Weekly Intrigue (2)

As I mentioned in another entry, I am constantly amazed by all of the awesome blogs and recipes I come across. Not only that, but the fact that there are so many vegan blogs alone that I seem to discover new ones weekly. So, despite the fact that I have made few entries this week I still want to take this time to celebrate wonderful things that I have come across, something I started last week. Not all of these will be recent entries because I've decided that old entries are just as worthy of notice ;) (Naturally!)

I'd like to start off with my neice's blog, Life of a Homeschooled Teenager. She just got started and has some fun things going on, not to mention sweet pics of kitties and a chicken :)

FOOD:
Raw Cranberry Goji Berry Bars (Gluten-free Vegan Family): Raw bars are great snacks to have on hand. You can fix batches and have a week or two's worth of snacks to pack for work or wherever you might be headed. Tasty and nutritious, these bars drizzled in chocolate look delightful!

Pull-Apart Wheat Dinner Rolls (Beans and Greens): Do you love bread? Because I do! Bread is one of the many reasons that I don't ever see myself going completely raw. Kristin over at Beans & Greens says that she's found the perfect dinner roll. Well, I'm excited to try it! And this is a good time of year for such things :)

Guiltless Quiche Provencal (Yoga.Food.Art): Quiche was one thing I ate a lot before becoming vegan. A lunch stop at the local coffee shop meant a slice of quiche and bread. The images for this recipe make my mouth water and I hope to try it very soon.

Sweet Potato Tart with Maple Icing (Manifest:Vegan): I really wasn't a sweet potato fan until I met Adam and it was one of the things he requested and could not live without. My tastes have adapted since and I enjoy a good baked sweet potato or treat now and then. This looks amazing and uses dates and Agave!

Spiced Beans in Coconut Milk (Maharagwe) (The Fairest Feed): Trying a new recipe from somewhere exotic (for me anywhere outside the US) is exciting. This is an African dish that looks appetizing and filling. Not sure if I've mentioned before, but coconut milk has become one of my favorite ingredients. With this spice combination mixed with beans and tomatoes I expect some tasty results.

Cauliflower Poppers (VegWeb.com): Finger foods are very appealing to me. One of those loves you don't really lose past childhood (as with many things for me ;). These have definitely caught my eye and I will be sure to post results whenever I try them for myself!

Sweet Potato Kale Balls (Cupcake Punk): Finger foods? Well, I just covered that. These little guys also have the potential to be a hit mixed with pasta (like shown in the post) or with a variety of things I can imagine.

Pistachio Matcha Muffins (Bitter Sweet): I could not resist including this. Though, I have no idea what these might be like the idea is very intriguing. Adam loves pistachios and I'm always ready for a good muffin. Like the blogger (at Bitter Sweet), I agree that there are too few recipes that call for these wonderful nuts!

Chocolate Spritz Cookies with Candy Cane Filling (Bitter Sweet): I'm a fan of chocolate and mint combinations. These cookies look delightful and would be a hit at any holiday gathering I'm sure!

DIY Hot Pockets (Tiny Choices): This is such a great idea! I have been thinking a lot lately about items to make and freeze for quick meals. These definitely hit the spot!

Truffles: A whole label to itself? Well, I found so many good-looking recipes this week that it was hard to resist. Each of these offers something a little different, so get excited and experiment with your own version! (And please let me know if you create something wonderful!)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Cookies (Manifest:Vegan)
Chocolate Truffles for Your Vegan Valentine (La Vie En Vegan)
White Chocolate Walnut Truffles (VegSpinz)
White Chocolate Orange Almond Truffles (Vegan Etsy)

Other Things:
More At Home Toxic-Free Beauty (Diary of a Vegan): I'm always a sucker for info. on DIY natural health and body products. Though I have experimented very little in this area myself, I get very excited when I see tips from others.

Hearts for Haiti: Treat yourself and help people in Haiti by visiting this Etsy shop where 100% of proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. (Thanks to Vegancraftastic for posting an entry on this!)

Fast food slows down (Sustainable Food): Has anyone read Infinite Jest? Every time I read articles like this it seems like the future described in that book is close to reality. And that's scary. This article describes the ways fast food chains are working to capitalize on Americans' obsession with TV. (Entertainment obsession is a key element in David Foster Wallace's incredible novel.)

If you try any of these out let me know! And if you have found anything wonderful lately let me know that, too :)