You Mochi Me Crazy!

First things first — we have a winner in the Vegan Essentials gift certificate giveaway! A random number generator picked Jeni Treehugger of Heathen Vegan! Wooo! Thank you all for participating. I think I got more comments on that contest than any other in the past. Folks love 'em some Vegan Essentials.

Secondly, I must share this week's amazing breakfast — Mochi Waffles with Lemon-Walnut-Rice Syrup from The Kind Diet:

I love, love, love me some mochi. I'm a sucker for chewy foods, and food doesn't really get chewier than mochi. This microbiotic recipe from Alicia Silverstone calls for only four ingredients — mochi, fresh lemon juice, chopped walnuts, and brown rice syrup.

In case you don't know, mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into a paste and molded into a large flat square. I buy mine at Whole Foods in the cold section. You can do all sorts of stuff with it — bake it into puffy squares, fry it, or in this case, place strips in your waffle maker for the world's chewiest (and most satisfying) waffles.

The syrup is simply brown rice syrup mixed with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and toasted, chopped walnuts. It tastes sinful, but it's actually so, so healthy.

I served the waffles with two slices of my own recipe Tempeh Bacon:

This is another cookbook recipe, and I promise it's a little different from other tempeh bacon recipes out there. A secret, surprise ingredient really sets this bacon apart.

Finally, I need to mention an important fund-raising campaign for an awesome vegan small business. Last year, I reviewed Intention Cookies from Bountiful Vegan, a line of lick-your-lips, oversized vegan cookies. These cookies come in four flavors — Choco-Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Orange, Lemon Snickerdoodle, and Coconut Pineapple — and each is said to contain a little mojo magic. Depending on the flavor, the cookies are said to bring about love, prosperity, harmony, and well-being.

The cookies were launched last year, and now the company (a small business run by two awesome people — Mary and Terry — who only make vegan cookies) is embarking on its next stage of growth. They hope to increase production, and they're trying to raise $10,000 to do so. If you'd like to donate, go here. No amount is too small.

Have a great weekend. And if you have The Kind Diet, please try the mochi waffles. Perfect Valentine's Day breakfast!