My co-worker made this for our Mexican food pot-luck. It was so delicious I had to get the recipe from her. She got it off the Food Network. No cooking necessary!

It’s a little spicy. I’m a total wimp when it comes to spicy food and I was able to enjoy it- so it’s not overly spicy.

• 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 3 fresh jalapeno chiles
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
• 4 cups drained canned chick-peas (2 19-ounce cans)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  (she forgot the olive oil in her version and it was still great. So… it’s optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice plus additional to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

*note: adobo sauce is pur

I was in San Francisco this past weekend and, as luck would have it, they were having the World Veg Fest at Golden Gate Park. I got to check it out for a couple of hours. It was smaller than I expected but there were some really nice booths there. And one Asian food booth advertising vegetarian food and selling chicken! That was odd. But I picked up pamphlets galore on all sorts of topics and products. Oh and I had the most amazing vegan ice cream by Maggie Mudd. My boyfriend said “this tastes just like real ice cream!” And he’s pretty picky. Unfortunately I think they’re only located in San Francisco. VegNews had a stand there. I really like their magazine and recommend it to anyone who likes to stay veganly informed. Save a Bunny brought some adorable bunnies for people to pet. I learned that bunnies actually live much longer, healthier, happier lives if you keep them in your home, versus keeping them outside where they are more likely to catch diseases. There were vegan starter kits, and many books on vegetarianism, veganism and health for people to buy. There were several stands dedicated to stopping various forms of animal cruelty, like circus animals, anti-fur organizations, and inhumane caging methods. And plenty of upsetting images to look at. I’m getting upset right now just flipping through these pamphlets. There were even religious stands dedicated to the humane treatment of animals. In addition to all that, there were lectures, cooking classes, and yoga. Plenty of activities to keep yourself occupied.

Overall it was a good experience. Hopefully, they’ll keep having this event and it will continue to grow. It’s wonderful to know that people are working so hard to get others informed about animal cruelty, health, environmental issues, etc. And to let people know that vegan food can be and is delicious!

My boyfriend and I roadtripped it to San Francisco this weekend. It happened to be the weekend of the World Veg Fest (see this blog entry…) We spent a good portion of the trip in the car. Since the majority of our stops involved gas stations, food choices were limited. But we both love sunflower seeds, both in-shell and “dehulled.” And it occurred to me that these little buggers are a pretty amazing food. They contain a cornucopia of nutrition. Check it! The vitamin and mineral variety in them is incredible! Just 1/4 cup of these gems gives you 90.5% RDA of vitamin E and over 50% of vitamin B1 (thiamin). It’s also a solid source for manganese, magnesium, copper, tryptophan, selenium, phosphorus, B5, and folate. Plus you’re getting protein and fiber! It’s like taking a multivitamin.

Also, the phytosterols in sunflower seeds are believed to lower cholesterol! And these seeds can help prevent cancer! If you haven’t incorporated sunflower seeds into your diet yet, you really ought to give them a shot. They’re quite tasty. Sprinkle some on a salad. Add them to a trail mix. Make your body happy