Swiss Chard is Stunning

Swiss Chard
This month I am in love with Swiss Chard. It has been absolutely delicious when seared in a touch of olive oil or wilted in a bit of vegetable broth. It is loaded with Vitamin C, A, K, B2, B6, Dietary Fiber and Protein.

I have been serving it with some well cooked cannellini beans (rinsed, and soaked overnight). Head to your produce aisle, find Swiss Chard and take it home with you - it may very well become your new fave veggie! Another reminder that you can feel better, improve your digestive process - simply by adding one new vegetable to your diet each week. Be courageous, people! Email us and share your new fave veggie this week info@annaveda.com http://www.verygoodvegan.com/

Forcing Forsythia & Seed Starting Veggies & Garden Status

New Buddha Statue in the Garden

First Daffodil of 2009 in the Garden

Early Color in the Garden

Seed Starting Veggies Indoors

Forcing Forsythia Braches

Grey and cloudy again here in CT, however the plants are proceeding as they always do. The yard is peppered with tiny purple flowers, the crocuses have now come and gone. The first daffodil has opened up it's cheery petals. I have seen bees all week long, which is truly a harbinger of warmer weather on the way. I was out in the garden poking around to see what was emerging from the squishy kapha ground, and I remembered that one can snip a few branches off the forsythia, add hot water and voila - a yellow profusion of happiness in your kitchen! Be patient, as it may take a few hours or days, depending upon how outgoing those branches are feeling. Thanks to my pal Amy for helping me get started with the crown molding, as the kitchen de-construction/reconstruction continues.

Vegan Soft Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies & More...

Very Good Vegan Soft Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These are the best soft baked cookies that I have EVER had! What was my Very Good Vegan magic trick? Bananas in the batter. HUGE chunks of dark chocolate. Wheat flour, turbinado sugar - none of the bad stuff and they were awesome. You can still enjoy delicious baked goods without consuming any animal protein - these cookies have NO CHOLESTEROL! Again we remind you that following a plant based whole foods diet will totally rock your world, change your life, you will feel better. Give it a try. Start this weekend - buy a few new vegetables that you have not yet tried and look up recipes online - google search the different veggies you are veg-curious about and see what unfolds. Skip the eggs for breakfast and make up some vegan muffins like our Very Good Vegan Good Morning Muffins. Dust off that yoga mat you got for Christmas and do some sun salutations. OK - take a deep breath - you do not have to go out and buy a bunch of diet books, and weight loss pills that claim to give you instant bikini body results, flat stomach, etc. You can reap all of these body beautiful benefits by dropping the animal protein, starting an active yoga routine, walking 30 minutes 5 days a week. Try these simple suggestions and then see how you look and feel. Don't worry - if you consume soymilk, tofu, eat lots of (a lot) vegetables, you will have more energy, less/no bloating and you may even feel like being a nicer person. I dare you all to give it a whirl.

Vegan Pizza Roll & Ayurvedic Skin Care

Vegan Pizza Roll
I cranked out these fun Pizza Rolls last night - using a really great Wheat Pizza Dough plus a modified version of my Vegan lasagna roll filling (as seen on Very Good Vegan Volume One http://www.verygoodvegan.com/ Vegan DVD). Very Good Vegan Volume Two Coming Soon...... Stay Tuned! The Very Good Vegan DVD is now available on Amazon.com, as well as in shops listed on our site - additional shops will be added soon.

This dough is fantastic - I added a bit of chopped basil and oregano to the mix before kneading. for a special added nutritonal kick - chopped broccoli mixed into our Vegan "Ricotta" filling. Increase your intake of plant based foods and live longer, folks....

Check out our Very Good Vegan DVD clip on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDT2iYUGHsA and email questions if you like to info@annaveda.com


Ayurvedic Skin Care Tip
This time of year as things are thawing out and we are still using lots of artificial heat indoors, treat yourself to the following facial.

Wash your face with a mild cleanser or just a bit of warm water.
Apply one mashed banana and let set for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with a wet warm wash cloth and pat your face dry. You may try 1/4 cup mashed cherries - or mashed Avocado - try one of each once a month and see how your skin feels. Have fun mashing fruit and squishing it onto your face - it is a recession friendly facial - plus you get to act like a kid and make a mess with fruit.
(I am using mashed cherries this month plus a lot of sauna time - so my skin has been feeling fantastic - give it a try!)

Whole Foods In Store Presentation - Providence RI & Food Matters Book

Whole Foods Providence, RI - Waterman Location

Thanks to everyone at the Whole Foods Market in Providence, RI (Waterman Location). We recently announced that our DVD Very Good Vegan www.VeryGoodVegan.com will be available for sale at that store, and gave out lots of tiny Vegan chocolate cupcakes to celebrate. It is an itty-bitty Whole Foods - - I wish we had one here in Pawcatuck, CT.

This week The Colbert Report had a guest on who is the author of Food Matters

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/220493/march-03-2009/mark-bittman

to see the clip on Colbert's site. I will be reviewing the book here on the blog so stay tuned. I am also finishing up The China Study

http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html

which I will be discussing here as well. All I can say is that we all need to increase our whole foods plant based food intake, like ASAP! Prontissimo!

Crazy Vegan Cupcakes & Vegan Spinach Gratin

Vegan Spinach Gratin

Crazy Vegan Cupcakes

All I can say is that I love making Vegan versions of traditional baked goods, but even more fun - recreating naughty little treats like these "Crazy Vegan Cupcakes".



They are a golden yellow cupcakes filled with a Vegan Creme Filling - topped with a dairy free dark chocolate ganache (made with soy milk), with a swirl of yet more vanilla creme on top. Winter in New England and comfort foods.....



I have been taste testing a line of Vegan cheese alternatives from "Follow Your Heart" - so far I like using their cheddar option in my Vegan Mole Enchiladas, and atop this Vegan Spinach Gratin - just be sure to cover your dishes with foil or else the "Follow Your Heart" stuff dries out. Very tasty all in all. Also I am loving a cheese alternative by a company called Dr. Cow - out of Brooklyn, NY. I must get my hands on more of their Cashew Spreadable Nut Cheese!



In other news thank you Pangea (http://www.veganstore.com/) aka Vegan Store - for choosing to carry our DVD Very Good Vegan Volume One. (http://www.verygoodvegan.com/) Check out this site for all sorts of awesome vegan goodies, also they pack and ship all of their orders very carefully. Great site, nice folks!



Yesterday I gave a brief presentation at Mystic Yoga Shala in Mystic, CT - we are working on uploading some video from that which you may enjoy.



Additional Ayurvedic Skin care info will be posted this week, so stay tuned and as always email us at info@annaveda.com with any questions. Also additional recipes will be posted on the site this week - but you may email us if you have any particular recipe you like.

Fresh Florida Citrus

Fresh Florida Citrus

This was a roadside citrus stand in Florida I visited on Friday. The fruit was so ripe, and there was a nice man by the name of Ron who helped me with my "Tangelo" purchase. I also picked up a sack of Ruby Reds. Needless to say - I am juicing away here in New England - fondly recalling the warm FL breezes; all the while anticipating Spring as my daffodil and crocus bulbs force their way through the soil.

Persistent as ever - unfazed by the piles of leaves and icy soil, I feel that I have much in common with these resolute globes. Very Good Vegan will be on sale at the Cranston RI Whole Foods Market starting this Saturday February 21. I will be there cooking up samples from 12 - 2pm. See www.VeryGoodVegan.com for details.

What Makes It All Better

What Makes It All Better
I snapped this photo on the beach today. Yes I am finally on vacation, and have some simple thoughts to share. No matter what is going on around you - no matter how unkind or unfriendly people may sometimes treat you. No matter how difficult our daily lives have become, will become, have always been. No matter what, the simplest of things can make it all better. These sea shells made me so incredibly happy - just to look at them, feel them in my hands. Simply to sit in one place and be grateful for my friends and loved ones and the support they seem to have an un-ending supply of - that is what makes it all better for me.

In other news our DVD Very Good Vegan (http://www.verygoodvegan.com/) has been picked up by several new privately owned shops this week - and we will be posting their info on our site over the next week. We at AnnaVeda Kitchen wish to thank everyone who is buying the DVD - wholesale and retail - and thanks to everyone who has been supportive of this project. It can be very challenging to go out there and sell yourself on a DVD talking for 60 minutes about any topic. Even more intmidating - walking into, or calling a store, then attempting to get someone - anyone to chat with you about said DVD. So again - thanks to everyone who is taking a moment to meet with me, chat and email. You guys rock!

Ayurvedic Tip Of The Week
Use a Neti Pot - Look up how to use a Neti Pot on You Tube and you will see how it is done. You may purchase them at most yoga studios and health food stores. Take the time to research how to properly use one - your nose will thank you!

Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pie w. Vegan Graham Cracker Crust

Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pie w. Vegan Graham Cracker Crust

I have been feeling a bit under the weather (ice storms, snow storms, hectic schedule, trade show in a chilly facility...) and yet - I cannot stay away from the kitchen. I have no decent bakery to frequent locally (within a 15 minute car ride), certainly not one that would offer any Vegan goodies - so as you see I must be self-sufficient. The local grocery store baked goods make me cringe.

So last night I whipped up this new version of my Chocolate Mousse/Pudding, and poured it into (ahhhh - heavens to Betsy!) a store bought Vegan Graham Cracker Crust. Shocking, I know, but I must share that it was really very good! The crust was from a company called Wholly Wholesome - the packaging indicates that it includes only "Natural Ingredients, Contains No Animal Products - Suitable for Vegans". Lovely.

I do a lot of approximate measuring when I cook for myself so I will attempt to share what went into this pie filling in short:

6 ounces Vegan Dark Chocolate (Melted - Double boiler Do NOT use a Microwave)

10 ounces Silken Tofu

1/8 Cup Soy Milk (My Own HomeMade)

1 tsp Bourbon Vanilla

2 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar

I melted the chocolate in my double boiler - then added the sugar and stirred to combine off heat. The tofu was pulsed in my food processer for just a moment - I added the chocolate mixture and all remaining ingredients and pulsed again; poured it into the ready to go crust and chilled for about 1 hour. It was fabulous. So even though I was under the weather -I was able to throw together a nice little chocolatey treat. Tonight I have plans to attempt my new version of Vegan Lemon Bars - so stay tuned!

Vegan Gluten-Free Biscuits

Vegan Gluten-Free Biscuits

These Vegan Gluten-Free biscuits were made using Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix, and Hain Gluten Free Baking Powder. I was really pleased with the end result - a nice sweet biscuit - using the recipe on the back of the Arrowhead Mills box - with a touch of agave nectar and soy yogurt. The dough held together nicely and yielded a batch of adorable treats - thanks to these petite cutters my friend Lisa gave me for my birthday.

Staying warm and out of the ice storm today; here is what we have to report: AnnaVeda Kitchen will be in Whole Foods Markets in Rhode Island starting February 2009. There are three stores in the entire state of RI - which will each be carrying our DVD Very Good Vegan Volume One - see http://www.verygoodvegan.com/ for details.

On Friday February 27 we will be at the Waterman Providence Whole Foods Market doing an in-store Vegan Cooking Demo - be sure to stop in and have a snack if you are in the area that evening from 6-9pm! Stay tuned for more updates and in-store events.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 5 - Vegan Snickerdoodles

Vegan Snickerdoodles

Day 5! Here you go folks - My very first batch of Very Good Vegan Snickerdoodles. What can I say - it is 13 degrees here in CT this evening - dropping to 3 degrees by 7 am tomorrow. (Sigh)

How am I keeping warm? Lots of Ashtanga Yoga and Vegan cookies! Thank you for following my 5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge. Please tell everyone you know to check out www.VeryGoodVegan.com

Our DVD Very Good Vegan ships FREE - and is a great way to introduce your friends and family to Veganism without being too heavy handed.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 4 - Vegan Chocolate Crinkles

Vegan Chocolate Crinkles

I've made it to Day 4 of my self-imposed 5 Day - 5 Vegan Cookies Challenge! Hurray! Tonight's cookies are brought to you by 8 ounces of melted dark chocolate, 1/2 cup cocoa powder and a smattering of other top secret ingredients that I will share, eventually. These sweeties are cooling off in the kitchen as I blog, so this will be brief as I wish to enjoy a few by the fire.

Last night's cookie - the Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves - were in a word - incredible! So full of peanut butter flavor they were actually intense. I sent a few home with friends today so that I would not ingest the entire tray!

There is certainly a lot going on regarding our DVD Very Good Vegan (www.VeryGoodVegan.com) - so this cookie challenge has been a lovely distraction here at AnnaVeda Kitchen. What can I say - by and by I wait...Stop by tomorrow night for the final cookie in the challenge!

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge: Day 3 - Vegan Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves

Vegan Peanut Butter Bars w. Cherry Preserves

Day three of my 5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge - I craved peanut butter - a lot of peanut butter, and these bars did not disapoint. Most cookies I have baked involving peanut butter tend to be anti-climactic. (Does it bake off?) Not the case here. Crumbly, thick and involving 2.5 cups of all natural peanut butter, these morsels are intense! Also, an entire jar of Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves were layered in-between the base and the crumb topping.

No eggs, no butter - yet the dough held and all is well in AnnaVeda Kitchen tonight. OK - so, if you have been following this blog, you know that tomorrow brings an all new Vegan cookie. All right gang, tune in for more Vegan cookie magic "a domani". For more AnnaVeda Kitchen info please visit http://www.verygoodvegan.com/

Email us at info@annaveda.com with any questions.

5 Day Vegan Cookie Challenge - Day 2: Raspberry Ginger Sandwich Cookies

Vegan Raspberry Ginger Sandwich Cookies

Hello out there! Day two of my 5 day Vegan Cookie Challenge is here and these are the magic cookies that sprouted in my kitchen this evening. There is A LOT of ground ginger in these cookies; basically a really chewy "buttery" sugar cookie (Turbinado, of course) with organic raspberry preserves slathered in-between.

I am yet to taste one, so I will share my opinion on tomorrow's post. the fun part of this challenge has been that I decide on a daily basis - on a whim - what cookie I am going to bake.

So, look out friends and neighbors because I have a large quantity of cookies in my kitchen and need to share them asap!

On the Very Good Vegan DVD front, we continue speaking with shops allover the country who have expressed an interest in carrying the series. Thank you to everyone out there who has shown their support for my first Vegan Cooking DVD (see http://www.verygoodvegan.com/ for info).

5 Days - 5 New Vegan Cookies Challenge & Ayurvedic Tip of the Week

Vegan Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies w. Maple Syrup Icing

OK, so I have decided that today is Day One of my 5 Day - 5 New Vegan Cookies Challenge. Stay tuned as we will be posting pictures and info daily about this little experiment.

This will not be very challenging as it is winter, I am in New England, the heat generated from my baking keeps the place extra toasty and of course, we do love a new Vegan cookie here at AnnaVeda Kitchen. These cookies are moist, hearty and the icing contains maple syrup, which provides a nice old fashioned cookie vibe.

Heads up Wholesale Buyers! We will be showing our Vegan Cooking DVD Very Good Vegan Volume 1, at the upcoming NY Gift Show at the Jacob Javit's Convention Center in NYC January 25 - 29th. Details will be posted on the site www.VeryGoodVegan.com as well as here on the blog this week.


Ayurvedic Tip of the Week
We realize that Raw Food Diets are very popluar right now, however according to Ayurvedic tradition, your vegetables should be cooked. Your digestive fire - also knowsn as Agni - has to work harder to process raw crunchy foods. So steaming your broccoli, wilting some spinach drizzled with a bit of very good olive oil, blanching some carrots - would all be excellent ways to enjoy fresh vegetables this winter as opposed to making your digestive system work overtime to process raw vegetables. Gently cooking your veggies makes proper digestion & elimination much easier on the body. Just remember - do not overcook your vegetables, steaming, blanching, or a quick sauteeing will always do the trick. Email us at info@annaveda.com if you have any questions about Ayurvedic cooking - it is a great and easy way to make peace with your belly.

Happy New Year Sugar Free Vegan Brownies

Scoop The AnnaVeda Kitchen Guard Cat

Sugar Free Vegan Brownies

Happy New Year everyone, let's make it a healthy one - and none of that one-month-long-resolution eating well malarchy. Here we are in CT on a freezing cold winter's day, working on promoting Very Good Vegan - lo and behold my Sugar Free Vegan Brownies.
After a busy December filled with all sorts of Vegan baked goods (ie: I took the chocolate layer cake from the cover of the Dec. '08 issue of Bon Appetit magazine and created an AWESOME Vegan version) it is time to cut out a bit of the sweet stuff. Give the body time to process, re-adjust and bounce back, if you will...So here you have it, my crack at a sugar-free baked Vegan treat. Not very sweet - beware - however, the dark chocolatey goodness just washes over you and provides something akin to a warm-allover inner sunshine feeling.

8 0z Sugar Free Organic Applesauce
1 Mashed Organic Banana
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1 Tbsp Flax (Ground)
6 Tbsp Water
1 Cup Whole Wheat Organic Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (High Quality Bourbon)
3/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Chopped Vegan Dark Chocolate (Coarse Chunks)

Spray a 9" pan with some canola, line with parchment, hit the parchment with an additional squirt of canola.

In a stand mixer, mash one very ripe banana, add the flax, water, canola, vanilla, applesauce, blend on low speed to combine.

Add all of the dry ingredients and blend just until combined. You may also do all of this by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon if you prefer...

Pour batter and spread it into your prepared pan - bake for 28 minutes at 350 degrees, check it out around 24 minutes with a bamboo skewer or wooden toothpick, when it comes out clean you are all set.

Let cool and use a knife which has been run under very hot water, then dried to cut into very small squares, you may wrap these and refrigerate up to 4 days. Try to give some away and introduce your friends and colleagues to Vegan Sugar Free baking - just give everyone a heads up about the sugar free part...

Ayurvedic Tip Of the Week:

Sip hot water with a squirt lemon juice from a large mug throughout the day all winter long. This helps to keep your system calm, grounded and the lemon gives you some much needed vitamin C. You may fill a large container and take this with you as you travel to and from work, etc. Avoid cold beverages, and say no to ice cubes as they slow dow the digestive process.

AnnaVeda Ayurvedic Soup Recipe

AnnaVeda Soup

This soup has become a dish that I can whip up quickly to pacify my need for some warmth on these chilly New England winter days.

This dish is soothing, calms frazzled nerves and can be modified to suit your constitution depending upon the spices you add/omit.

Here is the basic recipe, which I made up this month in my kitchen:

6 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (Organic)
1/4 Cup Any Rice (I like Brown Basmati Rice)
1/2 Cup Chopped carrots (Organic)
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce (Organic)
1 Tsp Fresh Chopped Parsley (Organic)
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Celery (Organic)
1 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper (Omit for Pitta)
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Freshly Chopped Basil (Organic)
1 Pinch Sea Salt
Lemon Juice (1 tsp)

Wash the rice. (Really, wash it.)
Bring the rice to a boil in the veggie broth. Add a bit of water if needed. (This is soup so keep it soup-like)
Add the carrots, boil for another 20 minutes.
Add the celery and tomato sauce, reduce flame to medium and simmer 10 additional minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, simmer over low flame about 5 minutes.

If your constitution is Vata, add a bit of cayenne pepper. You may also add a handful of a veggie pasta as I did with this version during the last 9 minutes of boiling the carrots. (Kapha constitution - omit the pasta).

Leave out the black pepper if your constitution is Pitta or cut it down to half. Squirt a bit of lemon juice into each bowl and serve hot. I topped this off with a few fresh pea shoots I purchased at my local health food store, Puritan & Genesta in Mystic, CT. They gave the soup a little crunch and a splash of cheery green. Enjoy!

Tiny Chocolate Creme Filled Vegan Cookies

These are the same Vegan cookies as the large version I made last week, except I reduced the cookie's diameter to approximately 1.5". The filling - ahh yes, the vanilla creme filling; this time I used my snazzy Mechanical Pastry Bag from Williams-Sonoma and gave the edges of the filling that really neat bakery ribbing. In other news, our color print ad announcing Very Good Vegan Volume One in VegNews magazine is set to hit sometime soon- http://www.vegnews.com/ to visit their awesome site. This is our first Vegan Instructional Cooking DVD that is on sale now on our sites http://www.annaveda.com/, http://www.annavedakitchen.com/, and http://www.verygoodvegan.com/.

There has been a lot of buzz about the Very Good Vegan DVD at local health food shops, and yoga studios. The DVD is also available at shops in Westerly, RI, Stonington, CT, and Mystic, CT - listed on our website. Very Good Vegan Volume One is shipping for free on our sites, spread the word. Yes, we will also gift wrap if you like.

Portabella Mushroom Burgers

Hey gang! Did you know that Portabella Mushrooms make a tasty burger any time of year - no need to wait for those summertime cook-outs to enjoy a Vegan burger...

Take some nice clean, dry fresh Portabella Mushrooms, heat a large cast iron frying pan over high heat - coat it with a teaspoon of high quality olive oil, toss in the mushrooms with bit of garlic powder and roast 4-5 minutes on each side. I topped these off with some nice Soy mozarella "cheese" from Trader Joe's - served on a hot Ciabatta Roll along woth some mixed greens et voila! Lunch is served. Some facts: Portabella Mushrroms are a good source of potassium, niacin and selenium. Eat up!

Vegan Chocolate Creme Filled Sandwich Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Creme Filled Sandwich Cookies

Similar in texture and taste (less the toxic store bought aftertaste) to a childhood favorite of mine, these cookies absolutely rock. The chocolate discs are mottled with crunchy turbinado sugar, yet the cookies themselves are tender and moist. The creme filling is the only truly naughty component because it contains confectioner's sugar. If you are interested in this vegan cookie recipe - email us info@annaveda.com
By the way FREE shipping is available right inow on our Very Good Vegan Volume 1 DVD.
Visit www.VeryGoodVegan.com to order