Vegan Recipes, Ideas, and Living » Products

StrawberryHedgehog.com’s Wonderful Vegan Soaps

Benjamin Jones — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:20:59 +0000

Soap is great. It makes you feel clean and smell better, which I find to be one of the simplest pleasures in life. However, the difference between a mundane experience and a refreshing one comes down to something as simple as soap.

And Tracy over at strawberryhedgehog makes great soap, which is, not coincidentally, vegan-friendly. I have been using some for the last week or two and I can truly say it is great stuff. Sometimes hard to purchase if you are a college student on a budget, but good for small, thoughtful gifts for others and for treating yourself every once in a while.

UPDATE: For those of us who stink at buying soap regularly, check out the soap club!

Japan Vegan: Putting Ajipon on Everything

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:58:34 +0000

The most difficult part of being vegan in Japan is that even the most innocent, vegan things you can think of are topping with, friend in, or souped (for lack of a better word) in something that is not vegan.

However, when you are cooking for yourself you have the option of putting your udon or salad or whatever in whatever you like. In this case, it is ajipon.

Don’t ask me what Ajipon means, something like “flavour pon” but it is vegan and it’s pretty good. It takes a bit of getting used to but not in the “this tastes so bad you’ll eventually kill your taste buds way,” more in the “Western cooking doesn’t use these sorts of flavours so it tastes different” way.

Anyway, ajipon is meant as a sort of all purpose flavouring, so you can use it on anything from yasai itame (something like stripped, stir-fried veggies) to udon, soba, chanpon, or salad.

Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream is the Bomb

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:52:52 +0000

This is the best stuff ever. If there were ever a flavor of Purely Decadent that was going to make me fat, it was the regular old cookie dough variety. But now that I’ve discovered it also comes in a coconut milk variety, I am even more susceptible to fattening from this stuff.

The coconut milk version is richer, smoother, and creamier than the normal kind, which is great in this flavour because overall the vanilla and cookie dough is a very light combination. The coconut milk adds just a touch of richness to what otherwise might be a very “vanilla” vanilla, making the taste just that much better.

If you haven’t had the chance to try out some of the coconut milk varieties, you definitely should, it’s well worth it.

POM Pomegranate Juice: Powerful Alone, Good in Tea

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:47:42 +0000

Recently, I’ve been trying to work my way through a small batch of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. I don’t have that much of it, but it’s lasted longer than any juice that’s every been in my fridge. Why?

POM is really strong stuff. It doesn’t look very intimidating sitting on the shelf in a little 8 ounce bottle, but it’ll give you a kick if you accidentally take too big of a sip. If you’re careful not to go at it too hard it’s good, but basically like any other juice, nothing special.

However, if you water it down at about 3 parts water to 1 part pomegranate it’s a bit easier to take. Better yet, a few tablespoons in your iced tea gives a great flavour without a bitterness that will turn your mouth inside out.

Why POM?

I always wondered what the big deal about POM was. Why did anybody care about pomegranate juice? It’s expensive and half the fun of pomegranates is painstakingly removing the seeds.

I won’t pretend to be an expert on health, but currently pomegranates are at the center of a debate on heart health, prostate health, and erectile function. It may be all hype, but POM has gone so far as to do their own clinical trials involving the health benefits of drinking POM Wonderful daily.

Believe it or not, it may be good for you. If you don’t believe it, at least you can admit that it tastes good. I plan to keep some in fridge just so I can spike my tea whenever I need a little bit more zing. As far as juices go, I still pick blackberry juice any day for the taste, but for the health-conscious, pomegranate juice may be a better choice.

What do you think about POM? Are their health claims any good or are they just more trumped up “sugar coated frosted wheaties increase attentiveness” type claims?

Magnetic Induction Cooktop Review

Benjamin Jones — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:05:15 +0000

The other day I talked about having to get some new cookware to use with the induction cooker, and finally I’ve gotten around to talking about the induction cooker! I won’t blab on and on about it here in these pages, but if you want to know more you can pop on over to my review at EcoRenovator. Definitely something I use very often.

Zojirushi Makes Rice Heavenly

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:12:43 +0000

Rice had been a staple of my diet for a long time. Not only is it the perfect side dish for almost anything, but it’s relatively inexpensive in terms of caloric content and when it’s cooked just right it’s super tasty. As I’m sure you know, the problem is always making sure it’s cooked just right. That’s hard enough by itself, but when you’re cooking a few other things all at once it becomes nearly impossible to make sure it’s cooked to perfection.

That’s why I picked up this Zojirushi NS-ZCC with Neuro Fuzzy Logic. I’ve messed around with standard, one button rice cookers in the past and never been very happy, but I heard great things about Zojirushi and thought I’d give it a try. Now, I must warn you, it is expensive. Like all things there are more and less expensive models, and this one is towards the lower end of the higher end, but it was definitely worth it. Check Amazon for a deal on the NS-ZCC and other models.

The Review

Now that I’ve said it’s worth the money, it’s time to tell you why. The first, and most important reason is that the NS-ZCC can handle all kinds of different rice. Never again will you need to worry about the difference between brown, white, sushi, washed, un-washed, and any other sort of rice. The rice cooker will do it all for you. This may seem like a relatively small feat, but when you can simplify 11 or so different tasks into a few buttons and no worries, it really changes the way you cook.

The second reason is that this rice maker is incredibly portable. It may seem strange to think about a rice cooker as portable, but in fact, the NS-ZCC is so portable that it make you just want to haul it around. Not only is it compact, but it has a very useful and well-designed handle with a retractable cord that means you can just cook your rice, toss it in your car, and plug it in at your destination to reheat, which makes it very convenient for potlucks or dinner at a friend’s.

Thirdly, the NS-ZCC makes delicious rice. Just plain old delicious rice. It’s hard to compare, but the rice I’ve had since I’ve been using this cooker has been better than any rice I’ve had in the U.S. outside of fancy restaurants. I’m definitely eating a lot more rice now, and cooking meals with the anticipation of using the Zojirushi.

Overall Impressions

The thing is expensive, but it works amazingly well and the brand has a great reputation. I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t last for years to come. If you have the money (or are thinking about holiday gifts, wink wink), it’s definitely worth it and it will change the way you look at rice. Happy cooking!

Good Cookware Makes for a Happy Chef

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:38:21 +0000

The other day I found myself in the need of some new cookware. I haven’t ever paid much attention to cookware, but I found that I would be better off with a decent saucepan and a skillet with a lid. It’s always been a bit of a pain to cook with limited supplies, and even though it required the stretching of my college budget, it has definitely been worth it.

You can see what I got here on Amazon (which has the best prices around):

I would definitely do it over again, and if anyone is wondering, these all work with magnetic induction cooktops, which are about the coolest thing in cooking, I think.

Have you bought any ridiculously indispensable kitchen tool recently? Let us know in the comments!

I’m in Love (with Apple Pie Larabars)

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:23:36 +0000

I hate to say it, but that interesting raw girl I met the other day over curry has started to enter my stomach like a tapeworm. I never used to like Larabars, but at her prodding, I went and got an Apple Pie Larabar after my bike ride today hoping they would be a little less sugary and a little more natural-tasting than the Luna Bars (nutrition for women!) that I usually eat.

Much to my chagrin, I rather liked it. It’s not perfect, still a little too sweet for my tastes, but it’s definitely better than the candy-like stuff that I usually end up eat as a recovery snack, so I think I may have to make the switch. Besides, they’re only 10 cents more and have lots of good stuff in them, so I guess it’s not so bad.

Anyway, for anyone who hasn’t tried them, don’t let the first horribly flavoured Larabar you eat turn you off from the rest of the flavours, some of them can be pretty good.

Wegmans Has Vegan-Labeled Soda!?

Benjamin Jones — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:13:31 +0000

I don’t know if you all have Wegmans or not (you can check on their site here), but just a few years ago they opened up a store near my high school in Moorestown, NJ. At first I assumed that the Wegmans would be a replacement for the old chain Zagara’s, which was none for having sort of fancy, expensive food.

It was for this reason I wasn’t excited at first. However, I was drug to the store by some friends on the second day it was open anyway. Even though I wasn’t vegan at the time, I was surprised to find a grocery store with even lower prices than I was used to and a huge selection of vegetarian and organic options.

Returning these days I can generally find anything I want (except the Sunspire chocolate chips I use for cookies), and usually at much lower prices than I’m used to paying for vegan-specific food.

However, the really neat thing about Wegmans, and the thing I really love about the store, is that they go out of there way to have clear labeling on the store brand. I was wandering around the other day before going on my road trip and I bumped into some Wegmans brand soda. I figured I’d bring some soda on the trip with me, so I went to check to see if there was any sugar in it. Much to my chagrin, not only did the soda not have sugar, but it was labeled vegan!

Well, that my seem small, but that just about solidifies my glowing opinion of Wegmans. I’d prefer the Hanover Co-op up at school, but for around home in NJ, nothing can beat the Wegmans. Does anyone else like them or have a store that’s just that amazing?

Unhealthy, Late-night Study Food

Benjamin Jones — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:47:16 +0000

What am I eating right now? So Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream with a Tropical Source chocolate chip garnishing.

Why the devil am I eating such unhealthy food? Well, that’s a fair question. See, the thing is, I’ve been up to 4am every night and my mind and body are starting to crumble under the stress, so I figured, why not enjoy some ice cream! I should be able to get some rest later on in the week, but for now I need to grit my teeth and bear it.

That said, I wanted to share with you all some of the snacks that I pick up when I just feel like letting go and replacing real food with junk. You may remember the chocolate chips from my favorite cookie recipe, but I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that ice cream before. So Delicious (and it’s fancier counterpart, Purely Decadent Soy Delicious) is made by Turtle Mountain to strict vegan standards and is also registered organic by the USDA.

I prefer the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor for the ice cream with it’s the only thing I’m eating (yep, dinner tonight was ice cream), but if I’m bringing ice cream to a dinner or hosting a social event, I will usually get the richer chocolate version. This stuff is rather good, and I’ve had it (especially the fancier stuff in the pint tubs) with many non-vegan friends and they all enjoy it. There are tons of flavors to try, and if you’re getting Soy Delicious, I would recommend Peanut Butter Zig-Zag (have you noticed a pattern?).

Anywho, if you’ve never tried it, don’t be scared! Vegan ice cream can be great and So Delicious leaves nothing to be desired (though I have had vegan ice creams that are not quite up to par). So, go out to your grocery store and pick some up. If they don’t have it leave them a note to tell them to buy it and head to a Whole Foods, local co-op, or other more hippy-friendly store and get some!

Well, that’s my quick aside, it’s back to work for me! Perhaps tomorrow night I’ll pick up some bananas instead of ice cream to keep me company through the long night.

What do you eat when you’ve got to be up and can’t fight the hunger pangs?

Vegan energy bars

Benjamin Jones — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:53:29 +0000

We all know that one of the most difficult things for vegans into fitness or on the go is something quick, tasty, and energy packed that we can eat on the run.

In my case, I’m a runner and a cyclist. I’ve always lived by the theory of eating something small and quick after a good work out to help the body begin the recovery process early. However, it can be hard to find something pre-packaged that can do this for a vegan. Rather than have you make it for yourself (I know I don’t have the time), I’ll do a quick review of the available products on the market.

Clif Bars: I love Clif Bars, not only are they vegan, but they’re mainstream. This means they can be picked up almost anywhere and bought in bulk to save money. There’s a bit sugary, but most of the time I just don’t really mind. I recommend them to anyone who hasn’t had them to see if they fit your taste.

Luna: Those among you in the know will know that Luna bars are made by Clif, and specifically for women. I’m not a woman, but I still like to eat them. They’re a bit lighter and less sugary than their Clif counterparts, and serve as a tasty post-work out pick-me-up. I would recommend these to anyone, regardless of gender, *wink*.

LaraBar: To be honest, I don’t really like LaraBars. Don’t ask me why, because it’s hard to put my finger on, but it just always seemed like I was eating them because I felt like I had to be rather than because I wanted to. Nevertheless, I know many vegans and non-vegans who like them, so don’t discount just because of me.

Betty Lou’s Organic Vegan: Again, hate to be a downer, but I had one of these in the airport once before flying back from school and while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t delicious either. Given no other options, I’d eat it, but that said, I’d pick a banana over one any day.

That pretty much sums up my experience. I’m sure there are more bars than this out there, but they’re not easily available enough for me to have tried or try in the near future.

If you’ve got anything to add, please leave a comment! Thanks!

The Great Debate: Is sugar vegan?

Benjamin Jones — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:47:00 +0000

This debate has gone on for quite a while, but it’s something that I find is relatively alien to newer vegans. As for me, I was introduced to the knowledge that sugar wasn’t vegan by my first friend in college. I was eating my standard snack food, bananas with peanut butter, when she grabbed my Skippy jar and announced that it had sugar in it.

“So what?” I responded. Of course I knew it was junky, unnatural peanut butter. What I didn’t know was that sugar was sometimes processed with bone char, and animal by-product. After she told me that, I felt like my very young vegan world had been spun on its head. Suddenly I become one of “those people” who compulsively read labels and held my breath waiting for sugar to pop up under the ingredients list of everything I liked to eat.

These days, when people ask my what’s most difficult about veganism, I usually respond that the uncertainty about sugar makes it difficult to eat some of the most innocuous foods.

So, that said. What is it about sugar that’s not vegan? As I’ve already mentioned, it is the troublesome nature of the bone char whitening process that makes certain sugars non-vegan. Sugar itself has no problems, whether its from sugar cane or beets (a large percentage of sugar comes from beets).

More after the jump!

However, the whitening process requires the use of charcoal. This charcoal does not need to be bone char, but oftentimes is. Because you can’t tell where your sugar comes from when it comes in another product, it’s usually best to avoid sugar in case bone char was used in processing.

This begs the question: Is there any way to figure out whether or not your sugar is vegan? Besides writing to the company, there’s not much you can do, but there are a few rules. For example, beet sugar never uses bone char as a filter. The same is true of organic or unrefined sugars (my personal choice). Beyond that, PeTA, in one of the few things they’ve done that I appreciate, has done a bit of digging for us:

“The following sugar companies DO NOT use bone-char filters:
Florida Crystals Refinery
P.O. Box 86
South Bay, FL 33493
407-996-9072
Labels: Florida Crystals
Refined Sugars Incorporated
One Federal St.
Yonkers, NY 10702
914-963-2400
Labels: Jack Frost, Country Cane, 4# Flow-Sweet
Pillsbury
Makes powdered brown sugar
Supreme Sugar Company (subsidiary of Archer Daniels Midland)
P.O. Box 56009
New Orleans, LA 70156
504-831-0901
Labels: Supreme, Southern Bell, Rouse’s Markets

The following sugar companies DO use bone-char filters:
Domino
1114 Ave. of the Americas
25th Fl.
New York, NY 10036
212-789-9700
Savannah Foods
P.O. Box 335
Savannah, GA 31402
912-234-1261
California & Hawaiian Sugar Company (with the exception of its Washed Raw Sugar)
830 Loring Ave.
Crockett, CA 94525-1104
510-787-2121”

So, with this knowledge in hand, keep in mind that I know many vegans who aren’t terribly strict about sugar. If it’s going to be a deal breaker for you, I was say forget about sugar and just do everything else.

If you know about the veganness of any products or sugar brands, do send me an email. I’m going to be contacting a few companies and trying to make a list!