Welcome to the VeganCoach.com newsletter focusing on everyday vegan advice. The Golden Banana Newsletter is dedicated to assisting you with your everyday vegan cooking and nutrition questions.

A big humongo thank you to every one of you who responded to my recent VeganCoach.com website and newsletter poll. I sincerely appreciate the time you took to give me your opinions on what is and is not working here at Vegan Coach.

And to show my appreciation, I am offering all of you Vegan Coach VIPs two special deals this month. So be sure to check them out below.

Also this month, we'll chat about what to put in your coffee when you go vegan, the difference between apple cider vinegar and apple vinegar, and the meltability of vegan cheeses.

And the Recipe of the Month was shared with me years ago by one of the most talented chefs I know, Chef Abra Bennett from Bainbridge Island, Washington. The recipe is a keeper, for sures.

Hope you enjoy this issue of The Golden Banana, which is actually created by you with the questions you send me. Do you have a question, comment, or something else you'd like to share with our growing community of Vegan Coach fans? Please don't hesitate to fill out the form on my Contact page. I look forward to hearing from you. :O)

It is my sincere hope that the information I provide on my little website VeganCoach.com assists you in being the healthiest Vegan you can be.

Have an amazing February. :O)
Sassy

PLEASE NOTE: For an easy-to-view version of this newsletter, or past issues, please visit the VeganCoach.com Backissues Page.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Your Feedback
• Two Special Deals In February
• How Do You Like Your Coffee?
• Vegan Cheeses
• Apple Vinegar vs Apple Cider Vinegar
• RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts

As mentioned in the introduction, I was overwhelmed (in a very good way) by the outpouring of superbly sweet and kind comments in response to the recent poll sent out to all of you Vegan Coach VIPs.

Here are just a few examples:

"I remember a few months ago, you mentioned that you were limiting soy in your diet. I have eliminated soy after that, after relying on it for years. I have found that my health, specifically my health as a woman, has greatly improved."

Sassy sez: Bravo to you! So happy limiting soy in your diet has helped. It has done wonders for me as well. Cheers!

"The newsletter and site have been a tremendous help and guide for me as I incorporate veganism into my flexitarian lifestyle. I am fond of the newsletter and site because they guide the reader to eating and preparing whole foods versus recipes using processed substitutes for other foods."

Sassy sez: Thanks. My biggest goal throughout VeganCoach.com is to focus on whole foods. If your diet is stuffed to the gills with whole foods, you really can't go wrong.

"Your recipes are wonderful and easy to make ... real food which real people can whip up. I also appreciate that you encourage a vegan lifestyle without heavy handed methods."

Sassy sez: Thanks so much. It has always been my desire to create a website that everyone can feel comfy hanging out in, no matter what your diet looks like. Glad it works for you.

"I found your website shortly after committing to a vegan diet (almost exactly one year ago!) and your approach to vegan cooking really opened up worlds of food and flavor for me and made me confident about "throwing something together" when there was still food in the house and grocery day hadn't come yet so there weren't "matched sets" of food set aside for specific recipes. Your advice has really helped me "grow up" as a vegan cook."

Sassy sez: Bingo! As you may know, I used to be a recipe robot. Cooking is just more fun when you can use your creativity, isn't it?

"I think Sassy should be naked in all her photos!"

Sassy sez: Okay, that last one was written by my husband Jeff. (tee-hee)

Your comments just went on and on and on. So many positive and beautiful thoughts and compliments, and I was truly humbled. It's so special to be able to share my knowledge with so many of you who appreciate my work. Thank you, again.

And your voting results and comments will help me to make VeganCoach.com and The Golden Banana Newsletter the very best it can be because YOU are the ones who are helping to guide and create it. And I must say there are a lot of smart cookies out there. :O)

Here are just a few examples of some ideas that I'd like to address:

"I would really, really love to see more photos of the food in the recipes."

Sassy sez: Some of my recipes haven't been made for a looong time. But they are my favorites, and I WILL make them again some day. And when I do, I'll be sure to take a photo of the finished creation.

So much cooking to do! So little time! :O)

"I'd like to see techniques as well as recipes."

Sassy sez: I'll be focusing on techniques in my upcoming videos that will be scattered throughout the site. I'll be sure to let you all know right here in this newsletter when they're available.

Thanks for your patience. My list of things to do is always never-ending.

"At this point, there are a handful of products that I feel are a sincere representation of your interests."

Sassy sez: The products I mention throughout my site or in my newsletter are products I use myself and recommend for an easier or healthier vegan lifestyle. You will never catch me recommending anything that I don't 100% believe in. I respect you waaaaay too much for that. ;O)

"Quite a number of 'vegan products' are unavailable this side of the pond and certainly not up here in rural south-west Scotland, so maybe some suggestions for alternatives? I can't be your only reader from outside the USA."

Sassy sez: Hello to all of my visitors from outside of the USA. I would absolutely love to give suggestions for vegan alternatives; however, I have to be honest and say that I don't have even a teeny tiny clue about which products you can and cannot find. If you ever come across a product that I mention that you do not have access to, please write to me through my Contact page and let me know. I'll do my best to recommend a substitute.

"The biggest change I would like to see would be to move the offers for coaching and books, etc., toward the bottom. As silly as it sounds, scrolling and skimming through content to find the tips, recipes and product information is sometimes discouraging."

Sassy sez: Done! Thanks for the suggestion.

Whew! That was just a teeny sampling of some of the comments and ideas. Love it!

And as promised, here are two special deals for you to show my appreciation:

1. Vegan Essentials is a fantastic vegan shopping website offering a large number of vegan products. I shop with them all the time. They carry a huge selection of vegan food and sweets, such as Vegan Marshmallow Creme and all sorts of interesting vegan cheeses that you likely won't find in your natural foods store. They also carry skin care, candles, footwear. Well, you name it.

And they also have a large selection of what I feel are the BEST vegan chocolates out there. Just in time for Valentine's Day. Hop over to their website and search for "Rose City". These chocolates are truly DA BOMB!

The people who run Vegan Essentials are a superbly nice bunch. And their customer service is excellent and very personal.

They have generously offered each and every one of you 10% off your next order. Simply click the "enter coupon" button in the shopping cart before checkout and use code "VEG091" when prompted.

Please note: The coupon is good for one use per person.

Thanks, Vegan Essentials! :O)

Website: VeganEssentials.com

2. During the entire month of February, receive 15% off my new vegan sauce-making course Get Sauced With Sass!.

This hands-on, step-by-step instruction will help you to free yourself from the bonds of recipes and allow your creativity to shine through.

You'll gain an understanding for the ingredients you are adding to your sauce, so you can create a sauce at any time with the food you have on hand. These are ingredients that most whole-foods kitchens have on hand, like nuts, seeds, tofu, beans and whole grains.

And these are the foods that you will learn to use in creating your very own unique sauces. Your sauces will always be winners that tastes great and are healthy for you.

Now available in downloadable ebook form AND pre-printed hard copy with lay-flat binding.

Once you add your book to the cart, you will go to the checkout. In the coupon code area enter "goldenbanana", then click the "update cart" button.

Once again, here's the link: Get Sauced With Sass!

You will LOVE making your own delicious and nutritious vegan sauces on the fly. Guaranteed!

These special deals are good until the end of February. Feel free to share them your close friends and family. But please do not post them on forums or send them via email to large groups or anything like that. Thanks. :O)

Enjoy!

Dear Sassy,
I have ALMOST gone totally vegan. I just wish I could find something that actually tastes like milk for my coffee. I do NOT use any dairy except for my coffee. I've tried and tried and tried to use soy milk (all different kinds) I have even tried rice "milk". Yuk! Help!
-- Frankie, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Hi Frankie,

Before I went vegan, I drank my coffee with lots of milk and LOTS of sugar; I'm talking 3-4 teaspoons of sugar per cup of coffee. I guess I was trying to kill the flavor of the coffee.

Then when I went vegan, I was bummed because nothing tasted good in my coffee, just like the challenge you're having. So one day my husband said "Why don't you just drink your coffee black?" I said "Are you craaaazy? YUCK!!!!" But I tried it. Every 3rd or 4th cup or so, I drank it black. And little by little, it grew on me.

Now, I ONLY drink my coffee black. I totally get into the different types of coffees that are out there. Organic coffee usually has THE BEST FLAVOR!!

Give it a try.

And if that doesn't work...

...have you tried oat milk? I like Pacific Natural Foods plain oat milk. I believe it also comes in vanilla.

Hope this helps!

Dear Sassy,
I'm looking for a vegan lasagna recipe that's good. I am just beginning on the vegan journey, and I miss cheese. I have tried several of the non-dairy cheeses, but they don't melt well, despite what it says on the packages. I'm wondering if I could substitute Tofutti cream "cheese" for dairy cheese in a lasagna recipe. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
-- Sharon, Fall City, Washington

Hi Sharon,
I looooove lasagna. My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up in our Italian household. Yummmmmy.

Over the many years I've been vegan I've made lots of delicious lasagnas.

First, let's talk about the "melting" issue. I have found that most vegan cheeses melt well if they're actually tucked underneath another ingredient. For instance, if making a lasagna, you would cover the top layer of cheese in the marinara. I don't know why this is, but it does work for me.

I don't see any reason why vegan cream cheese wouldn't work. Very good outside-of-the-box thinking! So many fabulous recipes have been created by someone doing things a little differently. If you give this a go, please let me know how it turns out for you. :O)

Personally, I make my own cheeses and cheesy sauces most of the time. I recently shared this recipe with a non-vegan friend of mine who wanted to make a vegan lasagna for her lactose-intolerant dad. They all loved it, and it has become her new fave lasagna.

Here is the recipe for the sauce -- just use it as you would cheese in your favorite lasagna:

Click here for the sauce recipe.

If you'd like to learn to create your own vegan sauces from scratch using YOUR favorite ingredients, then you might be interested in my vegan sauce-making course mentioned earlier in this newsletter, Get Sauced With Sass!. This book has been getting great reviews.

Hope my ramblings have helped?

Dear Sassy,

I have been looking for apple cider and apple cider vinegar and have not found these items. I believe I can get apple vinegar. Can apple vinegar be substituted?

Also, if apple vinegar and apple cider vinegar cannot be found, what is the alternative.
-- Shifra, Jerusalem, Israel

Hi Shifra,

Pretty name. :O)

What a good question. I honestly don't know the answer. I've never seen or heard of apple vinegar. But I found this on the web. Hope it helps:

"From what I could ferret out of all the vague data, apple vinegar is the first stage (soft cider) that is further processed into (hard) cider, which is then made/further processed into apple cider vinegar. The "how" this is all done, varies, with locale and country. So while I offer words on the matter, I still don't feel it's a good answer."

Sounds like you have asked a VERY good question!

To answer your other question, the only reason I recommend apple cider vinegar is because it's soooo good for you. But you might try brown rice vinegar or another light-tasting vinegar (as opposed to, say, Balsamic).

Best wishes, Shifra.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts

These nuts are sensational. They make the perfect healthy snack, and are also very popular at parties. Makes a lot too, so freeze whatever you don't think you'll eat in 3 days. (Will last up to a month in the freezer.)

Enjoy!

1 1/2 cups almonds
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon Marash pepper (or 1/4 tsp cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoons each dried...
...oregano leaves
...thyme
...rosemary leaves
...savory leaves
...marjoram
3 tablespoons walnut oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
1 teaspoon kosher flake salt (or sea salt)

1. Mix nuts with herbs, syrup and oil. Spread in a 10"x15" sheet pan, and sprinkle with the salt.

2. Bake in a 300° oven, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, and nuts are golden under the skin (break some open to test), about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Let cool; taste and add a little more salt if desired.

Note: In lieu of fresh herbs, use dried ones (1/2 teaspoon of each). Store cool nuts airtight up to 3 days at room temperature.

As a Vegan Nutritional Consultant I assist my clients by examining their current diet to figure out areas that might need more attention. It’s nice to have someone you can go to for advice that's YOU-nique.

"Working with you, I felt at ease right away. You were very concerned with what I was or was not doing and helping me eat right as a Vegan. I felt like you were a good friend and even a family member."- Aleta J., Claremont, California

If you...

• want someone you can call on to take your hand and walk you through the maze of vegan diet and nutrition information that you are constantly bombarded with;
• need someone who can answer all your questions about how to create a successful vegan diet plan with patience and understanding;
• simply don’t have the time to figure out which foods are best for your unique nutritional needs and vegan weight loss plans;
• want to spend your time doing what YOU love instead of spending hours on research;
• have limited special knowledge about food or nutrition -- but you're ready and willing to learn more...

...then working with me, your very own personal Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coach, may be just what you need.

For more information about this service, please visit the Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coaching page.

Get *SAUCED* With Sass!

How To Create Delectable
Meat-Free, Dairy-Free and Egg-Free
Vegan Sauces
without Recipes!

Click here to learn more!

That wraps it up for this edition of The Golden Banana newsletter.

VeganCoach.com has been created to help YOU. To contact me with questions, comments or suggestions, please fill out the form on my Contact page.

Thanks! :O)