Perfect for fall: Vegan Carrot Cake!

Check out this awesome recipe for vegan carrot cake, AND a delicious vegan cream cheese frosting to boot, from VET member Rachel of Soapwalla. Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert? Mmm... yes!

Illustrations from My Zoetrope

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups shredded carrot
• 2 cups flour (i generally use spelt)
• 1 cup raw vegan sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk or other nondairy milk (I generally squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon in to make it a little brighter tasting)
• 3/4 cup sunflower, grapeseed or other light oil
• a big handful raisins
• a handful slivered almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9 x 13 pan. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Fold in carrots, making sure to coat carrots with flour mixture. Add oil and mix. Add milk and mix. Fold in raisins, almonds, and pour into cake pan. Even out the top (will be pretty thick), then cook 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting (recipe below).

Cream Cheese frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 tub Tofutti cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) earth balance, softened
• 3/4 to 1 cup organic powdered sugar, to taste
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Whip cream cheese and earth balance until light and fully mixed. Add powdered sugar and mix. Taste, and add more sugar if necessary. Whip in lemon juice and zest, then place in fridge until you are ready to frost. Just before frosting, re-whip, then try not to eat the entire bowl before you get to the cake!

When the cake is fully frosted, I recommend placing in the freezer until you are ready to serve.

Feed Your Skin.

Rachel Winard, Soapwalla Chef

First new members for Fall!

We are happy to welcome two new members to the Vegan Etsy Team this week: Cornflower Blue Studio and Viva la Vegan! You're going to want to check these shops out, because I have a feeling they'll be two of your new favorites. ;) As it happens, both of these members happen to have awesome websites, so make sure to check these out too: the Cornflower Blue Studio blog and VivaLaVegan.net!

Coin Collection Embroidery from Cornflower Blue Studio

Upcycled Recipe Card Set from Viva la Vegan

Accessorize For Fall!

Looking for cute accessories to spruce up your Fall wardrobe? Look no further than the Vegan Etsy Team! Here are just a few things that the team has to offer:

Pinwheel Brooch from Monkey and Squirrel:

Tangerina Carnelian Earrings from Art by Susmitha:

Songbird Bamboo Tile Necklace from This Is It:

Night Owl Pin from my shop, Vegancraftastic:

-kala (vegancraftastic)

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Silly holidays are the best, so be sure to celebrate Talk like a Pirate Day!  So slap on an eye patch, dig out your finest peg leg and check out these pirate themed goodies from the Vegan Etsy Team:

Let's Parrrrty Cards from Merry Blues Art:

Red Corduroy Pirate Monster Plush from Panda With Cookie:

Crafty Pirate Magnet from my shop, Vegancraftastic:

-kala (Vegancraftastic)

Welcome Autumn!

It's just about Fall time (in the US at least) and I'm looking forward to crisp weather, apple cider, and pumpkin carving!  Here are some fun Fall picks from the Vegan Etsy Team:

Autumn Romance necklace from Art by Susmitha:

Chocolate Brown slouchy hat from Knits by Nat:

Changing of the Seasons painting by My Zoetrope:

Candy Corn Pin from my shop, Vegancraftastic:

-kala (Vegancraftastic)

Happy Patriot Day, U.S.A. (and world).

Today we acknowledge everything and everyone lost in an act of directed violence and hate nine years ago. To those of you who lost someone close, my heart goes out to you.

It's true what they say: freedom is not free. But we must all understand that the answer is not to respond in kind - with more violence and hatred. We must have tolerance for the beliefs of others, no matter how strongly we disagree with them or how little we understand them. And if their behavior becomes so intolerable that we are moved to action, we can and must respond without inflicting death and destruction.

Of course, when it comes to international decisions, you and I don't make these choices. Our responsibility in this realm is to choose leaders who will act wisely and, hopefully, make the decisions we would have made ourselves if given the opportunity.

We do, though, have the choice and the responsibility to treat each other with compassion and understanding. In many ways, people are formed through the manner in which they are treated by others. So let us constantly strive to treat each other with dignity and respect. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me? Perhaps.

hearts,
melissa bastian

Vegan Polenta Pizza

Well it isn't exactly like regular pizza but it is sooo yum and super easy to make too. I only have access to a microwave right now so I baked this pizza in it but once I get back home I'm definitely going to try this out in a real oven.

Crust:
1 C polenta corn grits
Olive Oil
Salt
2 C water

Bring the water to boil. Add salt and a dash of olive oil. Slowly add the corn grits while stirring continuously with a fork. Reduce the heat and keep stirring until all the water is absorbed. Close the pan and let it sit.

Topping (you can use any combination of veggies of course but here's mine):
Tomatoes sliced into circles
Onions sliced thin and long
Rice Vegan Cheese Slices cut into little pieces

Marinade:
Tamari
Ground Black Pepper
Sugar or Agave (teeny bit)
Tabasco Chilli Sauce

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Place the chopped onions in the marinade and toss well. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

Oil your pizza tray (I directly used my glass microwave turn table) and transfer the polenta onto it. Dip your palm in a generous amount of olive oil and pat the polenta down into an even base. Bake on high power for 5 minutes.

Take the onion slices out of the marinade and spread them evenly over the base. Place the sliced tomatoes over this and top with the rice vegan cheese pieces.

Bake on medium power for 5 minutes and then on high for 2 more minutes.

Slice and serve hot. Enjoy! :)

Twig and Leaf Botanicals - an amazing Vegan Etsy Team shop.

Twig & Leaf is a small, couple owned and operated business in Boulder, Colorado. They use only vegan ingredients and organically grown or wildcrafted plant materials in all of their products. Their products are made from natural, organic plant material, without any chemical additives. All of their packaging is RECYCLED! Their glass jars are thick recycled glass.

A wonderful shop selling a huge variety of natural herbs and potions, that will not only be good for your body and skin but fill your senses with joy. How about a home spa treatment or a coconut body scrub? Something for every skin type. Want to know more about this wonderful shop? then read on...

When Kelly was young, her mom thought she would be a chemist - but she is lousy at math - and her dad thought she would be a park ranger. I suppose she did an unexpectedly splendid job of blending the two together. Kelly has always been passionate about plants and their properties. Somewhere along the line a few years ago, she decided this is what she wants to do with her life, despite having gone to 3 colleges and changed degrees from photography, to creative writing, to elementary education and traveling and living all across the United States. She is working on her Clinical Herbalism degree, and he is working in economics.

Kelly and Scott are both 24 years old and currently reside in Boulder, Colorado with their rescue cat - kitty face. They live in a small, beautiful cabin nestled at the foot of the Flatiron Mountains, surrounded by plum trees and ivy. What’s not to love? Kelly has been vegan since she was 6 years old, which started out as a health issue and evolved into a conscious decision. Scott has been vegan for over two years now.

When Kelly started the business, she was just making bulk organic herbal teas, each with different health benefits, and selling them to a café in Boulder. They are still doing that, but she decided that enough is enough with having to rely on other shady businesses for every day products. What are those ingredients? Why are they in there? What do they do? She developed her own lip balms and lotions with simple, organic ingredients, with no animal products, and wanted to share them with everyone.

So came about twig & leaf botanicals. They use only organic butters, oils, and plant materials, and strive to use organic locally grown plants when we can. They believe that everyone should have access to simple, natural, and healthy products with an affordable price. They also use ALL recycled paper and glass packaging, and no plastics, because plastics contain harmful chemicals that can leak into your products - and we’re pretty sure no one wants to rub that into their skin.

Check out their Etsy Shop and browse the wonderful products, and for interesting information and lovely photos, hop on over to their wonderfully inspiring and fabulous blog.

Two new members for a three day weekend!

As many of us here in the states kick back to enjoy the fruits of our labor in the All-American Tradition that is the three day weekend, the Vegan Etsy Team is happy to welcome two new members to its ranks: Veganville and Veggie Amanda! Please stop by to say hello. We know they'll be at the top of your list of favorites.

Martha's in the Big House Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Veganville

Patchwork Purse
from Veggie Amanda

Back to school with the Vegan Etsy Team

posted by veganessa

Just in time for the return to school, looking for items to take? or maybe you want to give your children something special for their return to school. Here are a few ideas from the Vegan Etsy team to make their school days a little brighter:

How about these adorable, reusable Produce Bags in bright pink and green, with a cotton fish print.perfect for taking snacks or lunches.
These and more handy reusable bags can be bought from JohnsonFamilyZoo.

This sweet fox journal can be found at Vegancraftastic.
Here you will find a fabulous mix of books, totes, buttons and lots more cute and funky items. A wonderful item for taking notes!

And here we have a super-gorgeous colourful tote.
Available from Pandawithcookie.
A fab bag to carry all you books and snacks.







Just a small selection of wonderful items available from the Vegan Etsy Team. Where you buy in confidence knowing that no animal substances have been used or tested on animals.