Baked Tofu Filets

This recipe is written in case someone is preparing tofu for the first time. This was another spur-of-the-moment creation - hope you like it as much as I did!

Baked Tofu Filets

Drain water from firm or extra-firm tofu square and squeeze as much water out as you can. This can be done by hand or by placing it on top of an upside-down bowl and placing something heavy on top.

Place tofu in a shallow bowl. Marinade - to taste - with soy or tamari sauce, cajun seasoning, and a little liquid smoke. Let it set 10-15 minutes.

Remove tofu square from bowl and cut into 4 even slices. Place on non-stick or sprayed baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on each side, or until edges are slightly crispy.

Serve straight from the oven. Feeds 2.

Served here with sweet potatoes boiled with nondairy butter and sprinkled with paprika. (There is a bit of steam in the photo)

What's Behind the Brands We Trust

Or, "Brands That Animal Test." This is by no means a complete list, so I urge you to do your research when checking out a new brand. Gathered from different resources (listed below), I have compiled known brands/products that test on animals. I've also provided a list of known brands that do not animal test, though this does not mean that they are necessarily "natural" products. Please feel free to comment if you see anything I've missed. I know I've been using many of these for years, and have started weeding them out of our lives.

Brands That Animal Test

Actonel

Always

Asacol

Aussie

Avon

Bounce

Bounty

BrAun

Camay

Cascade

Chanel

Charmin

Christian Dior

Clairol

Clinique

Colgate

CoverGirl

Crest

Dantrium

Dantrium IV

Dawn

Didronel

Dove

Downy

Dreft

Dunhill

Duracell

Era

Estee Lauder

Eukanuba

Febreze

Fiber-sure

Fixodent

Folgers

Gain

Garnier

Gillette

Giorgio Beverly Hills

Gleem

Gucci

Head & Shoulders

Herbal Essences

Home Café

Hugo

Iams

Infusium 23

Ivory

Jeyes

Johnson & Johnson

Joy

Lancome Paris

Lever Faberge London

L'Oreal Paris

Luvs

Lynx

Macrobid

Max Factor

Metamucil

Millstone

Mr Clean

Noxzema

Olay

Old Spice

Oral-B

Palmolive

Pampers

Pantene

Pert Plus

Physique

Pringles

Puffs

Puma

Revlon

Safeguard

Schwarzkopf

Scope

Secret

Sk-II

Sure

Swiffer

Tampax

ThermaCare

Venus

Vicks

Wella

Yves Saint Laurent

Zest


Brands Not Animal Tested

A Mano Bath

ABBA Products

Abercrombie & Fitch

Abra Therapeutics

Advantage Wonder Cleaner

AKA Saunders, Inc.

Alba Botanica

Aloe Vera of America

Bamboo (Aesthetics, Aromas, Elements, Minerals, Zen)

bareFaced Mineral Cosmetics

Basic Elements Hair Care System

Bath & Body Works

Best Bath

Body Butter Factory

Calvin Klein

Cambria Soap Co.

Carma Laboratories

Carmex

Cassini Parfums

Christian Dior

Colorsilk

Cutex

Nature's Gate

Seventh Generation

Tom's of Maine

Zuzu Cosmetics

There are so many more, but I urge you to check out the resources below and to look for products that label "No Animal Testing." If they do not, be wary!


Resources

http://www.thevegetariansite.com

http://www.peta.org/living

http://www.humanespot.org

http://www.peta.org/living

PETA PDF

http://vidacompassion.org

http://beautyfool.com

http://www.care2.com

http://www.gan.ca

And my own personal shopping experiences! Plus, you can find any of this stuff with a search engine.

Possibly the Best Pasta You'll Ever Have

This one takes some shopping (unless you just have random things on hand for such an occasion) and perhaps 45 minutes prep and cook time. But, it's worth it. I used the "kick" sauce (see below) and it was super scrumptious. AND it was introduced to me by a non-veg friend. She wanted to make a meal we could both enjoy :)

Pistachio "Pesto" Pasta & Kale

8 oz whole grain pasta

2/3 cup toasted pistachios

1 medium garlic clove, chopped

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large bunch of kale, washed/stemmed/chopped

for tangy/sweet sauce - the seeds of one pomegranate; for sauce with a little kick - red pepper flakes to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While water is heating, break pasta in 1/2" segments and make pistachio sauce by pureeing 1/3 cup of the pistachios, garlic, salt and olive oil with a food processor. Set aside.
Once the water is boiling, salt it generously and cook the pasta per package instructions. At the very last second, add the kale to the pot of boiling water, and immediately drain the pasta and kale. Using your hands, work the pasta and kale under cool water. Toss gently with a spoon of pistachio sauce and either spin the pasta and kale dry in a salad spinner or continue to toss in a colander. Toss again with the rest of the mixture before serving.

Enjoy!

Pauls Valley Artist Kent Stewart

Local artist J. Kent Stewart is creating quite the pleasing array of paintings and they're actually available to buy. View his site here or visit some of his works in person at Your Framer on the corner of McClure and Chickasaw. http://jkentstewart.blogspot.com/

Delicious Vegan Sloppy Joes

I made these last night for a couple that came for dinner. They were definitely a hit, and definitely delicious. If you are, or were, a fan of sloppy joes, you will love this supremely healthy alternative. I got the recipe from the April 2012 issue of Parenting magazine. Find more recipes like this at http://meatlessmondays.com

Black Bean and Salsa Sloppy Joes
Serves 4

In a skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat.

Add 3 minced garlic cloves and saute for 1 minute.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups (2 cans) rinsed and drained black beans, 1 15-oz. jar mild chunky salsa, 1 Tbsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt.

Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Spoon onto whole-wheat buns and top with shredded (daiya) cheddar.

We also enjoyed ours with romaine lettuce for a few more vitamins and texture. I cannot wait to make these again. Yum!

(I forgot to take a picture, so here's a snapshot of the picture from the magazine.)

Your Framer

A dear friend has relocated her coffee house/boutique/custom framery in Pauls Valley, OK. Amber is very environment-conscious and also vegan-friendly. Her hard-to-find products are a breath of fresh air to this artsy little community. Pictures posted below were taken April 28. The shop has not yet had its Grand Opening, but it's sure to be something you don't want to miss. Duck in for a custom latte or house drip after dining at the Boomerang Grill across the street ;)

View more photos on Facebook and visit the shop's page here.