Happy World Vegan Month!

Have a Magical Halloween!

Adopt A Black Cat - Bring Luck To Your Family!

Morticia enjoying the outdoors

Miss Morticia asked that I write this post on her behalf.  She wants to banish the superstitious myth that black cats are bad luck and help out her furry brothers & sisters confined to shelters across the land.

We've all heard the warning that it's bad luck for a black cat to cross your path.  Morticia says talk to the paw!

Morticia makes a point to cross my path everyday and I'm all the better for it!

Sadly this stereotyping causes many black cats to be put down as they tend to take longer to adopt out and simply run out of time.

In reality, it's actually good luck if a black cat chooses to live with you.  Morticia has been with me for more than 16 years and my life is all the better for it!

And if that's not a good enough reason, check out this list of
Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Black Cat courtesy of SFGate:

1. We are always sleek, stylish and elegant looking.
2. You’ll never lose us in a snowstorm.
3. Black fur won’t show up on your [chic] black clothing. (SO TRUE!!!)
4. Statistically speaking, we are friendlier than other cats.
5. We are happier because we look thinner!
6. In many cultures, we are considered GOOD luck.
7. We can be slimming when draped over your lap.
8. We can easily accessorize our collars because everything goes with black.
9. We are always appropriately dressed at cocktail parties.
10. We take the longest to get adopted and need your help the most!!!

I can personally attest that black cats make awesome additions to the family - especially rescued ones.

Pets Are Good For You!

Pets, not just cats are very beneficial to our overall health.  Pets naturally make us feel less stressed & anxious.  They cause us to have lower blood pressure & lower heart rates.  Pet owners have a lower risk of dying from any cardiac disease, including heart failure.  A pet's unconditional love helps to combat depression. Pets bring us out of our shell & help us to socialize.  Kids growing up with a pet in the house tend to have fewer allergies.  In fact kids at risk for asthma, who grow up with a cat, are less likely to develop asthma.  Cat owners tend to have fewer strokes as cats have a greater calming effect than other animals. 

Now that you realize what's missing in your life, check out PetFinder to find the black kitty of your dreams!

meow.
Morticia


Sources:
http://blog.sfgate.com/pets/2009/09/17/top-10-reasons-to-adopt-a-black-cat/
http://pets.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-pets-improve-your-health

VegGala Awesome Success!!!

October 14, 2012 marked the first annual Cleveland VegGala!  And it was amazing!!!  Four hundred hungry people came out to show local restaurant owners that there is a market for vegan food in Northeast Ohio! 

A night filled with eating, music, mingling and a lot more eating!   All the vendors were sooooo friendly and super knowledgeable!  It was so freeing not to have to ask about ingredients!  As a vegan, this evening was a dream come true!  Nothing was off limits - quite a break from the norm!

Over 20 local businesses participated:

Aladdin’s                                                  Mo Bite Products

Bon Vivant                                               Nature's Bin
Carriage House Bakery                            The Olive and The Grape     

Chop It Salad Co.                                     Orale! Mexican Cuisine
Clifton Martini & Wine Bar                     Pura Vida Restaurant
Dandy Blend Instand Herbal Beverage    Root Cafe

Deagan's Kitchen & Bar                           The Sweet Spot
Earth Fare                                                 Tommy’s Restaurant
Flaming Ice Cube                                     Tough Cookie Bakery
Green Kitchen                                          Treehugger's Cafe
Grovewood Tavern                                  Tremont Scoops
India Garden                                            Umami Moto
Lion on Lorain Bar and Grill                   Vegan Sweet Tooth
Luxe Kitchen and Lounge                       Village Martini & Wine Bar

I took my mother, who has been on-again, off-again vegan for the past year.  At this time, she's off the wagon, but despite that, she loved the food as well!  I also met a few friends there, one of which won the 50/50 raffle (Hi Jill!).  I'll let it go that I bought my 50/50 tickets right after her...

If you missed it, because they SOLD OUT - mark your calendars, as the proceeds from this event are going to support Cleveland's first ever VegFest on June 1, 2013 at Cleveland State University!  You know I'll be posting details as soon as they are available.

Personally, I can't wait until the second annual Cleveland VegGala!  Big thanks to The Cleveland Vegan Society for hosting this much needed event.

Till Next Year!
The Hoff

70,000 Page Views & Still Going!!!

Event: Vegan Cooking Class

Cooking with C.A.R.E presents Eat Well, Live Well Cooking Series

When: Thursday, November 6, 2012
Where: Mandel Jewish Community Center: 26001 South Woodland Rd. Beachwood, OH 44122
Time: 6:00pm - 7:00 pm
Cost: $5 members & $15 guests
Registration Required: Call 216/593-0448 or 216/831-0770

More info!

Hoff's Pumpkin Pancakes

Hoff's Pumpkin Pancakes
Yields: 8-10 pancakes
dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, soy-free


Start with Hoff's Bulk Pancake Mix.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mix
• 1 cup "Milk"
• 1/2 cup canned Pumpkin
• 1/2 cup Apple Sauce
• 1/2 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
• 1 tbsp Chia Seeds (optional)
• 1 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
2. Cook like any other pancake, but on a non-stick pan, using no oil

Hoff's Creamy "Clam" Chowder

Hoff's Creamy "Clam" Chowder
Yields: 4 hearty servings
meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, soy-free


Ingredients:

• 2 cups Veggie Broth
• 2 cups Original Coconut Creamer
• 2 15 oz. cans diced Potatoes (rinsed & drained, 1 can reserved)
• 1/4 cup Cashews
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 carton Oyster Mushrooms (chopped)
  
• 1/2 cup Sweet Onion (chopped)
• Splashes of Liquid Smoke
• Dash of Sea Salt
• Season with Pepper

Directions:

1. Place first 7 ingredients in Vitamix and blend on high for 6 minutes
2. Meanwhile in a medium pan over medium-high heat, sautee Mushrooms & Onions, seasoning with Liquid Smoke & Sea Salt
3. Add remaining can of Potatoes and Soup Base until heated through (few minutes)
4. Season with freshly ground Pepper

Hoff Thoughts: If using dried Mushrooms, reserve 1-2 cups of the soaking water (may require straining) and substitute for the veggie broth, for a micro-nutrient punch!

Happy Sweetest Day!

Sweetest Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region, and parts of the Northeast United States, on the third Saturday in October. It is described by Retail Confectioners International as an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.

The creation of Sweetest Day is often attributed to Herbert Birch Kingston. However, the first Sweetest Day was pronounced as October 8, 1921 in Cleveland. The Cleveland Plain Dealer's October 8, 1922 edition, which chronicles the first Sweetest Day in Cleveland, states that the first Sweetest Day was planned by a committee of 12 confectioners chaired by candy maker C. C. Hartzell. The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee distributed over 20,000 boxes of candy to "newsboys, orphans, old folks, and the poor" in Cleveland, Ohio. The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee was assisted in the distribution of candy by some of the biggest movie stars of the day including Theda Bara and Ann Pennington. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetest_Day

Sweetest Day is traditionally celebrated with cards, candy or flowers.

Event: Farm 3 Forks 2013 Dates!

Rip Esselstyn, author of the Engine 2 Diet and son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, author of Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease - is bringing back his life changing weekend retreats for 2013!

This immersion weekend will teach you the plant-based, plant-strong lifestyle described in the Engine 2 Diet.  You will experience lectures, demonstrations, and events designed to give you what most people have never received: an in-depth education about the power of health-promoting foods and the reality of health-harming foods.

Events will be hosted by Rip Esselstyn and feature regular speakers Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, Doug Lisle, PhD, and Jeff Novick, RD; as well as special guest speakers Colin Campbell, PhD, John McDougall, MD, Matt Lederman, MD, Terry Mason, MD, and more!

What to Expect:

• Three days of intensive plant-strong education from some of the most experienced physicians, researchers, nutritionists and chefs in the country
• Delicious plant-strong meals
• A beautiful bound notebook to take notes in all weekend long
• A spectacular one-of-a-kind cool and trendy plant-strong collectible t-shirt
• Unfettered access to our speakers after lectures for one-on-one questions

2013 Dates & Locations:

• January 4 – 6, Clearwater, FL
• April 12 – 14, Los Angeles, CA
• May 24 – 26, Chicago, IL
• June 28 – 30, Atlanta, GA
• August 17 – 18, Hudson, NY (Special event at the Esselstyn family farm)

Click here to visit the Farms 2 Forks website and sign up now!

Check out this short video to get a taste!

Fruit Flies Must Die!

I don't mean to sound so harsh, but fruit flies are really annoying!  Is my face the Big Ben Parliament
of the fruit fly world?!?

Here's a super simple trick to bring an end to these little pests.

In a small bowl, mix together a couple of drops of unscented Liquid Dish Soap with about a 1/2 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.

The scent of the Vinegar will attract these suckers, while the soap will assist them into their next life...

Fruit flies check in...but they don't check out.

And you're welcome.
The Hoff

Hoff's Pumpkin Cookies

These cake-like cookies kick autumn off right!


Hoff's Pumpkin Cookies
Yields: About 2 dozen
dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, soy-free 


Ingredients:

•  2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 - 15 oz can Pumpkin
• 4 oz Apple Sauce
• 1 tbsp Maple Syrup

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together Flour, Pumpkin Spice, Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Salt
2. In another medium bowl, whisk together White Sugar & Brown Sugar, stir in Pumpkin, Apple Sauce, & Maple Syrup
3. Mix together dry ingredients with wet ingredients
4. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto baking tray
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes

Optional Glaze:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Powder Sugar
• 3 tbsp Vanilla Almond Milk
• Dash of Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Whisk together all ingredients until glaze is formed
2. Allow cookies to cool before pouring on glaze

Add-in Ideas:

• Craisins
• Chocolate Chips
• Nuts

The Right to Know About Your Food Would Explode Your Puny Little Head

On November 6, California’s voters will decide on Proposition 37 – the “Right To Know.” If this passes, it will set a precedent for labeling foods made with Genetically Modified ingredients to spread across the United States!

Danny DeVito, Bill Maher, Dave Matthews and friends star made this 2 minute video to get you thinking about what Monsanto is trying so desperately to hide from the public.




Not in Cali? Take a stand by signing this national petition to the US Congress, calling for labeling of genetically engineered foods (GMOs).

Vegan Halloween Candy, Recipes & More!

Looking to celebrate Halloween with a Vegan spin?

Check out these spooky resources for some Vegan Halloween inspirations:


Candy:
Amazon
Endangered Species Chocolates (vegan options)
Indie Candy
NaturalCandyStore.com
Navan Foods
Sjaaks Organic Chocolates
VegNews Halloween Shop

Candy Guides:
One Green Planet
Peta Kids
VegNews
Veg For Life

Cooking Show:
The Vegan Zombie

Recipes:
AllRecipes.com
365 Halloween
Food.com
No-Bake
Veg For Life
Vegetarians in Paradise
Vegan Halloween Round-up!

Thought Starters:
About.com
Pinterest
The Spooky Vegan

Event: McDougall 5-Day Program

During this short commitment you will learn the basic nutrition and medical principles of the McDougall Program. For five days you will be immersed in a health-supporting atmosphere, which will inspire you to take better care of yourself, so that when you return home you will be able to achieve the first-class personal appearance and health you deserve.

Example schedule
Example menu

When: November 28 - December 2, 2012
Where: Santa Rosa, California
Cost: $1,075 per person (Includes all meals and education)

An investment that will change your life!

More info!

A Vegan Milky Way?!?

When I went vegan, I thought my favorite candy bars were a thing of the past - never again would a Milky Way grace my lips...sigh.

Pity party is over!

I'm sooo excited to tell you about Go Max Go Foods - these super awesome people have created vegan versions of such favorites as: Snickers (Jokerz), Milky Way (Twilight), Almond Joy (Mahalo), 3 Musketeers (Buccaneer), Nestle Crunch (Snap!) & Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (Cleo’s).  And, coming soon...Butterfinger (Thumbs Up).


Not only are these beauties sans dairy & eggs, they are also free from hydrogenated oils, trans fats, artificial ingredients and cholesterol!

That calls for a DYN-O-MITE!

Find these magical treasure's near you!

Or get a Value 12 pack (2 flavors each) from The Vegetarian Site.

I love you Go Max!
The Hoff

Limited Free Viewing: Hungry for Change

To celebrate the launch of the book, Hungry For Change (already an Amazon Best Seller), the creators of this awesome documentary, by the same name, are making the doc available to the public for a limited time!

When: Oct 3 - Oct 6, 2012
Where: Your PC
Cost: Free!

Click here to check it out!

Hoff's Quick Corn Chowder

Hoff's Quick Corn Chowder
Serves: 2
meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free, soy-free


Ingredients:

• 1 can diced Potatoes (rinsed & drained) - reserve 1/2 cup
• 1 can Corn (rinsed & drained) - reserve 1/2 cup
• 1 1/2 cup plain Almond Milk
• 2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 1 tbsp Instant Mashed Potatoes Flakes
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Celery Seed
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp fine Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Add Potatoes, Corn, Milk, Nutritional Yeast, Mashed Potatoes Flakes & seasonings to Vitamix
2. Run Vitamix for 6 minutes
3. Divide reserved Potatoes & Corn between two bowls
4. Divide & pour soup into both bowls

Hoff's White Bean Soup

Hoff's White Bean Soup
Serves: 2
meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, oil-free
 

Ingredients:

• 1 small Onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves of Garlic (minced)
• 2 Carrots (chopped)
• 2 Celery Sticks (chopped)
• 1 cup Corn
• 1 can Cannellini Beans (rinsed & drained)
• 1 can diced Potatoes (rinsed & drained)
• 2 cups Veggie Broth
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
• Kelp or Sea Salt to taste
• 1 Bay Leaf

Directions:

1. Sautee Onion, Garlic, Carrots & Celery in large pot until softened
2. Add Corn, Beans & Potatoes
3. Add Vegetable Broth & enough Milk to cover ingredients
4. Add Bay Leaf
5. Stir & bring to boil
6. Turn down & simmer for 35 minutes
7. Remove Bay Leaf
8. Season with Braggs & Kelp/Salt

My2Cents: If you want a creamier soup, after cooked, remove 2 cups of soup and set aside, using an inversion blender, blend remaining soup until creamy, stir in reserved soup.