-Honey or the inside of a Butterfinger, but of course they’re full of protein (10 grams per serving!) and healthy omega 3 fatty acids. These would be great for an after school kid snack . . .

. . . Too bad Jeremy and I ate them all before Waits could try them (they were too good!)

And finally, the winner of my “Integrity Award” goes to One Degree Organic Foods, for their organic, VEGANIC line of whole grain products: cereals, breads, flours, and seeds. Speaking with the folks at this booth was like a big bright breath of fresh air. These are good people, and they really care, and they’re really pushing the boundaries of sustainable food production.

Oh yeah, and they have chocolate rice crispies* so they WIN. (*by which I mean veganic sprouted brown rice crisps made with organic coconut sugar and organic cacao)

You can read more about this amazing company, and their amazing commitment to Integrity, here

And well, that about wraps it up for my 2015 Expo West report. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun, and I just can’t wait for next year!

And I’m sure you’ve seen all the bloggers recapping with all their highlights, so what about you guys – what products are YOU most excited about? Let me know in the comments below!

Oh and PS – Michelle from Vegan Break put together this adorable video => “Vegans Invade Expo”, and it’s funny to me how many times my blue hair pops up in the background. I definitely don’t blend in!

Also you can see Colleen Patrick-Goudreau creepin’ on my beer. Shenanigans!





Cheers!

So recently MattRuscigno, my ex-vegan-investigating partner in crime, asked me to review his new book, Superfoods For Life: Cacao. And I was like OH TWIST MY ARM FINE, BUT ONLY BECAUSE WE’RE FRIENDSIES and then I ran away and I ate ALL THE CHOCOLATE. For research!

But all joking aside, Matt is so the dude to write this book. The man is legit (registered dietitian with a master’s in public health), but more importantly, one of the things I love most about Matt (and why we work so well together) is that we have a similar approach to food and nutrition. Which is essentially to keep a very open mind, but with the bottom line being: “Okay, but what does the science say?”

And I really appreciate that, in a book like this. Because as it turns out, holy moly, a LOT of research has been done on cacao! Which means there’s this totally comprehensive body of evidence to pull from, and say yeah, actually, cacao is kind of badass!

75 recipes to be exact, all custom created by Joshua Ploeg, the punk rock vegan chef. And man, does this guy understand something special about flavor pairing. Again and again I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the recipes in this book. For example that simple smoothie up there – it’s blueberry and cacao, which isn’t really anything new. But then with added cinnamon? Okay, I can get behind that . . . but added cinnamon AND lemon? I was skeptical, but boy … I was wrong.

I don’t know how he does it, but like I said – again and again. He has a gift! Like no joke, coleslaw made with CHOCOLATE and DILL. I seriously can’t even. But it’s AWESOME!!

But more than that, this book will tell you why you should be eating more cacao (and I mean gosh, who doesn’t want to hear that?!)

For example, cacao is a rich source of minerals and antioxidants. It’s anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy. It helps to regulate hormones and to reduce symptoms of fatigue. It has complex and myriad phytochemicals, and it’s a great source of some of the healthiest plant-based fats!

All of these benefits are covered in fascinating detail – with science to corroborate – throughout the book.




One of my favorite things about the book – and since it’s from Matt, whose integrity is razor sharp, I wasn’r particularly surprised – was the section on labor practices and the importance of buying fair trade. He also covers the environmental considerations associated with cacao, and man, I just appreciated this section so much.

There’s a lot that goes into our food systems and our dietary choices. More than just immune-boosting or organic certification. And it’s so refreshing to see these issues tackled both gracefully and articulately.

SO. GOOD.

This Jerk Tofu will be in regular rotation ’round these parts, for years to come. The flavors! Unreal man, just unreal.

It’s worth it for the jerk tofu alone. Trust me!

Cheers!

♥

I had a rodent problem. Eek! But in my defense, it’s sort of inescapable here. I live near downtown, and right next to a creek. It’s that perfect buffer zone between the rural and the urban that’s an ideal breeding ground for city-friendly wild life. We have a raccoon family that lives above Jeremy’s garage (same family that steals cat food off my friend’s porch, around the corner), opossums in the yard (Harley got ahold of one once and it played opossum, faked it’s death, and sent me to bed in tears thinking my sweet pooch had killed it) and the skunks are . . . well, somewhere. We can smell them! Then of course, there’s the rodents.

Rats and mice just love this neighborhood. Easy picking ’round here, between the residential foraging and whatever winds up creekside. The good life!

And I always knew they were out there, but over time – and especially once I had the compost system set up – they really started making their presence known. In the back yard. In the trees. Multiplying. And then . . . under my house.

OH HELL NO.

So what’s a vegan girl to do?


Prevention

1) Create physical barriers.
If the little critters are finding a way into your home – either under your floor or in your walls, you’ll need to seal off all entry points. Fill every crack, hole, and possible point of access into your house: around the exterior, on the roof, at the crawlspace/attic, and in the foundation. You can have this done professionally, or you can invest some time and do it yourself. Fill small holes with steel wool, which the rodents won’t chew through. Larger openings can be mended with hardware cloth and filler. Repair any damage to vents, and fit them with a screen.

2) Don’t temp them.
You don’t want to do anything that might draw their attention. Namely, food or hiding spots. So make sure your garbage cans and compost bins are on lockdown. Put away any pet food or birdseed that might be available. And finally, trim back or remove any foliage that sits alongside or hangs out over the house.

3) Repel them.
There are a few different natural products reputed to repel rodents. For a homemade solution, try sachets of Balsam Fir, a spray made from peppermint oil or wintergreen oil diluted in water, a spray made from equal parts ammonia and vinegar, or a solution made from 1 gallon water + 1/2 cup dish detergent + 1 tablespoon tabasco sauce. You can also plant peppermint and sage around the yard, which will help to ward off the rodents.

However, if homemade seems like too much hassle, you can go with a more surefire, store-bought solution. I had good luck with Fresh Cab, which the company was nice enough to send to me to sample. This is an all-natural product based on botanic rodent repellants, and it worked wonderfully for me for as long as it was potent. In other words, the rodents returned once the smell had worn off, I’d say 6-8 weeks. I was using this product outside and I imagine it would be more effective when used in close, closed quarters (which is how it’s intended to be used).


Removal



1) Ultrasonic/electromagnetic device.
Somewhere between a repellant and a removal system, these unique instruments emit a very high-frequency sound wave which is imperceptible to humans or non-pest animals, like pets. The sound is supposedly unbearable to rodents, and is reported to keep them away as long as the device is operating.

2) Box traps.
There are a number of no-kill rodent traps on the market, and this is the solution that has worked so well for us. SO well! These traps are awesome and easy to use and of course, cruelty-free! We used this product in both the “chipmunk, rat, and weasel” size (for the rats) as well as the “mouse” size (for the baby rats and mice).

All we did was trap them, drive them to a local park or hiking trail, and let them go. Easy peasy!

These days the yard is pleasantly rodent-free once more. Occassionally, because of the close proximity to downtown and the creek, we’ll hear a wee wanderer out in the garden at night. But all we have to do is set the trap, catch the bugger, and chauffeur him away to his new home, and we’re good to go. That happens pretty rarely, these days.

It is completely possible to rid yourself of rodents without having to harm them. I totally believe that now, and I think my experience is just proof of that. And I hope that if you’re ever facing an infestation of your own, you’ll consider the cruelty-free route.

♥ ♥ ♥

Edited to add: There’s a ton of awesome info and experience being shared in the comments below – please read through those for even more great tips and ideas. And as always, please keep sharing!

But when we made the trip Yosemite was on fire. Multiple fires in fact. And so we had to take a major detour, which ate up most of our day.

I heart California in all her wild diversity.

And apparently, I also heart How To Be Vegan by Elizabeth Castoria. This delightful (and adorable) new book is just perfect for vacation reading.




As you guys know, it’s not often that I accept a product for review here on the blog. But when I heard about this book, I knew I wanted it. Elizabeth is the former editor of VegNews Magazine – which is how I “met” her (via email), long long ago – and she writes with a strong, sassy, smart, and joyful voice. I love her writing and I knew that with her editorial skills and her years of experience + expertise, this was bound to be a great book.

And it doesn’t disappoint!

How To Be Vegan is sort of like a “vegan 101″ crash course – perhaps unnecessary for a seasoned pro, but an absolutely perfect entry point for new vegans, aspiring vegans, and the veg-curious. Which makes in an awesome outreach tool! The book is short and to the point, but covers a wide variety of topics like eating out, vegan makeup and body care, vegan cleaning products, and how to navigate conversations and social situations, all delivered in an easy-to-read conversational tone. Actually in many ways, it quite reminds me of my own book, Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide.

Two thumbs up!

But back to our travel day, we didn’t even arrive at our Yosemite camp site until dusk. We were lucky though, in that an old friend of Jeremy’s is the live-in “host” at the campsite where we were staying. Michelle and Jeremy met through the vegan scene in LA, when she was working down there as an animal rights activist. A few years ago she moved back home to Yosemite, and now lives and works at the Park. Can’t say I blame her.

Anyway, she helped us to get set up but even so, we were doing everything in the dark. Poor Waits was OVER IT after a long day in the car. So, I don’t have any pretty pictures of food for this night. Waits ate hummus and black beans and carrots and then went to bed. Jeremy and I ate Barbecue tempeh “ribz” (made in the cast iron on the Coleman) and steamed broccoli with my friend’s homemade ranch that we’d brought in the cooler. The picture is awful but the food was actually delicious.




The next morning Waits and Jeremy woke up energized, and popped out of the tent to play and let the mama catch some extra sleep. They are so sweet to me.

Jeremy already had breakfast on the stove, and coffee brewing away. Bless him.

Waits was having a mixture of apple cinnamon granola with chia seeds, plus oat milk:




Get up here and eat your breakfast, kid!




While we were having:




A vegan camp breakfast feast!




Cheezy skillet tofu + onion + yellow bell peppers, with green salsa, heirloom tomatoes, and a whole half an avocado YES PLEASE. Waits had said he didn’t want any, but then he ended up eating a whole bowl full. Because cheezy tofu.

But Yosemite is much milder. A wider variety of trees, it seemed, and much more open spaces. Meadowy.

And just as we were settling into relaxation mode, we heard the first clap of thunder. It was about to storm!

So we packed up quick as we could, and high-tailed it back down the trail. There wasn’t much rain, but the thunder kept coming, loud and ominous, and I had my eyes peeled for lightening flashes.




On the way back we met this little baby, probably 15-20 feet away from us, munching in a meadow.




And then a bit further down the trail, we met a young mule deer buck! They’re so pretty.




Lucky for us we made it back basically totally dry. The storm passed alongside us but never over us, and within an hour the clouds had parted and the sun was out again.

We spent our afternoon puttering around camp – refilling our water, taking little walks, reading, playing, and all that sort of super relaxing, I-couldn’t-even-access-the-Internet-if-I-wanted-to type of stuff.

Michelle came by and hung out, and we put on a lazy camping dinner.

On our last morning in Yosemite, we all got to sleep in together, which was nice. But we had another long day of travel ahead of us (Lake Tahoe-bound), so once we were awake, we were in go-mode. This was our last morning of the trip to experience camping – from here on out it would be hotels and motels and rented farm houses.

We had a good hearty camp-style breakfast, like we do:

Well, actually, as we were leaving the park we stopped in at the information station, and while we there we picked up a surprise Junior Ranger hat for Waits. So that look? Well it was something like this:

And that, my friends, brings me to the end of this little camping series. We had SO much fun and we all can’t wait to get back out there. I feel incredibly lucky to live in a place with so much beauty to explore relatively close at hand. Death Valley, Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Big Sur, and so much more.

We’ve got a lot of adventuring to do!

♥ ♥ ♥

Breakfast was delicious vegan camp-food perfection:

Every morning we would fill the solar shower using the melted ice water from our two 48-quart coolers. This would make room for new ice as well as re-use the water, which was important to us. Win-win! Hanging from a tree near camp, it was like our own private sink station, and man it made clean-up a breeze.




And for the cleaning, we used Mrs. Meyers dish soap, which is all-natural, cruelty-free, and best of all biodegradable! The perfect camping soap indeed.




After breakfast was cleaned up and everything was packed back into the bear box, it was time to hit the road for another adventure. We had a big day ahead of us!




Our first stop was Moro Rock, which promised a pretty special view. But on our way there we got a bit distracted . . . by a bear!




This guy was pretty far away, but still so special to see. Just a young black bear prowling through the woods, bein’ all gorgeous and amazing!

And then, on to Moro Rock.




When we told Waits that we were going camping in the forest, he asked us if there would be faeries there. And could we look for some? And could he please have a faerie costume so that the faeries would want to come out and meet him?

Jeremy and I both agreed that camping just isn’t camping without a faerie costume. And this is the one he chose.

He insists his name is Tinkerbell, but I call him Stinkerbell. And I think he’s just about the coolest human being that’s ever been.

You’re basically walking up narrow stairs carved into the side of a giant granite mountain cap. Yeah, that’s about right. And the pictures don’t do it justice as far as expressing height and magnitude. It just keeps going up. And up. And up. Every time you think you’re almost at the top, you turn a corner and realize the mountain just keeps going up.






I don’t know that Jeremy and I would have gone the whole way, but Waits insisted on it. I’m so glad he did, but it was nerve-wracking. I was clinging to his hand so tight, terrified he was going to slip.

People die there! Every few years someone falls to their death. So my fear was not without warrant.




At the very top. Waits made sure we walked all the way out to stand at the very edge.

Man, what am I gonna do with this kid?

By the time we got back down, our legs were shaking uncontrollably and Waits had a big blister on his heal. But it was amazing, and totally worth it. If you’re ever in Sequoia I can’t recommend this experience highly enough.

Here, at least you can get a sense of the shapes:




We kept an eye out for cave faeries. I’m almost certain I saw one.

After our cave tour and subsequent hike back up the gorge, we were all pretty exhausted. We had another quick snack, but the wee little mister crashed out mid-munching. Bad form, little dude!

And it’s the only reason I can think of to explain why it didn’t even occur to me that picking wildflowers in a National Park is not only terribly illegal, but also not very nature-friendly either. And as soon as it was pointed out to me I realized “Oh! Of course!” and I felt like pretty much the biggest dummy ever.

So yes, there’s a beautiful bouquet on the table in the following pictures. Please do not take it as an endorsement of my behavior. I am embarrassed and apologetic, and I learned my lesson.



While I set about preparing our dinner, Jeremy and Waits settled into a little project:

As the sun went down and we cleaned up camp, Waits kept chanting one happy little word . . .




S’mores! S’mores! S’mores!

And how could we say no?

A few days later, up at Mount Shasta, I forgot to put on the Badger Bug-Spray, and we got bitten to smithereens. My legs were torn up and I was itching like crazy, especially in my sleep. So Jeremy found me this:




And WOWZA, it saved me! Again, all natural and based on essential oils. This stuff is soothing and amazing and it allowed me to get a good night’s sleep despite my bug-bitten lower half. So, I just wanted to pass along the tip to all of you. SssstingStop. It’s good stuff.

That morning in Sequoia we packed up all our gear, broke down the tent, bade our campsite farewell, and hit the road. Yosemite bound.

It was a long day of driving, detouring, and dodging multiple wildfires, and we didn’t make it into Yosemite until dusk. But more on that another day . . .

For now? Homemade raw zucchini chips! And a little shared love: please tell me, what are your favorite all-natural camping essentials? Any must-have’s for my currently-in-the-works camp kit? Thank guys!

Just an FYI, I was not comped or compensated for any of these products/reviews, I just loved them and wanted to share. The links are affiliate links like always. Square?

♥

I’ve been meaning to write this post for ages. AGES. Ever since I announced my partnership with Tom’s Of Maine back in May and was met with a lot of excitement . . . but also some concern. Which didn’t surprise me in the least! I wrote to the company right away, and since I believe in transparency, I’ll just show you the exact email I sent to my contact at Tom’s that day:

So I announced my partnership with Tom’s on my blog yesterday, and was met *mostly* with support. My readers are incredibly intelligent and fiercely independent, which is why I love them so much. So naturally, they have questions and concerns about the company (I can’t imagine a situation where they wouldn’t, since we are a “question everything” kind of crew) and I just wanted to check in with you before I engage in a dialogue.

My readers are mostly concerned with Tom’s being owned by a parent company, Colgate. I feel very strongly that smaller, natural branches of larger parent companies should still be supported – for all sorts of important reasons. I would like to speak freely about this with my readers, to share my perspective on why I think it’s so crucial to support companies like Tom’s, despite their larger parent company.

Are you okay with me speaking freely about this?

And of course, they said yes, fine, no worries. Speak freely! I set up a conference call with another contact at Tom’s, so that I could learn about the history of the company, the details of the sale to Colgate (and why that decision was made – it was intentional, by the way!), and how it’s affected the company since. But scheduling meant our conference call had to wait a week, and then right after that I was administering midterms, and the week after that I was grading those midterms, and then a psychotic misogynist gunned down 6 students at my University and everything went into crisis mode for a few weeks. And then finals.

So this post, which I wanted to write when I could give it my full energy and attention, was pushed to the back burner. Until now! And now I want to talk about how Tom’s is owned by Colgate, and how I’m [mostly] totally okay with that.

To be clear, these are just my own thoughts on the issue; my own personal perspective. Your mileage may vary. And I’d love to hear your own thoughts down below, and as always I encourage discourse as long as it remains respectful. Yes? Onwards!

So let’s begin by talking in a big picture, abstract, non-Tom’s-specific sort of way. In the most general sense, I support the idea of small eco-conscious companies growing bigger for one simple reason: wider reach. If I believe in a company and what it’s doing, then why wouldn’t I want it to grow? Why wouldn’t I want more people to gain access to the products? I think (I hope? Or is this like when your favorite indie band gets radio play and suddenly you’re too cool to listen to them?) we can all agree on this. I hope.

The problem with small companies growing larger comes when those companies suddenly become lax around the ethical standards that drew us in to begin with. More business might mean larger manufacturing facilities, maybe outsourcing production overseas, maybe re-sourcing ingredients from less-than-stellar vendors, and on. Many eco-conscious companies start out small and wholesome, then begin to grow, and start cutting corners to support their growth. That’s green washing, and it’s a big problem for conscientious consumers.

But luckily, that’s just not an issue here. Because Tom’s is green, through and through. This is a company as green as any company I could possibly imagine. That hasn’t changed as they’ve grown, and it didn’t change one single bit when ownership was transferred. So yeah, you can call them out for putting beeswax in their dental floss (so unnecessary, why??!) or you can complain about them relying too heavily on SLS (and go ahead and tell them about it too – they really listen), but man, you can’t claim that they’re not on the absolute cutting edge of environmental stewardship in sustainable manufacturing. You just can’t.

Seriously, I encourage you to visit the website and learn about what they’re doing in terms of environmentally-friendly production practices, because it’s really sort of revolutionary. Read the Goodness Report. It’s incredibly thorough, and damn impressive. Read about what it’s like to work at Tom’s. Tell me you don’t want to work at a place like that! And then check out their Stewardship Model. Okay, now show me another major corporation that’s living up to that standard.

Guys, this is NOT green washing. This is actually a really, really good company. And I hope it goes without saying that I wouldn’t have decided to partner with them if they weren’t.

And look, I know the company’s not without its flaws. I’ll be the first to admit that – and I don’t have any problem saying so! Hey Tom’s, why you gotta put bee-derived additives in products labeled “free of animal ingredients”? That doesn’t fly with the vegans, dudes!

I can support the company, and admire them, *and* want them to do better. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.




Back to the Colgate thing. My question was, why did Tom and Kate sell their super-hippie company to Colgate in the first place?

Well apparently, it wasn’t an accident. It was a calculated decision. A choice. Because they knew that Tom’s would remain unchanged (as stipulated in the terms of the sale), while also reaching millions more people. Essentially, they wanted Colgate for its distribution. So that now, because Tom’s is attached to Colgate, Tom’s can be distributed wherever Colgate is distributed. And I love that. That was my original point! I love that everywhere, all over the country in grocery stores and Wal*Marts, from the inner city to the rural middle-of-nowhere, people from all walks of life and in every situation can choose a natural, cruelty free, and healthier product for their family. I believe that everyone deserves to be able to make that choice.

Listen. Here is my own truth: I may dream of an ideal future, but I am not an idealist. I’m actually a realist, maybe even a radical realist (just ask the vegans who want me to shut up already about all those EX-vegans), so I prefer to see a situation for what it really is, here and now.

And what that means is, I know it would be wonderful if we could all be making our own body care products at home out of coconut oil and baking soda and other simple ingredients. I encourage anyone who has the time and energy to do that, to do that! But not everyone has that kind of time. And for people like that, I’m so glad that they have access to a healthier product like Tom’s.

In my ideal world, we might also all support independent, local artisans. That would be amazing, and for those who can afford it, I encourage you to do so. But again, not everyone has that kind of disposable income.

I am not willing to ignore the financial or lifestyle limitations that millions of Americans face. To do so would be to erase them from our conversations about what it means to be a vegan or an environmentalist.

Clearly, I’m talking far beyond toothpaste. This brings up much larger issues involving social justice, equality, and perhaps the sort of realistic expectations that I believe our compassionate and eco-conscious community would do well to consider, if we truly want to make progressive change.

Not everyone has the means to meet the ideal. For people in that position (a position I was in less than a year ago, and which I am still working my way out of), I am so glad that Tom’s provides a natural choice that’s accessible to everyone.

So yes, that is why I think it’s important to support small sustainable subsidiaries of larger, big-mean-nasty parent corporations. Because they allow greater access to natural products for people who would not otherwise be exposed to such things, and also because every time you choose Tom’s over Colgate, it sends the parent corporation a very important message about the direction they may want to take Colgate itself in the future.

I know what the other side says – that the money trickles up, that buying Tom’s will ultimately line the pockets of Colgate. And I understand that, I do. It’s just that . . . I don’t necessarily find that to be a productive way of thinking.

In the same way that I shop at grocery stores that sell animal products, even though I’m opposed to eating animals, and even my little super-hippie Co Op in Portland sold eggs and dairy, and some of my very favorite restaurants that make an awesome vegan meal also serve up dead flesh, and I’ll support the delicious sorbet at my local creamery, even though their main focus is un-vegan gelato, and do you see where I’m going with this? This is my point about ideal versus reality. If you shop at a grocery store or a restaurant or any other place that sells items in conflict with your ethics, then you’re really no different than people who buy from green companies owned by a parent corporation. Which is not to say “Nyah Nyah, GOTCHYA!”, but is instead meant to illustrate that it’s all of us. We are all doing it. We all draw our lines in the sand, wherever we feel comfortable and in whatever way our own unique circumstances allow. But ultimately, our lines may not be as different as we prefer to imagine they are.

Personally, I’d rather see people give money to a company that reserves 10% of its profits to donate to charity, a company that’s busy thinking about how to reduce water waste and increase energy efficiency on the production line, a company that’s got an entire team of people thinking about the littlest things, like where they’re sourcing the glue that holds their packaging together, and how maybe they can switch from a petroleum-based binder to a vegetable-based one (seriously, this is what they’re currently doing). That makes me happy. I think it’s a good thing, and something I very much want to support.

But . . . that’s not my point. My point in writing this was not to try and convince you to purchase Tom’s. Not at all. In fact, like I said – if you have the time to make your own personal care products, I think you should. Or if you have the means to buy the small-batch local stuff, I think you should do that as well. I think that you should do whatever makes you feel best, within the constraints of your own actual reality.

My point, I guess, is that I don’t believe this to be as black and white as it’s so often presented. There are larger issues at play here. And I don’t know that it makes sense to blindly or blithely write off entire branches of the eco-friendly marketplace. I do think, however, that in order to be intellectually honest, we need to have a more nuanced conversation.

But that’s just me, your resident radical realist. Like I said above, your mileage may vary.

♥ ♥ ♥

I squealed of course (I blame the redeye) because Gena, and her blog Choosing Raw, are two of my favorite forces in the vegan community. We talked a bit about what she was hoping to do with the book, as we finished our brunch that day. And we talked about the project some more when we caught up with each other again a few months later, at Vida Vegan Con. But Gena waited a long time to announce it on her blog, and many many months went by, and I have to admit . . . I kind of forgot about it!

That is, until I got an email a few weeks ago, announcing the release.




You guys. I’m not going to lie: this book is fucking AMAZING. I know, I know. She’s my friend and you think I have to say that. But seriously, this book is A – MAZ – ING.

It brings together everything I love about Gena and the work she does over at Choosing Raw. It’s smart and sensible and thorough and thoughtful and practical and did I mention smart? And it’s gorgeous, full of vibrant photography (thank you to the incomparable Hannah Kaminsky for that). And it’s more than just a cookbook. Gena is a certified clinical nutritionist, and operating on many years of personal experience in the vegan and raw communities. Which is why the first 95 pages of the book are devoted to words and words alone – advice, nutritional information, raw food FAQs, health myths and misconceptions (my favorite part, everything from protein to soy, oil to supplements, and so much more), and a complete 21-day meal plan. For reals, this book isn’t messing around. It WILL become my standard new-to-vegan/new-to-raw recommendation.

But okay, enough of my gushing. You want to see the food, right?? Well, last weekend Jeremy and I spent an entire day eating directly from these pages, and taking many pictures along the way. Here’s what that day looked like:




Oh hello! Good morning!

Jeremy and I enjoyed our lazy morning coffee in the back yard, flipping through the pages of the cookbook, deciding exactly what deliciousness we’d be [un]cooking up that day. Not a bad way to start the morning, I’d say.

For breakfast we decided on the Mocha Maca Chia Pudding, an incredible blend of energizing coffee, raw cacao, and tonifying maca. Mixing it up:




And served pretty, parfait-style:

This was one of those weekend days that drifted along. No plans except to putter about the house, which is exactly what we did. I was in my pajamas until well after noon. I spent most of the morning and early afternoon cleaning my kitchen from top to bottom – and I mean *really* cleaning. Like, polishing up the cabinet faces, on hands and knees at the baseboard lip, taking everything off the shelves, that kind of cleaning. It felt great but unfortunately, that sort of day doesn’t make for many pictures.

Jeremy ventured out for a haircut, and to pick up a few odd ingredients at the market. And when he returned, it was lunch time. Creamy Basil and Ginger Noodles.




I must admit, I was a bit hesitant to try this recipe. For one, I have a love-hate relationship with kelp noodles that often leans more towards the “hate” side of things . . . but then, I had multiple bags of them just sitting there, taking up prime real estate in my fridge. And two, my brain has trouble putting “basil” and “ginger” together in a sauce.

However, I trust Gena, and so this strange flavor profile definitely intrigued me. Thus, Creamy Basil and Ginger Noodles it was.

These were so good! I sun-dried the kelp noodles after soaking them in a solution of water, salt, and apple cider vinegar (lemon juice works as well) to try and loosen them up. If you’ve never eaten kelp noodles before, they have this strange sort of “popping” texture which can be a bit off-putting (on the other hand Waits loves them, but then again he’s uncannily attracted to foods which have almost no calories, oof, so that makes sense). But after laying them out to dry in the sun (half an hour or so), I was beyond thrilled with how they turned out. For the first time ever, they were wonderfully relaxed and delightfully non-”poppy”. And of course the sauce turned out to be delicious and Jeremy and I devoured the entire batch.

Oh also, I’m me so I added white beans because PROTEIN.

Right after lunch I whipped up the dressing that we were going to eat with dinner, and if you think I’ve been raving too much already, then I’m sorry but it’s about to get worse. Much worse.




You guys. This dressing!

This dressing tastes like summer. Like tangy summer! Herby and savory and amazing with umami but also that lightness and freshness of flavorful herbs. We had it for dinner that night and I literally woke up craving it the next day. So do you know what I did? I ate salad for breakfast. And then I ate salad for lunch. And then I ate salad for dinner I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING THREE MEALS STRAIGHT.

This is my new favorite dressing, which is why I made a double batch of it again just today. And why I begged Gena to share the recipe with all of you! And you lucky ducks – she obliged:


Green Herb Dressing

Makes 1 1/4 Cups Dressing 


1 cup packed fresh parsley

1⁄4 cup fresh dill

1⁄2 cup packed fresh basil

1⁄4 cup tahini

1⁄2 teaspoon Herbamare (a very delicious and healthy seasoned salt and herb mix) or sea salt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1 green onion, green part only, chopped



Blend all the ingredients, along with 1⁄2 cup of water, in a blender until smooth.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Dressing will keep for 5 days.



From Choosing Raw by Gena Hamshaw. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2014.


Make this dressing, k? You won’t regret it!

But we weren’t done yet! For dessert I’d made the Raw Key Lime Pie.




Jeremy said this was the best dessert – okay maybe the best thing – I’ve ever made. And since then it’s been approved by both wee Waits Rebhal, and Jeremy’s roommate.

This is good pie.

And thus concludes our day of eats, and this cookbook review. I do hope you’ve enjoyed both, and I hope you’ll check out Gena’s book, Choosing Raw. And if you’re not already doing so, for goodness sake go read her blog!

Cheers!

♥ ♥ ♥