I’ve been under the weather the last few days. My two year old decided to put me to bed and had determined that —in my weakened condition—I would not be able to read her required 5,000 books for bedtime. So, the good Doctor Princess helped me settle into bed saying, “lay down, Mommy. Pull up you blankets. Shh! It’s sleepytime. I read you a story.” She then “read” a few books to me; showing the pictures to me and reciting verbatim from memory. Of course, there were the inevitable toddlerisms that make a mother want to smother her child with gratuitous affection. I was a worthy patient, however. I laid still, blankets pulled high, with a grin on my face (and the Vicks vapo-rub close at hand.)

1. The Polite Elephant by Richard Scarry
2. Time to Pee by Mo Willems
3. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Martin & Archambault
4. Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire

She then pulled out all the stops and read my favorite (children’s) book:

5. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

This book is inspiring and powerful while still managing to be incredibly simple. If you haven’t read this book, do so. Immediately.

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Thanks to Jen McCann, author of Vegan Lunchbox, I welcomed my new neighbors with an unbelievably good batch of vegan white cupcakes with pineapple frosting. The cupcakes have a slight coconut flavor and they’re light and fluffy; the pineapple frosting is a perfect complement. Of course, the fact that they’re vegan shocked and amazed the crowd. It’s a good thing the recipe makes enough for seconds! Yum! (I made these also for my goddaughter’s recent first birthday. I was proud to see several guests opt for my cupcakes rather than the local bakery’s chocolate confection.)

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If during these dreary winter months you’re looking for a fresh addition to your table, homegrown sprouts may just fit the bill. Growing sprouts at home is an easy, inexpensive and fun project to do—especially with the kids. Not to mention, they’re the perfect locally grown (in your kitchen!) vegetables to otherwise dull winter produce selections. While the snow is falling, it’s just nice to be able to watch as stems and leaves unfold while the rest of the outdoor vegetation lie fallow.

It’s important to acknowledge that while sprouting is fun and easy, it’s also an economical way to add immediate nutritional boost to meals. Several sources, including this living foods site, assert that sprouting can greatly increase the nutritional content of seeds, beans and grains—sometimes by 30 to 50%. Your newly grown sprouted foods can be added to salads, sandwiches, wraps, batter (muffin, crepe or pancake), stir-fries, rice dishes, and, of course, they can be eaten as is.

It’s really true that sprouting is a simple, quick process that can be done in a few days without alot of gear or fuss. While there is quite a selection of wonderful sprouting apparatus available for purchase, you really only need a glass jar, cheesecloth, a rubber band, seeds to be sprouted, water and a few days.

What will sprout well? There are a wide variety of beans, seeds and grains that can be grown to produce delicate delicious sprouts. Some of the most common include clover, alfalfa, mung, radish, lentil and even pumpkin seeds. It’s important to be sure all seeds and beans are organic and originate from a source free of pesticides or herbicides just as you would when planting a garden in soil. Many health food stores sell ready-to-grow packs of individual or blends of seeds and beans. You can also find sprouting supplies online here and here.

OK. So, how do you sprout? Very Easily. I Promise. This is my method. I have great success with alfalfa, broccoli, mung and lentil…not so much with quinoa, but I’m working on it.

• Measure out 2 Tablespoons of whatever you want to sprout (seeds, beans, grains, etc.)
• Inspect and discard any stones, pebbles or debris. Rinse well.
• Place in a jar filled 3/4 full with cool water and soak over night.
• Drain and place in the basin of sprouter (or a glass jar fitted with a piece of cheesecloth attached with a rubber band)
• Once seeds are in sprouter/jar, rinse and drain well again. Let rest making sure there is no residual water left in sprouter/jar. Your sprouts will start sprouting in the nest few hours!
• Fill and drain sprouter/jar twice a day for 3-5 days. My kids and I like to watch the tiny stems grow.
• On the last day: Give them one last good rinse and your sprouts are ready to eat. Store any unused sprouts in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. (I always place a slightly damp paper towel under sprouts to absorb/provide moisture)

Check out this step-by-step sprouting instructional posted by the farm.org. They’re absolutely right: once you get the hang of it, the process is almost impossible to screw up. They’ve provided a nice illustration, too. Enjoy!

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We’ve been busy. Very busy. 2008 promises to be the year of organization for the Cameron Clan. I’ve put our weekly trips to storytime at the local library to good use and borrowed several books addressing organizing, minimalizing and feng shui. (One of my oldest and dearest pals is an extremely talented Interior Designer, so I can just imagine her chuckling to herself reading this from 3000+ miles away.)

Nevertheless—as part of my goal to reclaim brain cells lost during childbirth, years of breastfeeding, and endlessly repeating the same phrases to my children (ie: “No, you may not put on your bike helmet to headbutt your sister”)—I am self-directing a quick course in using the basic principals of feng shui in our home.

So far, I’ve experienced an exquisitely freeing, calming result from the first few minor adjustments in home energy flow.

• I have overcome my urge to place on the staircase items whose homes belong on the next up/down floor. These items usually never made it to their destination. These items inevitably became fixtures on my stairs to the point that my toddler had to attempt to step around them while also holding on to the banister for support. Now, she lightly steps worry and obstacle free. And, the change in positive energy flow gives me a warm new-agey feeling inside.
• I created a distinct entry way in my most often used entry door: from the garage into the basement. Though it’s not externally visible, I am often greeted by that brown door several times a day. So, to make ME feel more welcome in my home, I hung art on the door to greet me, laid a welcome mat and furnished the entrance with a small table, shoe racks, artwork and key hooks. Now, the space is defined and pleasant. Everything I need is right where I need it when I am entering/exiting the house. No more scrambling around for lost keys, phones, diaper bags, purses or backpacks. Our coats look so much happier hanging up than draped over my son’s bicycle.
• We replaced several old light fixtures that weren’t broken just not bright or dim enough, as the case may be…not to mention they just weren’t our style. The difference in literal and figurative illumination was pleasantly unexpected.
• I trimmed, sang to and breathed life back into a few neglected house plants. Ever since, they’ve been doing the same for me. Likewise, I thoroughly cleaned the fish tank down to filtering out the muck among the pebbles. Our bubble-eyed goldfish, Orange Juice and Chocolate Milk, are playfully swishing their tails with glee.
• Most importantly, I unloaded years of baggage. Still useful items were taken to a women’s shelter. Hand-me-downs not worthy of passing on (originally given by well meaning family members which I allowed to overstay their use) were put out to pasture. My mom, the gracious and thoughtful giver of most of these items, told me upon entering that my house now feels bigger and brighter. And, here I thought she’d be hurt! It turns out, she thoroughly agrees that my home is better off without the unnecessary clutter.

The (re)organization will continue throughout the year, as I continue to relish the newly found focus and positive energy flow. And, I’ll be posting fun places to learn more about organizing, placement and home energy flow like this one and this one.

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Eggs. They’re useful if your making an omelet or a soufflé. But, often, they’re not necessary to the batter or baked goods in which they’ve become a staple ingredient. Really, eggs are just a binder and there are plenty of items that can be effectively used to do the job—some of which can deliver a welcome additional depth of flavor.

Recently, there had begun a debate between my husband and I regarding whether or not eggs were required for a batch of fluffy pancakes. I had been trying to develop a formula for light and fluffy vegan pancakes without much success. The taste was always there in recipes for classic blueberry, rich chocolate, chocolate chip or the more extravagant orange pineapple ginger. But, admittedly, they all fell a bit flat or worse they would lie like an anvil at the bottom of our stomachs…for hours. Because of this experience, he concluded that while eggs may not be needed to combine dry ingredients they certainly did assist in digestion. He insisted on adding an egg whenever it was his turn to make Saturday morning breakfast. Defiantly, I was determined to prove him wrong.

I searched high and low for a beacon of light that would lead me into the promised land of an airy pancake. (As a rule, I’m not a fan of egg replacer powders that are mixed with water because of the metallic after taste that seems to follow me around for hours afterward.) And so, my inquiry continued until I unexpectedly hit an epiphany through a few sources who offered an odd element to the formula: carbonated water. Eureka. It made perfect sense. The carbonation would add the lift I had been seeking. Or, at least in theory. I crossed my fingers and—with the help of one of the recipes I found—added it to my existing recipe. I smugly served the newly improved vegan pancakes to my family. I suspected they would be well received though I couldn’t imagine just how much that little bit of sparkle would shine on my breakfast table. The seltzer had made them every bit as good—better, even—than those cherished pancakes of my youth. And, according to my husband, there are the best pancakes I have ever made, bar none.

With thanks to Katherine at the ppk, I post my own version of eggless pancake batter to which I have happily replaced some of my original measurement of “still” water with seltzer.

Vegan Pancakes
The Dry goods
scant 2 Cup all-purpose unbleached flour*
2 tsp ground flax seeds**
1 tsp wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1 or 2 dashes of salt
2 tsp raw sugar

The Wet stuff
1 ¼ Cup soy milk
½ C seltzer water
1Tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp flax oil
1 or 2 tsp water to thin out batter as needed (I like it on the thin side. Makes ‘em lighter.)

Coat cast iron skillet or griddle with a tsp of margarine and heat at Medium temperature. Dissolve sugar in lemon juice. Add remaining wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Pour in wet ingredients and stir to blend without over mixing. Let rest 5 minutes. Stir again once or twice. Measure out batter in ¼ C each onto heated griddle. When taking off of griddle spread a little bit of margarine on top. Serve with maple syrup, all-fruit jam, peanut butter, honey or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

*Since the first try, sometimes I have measured out 1 1/2 C flour; ½ C whole wheat pastry flour
**Flax seeds are often used to sub out eggs and so I originally added these during my quest for a vegan pancake. They add omega 3’s, a little protein, fiber and antioxidants. Be sure not to add any more than 1Tbsp, however, as it will elicit an odd aftertaste.

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I feel like the luckiest person in the world right now. My best pal who lives in NYC came to town for Thanksgiving to share the holiday with family and friends. She came bearing a simple lovely gift: the ooey gooey self-described “sweet goodness” of Sweet and Sara vegan marshmallows. A palate-altering, mind-blowing experience. Soft sugary pillows of ecstasy. Really. I’m not exaggerating. They’re that good.

I’ve never had the pleasure of eating homemade marshmallows before that first bite of Sara’s. She calls them meltaways with good reason. They really do melt in your mouth. They’re soft and moist; puffy and chewy. It’s a confectionery triumph. She sells them in several varieties including the two well-chosen by my pal: vanilla—which is most like a standard marshmallow—and toasted coconut. Though they can be used in s’mores, in hot chocolate or roasted on a stick around a campfire, I am quite at home just eating as is right out of the container. MMMmmm.

As marshmallows go they’re not cheap. But they are worth every penny. The 8.5 oz containers my friend bought for me set her back $6.99 each. But, honestly I consider them a distant well-bred cousin of the dear old low rent bag of white puffs we ate as kids. And, as such, they really can’t be compared in price or otherwise. Sweet and Sara’s are in a class of their own.

I’ve been loosely following the soon-to-be infamous saga of the vegan marshmallow. Not long ago, there were a handful of small U.S. businesses that developed the very difficult to produce vegan marshmallow. Because there had never been such a product on the market, all emerging brands were received by an ecstatic vegan consumer base. Most of the formulas were developed in home kitchens and grew into bonafide businesses in a very American Dream sort of way. In a dramatic twist, word broke that the main ingredient they were all using in good faith—Emes kosher vegan gelatin—was not, in fact, vegan. As the story goes, Emes was discovered to have mis-labelled and mis-marketed their animal derived gelatin, and the company up and vanished without a trace. The vegan marshmallow businesses were then in the position to start from scratch and develop a subsequent product using a truly vegetable gelatin. Easier said than done. All the confectioners decided to cut their loses and fold up shop. That is, all but one: Sweet and Sara’s Sara Sohn. Some sources report she spent close to a year perfecting a new product that had a puff, texture and taste that she deemed worthy. And, find the formula she did. Thank Goodness! I can only imagine the growing number of taste buds she will delight as word of her culinary coup continues to spread.

To find out more about the torrid vegan marshmallow story and how to get your hands on some of Sara’s sweets go to sweet and sara dot com.

Thanks to Alisa for being the best friend a girl could ask for. You rock!

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