Homemade Deodorant That Works Better Than Dove Prescription Strength (made in one easy step)

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Dear hard-working (and thus sweaty),

I consider myself an expert on store-bought deodorants.

As in, I've tried them all.

I HATE sweaty arm-pits - for some reason, it just irks the heck out of me when my arms feel sticky and soggy!  Perhaps the rest of the world loves it, but I loathe it!

I thought I must just be super sweaty or something, because even the Dove Prescription Strength stuff wasn't doing the trick for me.  Never thought about the fact that maybe store-bought deodorant, like store-bought cookies, milk and many (but not all) other conventional products, was just inferior to homemade, mystery-ingredient-less pit stopper.

Well, perhaps I considered it, but then remembered that homemade deodorant is hard to make.  Not sure where I got that assumption, but pretty sure I believed it, because I mean, who makes deodorant, really?

I was inspired to make it by this post.  This stuff was about as hard to make as a peanut butter sandwich.  Warning: if you can't even make a peanut butter sandwich, you may not want to try this, in fact you may not want to try much of anything.  

My ultra-fancy tools (hard to find but well worth it).  Bowls, spoons, mixer or whisk, and an empty or almost-empty deodorant container and spatula.

The mysterious and esoteric ingredients, available from anywhere things are sold.  Coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and a scent if you like.

Literally it was just a few ingredients from my kitchen (three, to be exact, with one optional add-in), blended together.  Done.

I warmed the coconut oil a little to make blending easier.

  

Then I easily blended in the baking soda and cornstarch, as well as a few drops of essential oil just for fun.  

Smoosh, smoosh!  I chilled it in the freezer for about two minutes because I am impatient, and smashed it all thickly together.

Look, empty deodorant container!  I just took out the last scrap of deodorant.  If you're worried about the homemade stuff melting through, you could leave a little store deodorant in the container as a plug.

I slobbed some of the homemade stuff into the deodorant container because I'm fancy like that, and put the rest in a jar for refills later. 

Wiped it down and put on labels to be snazzy (a good time for chalk labels?  I'd better order more).

Homemade Pit Stopper Better Than the Store Bought Stuff and Also Less Mysterious
I wasn't sure I trusted homemade deodorant yet, so when I mixed this batch up I made sure I had a little bit of the Real Stuff set aside.  The next day I threw the Real Stuff away and now just use the Good Stuff! This may be difficult to make on a hot day, as coconut becomes liquid at warm temperatures. 

You can buy empty deodorant containers online!  Here is an affiliate link: 5 Deodorant Empty Containers - for lotion bar, heel balm etc. (2 oz.)

1/4 cup (generously scooped) coconut oil, warmed to partially liquid
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot or corn starch
Optional: essential oil or pure extract for aroma, unless you used virgin coconut oil in which case it will smell like coconut, yum!

Using a blender or a vigorous fork, whip together ingredients.  Store in a jar and apply by hand, or cool until thick and pack into an empty deodorant container.

Note: If you are anxious try try it, you can make some now and then let it soften and pack it into an old deodorant container later!  When I was packing it in to the deodorant container, I chilled it in the freezer for just a few minutes and then stirred it together to get it evenly thick.  Also, if you keep your bathroom really hot, you should be warned that this will melt right out of your deodorant container unless you leave a little store deodorant in the container as a plug.

Using It: The Facts. When you initially swipe this on, your body heat will instantly melt the coconut oil and your arms will feel wet.  When this happened, I was horrified!  I hate spray-on or gel-like deodorants that feel wet.  Hate them!!  Even though I know you can leave your shirt off and let the deodorant dry, it never really does and I feel sticky and irritated all day.

However, in this instance I was pleasantly surprised to find that the deodorant dried instantly, by the time I could pull a shirt out of the drawer; and then miracle of miracles, I forgot I was wearing it all day!  I even wore two t-shirts and a sweatshirt and then ran eight errands (with a baby!), which generally would leave me sticky and damp under the arms.  When I got home that night I suddenly remembered I was testing homemade deodorant, and hurriedly took off my sweatshirt to see how soggy I was.  What?  No sticky?  No sweaty?  A miracle!!  I raced off to throw away my store-bought deodorant immediately!!

Did I mention that even with premium coconut oil, this is still cheaper than buying deodorant at the store, even with store coupons... ?

You can even store spare deodorant in the freezer now - what a fun way to freak your friends out!

Not sticky,

Mrs H
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Winter Salsa - Local, Organic, Cheap

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Dear amigos,

Mr H loves salsa.  I make it about every week, sometimes more often, when he is home.  How to keep it affordable, and made from local and organic ingredients even in the dead of winter?  We don't have cold frames for tomatoes and jalapenos won't grow here in winter, so we rely on canned and frozen ingredients from the summer prior!

Winter Salsa
If you like your salsa blended anyway, use a pure home-canned tomato sauce instead of chopped tomatoes; I sometimes use one quart sauce, one quart diced.  

2 quarts diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped, frozen onions
2 cups chopped, frozen peppers
2 cups raw corn, frozen (optional)
1 pint cooked or home-canned black beans (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped frozen cilantro or 2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 canned or frozen habanero or jalapeno (more or less to taste)
Sea salt, to taste (several teaspoons, generally)
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried, ground garlic, garlic flakes, or coarse garlic salt
Ground cumin, to taste (2 tablespoons or more, generally)

Thaw frozen items; drain in a mesh strainer.  Drain tomatoes in mesh strainer, letting sit for several hours or pressing with a spoon to remove some of the extruded water.  Drain beans.  Chop pepper or throw in Vitamix with some of the tomatoes or sauce, and about half the onions and peppers.  Stir all ingredients together, season to taste, and serve fresh.

Dipping in,

Mrs H
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Pumpkin Puree: How to Make It, How to Use It

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Dear pompkin-lovers,

I really do love a good ol' pumpkin.  Last fall, I bought a trunk-load of pie pumpkins, and I've been gradually incorporating them into the kitchen.  Pumpkins can last for months in a cool, dry place (under our dining table), and I'm enjoying having fresh puree for now, but shortly I'll be roasting, pureeing and freezing them all in one big swoop to clear the space out.

Roasting Pumpkins
Use "Sugar Pumpkins" or "Pie Pumpkins" or "Sugar Pie Pumpkins" for this - they are small, usually about 2 - 4 lbs.  Do not attempt to use the large jack-o-lantern pumpkins for eating - they will be watery, stringy, tough, and nasty as they are bred for size, not food. They are definitely not edible! 

Preheat oven to 350. Wash pumpkin.

Halve pumpkins.  Remove seeds and set aside; scrape out the stringy pulp.  Cut pumpkin into wedges or halves and lay, flesh-side down, in a pan.

Roast for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender and soft when pricked with a fork.

Using a knife, your hands, or a spoon, scrape the flesh from the skin; discard skin (makes great compost!).

Puree the pumpkin flesh in a blender until fine and smooth.  1 pound of uncut pumpkin makes approximately 1 cup of blended puree.  Freeze in tubs and transfer to vacuum-seal bags, or freeze in ziplock bags like Miz Carmen.

Optional: If you want a less wet puree, more appropriate for blending into cheeses or butters and possibly more cooperative in some baking applications, or spooning into yogurt, then line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl.  Pour in the puree and let it strain in a bowl overnight.  Discard the liquid and use the remaining puree as desired.

Pumpkin Seeds
You can roast seeds, but I prefer dehydrating them.  You can do this if you have more seeds than you want to roast all at once, or you can do it if you prefer to keep them as a "living food" and add to trail mixes or granola bars.  

Clean the fibrous threads of pumpkin off the seeds; rinse if desired.  Pat dry and spread evenly on a dehydrator tray; dry at 135 for several hours or until they are crispy and dry.  Store in an airtight container; freeze if they will be left for several months or more.

Using Pumpkin Puree

Pie Town USA: Perhaps the most obvious choice in our minds is a traditional American Pumpkin Pie!  Mix up your own pumpkin pie spice and blend it with the puree before freezing, if you are planning to make a lot of pies in the future.  If you're tired of Libby's recipe, try this allergen-free real-food Pumpkin Pie, based on the recipe from Nourishing Traditions. Note: Pie Town is a real place, and Mr H and I were there.  "There were three buildings," he later said, "and all of them said pie for sale!" They even have a Pie-O-Neer Cafe.  Truth is stranger than fiction!

Drink it Up: Stir puree into your hot drinks, or throw it in your smoothies.  (I'm in the testing phase for a pumpkin smoothie!  Cue pumpkins, bananas, creamy whole milk, pumpkin spice, honey, an egg white, vanilla ... is this breakfast, or is it dessert?!)

Layered: stack homemade yogurt, homemade granola, dried cranberries, and pumpkin puree!  Dig in for a hearty breakfast (or freeze for a dreamy snack).

Baked Delight: Add to brownies, pancakes, waffles or cakes with pumpkin puree; add it to banana bread, muffins, or other delights either in addition to or in place of butter or oil.

Stir it: stir pureed pumpkin in to wheat farina or Cream of Wheat, or oatmeal or groats.

A Dazzling List: Thousands of other bloggers have weighed in on this topic over time, and this blogger has collected 50 of the best ways to use puree (I can't vouch for all of them - many of them are not "real food" recipes, but they may spark your own ideas).

Blended: throw pumpkin puree in the Vitamix with cream cheese and a little cinnamon or honey.  Use it as a spread for toast and bagels!

Tired of Puree? If you don't want to puree your pumpkin, here's another fun recipe idea: Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and roast your dinner inside!

Soup on Tap: add the puree to a pot of soup to thicken and increase flavor.

Harvest Leather: Sweeten with sugar or maple syrup and pumpkin spice, and cook down until the volume reduces by about one third; spread on a dehydrator lined with parchment paper (NOT wax paper) or leather trays, and dehydrate for several hours or until the center is no longer tacky.  Cool before peeling from trays.

Canning Pumpkin? Are you low on freezer space?  It is possible to can pumpkin, but it's too dense to be pureed and canned: it has to be processed in cubes.  Follow the canning instructions here; when you want pumpkin puree, just strain out the water and puree the cubes.  The whole cubes (and their liquid) also make a great addition to soup!

Pumpkin Ice Cream: why say more?

Pompous as can be,

Mrs H
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I Will Never Eat a Florida-Grown Conventional Tomato Again

The Wednesday Review: 

Reviewing books, products and more you may be interested in

Dear patient readers, 

Stop! Put that hamburger down!!

You all know my spiel on eating organic, local food - it's better for your body, it's kinder to the world we are entrusted to steward, it's better economic practice, yadda yadda. 

But what if lives depended on it?

Horrify yourself into investing in local, organic tomatoes with Barry Estabrook's Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit . (Affiliate link - note cover has changed)  

I was alerted to this book by a thoughtful and somewhat frightening review by the mysterious Mrs S, which you must read if you are considering eating tomatoes again.  Ever.  Get a sampling of what the book will discuss by reading her thorough review.  I checked it out at the library, then we ended up buying it on Mr H's Nook; it was too good to not own.

This book is a one-sided expose on the tomato industry.  Quite frankly, I have no need to hear the other side.  There is no reasonable justification or logic for the cruelty and bad practice engendered by these companies.  I don't care about the bottom of line of the company, the sweet drawings of farms on the tomato labels, the cheap price of the tomato in the grocery store, the wholesome American that wants a cheap, store-bought sliced tomato on their sandwich in winter and deserves to be able to afford out-of-season fruits in any part of the country, keeping burgers on the 99-cent menu for families that can't afford more, the cruel rationalization that we should provide horrific-condition jobs for illegals since they'll come here anyway, or the families of the management that are struggling to pay bills despite their thieving and gross manipulations.

In Search of the Promised Tomatoland, Part 1

How can we justify buying tomatoes that are two dollars cheaper per pound, made possible by costing somebody, somewhere, their life and livelihood?  

We say that organic tomatoes cost an arm and a leg, but we're being figurative. 

Conventional tomatoes are costing arms and legs, but these are real arms and legs.

Children are being born without limbs, thanks to hazardous pesticides akin to Agent Orange soaking the sandy soil of Florida where the tomatoes are grown.  Saturating the men and women working in the fields, filling their pores and lungs with poison.  Most of them illegal in this country, they are powerless against the injustice.

The publisher's synopsis of Tomatoland

Read another blogger's review

How Industrial Farming 'Destroyed' the Tasty Tomato

Americans can't afford to buy Florida's conventionally-grown tomatoes any more.  I will never buy one again.  Not after reading this.  Not if I want to sleep at night.  And if we can't afford to buy tomatoes that weren't stolen by taking the lives of somebody else to produce them, maybe we can't afford tomatoes at all.  

Mrs H
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Green Freeze Ice Cream: All Sweet, No Sugar

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Dear green,

Ever in the mood for something sweet?

That's what gets me - after dinner, I find myself hankering a little sweet note of completion to signal my brain that all is done, time to settle down for the night.

Of course, since we're skipping sugar entirely for Lent (sugar, not sweets*), I've been compelled to find creative outlets for this sweet tooth.  Which is what I should be doing anyway, since sugar is, well, not all that great for you to put it mildly.

The following recipe was motivated by something I saw the Vitamix guy doing at a display recently.  I hunted for the recipe for what he made and couldn't find it, so I approximated something close in my own kitchen and fell in love.

*Why say sugar, not just sweets?  I was more keen to get refined sugars out of my body than I was to live without sweetness for two score days.  Sugars are hidden in many things, so somebody cutting "sweets" out of their diet without doing a deeper investigation is probably still consuming sugar.  Since we buy one-ingredient foods, it's pretty hard for sugar to hide in our kitchen; and since I like sweetness, I enjoy being compelled to explore new ways to enjoy it without the aid of refined cane sugar!

This dessert is well worth the wait.  All 30 seconds of it.  Yes, this thing can be blitzed together in a fraction of the time it takes to remove a tub of ice cream from the freezer and find the scoop.  Forego refined sugars and artificial flavors, and consume this treat which will not only taste dreamy beyond dreams but actually move your body forward in the path of health!  Win, win, win.

Green Freeze Ice Cream
This treat reminds me of my friend Esther - I know she'd love it!  But she prefers her ice cream firm, rock-hard, actually, so if you are like her, scrape it into a tub and pop it in the freezer for a few hours.  If you want it firm but not too firm, add a teaspoon of vodka when blending: the vodka won't freeze, and will keep the ice cream somewhat moldable.  

1/2 to 1 cup cider or apple juice or 1/4 - 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
Handful of green: kale or spinach
2 frozen bananas
4 cups ice cubes (1 1/2 trays, or approximately filling the Vitamix)

Put the ingredients in the Vitamix in the order listed (rule of thumb: softest items first).  Starting on the lowest speed, slowly increase speed to 10 and then to high.  Use the tamper as necessary until the sound of the engine changes (when an air pocket forms in the firm ice cream, and the blades just whir without resistance they are higher pitched) and the ice cream is frozen.

The whole process should take just a few minutes.  Don't over mix, or you'll unfreeze and cook it!

Enjoy immediately or spatula into a tub for freezing.

we like sweet little things

Slushing,

Mrs H

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Refreshing Carbonation: Ginger-Lemon Effervescence

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Dear Lentils,

Did you choose to give something up for Lent?  Perhaps you, like many others, chose sugar as your sacrifice of choice.

Or perhaps you just don't want refined, processed sugars in your diet - we're all the better for that!

I chose to give up sugar for Lent, the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter, although it wasn't really with a spiritual intent in mind (while we're being honest here!).  In truth, it seemed like a great excuse to talk myself into giving up the granules for forty days.

It's not so hard for me - virtually every food we buy is between one and three ingredients anyway, so it's easy to check foods as they come in the door; and we hardly incorporate sugar in our regular diet at this point, so I just wanted to see how I felt if I really ensured sugar truly didn't go past my lips for all of forty days - even though it meant freezing the beautiful, fat, gorgeous heart-shaped peanut butter cookies my dear friend made me for Valentine's Day!!!

The following recipe is a refreshing - and detoxifying - drink that you might enjoy in place of sodas or sweetened drinks.  I'm sure we all know the evils of soda here, but I myself love carbonation so I'm always eager to find new (and cheap) ways to enjoy seltzer!  We came up with this on a perfectly sunny morning when we were hungry for something cool and fizzy, but not the dead sugars that usually accompany such drinks.

This drink is even more fun, because it has health benefits!  Raw ginger is said to contain anti-inflammatory phenols, as well as an anti-inflammatory enzyme called zingibain.  Raw ginger also aids in fighting rhinoviruses that lead to cold and flu, and can help relieve the cold or flu if you've already contracted it; it can help with coughs, constipation, indigestion, menstrual cramps, laryngitis and sore throats.  Or do you suffer from motion sickness?  Research has found that ginger works just as well as motion sickness drugs.

The carbonation may help soothe pregnancy hiccups (it did for me!) and the ginger can help calm a queasy stomach during morning sickness.

My husband enjoys carbonated drinks as much as I do, and he was enjoying this sparkly beverage when I mentioned there was no sugar in it.  "Really?!" he said.

I got the same response from my friend - who loves sweets, and generally asks me to add a little sugar to the drinks I make.  "No sugar!?" she said.  She also gave up sugar for Lent, and is enjoying herself immensely!

A home carbonator makes this easy!

You can strain it all at once, or make individual servings. 

Ginger-Lemon Effervescence
Using lemon juice not from concentrate will make a visible difference in your drink: it's a little thicker, darker and more potent.  However, you can use any other lemon juice, or fresh-squeeze it yourself.  To serve, either carbonate the water yourself with a home carbonator, or use mineral water, club soda or seltzer.  Tonic water, which is not the same as club soda, has quinine dissolved in it which may not be what you want.  

Two knobs ginger root, peeled
12 ounces organic lemon juice, preferably not from concentrate
Optional: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon lime juice
Optional: Generous pinch of lemon zest for extra punch
Carbonated water

Shred the ginger on a lemon zester or another fine grater.  Scrape and pour all ingredients into a pint jar, cap it, and shake well.  (Maybe pulsing it in the Vitamix on high would extra-blend the flavors?)

Let sit overnight or for 24 hours, or use immediately if you just can't wait.

To use:  Pour liquid through a fine-mesh sieve.  I reserve the shredded ginger and use it again - this is up to you.  Bottle or re-jar the strained liquid.  Add approximately a tablespoon of the ginger-lemon concentrate to 20 ounces of water, or to taste.

Continuous serve:  Strain individual servings one at a time as desired, and keep topping off the jar with lemon juice as you go.  The ginger will go quite a distance, although the strength of flavor will be up to you.

Note: It's hard on your teeth to sip acidic, lemony drinks all day, so make sure you clean your teeth after enjoying this drink!

(This is the Sodastream we use) (affiliate link)

Take the bubbly to the park, to work, on the road or just have a few bottles available for quick drinking - I use old glass bottles to mix up a few ready-to-go drinks, and store them in the fridge! 

New wine in old skins? 

Effervescing,

Mrs H

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Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut: What it is, and why we need it

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Dear fellow krauts,

I love sauerkraut!  You'll probably be hearing more about it soon as I tell you about our recent 400 lb cabbage harvest over at the farm, but for now, let's talk about kraut!

What is sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut is German for “sour cabbage,” which is exactly what sauerkraut is.  It is also known by its French name, choucroute.  It is simply lacto-fermented cabbage with a little salt added, to aid in the fermenting process. 

Why eat sauerkraut?

Traditional and ancient methods of food preparation often involved fermentation, as freezers and refrigerators for long-term storage didn’t arrive on the scene until recently.  Fermented foods were even considered sacred in some cultures, and revered for their healing properties.  Sauerkraut, while not only being a delicious and hearty food, is a source of lactic acid bacteria, all of which help to promote a healthy gut and good digestion by providing microorganisms that our bodies need to survive. 

Why eat raw sauerkraut?

Raw sauerkraut is packed with beneficial bacteria and microorganisms, most of which are killed off during high-heat processing or pasteurization.

Why not conventional sauerkraut?

Sauerkraut knock-offs can be found cheaply in many grocery stores because manufacturers skipped the lengthy fermentation process, and simply mixed in vinegar to provide the tangy flavor that is distinctive in fermented foods. 

How is sauerkraut made?

Cabbage is washed, chopped (you can chop it in the Vitamix!) to the desired texture and then mixed with the perfect proportion of hand-harvested, mineral-rich non-iodized sea salt: 5 pounds of cabbage to three tablespoons salt has been my salty sweet spot for fermentation.  Too much salt, and the cabbage won’t ferment properly; too little salt, and it will simply rot in the crocks!  It is packed, smashed and pressed down into special fermenting crocks, then weighted down to extract, over the period of days or weeks, the salty brine.  As the kraut is slowly pressed beneath the weight, it bubbles, ferments, and develops the beautiful array of bacteria and the familiar, heady sour flavor and aroma.  You can leave it in the crocks for some months (watch for mold or bloom on the surface, skim it off, and wash the plate before returning to the kraut), or transfer it into jars in your fridge.  Because every natural fermentation is different, kraut will continue to ripen for months in your refrigerator, and the flavor will evolve and may vary from jar to jar.

This crock is half-full,  and the jars filled with water are pressing the brine from the cabbage

The two smaller crocks hold five gallons each; the large crock is ten.

A cloth keeps dust, bugs and foreign objects from falling into the brine!

 Nourished Kitchen has a beautifully photographed article on preparing kraut at home, so I won't reinvent the wheel by going into too much detail.  I love Jenny's brilliant blog (and she's writing a cookbook, folks!) and I know you'll enjoy visiting her kitchen, too.

How do I eat it?

You can eat it plain as a side dish, or layer it in sandwiches, Reubens, burgers and dogs.  Choucroute garnie is a French method of preparation, where the kraut is served with sausages or other salted meats such as bacon and other charcuterie, and often cooked potatoes as well.  Traditional recipes like German spaetzle, pierogies, sauerkraut soups, casseroles, slow-cooker recipes, slaws, and more all feature sauerkraut. Salted, raw ‘kraut is vegan, gluten-free, GAPS, Paleo/Primal-approved, and of course sugar-free! 

How long does a jar last?

Properly fermented cabbage can last for months in your fridge, said to reach the peak of flavor and fullness at six months, and in some cases it will last for years in a cool, refrigerated area. 

Can I can kraut? 

You can, although processing kraut will kill many of the beneficial bacteria.  However, if (for instance) you suddenly had to move cross country and wanted to bring your gallons of kraut with you, but didn't think it would survive the trip, you could can it all and just enjoy it for the flavor and, yes, there would still be some nutrition.

To can kraut: 

Bring sauerkraut to a simmer (minimum of 185 deg. F).  Do not boil.  Pack hot cabbage into clean, hot jars.  Leave 1/2" headspace.  Bubble and cap.  Process pints 15 minutes, quarts 20 minutes, in boiling water bath (see basic canning instructions here).

Sauering nutritiously,


Mrs H
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Vegan Eats World: Review, Giveaway, and Spicy Drunken Noodles recipe!

The Wednesday Review:

Reviewing books, products and more you may be interested in

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered!  Read on for the review and a free recipe, however! 

This is the fifth book in a series of giveaways!  

Like us on Facebook to stay up to speed with all our giveaways!  

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  They did not pay me for my review.  As some of you know far too well, the opinions expressed herein most definitely are and perhaps unfortunately always will be my own! 

Dear cooks of international flair, 

I've been having way too much fun with this giveaway series.  Not only am I loading up on a stack of fresh cooking material for the kitchen and hopefully helping you to do the same, but I've been "meeting" readers from far and wide!  We've had winners in Missouri, Utah, Texas and Massachusetts, and I am curious to see where this next book will go!  The last book we gave away was Nourishing Traditions, and it sailed off to a new home in Utah!  We're giving away another book from the outstanding press, Da Capo Lifelong {follow them on Facebook for recipes, giveaways, and information on fabulous cooking books}; they generously offered us this giveaway on top of the one they just sponsored for Vegan Cupcakes!  

Speaking of generous, everybody's a winner with this review, because Da Capo's publicist gave permission to share a recipe for all of us to enjoy!  Read on for Spicy Drunken Noodles ... 

Vegan Eats World: 300 International Recipes for Savoring the Planet by Terry Hope Romero

This is a book on international cooking, and I guess it also happens to be vegan - which is almost beside the point when you start exploring these flavorful, exotic dishes that weirdly can be made as easily as a bowl of spaghetti, in your own kitchen!  

This is also a huge book.  Almost as big as my (huge) baby, it boasts over 300 recipes from around the world! 

What's with vegan eating?  Vegan and vegetarian eating may be a pseudo-faddish lifestyle for some Westerners, but in many parts of the world it's just a way of life; animal products may be costly or hard to come by, and people rely on a plant-based diet in many regions as a matter of necessity.  Not surprisingly then, fabulously creative and delicious recipes have developed in remote parts of the world, meals which are consumed by everybody, not just card-carrying "vegans"!  You might be living a purely vegan lifestyle and seeking new material to jazz up your weeknights, or you may be roasting a turkey this afternoon but looking for a nutritious side dish with a little Mediterranean flair, or hoping to use up a few extra eggplant and thinking a Lebanese Moussaka Stew might fit the bill.  I, a die-hard self-professed advocate of whole milk, cheese and bacon, am delighting over the traditional Garlicky Potato Dip from Greece, Coriander Rye Muffins from Russia, Okra Masala (Bindi Bhaji) from India, and Takeout Stir Fry Noodles with Mushrooms and Greens from China!

What's inside: Rather than dividing the recipes by region, which is a cute idea but can be inconvenient when you want to quickly find a soup for a cool evening, these recipes are conveniently and handily divided by food genre.  Preceded by a section familiarizing novice cooks on tools, ingredients and lingo, there are twelve fat chapters in this book: Spice Blends (like Olive Oil Harissa Paste), The Three Protein Amigos: Tofu, Seitan and Tempeh (like Lemon and Olive Chickpea Seitan), Pickles, Chutneys and Saucier Sauces (like Whipped Garlic Dip), Salads, Spreads and Sandwiches (like Avocado Mango Cashew Salad), Soups (like White Bean Farro Soup with Chickpea Parmigiana), Curries Hearty Stews and Beans (like Mexican Homemade Refried Beans), Dumplings Breads and Pancakes (like Ethiopian Savory Crepes), Asian Noodles to Mediterranean Pasta (like Sizzling Seitan Pho Noodle Soup), Hearty Entrees (like Korean Veggie Bulgogi), Robust Vegetable Entrees and Sides (like Crisp Stir-Fry Greens with Veggie Oyster Sauce), Rice and Whole Grains: One-Pot Meals and Supporting Roles (like Crusty Persiaon Rice with Dill and Fava Beans), and Sweet Beginnings (like Walnut Spice Sticky Cake).

Recipes are all accompanied by a few little purple symbols, helping cooks that are seeking a dish to fit certain specifications: 123 denotes the easiest recipes; 45 denotes under-45-minute recipes; a chair marks recipes that are mostly inactively cooking on the stove or in the oven so you can be out of the kitchen; $ indicates inexpensive ingredients; low-fat marks recipes with a tablespoon or less of added fats; G indicates gluten-free recipes; and S marks recipes without soy.

Of course, the book is scattered throughout with beautiful color photographs of many of the delicious recipes you'll be encountering.  With recipes using traditional fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, recipes that bring on the heat with berebere and harissa, recipes that are familiar and recipes that are bizarre, there is something exploratory and exciting for everybody in this book.  But perhaps we should let the recipes speak for themselves?  I'll leave you with the recipe for Spicy Drunken Noodles, and then you can check out the book on your own or enter the giveaway below!

photo courtesy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz
used with permission

Pad Kee Mao 

(Spicy Drunken Noodles) 
From Vegan Eats World, reprinted with permission

Serves 2 to 3

There are many colorful stories about the origins of 

this addictive, fiery Thai noodle dish, but the strangest 

one may be about the wife who was so fed up 

with her drunken husband she turned to revenge 

via loading up his favorite noodles with fistfuls of 

hot chile peppers. Seems like her plan backfired, 

because the heady mixture of savory sauces and 

fiery chilies made him (and countless fans after) 

swoon and ask for seconds. Your homemade spin on 

this takeout favorite need not be punishingly hot to 

be just as good.

Thai soy sauce: Like her sister recipe, Pad See Ew (page 230), Pad Kee Mao is best made with genuine Thai soy sauces. One bottle of each Thai sauce will last for dozens of noodle dishes, making spontaneous Thai-style noodles an easy weekday meal treat. Chinese- or Japanese-style sauces don’t have the correct flavors; your dish may be good, but it won’t taste like Thai food. Thai thin soy sauce (light amber color, thin consistency, and strong, salty taste) does the job of standing in for fish sauce. Golden Mountain sauce is a special Thai seasoning sauce with a consistency and flavor slightly like Worcestershire sauce; it’s vegan, with complex flavors that soy sauce alone can’t cover. Thai black soy sauce and sweet soy sauce are thick and sweet sauces with molasses-like notes; both have their own unique character, but in a pinch are interchangeable. But for the most authentic tasting dish, use both!

Authentic Thai vegetables are much more challenging to find than the sauces, but a little cabbage, carrot, or even a few florets of broccoli or a handful of snow peas are fine.

Regarding the rice noodles, you have license to use whatever you can find. Many Thai restaurants use slippery, chewy, wide fresh rice noodles.  These noodles are delicious and will make the most authentic-tasting dish but can be difficult to find. If you can’t find sliced, fresh flat rice noodles at Thai markets, investigate Chinese markets for bags of soft fresh rice ho fun noodles: huge rice noodles that resemble a floppy kitchen towel folded into a squishy bundle. Regular Pad Thai rice sticks, if not authentic, are an easy-to-find substitute.

If you can’t use fresh ho fun noodles immediately, they can be refrigerated but will be stiff after being chilled a few hours (but they can keep for weeks, so it’s worth stashing an extra bag in the fridge for future stir-fries). To refresh ho fun noodles, steam them for 4 to 8 minutes until soft and pliable enough to unfold; the older the noodle, the more steaming required. Gently unfold this super noodle (if it rips a little don’t worry), and slice or tear into pieces. Don’t worry if they’re not pretty, they’ll taste like dynamite in noodle stir-fries. Keep the fresh noodles covered with a moist paper towel until ready to stir-fry.

Drunken Noodle Sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese vegetarian stir-fry sauce (see page 13)
2 tablespoons Thai thin soy sauce (see page 19)
4 teaspoons brown sugar or palm sugar
1 tablespoon Thai Golden Mountain sauce (see page 18)
2 tablespoons Thai black soy sauce or Thai sweet soy sauce (see page 19), or
1 tablespoon of each sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 to 3 teaspoons Asian chili garlic sauce or hot red pepper flakes

Noodles and Vegetables

12 ounces Thai fresh flat rice noodles or Chinese fresh ho fun noodles
3 tablespoons peanut, canola, or grapeseed oil
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 to 4 red or green hot chile peppers
(Thai, Indian, or serrano), sliced into paper-thin rings
One 8-ounce package fried tofu or 1 recipe
Savory Baked Tofu (page 50), sliced into
1/4-inch thin strips
3 cups shredded Napa or savoy cabbage
1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
3 scallions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup lightly packed Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
Lime wedges for squeezing over noodles

1. If the rice noodles are very fresh and soft, you don’t need to cook them; just tear into bite sized pieces if needed and proceed to the stir-fry. If already sliced, gently separate the noodles and set aside, or refold the ho fun several times into a wide tube and slice into wide, 2-to 3-inch strips. If the noodles have been refrigerated and are hard, set up a bamboo or metal steamer over boiling water. Steam the Thai noodles or the whole, unsliced ho fun until soft (4 to 8 minutes), then turn off the heat and keep covered. If using ho fun, when the noodle is cool enough to handle, either slice into strips or tear into pieces 2 to 3 inches wide with your fingers. Keep covered until ready to use.

2. In a liquid measuring cup whisk together the vegetarian stir-fry sauce, Thai thin soy sauce, brown sugar, Golden Mountain sauce, black or sweet soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and chili sauce. Chop the vegetables and arrange all of the ingredients within easy reach of the stove for the stir-fry.

3. Preheat a wok or large skillet over high heat, then pour in 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is rippling, stir in the garlic and chilies, stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the tofu and fry another 2 to 3 minutes until the tofu browns on the edges. Transfer the tofu to a dinner plate. Add another tablespoon of oil and add the carrot, cabbage, and white part of scallions and fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Transfer to the plate with the tofu.

4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, add the noodles, and stir-fry for 1 minute. If the noodles start to stick, dribble in a teaspoon or two of water; whenever sticking starts to happen add a little water but don’t add too much or the noodles will become mushy. Now drizzle on half of the sauce, stir-fry for 2 minutes and return the tofu, cabbage, carrot, green parts of scallions, and the remaining sauce. Stir in the basil leaves and cilantro. Continue to stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed, everything is coated in sauce and the noodles are gently seared in some places. Transfer immediately to serving plates and squeeze lime wedges over noodles before devouring.

Add any of the following to the stir-fry before adding the noodles:

With Green Peppercorns: Stir in 2 to 3 teaspoons of fresh green peppercorns along with the chilies.

With Shallots: Slice a large shallot into paper-thin slices and fry along with the garlic and chilies until golden.

With Snow Peas, Baby Corn, or Broccoli: Add a handful of snow peas, baby corn or thinly sliced broccoli along with the cabbage

Without Noodles: Or omit the noodles entirely and double the amount of vegetables for a spicy all-vegetable Thai stir-fry.

Enter the giveaway!  

1. Leave a comment below.  Do you prepare vegan foods already, or are you just an international-cooking fan?  What is the best feature of this book for you?  Use a current e-mail address or Facebook page when you leave your comment, and I will contact you via that route when you win - so be sure it's one you check!  Winner will be chosen Wednesday, January 23, 2013.

2. Share this giveaway with a friend!  The more popular a review is, the more giveaways we are privileged to do in the future!  Use Pinterest, Twitter, e-mail, Facebook or any other medium to share this review with somebody, and feel free to add a bonus comment for yourself letting us know you did so.

We're still giving away more!  Chef AJ's Unprocessed, Ron Schmidt's Untold Story of Milk, and a bonus, edible round from Tropical Traditions - so follow us on Facebook to be alerted to all our giveaways!!! 

Bon voyage,

Mrs H



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