Vegan in Bellingham

  Every year when the Fall weather hits and the days begin to grow shorter and grayer, I find myself going into hibernation-nesting mode. My husband and I had a lot of fun this summer with our long weekend getaway trips and dining out whenever our hearts desired, but now I am afraid it is time to start thinking about getting back to basics and being a little more financially responsible. So since this is on my mind, I thought I'd share some tips for eating and living vegan while on a budget. Tip Number One : Before you go grocery shopping, take a casual inventory of your kitchen cupboards and fridge and throw out what's old while making a list of what you are running low on that you know you will need. There is no point in keeping something for forever because you think you might use it if you never do. And, taking mental stock of what you have that you do want to use might spark ideas of potential dishes that you could make. Tip Number Two : Menu plan a week...

A hobby that I have had for years is snipping recipes from magazines. I save the ones that look interesting and organize them in a little notebook. They don't even have to be vegan recipes because you can always convert a non-vegan recipe into a vegan one.  Awhile ago I made these yummy "Blueberry-Coconut Crunch Muffins" from a recipe originally posted in Sunset magazine that I saved and then vegan-ized. They were really easy to make and super yummy. In a large bowl, mix together: 2 cups flour 1 cup vegan sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda In another bowl, mix together: 1 cup applesauce 3 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 cup vegan milk 1/4 cup lime juice 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly just moistened. Stir in 1 1/4 cup frozen blueberries. Divide the batter evenly into a muffin tin either sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with muffin paper. In another bowl, mix together ...

Zoe's Bookside Bagels , which offers vegan bagels from The Bagelry,   is now open in the library! Come check it out and enjoy a coffee/snack break.  (photo by Heather Dalzell, courtesy of Western Libraries , and taken from their website .)