be a shrinking violet in the face of adversity. I will do everything I can to be the best vegan I can be. Every day is a new opportunity to make a difference. Whether it is a small or large contribution, it all adds up.
My desire with How It All Vegan!, The Garden of Vegan, and now La Dolce Vegan! has been to make veganism fun, accessible, tasty – and effortless. I hope these books help make your vegan life a little easier.
I really believe that small changes can have a huge impact. Even one drop in a bucket will make that bucket wet. Imagine what it would be like if it rained.
“The only thing I’ll ever need is the truth. The truth and what it means to me. The only source of strength I’ll ever need.” – TRIAL
Over the years, I’ve gleaned many little kitchen tricks to make cooking easier. Take some time to sit down and read all these tips before you head back into the kitchen. You might find some of them handy!
TIME MANAGEMENT
CLEAN AS YOU COOK While your dish is cooking away on the stove or in the oven: wipe down the counters, and wash utensils and other cookware used while preparing your recipe.
DO IT NOW . . . NOT LATER
Wipe up spills as they happen, so you don’t end up with a sticky or hard-to-clean mess. If you have a spill that’s hardened, leave a damp cloth over it and let sit for 15-30 minutes before wiping.
TAKE NOTES Have a notepad handy and keep a running grocery list so when you hit the stores, you’re not racking your brain for what it was you needed for dinner.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED Read your recipe all the way through and check to see you have all your ingredients BEFORE you start cooking. There is nothing worse then the pained look on your husband’s face when you send him off to the store for that one crucial ingredient.
HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTESS When having friends over for dinner, write out a menu and make a schedule. Prepare in advance as many dishes and ingredients as possible so you don’t have to scramble at the last minute trying to get everything all done.
CLEANING
MOTHER THANKS YOU There are all sorts of eco-friendly cleansers on the market now and Momma Nature thanks you for spending the extra bucks so she can breathe easier. But if you don’t have access to them where you live, don’t fret. There are easy ways to keep your kitchen and house sparkling clean without hurting your Momma.
ALL-PURPOSE ALL THE TIME All-purpose cleaner can be easily made by combining 2 tablespoons of baking soda,
CINDERWELLA CINDERWELLA It’s time to mop. You hate it. I hate it. But it has to be done.
BURNED YOUR BOTTOM? If you have a bad burn on the bottom of your pan: fill the pan with 2 inches of water and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes before scrubbing. Or . . .
Scrape as much of the burn off as you can, cover with water and add
STOP SCOURING AT ME
STOP LOOKING AT YOURSELF . . . and start cleaning those mirrors.
EMERGENCIES
THE ROOF IS ON FIRE Baking soda will help to put out an electrical fire, so keep a box near your stove.
BETTER THAN SALT IN YOUR EYE Toss salt on a grease fire. Never use water.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY Inexpensive fire extinguishers can be purchased at your local hardware store. Pick one specific day every year (like New Year’s Day or your birthday) to check or change your fire extinguisher and the batteries in your fire alarm.
YOU STINK To remove garlic smell from your fingers, rub them with lemon juice and salt, then rinse and wash with soap. Voilà!
FRESH VS. DRIED If you’re in a pinch and don’t have the fresh herbs that you need for your recipe: 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs is approximately equivalent to 1 teaspoon of dried.
PASTA TIPS
RINSE . . . LATHER . . . REPEAT Only rinse pasta after draining when you are going to use it in a cold dish, or when you are not going be serving it immediately. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well. If you rinse it when you’re serving it as a hot dish, the noodles will become slippery and your sauce won’t stick.
SALT VS. OIL Always salt your pasta water before cooking. It will enhance the pasta’s flavor and you won’t have to salt your dish later when it’s served. Adding oil to pasta cooking water is unnecessary as it will make your pasta slippery and your sauce won’t stick.
AL DENTE Pasta is ready when it’s “al dente.” It should be cooked completely through, yet firm enough to offer some resistance to your bite.
PAS-TUH YIELDS 1 cup or 8 oz of dry pasta = approximately 4 cups of cooked.
RICE TIPS
NO PEEKING Set your timer; don’t lift the lid to check on its progress. If you do, you’ll let out steam and slow down the cooking process.
NO STIRRING Don’t stir your rice; just let it be.
RICE YIELDS-ISH 1 cup white rice + 1
1 cup brown rice + 2 cups liquid = approximately 3 cups cooked
ARE YOU DONE YET?
Check to see if your rice is done by tasting some; it should be firm, but tender. If it’s too firm, then add
