Going Vegan... Just a Little Bit

For those vegan enthusiasts out there, sorry, I have not decided to go vegan. I still can't part ways with cheese. It may be a long time before that happens, but that doesn't mean I don't encourage the occasional or routine vegan exploration! It's a great way to learn about healthier options, how your food works from the cooking process to the digestion process, and whether its psychological or not, I always feel better after eating something I know is not saturated with animal fats. With the health food craze taking place and consumer consciousness beginning to dawn on people these days, here are some options for vegan baking, shopping, and more conscious companies to look for!

vegan cookies with almond milk

The cupcake phenomenon largely inspired by Sex and the City brought attention to Magnolia Bakery in the West Village of New York. I won't to lie, I definitely did drag a bunch of my friends to Magnolia during a New York trip only to realize that we had to walk about 20 minutes further than planned in a foreign city and then wait for 20 more minutes in a line bending around the block. I almost felt ashamed at how much of a tourist I was being... but then I realized I was a tourist and I was about to get cupcakes! Needless to say, my friends were very happy about the cupcake search and devour mission. Later that year I got the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook for my birthday, and now, five years later, I am veganizing it! (or some of it, followed by links and companies to look at for further vegan info)

Magnolia Bakery's Oatmeal Raisin Almond Cookies Gone Vegan
* means vegan replacement

2 1/4 c all purpose flour (I used half whole wheat flour)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c *Earth Balance
1 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
2 *Egg replacements, found here (I used the 5th choice)
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 c rolled oats
1 1/2 c almonds, finely chopped and toasted

-Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt
-In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well combined and smooth, about 3 minutes
-Add the egg replacement of your choice, vanilla extract, almond extract, and mix well
-Add the oats and flour mixture and beat well, then mix in the raisins and almonds
-Chill dough for 30 min in the refrigerator

Preheat oven to 350º F

-Scoop spoonfuls of dough (or roll balls of cookie dough) and drop on a cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart and bake for approximately 10 minutes for softer cookies (this recipe is already a crunchy cookie recipe, so they aren't going to be a gooey soft) or 15-18 minutes for crunchier cookies

*Because these cookies are so crunchy, I recommend them with a glass of almond milk!

Some other Egg Replacements:
1/2 banana, mashed
1/4 c applesauce
Ener-G Egg Replacer
Vegweb's List of Replacements

While trying out vegan foods is a great way to achieve a sense of better well-being, you can also wear and use vegan products. There are a number of vegan or otherwise economical and conscious clothing and accessory lines emerging with all the resources and technology available. Some brands that I have found so far are Vaute Couture, Mat & Nat, and Edun. Vaute Couture is a fashion line that makes coats, jackets,  and some t-shirts and sweaters all using recycled and vegan fabrics. Mat & Nat creates a line of beautiful vegan purses, bags, belts, and wallets named after musical artists or festivals: Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Coachella, and Santogold. Lastly, Edun is a design brand that is founded upon creating African trade by setting up local opportunities for workers in African countries. They focus on mainly Tanzania and Kenya to help boost the economy and encourage other companies to do the same. Peta also has an area of their site devoted to vegan, cruelty free, and fund raising fashion here.

*Images from VauteCouture.com

*Images from MattAndNat.com

*Images from Edun.com

 Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! And as I like to keep in mind, vote with your dollar!