Super Sustainability Sunday

Yesterday's Sustainability Sunday, aka the KC Vegan Crawl, was so great! Tons of people came out for tons of great food!
It was even more super special because I busted out the Fry Daddy! yessssss!

For lunch, I served Homemade Black Bean Burgers topped with braised chard and garlic, caramelized onions, and homemade chipotle vegan mayo, all piled onto a homemade Cornbread Burger Bun, courtesy of Melisser from The Urban Housewife blog!! I served them with Sweet Potato Fries...that were actually fried! yeah! The chard, onions, corn in the burgers, and sweet potatoes were all locally-grown, too! Even better!I got some of those adorable little red diner baskets during my trip to Denver, at a thrift store, so I served the burgers and fries in those! How cute, right?!

Dessert was Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes from Isa and Terry's Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! I had leftover homemade local pumpkin puree from Thanksgiving's pumpkin pie, so this was an obvious and amazing use for it! I used my own Cinnamon Buttercream recipe for the frosting, and this turned out to be one freakin amazing little cupcake!

Then last night was Dane's turn to whip up some more vegan goodness!
There was a great turnout, so tons of people got to share in the yumminess!

For dinner, Dane served a Rice, Bean, and Veggie Burrito topped with Sweet Potato Butter and Sauteed Local Bok Choy. On the side were Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Ginger-Brown Sugar Baked Local Radishes. So much good fooooood!

Dessert was Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches--with Strawberry-Sunflower Seed-Oat Cookies and Homemade Vanilla Vegan Ice Cream. There was also a Vegan White Cake for a birthday cake!There were a couple of peeps' birthdays this week, so we celebrated them all together with some tasty vegan cake!Now for some random pics of people having good food and fun at Sustainability Sundays! Dane, cooking it up in his kitchen...It also happened to be a moustache party as well, so those of us who didn't already have a natural moustache drew one on...like the lovely Chelsea here!
More food and good times to come next Sunday for sure! KC Vegan Crawl baby! It's gettin out of control big!! yay!

Sundays Are For Love.

Yesterday was so awesome!! The Kansas City community really came out and supported local and sustainable foods! The meals hosted by both Dane and myself were very successful....and delicious!! For my lunch, I served up some veganized Italian foods, while Dane's dinner was a potluck this week! Fun fun fun!

Lunch!
I served Roasted Vegetable Lasagna for the main dish, and it was great! Layers of whole wheat lasagna noodles, homemade cashew ricotta, homemade marinara sauce, and roasted local veggies!! The top is Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella. Taaaaasty!I served the lasagna with a Caesar Salad--homemade dressing AND croutons, too! The bread for the croutons came from a wonderful local bakery here in KC, Fervere! Yeah!Dessert was Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti from Veganomicon. This was a huge hit!! Probably because these are some amazing cookies!! Duh!

Dinner!

Now, onto the potluck! Everybody brought amazing dishes, all vegan, too! Here are some highlights:

Dane made an Apple Pie, with local apples, of course

A lovely salad with ALL local, freshly-picked veggies! Also, local bok choy with red chilis!Yes, there was a Tofurkey! Two, to be exact. These things are so surprisingly good! We topped them with some pomegranate seeds! Yum.

I made a Shepherd's Pie! The bottom has homemade seitan and lots of local veggies, the topping is mashed potatoes...made with local potatoes! I loooooove this dish; it's just so wintery!Our friend, Adam, brought some Roasted Potatoes, with onions, garlic, and rosemary!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie!

Awesome siblings, Chelsea and Matt Huff, making some Cranberry Chutney! delish!!
There was even some awesome Rosehip Tea!Everyone sharing in the yums...Our gracious host, Bryce, who makes pretty much anything possible because of his big heart and hospitality! The potluck was at his house! Thanks, Bryce!!

Jim Button is enjoying a tasty Pumpkin Bisque....
The spread...including my Cinnamon-Chestnut Bread Pudding, and Harvest Bread (from Fervere Bakery) with agave whipped Earth Balance! Yes!Adam Brumback, showing his love for the food and the people!
More amazing people around amazing foods...And the lovely Chelsea Ringler! Always a Sustainability Sunday supporter!! Yeah, there was even organic soda. haha!

Neil, digging into the goodness.
Everyone got soooo full and sooooo happy! :)

And everybody helped out, which made it even more amazing!!

Including Emily Lodigensky...

A good...no, great....time was had by all!! Let's hope next Sunday is even better!

Yay food and yay sustainability!!

Buffalo Seitan Wraps and Another Lovely Sunday!

Yesterday was so wonderful! Lots of great people and great food were shared to make yet another fantastic KC Vegan Crawl! I am constantly astounded at everyone's support of Sustainability Sunday happenings!!

Onto the food! Where would we be without it!?

The star of the lunch on Sunday was the Buffalo Seitan Wrap: homemade chick'n style seitan dredged in a homemade spicy buffalo wing sauce wrapped up in an organic whole wheat tortilla with homemade vegan ranch dressing, organic red onion, tomato, and spinach. Oooooh they were so delish!! The cool ranch juxtaposed against the spicy buffalo seitan was divine.

And for the side dish, I made some Spiced Potato Wedges! Local potatoes tossed in olive oil and spices, and baked until nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Yum! Man, potatoes are a perfect food. GOSH. I also made my Kickin' Ketchup for the dipping of the potato wedges. I love to dip, what can I say?!And you know I gotta have dessert!! I made my Oatmeal Cream Pies, because I just wanted and needed and craved them. I think everyone was happy with my decision...so perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg for the fall, with that dollop of buttercream-style filling for a little naughty indulgent touch. I think I can declare this my new favorite dessert! There, I said it! :)

I was so very pleased with how yesterday went...now it's time to get crackin' for the next sustainability shindig!

This Week in Sustainability...

Yesterday's Sustainability Sunday was a HUGE success! Dane and I both had tons of people come out to our supper clubs, and the KC Vegan Crawl made yet another mark on the midwest! Yay!

At my place for lunch, I made everyone's favorite: Brunch!!

My Lemon-Ginger Scones! A big, big hit! The recipe is here...I highly recommend it. I even got the lemons at the Farmers' Market!For the main event, I served up cakes 'n eggs, vegan-style!! Awesome Whole Grain Pancakes, Scrambled Tofu with Local Greens, and Local Homefries, featuring both yukon gold and sweet potatoes.

To mix it up a bit, I gave my guests a choice of different pancake toppings: Plain (Earth Balance and Maple Syrup), Homemade Pumpkin Butter, Cinnamon-Baked Apples, Chocolate Chips, or, for those with a savory tooth, Spicy Seitan Chorizo!

Here's my plate-- I topped mine with both the pumpkin butter and baked apples, being the little glutton I am. Did I mention ALL the produce and tofu used were local? Well, they were! The savory option: Pancakes topped with homemade Spicy Seitan Chorizo Crumbles, drizzled with agave nectar and sprinkled with sea salt. Holy moly this was one tasty plate o' food!!Then, for dinner at Dane's place: Gumbo and Rice! Food for the working folks, for sure!! Tons of okra, Anasazi beans, tomatoes, garlic and more in a delicious, spicy broth, topped with fluffy white rice. I think all the vegan Southerners would be proud!!And there was homemade bread: Whole Grain and French Baguettes!! BREAD!!And, since no meal is complete sans dessert: Depression Cake!! Dane found a recipe for cake from the Depression era, when things like eggs and milk were scarce...so it was already vegan and tasty and cheap to make! Yes!! He jazzed it up a bit with a Cranberry-Orange Glaze, and it was just too good!
Thanks to everyone who has been coming out to the Vegan Crawl!! Hopefully we'll just keep growing and growing! There will be more delish food to come, ya'll!

Dane, The Other Leg: the second half of the KC Vegan Crawl!

Welcome to Day 5 of Vegan MoFo!! I want to rep KC vegans today!! Sundays are getting coined as the "Vegan Crawl" in Kansas City because it is an all-day celebration of delicious, local, vegan food. The crawl starts at my house, where I do the underground restaurant thing, and it ends at Dane's house! Dane's thing is all about sustainable food systems and lifestyles, and eating well for nourishment of the body and the earth. After dinner at his house, he gives a talk (or video, etc.) as part of his "sustainability Sunday" series on living locally. He even creates handouts to take home so you don't forget all the good info he gave you! Awesome!

Dane's Tower o' Local Produce:

He's actually an artist by trade, but has been honing his vegan cooking skills most recently, in order to share his passion for local, vegan food. He wants to show people that eating kindly and sustainably can taste good, too! Go figure!
Here are a few dishes he has prepared for his Sustainability Sunday dinners!

Baked Acorn Squash stuffed with a saute of kale, garbanzo beans, garlic, onions, and walnuts;

Candied Yams;

Roasted Turnips with Crystallized Ginger and Garlic

(all with local produce!)For dessert: Whole Grain Traveler Bread from local bakery, Fervere, schmeared with Dane's homemade local pumpkin butter!Another night: Wild Rice Pilaf with Cannellini Beans and a Mushroom Cream Sauce;

Herbed New and Sweet Potatoes;
Coconut-Ginger Roasted Carrots and Radishes

Last night's awesome meal: Apple-Watermelon Gazpacho, made with his homemade fruit stock and topped with fresh apples

And, because you can't have soup without something for dipping: Homemade Kamut Pita!Bread is for sharing!!For dessert: Vegan Puff Pastry (made by Dane's boss, a former pastry chef) filled with custard and toasted almonds, and then topped with powdered sugar and blackberries. mmmmm.Rosemary Olive Oil Flatbread with Apple-Pear-Walnut Chutney, both homemade, of course.

And, from the first night I went to his sustainability dinner, Fruit Rotini Pasta made by local Pappardelle's pasta makers, topped with local Tomato Peach Marinara;

Ciabatta Bread from Fervere Bakery

Dessert: Orchard Bread, also from Fervere Bakery, with Whipped Agave "Butter" (which he made. duh.)
I love it!