I was playing in the kitchen tonight and came up with these.  I cant wait to have them with my morning tea!

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
3 Tablespoons of water
2 ½ cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of sugar, plus extra for topping (or ¼ cup of Agave)
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup of Earth Balance vagan butter, chilled
¾ - 1 cup of chopped crystallized ginger
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon of lemon extract
½ cup of unsweetened soy milk or other non dairy milk, plus extra for topping

In the food processor or with a hand whisk, whip egg replacer and water together.  (Using a food processer is a great way to mix egg replacer together - since it likes to be clumpy.  It also adds air to the mixture.)   Add soy milk and lemon extract to egg replacer and set aside. 

In large bowl or food processor, whisk together the four, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the chilled butter and combine until mixture looks like crumbly, lumpy cornmeal.  Toss in lemon extract and crystallized ginger to coat them in the flour. 

Add liquids to four mixture and combine by hand until the four mixture is just moistened.  DO NOT OVER MIX. 

Place dough in a zip lock bag and sick in freezer for 15 minuets or refrigerator for 40 minuets.  While dough is in freezer/refrigerator, preheat oven to 400F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once dough has chilled, take it out of plastic bag and place on lightly floured surface.  Pat dough into a disk and roll out until it is ½ inch thick.  Cut disk in half and then cut each half into four triangles.  Place them about ½ inches apart on baking sheet.  Brush each triangle with water or soymilk and sprinkle with sugar.  (You can also brush each top with honey.)

Bake for 12 minuets or until golden brown. 

dosent mean you have to throw out your old cookbooks.
Turn those meat dishes in to vegetarian ones! 

I am curious what meat dishes you have made vegetarian.  Please comment to tell me.
Thanks!

*Taken from the Cancer Project*

Cancer Facts - Foods for Cancer Prevention
Of the many diseases that affect people these days, cancer is among the most feared. But despite a wealth of scientific data, most people remain unaware of how they can reduce their risk of developing cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, as much as 80 percent of all cancers are due to identified factors, and thus are potentially preventable. Thirty percent are due to tobacco use, and as much as 35 percent to 50 percent are due to foods. It is easy to control these and other risk factors.

What Is Cancer?
Cancer begins as a single abnormal cell that begins to multiply out of control. Groups of such cells form tumors and invade healthy tissue, often spreading to other parts of the body. Carcinogens are substances that promote the development of cancerous cells. They may come from foods, from the air, or even from within the body. Most carcinogens are neutralized before damage can occur, but sometimes they attack the cell's genetic material (DNA) and alter it. It takes years for a noticeable tumor to develop. During this time, compounds known as inhibitors can keep the cells from growing. Some vitamins in plant foods are known to be inhibitors. Dietary fat, on the other hand, is known to be a promoter that helps the abnormal cells grow quickly.

Fiber Fights Cancer
In 1970, British physician Dennis Burkitt observed that a high-fiber diet reduces diseases of the digestive tract. He observed that in countries where diets are high in fiber (that is, plant-based diets), there were fewer cases of colon cancer. Around the world, this has proven true. The highest fiber intakes are found in nonindustrialized nations where meat is scarce and plant foods fill the menu. Animal products contain no fiber. The U.S. and other Western nations whose diets are based upon animal products have the highest rates of colon cancer.

While no one is certain exactly how fiber protects against digestive tract disorders, there are several possibilities. By definition, fiber cannot be digested by humans early in the digestive process. It moves food more quickly through the intestines, helping to eliminate carcinogens. It also draws water into the digestive tract. The water and fiber make fecal matter bulkier, so carcinogens are diluted.

Bile acids are secreted into the intestine to help digest fat; there, bacteria can change the acids into chemicals that promote colon cancer. Fiber may bind with these bile acids and evict them from the intestines.1 Also, bacteria in the colon ferment the fiber creating a more acidic environment which may make bile acids less toxic.

Fiber is also protective against other forms of cancer. Studies have shown that stomach cancer and breast cancer are less common on high-fiber diets.2,3 Fiber affects levels of estrogens in the body. Estrogens are normally secreted into the intestine, where the fiber binds with the hormone and moves it out of the body.4 Without adequate fiber, the estrogen can be reabsorbed from the intestine into the bloodstream. High levels of estrogen are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer.

In the U.S., the average daily fiber intake is 10 to 20 grams per day. Experts recommend 30 to 40 grams per day. The best sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, vegetables, and fruits. Foods that are closest to their natural state, unrefined and unpeeled, are highest in fiber.

Fat Raises Cancer Risks
Cross-cultural studies have revealed that the populations with the highest levels of fat consumption are also the ones with the highest death rates from breast and colon cancer. The lowest rates are in groups with the lowest consumption of fats.5 Migration studies help to rule out the influence of genetics.6

Many studies indicate that fat in foods increases one's risk for cancer, and it may also adversely affect breast cancer survival rates for those who have cancer.7

Although the total amount of fat one eats is of concern, there is evidence that animal fat is much more harmful than vegetable fat. One study noted a 200 percent increase in breast cancer among those who consume beef or pork five to six times per week. Dr. Sheila Bingham, a prominent cancer researcher form the University of Cambridge, notes that meat is more closely associated with colon cancer than any other factor.8 Meat and milk are also linked to both prostate and ovarian cancers.9

How Fat Affects Cancer Risks
Fat has many effects within the body. It increases hormone production and thus raises breast cancer risks. It also stimulates the production of bile acids which have been linked to colon cancer.

The average diet in the United States is about 37 percent fat. The National Cancer Institute suggests that people lower that percentage down to 30 percent; however, studies have shown that fat intake should be well below 30 percent to have an anti-cancer affect. Ten to 15 percent is more likely to be helpful.

The Importance of Vegetables
Not only are vegetables low in fat and high in fiber, they also contain many cancer-fighting substances. Carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors, have been shown to help prevent cancer. Beta-carotene, present in dark green and yellow vegetables, helps protect against lung cancer and may help prevent cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, esophagus, breast, and other sites.

Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnips, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts contain flavones and indoles which are thought to have anti-cancer activities.

Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits and many vegetables, may lower risks for cancers of the esophagus and stomach. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing cancer-causing chemicals that form in the body. It also blocks the conversion of nitrates to cancer-causing nitrosamines in the stomach.

Selenium is found in whole grains and has the same antioxidant effects as vitamin C and beta-carotene. Vitamin E also has this effect. Caution is advised in supplementing selenium, which is toxic in large doses.

Alcohol
Excessive intake of alcohol raises one's risks for cancers of the breast, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus. When combined with smoking, these risks skyrocket. It also raises risks for stomach, liver, and colon cancers.10

Vegetarians Are Better Off
All the evidence points to a low-fat, high-fiber diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, as being the best for cancer prevention. Not surprisingly, vegetarians, whose diets easily meet these requirements, are at the lowest risk for cancer. Vegetarians have about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters.11

Vegetarians have higher blood levels of beta-carotene. They consume more vitamin C, beta-carotene, indoles, and fiber than meat-eaters. Vegetarians also have stronger immune systems. German researchers recently discovered that vegetarians have more than twice the natural killer cell activity of meat-eaters.12 Natural killer cells are specialized white blood cells that attack and neutralize cancer cells. Also, vegetarians tend to eat more soy products than meat-eaters. Soybeans contain many substances that are anticarcinogens, including lignans and phytoestrogens. A diet that is rich in soybeans may be one reason for the lower incidence of breast cancer in Asia.

Conclusion
A cancer prevention diet is one that is high in fiber, low in fat (especially animal fat), and includes generous portions of fruits and vegetables. It also minimizes or excludes alcohol. The best diets are pure vegetarian diets.

1 package of active dry yeast
1 tsp of brown sugar
1 cup of warm water (between 105-115 F)
1 1/2 cups soy buttermilk (soy milk with a tsp of lemon juice or distilled white vinagar)
1/4 cup of light molasses
1/4 cup of canola oil, plus more for greasing
1 Tablespoon of salt
15oz or 470grams of whole wheat flour
590 grams of bread flour, plus extra as needed

In a bowl, sprkinkly yeast and brown sugar in the warm water and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.

In mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine buttermilk, molasses, oil salt and 315 grams of whole wheat flour and beat for about a minute. Beat in bread flour 75 grams at a time. Beat and add bread flour untill dough pulls away from the bowl sides. Then, switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed, adding bread flour one tablespoon at a time if dough sticks. Knead untill smooth byt slightly sticky when pressed.

Transfer the dough to an oiled deep bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or dish cloth and let rise at room temperature untill doubled in bulk.

Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Divide in half and pat each into long rectangles. Beginning at a narrow end, tightly roll up the dough into a thick log. Roll the log back and forth until it is the same lenght as the pan. Place the loaf seam side down in a prepared pan. Repeat with second portion. Cover with dish towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until about 1 inch above the rim of each pan.

While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 350F. Bake until the loves are golden brown and pull away from sides of pan. (30-40min). Turn out on cooling racks and let cool.  Then eat!

There are so many movies that I want to see but not watch.

Like 'A Mighty Heart' or 'Syriana' or 'Crash.'

All movies I know I would enjoy, find growth in, but I can not bring myself to watch.

 

My husband bought me The Joy of Vegan Baking for Christmas.   He knows my passion for (vegan) baking and the respect I have for Compassionate Cooks.  I made Mexican Wedding cookies that came out beautifully.  They were a pinch to make and looked so festive on the Holiday table. 
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau gives informative information on how to play with recipe and make them vegan.  What you can substitute for what, why and when it works in a recipe. 
I have been doing the whole vegan baking thing for a few years now and I didn't find this book to be talking down at me, like many vegan cookbooks can.  It is informative and knowledgeable, but not overly preachy. 
This book is wonderful for the seasoned vegan and the novice alike.  I hope you pick it up and enjoy it. 

“…Buddha above all else valued compassion,” said Sister Wei. “But how can we be compassionate if we are focusing only on saving our own skins!” I blushed, recalling years of single and dual cultivation, totally focused on my own progress to higher states of consciousness. “No,” she continued, “we must continue our practice, our meditation, untiringly, but stop short of the goal!”

“Stop short?” I asked, incredulous. “But why?”

She poured me another cup of tea.

“We must pray for the liberation of all beings, for everyone, form the Emperor down to the lowliest louse or housefly,” she said. “We take a vow that we will not experience eternal bliss ourselves until each living being has been liberated for the bonds that tie them to the material world.”

“That doesn’t make sense. What is the reason?” I asked, astonished.

“Because we do not exist in a vacuum,” she said. “We are all connected, all part of the same celestial machine. Everyone must be enlightened, and those of us close to the truth must use all our resources to lift others up. Otherwise it is like a man who exercises only one joint of his small toe and makes it health, while the rest of his body falls apart and decays. We are not independent, even though, as her, we many live far from the mass of humanity. We are interconnected, and the salvation of all is our salvation.”


I was totally blown away. This was a completely foreign concept to me. The idea that we were all part of a universal whole and responsible for helping all living beings to enlightment, even before we saved ourselves, this was too much to bear. It was terrible… and wonderful. It was impossible…and tempting. It contradicted all and at the same time fulfilled a lifetime of practice and cultivation….

So, what are you making for dinner tonight?  Are you ordering in or cooking something from scratch? 
Whatever it is let me know.  Post it as a comment. 
Huge bonus if you post a picture of it too!

Breast cancer awareness is someting that I feel very passionate about. If you need information on the correct way to give yourself (or your significant other) a breast exam please click here.

For a list of websites that sponsors cruelty-free breast cancer charities check out the link below. If you feel called to, please donate to this cause. http://www.caringconsumer.com/charities_avon.asp

In a food processor blend until smooth:
1 block of Firm Tofu - pressed
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp of tarragon
2 Tablespoons of Rawmesan
2 Tablespoons of Tofu Scramble mix (homemade mixture of nutritional flakes, chili powder, turmeric, and salt)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 cup white wine

In a pan sauté:
1 bundle of asparagus, chopped, 1/2 the tips removed and reserved to the side
left over baby bella mushrooms (about 2 handfuls)
1 medium zucchini chopped
fresh oregano
fresh thyme
dried basil

Add the tofu mixture to the veggie mixture and combine.  Add filling to a pre-made pie shell (vegan of course!)  Place quiche on middle rack of 350F oven.  Bake for 45 min or until golden brown and has set up.  let it cool for 15 min and then dig in.