PRODUCT RAVE: Rice Milk

Today was a fabulous, fun-filled day at Trader Joe's. God, I love that store! We got to stock up on several items we go through often, one of them being Rice Milk. We have tried several of the non-dairy milk options: coconut milk, soy, hemp, hazelnut, almond. But my favorite has always been the Rice Milk. A lot of the other milks have a watery taste to it-coconut milk. Or a strong aftertaste-soy milk. Rice Milk seems to be the perfect balance-it's not watery, and does not have a taste that is overpowering. I also find that the "texture" is much more along the lines of real milk-like a skim milk. Soy and Coconut milks tend to be too thick for my liking and really overpower the taste of most oatmeals and cereals. I usually go with the original, unsweetened version because there is enough flavor in the cereal. If I am baking, I tend to add some vanilla to the rice milk to give it a more pleasing flavor for baked goods. I know that most people have tried soy milk, and for me, that was a HUGE turnoff to the idea of "fake" milk. If this is the case, I highly suggest you give Rice Milk a try! Rice Dream or the Trader Joe's brands are both my top picks!

Angry Chicken Pasta (a rare non-vegan dinner!)

My husband requested my Angry Chicken Pasta-my own creation :>

I just had the pasta and sauce, but my husband wanted the chicken with it like I had made before. Super easy-takes about 20 minutes to make, and sooooo good!

You will need:

*2 TB vegan margarine

*2 TB flour (approximate)

*5 diced tomatoes (seeds removed)

*3 cups SO Coconut Milk

*Cooking Wine

*3 cloves garlic

*salt

*McCormick Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning

*Box grilled Chicken Strips-found in Lunchmeat Section, meant for salads

In large skillet, make a roux with the margarine and flour. Then, add the Coconut Milk, splash of cooking wine, 3 cloves minced garlic, dash of salt, and the tomatoes. Simmer until tomatoes and cooked through, and the sauce has begun to thicken. Remove from heat, and blend in blender until smooth.

In separate skillet, put a small amount of oil, chicken strips, and season with the Spicy Montreal Steak seasoning. Heat until cooked through/hot.

Serve sauce over pasta, and top with the spicy chicken strips.

VOILA! Angry Chicken Pasta!!!

NOTE: Coconut milk is my new love! The original recipe I found called for heavy cream. Coconut milk is nice and creamy-practically the same consistency as heavy cream, with MUCH less calories, and even adds a nice dash of flavor to the sauce, or anything else you choose to use it for. Happy Cooking!