Anatomy.

Anatomy is the structure of a living thing.

And its parts...Go Fudge makes a raw food brownie worth studying.  It's crusted with cacao nibs that give each bite a crunch. Imagine a Jocalat bar gone deeper, darker, nuttier, with more benefits. For 10 grams of fiber, it does a body good. Here are the ingredients:

100% Organic Living Ingredients: almonds, cacao, cashews, agave, vanilla, Himalayan salt.

You can pick one up for your own examining at Whole Foods Market on South Street.

Inside David Chang...


I understand that David Chang has his own reasons for not supporting a vegetarian diet and has been pretty vocal about it. But his story and his food are beautiful. Light, clean, vibrant eats from Momofuku cookbook:

There are a few recipes worth getting into, and the techniques are perhaps most important here. The Ginger Scallion Noodles are simple and delicate. The Tomato & Tofu Salad is as great as your tomatoes, and if they're ready, you're made. This dinner was like a long, restorative hug that slowly wills its way through you.

Love Triangle: Maca Pancakes, Cookie Dough Balls, Samsung G Tab.

Coasting along on my maca streak, the next recipe experiment clearly had to be pancakes.  I leaned on my single serving pancake recipe here, with maca and cocoa powder added to the mix.

Hints of chocolate and coffee made me think of a mocha and as an option in this recipe, you can sub some of the non-dairy milk for that leftover bit of coffee in your morning pot. These are the most special pancakes I've made yet.

Choco Maca Pancakes

1/2 cup spelt flour

1 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder

1/2 tbsp maca powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2/3 cup non-dairy milk

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

optional: 1/4 cup coffee, reduce non-dairy milk by 1/4 cup

optional: cacao nibs, chocolate chips, or slivered almonds

Again, notice how I don't add sugar to my pancakes? Feel free to tuck in some maple syrup to your batter (subtracting amount from other liquid) if you like. I prefer to add my syrup as a final touch and find that the chocolate flavor really comes through without being bitter at all.

Mix dry ingredients, add wet, cook like normal pancakes.  Makes 5 small pancakes for 1 serving.

Introducing my other new loves:

Cookie Dough Balls adapted from Oh She Glows. A certain someone in this household could not get over the name and proceeded to chant "Cookie Dough Baaaaallllls" for the rest of the night with a distinctively Southern twang. He's not always perfect.

I skipped the sugar and went with the extra tsp of maple syrup and used 1/2 cup oats instead of 1/4 cup oats, 1/4 cup flour. After blending my nut and oat flours, I mixed the rest of the ingredients in by hand. Blending everything would make a smoother batter, but you know, I like to be gentle with my balls.

The raw cookie balls are then frozen and kept in the freezer - an addictive dessert that takes all of 5 minutes. I managed to save a few to top a bowl of overnight oats. Dessert for breakfast wins again.

Cookie Dough Breakfast Bowl.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. My new work tool...Amazingly light and thin, great handling and performance, and absolutely gorgeous resolution.

And the best part? It's open, not locked down like some other fruity tablets. *NERD RAGE*

Out of the case...I despise cases for phones and tablets because if you have a truly beautiful and sleek tool, why would you want to cover it up with pink rubber? Because this tab is one of the lightest to date, it does need a case. However, it looks so much better naked.

Off to dress myself and the tablet for the day. Things have been getting a little too sexy around here, I know. It's back to librarian sweaters for us.

Crazy-Sexy-Cool Superfood Smoothie. With Maca!

The Crazy. Maca powder, on its own, is not the most palatable of superfoods.

The Sexy. But I find that paired with chocolate (maca chocolate bars, oh my) it's a rather enticing treat. It increases energy, enhances the libido (and treats impotence), stimulates fertility, regulates the hormones, and is abundant in minerals and fatty acids.

To incorporate it into my diet, I've been varying amounts in my smoothies. The perfect amount is 1 tbsp (more than that and the maca flavor is too strong) for a single serving. But I wouldn't use any more than that because of how potent it is. You may want to start with 1/2 tbsp and work up to 1 tbsp.

The Cool. The result? A lively chocolate banana smoothie that will snap you out of any energy slumps or hormonal mood swings.

Have you tried maca? Does it do anything for you?

Guiltless Pleasures.

One of the upsides to fully embracing a vegan lifestyle is that faux materials are so much more affordable than animal ones.

Mr. Vedge likes to joke around that if you tell me something is organic and vegan, I'll buy it, and if we ever have a Little Vedge, that's all they'll have to say to convince me to let them add it to the shopping cart.

Go with the Faux...A peek in my closet may reveal what looks like a TON of leather, croc, suede, and the like...but I assure you that most of it is man-made. That's all I shop for these days and thanks to online shopping and amazing designers (Olsenhaus, Vaute Couture, Stella McCartney), most of it meets my demand that it be fashion-forward and well-made.

TOMS knock-offs by Soda. Most TOMS are not vegan (they have suede insoles) and the ones that are labeled vegan have silly prints that I don't like. So I found these Soda flats that are ultra comfy and vegan and nearly did backflips. And yes, neutral! At $20 a pair! 

I've already put them on for several walks and they don't rub or feel cheap, so I may order them in different colors.

Moving on to accessories...J. Karma Boutique in Old City is where I find bags and wallets. They have a nice selection of Melie Bianco and Big Buddha, as well as vegan buttery leather wallets from Shiraleah Vegan Leather. I liked the simplicity of this one. You can find Shiraleah online at Alternative Outfitters.

Macadamia Caprese Salad.

Taking my cue from the Macadamia Caprese in the Conscious Cook, I put together this simple yet-not-so-simple salad. A vegan caprese with a rich macadamia nut cheese.

Nut cheese is a labor of love, but honestly, it's just the waiting that hurts. You soak, wait, blend, add probiotics to culture the cheese and seasonings, wait 48 hours, chill and PRESTO. Except if you wait even longer, like at least a week, you will be rewarded with a funky, lovely cheese that has firmed up over time.

Instead of a week, I gave it a day in the fridge after the culturing process. This is a salad you'll have to plan ahead for as the nut cheese does take 3 days. But it's only a few minutes of actual work.

For the sit back and let good ingredients do their thang part? I assembled heirloom tomato slices and slivers of macadamia cheese (which will be similar to a goat cheese in texture) and dressed them up with basil, balsamic, and organic extra virgin olive oil (OEVOO is the new EVOO).

My rule of thumb for balsamic and olive oil is that you should spend more than you would on a bottle of wine. It lasts much longer. Cheap balsamic tastes like Diet Coke gone flat. Don't do it. I recommend the Garces Trading Company vinegars - you can go in and taste all of them and they are a great value.

Add some crusty bread to sop up any leftover cheese/balsamic/oil. Or try the Macadamia Caprese sandwich-style, like Mr. Vedge did.

As an alternative to the macadamia cheese, you could try chilled lightly baked tofu cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. This Tofu-Tomato-Basil Sandwich is one of my favorites.

Cheater's Tip: You can also order Macadamia Cheese from Organic Avenue. Which might actually be fastest and it is absolutely divine stuff...Life Lessons:  Don't trust cheaters in the kitchen. If you cheat in the kitchen then you probably cheat in real life. I say this lightly, but think about it. Food and sex are on like planes.

Invest in your salad. Find time for your salad. And yes, enjoy the salad that you're with.

Raw Pad Thai.

I love raw spiralized veggie "pasta", so a sea vegetable "noodle" is right on by me...meet the kelp noodle. Or specifically, Pad Thai with Kelp Noodles.

Now let's talk about how we got to know each other...

I first tried kelp noodles at Pure Food & Wine in their pad thai dish, I was amazed by how filling and fun to eat they were. Especially with the sauce and all of the toppings. Instant must-have for me.

Luckily, I found Gold Mine Kelp Noodles at Essene Market for under $6 a package. This was my first sighting of the noodles in Philly. Not to be confused with the super-creepy shirataki noodles that are made from tofu. They just seem highly processed to me.

Why choose kelp? Kelp noodles make an excellent gluten and allergen free option and they're also rich in minerals. If you're looking for a lighter meal, these noodles kick in at a meager 6 calories per serving. 

This all translates to a healthier, raw pad thai that's 100% vegan (many pad thai recipes have fish sauce or eggs) and you add good fats like chopped peanuts or cashews and sesame oil to give this dish some real staying power. 

Combine sauce ingredients. Add veggies to sauce and let marinate for at least 15 minutes. Chop kelp noodles and add to veggies and sauce. Mix in crushed peanuts and garnish with additional cilantro and lime. Makes 3 servings.

There's no actual cooking involved, so throw this into your summer meal rotation.

White Beet Chips.

Culton Organics is a badass one-man farm outside of Lancaster (get your hands on it at Headhouse Square Market) that specializes in rare breeds of produce.

Like white beets, for example.

Mr. Collin Flatt of the Feast was telling us about these must-try Beta vulgaris the other day, so when he and galfriend showed up at our place bearing such a thing, I was buzzed. I thought about making a beet and farro salad. Then I decided that I would really love some beet chips for a Thursday picnic. So I cranked up the oven (does anyone know about dehydrating beet chips? I assume it would take several hours) and got slice-happy.

They're sweet, delightfully crunchy, and kinda mimic regular potato chips, with the aftershock of beet flavor. You could totally con some non-beet-eaters into munching down on these.

4th Meal.

Cheesy BBQ Portabello Burgers from Family Kitchen with Pepperjack Daiya, grilled onions, my 2-minute BBQ sauce (madwoman dashes of mesquite liquid smoke, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oil, ketchup, gochujang, and agave nectar, it's mighty fine stuff), butter lettuce and sprouts. Truffled sweet potato sticks on the side and Chocolate Avocado Mousse with Coconut Whipped Cream for the big finish.

Last Call at Horizons.

Saturday night marked the last dinner service at Horizons.

I savored every bite. The positive energy from the staff, the surge of late-night tables (including one fellow who announced that he had traveled from Brooklyn to dine at his very favorite restaurant in the world), Rich and Kate full of excitement about the future, going vegan paparazzi on the kitchen staff, late night happy hour with Natalie from Angst Loves Spinach, the food that I swear tasted better than it ever had.

The best way to tell it, though, is through photo.

As you might have guessed, I could not agree more with the name for their new restaurant.

Thanks for many years of vegetable bliss - the next two months will be a challenge without you!

Morning After Pancakes.

Morning After Pancakes have two requirements: 1. You don't have to be fully awake to make them. 2. They are the quickest basic vegan pancake recipe that I have.

My favorite pancake recipe involves a little more effort and some extra ingredients, so I save it for mornings when I have time and lots of guests.

This recipe is for one person, but double it for 2. And if there's more than two of you, vote on who is most awake and tell them to go for the Upgraded, Favorite Recipe.

But this one is really dedicated to you stumble-out-of-bed types. You've survived.

Morning After Pancakes


1/4 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
Earth Balance margarine or coconut oil, for skillet

Combine dry ingredients. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and add vanilla and milk. Stir and add more milk as needed. Melt margarine on skillet until sizzling. Add banana, berries, or chocolate chips if you like. Cook for two minutes on each side. Batter yields 4 small-ish cakes.

Stack up on the basics! These are perfect for stacking and layering with nut butters, jams, cashew cream, or fruit for some versatility.

Soled on Siojo.

I take my pedicures without formaldehyde. Which is why I will go out of my way to seek a holistic salon and skip those $25 mani-pedi deals because to me, having toxins seep into my skin (the nail is that delicate) is just a complete turn-off.

I'd rather support places like Tierra Mia and the new Siojo Salon in Old City, who provide a much cleaner, calmer experience. Sans formaldehyde! They also do better work, if you must know. I always feel rushed and cramped at other places. The idea of visiting a salon is to treat yourself well, right?

But on to my glowing review of Siojo Salon. I had checked out the salon the day before just to get a feel for the place and make an appointment. It was extremely clean, serene, modern, calmly lit, and the pedicure set-up with foot sinks sealed the deal for me. The treatments all seemed very fairly priced and the salon was a short walk from home.

The staff was warm and inviting. While I was there, I was treated to a complimentary neck and shoulder massage and a hemp-infused paraffin treatment. I mentally checked out and just let myself go while my feet were completely pampered.

Nail polish is from Deborah Lippman - I wasn't too familiar with the brand (although it is cruelty-free, no formaldehyde,  toluene, or dibutyl phtalate) but so far, so good. Water-based polishes from Tierra Mia last forever, so I will see how this polish holds up.

What stands out about the treatment here is that there is no soaking process here. My nail tech explained to me that it is more sanitary to skip the soaking and the housemade products are not diluted and are better absorbed by the skin. She used the foot sink hose to gently spray my feet when needed. Note to self: Must install foot bath if I ever renovate a house.

Siojo's signature scrub was wickedly sensual, too, made up of Himalayan salt, lemongrass, rosemary, and peppermint leaves. Sounds like an herb-crusted tofu recipe to me...

Siojo also does hair, makeup, organic facials, massage, and waxing. They're open daily, too. Book your body-friendly pedicure and really do right by your soles.

[siojo salon]