Hannah Kaminsky, of Bittersweet and My Sweet Vegan ~ Paris. If anyone can sum up that city in just a few succinct paragraphs, I would be highly suspicious of how much they actually went out and experienced there. Overwhelmed by all of the words that could be said, the myriad of stories that could be told, after a mere 5 1/2 days of total immersion in the capital of France, I found it impossible to pick and choose the right ones at all.  (However, if you want to know more about the photos I posted, you can now see a few brief descriptions and explanations on Flickr.)  Speechless, stunned, and yet brimming with inspiration, I was back at work in the kitchen again as soon as we walked through the door.

Suitcases still stuffed, with both dirty laundry and happy memories, the familiar scent of buttery pastries began floating through the air, as if we had never left Paris at all. This time, however, I could actually enjoy those flaky delicacies, instead of solely photographing them.

It really wasn't that long ago when dairy-free dieters were singing the blues about ice cream. But now we have so many wonderful options, from store-bought to homemade. In fact, the past year has brought a delicious wave of "cookbooks" dedicated completely to vegan / dairy-free ice cream ... The Ice Dream Cookbook, Lick it!, The Vegan Scoop, and the new ecookbook A La Mode. Their recipe offerings range from traditional flavors like french vanlla to more adventurous flavors like Peanut Butter Bomb Shell (found in A La Mode).

The sample recipe below, from Wheeler del Torro, author of The Vegan Scoop, makes the most of the season, pairing a cool and creamy base with fresh black raspberries. The season for black raspberries is short, but have no fear, this recipe will be equally delicious with whatever ripe berries you have on hand ...

You may have noticed my recent obsession with salads and homemade salad dressings since early summer. First came the Sweet and Tangy Non-Fat Curry Vinaigrette, followed quickly by the Scrumptious Sesame-Orange Dressing. But, I had yet to attempt my favorite dressing, honey dijon. You see, my husband just isn't a fan of anything resembling honey mustard. But, I finally found my opportunity one day (when his lunch was already take care of) to whip up a batch just for myself. I looked up several recipes for this everyday dressing, but all sounded a bit muddled in my opinion. Mayo, yogurt, pepper, onion … too many distractions from the simplistic deliciousness that the basic honey and mustard combo can offer. So I winged it, and came up with my own, surprisingly simple concoction that was delicious, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and extremely low fat to boot! It can be made with either honey or agave (keeping it vegan), which is why I label this oil-free condiment Sweet Dijon Dressing. The recipe is viewable here on One Frugal Foodie.

The sleek, clean look of The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook immediately caught my eye. It isn't filled with glossy pictures, yet it is aesthetically pleasing, very simple to follow, and offers dozens and dozens of restaurant-quality vegan recipes that are surprisingly un-intimidating. I haven't been to the Sublime Natural & Organic Restaurant and Bar (located in Ft Lauderdale, Florida), but I am impressed with their mission - they donate 100% of their profits to organizations that promote animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle. Of course, if their charitable ways don't win you over, then the recipes in this cookbook just might. I was enticed by the sushi recipes, but my dairy-free colleague Sarena the Non-Dairy Queen was the first to actually trial the recipes, and she decided to start with the pizza and move onto an appetizer ...

The nutrition buzz words of the 2000’s seem to be antioxidants, Omega-3’s, and the friendly bacteria, otherwise known as probiotics. Generations of antibiotic use, an over-sugared diet, and the introduction of so many new dietary habits and chemical substances into our food supply have led to regular reports of tummy troubles and a rapidly increasing demand for probiotics. Yogurt has been a mainstay in the Western world for decades, but we are just beginning to open our eyes to kefir, a natural probiotic drink. I had my very first taste of kefir today, thanks to the new So Delicious Coconut Milk Kefir. Since this is a brand new product, and truly the first of its kind, I thought it would be helpful to offer some information about kefir, as well as my own tasting notes …