Texas VegFest in Austin, TX

This post comes to you super late, but better late than never right?  I had a blast at Texas VegFest in Austin and can't wait to go again next year!  Actually, I'm really hoping to make it to the Houston VegFest in a few weeks...but I'm still not certain on that event.  Nevertheless, here are some pictures of the event!

 You don't see veggie dog and burger trucks much at festivals.  It was so nice to freely eat what we wanted at THIS festival!  

 Veggie brat.  It was GOOD.

 This truck has some really amazing food!  Their line was super long all day with people wanting to try their memorable and delicious vegan mac 'n cheese!

 I got a Texas VegFest shirt for next year's event!  What do you think?

This is the author of the cookbook Viva Vegan, Terry Hope Romero, giving a cooking demo on making vegan tamales.  Given that my family still makes homemade tamales every year for Christmas, I HAD TO watch this demo!  It was really informative and will only take a few adjustments.  I wonder what my family is going to think of vegan tamales?  Either way...I'm excited!

While we attended a meditation session I saw these...paddle boarders?...and had to take a picture.  I had never seen this before and thought it was really neat.  Does anyone know what the name of this sport is?  

A vegan plate of Indian food to top off this full day.  I got there late.  Now I know to get there earlier next year.  I had so much fun though.  I probably should have taken more pictures but I was so busy going from one place to another that the time just flew by.  I plan to be better prepared next time.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!  Did you go to Texas VegFest in Austin?  What was your favorite part, memory, event?

  

Tofu: Slimy to Chewy

I found a way to make firm/extra firm tofu more chewy and less slimy.  Here's what I do:

1.  Take the firm or extra firm tofu out of the packaging in the sink and drain the liquid.  Put tofu blocks (usually it's two) on a cutting board.

2.  Cut the tofu into thick slices (you will end up cutting them into squares later)

3.  Turn stove on low to medium heat.  I have an electric stove and usually put the heat at about a 4, a gas stove should be easier to manage.  Note:  it's better to err on the side of having the heat too low than too high.  Your goal here is to evaporate some of the water.

4.  Put the tofu slices in the pan with no water and no oil.  Again you're just aiming to evaporate the water.  This can take a while - about 30-45 minutes or so.  I usually do other things while this is on the stove, like cutting and prepping the stir fry veggies.  No need to baby sit it as long you have the heat low.

5.  You can press on the tofu with a spatula if you want to help squeeze out some of the water and help the process along, but you don't have to.

6.  About half way through you should flip the tofu.  It might stick a little and the top might be a little brown and that's okay, if it's not that's okay too.  Also, if you have to keep the tofu on the stove longer than 45 minutes feel free but don't keep it on longer than about an hour.  I forgot about it once and all of the water evaporated and it was hard as a rock rather than chewy.  Had to throw it out.

7.  Once you get the tofu firm by evaporating the water, put them on a cutting board and let them cool a bit. Then cut them into smaller bite-size squares.

8.  Choose or make any kind of marinade you would normally use (e.g. on beef or chicken).  I like to make mine and I usually  use different ingredients every time - it depends would kind of mood I'm in...whether I want it sweet or spicy or garlicky etc.

9.  I put the marinade in a zip baggie, throw the tofu inside, seal it and shake it really to coat all of the tofu.  You can marinade this as long as you'd like but I usually leave for maybe 10-15 minutes or as long as it takes me to finish cutting a prepping the stir fry.

10.  Here's the stir fry for this day.  I add whatever we have on hand or whatever we decided to buy for it that day.  This one looks like it has tofu strips instead of squares, red peppers, onions, carrots, broccoli, pineapple...and I think that's it.  Just cook this all together along with marinade that was in the bag and you can also add additional spices if you want.  You can serve this with steamed white rice, brown rice, fried rice, or noodles - you pick and enjoy!

Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa just signed the ag-gag bill

I just saw this information from The Thinking Vegan's facebook page and I'm copying and pasting.

Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa just signed the ag-gag bill. Iowa is the first state to make it a crime to go undercover in a slaughterhouse or factory farm. Branstad is a coward. The government always signs unpopular laws at the end of the day on Fridays, because media generally doesn't pay attention and the public pays less attention to the news over the weekend.

Seven additional states trying to pass ag-gag legislation:

Illinois: HB 5143
New York: S 5172
Utah: HB 187
Indiana: SB 184
Minnesota: HF 1369/ SF 1118 (bill pending)
Missouri: SB 695 (bill pending)
Nebraska: LB 915 (bill pending)

I agree that Branstad is a coward...to put it nicely.  This is so sad.  Now animals can be tortured and mistreated even more and people who eat them will most likely reach poor health sooner wondering how and why... and the medical industry will get richer.  Just the way they want...and most American's are saying it's okay by continuing to buy what they buy at the register.

Come on America.  When sill we start saying enough is enough?