It Sucks To Be Vegan (in photos) - NOT!

I recently received a new cookbook as a gift.  The title is "Vegan Yum Yum" the author is Lauren Ulm.  I had heard of this book, but didn't have it in my collection (hard to believe, a cookbook I didn't have?!) A sweet, kind soul sent me a signed copy of the book for my enjoyment.  And, yes, I AM thoroughly enjoying it!

Although there is a lot going on that I promise to post about (it HAS been 5 days or so since my last post, sorry!) I want to take this opportunity to post about food.

When I read the introduction to Vegan Yum Yum, I had to laugh because the author writes how she and her husband have a running joke about when they eat something over the top decadent, they say "sure sucks to be vegan, I'm so hungry & unsatisfied" as they laugh. I laughed reading that because the same thing happens here in my house, and I'm certain it goes on in MANY other vegan households.

To some people, vegan food is a mystery that cannot be comprehended.  Yet, I've written before that we ALL eat vegan food at some time, many people just don't think about it that way.  There's plenty of "accidentally vegan" junk food out there, and TONS of nutritious vegan food out there.

Today's post was inspired by Lauren's cookbook, by the beautiful food that was plucked off the trees in my garden today, and last but not least by the spectacular curly kale I bought at the Good Food Conspiracy this morning.

Organic papaya, mangoes and bananas straight from my garden;
organic curly kale from Good Food Conspiracy!

Organic salad with mango poppy dressing on the left;
 Lauren's recipe for pasta w/fresh grape tomato sauce on right (all organic, of course!)

Sadly, another friend moved. This was a cake I made for her farewell gathering.
Organic carrot cake w/dairy free cream cheese frosting (frosting was mostly organic too!)

When I have extra batter from breakfast, I make waffles for us too.
Not as pretty as the ones that make it to the guest table, but no less delicious.
Here, coconut waffles made with oat flour (organic, need you even ask?!)

Remember that cinnamon roll recipe I mentioned last week?
Here they are, before being iced; my first ever effort with cinnamon rolls.
Pop told me he has never tasted ANYTHING as good as these! (wow!) Organic, you bet!

This was my entree' from the Square Grouper when we went out to celebrate
my friend Katy's birthday. WOW INDEED!

My friend Bonnie is love and light.
This is the (organic!) birthday cake I made to bring to her annual "Pisces Party" this year.

I made gingerbread people en masse as part of the many baking orders I took for Christmas this year past.
What's that you ask?  Are they organic?!  OF COURSE!  

This was just part of the homemade organic candy I made for the other happy vegan's Easter basket.
Dark chocolate coconut eggs, dark chocolate peppermint patties, and dark chocolate peanut butter cups.
All organic, every ingredient!

The other happy vegan's first born got married this past November.
Somehow the top tier of their wedding cake didn't get saved by their caterer.
So, I made a small "top tier" cake for them to stash in their freezer til their first anniversary.
The palm tree is because their wedding cake had palm trees on it; its pink because her color scheme was pinkish.
If you ask me, this is better.... its ORGANIC! its VEGAN!
They were tickled pink (get it?!) over this teeny cake.

Here is my version of key lime pie.  Vegan. Organic.
Made with organic key limes from my garden, the starfruit is organic from my garden too.
The graham crust is scratch made (of course).
I even made the organic graham crackers to start the base.

One day last week, a mysterious box arrived in my mail.
When I opened it, I found a treasure trove of hard to find vegany items from 2 guests who had recently stayed with us.
Included was a batch of their home made (VEGAN! of course!) chocolate chip cookies.
Nothing makes this baker more weak in the knees than someone else baking for ME!
M & M.... you guys are da bomb (so are your cookies!)

It sure sucks to be vegan...