“THE SWEET LIFE” CREATOR ~ SARAH MCMINN
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here’s certainly more going on at The Sweet Life than just a collection of amazing vegan recipes. Chef, writer, and photographer Sarah McMinn does an extraordinary job of spreading the “vegan love” with The Sweet Life, which features an assortment of dishes that are traditionally thought of as non-vegan, including French toast, crepes, quiche, frittatas, and Reuben sandwiches. Her recipes are presented with such tantalizing appeal that they to call to everyone: “Make me now!”
exactly how it’s done. The Sweet Life offers up the same perfectly spiraled pastry with that familiar rich and creamy glaze drizzled on top, but with a surprise sprinkling of shelled pistachios and a bit of orange zest thrown in for good measure. The Sweet Life suggests that you make these Cinnamon Rolls as part of an Easter feast. We say, why not dazzle your vegan and non-vegan friends and family with these sweet indulgences for a just-because-they’revegan-and-awesome celebration.
Sarah is a longtime vegan and is trained in French Patisserie. The recipes on The Sweet Life make for some of the most tantalizing and decadent vegan creations we’ve ever seen. Roasted Beet and Cashew Cheese Pizza, Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Maple Caramel Sauce are just a small sampling of the vegan food brilliance taking place on The Sweet Life.
Raw Goat Cheese Salad with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Cherries
When you throw your heart and soul into something, it’s hard not to make magic happen, and that’s what The Sweet Life is all about. It’s about being a champion for animals, who depend on blogs like The Sweet Life and other vegan supporters to be their voice. It’s about considering the environment and our global neighbors when we make food choices. And, it’s about learning to give our bodies healthy and nutritious food that actually nourishes, like food is supposed to do. Take a look around The Sweet Life and let yourself drool a little bit. Food should be that alluring and that heavenly. When you see such divine seductions like Classic Crème Brulee made vegan, there’s no turning back. Here’s to The Sweet Life! Orange Pistachio Cinnamon Rolls What’s the one dish that you’re most challenged to find in a vegan version? For many people, it’s the cinnamon roll. That ooey, gooey cinnamon taste sensation, with just the perfect combination of chewiness and fluffiness, is recreated vegan style on The Sweet Life, and we’re betting you want to know
16 - Jun/Jul | 2013 | www.blikki.com
The Sweet Life does it again! How do you win over the hearts of vegan skeptics? Give them all of the luscious, purely pleasurable food they’re used to eating, and then tell them how good it is for their body and the planet after they’ve devoured the entire vegan variety. One of the most difficult foods for non-vegans to give up is cheese, but try a quality vegan cheese made with soaked nuts and a splash of lemon juice and it’s bye-bye dairy cheese for good, in many cases. It’s an even-better-thancheese cheese! The Sweet Life presents cheese lovers with a macadamia nut “goat” cheese that gets its tangy flavor from unpasteurized white miso. When layered between sliced pears, dried cherries, and sliced hazelnuts, then topped with an apple cider vinaigrette, this salad is nothing short of bliss. Lemon Pepper Quinoa Pasta with Blackened Tofu There’s a trick to getting tofu so delicately blackened, creating those signature grill marks that not only add visual appeal but also serve as flavor triggers of sorts. The secret is in the method and in the special ingredient, so give this pasta and tofu recipe a try and see what culinary prowess you cook up. We love this Lemon Pepper Quinoa Pasta because it’s full of color, texture, and zing for the taste buds. Filled with crunchy, seared veggies and gluten-free pasta curls, it’s a hearty dish that most food lovers can delight in. {B}