Mock Chopped Liver/Cashew and Green Bean Pate

Here's another appetizer I made for my BFFZ Tonya's (above, right) closing art reception. Shockingly, I didn't get a photo of the actual food - so here are some event pics instead. Not as good - I know!

I discovered this recipe on the Veg Kitchen website. It was posted by a user named Nava - who is a genius by my account.
http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/savor-and-flavor/snacks-and-dips/mock-chopped-liver-cashew-onion-and-green-bean-pate/

Mock Chopped Liver (Cashew and Green Bean Pate)
Makes: About 2 cups

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2/3 cup toasted cashews*
• 1 cup steamed green beans, cut into 1" lengths, or 1 cup thawed frozen cut green beans
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Saute the onions slowly over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until nicely browned.

Combine the onions with the remaining ingredients in the container of a food processor. Process until smoothly pureed, scraping down the sides as needed. Store in a jar until needed, and bring to room temperature before serving.

*I like the added flavor given by the toasted cashews, but if you're into raw cashews, by all means, use them.

Notes: For serving, I used Mary's Gone Crackers crackers original flavor. This was the most popular appetizer at the art reception. Little babies loved it, omnis loved it, and vegans loved it! Guests wanted to scoop it up and gobble it down as is without the cracker. I have never tasted liver but I am sure this is 100% healthier and maybe tastier? I can say this pate was DAMN good!

 Tonya Kehoe-Anderson (left), the artist and Cortnie Widen (right) the hostess and owner of White Rabbit. There are no flies on these girls!

Me, setting up the appetizer table in my farm apron!

Recipe Review: Get It Ripe: Sesame Kale Soba

Sesame Kale Soba 
from the Get It Ripe cookbook by Jae Steele.

• 1 large bunch green or black kale (about 8-oz/227 g) -
• 1 (8-oz/227 g) pckg soba noodles (or spaghetti noodles if unavailable - preferably wheat free)
• 3 tbsp tamari or shoyu soy sauce
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 large clove garlic, *grated or pressed
• 1/2 tsp dulse powder (optional)
• freshly ground pepper* to taste (a few generous twists)
• 1/4 cup arame (a dark sea veggie), soaked for 5 minutes until soft, then drained (optional)
• 3 tbsp unhulled sesame seeds

*You can mix it up a little by using 1 tsp grated fresh ginger in lieu of garlic or replace a touch of wasabi paste for black pepper.

Place a large pot of water on high heat to boil. Meanwhile, wash the kale thoroughly, remove the ends of the stems and discard, then chop kale to preferred size.

Add the noodles to boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.

Stir in the kale, and continue cooking until noodles are al dente, then drain and transfer noodles and kale to a large bowl and set aside.


Combine the tamari or shoyu, oil, garlic, dulse, and pepper in a small bowl, mix well, then pour on top of noodles and kale.


Toss gently with the arame ans sesame seeds, and serve.


Makes about 3 servings. GF, NF

Notes: Fascinating food fact about little old me - I love soba noodles. I love to eat with chopsticks (it makes me feel dexterous). I love kale. I love starting sentences with "I". Try adding shiitake mushrooms and/or extra firm tofu for some extra protein and heartiness. You can use the sauce topping as a marinade for the mushrooms and/or tofu. Dulse powder and arame can be difficult to find, so I have thus far made it without and it is still very good and healthful. This is fantastic served cold for lunch too. In addition to a bunch of tasty recipes this book contains very useful information regarding a vegan lifestyle - a good read in every respect!

 Shootin' the shiitake while the mushrooms marinate in the sauce.

Chickpea & Massaged Kale Heat Beatin' Salad

I have literally been eating variations of this salad for both lunch an dinner throughout our entire Iowa heat wave/drought/tire fire. It's fast, nutritious and requires no blasted oven.


Chickpea & Massaged Kale Heat Beatin' Salad

• 2 to 5 leaves of kale, depending on how much you like kale
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt
• A squeeze of fresh lemon

Add above ingredients to a large bowl and massage kale with your hands until fibers are broken down. You'll be able to feel the softening of the leaves - it only takes about 1 minute of gentle massaging. It's an oily massage. It's fun! 

•  1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Add one can rinsed chickpeas and combine.

• Assorted vegetables of your choice such as: cucumber, carrot, baby tomatoes, bell pepper, green onion, etc. chopped. Add as many and whatever variety you desire. Customize!
• 2 to 6 cloves minced fresh garlic - amount to your taste
• Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Olive oil to taste

Add assorted fresh vegetables to your own tastes and combine. If desired add nuts and/or seeds. Taste and add salt, pepper, olive 
oil to taste.

I make a huge batch and parse out amounts for lunches and/or dinners as desired. I also just add more ingredients as needed throughout the week as the salad dwindles in size. 


Helpful Hint: Brush and floss after eating as the black sesame seeds and kale chunks tend to get wedged in the toofuses, and your breath will be hella garlicky!

Sandwiches Are Magical!

Sandwiches are just about the perfect cooling hot-ass  Summer day lunch, aren't they? They work at the beach, at the pool, at the shooting range, in a cage, in a cave. (I don't know your struggles. No judgement). Vegan sandwiches are fast, easy and require no heating up of the house with the stove. Here are some products (which I personally use and in no way getting compensated for promoting) and foods I like on my sand witches:

• Vegenaise - How much do you l-o-v-e this product? You omnis might want to give this one a try too! We switched to this mayo alternative years ago simply because it was a healthier choice and haven't looked back at Hellmann's (Best Foods to you non-Mid westerners) since! Follow Your Heart brand has also joined the NON-GMO Project which gets big points with this little lady. http://www.followyourheart.com/
• Smart Deli Roast Turkey Style veggie protein slices - Okay, they sound and look gross. I try not to use super-processed convenience food too often, however I do enjoy these deli slices on occasion - mostly for a quick, easy, protein source. No, they don't taste or look like deli meat, but they have a similar texture.  http://www.lightlife.com/
• Udi's Millet-Chia Bread - I recently became obsessed with this bread. It is both delicious and healthful! I like mine toasted, then cooled for a crunchersons sandwich. It is also gluten-free. Could it get any better? Also very good as toast points with a tofu scramble. http://udisglutenfree.com/
• LOTS of vegetables - avocado slices, kale, baby lettuce, spinach, sprouted anything, bell pepper slices, cucumber slices, tomato slices! YUM! I try and add the rainbow to my sandwich - no, not make it gay! Add a vegetable of every color of the rainbow for maximum vitamin (pronounced viiit-ah-min in the English style) power punch!
• Hummus - preferably homemade or if not, Oasis hummus from our local falafel joint here in Iowa City. Since I am trying to eat a low fat diet too, I have been making my own hummus which has less olive oil, for a taste treat I get a container of the Oasis deliciousness. Hummus is also good on a sandwich as it is a little sticky and keeps the veggies from sliding around as much. 
• Pickles - Current favorite = Brooklyn Brine Co. NYC Deli Pickle. This is a pickle spear on a whole other level! Chickie J got a deal (Groupon, maybe?) where we got three jars in the mail and NYC was gone almost upon delivery. I love a good pickle finger spear with my sandwich! http://brooklynbrineco.com/
• Mustard - Check the ingredient list carefully as some mustard's are not vegan Big D's homemade is my very favorite - we even went to the mustard museum where he got some supplies! Annie's has some good choices as does Organicville.

What do you like on your sandwich? Any wack-a-doo combination you enjoy? Any product recommendations? If you were to have a sandwich named after you - what would it be called and what would it consist of?

You're in the 'sack!

Welcome to FEEDSACK!

Yes, it is another food blog. If you hate food and fun and hilarity stop reading right now.

Oh, did I mention it is a vegan food blog. Have you punched my image in the face? With love? Please continue...


I forced myself on pain of death to write five goals/aims/statements for my blog. Also, maybe the following will convince you that I serve up pure comedy gold, eat more than twigs and dirt and am not a judgy-wudgy bear.


1. Make and share edible, if not outright delicious, vegan dishes accompanied by witty text and food pron photos.
2. Experiment with new (to me) ingredients, recipes and eateries then review them in a hilarious way. Did I mention I am not a comedy writer? Hilarious!
3. Encourage mingling between humans and apes... wait... what? I mean, encourage all of the peoples who are interested to try vegan food. If they want to - nobody is holding a gun to your head here except R.Kelly and that is completely unrelated. Unless you are allergic to cherries.
4. Offer entertaining ideas, recipes and moral support for vegan hosting. If I can get my dad (who eats hamburger for EVERY MEAL) to attend (and claim to enjoy) vegan holidays then I am basically an all-powerful magician. Trust, y'all - it can be done.
5. Post slightly erotic photos of me and my hot friends eating food thus garnering a wide food fetish base and millions in advertising.

If the spirit moves you, I'd admire you to leave nice comments, ask questions politely and compliment me freely. Rudeness will not be tolerated under any circumstances.