Pesto Pron XXX: Live Nude Basil

The Costco Question: Worth It or Not?

HOT BUTTON TOPIC! Is it worth it to be a member of Costco if you are a vegan/vegetarian/organic only? Aside from the adult diapers (male & female), flush-able wet toilet wipes - are there any food products available?

Here I present an unbiased, undercover (not so much) report of what organic and vegan/vegetarian products were available at our newly opened Iowa City location. I'm kind of like the Anderson Cooper of Iowa City here, people. I am 100% sure I missed some organic items because I kept having to dodge doddering septuagenarians, prairie whale pods of moms + offspring and aggressive stay-at-home dads on a mission yelling into their walkie talkies.

 ORGANICS:

• Organicville - Vinaigrettes Olive Oil & Balsamic - 2/24oz bottles - $7.79
• Organicville - Sesame Teriyaki Sauce - 35oz bottle - $5.59
• Organicville - BBQ Sauce - 35oz bottle - $4.99
• Seeds of Change - Quinoa & Rice - 4/8.5oz pouches - $7.99
• Flax USA - Golden Milled Flax - 48oz bag - $6.99
• Earthly Choice - Quinoa - 4lb bag - $9.49
• Wholesome Sweeteners - Sugar - 10lb bag - $10.99
• Wholesome Sweeteners - Blue Agave Nectar - 2/36oz bottles - $9.99
• Kirkland Signature/Bolthouse Farms - Carrot Juice - 3/32oz bottles - $6.99
• Seapoint Farms - Edamame - 4/14oz bags - $6.59
• Bybee Foods - Green Beans - 5lb bag - $6.49
• Pure Nature - Broccoli - 4/1lbs bags - $5.99
• Bybee Foods - White Corn - 5lb bag - $5.99
• Earthbound Farms - Mixed Baby Kale - 1.5 lbs - $4.49
• Earthbound Farms - Brocollette - 2lb bag - $6.29
• Earthbound Farms - Mini Peeled Carrots - 5lb bag - $5.49

 

NON-ORGANICS:

• P.O.M. Wonderful - 100% pomegranate juice - 60oz bottle - $8.99
• Odwalla Juice - Variety Smoothies - 10/12oz bottles - $14.59
• MaraNatha - All Natural Almond Butter - 26oz jar - $5.89
• Kirkland Signature - Raw Pine Nuts - 1.5lb bag - $17.79
• Kirkland Signature - Pecan Halves - 2lb bag - $15.99
• Kirkland Signature - Walnuts - 3lb bag - $17.99
• Kirkland Signature - Almonds - 3lb bag - $10.89
• Earthly Choice - All Natural 100% Whole Grain Bulgur Wheat - 4lb bag - $5.79
• Earthly Choice - All Natural Chia Seeds - 2lb bag - $7.39
• Earthly Choice - All Natural Black Rice - 3lb bag - $5.69
• Sugar In The Raw - Natural Cane Sugar - 6lb bag - $7.99 

There was also soy milk and tofu products available - I did not get brand names, pricing info, etc. As always it is imperative to read labels so you know exactly what is in your food.
 
Full disclosure - I do have an Executive (cheapest at $55) membership - after doing some research SJM and I did decide a membership would be worth the money, mostly based on dog food and toilet paper. (PS The Kirkland Signature dog food is highly rated by Consumer Reports  and DogFoodAdvisor.com with a four out of five stars.) We also split our membership with another couple, which allows us to break the bulk foods down into a manageable amount.

I absolutely will not be going grocery shopping there on a regular basis - they just do not have the fresh, organic, local selection to keep me coming in weekly. Honestly, excluding entertaining, I will only shop there when we need to replenish the dog food/dog treats and toilet paper supplies.

Two items they did not have which I use frequently and would buy in bulk - organic canned beans (chickpeas, esp) and brown rice. However, the products keep changing on a regular basis and the Costco staff member I asked about Organics did tell me that they plan to keep expanding that market.

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!

What to Bring to the Cookout: Vegan Diner: Garlic-Dill Potato Salad

This recipe can be found in the ultimate vegan comfort food  cookbook Vegan Diner by Julie Hasson. Steve Legato contributed photos that make you want to try and make every recipe immediately.

Garlic-Dill Potato Salad

(makes 4 servings)

• 2 pounds small red potatoes
• 1 cup Garlic Mayo (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Dice into large chunks.
   In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, fresh dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the diced potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat with the mayonnaise mixture. Give the potato salad a few good stirs, as it helps the salad become thick and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   Serve the potato salad right away, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Homemade Garlic Mayo
(Makes about 2 cups)

• 1 (12.3-ounce) package extra-firm silken tofu, preferably the Mori-Nu brand
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Puree tofu mixture until ultra smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl or blender as necessary. Make sure that there aren't any little bits of unblended tofu.
   Taste the mayonnaise, and adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for an hour, if possible, to let the flavors meld before using.

I made this recipe for a small, intimate weenie roast and it seemed to please both the omnis and the vegans. We also had...

 Broccoli slaw topped with crunchy chow mein noodles made by Big D (back left), baked beans, Kettle Chips - lightly salt and salt and pepper flavors, and garlicky chip dip.

Fixin's for Chicago style hot dogs! Mustard, onion, relish, tomato, pickle spear, celery salt, and pepperocinis. The blasphemous natural ketchup is mine. I know, I know, it's a sin to put ketchup on a hot dog. I'm a sinner!

I asked Chickie Jay to write down the meal stuffed into a bun known as the Chicago style dog. Who can remember all that? I kept referring to this list as reference material like a chump.

 
In addition to vegan hot dogs we also served Field Roast Sausages - Smoked Apple Sage. HO-LEE K-RAP these are good eatin'! If you are very careful you can slide them up a roasting stick (the long way) and warm them over a cracklin' campfire.
http://www.fieldroast.com/products/food-service/field-roast-sausages/

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!

The Basil Beast Unleashed: Vegan Pesto

The Basil Beast Unleashed! Pesto is fast on the dash to make and versatile - it can be slathered on pasta; used as a pizza sauce; or as a spread on bread, crackers or crudite.


Vegan Pesto

• 2 Cups tightly packed basil
• 1/3 Cup olive oil
• 1 Cup nuts - walnut, pine or almond
• Garlic to your taste - I use 5 to 6 cloves but I am a legit garlic luvah
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast or faux Parmesan cheese substitute - Parmela is a fave of mine (optional)
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. You want some nice texture - stop before pesto is smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. If the pesto is too thick, add a small amount of plain soy milk or water.

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?