Click (Food): Mother Ordered by the Court to Cook Her Child Meat, Prison Food Weekend, Aquafaba and Vegan Macaroons

I've got questions people. Like wasn't aquafaba the name of one of the movies that helped solidify Vince's career on the television show Entourage? And don't "prison loaves" fall into the same category as punishing kids by making them read. Shouldn't we try to foster a love of nutritious eating (and reading) rather than use it as a punishment? Or how do I make a pie with those little crisscrosses on it actually look and taste good? Here's the answers to those and many more questions I've pondered this week:





Happenings:

• Mother ordered by the court system to cook her son meat at least once a week (she's a macrobiotic vegan)


• Good Long Read: I accidentally started a vegan bakery that turned my life upside down


• Fourth Generation cattle rancher transitions his ranch into an animal sanctuary


• Veganism takes over the Tampa Bay Times for a week. I have some new recipes to try out as a result


• My fourth of July just got 21 times better


• Philly Voice shares six fabulous vegan cheesesteaks that can be found in the Philly restaurant scene


• Prison Food Weekend at Eastern State Penitentiary allows you to experience punitive foods served to prisoners called "prison loaves". Don't worry, at least some of them are vegan. 

Recipes:

Garbanzo Balls from Vegan Dad

Are you up to your eyeballs in chickpeas because you have been experimenting with aquafaba? Have the kids been begging you NOT to make any more hummus? Vegan Dad has the solution, garbanzo balls.

Raspberry and Elderflower French Macaroons by Morsels and Moonshine

On the first day of kindergarten, two kids walked into the room at the exact same time. The teacher inquired about their names. The one kid, who had a bit of an accent, said he goes by Macaroon. The other kid, a scrawny kid who wore sunglasses even though they were inside, said his parents call him Vegan. The teacher processed these two responses for a moment and then sat them on complete opposite sides of the room. She figured there was no way they could ever co-exist. The two remained separated for years until a fearless lady named Aileen (of Morsels and Moonshine) decided it was time they got to know each other. Of course, none of it would've been possible without aquafaba playing the role of arbitrator. 

Raw Strawberry-Macadamia Nut Porridge from Oh Holy Basil

My first few years of teaching I had migraines nearly once a month. I always chalked it up to lack of water, sleep or food but eventually I realized that the migraines usually came on after a snack of mixed nuts. I blamed the poor innocent macadamia nuts for my misfortunes and I boycotted them. I swore there would be no more macadamia nut cookies for this man. But a vegan bake sale prompted me to give them another go and, wouldn't you know it, I came through fine. Turns out it was the Brazil Nuts doing me in. 

Vegan Plantain Brownies from Feasting on Fruit

Plantains are so cheap at my local farmer's market. If only I knew what to do with them...

Blueberry and Basil Love Pies from Gratitude and Greens

I had a dream last night where I was a gorgeous homemaker from the 1940's. I was also a closeted lesbian. I locked my deepest desires so far down into my repressed self and had no one to talk to. My only outlet was that I could make beautiful pies with crisscrossed dough pieces baked beautifully golden on top. As an amateur dream interpreter I know exactly where that one came from. I am such a failure when it comes to crisscrossing pie dough across the top of a pie. I've had absolutely zero success. Maybe this Blueberry and Basil Love Pie is where my luck turns. Or maybe I'll be back here in a month retelling the same dream.