That’s right comrades… you heard it here first at To Live and Eat in L.A…. forget about cupcakes… it’s the couscous cakes that are taking over the world!

Robin Robertson has just announced the “Creative Couscous Cake Contest” over at her blog. The grand prize winner will receive a free copy of her Proggy Award-winning vegan cookbook, Quick-Fix Vegetarian. See what I started? Now aren’t you glad I’ve been yammering on and on about these cakes?

The contest closes on May 10*. For more info on the contest and to find out how to enter, click here to read all about it. Good luck and viva la revolucion!

* = my birthday. I’m soliciting presents early.

Well, you know… I think I may have started something here with all my couscous cake talk. Couscous cake this, couscous cake that. It all started with my “Pumpkin Couscous Cake That No One Almost Ate” adventure. By the time I’d gotten done telling everyone who would listen about this yummy cake from Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet cookbook, I’d received lots of great feedback and heard from a number of people stating that they were going to have to try this for themselves. Robin herself even stopped by and offered more great suggestions for the recipe in the comments (like using millet instead of couscous) and another cake based on the same concept for “Apricot Pineapple Couscous Cake“. Yum!

Now it seems that I may have unleashed something great because Robins craving for sweet and luscious couscous cake has been newly re-awakened and inspired! She’s just blogged about some delicious new variations that can be made with this same basic idea, including the “Couscous Breakfast Cake with Pear and Dried Plum Compote” also from Vegan Planet, as well as (are you sitting down?) “Mango Couscous Cake“. Oh joy… mango is the king of all fruits as far as I’m concerned so I can only imagine how good this is. She even goes so far as to say that this mango version is the easiest one out of all of them to make… and I kid you not when I tell you that the basic recipe is beyond easy.

You can read all about it and find the recipes in her succinctly titled post: Craving Couscous Cake. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that couscous and dessert don’t go together… the revolution has only just begun!

This is very exciting news! Nearly a year and a half of running this blog and I just got my first hostile anti-vegan comment… awesome! When I started this food blog I sort of expected a lot more of this sort of negative stuff. I was pleasantly surprised however to find that nearly all the feedback I’ve received has been exceptionally positive.

A charming fellow going by the name of “Leonard Bungard” dropped by to comment on my post about the Veganizing of Anthony Bourdain recipes that’s been going on over at Hezbolla Tofu. Leonard, clearly a master of the English language, took time out of his busy schedule of competitive baby back rib eating to say the following:

“fuck vegans long live the pig eater”

Short but sweet, don’t you think? And Leonard, you are so right… I’d love to fuck a vegan! Vegans smell nice and they taste good too. The next time I meet a sweet and sexy one that I take a liking to, I might just go for it. For a single vegan gal in Los Angeles, looking for some quality vegan lovin’ can be tough Leonard, so I appreciate the encouragement.

As for the longevity of pig eaters… well Leonard, I’ll leave you to do your own research in regards to the health effects of eating pigs. Here’s a good place to start: Top 10 Reasons Not to Eat Pigs. But Leonard, what I don’t understand is why it makes you so unhappy that we vegans do not eat pigs… after all, it means more bacon for you and Anthony Bourdain, right? Clearly it’s a win-win situation for us to stay vegan Leonard: less heart disease and colon cancer for us, more chicharrones for you.

While Leonard’s eloquent commentary has now been deleted (though I will cherish it forever in my heart), perhaps you’ve got something you’d like to say to him directly? Considering that he took the time to leave his email address I’m going to assume that means he’s interested in receiving more information about veganism, the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, animal rights, cruel factory farming, etc… You can contact Leonard at his more than likely bogus email address: lbungard@gmail.com

Do you ever feel left out by the whole Pinkberry thing? What’s a vegan to do in an age of mass frozen yogurt proliferation with nary a vegan option to be found among them? One option would be to head on back over the hill to Valley Village on the edge of NoHo for a dairy-free treat at Menchie’s.

Menchie’s could be considered one of the many Pinkberry knockoffs but they’ve got a pretty cool twist. Everything there is self service, from the yogurt to the toppings. You pick your size of cup and fill it with however much softserve goodness you want of whichever flavors you like, then pick your toppings. Your culinary creation is then placed on a scale and priced by weight.

They’ve always got at least one dairy-free flavor to choose from. This is the reply I recieved when I sent an email to ask if they carry anything vegan: “We typically have at least one non-dairy flavor everyday. Our non dairy flavors are sorbets rather than yogurts. Currently our sorbet flavor is Kiwi Strawberry.” The ingredients are not posted so I do not know if the dairy-free means it is 100% vegan or not. However given that it’s a sorbet (fruit+sugar+ice) and is advertised as dairy-free, I’m not concerned about something hidden being in there. Caveat emptor.

They also have delicious smelling waffle cones which I’m certain are not vegan… but they sure do make the place smell nice as they’re cooking. Ok, so then after you’ve got your cup of yogurt/sorbet stuff, you head over to the toppings sections. The first one’s got a nice selection of fresh locally grown fruit. Amongst the yummy yet non-vegan goodies like brownie pieces and cheesecake I was overjoyed to discover that they also had soft little bite-sized mochi nuggets (Japanese glutinous rice treats). The flavor is mildly sweet and the texture is perfectly chewy like a soft gummybear. The second toppings station has all the dry stuff like sweet breakfast cereals, nuts, sprinkles, candy pieces, etc… trust me, there’s a lot there for people to choose from and vegans will not be feel deprived.

On the occasion that I was there, the dairy-free flavor was “Mango Tango Sorbet”. I topped it with fresh mango and plenty of mochi- this combo made me one happy foodeater. The sorbet is very nice with strong mango flavor, slightly sweet yet also a bit tart. The fresh sweet mango on top livened up the whole affair and the chewy, gooey mochi-ness of it all was really making it work for me.

The colors inside are somewhat garish and I feel bad that the people who work there are made to wear those awful costumes uniforms. Also, if you’re going to try and take a picture inside like I did, be prepared to get chastised by the manager who will tell you that photographs are not allowed. Isn’t it ironic how some of these places flip out on you for taking pictures when most likely all you’re going to do with them is turn around and send some free advertising their way? That said, I liked my mango-tango and mochi indulgence a bit too much to let the no-photography smackdown police get to me. After all I still got my picture, didn’t I?

Anthony Bourdain was a fancy-pants New York City chef back at one point before he sold his soul to the Travel Channel. What he’s apparently interested in being remembered for most though is his love of foie gras, his one man crusade to eat every pig on earth, and most especially, his sage wisdom regarding vegetarianism:

Take for example this little nugget:

“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.”
- Anthony Bourdain, “Kitchen Confidential,” p. 70

This coming from a man who’s “pure enjoyment of food” entails gulping down a still-beating cobra heart cut fresh from the snakes living body. Hmmm. Did he do that because he’s got such a “decent human spirit” or did he do it because eating gross food is good for his ratings? Oh wait, let me guess… he must have needed the protein.

Some clever folks out there are responding to Anthony Bourdain’s ignorant remarks and incessant badgering of vegetarians by turning the tables on him and creating something positive in the process.

The new Hezbollah Tofu blog has just appeared on the scene and they’ve hatched an ingenious plan to transform all the recipes in Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook and turn them into vegan recipes. So great! Here’s an excerpt from their message to Bourdain:

…Anthony, you’re kind of tragically wrong about us. But don’t worry, we’re not going to do something silly like picket the Travel Channel or go around bookstores drawing giant penises on your book covers with Sharpies. We have two key advantages over you in this game: we’re easily mobilized, and we can cook.

So we aren’t just going to “enjoy” food, we’re going to enjoy vastly improved, veganized versions of your masturbatory, blood-oozing recipes. And then we’re going to compile them, sell them in zine form, and donate the proceeds to vegan outreach organizations and farm sanctuaries–in your name. Anthony, I have to say, I’m really looking forward to the great work we’re going to do together for veganism.

This is an open call to vegan cooks of all stripes: professional chefs and bakers, cookbook authors, food bloggers, amateur cooks, and–perhaps most importantly–ordinary, everyday people who just want to live their lives and eat their dinners without unnecessary heckling from the heroin-addled peanut gallery.

Brilliant, I say. Visit these guys and join the resistance at: www.hezbollahtofu.blogspot.com - No reservations required.

Similiarly inspired, Bryanna and her friends over at The Vegan Feast Kitchen held a vegan “splinter faction” pizza party (again in response to the ridiculous comment made about vegans being the “splinter faction” of vegetarians). Very cute… and if bashing Bourdain’s bashing of vegans isn’t a good enough reason for throwing a vegan pizza party, well then the terrorists have already won.

I’m pleased to announce that my post on how to make Mugicha has been included in Veggie Chic’s awesome Vegetarian Blog Carnival. Not only that but she included my little article as part of her Top 5 favorites! w00t! w00t!

There are many other interesting and tasty posts to discover in her blog carnival listings, from fabulous vegan and vegetarian recipes, info on raw foods, apartment gardening, and a very interesting discussion on vegan snobbery and “veg*ner-than-thou” attitudes.

So click on over and check out all the fine stuff that Veggie Chic has included in this most recent blog carnival collection of links, where you’re more than likely to discover some great new blogs you may have not noticed before. Enjoy!
http://www.veggiechic.com/vegetarian-carnival-13-something-for-everyone

USDA recalls 143 million pounds of beef from California slaughterhouse under investigation.

And yet, I’m considered a “naive vegetarian”. If not wanting to eat the disease infested flesh of tortured animals makes me naive, I’m perfectly ok with that.

(photo: Roscoe the cow at Animal Acres)

Along with the plethora of vegan restaurants that are opening up all over the place, there’s also a bunch of great new vegan cookbooks on the horizon. Below are some of the highlights. Click on the links for more info or to order yourself a copy.

Eat, Drink & Be Vegan: Great Vegan Food for Special and Everyday Celebrations
By Dreena Burton

In Dreena Burton’s first two bestselling vegan cookbooks, The Everyday Vegan and Vive le Vegan!, she offered a dazzling array of healthy, animal-free recipes, many of which are based ont her experience as a mother of two young girls she and her husband are raising as vegans. Dreena also maintains an active blog (vivelevegan.blogspot.com) and website (everydayvegan.com) and and has cultivated an enthusiastic audience for her nutritious recipes. In this, her third cookbook, Dreena turns her attention to celebratory food— imaginative, colourful, and delectable vegan fare perfect for all kinds of events, from romantic meals to dinner parties to casual potlucks. Many of the recipes are appropriate for everyday meals as well. The book includes 125 recipes and 16 full-color photographs, as well as meal plans and cooking notes. Eat, Drink and Be Vegan is destined to join the bestselling ranks of her first two books (The Everyday Vegan is now in its fourth printing, and Vive le Vegan! is in its third). Come celebrate with Dreena and impress your guests (and yourself) with these sensational animal-free recipes. Recipes include Lentil and Veggie Chimichangas; Thai Chick-Un Pizza, White Bean Rosemary Soup with Fresh Basil and Jumbo Croutons, Olive and Sundried Tomato Hummus, Veggie Tempeh Muffuletta, Tomato Dill Lentil Soup, Creamy Cashew Dip with Fruit, Crepes with Maple Butter Cream, 5-Star Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chocolate Pumpkin Pie, and Hemp-anola (Dreena’s take on granola).
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero

The essential guide to mastering the art of vegan cooking: It’s easy to live vegan 24/7 with this collection: 250 recipes, menus, and color photos for dishes that taste even better than their non-vegan counterparts. Every recipe in Veganomicon has been kitchen-tested a minimum of seven times by the authors and their intensely engaged fans to ensure user-friendliness, quick preparation, and amazing results. In addition to featuring the authors’ signature attitude and experimental, DIY philosophy, Veganomicon has been specifically tailored to what you want most in a cookbook. No other vegan cookbook offers such innovative recipes for all occasions, convenience, easy-to-find ingredients, and gluten-free and tofu-free options.
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking
By Angeline Linardis

The health and taste benefits of a meatless diet come together in V Cuisine by Angeline Linardis: Imaginative vegetarian cuisine that is quick, easy and delicious. Written in an upbeat, informal style, the book’s infectious excitement will propel even novice chefs into the kitchen. The creative selection of ingredients and the easy preparation of soups, like the best lentil soup on the planet, will eliminate canned soup in any cupboard. New salads take on mythic proportions with accompaniments like sesame ginger dressing. Gone will be the terror of tofu as a difficult ingredient. Try the new versions of wholesome fries — healthy food with a tasty twist. Among the delicious vegetarian fare: Mega minestrone soup * Creamy sunshine corn chowder * Apollo Greek salad * Brilliant beet salad * Sweet corn and spelt dinner salad * New potatoes in almond cream * Tomato and onion chutney * Tofu carob brownies and much more…
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

My Sweet Vegan
By Hannah Kaminsky

Do words such as creamy, luscious, and decadent sound like impossibilities without the use of eggs and dairy? Would you love to find delicious desserts that are worthy of serving to all guests? Well look no further, as this full-color cookbook will satisfy any sweet tooth, and leave people asking, Are you sure this is vegan? My Sweet Vegan is a truly amazing collection of original recipes produced and photographed by Hannah Kaminsky. Enticing people into the kitchen, Hannah displays a wide array of desserts, including: Triple Threat Chocolate Cheese Cake * Coconut Crème Pie * Golden Glazed Donuts * Orange Dreamsicle Snack Cake * Butterscotch Blondies * Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie * Brilliant Berry Parfaits * Pumpkin Toffee Trifle * Award-Winning Mocha Devastation Cake and more. Insisting that her creations must have the potential to impress all taste buds, every recipe has been taste-tested and approved by both vegans and non-vegans alike. For ease in preparation, each recipe includes simple, well-detailed instructions and a photo representing the actual finished product. So go ahead and enjoy a thick slice of Silken Chocolate Mousse Cake, everyone deserves a little indulgence now and then!
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks’ Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets
By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau

Whether you want to bake dairy- and egg-free for health, ethical, or environmental reasons, The Joy of Vegan Baking lets you have your cake and eat it, too! Featuring 150 familiar favorites - from cakes, cookies, and crepes to pies, puddings, and pastries - this book will show you just how easy, convenient, and delectable baking without eggs and dairy can be. A seasoned cooking instructor and self-described “joyful vegan,” author Colleen Patrick-Goudreau puts to rest the myth that vegan baking is an inferior alternative to non-vegan baking, putting it in its rightful place as a legitimate contender in the baking arena. More than just a collection of recipes, this informative cookbook is a valuable resource for any baker, novice or seasoned. Learn just how easy it is to enjoy your favorite homespun goodies without compromising your health or values: Chocolate Chip Scones * Cranberry Nut Bread * Lemon Cheesecake * Dessert Crepes * Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Chunks * Cinnamon Coffee Cake * Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes * Raspberry Sorbet * Oatmeal Raisin Cookies * Soft Pretzels * Blueberry Cobbler * Chocolate Almond Brittle and more. Free of saturated fat, cholesterol, and lactose, but full of flavor, flair, and familiarity, each and every recipe will have you declaring “I can’t believe it’s vegan!” Complete with luscious color photos, this book will be an essential reference for every vegan.
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Vegan Fusion World Cuisine: Extraordinary Recipes and Timeless Wisdom from the Celebrated Blossoming Lotus Restaurants
By Mark Reinfeld, Bo Rinaldi

Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, a groundbreaking work that has won five national awards, is a celebration of international gourmet vegan cuisine that introduces us to the simplicity of a vibrant, healthy lifestyle. Much more than a cookbook, this artistic treasure contains stunning food photography, inspiring graphics, natural-food cooking charts and kitchen wisdom for all. A foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall highlights its aim to inspire peace and understanding amongst individuals, cultures and all who care about our planet. Vegan World Fusion Cuisine contains 200+ sumptuous recipes from the award-winning Blossoming Lotus Restaurants, uniting cooking traditions from around the world. It’s an all-encompassing guide to health, beauty and an inspired lifestyle. Mark and Bo hope to awaken people to the healing potential within themselves.
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Vegan Homestyle: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living
By Kay Hansen

Everyone loves homecooking! Over 240 mouth-watering vegan recipes, like Pesto & Tomato Pizza, Fettuccine Alfredo, Veggie Fajitas, and Cranberry Cheesecake. Homecooking - simple, natural, and cholesterol free. The recipes in Vegan Homestyle bring together the taste of home cooking with all the healthy benefits of a vegan diet. Simple ingredients, lots of menu ideas and nutritional analysis for each recipe. Forward written by Richard Hansen, M.D. with timely advice on nutrition and healthy living.
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Alternative Vegan: International Vegan Fare Straight From The Produce Aisle
By Dino Sarma

Tofu, setian, tempeh, tofu, seitan, tempeh… it seems like so many vegans rely on these products as meat substitutes. Isn’t it time to break out of the mold? Taking a fresh, bold, and alternative approach to vegan cooking without the substitutes, Dino Sarma brings you over 100 fully vegan recipes, many of which draw from his South Asian roots. Sharing his jazz-style approach to cooking, Dino also discusses how you can improvise in your own cooking with simple ingredients and how you can stock your kitchen to prepare simple and delicious vegan meals quickly. Whether you love tofu, seitan, and tempeh or hate it, Alternative Vegan shows you how to let the favor shine through by cooking simply with fresh ingredients. One pot meals, and big salads; basic broccolo, demonic mushrooms and Asian roasted potatoes; international dishes such as Pakoras, Flautas, Bajji, and Kashmiri Biriyani; simple snacks and appetizers like hummus canapes and no-cheese pizzas; drinks and desserts using fresh fruits: pomegranate and wine slushy, poached pears in mulled wine, jackfruit granite….and a whole lot more!
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Vegan Cooking For Animal Lovers
DVD

The Hardcore Chef proves you don’t have to chow on rabbit food, max out your credit card at high-priced health food stores, or spend all day cooking elaborate meals from scratch just because you love animals! Friend of cows and chickens, enemy of corporate greed, the Hardcore Chef leads you down the path of culinary enlightenment with centuries old vegan recipes like Hail Seitan and Eviction-Sloppy Joe (for when your roommate spends your rent money on heroin). With support from his favorite hardcore-punk vegan bands, the Hardcore Chef demonstrates how tasty food can be when it’s fast, cheap, and cruelty free. Over 100 minutes of recipes including: Hail Seitan, Tamil Tiger Rice, Seitan Strokin’ Off, Cool-Hand Cookie Cheesecake, When Spud Gets Off Heroin This Is The Potato Salad He’ll Eat, Vegetable Medley of Hardcore Gaiety, Free Noriega Wraps, Mushroom Mosh Pit-tatoes, and more!
For more info or to order, CLICK HERE

Not enough for ya? Be sure to visit the main cookbooks page for many more fantastic vegan and vegetarian cookbooks.