Hey guys! Zsu here, back for your SECOND week round up – we are almost halfway to the finish. Is everyone hanging in there? It’s STILL hot in Cali – I’m looking forward to that autumn prompt, I don’t mind saying. Just maybe the weather will cooperate with the changing of the season.

This week’s prompts were really interesting and I was having a blast searching through your blogs/tubes and grams. We had favorite cookbooks, blue stuff happening everywhere, kitchens being toured and friends being made. Really what it’s all about, isn’t it? Getting to know your blogosphere neighbors.

 

Get ready for another long post!

 

SEVENTH DAY: Food Inspired by Book or Film Prompt.

Allotment2Kitchen

A2K starts us off with this Indian-inspired Chickpea, Potato and Mango Chutney Filo ‘Samosa’ Pie which in turn is inspired by Monsoon Wedding. I love a good romance, so this is straight up my alley. Thanks for the movie tip (not sure how this slipped under my radar) and for baking your samosas and encasing them in flowers. Check the post to understand my cryptic clues.

 

Fake Meat True Love

FMTL shares their vegan Chicken Parmesan made using Breast of Tofu. Inspiration? The classic Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. If only Todd had made Bryanna’s tofu instead of thinking chicken is “vegan.” Come on, Todd! What were you thinking? No fear, though. Mike has you covered.  {Interesting note, I have fond memories of making Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Breast of Tofu. Ah! Memories!}

 

flicking the vs

F[the]vs has an interesting inspiration to her Polenta and Vegetable Inspiration. She basis her recipe on a Lydia Dais story – something that seems to be personal to her. I’ll let you read the post to really see where the inspiration comes from; suffice it to say that the story has a happy ending. At least at her house.

 

EIGHTH DAY: Make New Vegan Friends Prompt

Don’t Fear the Vegan

DFtV is not just making vegan friends, but is sharing the experiences via videos. Awesome! Now I’ll have to go through their archives and catch up! AND, just found out that this is where Anzia has been hiding! Remember her from last mofo? She was the 11 year old who was sharing what she was eating during mofo, proving that vegan kids are healthy kids.

 

Evolution of Jill

Making new friends. That’s mofo, right? This is the best time to reach out and get to know one another. That’s exactly what E[of]J did during mofo last year, and is now sharing that experience with us. She’s also making some really great looking GF pancakes. Hope everyone in mofo-land is also meeting new folks!

 

 

Vegan Crunk

Are you ready for cuteness overload? Are you sure? Bianca at VC has rescued another (yes, another!) baby squirrel. I won’t spoil the rest of the story, so just take my word for it that you should definitely go read this new friend post yourself.

Now as promised, here you go! Bam!

 

You’re welcome.

 

NINTH DAY: Most Retro Recipe Prompt

Vegga

How far back retro should we go? Vegga did some research (very scholarly, indeed!) and took us back to 42 AD. Now that is class! Besides the culinary anthropology lesson, there is also a highly unique recipe at the end of this link. Kudos!

 

House Vegan

HV takes us on a tour of the evolution of her retro passion. She shares a couple of great 1950’s recipes and her one-of-a-kind story. After you’re done gazing at that milkshake (I know!), go get the complete story and the recipes.

 

 

Fuck Yeah Vegan Pizza

Besides burgers, retro brings to mind quiche, right? Can you picture a mom in the kitchen, with cat-eye glasses whisking up a this egg-based pie? Well, this is exactly what FYVP pictures when the word “retro” is uttered. But, get this, the crust, is made out of HASH-BROWNS. Retro in style – Hash-brown Quiche!

 

 

TENTH DAY – Something Blue Prompt

Tartes and Recreations

Using blue potatoes, T[and]R made this gorgeous tart – Cheesy Potato Tart. In addition to the tart, which sounds simple and elegant,  they are also sharing a heartwarming story of cooking (vegan) food for refugees arriving in their hometown over the past week. Tugs at your heartstrings.

 

 

Dandelion Vegan Blog

Since the color blue is such a challenging color of food to work with (as the “blue” is usually purple when all is said and done), thinking out of the box on this one is a good tactic. DVB decided on making vegan Bleu Cheese Dip. It’s inspired me to go and get (and finally use!) fermented tofu to make bleu cheese dip. While I work up the courage to work with it, this recipe looks like it’ll hit the mark – no fermented tofu required.

 

 

Heirloom Commons

Now that I have just stated how challenging it is to find naturally blue foods, get ready to see this gem: Blue Majik Coconut Keffir. HC is making me eat my words because this has to be the bluest naturally occurring food ever. I won’t spoil it for you and tell you what it is. You’ll have to check for yourself (unless, by some chance, you already know what it is – it’s a possibility).

 

 

ELEVENTH DAY: Focus on Nutrient Prompt

Eriña & Elinorcita

Although the nutrient from E&E is iron, it is the vessel that the iron is in that attracted me to this post. Beans! I am big on eating beans daily because of their nutrition and I see that I’m not the only one in love with the humble bean. There’s also an insanely delicious looking salad at the site made with beans; worth the time to take a look.

 

 

Great Vegan Expectations

Magnesium —> chocolate!

Now that I have your attention, indeed chocolate does have a fair amount of magnesium, but, now for the bad news, it’s not good enough. Yeah, this is how Claire got my attention, too — with chocolate and then, BOOM, down came the hammer! The good news is that she has a knack for making magnesium sound interesting and teaches us some tasty ways to get this important nutrient into our repertoire.

 

Ichiban Vegan

Last one for this prompt is from IV. Don’t stop with the round up, though, and keep scrolling through the blogs because there is a ton of great info out there; you guys rock! Fabulous that vegans are well-informed regarding nutrition. A healthy vegan is a happy vegan.

Check out another vital nutrient and a helpful recipe on how to get it in a delicious way: iodine.

 

 

TWELFTH DAY:  Favorite Cookbook Prompt

Green Vegan Living

Gluten free vegan. Many of us are both and GVL points out that you can be both or you can be neither and still love this cookbook:

 

 

Hasta La Vegan

Everyone remembers last year’s mofo at H{la}V? They did recipes from tacky retro cookbooks and posted the results – whether for good or bad or just simply hilarious. It was too much fun! They are back and this time incorporating waffles into each prompt – while still sticking to the topic at hand. Hats off! Fave book? Another Dinner is Possible.

 

 

Hello Seedling

Fermented foods! Yes! I love them and now I need to get this book, too! I think these mofo posts might be bad for my wallet.

 

 

THIRTEENTH DAY: Kitchen Tour Prompt

justbloggs vegan

I’m a sucker for jars and this adorable kitchen has plenty of them. Take a look around:

 

 

Little Vegan Bear

Pride and joy of this kitchen is the spice rack LVB built. Months in the planning and now it is a beautiful reality. Also, since retro seems to be the common thread this week, the oven at their place is awe-some! Tour time!

 

Little Vegan Eats

Finally, LVE shows us how small spaces can be very functional and efficient. From the baker’s rack to this dish rack (another thing I now find is missing in my life), there are some great ideas in this kitchen. You know, for your next kitchen renovation 😉

 

The clock is almost striking one AM and that’s when my mouse turns back into a house and I will no longer be able to type! I’ll see you all around the mofo-sphere! Hope you enjoyed the round up!

 

Keep blogging out there!

Zsu

Blogging at Zsu’s Vegan Pantry