Fridays with Friends + Giveaway: Hannah Kaminsky
As a fellow sweets lover, I have long admired Hannah Kaminsky’s dedicated work in the world of vegan desserts. Her skills as a recipe creator and photographer are out of this world. Often, when I have a spare moment, I pop over to her enticing blog just to see what she’s up to. I was thrilled to sit down with Hannah to talk to her about her genius.
Allison’s Gourmet: What inspired you to adopt a vegan diet?
Hannah Kaminsky: Well, at first I went vegetarian simply because I suddenly found myself with many new veggie-powered friends when I entered high school. I found it intriguing, as I hadn’t really considered it a viable lifestyle before, and was impressed at how easily it came to me. After finally doing a bit of research as to why one would become a vegetarian, and all those horrible websites about the cruelty of the egg, dairy, and meat industries popped up… Well, there was no looking back, and I went vegan straight away, after only a month of being vegetarian. Now it’s been about 8 years and I haven’t regretted that decision once.
AG: How in the world did you decide to write a cookbook for your Senior project at the tender age of 18?
HK: Actually, it wasn’t so much that I decided to write a cookbook as a senior project – I lucked out that I had some of the most open-minded teachers in the world. I was going to work on that cookbook to the detriment of all other assignments, but they graciously allowed me to submit it as a final project anyway. So I could have just as easily failed; the cookbook was way more important than school in my eyes!
Hannah recently released a gorgeous new full-color cookbook, Vegan Desserts, that’s arranged seasonally, has lots of lovely holiday and gift-able treats, and includes her own enticing photographs of every recipe. She’s generously allowing us to give away a copy of this volume to one lucky reader. Read on!
AG: What’s the biggest challenge in running a blog?
HK: Keeping up. Keeping up with both the lovely comments, other inspiring blogs, and regular postings with new and exciting content. Sometimes it becomes too much, and my email piles up like some horrific multi-car accident on the highway, but it’s always worth it to sort through in the end, whenever time allows.
AG: What do you love most about it?
HK: I couldn’t survive without the feedback. The reason that I keep blogging is not for money (I only make a meager amount from Amazon referrals every month, as cruelty-free and committed advertisers are hard to come by), nor the freebies for review (though they are a nice perk), but for the community. On the days when it’s hard just to get out of bed, and I have to wonder why I keep writing recipes, a glance at the comments always lifts my spirit. Small compliments really do have a huge impact, and I treasure the thoughtful words from my “regulars” especially.
I hear you on this, Hannah. Cyberspace can feel a touch solitary at times and the human contact through feedback is essential for me as well.
AG: You’re an amazing photographer and have taught me a lot! I especially love what you’ve been doing with my ‘Veganize It!‘ recipes in VegNews. Do you have a preference between taking pictures and writing blogs or recipes? Why?
HK: Why thank you! I’ve definitely begun to identify more as a photographer than cook or writer at this point. 
It’s mostly due to my increased focus on it, thanks to school, and other freelance jobs that keep on graciously popping up. I’m a very visual thinker as well, and I find it entirely satisfying to take an image in my head and recreate it in real life, generally relatively faithfully to my original inspiration. To be able to share my vision with others is one of my favorite parts of the job… Plus, on the styling end, I love having an excuse to play with my food!
Sounds like similar reasons to mine for cooking/baking/candy-making!
AG: Are there any whole-food staple grocery items you can’t live without? (Favorite fruits, veggies, beans or grains?)
HK: Well, this is probably pretty weird, but I adore cucumbers. There are always at least two or three in the house. I just slice them up, salt them, and munch on them as needed. Simple and refreshing, it’s my idea of healthy comfort food!
AG: Do you have a favorite seasonal meal idea or recipe you’d like to share?
HK: Come winter, I make giant vats of stew at least every other day of the week. 
Whatever’s in the fridge or pantry gets piled in, and every batch is a little bit different. It’s just a wonderful way to wind down my evening; get a big pot of stew bubbling away while I work on a few last emails for the night, enjoy one bowl full with some light reading, and then pack away the rest for quick meals later. The leftovers are excellent to freeze for long term storage, too.
AG: You combine your love for making crafts with food, is that a natural fit? How do your readers respond? Are there different audiences?
HK: There are definitely different audiences that visit my blog, and I try to appease them all whenever possible… Although I can tell you right now, I’m grateful for all the crafters that hang in there, because that section has been rather quiet for some time now. It’s tough to balance everything out, so I just post edibles and crafts whenever they happen, rather than forcing sub par stuffed animals. It’s harder to find the time to just sit and craft these days, so although the blog started out only as a craft blog, without any recipes, it really is more of a food blog with a few crafts thrown in now. I hope that foodies and crafters alike can appreciate both sorts of posts, though!
AG: Which Allison’s Gourmet goodie is your favorite or would you most like to try?
HK: Well, I had the incredible luck of receiving your peppermint brownies one year as a holiday gift from a co-worker, and I still can’t get them out of my mind! I love chocolate and mint together more than most flavor combos, and the crunchy topping of crushed candy canes on those fudgy brownie squares just made this marriage perfect. I wish they were available year-round!
Just wait until you try our new artisan truffles and caramels! 
Now for the Giveaway! In her new book: Vegan Desserts, Hannah cracks the code of formerly elusive vegan meringue, which, in it’s non-vegan form, is made with only egg-whites. To win, post here on our blog telling us what you would create with this revelatory discovery? We’ll choose a winner Wednesday, the 7th. Good luck!
UPDATE: This contest is now closed. Esther, of A, B, C, Vegan won!
Holiday Meals: Dinner and Dessert
In search of the perfect centerpiece for a holiday meal? In years past we’ve done both Vegetable Pot Pie and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie for Thanksgiving at our house, each with great success. Other staples of our holiday tables each year include David’s outrageous cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, garlic brussel sprouts, greens, mashed potatoes with rich brown gravy and stuffing. 
For a complete gourmet holiday menu all in one place and with plenty of options, look no further than the VegNews Holiday eCookbook with everything from pumpkin soup to crispy latkes and my own special Roasted Vegetable Pastries. You’ll find delicious and festive recipes here to feed the whole family in scrumptious style. Planning holiday meals for the people you love can be stressful, but with so many decadent and delicious compassionate choices, it doesn’t have to be.
Finish off a big family meal with your favorite decadent dessert whether it’s a tray of organic brownies, a platter of gourmet cookies, or something more involved like a coconut ice cream and double chocolate chunk brownie Sundae topped with caramel sauce and vegan toffee. 
Complement your dessert with a perfect cup of organic fair-trade tea or fair-trade organic coffee. For holiday-inspired sipping, we like Peppermint Drinking Chocolate or Coconut Nog.
Now, for the other nights of the holiday week, or if you have kids who won’t eat anything green, these “VeganizeIt!” versions of classic pasta favorites (like amazing Mac ‘n’ Cheese) 
are cholesterol-free and even include some hidden veggies, but still have the rich and creamy flavors that everybody loves. For Italian-style family meals try Baked Ziti or Lasagna (available in the current issue of VegNews). Or, for an easy meal for kids or kids at heart, whip up some Alfredo sauce, pour over your favorite pasta and serve with a side of steamed veggies.
For those loved one too far distant to share a holiday meal, consider our many elegant and delectable holiday gifts for the season. Happy Compassionate Thanksgiving!
18 Vegan MoFo Recipes You Have to Try!
October has flown by… like a pumpkin with wings. Of course, the vegan food options just get better as we get closer to the 
holidays. And October was a pretty delicious month too, especially if you were participating in Vegan MoFo! We enjoyed the interpretations of Allison’s very own VegNews Veganize It! recipes from Julia Moran Martz (Snarky Vegan) and Heather Blackmon (Better With Veggies). Check out their recipes below and let us know your favorites. Did you try any of these at 
home? What was your biggest yummm during Vegan MoFo? We want to know about your favorite vegan recipes on Facebook and Twitter. Have a spooky, safe and sweet Halloween!
Frittata (version 1-Snarky Vegan)
Frittata (version 2-Better With Veggies)
Lentil Loaf (version 1-Snarky Vegan)
Lentil Loaf (version 1-Better With Veggies)
Tuna Free Salad Sandwiches (version 1-Snarky Vegan)
Tuna Free Salad Sandwiches (version 2-Better With Veggies)
And you can check out all of Allison’s original Award-Winning Veganize It! recipes here.
On Winning, Winners and Monster Candy
It’s always refreshing to know that you’re appreciated. Allison felt a big rush of that this week as she learned that her 
“Veganize It!” column was the winner of the VegNews award for best column! If you haven’t checked it out, it’s a deliciously fun way to learn how to turn non-veg recipes into scrumptious vegan meals. And, the recipes are so easy and malleable that our two Vegan MoFo bloggers are tweaking them all month long. You can read the latest from Julia and Heather on Mondays and throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter.
This week we also announced the winners to our first-ever Tee and Tote Design Contest! Congratulations to our Grand Prize 
winner Erika Themaras, our 2nd prize winner Jonathan Day and our third place winners—it was a tie—Karen Rosenstein and Devin St. Clair! All the entries were inspired and creative and we loved getting to know all of the artists. We hope you love the designs as much as we do, and we look forward to more contests in the future.
Speaking of the future, Halloween is right around the corner, and we’ve got a special batch of hard caramels that just melt in your mouth in four yumtastic 
flavors: vanilla, mocha, chocolate and butterscotch pecan. The creamy organic vegan goo is perfect for any ghouls, goblins and monsters who prefer healthy treats in a scary world. Until next time!
BREAKING NEWS: “VeganizeIt!” Wins 2011 Veggie Award!
Some very exciting news has just come our way from VegNews: Allison’s “VeganizeIt!” column has won the 2011 Veggie Award for Favorite Column! 
We’re so thrilled and excited. Allison sends a great big “thank you!” to all our fans who love her recipes and voted for her column.
If you haven’t yet experienced one of Allison’s super-delish vegan versions of traditional comfort foods, you’re in for a treat. We’re heading into winter, when most people tend to crave those rich, warming foods most, so this is the perfect time of year to try her classics 
like creamy vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese and hearty Shepherd’s Pie.
It just so happens that two wonderful bloggers are in the process of cooking their way through the complete collection of “VeganizeIt!” recipes this month as part of Vegan MoFo. So, you don’t have to take our word for it. Check out Better with Veggies and Snarky Vegan for their spins on Allison’s recipes including time-saving tips and alternative substitutions.
If you make any of Allison’s savory recipes yourself, we’d love to see pictures and hear about your experience here or on Facebook or Twitter.
Thanks again for making “VeganizeIt!” your Favorite VegNews Column. We all love Allison’s sweets, but she also has a savory side and one of her great joys is getting to share her love of vegan comfort food with the VegNews audience. Yippee!
Vegan MoFos in Allison’s ‘VeganizeIt!’ Kitchen All Month Long!
October marks the month also known as “VeganMoFo.” (Vegan Month of Food). The lovely ladies at the Post Punk Kitchen devised it as a way to pay homage to the art of writing, by committing to write about vegan food somewhere around 
20 times during the month. We dig. And we’re super excited to announce that throughout October, we’ll be featuring contributions from VeganMoFo writers Julia Moran Martz and Heather Blackmon. They will be recreating Allison’s VeganizeIt! recipes featured in VegNews Magazine. Read on to learn more about these brave women. And let us know if you’re participating in Vegan MoFo or simply making scrumptious vegan eats by visiting us on Facebook and Twitter!
Raised on lard, bacon, and overcooked green beans, Julia Moran Martz (a.k.a., Snarky Vegan) didn’t discover whole wheat bread and steamed veggies until leaving home for college. By her mid-30′s, she became vegetarian, then married and freaked out her new husband by adopting a vegan diet at 41. Trolling the few vegan blogs available in 2004, she developed a wider awareness of cultural foods and cooking methods. Her blog is her way of giving back to the online vegan community that unknowingly supported her during the big transition.
This will be Julia’s 3rd year participating in VeganMofo. Her theme this year is “EZ Comfort Food for Tired Wenches” — essentially creating easy, fast ways to whip up Allison Rivers Samson’s VeganizeIt! comfort food recipes from VegNews Magazine after a long stressful work day.
Heather Blackmon is a long-time food enthusiast who recently transitioned to a (mostly) vegan diet after reading about factory farming and how we mistreat animals. She created the Better With Veggies blog to share her love of cooking, eating veggies, and living an active life with others. When she’s not in the kitchen, she is often found outdoors running or biking.
Currently participating in her first VeganMoFo, she will be cooking her way through the “ Veganize It!” recipes, created by Allison’s Gourmet founder, Allison Rivers Samson, originally published in VegNews Magazine.
Weekly Wrap-up: The Art of Vegan Voting
The weather may be getting cooler, but things have definitely been heating up in our Tee and Tote Design Contest! With 20 
amazing entries, the voting is fully underway! You’ve got until the end of the month to vote for your favorite, helping us get down to our top ten designs.
From there, it’s onto the judges for the hard part: deciding who wins! Fortunately we have an incredible team of vegans-with-style hand-picked by Allison, all of whom are excited to help select the three winners (thanks team!).
In case you missed the news, our judges include: Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary, Colleen Holland from VegNews, Nathan Runkle 
from Mercy for Animals, Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart from Vaute Couture, Chloé Jo Davis from GirlieGirlArmy and Troy Farmer and Katie Frichtel of Raven + Crow Studio.
You have until September 30th to vote for your favorite design—have you picked one yet? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter! And send us your contest ideas for the next Allison’s Gourmet giveaway.
Summer Travels Food Diary – Seattle and Vida Vegan Con
As the owner of a vegan bakery and confectionary, I seek any opportunity to visit other vegan bakeries, confectioneries and sweet shops to eat exquisite morsels and celebrate the delightful creations whipped up by my colleagues in the compassionate food business. On a recent trip to my old stomping grounds near Seattle, I made a point to stop in to the new, all vegan Bouteloua Bakery for some marvelous baked goods. 
Owner and master baker, Megan Jensen, crafts mouth-watering goodies in the kitchen, from cupcakes, cookies, and cinnamon rolls to pain au chocolat and croissants. Deciding how many of which to buy was my favorite part. If I’m dreaming, do not pinch me!
With its lively vegan community and Nia HQ, Portland, Oregon (PDX) has seen the wheels of my suitcase many times this year. A last-minute schedule change in August allowed me the opportunity to attend the phenomenal Vida Vegan Con. In addition to making new friends and finally getting to meet many gifted and entertaining bloggers and vegan superstars I knew already online, another highlight was the creative vegan food, including labels on the raw and gluten-free offerings. It was a rare pleasure to know that all weekend, I would be eating delectable meals and I didn’t have to cook a single dish! The fabulous organizers, Jess, Janessa, and Michele, took such good care of us that for once, eating at a conference didn’t require finding the only meager vegan option at the buffet or requesting special treatment from the servers. Instead, every one of us got special treatment!
Photo by Ryan Suffern
Dare I neglect to mention the inspiring, intelligent, rejuvenating workshops and extra events like the screening of the impassioned film, Vegucated, tour of Bob’s Red Mill, Galarama, meeting the lovely Carolyn Scott-Hamilton (who happens to share my high school alma mater in Florida!) and my newly discovered soul sister, Kim Garr and her all-things-camera wizard husband, Ryan? No way! I learned some new photography tricks from the ultra-talented Hannah, Isa, and Susan; expert writing tips from Dynise, enjoyed a demo of Fran’s Chocolate Cake to Live for (and it IS!); vegan parenting camaraderie from Ben, Sarah, Sayward, Joanna, and Michelle; uplifting encouragement from Colleen, and mad story writing skills from Terry. Marketing suggestions flowed from Fran, Kyle, Anika, Stephanie, and Jess; plus publishing know-how by prolific authors, Bryanna, Julie, Joni Marie, Ryan, and Isa. (Yes, I am still working on my cookbook!) Finally, blogging motivation gushed from Laura, Ben, Jordan, and Jasmin.
Photo by Gena Hamshaw
For me, relishing uniquely prepared food is one of the best parts of being vegan and getting to do so for my “Veganize It!” column in VegNews Magazine is especially rewarding. Not only do I get to share my savory side, but the VegNews founders take good care of their family of writers. Those of us who happened to attend the conference were treated to multiple foodgasms at Portabello on Friday night. Now, you all know that I’m a food snob, right? Well, this was easily one of the top five meals I’ve savored. It may have even shot to number one. I’m not sure. I was drunk on said ‘gasms, as were my tablemates, Jasmin of Our Hen House, Elizabeth of VegNews, and Gena of Choosing Raw. So entranced was I that my camera didn’t make an appearance. But, who needs to take photos when you’re at a table of bloggers? Luckily Gena took gorgeous photos of each course and chronicled our meal on her blog post, Unsurpassed. Read it. And weep.
PDX isn’t only a vegan mecca, it’s also the national headquarters of Nia, my favorite way to move, that ranks very close to my predilection for fair-trade chocolate. I was on cloud nine when I got to balance all that luscious eating with an invigorating Nia class on Friday morning.
I returned from the conference all-jazzed-up and no time to spare. Drats! Truthfully, I feel thoroughly blessed to have a virtual plate full of all my favorite things and a magnanimous vegan community with whom to share it all. Deep gratitude to all my friends for making this summer’s travels memorable, inspirational and lip-smacking!
Weekly Wrap-up: Let’s Get this Party Started
It’s official. We’re in the final days of another summer countdown. September has arrived as what feels like an eager guest showing up before the party starts. And oh what a party September’s going to be! (It’s just that, you know, we 
could still use a few more years of summer!).
Fresh from the Vida Vegan Conference in Portland, Allison is chock full of wisdom, inspiration, vegan cupcakes and new friends we hope to be seeing a lot more of—at least on Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t know about the conference, we highly recommend you spend some time checking out their website, which is full of sweet nuggets of information and creativity.
Thanks to everyone who cast their votes for Allison’s in the VegNews Veggie Awards! Winners are announced in the November/December issue (can you believe we have to wait THAT long?!)—and even if we didn’t win, we’re winners everyday just by having great fans and 
supporters (ahem, YOU!). And speaking of support—another big thanks for helping spread the word about our Tee and Tote Design Contest! There are still 2 somewhat warm and inspiring weeks to submit your designs for a chance at $500 and lots of goodies.
There’s plenty more excitement lined up for September and beyond, but like any good party, we don’t want to spoil the fun, so we’ll leave many of the surprises to be discovered as the festivities move along. Have a great Labor Day, everyone!
Should You Join a CSA?
Our friends at VegNews are never short on great advice, and we especially love this exploration into CSAs–community supported agriculture. It’s worth considering, especially during winter when your own organic garden may no longer be providing you food, or the local farmers’ markets take a seasonal break.
CSAs also keep you eating the seasons’ best vegetarian staples, which is oh-so important! Read on…
By Joni Sweet VegNews
One of the best ways to enjoy the bounty of the growing season is through community-supported agriculture shares (CSAs). Members of the program get a share of each week’s harvest, meaning that their pantries are always chock-full of farm-fresh veggies. But with so many share options, it can be tough to determine the best system for you and your family to participate in. This simple guide will ease your CSA share confusion for seasons to come.
Know Your Grower
Aside from the obvious benefit of delivering fresh produce, CSA shares offer members an active way to discover where their food originates. Shareholders are often invited to farms, receive regular newsletters, and get to know the farmers growing the fruits and vegetables. The programs even benefit the environment, as they reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to transport and package the produce.
Read the full article on VegNews
