The Roasted Veggie Panini

This is our rendition of the roasted veggie panini at Tossed.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 portabello mushroom
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
• Oil
• 1 baguette, sliced horizontally in half
• Handful of arugula
• Vegan cheese of your choice
• Balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Toss mushrooms, onion, and peppers with oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until veggies are lightly browned.
3. Brush the cut side of baguette halves with oil and pile veggies on the bottom half. Drizzle with vinaigrette and place top half of baguette on arugula.
4. Cut in half and serve.

Other vegan sandwich ideas:

Tofu Wrap: Nestle tofu, carrots, sugar snap peas, shiitake mushrooms and romaine hearts in a wrap of your choice, or toss with filling ingredients with baby spinach in a bowl and drizzle with a honey sesame dressing.

DYO (Design Your Own): Because variety is the spice of life, simply mix and match tasty ingredients you have on hand. Here are some vegan ingredients that might be used for a sandwich or a salad: spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, dried cranberries, apples, peppers, cucumbers, banana peppers and almonds. You can eat them plain, drizzle with a dressing of your choosing or just add some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a refreshing tang.

More yummy vegan sandwich recipes!

Consumers duped by shape-up and weight loss claims

The Federal Trade Commission announced today that Skechers USA, Inc. will be paying $40 million to settle charges that the company deceived consumers by making unfounded claims about their footwear.

Skechers ads claim their Shape-ups shoes are designed to promote weight loss and tone muscles better than regular fitness shoes. Ads featuring Kim Kardashian and Brooke Burke promote dumping personal trainers and simply tying the laces of Shape-ups to burn calories. The company’s claims are far from backed by clinical evidence.

Shape-ups aren’t the only footwear under fire. Skechers ads for the Resistance Runner shoes claim that wearing them will greatly increase muscle activation, as supported by a study which the FTC says actually failed to substantiate the company’s claims. Skechers also made deceptive claims about the Toners and Tone-ups shoes.

“Skechers’ unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles. The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health,” saysDavid Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC’s message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation or tone down your claims.”

Our take on toning shoes

Though no footwear is going to help you miraculously melt fat, if wearing any brand of toning shoes gets you up off the couch and motivated to move, they have value. But we agree with the FTC coming down on any company that deceives its consumers with bogus claims.

Fore more information on the settlement visit FTC.gov or, if you bought a pair of Skechers shoes mentioned in the lawsuit, submit a claim here.

More vegan news you can use!

Chilled Carrot Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 pound garden-fresh carrots, tops trimmed, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley plus more for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plain soy creamer
• 1 large avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring often, until carrots start to soften.
2. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes or until carrots are very tender.
3. Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in soy creamer. Season again with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.
4. Puree soup in a food processor or blender. Refrigerate until cold.
5. To serve, ladle soup into 4 bowls and garnish with diced avocado and a sprinkling of parsley.

More tasty vegan soup recipes!

Vegan Sweet Potato Perogies

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Generous pinch of salt plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 cup vegan margarine plus more for consistency and browning
• 3/4 cup finely diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, boiled until tender, mashed
• Freshly grated black pepper to taste
• Your choice of shredded vegan cheese
• Sour cream, mango chutney, and applesauce to serve

Directions:

1. To make dough, mix flour, water, oil, and a pinch of salt together on a lightly floured board. Knead dough until smooth and slightly sticky, adding a bit more warm water if dough seems dry.
2. Form dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a towel and set aside for about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring often, until it softens. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
4. Add sweet potatoes to skillet and stir to combine. Add more margarine until potato mixture is creamy but not runny. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in a generous handful or two of shredded cheese. Remove from heat.
5. Divide dough in half and roll out each half until 1/4-inch thick. Use a round 4-inch cookie cutter to cut round pieces from the dough.
6. Take each round piece of dough and use your fingers to press it out even thinner. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of potato filling in the center of the dough and fold dough in half. Use the back of a fork to press the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add perogies, in batches if necessary, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they float.
8. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of margarine in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place half of the perogies in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. Repeat with more margarine and remaining perogies.
9. Serve with vegan sour cream, chutney, and/or applesauce.

More vegan dinner recipes!

Spicy foods can fire up your metabolism

It’s true that hot spices have been shown to stoke the metabolic fires but chowing down on habanero peppers and ginger root isn’t the answer to your weight loss woes — unless your spicy consumption coincides with you consuming fewer calories, too. The effects of hot foods on metabolism are notable but not miraculous.

What about black pepper?

The recent research on black pepper and body fat does suggest the spice can stop the body from forming new fat cells. Apparently an ingredient in black pepper called piperine is the mechanism behind fighting fat. However, the studies aren’t profound because they were done on cells (from mice) grown in a petri dish. In addition, the effects were achieved only with piperine levels that were 100 times higher than any human could reasonably ingest.

The bottom line on spices

If you love spice and heat in your meals, by all means, season it up. But don’t rely on hot foods to slim you down. Further, despite the lure of spice-laden supplements and their claims of being miracle weight loss aids, your budget would be best spent on more healthy foods (fresh produce, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds) and on fewer high-calorie, nutrient-devoid foods (processed fare, low-fiber foods, and high-sugar treats).

More vegan news you can use!

Vegan Chocolate Ice Box Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 prebaked vegan pie crust, cooled (in a 9-inch pie dish)
• 1 recipe vegan chocolate pudding (about 3 cups), cooled
• 1 cup or more whipped coconut topping
• 1 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
• Sorbet or non-dairy ice cream of your choice

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries and sugar and set aside to macerate.
2. Fill crust with pudding and top with whipped topping.
3. Refrigerate while you melt the chocolate. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water.
4. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Drizzle chocolate over whipped topping.
6. Slice and serve with a generous spoonful of macerated strawberries and a scoop of sorbet or non-dairy ice cream.

More delish vegan dessert recipes!

Vegan Mango Lassi

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe mango, pitted, peeled, cubed
• 1 cup plain soy or coconut-based yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardmom
• Handful of ice
• Agave to taste
• Crushed cardamom pods for garnish

Directions:

1. Place mango, yogurt, cardamom, and ice in a blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Add agave to taste and blend for 1 minute.
3. Refrigerate for a few hours to chill then serve sprinkled with a pinch of crushed cardamom.

More delish vegan drinks!

Very Berry Blast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup of blueberries
• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 green apple
• 1 orange (peeled with most of the white rind still on)

Directions:

1. Press fruit through a juicer then stir to mix the flavors.
2. Serve immediately.

More yummy drink recipes!

Summer Peach Bruschetta

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) baguette, cut crosswise on a diagonal into slices
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, halved
• 2 ripe but firm peaches, halved, pitted, chopped
• 2 ripe roma tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Brush bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet in one layer. Bake in the oven until toasted.
3. Rub toasted bread with the garlic clove halves. Set toast aside and mince garlic.
4. In a large bowl, combine garlic, peaches, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss again.
5. To serve, mound peach mixture on top of toasts.

More delish vegan appetizer recipes!

Sauteed Baby Bok Choy with Garlic and Ginger

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 pounds baby bok choy, trimmed, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Tamari to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, ginger, and bok choy, and cook, stirring often, until bok choy is tender.
3. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
4. Season with tamari and pepper.

More tasty vegan side dish recipes!