This isnt a traditional recipe. This is a quick and dirty (read: easy and yummy) version of a hot soup made with soba noodles topped with deep fried tofu. Putting fried tofu on top of soba noodle soup makes it kitsune soba. Kitsune means fox in Japanese, and folklore says fox spirits are quite fond of fried tofu, hence the name fox soba. Its delicious.

I like recipes that are flexible. Once you have the broth, the noodles, and the tofu, you can add whatever else you want on top. I chose to go light and easy, a few fresh pea shoots and thinly sliced raw carrots. Then I topped everything off with Bull Dog Sauce.

Im pretty sure youre not supposed to put Bull Dog Sauce on soba noodle soup. But I did, and it was good, and no one yelled at me, so Im pretty sure you can do it too if you want. Its sort of a like a Japanese steak sauce/bbq sauce. There are many different variations, but I used the Fruit and Vegetable Semi-Sweet version. You can find it at any reasonably stocked asian grocer, or you can get it online here.

So, heres the thing about my version of kitsune soba. The flavor is anchored in the salty, sweet, gingery broth. The tofu and vegetables are there mostly for contrasts in color, texture, and temperature. Since everything is presented plain, the broth does most the heavy lifting in the flavor department, but it also allows the raw ingredients to shine on their own.

Kitsune Soba Serves Two

Oil, for frying 1 Package Soba Noodles 1/2 Block Extra Firm Tofu, sliced thinly 1 Small Carrot, peeled and sliced paper thin Greens (microgreens, scallions, cilantro, whatever!) Bull Dog Sauce, optional Optional ideas: Sliced radish, sweet pepper, snow peas, cucumber

Broth 2 Tbs to 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Tamari (to taste, I used the whole 1/4 Cup) 1 Cup Water 1 Tbs Rice Vinegar 1 Tbs Sugar 1/2 Vegan Bullion Cube 1 Inch Ginger Root, peeled and sliced thinly

Add all the broth ingredients to a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and place a lid on the broth while preparing the rest of the meal. This allows all the gingery goodness to steep into the broth.

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VeganYumYum | Yup, I'm back.

I live in a blended household. I'm a vegan (duh), and my partner Paul is an omnivore. He doesn't often buy raw meat or cook raw meat. Gross. But he does buy canned soups, TV dinners, and other convenience foods that have meat in them. We don't generally eat together unless we dine out. I eat dinner when I get home from work, and he usually just snacks all night when he gets home. It works out well. More leftovers for me from the meals I cook. Separate grocery bills. Basically, we eat like we're roommates.

But interdietary cohabitation can be tough for some people, especially if you're really particular about having any meat products in the house or if you feel ethically uncomfortable dating/partnering with someone who contributes to factory farm cruelty. I don't like it. But I know I can't change him, and if he decides to give up meat some day, it will be on his own terms.

But there's a new cookbook/relationship manifesto with recipes and tips for people in blended vegan-omni relationships and for the lucky bastards in vegan-on-vegan relationships. It's called The Lusty Vegan, and it's written by Ayinde Howell (of I Eat Grass fame) and Zoe Eisenberg.

The recipes are organized into categories like "Recipes to Impress Your Vegan" (dishes omnis can make for their vegan partners), "Recipes to Impress Your Omni" (the opposite), "A Very Special Dinner Menu" (for that first awkward family holiday celebration, when you realize your partner's mom puts meat in all the vegetables), "The Morning After" (breakfast recipes!), "Recipes for Cohabitation," and so on. There's even a "Food for Sex" section with aphrodiasic foods and a section on break-up foods (basically all desserts, of course).

I chose two recipes to try. I made the Tofu Sausage Pizza Sliders from the chapter of recipes omnis could make to impress vegan dates.

I also made the Truffle-Roasted Vegetable Medley from the special dinner menu chapter.

Whether you're in a mixed relationship or a vegan dating a vegan, there's something in The Lusty Vegan for you. Who doesn't need a recipe for Habanero Jackfruit Tacos or Mexican Lasagna? Nacho Mac & Cheese? Seitan Parmesan Nuggets with Ranch Dressing?

Well, if you want those recipes in your life (as well as some handy relationship advice), enter my Lusty Vegan giveaway! The publisher has requested that the giveaway be limited to US residents only. So if you live in the U.S., leave a comment about how you deal with vegan dating/partnering and be sure to include an email address so I can contact you if you win. That last part is very important! Good luck! I'll select a winner on Sunday night.

More here:
Vegan Crunk - blogspot.com

photos by Amanda Hatfield & Mimi Hong, words by Andrew Sacher

Beach Slang / Pity Sex / The Jazz June

After our Saturday (10/25) day party at Baby's All Right, we went right into the official BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase with The Jazz June, Pity Sex, Beach Slang, Cayetana and Sport. Sport, who are in the US from France for just a few shows on their way to The Fest, started a little after 8 and were unfortunately forced to play as a 3-piece due to their other guitarist's hand injury. Even with the smaller setup though, Sport sounded great. Somewhere between a hardcore band and noodly emo, there's obvious influences on their sound but they really have a cool thing going on and never sound like one particular band. A small group of people up front were clearly familiar and knew every word, but it seemed like Sport won over even those who weren't. They were a great start to what would be an all around great night.

Cayetana followed. I hadn't seen them since they opened for The Menzingers before their album was out, and they were great then too, but Saturday's show was on another level. They were super tight, and considering Augusta Koch's lyrics are a huge part of their sound it was great to hear her voice cutting through the mix loud and clear. Up next were their Philly neighbors and Tiny Engines labelmates Beach Slang, who kept the good vibes going and inspired the biggest singalongs of the night. They played all seven full-band songs from their two EPs and even though it had only been 11 days since they last played them in NYC, it was refreshing all over again.

Pity Sex followed, and they've come a long way since they played our CMJ day party on the same stage almost exactly a year ago. Their debut album had been out for a few months at that point, but it's really picked up steam and this time the room was packed with people who clearly knew the songs. My personal highlight was that it was the first time they played the stripped-down Britty Drake-fronted "Hollow Body" at a full-band show, and like at Webster in August they included their spot-on cover of the PIxies' "Gigantic" which is always super fun.

The show wrapped with a set from The Jazz June, the one veteran band on the bill, but their set wasn't only nostalgia. They've got a new album coming in November (their first in 12 years) and the songs they played off that fit right in with the newer bands on the bill. Of course they included old favorites too, and in a year that's had no lack of reunions from the late '90s emo scene, it was great to hear The Jazz June's stuff holding up and played in great form too.

In between sets, Tom Mullen from Washed Up Emo spun golden era emo which inspired a few singalongs from the crowd up front. Thanks to Tom, all the bands, everyone at Baby's All Right and everyone who came out to the show. We hope you had as much fun as we did.

More pictures from the whole night, below...

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Brookly Vegan - BrooklynVegan

It was February 5th, my mothers birthday and a month before the 20th anniversary of my becoming vegan. I was sitting in a breast surgeons office in a paper gown, cradling my biopsied breast and waiting. After about an hour and a half, my surgeon finally appeared, apologizing for keeping me waiting because the results had only just come in. He took a deep breath and said, You dont have cancer. I thought, I didnt think I did. Unfortunately, as I would later find out, we both were wrong.

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Ive been trying to cut down on the amount of soy I usenot that theres anything wrong with itand completely get rid of soy isolates, which I do think are unhealthy. Unfortunately, the silken tofu I always use, Mori-Nu Organic, contains organic soy protein, which is just another way of saying isolated soy protein. I was seriously depressed when I figured that out. Besides adding creaminess to several of my favorite salad dressings, silken tofu is the main ingredient in perhaps my favorite condiment, Tofu-Cashew Mayo.

So Ive been working on an alternative mayo, something to combine with the cashews that would be low in fat and still relatively creamy. I considered white beans and potatoes, both of which are too gritty, before coming up with a very odd, but workable, mayonnaise base:

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FatFree Vegan Kitchen | Sinlessly Delicious Recipes