Candy Bags! (So You Think You’re Crafty?)

Recently my partner and I relocated to Vancouver Island from the wintery north to take a new-ish life: long growing seasons for gardening, future island hopping, and new jobs! Little did I know that by relocating from an amazing job where I felt I was actually making a difference in my community to a smaller island community meant that jobs are actually few and far between. In desperation to ensure I could pay my bills I’ve taken a job working in a call centre for an American cell phone company.

While I do refer to this time in my life as “just another chapter in a forthcoming memoir” or “all great Canadian authors have worked a rather strange job once upon a time!” I still can’t get over the fact I’m not allowed to have food at my desk: except for hard candy. Then along came this tutorial! I have purchased pouches for dry snacks at craft fairs and have a pile of pouches I made before the holidays and use them often to house York Bites, Yoghurt Raisins, and Nibs (or even almonds if I didn’t work in a nut-free environment). This Candy Bag Tutorial by “So You Think You’re Crafty” is great and easy to follow (so many pictures, step by step instructions). It includes how-tos for both fabric lined pouches (for pre-wrapped candies) and vinyl-lined pouches for every other candy or dry snack you’d want to put in there. The fabric lined ones can usually be thrown in the washer and the vinyl just wiped out with a damp cloth.

So if you do find yourself “working for the man” and really want to get your hands on some wildberry twizzlers at your desk, or even while studying Death of a Salesman in High School English, these pouches can hide your goodies and reduce plastic consumption!

It’s no secret that I adore Sarah Kramer and her amazing vegan cookbooks. I’ve profiled her pocket-sized Vegan A Go-Go and interviewed her for my Shameless Women column. Now the 10th Anniversary Edition of How It All Vegan has been released and it’s better than ever!

Ten years after its first release HIAV is still one of the most popular vegan cookbooks around and a staple of any vegan cook’s kitchen.

I had the chance to interview co-author Sarah Kramer about the success of the book, the continuing rise in veganism, and even tried a few recipes from my very own treasured copy of How It All Vegan 10th Anniversary Edition (check out a pic of the results below).

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I love to cook, but honestly baking has never really been my thing. I’m well known in my circle for producing oddly shaped birthday cakes and cookies that taste….um…“unique”.

That being said, if anything were ever going to make me attempt to bake again, it might just be these amazingly fun vegan Gingerbread Punks submitted by Isa on the Post Punk Kitchen.

I love the punks, but I’m thinking of decorating mine as Joan Jett, Patti Smith, Pat Benatar, and maybe Karen O. Oh, and M.I.A., because a gingerbread gal would look amazing in her beautiful baby-belly bearing Grammy outfit!

Who would yours be?

If you make them, be sure to let us know where we can find pics of your rebel baking masterpieces!

You know what I hate?

I hate when marketers take things I love with all my being, and make them look ridiculous, vapid, and stereotypical.

Take chocolate and sex.

There are other sweet treats, but none are such a miraculous mixture of sweet, bitter, sharp and spicy as a decent chocolate bar (especially the chili/peppercorn variety). And as for consensual physical pleasures, I am including all sorts of activities here: massage, sexy dancing, making out in the park, holding hands for the first time - the whole spectrum. Like chocolate, sex is wonderful in its variety.

Even though I am clearly a demographic goldmine, I can’t stand the campaign for Fling chocolate bars. The “naughty but not that naughty” chocolate bar made especially for women:

“It is a delicate truffle,sitting on a subtle crisp layer enrobed in shimmering chocolate that looks as glamourous as the women it speaks to. It tastes indulgent but it keeps its figure, at under 85 calories per finger. Sneak out to a movie. Go curly. Lick the wrapper. Shake things up! Nobody’s looking.”

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First of all, this is not a post about the pros/cons or ethical/eco/health issues of vegetarianism.

For my own reasons, and after one failed attempt a few years ago, I’m again going vegetarian, perhaps even vegan (I love cheese, but my tummy doesn’t!).

I’ve been meat-free for a few months now and things are going great. I’m feeling awesome! My complexion has changed for the better, I’ve dropped a few pounds (I’m not trying to loose weight, but I did have a couple pounds of fat that I needed to rid my body of if I wanted to be healthy), and even the flesh under my fingernails looks nice and rosy and pink. And I’m full of energy!

The main reason my former attempt at vegetarianism failed was lack of yummy recipes and knowledge of meat-free alternatives available.

So here is where I ask for your help and expertise…
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If you’re staying in tonight to watch the election, why not treat yourself to Obama’s Family Chilli Recipe?

1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Several cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Several tomatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 can red kidney beans

Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in olive oil until soft.

Add ground meat and brown.

Combine spices together into a mixture, then add to ground meat.

Add red wine vinegar.

Add tomatoes and let simmer, until tomatoes cook down.

Add kidney beans and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with grated cheddar cheese, onions and sour cream.

Sarah Kramer, who Herbivore magazine called “The World’s Coolest Vegan”, is currently touring with her new cookbook, Vegan A Go-Go. Having tried recipes from her previous three cookbooks (which have sold over 150,000 copies combined), I’m definitely looking forward to trying out some new tasty meatless delights!

Photo courtesy of govegan.net

With an awesome 150 recipes, Vegan A Go-Go is meant to fit in the backpack of the herbivore on the road. Recognizing that finding decent vegan cuisine can be near to impossible while traveling, Sarah focuses on meals that are “are easy to prepare with a minimum of ingredients but guaranteed to deliver energy, nutrition, and great flavour” (Arsenal Pulp Press).

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I shook my fist alongside Catherine when she blogged about the Yogurt Wars. However, I have my own yogurt scandal: the conspiracy to deny me fatty yogurt. (I spurn you Liberté, for denying me yogurt that is both organic AND full-fat!!) So I loved this video poking fun at the bananas notion that all a gal needs is her pilates mat and (fat-free) yogurt to weather the trials and tribulations of life…

(Found on Salon)

For my Film Friday this week, I’m offering not a review or a critique, but a Shameless Exclusive. A friend directed me to this short video made by New York artist and musician Jessica Segall. It’s a history of corn told in shadow-puppetry - a fine mix of art, history, politics, oh and just a little sci-fi. (Of course, if you think about it, lots of food-politics stuff is way more Twilight Zone than Rod Serling’s most out-there fantasy.) Hope you enjoy. And eat those Corn Pops while you can, because after this you may never again.

Drop in on Jessica Segall and her band here.