It’s time for another cooking video!  This time I’ve enlisted the help of a certain clay dinosaur, who my husband has been animating via claymation since he was a boy with a Super 8 camera.  Over the years Gulp has had many adventures and swallowed many Lego blocks and Matchbox cars, but this is his first introduction to the joys of green smoothies and my Cashew Kale Shake.  (Eating cars may be one way to get your iron, but iron-rich kale is a heck of a lot easier on the teeth.)  With the help of my favorite hungry dinosaur, I demonstrate how easy it is to make your green smoothie dreams come true, even if you don’t have a high-speed blender.

Smoothies are such a delicious and simple way of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into a person’s diet.  I often enjoy them for breakfast, and it makes me feel good to kick start the day knowing that I’ve already had several servings of raw fruits and vegetables.  It sets a great tone and gives me a hit of wide-awake energy.  Hit a lull around 3 pm?  A smoothie also makes a tasty snack.

These are my top tips for taking a smoothie from good to great:

Frozen bananas are key.  First of all, bananas bring a pleasant mellowness to smoothies that otherwise might be overly sweet (like a tropical, orange, or berry smoothie) or bitter (like a smoothie with kale or collard greens).  Most importantly, frozen bananas give a thick, creamy texture that leans more towards a shake than a smoothie.

Always add ground flax seed.  It seems that every other article on health and wellness pages is about how the modern American diet is overloaded with omega 6’s while deficient on omega 3’s, creating an unhealthy imbalance.  An easy way to get omega 3’s into one’s diet is by adding a tablespoon of ground flax seed to a smoothie.  Outside of a vague nuttiness, it doesn’t add a lot in terms of flavor, but it gives the smoothie a fuller viscosity.  I like to grind whole flax seed in a coffee grinder as needed, but you could also use ground flax seed.  You’ll want to keep the open package in the freezer or refrigerator to avoid rancidity.  (Want to add raw cashews for a creamier smoothie?  While you’re grinding the flax seed, add in raw cashews as well and grind until they take on the consistency of flour.)

Blend tough greens first.  I almost never make a smoothie without greens.  It just seems like a wasted opportunity.  But without a high-speed blender, getting greens fully blended can be difficult.  The key to completely smooth green smoothies is blending tough, fibrous greens first.  A bright green drink can already be a tough sell to the uninitiated.  Add in chewy bits of tough kale and it’s even more of an obstacle.  Blend the tough greens with whatever liquid you’ll be using and continue until completely smooth before adding other ingredients.  The blender will probably need a hand with it, and so be sure to stop and scrape down the sides regularly to move the process along.  (Secret tip:  The circular handle on the lid of my non-high speed blender can be removed, leaving a small hole, and I sometimes stir the top portion of the greens while the blender is in motion.  It helps the momentum of the greens. Of course, it’s important to be careful that the spoon doesn’t come into contact with the blade, and it could be a splatter hazard if the liquid is too high.)

Vanilla soymilk adds dimension and balance.  For a long time I only used water in my smoothies.  With all of the nutrition and taste in the fruits and vegetables in the ingredient list, I didn’t think it needed anything else.  However, my feelings on this have changed.  A hint of vanilla in the background adds something special to a smoothie.  Now when I make it without, it doesn’t quite reach the same heights.

But don’t use too much.  Err on the side of less liquid for a thicker, creamier shake.  If you absolutely have to add more for blending, add a little at a time.

Ice cubes are your friend.  After a smoothie has reached its creamy and whippy perfection, I like to add six ice cubes and blend until fully broken down.  Without the cubes, it’s more like a shake or a malt, but with the ice cubes it’s all that with pleasant icy shards and a little added crunch.

A huge thank you to my wonderful husband, David, for animating, editing, and sound designing Gulp Vs. Smoothie!  You’re the best!

My favorite brand is De la Estancia.  It’s a fine grain polenta that cooks extremely quickly and is smooth in the mouth, unlike some coarse polenta brands.  My current favorite sun-dried tomatoes are from Trader Joe’s and come in a resealable bag.  What I like most about them is that they aren’t covered in oil in a jar and don’t have to be rehydrated before use.  They still have their moisture – like raisins or dried figs.  They come in julienne slices that can be cut down to a dice, if preferred, with kitchen scissors.  The only negative is that they aren’t organic.

The polenta cooks in a minute with a process that’s similar to making boxed mashed potatoes.  If I’m in the mood for a larger breakfast, I top it with beans, sautéed greens, or roasted vegetables.

Easy Breakfast Polenta

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side

• 2/3 cup fine grain polenta
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups vegetable broth or 2 cups water + ½ vegetable bouillon cube
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small
• ¼ cup rice milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Optional toppings:  fresh basil, red bell pepper chunks, beans, sautéed greens, or roasted vegetables

In a small pot, sauté garlic in oil over a medium heat.  Once garlic is translucent and fragrant (about 3 minutes), add broth (or water and bouillon cube, if using).  Bring broth to a boil.  Once it has reached boiling, lower to a simmer and slowly add polenta, stirring constantly.  Once polenta is thick and pulls from sides (about one minute), add rice milk, nutritional yeast flakes, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Stir to combine and add salt and pepper.

However, there are some things that would have been good to know beforehand – for example, how difficult it is to eat dinner while trying to keep up with what’s happening in a silent movie.  It’s much trickier than you’d imagine.  (Finish your dinner and then watch The Artist.  Thus far, it would be my pick for best picture.)  With a couple of the films – Beginners and The Descendants – I had imagined they were going to err on the side of light hearted, quirky comedy, when in fact, both of them were dealing with death, loss, intimacy, and the way we continue to renegotiate our closest relationships.  They were both well done, but more Kleenex was involved than I’d anticipated.  After the last tear fest, I turned to my husband with a stuffy nose and red eyes and said, “We have to start looking at these plot synopses more carefully.”  If only movies came with warning labels in addition to ones for violence, nudity, and adult language.  They could be things like, “Prepare for catharsis.”  Or “Get ready to clear your sinuses.”  Or “It’s going to get ugly.  You may just want to watch this one alone.”

The best movies have a combination of both ends of emotion – sweet and bitter, pain and joy.  In a way, it’s like the best meals.  It’s all about balance.  Which brings me to my recipe for Smoky Black Bean and Delicata Squash Tacos.  There’s no reason why sweet potatoes should get all of the love when it comes to orange vegetables in tacos.  The chipotle chili pepper and smoked paprika in the beans pair up beautifully with the natural sweetness of delicata squash.  While they’re both lovely on their own, when they come together they inform the other’s best attributes.  Top them with guacamole, salsa, jalapenos, and kale for colorful and mouthwatering tacos.  (If your heart doesn’t beat for kale, consider shredded purple cabbage or romaine lettuce instead.)

If you’re unfamiliar with delicata squash, you’re in for a treat.  It’s an easygoing squash that doesn’t have to be peeled and isn’t too difficult to chop in half to seed.  It roasts in 20 minutes, and one squash is usually just the right size for a family of two.  (For a video on how to work with delicata squash, check this out.)

Smoky Black Bean & Delicata Squash Tacos

Serves 2-4

• 1 small delicata squash, ends removed, deseeded, and cut into medium-sized chunks
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for light drizzling
• ½ medium red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups black beans (1 15 oz can drained and rinsed)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp chipotle chili pepper
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• Salt, to taste
• 2 Tbsp water
• Warmed hard or soft corn shells or whole wheat tortillas
• 1 leaf curly kale, rib removed, chopped small and massaged
• Cilantro, chopped (garnish)
• Guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, and/or sliced jalapenos (optional toppings)

Heat oven to 420 degrees.  Put seeded and chopped delicata squash on parchment sheet covered baking sheet and top with a light drizzling of extra virgin olive oil.  Toss to cover evenly and spread the pieces across the sheet.  Roast for 20 minutes, stopping once to toss for even roasting.

Heat a skillet on a medium heat.  Add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to skillet.  Set aside 2 Tbsp of raw red onion to use as a taco topping.  Sauté the remaining red onion and garlic a few minutes, until fragrant and translucent.  Add black beans, lemon juice, cumin, chipotle chili pepper, coriander, paprika, smoked paprika and salt to pan.  Combine and add water to deglaze pan (if necessary).  Remove from heat and add black bean mixture and roasted delicata squash to warmed corn shells or tortillas.  Top with raw kale, cilantro, salsa, hot sauce, and/or sliced jalapenos.

This month’s Iron Chef Challenge secret ingredient was squash.  To see how others used this versatile winter vegetable, visit www.veganmofo.com.

As you can see in my initial review, when I received the Tofu Xpress my feelings about it were mostly positive but mixed.  It made life easier and my laundry pile of kitchen towels smaller to use this square, plastic contraption that’s dishwasher safe.  However, I didn’t feel it pressed tofu quite as firmly as my former method.  The Xpress comes with a lid for use while marinating tofu, and because the box is not much bigger than a block of tofu, I didn’t feel it allowed the marinade to fully infuse the block with its flavor.  (I prefer to marinate tofu with it already cut into slices, so that it can touch every section equally.)  Finally, while I won the Xpress in a giveaway, I wondered for the typical cost if it was worth $50 (including shipping) to lose the hassle of towels, a book, and a weight taking up shelf space in my refrigerator.

Now that many months have passed since I first received the Tofu Xpress, I thought it was time for an update.  After using it multiple times a week for the past 9 or 10 months I have this to say, if my Xpress broke in a terrible tofu-related accident, I would buy it in a heartbeat.  Since my review in April, I have done the old book/weight/towel method exactly… zero times.  It’s so convenient to reach into the drawer where I keep the Xpress, drain tofu from its water-packed package, put in the block, and return it to the refrigerator until I’m ready to use it.  If I get to it that day, fine.  If I get to it the next day, even better since it means the tofu will be that much more pressed.  Plus, it’s easier to enlist the help of family members to help you prep for dinner if it’s a simple, “Hey, could you put the tofu in the Xpress?”

After the first couple of uses, I stopped marinating the tofu in the Xpress because of the reasons I mentioned earlier of it not fully penetrating every part of the tofu.  Instead, after the tofu is pressed I cut it into 6 to 8 slices and put it into the baking dish or pie plate that I’ll ultimately be baking it in.  Then I cover it in marinade and let it marinate for an hour or more.

If I’m using a tofu recipe that doesn’t require marinating, I’ll mix the sauce for the tofu in the Xpress.  I’m going to wash the Xpress anyway, and so it’s handy to just use it instead of dirtying a mixing bowl.

The only negative I have is that after months of use, my Xpress is now in four pieces instead of two.  One of the plastic tabs on the pressing plate broke off after I washed it in the dishwasher one day, and the spring that connects the pressing plate to the lid came disconnected from the pieces.  Now I have to twist the spring into place on the pressing plate each time I use it.  It doesn’t cause any issues that it’s no longer attached to the lid.  It still stays in place fine.  Sometimes I haven’t twisted it completely evenly and the tofu presses at an angle, but it doesn’t make a big difference ultimately.  One other thing, I still think it would be great if they would make a wide version made of the same glass as Pyrex that could be used for pressing, marinating in slices, baking, and then storing.

The long and short of it is that after this much time, the Tofu Xpress has become an essential part of my kitchen.  I use it more than the immersion blender, more than the waffle maker, and more than the grill, but not as much as the blender and coffee grinder.  That’s a pretty high status.

For some people a New Year’s resolution might include juicing, eating more fruits and vegetables, and/or making a renewed effort at exercising.  I know I feel a real pull right now to eat more fresh, raw foods and start the morning with just-pressed juice followed up with some cardio and weightlifting.  In this clean slate time of year, it feels good to refocus.

If you have it on your to-do list for the year to add more fruits and vegetables, a good place to start is in the produce section.  We’re always hearing that despite all of the healing and protective antioxidants and phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, people aren’t eating them in anywhere near the recommended levels.  Variety counts too.  To get all of the goodness that plants can give, it can’t be all carrot sticks and iceberg lettuce.  That’s why I’m starting a new series called How to Like the Vegetables You Hate.  I think the real key in convincing people to eat more vegetables is finding preparation methods that make even the most unloved produce palatable.

I’m starting this series with my old nemesis, beets.  Too many times I was tricked by beets.  They come in a variety of beautiful colors – orange, deep red, white, and even a variety called Chioggia that has a candy cane striped center.  I wanted to like them.  But whenever I’d have them, thinking this would be the time that beets would win me over, I’d be treated with a mouthful of dirt.  Okay, not literally, but to my taste buds, beets were bright red dirt.  There was dirt soup (borscht), roasted dirt, and worst of all, dirt burgers on a whole wheat bun.

I knew that beets were good sources of folate, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and iron.  I knew that they’ve been shown to be protective against heart disease and even certain types of cancer, particularly colon.  However, I couldn’t get over their earthy flavor.  Then I discovered the beauty of raw beets.  So simple, so easy.  Plus, beets are sensitive to heat, which can kill its antioxidants.  All the more reason to use them raw.  Best of all, raw beets taste much more mild with a less pronounced earthy quality, especially when mixed with other flavors.

Grated beets are a colorful addition to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salads.  I am not a three or four ingredient salad kind of person.  I like grated carrots, slices of celery, persimmons, cucumbers, radishes, different colors of bell peppers, tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, diced onion, avocado, broccoli and cauliflower florets, and artichoke hearts on a bed of massaged kale.  Whatever produce I can find in the refrigerator makes its way into my bowl with my favorite dressing.  Now added to that mix is a very vibrant beet.  To use beets in a salad, cut off the ends and peel them.  Then use a grater or chop them into bite-sized chunks.  One word of warning – red beets may make your salad kind of pink, especially if you save it until the next day.

Another way to add some beet-fueled color and nutrition to your day is by juicing it with other favorite fruits and vegetables.   Unlike the green juices that generally grace our kitchen, you might have an easier time getting someone to drink juice in a shade they’re used to enjoying in a glass.  When I’m making juice, I don’t bother peeling any of the vegetables, including the beets.  Since I use all organic produce, I just clean them thoroughly with a vegetable brush and pop them into the juicer.  Lately I’ve been enjoying this Calm Morning Juice.  It has a mild flavor with celery and cucumber, along with a little bit of sweetness from the orange, carrot, and beet.  It’s a pleasant drink for sipping and easing into the day.

Is there a fruit or vegetable that you want to like but so far haven’t been able to enjoy?   

Calm Morning Juice

Serves 2

• 1 beet
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 carrot
• ½ medium-sized cucumber
• 1 orange, peeled

Juice all ingredients.  Pour into 2 glasses and serve.

10.  Pulp NonFiction – Thoughts on my Breville Juicer

For Valentine’s Day this year my husband broke the number one rule of gift buying for women and bought an appliance for me.  (Luckily, I completely disagree with that rule.  Most of the items on my wish list are appliances, gadgets, and cookbooks!)  So I juiced through the cold winter months and throughout the farmer’s market season.  My juice-making slowed through the holidays, but now I’m feeling drawn to fresh juices again after the season of comfort food.  I’m starting the morning with celery, cucumber, carrot, beet, and lemon juice and savoring each sip.  Perhaps with the New Year upon us, you’re looking to include more fresh juices in your life.  This is my review of the juicer that I use.

9.  Five Things to Make For Dinner When I Don’t Want to Cook

I think we can all relate to those nights where we stare into the refrigerator and wish that the ingredients on each shelf would somehow morph into a meal.  On those nights when I’m tired and hungry and just want to eat now, making one of these meals is quicker than waiting for delivery.

8.  Happy Slurping – Kale Cashew Shake

Do you love kale so much that you want it for dessert?  Me too!  But kale-phobes, this drink could even persuade you to embrace that nutrient-dense green.  Any bitterness in kale fades away as cashews and frozen bananas make it sweet and super creamy.  For an icy crunch, add ice cubes at the end and blend; for more of an ice cream texture, leave them out.

7.  Cashew Cheese-stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Getting people together for New Year’s?  These freshly made poppers can be made ahead of time and then put into the oven a half an hour before people arrive.  The heat level can vary, depending on the peppers.  Have some lemon-lime-cucumber water handy just in case or Mexican beer if you’re feeling festive.

6.  Obsession in the Making: Raw Kale Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing

Months later, this salad is still my obsession.  I eat it four or five days a week with varying vegetables.  Sometimes I switch the cilantro in the dressing for other herbs, sometimes I use lime juice instead of lemon.  Regardless of how it’s personalized and tweaked, it always comes out delicious.

5.  Newsreel:  The Three Stages of Cheeseless Pizza

For Vegan MoFo this year, my husband and I made a series of black and white silent films called The Vegan Test, and this was a newsreel break from the others.  This short video takes a humorous look at the situation so many of us have experienced when ordering cheeseless pizza.  After all, the stages of cheeseless pizza are like the stages of grief, but with marinara.

4.  Five Simple Vegan Breakfasts

When people are transitioning to a vegan diet, one of the first obstacles is figuring out what is going to replace chickens’ eggs on toast.  In those early morning hours, there’s not always the time or inclination for whipping up a tofu scramble, waffles, or pancakes.  When something quick but satisfying is in order, these are the meals I visit.

3.  Melted Snowman Soup

Two soups that I made this month round out the top three of my most viewed posts of 2011.  They came in at the end and took a surprising jolt ahead.  First, this adorably pathetic roasted garlic and potato soup.  When the weather gets chilly, we could all use a smile – even if it’s at the expense of a snowman.

2.  Hickory Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Hearty, smoky soup that’s thick and creamy by way of cauliflower feels like a quintessential winter soup.  With a full-bodied mouth feel it’s the kind of warming soup that the cold months are all about.

1.  How Has Going Vegan Changed My Life?

I have always been an animal lover.  That love has been manifested in many ways over the years.  When I was a child, a Doberman was one of my dearest companions.  As an adult two cats are important parts of my family.  And six years ago when I went vegetarian (and then vegan after that), that love and compassion I had for animals expanded to include pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys, sheep, and goats.  It freed my heart in ways I never could have expected.  Getting to know animals at sanctuaries like Farm Sanctuary, who were saved from suffering, has only deepened that compassion.  This post is about that deepening.  It’s about the way that compassion for animals resonates throughout my life.

While children may be the predominant audience for building your classic snowman, this Melted Snowman Soup is geared towards adults.  It’s a creamy soup with the round flavors of roasted garlic and vermouth.  Still, you can appeal to the child in all of us by dressing it up with a carrot nose and two eyes made out of olives.  For the mouth, a sun-dried tomato works beautifully since it can easily be shaped into a frown.  (Out of sun-dried tomatoes?  A sliced red bell pepper also works.)  Add buttons of green peas or pistachios, and even arms of rosemary sprigs, if you please.  Mmm, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed the snow so much…

Do you ever wonder about the wisdom of snowmen smoking corncob pipes with two eyes made out of coal? It's suicide, man.

Melted Snowman Soup

Serves 2

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil + a little extra for roasting garlic
• 1 head garlic
• ½ medium-sized yellow onion, chopped small
• 3 Tbsp extra dry vermouth
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth*
• 4 small to medium-sized russet potatoes (~3 ½ cups), peeled and diced into medium-sized pieces
• ¼ tsp smoked salt
• Salt, to taste

Snowman accoutrement

• 2 black olives, sliced (eyes and eyebrows)
• 2 small pieces of a carrot, sliced into triangular shape (nose)
• 1 sun-dried tomato, sliced (mouth)
• 6-8 green peas, steamed (buttons)
• 4 Rosemary sprigs (arms – optional)

Start by roasting the garlic.  (For a recent post on the how to’s of roasting garlic, click here.)  Preheat the oven to 380 degrees.  Separate the garlic head into cloves and remove skin from them.  Put them in a small covered container with a light drizzling of extra virgin olive oil.  Cover the garlic and roast it for 30 minutes, stopping once to stir it.  Once the garlic is fully roasted, set it aside to use later in the recipe.

Heat one teaspoon extra virgin olive oil in a soup pot on medium heat.  Add onions to the pot and sauté until translucent and fragrant (about 5-6 minutes).  Add vermouth to the pot to deglaze it.  Once the pot is deglazed, add water or vegetable broth and potatoes.  Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer, and partially cover the pot with a lid.  Cook the potatoes until they are tender and easy to pierce with a fork (about 15 minutes).  Add roasted garlic to the soup and blend with an immersion blender.  (Because of the relatively small amount of liquid, you may have to tip the pot to blend fully.)  Stir in smoked salt and salt to taste.  Decorate soup with olives, carrot, sun-dried tomato, peas, and rosemary sprigs (if using) and serve.

*Note that vegetable broth may slightly darken the soup, depending on the brand and strength, which may give it a little less of a snow-like appearance.

Cozy slippers, new pajamas, hot tea in the afternoons and chamomile at night…  I’m very much a warm weather person, but this December is wooing me with certain benefits for sure.  Of course, the twinkling lights and promises of presents don’t hurt its case either.  Another benefit of dipping temperatures and long evenings?  Hot soup and crackers.  I recently made this non-dairy version of the cheesy cauliflower soup I grew up eating.  It has an echo of hickory with the full-bodied mouth feel that I’ve always loved.  It’s a rich and hearty soup that’s good for filling the bellies and warming the bones.

This recipe is only for two, but it could easily be doubled or quadrupled if you’re serving a larger group.

Hickory Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Serves 2

• ½ head cauliflower, cored and chopped into medium-sized pieces
• 1 cup vegetable broth or 1 cup water + ½ vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 carrot, chopped small
• ¼ red bell pepper, chopped small
• ¼ medium-sized red onion, chopped small
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp We Can’t Say It’s Cheese hickory-smoked cheddar spread
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Parsley for garnish (optional)

Bring cauliflower and broth to boil in a soup pot.  Lower heat to simmer and cover with a cocked lid.  Once the cauliflower has softened (about ten minutes), blend with an immersion blender.  Add We Can’t Say It’s Cheese to cauliflower, stir until fully blended, and salt to taste.  In a separate pan, sauté carrot, bell pepper, onion, and garlic until the onion and garlic are translucent and fragrant (about five minutes).  Add vegetable mixture to soup pot and continue cooking until the carrot has softened.  For a chunky soup, it is ready to serve once the carrot has reached its ideal softness.  For a creamier soup, blend the soup again with an immersion blender until it has reached your preferred consistency.  Top with fresh chopped parsley and ground pepper.

For the baker…

Give your favorite baker a copy of the film Stranger Than Fiction.  In this movie Harold Crick, played by Will Ferrell, discovers that his mundane and ordinary life as an IRS agent is actually being scripted by an author who is known for offing her main characters.  My favorite scene in this far-fetched story involves Crick trying to woo a local baker, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal.  Instead of bringing her flowers, he brings her several bags of different varieties of flours.  Talk about knowing your audience!

Put the DVD in a mixing bowl or pretty pie pan with a copy of Joy of Vegan Baking or Vegan Pie in the Sky.  Then package them with a lovely bouquet of flours (whole wheat, oat, teff, chickpea, and rice!).

For the greasy spoon-lover…

There’s something quintessentially American about diners.  Those greasy spoons epitomize comfort food with their pies, waffles, over-sized sandwiches, mashed potatoes and gravy, and of course, a side of ranch.  In the spirit of diners, give the gift of a diner movie like When Harry Met Sally.  For those who prefer TV, reach for a season of Gilmore Girls with its cozy Luke’s Diner or Seinfeld with its regular coffee shop.

Then surprise your diner-loving pal with Vegan Diner and pair it with a big jar of nutritional yeast flakes or vital wheat gluten for making seitan loaves.  Include a donut pan, waffle maker, or a (wheat) meat slicer (if you’re feeling extra generous) for making thin deli slices for Hasson’s amazing reuben.

For the travel enthusiast…

For those who have their carry-on luggage down to a science, embrace their wanderlust with movies that have a theme of travel.  Might I suggest Sideways, about two men going on a road trip through California’s wine country, Up in the Air about a man whose job is to travel the country firing people, or Forgetting Sarah Marshall about a man who travels to Hawaii to detox from his recent break-up, only to realize that he’s vacationing at the same resort as his ex and her new boyfriend.

Pair these travel shows with exotic flavors that are sure to have your recipient checking the internet for good travel deals:

Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food zine, joined with teff flour, Soy Curls and a cast iron skillet for making injera bread.

Viva Vegan combined with a tortilla press, microplane zester for making garlicky Latin Baked tofu, an empanada maker, a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or corn husks for putting together some tasty tamales.

Other spicy ideas?  Put together a present of pretty dipping plates with salsa, hot spicy mustard, tamari, and/or sriracha.

For the health conscious…

Inspire the health conscious-curious on your list with Forks Over Knives (reviewed here) or Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, a movie about a man who travels across the country juicing for 30 days and talking to people he meets along the way about their ideas of health.

Then make them a starter kit with 30 Day Vegan Challenge, a Tofu Xpress, an immersion blender, a pretty salad bowl from a local artisan, a jar of grains, and/or dried beans.

Or set them in motion for green smoothies aplenty with Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen, a gift card to their local grocery store or co-op, a glass straw, a spiralizer for making zucchini noodles, a glass water bottle, or a jar of raw cashews.  If you’re feeling especially generous how about a juicer, dehydrator, or Vitamix?  (Oh, and Santa, if you have an extra dehydrator or Vitamix in that sleigh of yours, I’ll gladly take them off your hands…)

1.  Peanut butter toast and fruit.  I eat this probably half of the week.  It’s uncomplicated and practically fool-proof.  Whole grain toast goes in the oven, it’s slathered with peanut butter (or your nut butter of choice), fruit is washed, and it’s ready to go.  The fruit changes depending on the season, which keeps it interesting.  If necessary I can eat it while I do my hair and make-up.  It’s ready in less than ten minutes, and it’s something I can eat regularly without feeling bored.

Similar alternative – hummus on toast with a few slices of avocado and a sprinkling of nutritional yeast flakes.

2.  Whole wheat tortillas slathered with nut butter and banana slices and toasted in a dry pan, or as I like to call it, El Elvis.  In the same vein as peanut butter toast, consider this the lazy man’s crepes.  Protein, whole grains, and fruit come together in one convenient package.  Have any left over?  A wedge or two makes a nice mid-morning snack.

Similar alternatives – hummus or pureed beans on toasted tortillas with salsa, hot sauce or jalapenos.  Many times I’ll take the black beans or pinto beans I prepared for tacos the evening before, blend them in the food processor in the morning, and then spread them on tortillas.  It’s an easy and instant black bean hummus.

3.  Cold cereal and non-dairy milk.  Look through the cereals at your natural food store, and you’re sure to find several cereals that are animal-product free.  I’m often mixing it up and trying something new.  At my local grocery store, they even have cold cereals in the bulk bins, which means I can try a small amount and see if I like it.

4.  Oatmeal.  This hot and fiber-rich option is great for cold, winter mornings when something warm sounds best.  It feels hearty and substantive, and it can be changed up by adding a spoonful of pureed pumpkin, a handful of berries or dried fruit, a sprinkling of cinnamon, a dollop of nut butter, or slices of banana.

Other similar option – creamy polenta.  I like De la Estancia organic polenta, because it’s a fine grain polenta that has a good, creamy mouth-feel and is ready in five minutes.  Add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes, a spoonful of nutritional yeast flakes, and a little non-dairy milk for a quick and savory breakfast.  I often top it with warmed cannellini beans and sautéed spinach for a more substantive breakfast.

5.  Smoothies.  They are a great on the go meal, but also a nice way to start the morning with a hefty serving of fruits and vegetables.  I feel good knowing that I’ve gotten that much health out of the way first thing.  They have little room for user error.  Why not leave the complicated meals for later in the day?  My current favorite smoothie is my Sweet Cashew Kale Shake, but the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup smoothie and Kale and Pumpkin smoothie are also well loved.  Don’t feel like eating first thing in the morning?  Pour a smoothie into a mason jar, top it with a lid, and take it to work to sip as you read over morning emails.