HomeFoodz: Shop Rite is Awesome

There are few things more annoying than walking into a supermarket and finding that wilted produce and bottled water are the extent of the vegan-friendly options. Big reason to appreciate my local Shop Rite, which seems to get vegan-friendlier all the time and is even including Tofurkey roasts in its annual "rack up points, get a holiday entree" thingy.

When I don't feel like cooking a full dinner, here are a couple of Shop Rite offerings that come to my rescue:

Tofutti Pan Crust Pizza Pizzaz! Yummy as can be with or without toppings. I sauteed and seasoned frozen spinach and sliced a few queen olives for a flavorful, green touch.
The Shop Rite salad bar does it up nicely. I mixed a parsleyish, oniony salad with a bean salad, added a few stuffed grape leaves, and sauteed fresh spinach in oil and a heavy sprinkle of nutritional yeast.

How does your supermarket treat you? Lots of vegan goodies or disappointments galore? Found any big surprises e.g. Tofurkey sausage next to the hideous pork products? Please share!

Nanner Nirvana

I had been itching for weeks to try Vegan Brunch's Banana Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast) recipe, and figured I'd give it a shot as kickoff to my series of VeganMoFo experiments. I totally understand why this dish is traditionally served at Christmas; it's rich, sweet, and cozy. Like a beagle puppy who got his lil' mits on the winning scratch-off.

Two very ripe nanners, almond milk, vanilla, and cornstarch ready to spin. Shockingly, I remembered to put the lid on beforehand.

Whole wheat baguette slices soaking up banana custard. I could have face-planted in the baking pan at this point.

Sizzlin'....the kitchen filled with the scents of warm banana and vanilla, and all was right with the world. Eh scratch that - all was right in my apartment.

The final result, heavily dusted with cocoa powder and cinnamon and slathered in Smart Balance and maple syrup. The perfect partner for a cup of hot coffee with almond milk. YUM-O*

*The second image is available for rental if you go through the black curtain at the back of the Palmer Video.

Brunch with blog 'scuse me?

Brunch at Caravan of Dreams

Caravan is great vegan restaurant located on East 6th Street in the East Village in New York. This place is also an excellent option for brunch. If you order off the prix fixe menu, you get a house salad, coffee or tea, and sangria or juice with brunch. Apparently, this is the rare brunch spot that serves both red and white sangria, so the temptation to get crocked before teatime is a solid one.


Coffee and Sangria

A caffeine jolt plus some hair of the Smart Dog? You'll be dancing on your hangover's grave in no time.


House Salad


Mediterranean Brunch

That's a pile of awesome right there. Perfectly cooked greens, Spanish rice, and more seitan than you handle.


Country Breakfast Platter

Berries are mixed into the pancake batter. That's a fancy country right there.

Caravan Breakfast Burrito

A burrito jam packed with veggies and tofu scramble. The perfect cure for that Sunday morning ehhhh feel.


...and a look inside!

Vegan MoFo 2010

It's everyone's favorite time of year, when blog 'scuse me? enters a month long food coma. We've been working hard all year to come up with some exciting Vegan MoFo content. Consider this our least lame Vegan MoFo ever! So what do we have in store for you?

• Brunch with blog 'scuse me? - adventures with me and Tara to find the perfect weekend midday meal.
  


• Cupcake Throwdown! - a friendly competition of vegan cupcakery.
  
  
• Vegan food porn posts on our twitter and tumblr.
  


• The blog 'scuse me? IMDB Bottom 100 Movie Club - where we watch the worst movies as rated by everyone's favorite internet movie database, discuss it on our facebook page, then post our reviews.

This month's movie: Troll 2

A story about goblins in the town of Nilbog who love to eat their "vegetables". The rare sequel that surpasses the original.

...and much more so stay tuned!

Check out more blogs participating in this year's Vegan MoFo!

The New Jersey Life of Macaroni Rascals

Episode 2: "The Jersey Shore" @ Yahoo! Video

As a trashy Jersey blog, we feel obligated to discuss our state's beloved fossil watch wearing orange trolls.

Some updates point by point:

• Snooks has a book! A Shore Thing: How to Date an Oompa Loompa will be Nicole "Hold My Earrings" Polizzi's debut novel. Includes invaluable advice on how to deal with the beer shits and how to pretend you remember hooking up with the grenade grundle chode you wake up next to.
• Sammi "Doorstop Toe" Sweetheart is rounding out Season 2 with the same whispery-voiced desperation we loved in Season 1. Brava!
• Refer to Bullet Point 1! Lil' Snicks not only writes books, SHE READS!
• C-c-c-c-CATFIGHT!
  

Cocktails and Dinosaurs: News and Libations for the Weekend of October 1, 2010

Semi weekly/monthly/biannual posts that contain obsolete information no one cares about anymore, except for me.


I saw this guy last night or another spider-like man that pulls a rickshaw while doing awesome acrobatic things.

• Max Weinberg and Conan O'Brien break off their longtime relationship as bandleader and talk show host. Rumor has it Max joined a collective created to defend New Jersey against MTV executives and the cast of Jersey Shore.*
  
  
• Most Stolen Sign in NYC
  
  
• The FBI finally found Waldo! ...but what about the man with the beard?
  
  
• UN names Official Alien Spacecraft Greeter... I can't believe my dream job actual existed and I got snubbed by the UN!
  
  
• Warm summer nights just got a little bit colder. Could the lightning bug be on the brink of extinction? They were my favorite bug to catch and then watch fly away and then catch again... help save them!
  

Cocktail of the Week:

I don't know what this is called but it tastes like a banana runt. It's a mixture of vodka, midori melon liquor, and pineapple juice. It is quite delicious if you like runts.

Next time, expect a less girly, less sweet libation and please give me suggestions.

Send any news tidbits and cocktails ideas to: monicatara@gmail.com

*By rumor, I am referring to something I made up and presume would be a great idea.

Things That Are Scaring The Crap Out Of Me Right Now

I was innocently watching tv tonight when this popped on to retard my sleep for the rest of the month:





The little white dog's uncharacteristic arm movements represent begging anyone who'll listen to mercy-kill him. "AND WE WON! (In my Snuggie)."

I've been really jazzed about this anti-proud-parent site lately. What terrifies me is that when I Facebook-stalk, I find at least one update or status comment in the identical vein. I am quickly getting convinced that when people in Generations X or Y conceive a child, they develop an as-yet-undiagnosed condition (I will call it UberLove Syndrome) that compels them to feel and speak the same child-centric way. But no worries - they wouldn't change a thing!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last but last least, here is the video for MGMT's new song, "Congratulations". Nothing says horror and sadness like an emaciated quadruped ostrich slowly dying in the desert.