​Made with love and vegetables

 By Kathleen Keene

HPR had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with the Minneapolis based saucy Showgirl Mistress Ginger upon the release of her cookbook “Mistress Ginger Cooks: Everyday Vegan Food for Everyone” .

HPR: How did you get into performing?

Mistress Ginger: I was made for the stage! I love singing, dancing, and making audiences happy. I had big dreams of being a cabaret diva, and that ambition has taken me to where I am today. I never set out to be a cookbook author, however. That happened by accident.

HPR: What inspired you to write a cookbook?

MG: My many lovers. No, really! So often I would make a delicious meal for a gentleman caller, and then he would ask me to take him grocery shopping, explaining that he didn’t know a thing about a red bell pepper. This happened so often that I thought geez, I need to write all the recipes down, put in some very clear instructions for the newbie to plant-based cuisine, and throw in an array of gorgeous pictures of myself – just to whet their appetites. Now when they call for a vegan cuisine tutorial, I just give them a copy of my cookbook. (I always have a few copies stashed by my nightstand. Very convenient.)

HPR: Does you specialize in vegetarian cooking? If so, what inspired your vegetarianism?

MG: I actually specialize in vegan cuisine – no meat, dairy, or eggs. I started eating a vegan diet more than a dozen years ago. At first I was motivated by health reasons. I just noticed that I felt better when I ate more of a plant-based meal. Then I learned more about the ethical dimension of vegan eating, about what animals endure in factory farms and I thought, I don’t want to be a part of that. You know, it’s the golden rule. “Do unto others, blah, blah, blah…”

HPR: Where does Mistress Ginger get her recipes?

MG: I’ve certainly taken inspiration from the non-vegan foods I grew up eating. Many recipes in my cookbook are veganized versions of things my momma used to make for me.

HPR: Can you give us a list a few of your favorites?

MG: Certainly! My Barbarian Torte is a veganized version of my mother’s Bavarian Torte. I replaced the heavy whipping cream with whipped coconut cream, I substituted the cream cheese with a nondairy cream cheese, and I used a simple egg replacer as a binder. That’s that! Just look at the photo, and I dare your mouth not to start watering.

Lip-Smackin’ Lasagna is another veganized version of something lots of us grew up enjoying. It’s great for special occasions since it’ll feed a big crew and impress even the most meaty of the meateaters. It’s cheesy, meaty, and sumptuous without any animal products. Believe it, baby!

The Call-Me-Anytime Scramble is the vegan’s answer to scrambled eggs. No eggs needed here! Protein-rich crumbled tofu is generously seasoned and infused with flavor. It’s a great complement to pancakes for breakfast, but I enjoy it any time of the day. Enjoy it alongside some Gorgeous Grains and Goddess Greens for a fantastically filling meal.

HPR: What inspired your passion for cooking?

MG: My recipes are a product of my desire to fuel myself as a singing and dancing showgirl. I needed sustenance to thrive and dazzle my audiences, but I also wanted the food to taste damn good. And so I found myself in the kitchen, concocting recipes that would satisfy my six-foot-showgirl appetite. That said, I don’t consider myself a foodie, and I sure as hell don’t spend all day in the kitchen. I’m leading a snazzle-frazzle life, singing, dancing, and lovemaking. That’s the message that I want to share: Even if you’ve got a hustling and bustling life in the fast lane, you can find ways to infuse your life with more plant-based cuisine, and it can be fun!

Signed cookbooks will be available at the Fargo-Moorhead VegFest for $20 each.

Signed books can also be ordered at mistressgingercooks.com.

Books are also available on Amazon, though they are not autographed.

For more Mistress Ginger check out her website: mistressgingercooks.com and junkyardtheater.com

IF YOU GO:

FM Vegfest

Sunday October 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Moorhead Center Mall