peta2 in Egypt! May 28, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 28, 2008 5:11 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 7 ) | TrackBackHere at peta2, we work hard, and we play hard.
For me, that means using my precious vacation time wisely, and really clearing my head for a bit.
That's why I decided to take 2 weeks this spring, and travel to Egypt. I have always wanted to go, and with the semester wrapping up for most college students that I work with, the timing was perfect!
It's worth noting that I don't speak a word of Arabic (the national language), but even still, being vegan in Egypt was easier than you might think! In fact, many of the traditional dishes, such as ta'amiya (known elsewhere as "falafel"), are already animal-free!
One dish I was particularly fond of was called kushari, which is a delicious snack made up of lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, fried onions, garlic, and tomato sauce, served with warm pita bread. Scrum-diddilly-umptious!
Yes indeed, it was a thoroughly enjoyable break. Needless to say though, even when I'm half-way around the world, I'm still not a douche. :)
- Ryan!
Posted by Ryan 
As Seen on Ellen, Skinny Bitch coauthor Rory Freedman for peta2! May 27, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 27, 2008 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 18 ) | TrackBackI love Ellen, and I'm not ashamed to say so. She's just so gosh-darned spunky, isn't she?
That's why we were all so thrilled to see that she hosted Skinny Bitch authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin on the show last Friday, talking all about the benefits of a vegan diet!
Thankfully, peta2 is always ahead of the trends. That's why we hosted a peta2 event at the University of California - Los Angeles a few weeks ago, featuring Rory herself! The event was standing-room-only, and she even took the time to record this fun interview for all you blog-readers!
Pretty awesome, eh??
In fact, it's gotten me so excited about vegan food, I think it's time to give away a copy of the best-selling Skinny Bitch in the Kitch cookbook to one of you lucky readers!
To win it, we'll play a game! I'm thinking of MY FAVORITE vegan snack food on Earth. It can be found in every major grocery store, is on our Accidentally Vegan list, and is deeeeelish! If you are the first to guess it by commenting below, you'll win a free copy of the book!
Ready...set...go!
- Ryan!
P.S. - Just so you know...by commenting here, we're taking that as acknowledgment that you've read and agreed to our privacy policy.
Also by commenting, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions.
Posted by Ryan
Happy World Vegetarian Week! May 21, 2008
Posted by Ryan at May 21, 2008 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 1 ) | TrackBackThe world looks so much happier during World Vegetarian Week, doesn't it? So in keeping with the theme of going vegetarian, here's my story:
I'm a huge fan of traveling. During college, I went on a road trip across the country by myself (one of those "find yourself" kinds of trips). Notice how I set the timer on my camera for this "soul-searching" photo of me at the Grand Canyon:
The rest is history. I made the connection that the animals I was eating were violently killed in bleak surroundings like this one, and I stopped supporting it. I went vegetarian, and a few months later, I went vegan.
NOW FOR THE FUN PART. Here's my favorite vegetarian meal (can be consumed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner):
Blueberry Pancakes
These fluffy pancakes are packed full of delicious blueberries, and are the perfect start (or end) to your day.
2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and sift together. Add the soy milk and oil and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Ladle the batter onto a hot pancake griddle. Add frozen blueberries. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve with fresh blueberries.
If done properly, they should look like this:
Mmmm mmmm good.
- Ryan!
P.S. - A final word of advice to those who want to venture across the country on a road trip: Don't camp next to the Grand Canyon. The wind coming out of the canyon will knock you (and your tent) over in the middle of the night. Don't be a fool; sleeping upside-down isn't cool.
Posted by Ryan
We Need Your Help! April 23, 2008
Posted by Ryan at April 23, 2008 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Vegan food vegetarian recipes cookbook
It's finally happening! peta2 is working on a brand-new vegan cookbook, specifically focusing on SIMPLE, and EASY recipes. Here's where you come in! We're looking for creative and delicious vegan recipes that we can use in the book!
peta2 staffers have already contributed our part. Check out this amazingly simple recipe Lara donated!
Pancake in a Mug
1/2 cup Bisquick
1/4 cup Soymilk
Vegan Butter/Margarine
Maple Syrup
1) Mix Soymilk and Bisquick together in a mug
2) Microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes
3) Add vegan butter and maple syrup
4) Enjoy!
Get the idea? So send all of your ideas and recipes (as many as you have) to peta2@peta2.com. Make sure to include your name, address, and email address, so that we can verify that the recipe is all yours! :)
Come on, blog-readers, don't let us down!
- Ryan!
Posted by Ryan
Cookie Competition Winner and Recipes! December 7, 2007
Posted by Marta at December 7, 2007 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 5 ) | TrackBackThe votes are in from peta2's Christmas Cookie Cooking Competition, and while the competition was certainly close, Megan has taken the top honors with her Holiday Chocolate Mint Cookies. Congratulations, Megan!
We received tons of messages from people practically getting their drool on our keyboards in the hopes of getting all the vegan cookie recipes—and the holidays are all about giving, so as a special gift from all the cookie bakers to all of you, here are our recipes. Just do one thing for me: Make a batch or two for all those people in your life who like to assume vegan food is all about granola and bean sprouts—show them what's up!
Enjoy!
AntiSean's Pinwheels
Ingredients:
1 cup vegan butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
Substitute for 2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 Tbs cocoa
Extra flour and confectioner's sugar for dusting the dough
Colored sprinkles (optional)
Wax paper for rolling the dough
In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together; add egg replacer and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; blend cocoa into one portion. Form each portion into ball. Chill the dough in your refrigerator for 30-45 minutes for the next step!
Place each ball between two sheets of waxed paper lightly dusted with powdered sugar or flour and roll each into a rectangle—the thinner you roll the dough, the smaller the spirals in your pinwheels will be. Put a light coat of sprinkles on both layers if you so desire.
Carefully layer one color on the other. Starting at long edge, roll into a log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours, until very firm (I might even give it a short run in the freezer, depending on how good your knife is). Cut in 1/4-inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
Lara's Christmas Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegan margarine
Ener-G equivalent to 1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
A lil shredded lemon peel
Cream sugar, margarine, egg replacer & vanilla together, stir in all dry ingredients until well combined. roll, cut out, sprinkle, etc. Bake 8-10 minutes @ 375 degrees.
Marta's Snickerdoodle Stacks
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar + extra sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1/4 cup vanilla or plain soymilk
Cinnamon to taste
Duncan Hines Whipped Vanilla Frosting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil, both sugars, vanilla, and soymilk, then mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine extra sugar and desired level of cinnamon-y goodness. Roll dough into small-to-medium sized balls and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Flatten cookies on a greased cookie sheet (I used vegetable oil) and space them out accordingly (For square shaped cookies, the dough can be placed close together. For circular cookies, space them further apart.). Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes.
Once cookies have cooled a bit, take sets of two cookies and frost the top of one with desired amount of frosting, then place another cookie on top. Voila! Yummy Christmas goodness. Makes about 10 Snickerdoodle Stacks or about 20 individual cookies.
Megan's Holiday Chocolate Mint Cookies
Ingredients:
8 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp peppermint extract
3/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Egg replacer equivalent of 1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
Vegan chocolate frosting
Red and green peppermint hard candy
Place chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave until melted (in 30 second intervals stirring between each). Mix in peppermint extract.
Mix margarine, sugar, and egg replacer. Add chocolate/peppermint mixture and flour.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
When cool, drizzle with chocolate frosting (soften by microwaving a few seconds) and sprinkle with chopped peppermint hard candy.
Mylie's Fancy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegan margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
Ener-G-Egg replacer equal to 1 egg (egg replacer is widely available in stores, check for a store near you here)
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
For decorating the cookies:
Vanilla Frosting (I used Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla
Vegan decorating icing (I used some from Betty Crocker, but check ingredients) and sprinkles
*Wait until cookies are completely cool before decorating them with frosting or frosting will melt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In large bowl, beat sugar and margarine together on low speed using a mixer (or spoon) until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and egg replacer. Next stir in flour and baking soda. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, then using the bottom of a glass or mug, flatten the balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet (they should be fairly symetrical and look like round cookies). Place them approx 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 9 or 10 min, checking them to make sure they don't burn. The bottoms will start to brown slightly, so checking on them a couple of times is good. When they are done, remove them gently using a spatula and place them on a cooling rack (if you have one). This will help them to cool quickly so you can decorate them.
I hope you enjoy the recipes as much as we do. Now get out there and get baking!
♥ Marta
Posted by Marta 
Have Your Cake And Eat It Too October 8, 2007
Posted by Pulin Modi at October 8, 2007 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 3 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
Bento Vegan cake penguins recipes
You know that expression, 'You can't have your cake and eat it too?'
Yea, it doesn't apply to vegans. We can make and devour all the vegan goodies we want.
Check out these pictures from my favorite gourmet vegan chef, Patricia.
Oh and speaking of tasty vegan food, it seems like the penguins won for the 'cutest' food and we're super excited that everyone got into the voting.
Just imagine what our world would look like if everyone cared about everything in the same way they care about vegan treats!
If you want to make vegan goodies check out Veg Cooking and send us some photos of your creations!
Posted by Pulin 
