Lopez's Blog

I have been teaming up with Cupid to count down the days until Valentine’s Day and provide you with great gift ideas, recipes, playlists and all! But so far I haven’t discussed my favorite thing to do on Valentine’s Day. I know you are all thinking the same thing- isn’t it obvious what two people do when they are alone, in love, and want to share something with each other? Forget the material things, the things you can eat and purchase. The most romantic thing to do on Valentine’s Day is share an experience. Here are a few ideas that will ensure this will be the most romantic Valentine’s Day that neither you or your significant other will forget!

• Make a playlist that includes songs that remind you of a time you spent together and explain each one. Cuddle up and let the bands or singer/songwriters do the talking for you! A great site to use for this is Grooveshark. You can find just about any song on there and save your playlist- and it’s free!
• Go get a couple’s massage together. This is a perfect way to relax. And afterward I can assure you will be in that light-headed romantic refreshed mood!
• Read your Horoscopes for that day and do something based on each person’s fortune.
• Do a photo shoot! There is no need to have a professional photographer when you have each other. Capture some artsy shots of your hands intertwined, or of that smile that has left you intoxicated for the other person. Or take a picture of that cute freckle she has on her shoulder blade. Or a picture of that scar he got on his knee from when you two went hiking together. Sometimes we forget to appreciate the small special things that truly matter. This is a great way to let the other person know you do not take them for granted and you appreciate them and your experiences you have shared together.
• If you are where there is tons of snow- play King/Queen of the mountain! The snow plows have officially cleared the streets and there are bound to be piles near you. Let yourselves be kids again and have a cute competition on who can get to the top first, or who makes the best snow angels. After that you can make a wonderful cup of hot chocolate and giggle away reflecting on how silly you both just were.
• Spend a couple hours together writing romantic ideas on separate slips of paper. After you get a total of 100 romantic ideas on 100 pieces of paper, then fill a jar with them. Every Sunday, from this day on, alternate who picks one and has to implement it by the following Sunday — at which point the other partner will pick a new romantic idea and have a week to follow through with it. (courtesy of The Fun Times Guide)
• Cuddle. It is simple, cost efficient, and couples don’t do it enough.

Have any more ideas that I have missed? Make sure to include them in the comments section!

And if none of the above suit you, no worries! You can take a look at some of the posts I have already put up, or you can come back here in the following days because I will be continuing the romantic countdown to Valentine’s Day!

Day 12- Make a pop-up Valentine’s Day card!

Day 11- Make a heart-shaped Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Day 10- A DIY project to make “U Complete Me” Pillow set!

Day 9- My music picks- both a pro-love and anti-love playlist!

Day 8- The Perfect Valentine’s Day presents from Etsy!

Day 7- Perfect Vegan recipe for Penna alla Vodka!

Have any ideas for future posts and gifts for Valentine’s Day? Help a chica out! Hit me up on Facebook or Twitter and let me know. In other words, spread the love.

My friend Becky Striepe saw I was counting down the days till Valentine’s with tips, recipes, playlists and etc. and she decided she would help me out and let me borrow her amazing recipe for an awesome vegan dish: Penna alla Vodka. Enjoy!

Penna alla Vodka

Valentine’s day is just around the corner, and I’m sure you’re scheming a romantic evening with your sweetie!  Never fear: we’ve got you covered with this vegan version of the Italian classic: Penne alla Vodka.  Set a lovely table, pop open a bottle of your favorite wine, and you’re all set!

What You Will Need:

1 28-oz can of organic diced tomatoes (If you prefer a smoother sauce, you’ll want to whizz the tomatoes in your blender or food processor before adding them. I like it a little chunkier, so I left them as-is.)

1 pound whole wheat penne

1/4c olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

your favorite hot sauce, to taste

salt, to taste

1/4c vodka

3/4c soy milk

2 to 3T  fresh Italian parsley, chopped (it’s pretty important to not substitute dried here)

1/2c nutritional yeast

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Sautee the garlic for a few minutes, until it’s slightly browned, and then carefully add the tomatoes.  Season with the salt and hot sauce, and then bring the tomatoes to a boil letting them simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add your vodka, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce for just a few more minutes before adding the soymilk.

Now, add the pasta to the sauce and bring it back to a boil, making sure you toss it well to get all of the penne nice and coated.  Add the parsley, drizzle a little extra olive oil into the pot, and simmer for a few more minutes to let the sauce reduce.

Take the pot off of the heat, stir in your nutritional yeast, and you’re ready to serve!

So spill it: do you guys have any fancy Valentine’s day plans?

A little bit about Becky Striepe

Becky Striepe is a vegan, independent crafter, and freelance blogger living in Atlanta, Georgia. Her passion is working with vintage fabric and salvaged materials. There’s just something about giving found objects a brand new life that really appeals to her. They lend their own stories to everything she makes!
Her indie business, Glue and Glitter, is all about using existing materials in products that help folks waste less without feeling deprived. She believes in the power of little changes: using cloth napkins instead of paper or a reusable bag instead of a plastic one. Things like this add up to make a big impact! Even the act of cooking is so much greener than takeout when you consider all of the packaging and whatnot involved in ordering that Chinese delivery. If a Lunch Kit would get you packing your lunch for work or school, or a cute apron encourages you to get in the kitchen and put a meal together, Becky hopes that she can make one to inspire you!

Oh my goodness! Only eight days left!?!

What are you to do? Well, I have offered you crafts, recipes, playalists, and you still don’t know what to do?!? Shame on you.

What is the best way to solve this problem? Buy something from someone else who does make things with their hands. This sounds like a job from my friends at Etsy!

I have gathered the cutest most nauseatingly adorable pieces of art, jewelry and clothing from some of my favorite Etsy artists. Since these are all handmade unique things, you may want to act fast, quite often there is only one of each item made.

Just click on the picture and shop away!

Love Suits You

Hearts and Stars Necklace

Unicycles

I love the Way You Love Me

Better Loving Through Chemistry

Do What You Like (Love)

Love Like the Bunnies

Love is Spoken Here

Love and Be Loved

You are My Deer

Graffiti Love

My Heart

Warm Your Heart

Wear Your Heart on Your Coffee Sleeve

Fishing For Love

Mending Your Heart

Love You Deer

Still haven’t found what you are looking for even after seeing all of these awesome items? No worries! 8th Continent Soymilk and I want you to be all set for the big day of love, so we will continue to give you ideas until Feb 14th!

Have you shown your love yet on Facebook or Twitter? You should, it is that time of year.

Also Check out the other ideas I have posted so far!

Day 12- Make an awesome pop-up Valentine’s Day card all out of recycled materials!

Day 11- Make a delicious heart-shaped vegan chocolate cake!

Day 10- A great DIY project-  “U Complete Me” Pillowcases.

Day 9- The perfect Playlists! One for pro-love and one for anti-love!

As we all know- nothing sets the mood on Valentine’s Day like an ice cold cup of 8th Continent Soymilk and a sweet supple playlist or mixtape to convey precisely the idea you are trying to express. And let’s face it, singer songwriters always seem to have those jaw-dropping, drool a little bit, wish I was on a date with that person type of traits.

Below, my buddy Cupid and I put together the perfect playlist to compliment you candlesticks and chocolate fondue!

YES! Are you in the mood?!? No?!? Oh, I see, you are one of those proud single people like me who want to enjoy their rebellious fine-by-myself attitude on a Hallmark Holiday. Don’t think we forgot about you! Nod your head and pump your fist to the below playlist, chug your 8th Continent Soymilk without wiping off the soymilk mustache because honestly- what do we care!?
We are not here to impress a significant other. We enjoy our independence! Well, at least until we have a partner. :-/ And until then- listen to the music!!!

Did I miss any songs? What songs do you listen to to celebrate your love? Or celebrate the fact that you don’t have to put up with love?
Leave your suggestions in the Comments section and you may just end up on my Valentine’s Day playlist.
You can also post a song to my Facebook or Tweet me a song!
Come back tomorrow for another day of our Valentine’s Day countdown!

Hello there 8th Continent Soymilk Lovers! So, here you are again… back to my blog on day 10- this can only mean one thing. You still don’t know what to get the brighter half of your heart for Valentine’s day.

Don’t you fear! Lopez and Cupid are here! Well, at least me, Lopez, pretending to be Cupid. I should totally buy myself a pair of wings.

Anywho!

Today is an awesome craft that I got from my friends over at Creature Comforts.

You will need:

• Two pillowcases (light colors will work best)
• Iron-on Transfer Paper for light colored fabrics. (tee-shirt transfer paper).  Be sure that it is the correct type for your color printer.  You will need two sheets.
• Color printer
• Scissors
• Iron (no steam)

How to:

Download Free valentine iron-on transfer

1. Print the PDF onto transfer paper.  Cut out carefully around the text, leaving the letters attached with a small amount of the transfer paper (see image one for how I did it).  Be careful not to scratch the surface of your transfer paper while working.  Note: the text will print backwards.  It will read correctly when applied to your pillowcases.
2. Lay your pillowcases out on a flat surface and line the words and letters up on your pillowcases with the paper-backing facing up (be sure that both sides of your text will line up to read correctly once the pillows are in use).  To give yourself an easy guide for lining up the two sections of text simply fold pillowcases in half lengthwise and insert a pin to mark where the center is.
3. A trick for ensuring that your text is straight before ironing, is to fold the lower half of your pillowcase up to the center (where you inserted the pin).  The bottom edge is now a nice straight guideline for you to arrange your words along.  I arranged my letters approximately 2 inches away from the outside edge so that when the pillowcase was stuffed the text would still be visible.  Once everything is straight iron your text following directions for use found inside your iron-on transfer paper packaging.
4. Allow design to cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing the paper backing.  For optimum usability and softness, wash before use.

And how do you give this awesome gift to the one that makes your heart got thumpety thump?

How about this:

I’m picturing vanilla scented candles, rose petals, vegan chocolate fondue, the first mix-tape you ever made each other playing softly in the background… and as that special loved one looks at the bed they see the pillow cases. “U Complete Me” The tears start welling up in the eyes, the fingers tremble, and there is a carton of 8th Continent chocolate soymilk in a silver bucket being chilled. You meet each other’s gazes and then you softly whisper in a Dr. Evil voice. “You complete me.”

And that is how you ruin a moment on Valentine’s Day Lopez style.

Or you could do everything besides the Dr. Evil impersonation and have a fabulously romantic Valentine’s Day!

Keep tuning back in for some more awesome ideas on what to do/make for Valentine’s Day!

And why don’t we go ahead and connect on Facebook and Twitter too? Ok? Deal!

We are now one more step closer to Valentine’s Day!!!

Are you ready? Of course you are not! Why? Because how does someone express how much they care for one person in one day? By one gesture? Unless you are a sonnet composer who can bake, strum an acoustic guitar, wear some silky red boxers, sprinkle rose petals and turn a bouquet of roses into a beautiful white dove all at the same time- you are probably not able to express all of what you feel for your better half.

And that’s OK. It’s not like this Holiday is known for being spontaneous, romantic and making fairytales come true. Oh wait, it is.

Let me help you out with this beautiful and amazing recipe for a Vegan Valentine’s Day Cake that I got from my friend Joshua Katcher over at his awesome site: The Discerning Brute

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
• Two 9″ heart-shaped baking pan
• 3 cups organic all-purpose flour
• 2 cups organic, unrefined sugar
• 1.5 cups organic cocoa
• 2 tsp aluminum-free Baking Powder
• 1.5 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil
• 1/4 cup organic canola oil
• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup prepared egg-replacer (Energie or Brand)
• 1 Tbs vanilla
• 2 cups 8th Continent Soymilk
• 2 cups cold coffee
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Icing
• 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (not melted)
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other non-hydrogenated margarine)
• 4 cups organic powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup soy creamer
(for pink, add 1/8 cup beet juice or 3 drops of red veg-based food coloring)
Marzipan
• 1 cup marzipan
• Natural veg-based food coloring
• Small cookie cutters

CAKE DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375º, and coat your pan with non-stick cooking spray or canola oil.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
3. In a separate bowl (or using a mixer) beat the coconut oil, canola oil, shortening, egg replacer, and vanilla until fluffy.
4. Pour the coffee and soymilk onto the dry mix, then add the whipped oil and egg-replacer, and stir in the chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes (or until edges pull away from sides of pan).

FROSTING DIRECTIONS
1. Beat the shortening, coconut oil, and margarine until smooth.
2. slowly add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.
3. Finally, add vanilla and soy-creamer and beat for about 5 minutes until fluffy.

For decorating, you roll out the colored marzipan and cut out shapes with small cookie cutters. (Heart shapes were used for the picture above.)

Frost your cake, add your marzipan  cutouts and watch as your significant other realize how significantly sweet you are for making this amazing Vegan Heart-Shaped Cake.

To watch the decorating how-to video and to read more about Joshua Katcher and his awesome recipes, check out The Discerning Brute.

And come back tomorrow so I can give you another tip on how to make Cupid proud. Make sure to link up with me on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Hearts!

Lopez

Who out there is still completely lost at what they are going to get their special someone for Valentine’s Day?

I will be teaming up with that little cute chubby cherub named Cupid to bring you gift ideas and loving gestures so that your Valentine’s Day present doesn’t totally flop. (Not saying that you can’t do it on your own and your gift isn’t good enough. Just saying everybody needs a little help every now and again. I’m sure you are suave and dashingly charming.)

OK, now that I have addressed the emotional crowd- let’s make an awesome pop-up card for your one and only out of completely recycled materials!

Have any other tips to help me and Cupid out? Leave it in the comments below!

Or, just hit me up on Twitter or Facebook.

When I tell people I am vegetarian, I get the same question time and time again:

“But… what do you eat?!?”

Many people find it difficult to believe that you can live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and not starve– but it is true.

Not only that, but I find some great meals that fill me up and give me enough energy to rock out every day. And it’s not just me… let’s take a look at some of our favorite veggie celebrities!

Alicia Silverstone

The star of Clueless is most certainly a vegetarian! Not only was she in three awesome Aerosmith music videos (Crazy, Crying and Amazing), but she rounded up her music video career starring in Rob Thomas’s “Her Diamonds”.

AFI

With such songs like “Girls not Grey” and “Silver and Cold”, AFI has proved themselves to be a a force to be reckoned with on the Billboard charts, and in the vegan kitchen. All of these rockers are vegan!

Andre 3000

He changed the face and sound of hip hop in arguably one of the best groups of the genre: Outkast… all while being vegan. I dare you not to dance to his smooth rhymes and amazing beats!

Toby Mguire

Spiderman is vegan, need I say more?

Billy Idol

This rocker is known for his bad attitude, rebel yell, and curled lip– but not for eating meat. That’s right, The bad boy Billy Idol is 100% vegan!

Ellen Degeneres

As the hilarious hostess of the Ellen show, we have grown to love, laugh and dance with this woman! She is a vegan!

Woody Harrelson

Woody played a natural born killer in the movies, but he is everything but! Not only is he an environmentalist, but he is also a vegan.

Who are your favorite celebrity vegetarians and vegans? Either leave a comment and let me know or post their picture on the Facebook Page!

Also if we haven’t connected on Twitter yet- let’s do that!

Hello all of my soymilk lovers out there!

We now have an easier way for you to get your $2.00 coupon!

Go to my Facebook Fan Page

Become a Fan

Go to the Discussion Board

and Print out your coupon!!

Do you want a photo of yourself up on this site with your 8th Continent purchase?

Just post a picture of yourself enjoying your 8th Continent on the fan page and I will feature you with your favorite soymilk drink right here!

Oh- and have we connected yet on Twitter???

Want a $2.00 coupon for any of the flavors/varieties of 8th Continent Soymilk?

All you have to do is join my Facebook Fan Page and write on the wall:

“I want my coupon!”

I will then send you a URL to the special printable coupon just for you!

Just a little way for me and everyone at 8th Continent to say thank you.