Project Veganism

A note to Mom.

2009-07-08T15:27:00.008-05:00

When I was accepted for a summer internship in LA, my mom

was kind enough and crazy enough to agree to drive across the country with me.

We laughed; we cried (really).

We left in one car

and arrived in another. (As seen in the reflection.)

We made friends with a firefighter (and secretly snapped a photo).

We spent five hours in Mason City, Iowa.

We played 20 questions quite unsuccessfully by mixing up East and West relative to the Mississippi. (Good thing we were relying on the GPS for the actual trip.)

We drove around Omaha.

We searched for Ogalalla.

We took pictures of our feet.

We celebrated in a complementary upgraded suite in Vegas after a 15 hour day of driving.

We gambled, rather, she gambled.

We ate vegan donuts.

We made friends at WB.

We had a much needed drink in LA.

Despite tow trucks, rampant rain, and little sleep we had a good time. And it wouldn't have been such a good time with anyone but you, Mom. Thank you.

A short food rant.

2009-07-08T14:37:00.008-05:00

I abandoned ship... 6 months ago. But last night I had a post-worthy experience. So I'm back on board.

(And Chipotle is hosting free screenings across the country.)

Food Inc. Such a powerful movie. It's amazing to me how many people are content with being ignorant about where their food comes from. Like most vegans, I'm often asked WHY? "WHY would you give up meat and dairy?" As soon as I begin to talk about where these products come from and the treatment of animals, I often hear "NO! Don't tell me! I don't want to know." Everyone seems to have a sense of the cruelty of slaughter, but the neatly cut and cleaned, plastic wrapped animal meat at the grocery store hides these realities.

As soon as we left the theatre, B said, "But they didn't say what you SHOULD eat." And I think that was the point. The movie won't tell you to be an omnivore, a vegetarian, or a vegan. It simply tells you to know where your food comes from. Be accountable. Don't be complacent. We make important choices about our health, the well being of animals, and the well being of the planet three times a day. Eat veggies. Eat animals. Eat whatever you want. But eat wisely rather than ignorantly.

Oh happy day.

2009-01-20T14:25:00.002-06:00

Today I "om"-ed for Obama. After watching the live stream of the inauguration address in a coffee shop on campus, I went to yoga. During most classes, there's a point when everyone closes their eyes and thinks of a selfless dedication. Today our dedication was guided by the instructor:

"Whether you're a democrat or a republican, today let's send some love to Obama. Let's set an intention of change and hope."

And with that the room vibrated with three oms that sounded like one big smile.

It's been a while.

2009-01-17T11:24:00.004-06:00

I'm blogging from a local coffee shop where I just overheard the owner comment: "Above zero temperatures sure do great things for business."

In the past week temperatures here in MN have dipped far below zero, and today the "feels like 11 degrees" reported by weather.com feels downright tropical. Instead of stepping outside and feeling the insides of my nostrils instantly freeze upon inhalation, the air today felt comfortable, livable, even enjoyable. Ah, the frozen tundra.

The cold is no excuse for my lack of blogging, especially since it has spanned much longer than a week. Thanksgiving to Chanukah/Christmas is a blur in my mind. During winter break I was lucky enough to escape the cold and vacation in Las Vegas and Palm Springs with my family. One of the highlights of the trip was a cheap, but uncommon thrill: vegan donuts.

On our way to the Hoover Dam, we made our way to the outskirts of Las Vegas to Ron's Donuts. The small white building was unimpressive from the outside, but the rows of freshly baked vegan donuts more than made up for the appearance.

The raised glazed, raised chocolate, long john, and bear claw are all vegan. (About 2/3 of their donuts were vegan.) My favorite, though, was the donut holes. Those were gone long before we made it to the dam.

After a long car ride and a $100 game of 20 questions (thanks again Z for sharing your winnings; no thanks to W for almost losing our shares), we finally made it to the magnificent Hoover Dam.

(Mom and Sha: I hope this made you happy!)

Long time, no blog.

2008-11-12T14:45:00.005-06:00

I finally found a camera cord! Not the one that came with my camera, but it works nonetheless.

It's midterms. Again. One down, and one to go. My food hasn't been all that interesting lately. Salads and fruit packed for lunch at school most days. Lots of mac n' cheese n' broccoli has hit the spot many nights now that the weather has turned cold. If I can tear myself away from my toxicology book tonight, I'll make a big pot of soup to eat over the next week or so.

Since I don't have any pictures of my food, I'll just share a funny one. My youngest brother turned 4 a couple weeks ago. Our sister is 2. When asked what kind of cake he wanted for his party, he said, "Chocolate." She said, "And I'll have a Dora cake." Despite many explanations that it was his birthday and his cake, she continued, "Yes. And I'll have a Dora cake."

The argument was futile. If you knew her, you'd understand.

My dad said if I whine enough, I can have my own cake next time, too.

French Meadow = Yum.

2008-11-12T14:37:00.003-06:00

I had dinner at French Meadow with my aunt last weekend. A year ago when I my dad and I ate there, I had a phenomenal risotto from the daily specials menu, and it was so good that I've been dreaming about it ever since. To my delight, risotto was on the menu again, so I was able to make a decision much quicker than usual.

The risotto was different from the last time I had it, but it was just as rich and flavorful. Black barley, oven-roasted tomatoes, squash, cauliflower, marinated tempeh, and spinach. The dark restaurant and my eagerness to dig in made it difficult to get a good picture.

I also indulged in a piece of turtle cake, but that was long gone before I even thought about my camera.

October Daring Bakers Challenge

2008-10-29T21:35:00.004-05:00

This month I joined the Daring Bakers, a group of bloggers that take on a baking challenge every month. This month's challenge was homemade and hand-tossed pizza dough. Coincidentally, I'd been wanting to try making my own pizza dough for weeks. This was the kick-in-the-butt I needed to actually do it.

The recipe made enough dough for 6 medium-sized pizzas. I prefer to use whole wheat flour as often as possible when baking. For this challenge, I decided to use white whole wheat flour. It's 100% whole wheat, but has a lighter taste and texture that traditional whole wheat flour. It gave the crust a slightly nutty taste, which I didn't mind.

I tested the first three with my brother, Z, and his friend. Tough crowd. I bought the necessary non-vegan toppings for them: cheese and pepperoni. The funny part was that when I went to the grocery store, I couldn't remember where these items were kept. I also picked up Davanni's pizza sauce and spinach for myself for a simple pizza. Unfortunately, between my nervousness and my appetite, I forgot to take pictures. However, the verdict was good: we all enjoyed the pizzas.

Having completed the challenge so early, I tossed the 3 extra dough balls in the freezer and forgot about them until last night. So I tossed one in the fridge to defrost last night, and I set out to make myself dinner tonight. I borrowed my mom's pizza stone and heated the oven to 500F. Then the trouble began.

I split the dough in half to make two small pizzas. I then tossed the dough and topped the first pizza with some of the leftover white bean and walnut bruschetta topping. At this point I realized that I had no means of transferring the pizza to the stone in the oven. So, using my hands and a spatula I clumsily dropped the pizza onto the stone. It turned out great.

Then the fire alarms started. First in the kitchen. Then in the hallway. Then in my roommate's room. I frantically ran to each one, flailing a towel in front of it to fan away the smoke. As soon as I had one off, another would start again. I opened my roommate's window, which I'm sure she'll really appreciate when she gets home.

So I took to my second option: the toaster oven. This worked surprisingly well. I turned out a perfect, albeit oddly shaped, pizza with tomato sauce, spinach, and basil. Next time I won't push my old oven to 500F.

Vegan MoFo: Chocolate chip scones

2008-10-29T14:01:00.001-05:00

I've been craving scones ever since attending a high tea event last weekend. I watched all of the non-vegan scones go by, wishing I had made some of my own. Well, today, with the help of my mom's kitchen, I finally got around to it.

These won't last long.

Vegan MoFo: Pièce de résistance

2008-10-28T08:02:00.005-05:00

After trying my first piece of vegan cheesecake last week, I was in love. Before becoming vegan, I loved cheesecake. I was wary of trying vegan cheesecake because I didn't want to be disappointed. Now I'm hooked.

I made this double layer pumpkin cheesecake from FatFree Vegan for our dessert last night. This, of course, is not a fat-free recipe. Regardless, this is the perfect for Thanksgiving or any other day of the year.

The picture doesn't do it justice. And according to my grandparents, it could even fool non-vegans.

Vegan MoFo: Dinner for three

2008-10-27T22:00:00.005-05:00

Tonight I made dinner for my Grams and Papa John. Other than a poker night and some meals for B, this was my first time entertaining at my apartment. I was inspired by (or copied) a meal that B made for me this summer. White bean and walnut bruschetta and lemon garlic pasta from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. I also added a salad with living caesar dressing from the same cookbook.

We started with the bruschetta. I have some leftover topping, which will be tasty in a toasted sandwich tomorrow.

I LOVE this salad dressing. It's amazing how a blend of raw nuts can mimic the cheesy taste of caesar dressing. Check out the recipe here.

After an appetizer and salad, this light, simple pasta with lemon, garlic, basil, and pine nuts hit the spot. Yum.

I think we all would agree that dessert was the best part of the meal. So I'll save that for tomorrow...

Favorite things.

2008-10-24T20:59:00.003-05:00

Oprah has her list of favorite things, so I figure I can have one, too.

Here's the first one:

I found this lotion recently at my local department store. I was excited to find a new brand in the cosmetics area: Lush. I had only heard of Lush and knew that they carried many vegan bath and body products. Turns out that their products are also very green, and they only source ingredients from companies that do not engage in animal testing. They're such a small company that a cartoon of the actual person who made each product appears on the packaging.

The coolest thing about this lotion is that information about a charity appear on the cover of each pot, and every penny (except the tax) that you pay from the product goes directly to that charity.

Check it out here.

Vegan MoFo: Mac n' cheese (n' broccoli)

2008-10-23T13:24:00.004-05:00

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes. While you may not be able to fool someone into thinking that it's dairy cheese, it has the same comforting taste as "real" mac n' cheese.

I make this so often that I measure out the dry ingredients in quadruple and store them in a container. I figured out how much of this mixture, almond milk, and water it takes to make one big serving, so it's just as easy as making blue box mac n' cheese, but so much tastier and much more vegan.

I like to add broccoli to make this a one pot meal. I also like to make a lot, as you can tell from the overfull bowl.

Thanks Dad.

2008-10-21T21:38:00.003-05:00

When I left Boston to come back home to Minneapolis for grad school, I considered my family to be one of the main reasons for the move. What I did not consider was that they would want to feed me. Had I known this, I might have come home sooner. (Just kidding.)

Last night my dad took me out to dinner. Then we got groceries. Every parent must know how wonderful free groceries are for students.

Here's the loot, a sampling of what I regularly eat:

Mixed greens, baby carrots, bananas, apples, broccoli, bread, and Salt and Pepper Kettle Chips for late night snacking.

Vegan MoFo: Brussel Sprouts

2008-10-20T21:32:00.002-05:00

These little guys get a bad rap. When properly prepared, they're delicious. If you need more incentives, they're also chock full of vitamins K and C, and they also have lots of cancer-fighting phytonutrients.

I love roasted brussel sprouts, but today I decided to try this recipe. Brussel sprouts, red onion, garlic, vegetable broth, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

(I made the mistake of photographing my reheated leftovers rather than the original dish.)

If you still have doubts, remember that onions can make just about anything taste good.

Vegan MoFo: Cheesecake makes everything better

2008-10-18T16:08:00.006-05:00

Since graduating from college, I've felt like I need to dress more like an adult. Today I tried to remedy that with some shopping. I had gift cards to burn. Guilt free shopping. I spent an hour in one store. I went in the dressing room 4 times. I walked out with nothing. This is why my mom won't go shopping with me.

I needed something to ease my feelings of frustration and failure. So I picked up a slice of vegan cheesecake, my first ever slice of vegan cheesecake, at Galactic Pizza and rented the movie Sex and the City.

Ah, all better.

(I was going to put this on a plate until I realized that the container was made out of PLA, a compostable plastic. The college I attended had a research program dedicated to PLA, so I will forever get excited when I see it being put to use in the real world. Kudos to Galactic Pizza for being so green. They even deliver their pizzas in electric cars wearing superhero costumes.)

Vegan MoFo: Raw Vegan Donut Holes

2008-10-17T17:28:00.004-05:00

Don't get too excited like I did. These did not turn out so well. Turns out when a recipe calls for a food processor you really need a food processor.

Yes, a food processor is on my wish list. I think there might even be one waiting for me in my mom's kitchen. Today, though, I decided that I could finely chop a cup of almonds using a knife and cutting board. In retrospect, I could have gone to Target or to my parents', picked up a food processor, come back home, and chopped the nuts in less time than it took to chop them myself. And they would have actually been finely chopped. And I wouldn't have a blister on my finger.

So they look nice:

And they don't taste bad. They just have very large pieces of almond in them. Rather than a nice almond meal to hold this sticky treat together.

On an unrelated note, check out this video of the presidential candidates roasting each other at a fundraiser last night:

McCain and Obama Palling Around? Must Be the Al Smith Dinner

Vegan MoFo: If you're ever in LA...

2008-10-16T00:04:00.005-05:00

Go to Real Food Daily, and order the Salisbury seitan, complete with Caesar salad, mashed potatoes, and gravy:

(Disclaimer: I ate this meal 4 months ago. Can you tell I'm trying to redeem myself in Vegan MoFo when I reach back this far for something to post about?)

This meal was so good that I had to stop myself halfway through because I wanted to enjoy it again as leftovers.

Did I mention that Forest Whitaker, a vegan, was seated only a few tables away? That celebrity sighting, the only celebrity sighting, made my summer Hollywood experience complete.

We didn't want to interrupt his dinner, so the only other photo I have is this one that I poorly set-up outside the restaurant. B, me, and the shadow of the valet attendant who took our photo.

Don't touch that food yet. Have you washed your hands?

2008-10-15T10:41:00.008-05:00

Clearly my MoFo isn't going so well. I'm still shooting for 20 total this month, though. The midterm, papers, and a presentation are to blame for the interruption. I'm happy to report that despite my shell-shock, I did quite well on my midterm. Now I'm busy panicking about pandemic flu and trying to keep my personal anxiety about it out of my paper.

This isn't really vegan food-related, but before you prepare your vegan food today, keep in mind that it is:

Instead of vegan food, I bring you an important public health message.

In developing countries millions of children die every year from preventable respiratory and diarrheal infections. One of the Millennium Development Goals is to reduce this number by two-thirds. One way to address this goal is to teach children how to properly wash their hands with soap and water. This may seem obvious, but in many cultures, it is not a regular practice.

We are fortunate enough to live in societies in which infectious diseases are much less prevalent and handwashing is already a cultural norm. However, a recent study in London found that 1 out of 4 commuters had fecal bacteria on their hands. Eew. Remember that the next time you skip a stop at the sink.

Also, keep in mind that colds and other winter bugs can be prevented by regular handwashing with soap and warm water.

(Don't bother with antibacterial soap. Regular old soap will get the job done without messing with your body's good bacteria.)

WASH YOUR HANDS.

Thus ends my PSA.

Weekend of food.

2008-10-13T00:00:00.009-05:00

This weekend I went to visit that guy who sent me flowers. We'll call him B. B is the perfect person to cook for because he'll eat anything. He's not a vegan, but he always has almond milk in his fridge, which makes me feel welcome.

Missed photo-ops:

Of course, I forgot to take a picture of one of my favorite things. I made the cheezy sauce from Veganomicon and mixed it with salsa to create my own salsa con queso. It reminded me of the salsa and processed cheese blend that you can buy in a jar at the grocery store, but better. I don't crave cheese like I did before I went vegan, but it's still fun to try to recreate old favorites.

This pasta e fagioli recipe (minus the prosciutto) hit the spot for a cold weather meal. I crave pasta and soups when fall arrives, so to have both in one dish was perfect.

Here's the food that I managed to photograph:

Cauliflower popcorn. This was so simple and so delicious. The perfect snack. I can't believe I'd never tried it before. Cauliflower roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Tofu scramble with onions, garlic, (canned) fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles, broccoli, and a little leftover salsa con queso. (We both went back for seconds.)

B made me dinner one night. A soup that we both love: North African Chickpea and Kale Soup. The kale at the grocery store looked suspicious, so we used baby spinach instead.

The meal we were most excited for, though, was this:

Boneless chickenless hot wings. Of course, these wouldn't fool anyone, but they were delicious. I think this recipe was meant to feed a family of four, and we ate them all.

Who says you can't find good vegan food in Oshkosh, Wisconsin?

Catching up.

2008-10-07T22:05:00.007-05:00

I had my first graduate school exam tonight. Oy. I sat so mesmerized after the exam that my professor remarked, "Are you shell-shocked?"

Yes, yes I was. And the feeling persisted. I later spent a good 10 minutes staring at the juice and smoothie menu at the coop. Not reading. Just staring.

Cooking calms me, so I found time to make myself a big lunch before heading to school.

I love brown rice spaghetti in Asian dishes. I threw this one together with garlic, broccoli, Szechuan sauce, shoyu, seasoned rice vinegar, and a little chili sauce.

On a non-food note, big congratulations to my dad and my aunt for running the Twin Cities Marathon this weekend!

The cute kids are my youngest siblings. I'll save the family tree for another day.

Challenge completed

2008-10-04T22:55:00.005-05:00

I finished the list today (minus the apples). And nothing went in the trash! I don't know about you, but I always feel like I forget about something in the back of the fridge, and by the time I find it, it's inedible. I hate seeing food go to waste, so with a little planning and some googling for recipes, I used everything. There are soup leftovers in the freezer, and I still have some apples to eat as snacks over the next few days. But I'm calling this challenge complete.

I gave the omelet a second shot this morning. It looked good in the pan.

Again, the flip was a flop.

I think I might have a temperature issue. It seems like the tofu isn't setting in the right amount of time. I will keep trying, though. Before Vegan MoFo is over, I will make a beautiful vegan omelet.

My brother had a friend over for a sleepover tonight, so we made pizzas, which gave me an opportunity to use up the basil, thyme, and mushrooms.

I wanted to bake, but they wanted puppy chow. So I settled for prepping a treat with a microwave, a big bowl, and lots of shaking.

As usual, a lot of it was gone before I had a chance to take a picture.

Puppy chow is also known as "Muddy Buddies" on the Chex box. The recipe is easily veganized with real semisweet chocolate chips and Earth Balance.

Here's the finished list. I do still have apples left, but those will be finished as snacks in the next few days.

~~3 red bell peppers~~
~~6 radishes~~
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
~~9 oz. mushrooms~~
~~1 head of kale~~
~~3 heads of romaine lettuce~~
~~1 lb. baby carrots~~
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb. cherry tomatoes~~
~~4 pears~~
~~2 bananas~~
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
~~1 orange~~
10 5 apples
~~Fresh thyme~~
~~Fresh basil~~

Challenge Day 9

2008-10-03T22:01:00.004-05:00

No post yesterday because I didn't use any food. And my head felt like it was going to explode after the debate.

I was slightly more successful today:

Breakfast- apple
Lunch- 1 pepper, some mushrooms
Dinner- bunch of lettuce, 1 pepper, 3 radishes, some carrots

I can't post a picture from my lunch because by most standards it was a complete failure. I tried to make a vegan omelet. I'd been eying this recipe for while, and today I realized it would be the perfect way to use a pepper and some mushrooms. I checked the cabinets for ingredients and bought the ones I was missing. The only thing I forgot was patience.

I waited. I watched. I waited. I watched. I waited. I watched. I couldn't take it anymore. It looked so good. I flipped it. And it broke. And it was not pretty.

At least with tofu, though, heating it through was enough for it to be edible and even tasty. In a mushy sort of way. I made enough of the omelet batter and cooked enough vegetables for a second attempt tomorrow. Success or failure, there will be a picture.

A big salad for dinner knocked out the rest of the romaine and the radishes, as well as the final pepper and some carrots.

Not too shabby.

~~3 red bell peppers~~
~~6 radishes~~
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 2 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
~~3 heads of romaine lettuce~~
~~1 lb.~~ 4? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb. cherry tomatoes~~
~~4 pears~~
~~2 bananas~~
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 5 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Challenge Day 7 and Vegan MoFo

2008-10-01T22:27:00.010-05:00

Today kicks off Vegan MOnth of FOod. Thus giving me an excuse to make banana bread for the second time in four days. I spontaneously made some for my little brother upon discovering some black bananas in my mom's kitchen on Sunday. Today I used my own two overripe bananas, as well as another one of my mom's.

But not much progress other than that:

Breakfast- apple

Banana bread- bananas

Here's the banana bread:

I had to take the photo as soon as it came out of the oven because between my brother and I half of it was gone as soon as it came out of the pan. Here's the recipe. It has no refined sugar, and you can use whole wheat pastry flour to boost the nutritional value without affecting the taste, although any flour will do. I like to use more than a cup of banana and 2 tablespoons of oil for a really moist banana bread. As you can tell, I always opt for the addition of chocolate chips. A full half cup. After all, the rest is healthy, right?

I'm staying at my parents' this week, and coincidentally this arrived today:

Full of honeycrisp apples. What more could I ask for?

I've been making it by on leftovers, but expect a salad tomorrow and maybe red pepper something.

3 2 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 4 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 8? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb. cherry tomatoes~~
~~4 pears~~
~~2 bananas~~
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 6 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Challenge Day 6 and Rosh Hashanah (again)

2008-09-30T22:08:00.012-05:00

Between the holiday and other meals with family, consumption of my fresh foods has slowed down:

Breakfast- apple, pear

Yes, breakfast was the only meal that I succeeded in making use of anything on the list.

I started the morning off with an apple and agave for Rosh Hashanah. To a sweet and healthy new year.

Lunch was with family and friends at a Greek restaurant. We shared appetizers, and I had a falafel sandwich, although I probably would have been happy with just a big bowl of hummus and a spoon. (Right, Chels?)

Tonight's dinner was low key. My mom and dad hosted. As sous chef I prepared a pomegranate salad. I love pomegranate juice in smoothies, but I always avoided the oddly shaped pinkish purple fruit in the grocery store. I'd wonder: what would I do with that?

Well, now I know. And much to my surprise, it was quite simple.

And quite delicious in the salad, along with baby lettuces, red onion, mandarin oranges, and a raspberry-pomegranate vinaigrette.

I will make progress on this list tomorrow to kick off:

3 2 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 4 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 8? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb. cherry tomatoes~~
~~4 pears~~
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 7 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Note on the chocolate mint melties mentioned yesterday:

DELICIOUS. I'm not a big fan of mint in desserts, but I picked this recipe thinking that it would be an after-dinner cookie that others would enjoy. Well, others did enjoy them, but so did I. I enjoyed them yesterday after dinner, yesterday before bed, this afternoon, before dinner tonight, after dinner tonight... I didn't think Dreena Burton, author of Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, could beat her own chocolate chip cookies, but they have met their match.

Challenge Day 5 and Rosh Hashanah

2008-09-29T17:42:00.006-05:00

Conquered:

Breakfast- pear, and the rest of those raspberries that aren't on the list
Lunch- polished off the cherry tomatoes

I made pasta for lunch today. Brown rice spaghetti (from Trader Joe's), roasted cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Sometimes simple food really is the best.

I also baked cookies for our family dinner tonight. Chocolate mint melties from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan.

Happy New Year!

3 2 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 4 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 8? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb. cherry tomatoes~~
4 1 pear
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 8 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Challenge Day 4

2008-09-28T22:54:00.006-05:00

More victories:

Breakfast- pear, plus some raspberries that my parents bought for me last night (I didn't add them to the list because they will be gone in no time.)
Lunch- broccoli, half of the mushrooms, 1 red bell pepper

Today I whipped up a delicious stir-fry to bring to another baseball game. It wasn't quite as cold, and I enjoyed bringing my own takeout. Complete with chopsticks.

The best part, though, was that my brother's team won!

Dinner was with my family again tonight, so no foods to knock off there. Still thinking about a quinoa salad with the peppers and carrots. Also thinking about a pasta dish with the cherry tomatoes and possibly the mushrooms. Or risotto? We'll see.

3 2 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
~~1 head of broccoli~~
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 4 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 8? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb.~~ 8 oz. cherry tomatoes
4 2 pears
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 8 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Challenge Day 3

2008-09-27T18:37:00.006-05:00

Accomplished:

Lunch- apple and some carrots
Snack- pear

No cooking today. I'm only including fresh produce on the list, so I didn't mention the 1/2 gallons of smoothie juices (Naked and Odwalla) my mom gave me. One of which expires tomorrow. Polished that off for breakfast.

After sitting outside in the COLD to watch my little brother's baseball game, kale soup leftovers made the perfect lunch.

Dinner will be out with the fam, so not much to cross off today.

Planning on knocking out some veggies with a stir-fry and/or quinoa salad tomorrow. Stay tuned.

3 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
1 head of broccoli
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 8? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb.~~ 8 oz. cherry tomatoes
4 3 pears
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 8 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Not to brag, but these just keep getting prettier:

Challenge Day 2

2008-09-26T20:59:00.003-05:00

Today's feats:

Lunch- bunch of kale, yellow onion, some carrots

Snack- apple (with PB, of course)

I didn't knock as many things off the list today, mostly because I loved my lunch so much that I ate it for dinner, too.

I made kale soup for lunch. I know this soup wouldn't win a beauty pageant, but what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in taste.

With quinoa, lentils, and kale blended with the flavors of curry, cumin, tahini, and a little chili sauce, this is one hearty, healthy soup.

3 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
1 head of broccoli
~~1 red onion~~
~~1 yellow onion~~
9 oz. mushrooms
~~1 head of kale~~
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 14? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb.~~ 8 oz. cherry tomatoes
4 pears
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 9 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

Challenge Day 1

2008-09-25T23:51:00.011-05:00

Here's what I've used up so far:

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - green beans, red onion, and half of the cherry tomatoes
Snack - 2 plums
Dinner - a head of lettuce, 3 radishes, some carrots

A couple weeks ago I listed a few recipes on here so that I couldn't cop out on actually making them. Well, today I made the NYT's green beans (minus the sausages) for lunch.

The author wrote a short article to preface the recipe. Stereotypically, less crisp green beans are considered less refined. I also grew up in a household that valued crisp green beans, as well as other vegetables. I still prefer and prepare most of my cooked veggies this way. However, green beans prepared in this slow-cooked recipe soak up flavor as they soften. The end result is not mushy, but rather "soft and velvety." YUM.

I only made a couple changes. I cut down on the oil. I didn't measure, but I probably used about a tablespoon of oil plus a couple tablespoons of water to cook the onions. Also, I added garlic when I added the tomatoes. Finally, I used vegetable broth instead of water when the pan dried out during cooking.

Big bowl o' green beans made a tasty lunch. Leftovers are in the fridge.

This recipe knocked out my green beans and part of my cherry tomatoes. I had to buy thyme and basil, and, unfortunately, I have more left to use up. Add it to the list.

Snack time. I love fresh fruit, but I just wasn't feeling like eating these plums plain. So I went the less healthy route and cooked them in butter and sugar.

Finally, dinner was a delicious salad that I forgot to take a picture of until this point:

Yes, I eat my salads out of a mixing bowl.

And last but not least: fourth meal. Cinnamon sugar toast.

The list goes on:

3 red bell peppers
6 3 radishes
1 head of broccoli
~~1 red onion~~
1 yellow onion
9 oz. mushrooms
1 head of kale
2 1 heads of romaine lettuce
~~1 lb.~~ 14? oz. baby carrots
~~1 lb. green beans~~
~~1 lb.~~ 8 oz. cherry tomatoes
4 pears
2 bananas
~~2 plums~~
~~1 grapefruit~~
1 orange
10 apples
Fresh thyme
Fresh basil

One more thing:

It's not food. But some nice guy sent me these. Thank you.

Thanks Mom.

2008-09-25T14:15:00.005-05:00

All week I've needed groceries. I've been making it by on peanut butter, cereal, and some carrots, but I wanted to COOK. My plans to grocery shop on Monday and Tuesday were foiled. Wednesday morning I finally got my groceries. No more than an hour later my mom called. To tell me that she had bought me groceries.

Ah, timing.

More specifically, my mom had bought some items for me and some bulk items that she wanted to share: red bell peppers, radishes, green beans, etc. Despite the timing, free groceries are one of the most exciting things that can happen to a student. So when I say thanks Mom, I really mean it.

I don't want anything to go to waste, so I am going to turn my excess of fresh food into a challenge.

This is the challenge: use everything before it goes bad.

These are the parameters:

3 red bell peppers
6 radishes
1 head of broccoli
1 red onion
1 yellow onion
9 oz. mushrooms
1 head of kale
2 heads of romaine lettuce
1 lb. baby carrots
1 lb. green beans
1 lb. cherry tomatoes
4 pears
2 bananas
2 plums
1 grapefruit
1 orange
10 apples

This is a lot of fresh food for one little person. Luckily, I have a big stomach and lots of Tupperware for leftovers.

Let's talk nutrition.

2008-09-17T08:17:00.005-05:00

This morning the New York Times featured an article about supplementation in foods: Superfood or Monster From the Deep?. As you may know, public health campaigns (!) to supplement food were effective in fighting goiter and rickets. The author of the article points out that this supplementation occurred after rigorous scientific testing proved the effectiveness of fortifying specific foods with specific nutrients. However, today the food industry has much leeway when it comes to supplementing one food into another and claiming the benefits of both. Additives in everything from orange juice to waffles that supposedly boost the food's nutritional value are called "nutraceuticals."

For instance, the author described a chocolate bar that contains 30 fruits and vegetables, such as "broccoli, cranberries, nectarines, parsley, pomegranates, and watermelon," in powdered form. Personally, I love broccoli and kale. Of course, I know my mom will read that and think, "Sure you do. NOW." As a formerly picky eater, I understand that not everyone is fond of green vegetables and other healthy foods. But is a chocolate bar with powered vegetables really the answer? What's the exchange rate? One serving of vegetables for a load of sugar and fat? And do vegetables in this powdered form really maintain their nutritional value?

I know food industries are out to make money, but it's pretty sad that we, the consumers, eat this stuff up (pun intended). After all, the FDA does not strictly regulate the claims of nutriceutical foods. Instead of relying on these supplemented foods, why not just eat the supplement in its original form? Don't hope enjoy the benefits of plant phytols and antioxidants from candy or cereal; just eat fruits and vegetables.

Ideas like nutraceuticals make me rant because they only drive us further from real nutrition. These products thrive because we are aware of our nutritional deficiencies. But in a country where obesity proportions seem to be increasing every day and heart disease is the number one cause of death, we need to focus on bigger nutrition and lifestyle changes than fortified ketchup.

How did I learn to cook healthy, vegan food? On the internet. If you think you don't like a certain healthy food, try preparing it in a new way. I once sat at the table for over two hours as a teenager refusing to eat eggplant. Now I love it. However, it took some trial and error. When I learned how to cook eggplant, I realized that I like it really mushy. Maybe not the healthiest way to cook it, but better than not eating it at all.

It takes more effort to learn to cook the foods you don't currently incorporate into your diet than to pick up a bottle of orange juice or a box of cereal at the grocery store, but the nutritional benefits are far greater.

Mark Bittman put it best: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly fruits and vegetables.

Almost cooking.

2008-09-15T21:36:00.008-05:00

I know this is a pathetic representation of a "home-cooked" meal, but truth be told this is one of my favorites.

Ezekiel sprouted whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter, and banana slices.

I can even go so far as to claim that there is an art to this creation.

Spread peanut butter over frozen bread and top with banana slices. Then toss the whole thing in the toaster oven.

The bread must be frozen in order for it to toast in the same amount of time that it takes the peanut butter to become warm and the bananas to soften. This is chemistry in action. I knew that degree would come in handy.

It's food, but I didn't make it.

2008-09-11T21:32:00.008-05:00

Today my Grams and I ate at one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities: French Meadow. I had the sweet corn arepas. Corn cakes, vegan sausage, and red bell peppers, covered in a balsamic reduction and served atop a bed of baby spinach.

As you can tell, I didn't think twice about digging in before taking a photo. The photo doesn't do it justice. It took me even longer to consider taking a photo of my dessert. This is what remained when I realized my error while enjoying the last of my cake in bed.

So that I don't flake out on actually cooking things, here are some recipes that I are on my list:
P.F. Chang's Ma Po Tofu
Pizza Luc e's rinotta cheese
NYT's green beans (minus the sausage)

For Chelsea

2008-09-07T12:35:00.000-05:00

My friend, Chelsea, assigned me to start a blog today. She inspired me with her new blog about her exciting life in Mexico City, and when I shared that I had wanted to start a blog about vegan food, she told me to do it. Now.

Forget the fact that I have real work to do today. This is my new project. Project Veganism.

So I would like to dedicate this blog to her. We shared a kitchen the size of a closet for two years. We shared our meals, and we even shared vegan enchiladas and countless cookies, cupcakes, and banana breads with doubtful omnivores. So, Chels, since we can't cook together anymore, I'll share my cooking, as well as my occasional rants about animal rights, the environment, the media, and maybe even healthcare here.

There are dozens, maybe even thousands, of vegan blogs disproving misconceptions about veganism. But another one can't hurt. Here's my two cents.