Yesterday evening I wanted some raw vegan curry in a hurry, so I made the Vegetable Korma Masala from "Practically Raw" by Amber Shea of the Almost Vegan Chef blog (right now her last name is "Ford," but she'll be a "Crawley" very soon; congrats on her upcoming nuptials). I mentioned getting her book in a recent post, where I reminded myself to take a picture of the next recipe I made from it (as you can see, I remembered to grab my camera this time).I love the title and the concept, and if you read how Amber came up with it, you'll understand why. Here's the quote from her book:
"As a linguist, I love the double entendre of of 'practically,' and both definitions fit my philosophy perfectly. First, 'practically raw' means 'almost raw,' representing my belief in substituting non-raw ingredients or using non-raw cooking techniques when desired or warranted. It means 'raw' does not have to be an all-or-nothing affair," she says.She goes on to mention that being practical also allows for some flexibility. You don't have to follow these recipes exactly, and she even offers idea for substitutions, as well as cooked options.
The best part is that many of these recipes can be made quickly, and if the original raw version takes longer than you have time, she gives you ideas on how to speed up the process, which could mean substituting a pre-made ingredient or cooking instead of dehydrating it.Luckily, I had a couple hours before dinner to make the raw version of this curry dish, although she does tell you how to make a cooked version, too. I didn't have time to make the Naansense Bread, but I did serve it with some lettuce leaves (so good to use as wraps) and her Cauliflower "Rice" Pilaf.
I also decided to cool things off with her refreshing Mango Lassi, that I changed up a bit, due to the fact I only had a very small amount of mango in the house. To make up for the lack of mango, I added in a few pineapple chunks and some carrot. It turned out so delicious and perfect with this simply scrumptious meal.Anyway, I just wanted to share what I made from Amber's book with you. I highly recommend it :-)
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On another note, I recently received this month's LovingEco Beauty Bag in the mail (here's what was in it last month, in case you missed it). Here's a quick snapshot of all I got.
First of all, it came in this cute striped Baggu bag (you can see the shape of it pictured on the tag) that folds up to fit neatly into a tiny pouch (which could also work as a mini matching wallet in the bag), great for shopping. It's filled with generous samples and full-size products, including Dr. Hauschka Soothing Mask, Exhuberence is Beauty Vitamin C Brightening Facial Serum, One Love Organics Brand New Day Scrub and Masque, Pangea Organics Facial Toner in Argentinean Tangerine and Thyme, Hamadi Organics Ginger Soymilk Hair Wash and EO Products Hand Sanitizer Spray in Peppermint.
I can't believe I got all of this for $15.95 plus shipping (I think shipping was $4.95). The LovingEco site lists it as having a $107 value, and that's no joke. The Baggu alone is $7, and then it is filled with luxurious products, my two favorites being the Pangea Organics Toner and the Exhuberence brightening serum.Of course, you already know I'm a big fan of Pangea Organics, so it's no surprise how happy I am to get this toner (I usually buy the one for combination skin, but this is great for the more humid months). It's the 1.8 fl. oz. size that sells for $12 on the Pangea website.
Now between the bag and the toner, I've already got my money's worth, but my favorite product in the bag more than exceeded my expectations. The Exuberance is Beauty Vitamin C Facial Serum works beautifully with the Pangea Organics products, is cruelty-free, vegan and natural, and the 1 fl. oz. glass bottle of it I received sells for $64 on the Exuberence is Beauty website (this really is good stuff), but LovingEco has it for $44.80 for a very limited time (these sales usually only last a week, and I think this is the last day or two that it's offered). If you want to try it at that price, you'll really have to hurry (ha ha, just tying it in with the curry).Happy Friday everybody! :-)
