Sweet, creative bags, and purses, that are affordable, and made from animal friendly materials.
Even sweeter, some of the profit from bags sold on their website are donated to the ASPCA.
And Facebook fans receive 20% off your total order!  Through 12/31. Enter ‘facebook2011′ during checkout.

We met them on Indie-gogo, and they’re in need of funds to purchase an industrial machine. Check out their indie-gogo page. They’ve got cool rewards.

And anyone looking to work from home Blue Orchid Handbags is looking for sales consultants – women who are independent, ambitious and energetic! A wonderful opportunity to own your own business and have a flexible schedule.

Oh so many years ago when we first became vegetarians, in order to get a decent, tasty vegan pizza, you had to make it yourself. While it’s still a wonderful thing to DIY – check out Toni’s amazing Potato Sage Pizza – it’s also nice to know that from Boston to Seattle and in a growing number of cities in between, you can find pizza parlors who have mastered the fine art of vegan pizza making.

T.J. Scallywaggles – Boston, MA
Pizza Plaza – Oakland, CA
Pizza Pi – Seattle, WA
The Rudyard Kipling – Louisville, KY
Viva Herbal Pizzeria – NYC
Gianna’s Grille – Philadelphia, PA (check out their veg specialties too!)
Este Pizzeria – Salt Lake City, UT
Tomato Joe’s – Valencia, CA
Bobby G’s Pizzeria – Berkeley, CA (vegan pizza by the slice!)

Take to the streets and celebrate your pride at New York City’s Veggie Pride Parade happening on Sunday, May 17th.

Go here to get the scoop and your downloadable program guide.

Make new friends, show your veg spirit, and who knows? Maybe you’ll even win a swell prize like Toni’s cookbook Totally Vegetarian.

This past weekend the Totally Vegetarian team went off to Baltimore to attend the Natural Products Expo East. Our goal was to seek potential sponsors for the show and to explore what’s new in the natural and vegetarian/vegan food industry. I can tell you that there will be a lot of exciting stuff hitting the shelves soon. We managed to spend two days sampling food out of tiny cups that never seemed to end and I’m sure I consumed enough Green Tea to fill up a small pond. The food was great and the vendors were interesting and inspiring. It’s so wonderful to chat with people who are dedicated and commited to producing delicious food and healthy living products.

Though the weather was lousy up until our last day, we were finally able to check out a downtown farmers markets before we had to fly out. On our way to the market, I asked everybody I met if they knew where I could go for a crab-free mock crabcake. The question of where I might find this culinary “oddity” brought us some very interesting responses from local people and really made the day a great deal of fun. Since we never found it, the experience also gave me the incentive to create a crab-free mock crabcake recipe.

When I travel, I try to make a point to check out local stores and, when possible, farmers or open markets. I encourage all of you to do the same. It’s a great way to learn about local cultures and cuisine, and you’ll may get unique ideas for new recipes. Baltimore’s farmers market boasts a blend of fresh foods, friendly people, music, entrepreneurs, adorable dogs, and colorful local eateries that set up for the day. If you’re ever in Maryland’s largest city, be sure to check it out, and, if you find a crab-free crab cake, please let me know.

I recently returned from my annual spring trip to Italy. Every time I go back, I discover something new, partially because it’s virtually impossible to sample everything in one trip, but also because there are seasonal foods available in different regions. If you travel around the country, you’ll always be sure to come across fresh vegetable dishes prepared in a manner the local populations are accustomed to.

This trip I traveled with a friend and our two middle school aged sons. We went to Lucca with my sister-in-law Daniela and decided to ride our bikes along the great medieval wall that surrounds the city and then to have lunch in one of the local family-run restaurants called a hosteria. In Italy you have ristoranti, trattorias, and hosterias. Historically, each type of eatery has a different purpose and level of formality and therefore offer menu selections that are unique from each other. The place we chose had a limited menu in the sense that not everything you might get in a typical Italian restaurant was available, but the choices were many and each sounded better than the next.

We all selected different dishes so we could sample as much of the available vegetarian fare as possible. Our favorite that day, was a plate of raw baby artichokes, small and tender, sliced very thinly and topped simply with a little salt, olive oil, and shavings of pecorino cheese.

It was a memorable day all around and it just doesn’t get better than that.

Grand Cayman boasts an eclectic blend of excellent ethnic restaurants – from Thai, Indian, and Italian to authentic island fare, all beautifully prepared and presented. One dish I had that I really enjoyed because it was spicy, tasty, local, and different was Tofu Jerk on a bed a vegetables.

Jerk is a spice mixture usually used to prepare pork and chicken, so this was a nice surprise that allowed me to sample local cuisine. There really wasn’t much to it – the recipe relies on the famous Jerk spice or marinade which has, as its key ingredient, fiery hot peppers along with allspice and cane sugar.

Try my version different ways with either tofu, tempeh, or vegetables. It really is worth trying, especially if you like heat and spice. There are many authentic jerk seasonings (available even at your local grocery store) and each is unique. Here is what I had and am passing on to you:

Jerk Tofu

Ingredients:

1 lb. pressed tofu slices, cubed or cut into strips (or tempeh)
2 T. vegetable oil
1-2 t. Jerk marinade

Carefully toss tofu with jerk spice and oil. Let the tofu marinate for at least an hour, or overnight for more intensity. After the flavor is infused, grill over high heat in a grill pan, or any heavy cast iron skillet.

Grilling implies that the pan is fairly dry but brushed with a little oil – since neither tofu or tempeh contain much fat, it requires a little help. You also have the option of grilling the tofu outside, just brush the slabs with oil and marinade mixture and grill slowly, until the tofu is a rich golden brown.

Serve this spicy boost of protein on a bed of julienne stir-fried yellow summer squash and carrots. Make sure your squash and carrots are still firm yet tender. Lightly fried plantain on the side is a great idea, as it adds a sweet, savory flavor to the menu.

I might prepare this on a future program, but for now it is a exclusive sneak peek. Enjoy it with your favorite Island cocktail.