Homemade Infused Vodka Cocktails

I had one of the absolute BEST cocktails ever this past weekend when I was in Boston. Cucumber vodka and lemonade - Couldn't be simpler, but couldn't taste any better! Its the perfect combination of strong, smooth and refreshing.

The cocktail I had was made with SquareOne Organic Cucumber vodka. Unfortunately for me, it proved difficult to find. And though I love me a good drink, I couldn't see myself driving 45 mins to the closest retailer.

And then my AH HA moment came!
I'm sure I could make my own! I headed down to the liquor store, picked up a bottle of plain vodka (Tenure is one of my fav bangs for the buck) and then headed to the grocery store and picked up a cucumber. I dumped the vodka into this canister , washed the cucumber, sliced it up and put them into the vodka with two small lemon peels. I let it sit for 3 days, then I put it back into the original bottle and put it in the freezer to chill.

It made the best cocktail!

Cucumber Infused Lemonade

Equal parts Cucumber Vodka and Newman's Own Organic Lemonade.
Serve in a highball glass over ice, with a slice of the marinated cucumber. I'm sure a sprig of fresh basil would be good in there as well!

Now that I know how easy it is to infuse your own vodkas I cant wait to try more variations!

Fourth of JULY

Another 4th of July has come and passed. My family celebrated with the usual annual family cookout/pool party. I think its safe to say that thanks to the heatwave we are having here in good old New England, the pool was the most honored guest at the party.

I had some great simple food, my mother makes a killer pasta salad that tastes so good, you wouldn't believe how easy it is to put together.



Mom's Red Wine Vinegar Pasta Salad

- 1 box rotini pasta, cooked and drained

- 1 cucumber chopped

- 1 pkg shredded carrots (or four carrots if you are shredding them yourself)

- 3 stalks of celery chopped

- 1 can of black olives (optional)

- 1 can artichokes chopped (optional)

- 1 bottle red wine vinegar dressing



Add all ingredients together in a large bowl, toss with red wine vinegar dressing just before serving. (if you mix it in too long before you serve it, the pasta and veggies will become soggy) Serve extra cold



I know some people out there are very sensitive to soy products, this weekend I tried a new vegan sausage that was delicious, with NO soy. I actually almost spit it out because I thought I took a real sausage by mistake! Fieldroast is an amazing vegan sausage ! I tried the Italian, but I'm eager to try the others! I should have taken a picture of my sandwich before I ate it, but I had the sausage in a sub roll, with some onions, peppers and mushrooms roasted with olive oil on the grill. It was out of this world! In fact I'm craving one now, even thought its only 10 AM and I haven't even finished my coffee yet.

-Comatose Consuelo Can't Handle the Raging HEAT!

In light of the heatwave and my lack of air conditioning, I'm looking for some recipes that require little to no cooking. (I think if I turn my oven on this week I will literally VOM) Lets see what I can find !

Another Vegan Wine Tasting

What a stupendous weekend I had! Got together with all the people I love best, to celebrate one of my favorite times of the year, My Birthday! Okay I know that sounds a bit conceded, it's not really the birthday part that I love, its more the getting together with all the people I care about and taking time out to celebrate gaining another year's worth of knowledge and experience with this thing I call my life. AHHHH- and so the Birthday week begins!

Also celebrating his 6th birthday on Sunday, was my man Bailey Bear. 6?!?! How did this happen? He'll always be a pup to me, and anyway getting older seems to suit him well. Below is a picture of the Birthday Boy and the Un-Birthday Boy celebrating yesterday on the front porch.

They got a very special meal and for dessert, leftover watermelon rinds. Can't seem to figure out why, but they sure do love 'em.

Also yesterday I tried a new vegan wine. Orleans Hill, the maker of Our Daily Red, makes a variety of other vegan, organic wines. Yesterday I tried their Syrah. Being honest with myself, I must say, I thoroughly enjoy almost all wines. This one was not my favorite, but it was still pretty good and a good organic vegan substitute to your regular wine shop choices. I actually got this one at the grocery store, I was surprised/elated to see vegan wines there!! It almost had a sort of dark chocolate, coffeeish taste to it. It was nice to sip on a lazy hot summer Sunday, watching two tired beagle boys napping on the front porch.

Destination Birthday Week Population = Me

Most wines not vegan? Say it aint so!

I stumbled upon a website http://www.planetgreen.com/ I've literally been surfing for HOURS. There is so much information here!

I've learned a lot of interesting facts, but I think the number 1 thing I've learned is that MOST wines are not vegan! (my heart skips a beat )

During the filtration process a lot of wine makers can use animal based products to fine tune their wine's taste. Such as.... egg albumen, gelatin, isinglass, and bone marrow. ( ......Woof) Granted they only use these ingredients in minute amounts, I figured I would share a couple of vineyards that create vegan and organic VINO.

http://www.badgermtnvineyard.com/- I've had their Chardonnay before ... Not too shabby.

http://www.ourdailyred.com/ - Make a great organic, sulfate free, vegan wine called Our Daily Red.

More to come as I taste :)

Cookie Monster

Just had the most amazing cookie on the planet! ! Sorry Mom, yours are delicious too.

Earlier this week I made a trip up to A Market in Manchester, NH with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousins visiting from VT - Love when they come down! I cant believe that I'd never been there before. They have been around since 1970!.....WHOA..... years before me. Anyway, they have a wide variety of vegan products, a lot of which you can't find at your local grocery store, well at least I can't. So, I felt quite literally like a kid in a candy store! I bought a few odds and ends, among them, some amazing organic peaches! TO DIE!





http://www.amarketnaturalfoods.com/






While we were checking out my Aunt spotted some vegan cookies wrapped up in the "candy" aisle. "They have Liz Lovelys " she said. I had no idea what that meant but I was definitely in for a good surprise. Liz Lovely is a vegan cookie company, and they also carry options for people who are allergic to wheat and gluten (sigh, like me) I wasn't expecting much, I mean please, they are vegan, AND they have no wheat flour? How can that possibly not taste like pure cardboard? I was proved soooo wrong after the first bite! YUMMO :) I had the ginger molasses, but I can't wait to try the others. Can you say Cookie Monster?





Enjoy <3

Beauty Products...Veganized

Lets face it ... get it FACE - it? (Okay...That was my one allowable lame pun of the day) Finding cruelty free and vegan health and beauty products isn't always the easiest task. Especially if your local stores and shoppes do not carry products that are as adoptive of your views.

With your skin being the largest organ of the body, I like to live by the notion that you shouldn't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth. That being said I like to stick to beauty products that have as natural and organic ingredients as possible.

One of my favorite stores to shop for beauty products is LUSH on Newberry Street in Boston. Almost everything is in the store is vegan and everything is completely cruelty free. Their soaps and lotions feel amazing on your skin and they all smell delicious. My favorite is Sultana of Soap, I can't get enough of it!! If you're in the Boston area check them out! If you're not so close by... check them out online, you WILL NOT be disappointed www.lush.com

Also the Peta website has a complete list of companies that DO and DO NOT test their products on animals and they have marked the ones that are completely vegan with a big ol V for Van-fucking -tastic! The list can be found here: http://search.caringconsumer.com/search_list_icons.aspx?Donottest=3&Product=0&Dotest=-1

Happy Hunting!