Manna Organic Bread + Giveaway!

The winner is Christina @calmond! 
Check you email for details on how to get your bread!
Congratulations! 

I was recently contacted by the kind folks at Manna Organics about trying out their bread. Do I ever say no to bread? No. No I don't. So they shipped me four different loafs of their bread to try out. I really enjoy trying new products and am thrilled to tell others about products when I have the opportunity. Do you even know how excited I was?
Haven't heard of Manna? Here's a little info...
(from their website)
"Manna Bread is a cake-like, sprouted bread, yeast free bread, organic bread, free of salt, no oils, no sweeteners, no leavening agents. Manna is a moist and delicious, high in protein and fiber. Available in 9 delicious flavors in your favorite health food store, and most Whole Foods markets, in the USA and Canada."
Learn more about Manna by visiting their website, Manna Organics.
(Disclaimer: though the company sent me free product, I did not receive monetary compensation for this review, nor am I under obligation to provide a review.)

I sampled 3 different sprouted breads and 1 sourdough. Carrot Raisin Sprouted Bread, Fig Fennel Flax Sprouted Bread, Sunseed Sprouted Bread, and Multigrain Flax Sourdough Bread.

Carrot Raisin

Fig Fennel Flax

Sunseed

Multigrain Flax Sourdough

The sprouted breads were just as the website describes- super moist and cake like. My absolute favorite were the carrot raisin and fig fennel flax. Biting into the carrot raisin was like eating carrot cake- with big, sweet, chewy bites of raisins and shredded carrots spread throughout. Perfect for breakfast and much healthier than having cake in the morning. The fig fennel flax has delicious pieces of fig which are a really interesting compliment to the fennel seeds, which you can taste but are not overwhelming. I especially loved that the top of this loaf is covered with a crunchy crust of pumpkin, poppy, sesame and sunflower seeds. I can definitely see these 2 breads becoming the star at brunch tables everywhere.
The sunseed was good, but not my favorite. The taste of caraway seeds made me want to spread on some dijon mustard or have a side of garlic dill pickles, but maybe that's just me!

Sourdough lovers- run, don't walk, to pick up a loaf of this artisian sourdough bread! For me it was a little too "soury" but I think it would make a really awesome tempeh rueben sandwich with tons of sauerkraut.

The breads are pretty dense so I could only eat a little bit in one sitting, but I really enjoyed tasting them.

Would you like to taste some? Well guess what? Manna Organics wants to send you bread too!

Giveaway details:

1. Leave a comment here telling me which breads you want to try. 

2. For additional entries: (leave a comment for each please)

-Follow A Vegan Food Snob on Facebook

-Follow Manna Organics on Facebook

-Follow @MannaOrganics on Twitter

3. One (1) winner will receive 4 loaves of bread! 

4. Sorry, the giveaway is for U.S. residents only.

Winner will be announced on Friday, December 9th!

Vegan MoFo - Pumpkin Hot Toddy

I've been under the weather for a few days and was thinking some hot lemon and ginger in "toddy" form would help sooth my poor sick self. Well, sick or not, MoFo is still on my mind.

Pumpkin Hot Toddy
Serves 1

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon sugar or agave
• 2 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup boiling water
• Optional add ins: fresh grated ginger, 1 tea bag, 1 shot of whiskey or rum, cinnamon stick, cloves, lemon slices or wedges

Combine lemon juice, sugar or agave and pumpkin on the bottom of a large mug. If using an optional ingredient, add it now. Pour the boiling water over and stir well. Drink immediately.

Vegan MoFo - Pumpkin Spice Almond Milk

If you're like me, you go crazy for the Silk Pumpkin Spice beverage that is available this time of year. I love it in my coffee even though I normally don't put anything in my morning caffeinated beverage.

Well, guess what? You can make it at home! The original is made with soy, but you can easily whip up a batch using nuts in your own kitchen. Watch and learn.

Pumpkin Spice Almond Milk

• 1 cup raw almonds (or other raw nut of your choice)
• 6 cups water, divided
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon Spice Blend or store bought pumpkin pie spice

Remember that time when I made nut milk? Same idea here. Start with the almonds and 2 cups of water in the blender. Blend for a good 5 minutes, until you have a pretty creamy consistency. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, reserving the milk. (A cheesecloth would probably come in handy here so you could squeeze it, but I never have one on hand.) Add the pulp to the blender and blend with 2 more cups of water. Repeat straining & blending once more with additional 2 cups water. You'll do this a total of 3 times. Reserve your pulp, covered, in the fridge (I have plans for that later).  At this point you should have 4 cups of almond milk. Reserve 2 cups of it, and store it, covered, in the fridge. Rinse your blender and strainer well. Pour your remaining 2 cups of almond milk back into the blender and blend well, strain. Now to your blender add your milk, spices and pureed pumpkin. Blend & strain, again. I know it's a pain to keep blending and straining, but look at that! You're all finished! Store your pumpkin spice beverage in a covered container in the fridge.

Definitely try it out in your coffee, it make a standard cup of coffee rich and creamy. Add sweetener of your choice, if you prefer. I promise, this will be the new star of your coffee station at your weekend autumn brunch!

Vegan MoFo - Quick Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream

Last Thursday I went to Lula's Sweet Apothecary and had the pumpkin ice cream. For dinner.
I knew within moments of the first spoonful that I would be recreating this in my kitchen.

Before we begin, you'll need to freeze some pumpkin puree. Interestingly enough, I had a dream about piping pumpkin puree into ice cube trays. As my dream predicted, it is very easy to fill the ice cube trays if you use a pastry bag. You could also use a ziplock bag with a tip cut off. Or, you could just use a damn spoon. You should be able to fill one and a half trays from one can of pumpkin. Freeze your pumpkin for a few hours until solid, I recommend overnight.

(Bonus: my dog happens to enjoy a cube of frozen pumpkin as a treat, and I'll bet your dog does too!)

Quick Pumpkin Ice Cream Serves 1

• 8 frozen pumpkin cubes
• 1/4 of a frozen banana (about a 2" piece)
• 6-7 tablespoons non dairy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, cloves & allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Let your pumpkin cubes sit out for a few minutes, otherwise they will propel around your food processor like tiny little rockets and your neighbors will come running to see what that "machine gun" noise was. Add the pumpkin cubes and banana to your processor and begin to pulse. Add the non-dairy milk one tablespoon at a time until you have the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and add the spices. Pulse a few times to fully incorporate the spices. Serve as is or pop it into the freezer for just a few minutes for a firmer ice cream.

Note: if you freeze it for too long and are having trouble scraping it out because it is solid as a rock, break the ice cream up into pieces and add it back to the food processor. Add about 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk and pulse until you have the consistency you want.

Top with chopped walnuts, if you dare.

VeganMoFo - Spiced Popcorn*

Are you hungry? Me? Oh, I'm always hungry. It's just... I thought you could use a little snack after all the booze I served you...
*I'm calling this popcorn, but it's really more like kettle corn.

Spiced Popcorn
Serves 2

• 4 cups plain popcorn
• 1-2 tablespoons oil or melted vegan margarine
• 2 teaspoons spice blend (see below) or store bought pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons sugar

After popcorn is popped, pour oil or margarine on top and quickly toss. Sprinkle with sugar and spices, toss again to coat all popcorn.

Spice Blend

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg & cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon each ginger & allspice

Mix well. Sprinkle on everything. Popcorn, coffee, your cat, etc.

VeganMoFo HUMP DAY

Today is VeganMoFo HUMP DAY!! That's right people, we're half way through! To celebrate here's a little something special from rad vegan performer Leslie Hall. She is sharing her unreleased song with all MoFo readers.

Before a few days ago, I actually hadn't heard of Leslie, but now I'm beginning to think that we went to college together (if you know where I went to college, well, you understand).

click above for the song

Here are the lyrics so you can follow along...

I eat the finest cuisines, in the finest of places.  

Stuff my mouth full and always say thank you.  

But if it's raised in a cage, and it can't even move, if it's hormone filled and in a bad mood.  

I'm gonna pass on that.  

Reach for something better.  

The only milk I'll drink comes from the 

nipple of a soy bean. 

Veggies make you live forever, and they seem to taste much better when they're cooked and grown with love.  

So give a chef who knows what's up a hug. 

Momma just can't seem to get it, Papa he just rolls his eyes. When I tell them I'm much healthier, they just say that it's all lies.  

But beans, nuts, fruits and veggies can really fill the belly.  

Get you vitamins you need, shiny hair and extra speed.  

Don't take that meat-wich any further, I want a marinated, deep fried, hand-tied mushroom burger.  

I like it!  

We gotta stand strong for our feathered furry sometimes scaly animal friends and their little babies.  

'Cuz I wouldn't want to live in a cage in a dark warehouse killed at an early age.  

Pumped full of hormones, sleeping in my feces.  

Never met my mother, raised by machines.  

Never get sunshine never get green, but that's just me.  

[That girl loves fruit leather.]  

So ask us what we're eating.  

Delicious and repeating, fruits and veggies are so nice.  

With a slice of tempeh,  yes, I'll have that twice.  

Don't forget the legumes!

Annnnd here's a bonus video for you...

Click here for the complete collection of Leslie Hall videos. Trust me, you want to.

VeganMoFo - New Found Blog Love

I'm going to be honest with you. I have not been doing much reading of blogs lately. There are just too many blogs, too many posts per day and it just has my head spinning. However, last night I spent hours not being able to sleep and constantly hitting the refresh button over at randomofo. It's more fun and feels more productive than trying to scroll through what seems like thousands of blogs in my RSS Feed. Anyway, of all the blogs that caressed my screen, two in particular jumped out and grabbed me.

For the Love of Food 

& 

oh, ladycakes

The photos are gorgeous, the recipes make my mouth water and the writing just catches me. Not to mention both writers are just adorable. I implore you... run, do not walk, to both of these blogs.


That is all.