I was sitting on the couch watching TV and thinking happily about my curret vegan eating and how proud I am about going through this for almost five months already. I was especially noting how I have not had that many cravings except for eggs at first, and then for shrimp, but it goes away....
Next thing I know, Chili's has a commercial on and they are showing a big, juicy steak. I used to love Chili's steak. Mmmmm. They put a little pat of butter on it and it melts as they bring it to your table. Yum...My mouth started to water... I couldn't believe it. All of a sudden, I was remembering how good Matamoros beef tacos taste and how good Mexican fajitas taste. Even right now, as I am writing about beef, my mouth is watering. What is wrong with me? Is one ever able to forget those flavors or is this a life-long struggle? I am committed to doing this vegan lifestyle for a year, but I think my will is not strong enough to continue it indefinitely.
Besides, I've come to the conclusion that eating a little meat here and there is not bad as long as one is sure the meat was raised in an environmentally-responsible way and that the animals have been treated humanely. So once my year is over, I will go back to eating good meat occasionally. So there. I feel better now. :)
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Day 131: Spring Rolls
I have been getting in a rut lately with meals so I decided to use the two cookbooks I mentioned below and come up with a new recipe: Spring Rolls. It was well worth the time I spent making them. My husband loved them and they got eaten so quickly that I didn't have time to take a picture (yeah, yeah).
Spring Rolls
1/3 of a cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon tamari
1/2 bag of thin rice noodles
8 spring roll wrappers
Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water
For the rolls: Mix first 8 ingredients. Set aside. Cook noodles for 1 minute in boiling water. Drain and set aside. Take 1 spring roll wrapper dip in hot water for 15 seconds or until pliable. Place a handful of noodles in the center and handful of the cilantro mix over the noodles. Wrap somewhat tightly. Continue assembling all 8 rolls.
For the dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in small pot over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Process until smooth.
Enjoy!
Spring Rolls
1/3 of a cabbage, chopped
1/4 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon tamari
1/2 bag of thin rice noodles
8 spring roll wrappers
Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 cup water
For the rolls: Mix first 8 ingredients. Set aside. Cook noodles for 1 minute in boiling water. Drain and set aside. Take 1 spring roll wrapper dip in hot water for 15 seconds or until pliable. Place a handful of noodles in the center and handful of the cilantro mix over the noodles. Wrap somewhat tightly. Continue assembling all 8 rolls.
For the dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in small pot over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Process until smooth.
Enjoy!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Day 128: Best Vegan Cookbooks Ever
The other book I also highly recommend is Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet. The recipes in here sound delicious. I love how she is able to take every day ingredients and turn them into delicious food. She also has a blog: http://veganplanet.blogspot.com/ which I recently discovered also has really good and fast recipes. The specific reason I picked up this book is because she doesn't necessarily try to take regular food and make it vegan. Instead she looks at world cuisines and finds food that is already vegan and makes it even better. I can't wait to try her lettuce wraps soon!Monday, June 21, 2010
Day 86: Hunger is my Nemesis
Being vegan is not a problem until I get hungry. Then I start craving meat. I don't care what kind of meat. I crave it in large quantities. Yesterday, we had a late brunch, went to the movies, and ran errands. We didn't get home until 4pm. By then, I was so hungry I could've eaten penicillin-injected fried chicken. I was starving! The movie theater popcorn had butter, of course, so it was off limits, and I didn't carry any snacks with me because we were in a hurry to get out of the door after brunch. Aaargh.
I don't like being hungry and then coming home and finding that we have nothing ready to eat. I said it wouldn't happen again, in one of my latest posts, and of course, it did. So frustrating!
I can get around this, I thought. I decided I was going to make some quick Thai peanut noodles. I got the pans and pots out that I needed. I put the water to boil for the noodles. I got most of the ingredients out for the peanut sauce, but when I went to look for the peanut butter. I realized we were out of peanut butter. Another huge AARGH!
I told my husband, "I will be right back. I have to go get something to eat." He asked me if there were no snacks in the house, but I get so crazy when I am hungry. I just need to eat and I can't just eat a banana and be satisfied.
So I got in my car and I drove to the first place I could think of that might have something vegan: P. Terry's, a burger shack in town famous for its vegetarian patties. I arrived at the counter and asked the teenager running the cash register if their vegetarian patties are vegan. "No," he said. "They have cheese and eggs." Not good. The funny thing is that they have a sticker right by the register that lists all the ingredients in the vegetarian burgers and clearly in bold and capital letters, it says, "Vegetarian Patties (NOT VEGAN)." Hmmm. Makes me wonder why they don't have a vegan patty if they get so many requests for them that they feel the need to put up a sign right on the counter! I thanked him and moved on.
I tried Yanagi's Sushi House next. (It's in the same shopping area as P.Terry's.) I started to worry when I noticed that there were very few cars parked in the Yanagi Only spots. Sure enough, the place is closed on Sundays. Aargh. By that point, I was starting to get a headache from the hunger.
I noticed there was a Panda Express across the street. I know that that is mostly Asian junky fast food, but they might, at least, have vegetables. I drove over and parked. There were other cars in the parking lot. Woohoo! That was a good sign. It meant they were open! I walked in and there was a very nice lady at the counter. "Do you have any vegetarian options?," I asked her. I have noticed that if you ask for vegan options, everyone is quick to say "No, we don't have any," primarily because they don't really know what vegan means. If I ask for vegetarian options, and then ask if there is any dairy, eggs, or honey in it, I get the real answer.
"We have no vegetarian options," the nice lady said. What the? "You mean everything has meat?" I asked her. "Yes," she said again with a smile.
"Even the chow mein?!" I asked surprised.
"Oh, that doesn't have meat!" she said right away.
"Does it have chicken, beef, or fish broth or sauce?"
"No."
"Does it have eggs?"
"No."
"Does it have butter?"
"No."
"Does it have honey?"
"No."
I had hit the jack pot!
She put some chow mein on my plate. "Oh! You're looking for vegetable dishes without meat, or eggs, or butter!" She said with a look of surprise and finally, understanding, in her face. Duh.
"Yes, I am!" I say with a smile.
"Well, then you should try our veggie spring rolls! And we also have a vegetable stir-fry that you might like. It has no meat products either." Hey, I can't complain. I'm getting a vegan meal and she doesn't even know it! I paid her and 15 minutes later, I was out of there with a full belly and a happy smile on my face.
After dinner, I went to the grocery store to pick up some food so I can make sure this never happens again. I am hoping to make a ton of stuff over the weekend so our refrigerator is full and I never have to feel like there is nothing to eat. Did I mention that we are going on vacation in three days and have a fridge full of food? It's ok. We should eat it all by then and whatever doesn't get eaten will go with us or get frozen.
I hope. At least we won't be hungry.
I don't like being hungry and then coming home and finding that we have nothing ready to eat. I said it wouldn't happen again, in one of my latest posts, and of course, it did. So frustrating!
I can get around this, I thought. I decided I was going to make some quick Thai peanut noodles. I got the pans and pots out that I needed. I put the water to boil for the noodles. I got most of the ingredients out for the peanut sauce, but when I went to look for the peanut butter. I realized we were out of peanut butter. Another huge AARGH!
I told my husband, "I will be right back. I have to go get something to eat." He asked me if there were no snacks in the house, but I get so crazy when I am hungry. I just need to eat and I can't just eat a banana and be satisfied.
So I got in my car and I drove to the first place I could think of that might have something vegan: P. Terry's, a burger shack in town famous for its vegetarian patties. I arrived at the counter and asked the teenager running the cash register if their vegetarian patties are vegan. "No," he said. "They have cheese and eggs." Not good. The funny thing is that they have a sticker right by the register that lists all the ingredients in the vegetarian burgers and clearly in bold and capital letters, it says, "Vegetarian Patties (NOT VEGAN)." Hmmm. Makes me wonder why they don't have a vegan patty if they get so many requests for them that they feel the need to put up a sign right on the counter! I thanked him and moved on.
I tried Yanagi's Sushi House next. (It's in the same shopping area as P.Terry's.) I started to worry when I noticed that there were very few cars parked in the Yanagi Only spots. Sure enough, the place is closed on Sundays. Aargh. By that point, I was starting to get a headache from the hunger.
I noticed there was a Panda Express across the street. I know that that is mostly Asian junky fast food, but they might, at least, have vegetables. I drove over and parked. There were other cars in the parking lot. Woohoo! That was a good sign. It meant they were open! I walked in and there was a very nice lady at the counter. "Do you have any vegetarian options?," I asked her. I have noticed that if you ask for vegan options, everyone is quick to say "No, we don't have any," primarily because they don't really know what vegan means. If I ask for vegetarian options, and then ask if there is any dairy, eggs, or honey in it, I get the real answer.
"We have no vegetarian options," the nice lady said. What the? "You mean everything has meat?" I asked her. "Yes," she said again with a smile.
"Even the chow mein?!" I asked surprised.
"Oh, that doesn't have meat!" she said right away.
"Does it have chicken, beef, or fish broth or sauce?"
"No."
"Does it have eggs?"
"No."
"Does it have butter?"
"No."
"Does it have honey?"
"No."
I had hit the jack pot!
She put some chow mein on my plate. "Oh! You're looking for vegetable dishes without meat, or eggs, or butter!" She said with a look of surprise and finally, understanding, in her face. Duh.
"Yes, I am!" I say with a smile.
"Well, then you should try our veggie spring rolls! And we also have a vegetable stir-fry that you might like. It has no meat products either." Hey, I can't complain. I'm getting a vegan meal and she doesn't even know it! I paid her and 15 minutes later, I was out of there with a full belly and a happy smile on my face.
After dinner, I went to the grocery store to pick up some food so I can make sure this never happens again. I am hoping to make a ton of stuff over the weekend so our refrigerator is full and I never have to feel like there is nothing to eat. Did I mention that we are going on vacation in three days and have a fridge full of food? It's ok. We should eat it all by then and whatever doesn't get eaten will go with us or get frozen.
I hope. At least we won't be hungry.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Day 79: Pizza Supreme but with no cheese
The Engine 2 book never ceases to amaze me! I keep thinking I have tried all the recipes in there, but then I find a new one and I try it and it is always delicious! Today, I made Pizza Supreme from this cookbook. Let's just say, you won't miss the cheese. This pizza is jam-packed with flavors. I am making it again tomorow night for dinner. Speaking of repeating meals, I'm starting to notice my cooking trend. I end up really liking five or six recipes and I make them until I am tired of eating them. I think the Hummus Panini and this Pizza Supreme are going to be on our menu for a while, at least until I get sick of them. Here's the recipe (one of these days I'll remember to take a picture of what I'm eating!!!!):
Pizza Supreme (makes 4 personal pizzas)
4 100% whole wheat pita
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 a jar of Organic Muir Glen pasta sauce (or any pasta sauce)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach
1 onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
12 mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 a jar black olives, sliced
4 veggie burger patties (store-bought or home-made: see Veggie Burger Recipe), cooked and cut into sections
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pita bread on cookie sheet. (You might have to make 2 pizzas at a time.) Spread 1/4 teaspoon of the olive oil on the pita bread. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of sauce on the pita. Sprinkle 1/4 of the garlic on the sauce. Place 1/2 cup spinach and 1/4 of all the other ingredients up to the veggie patties on each pizza. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Top with 1/2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast.
Enjoy!
Pizza Supreme (makes 4 personal pizzas)
4 100% whole wheat pita
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 a jar of Organic Muir Glen pasta sauce (or any pasta sauce)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh spinach
1 onion, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
12 mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 a jar black olives, sliced
4 veggie burger patties (store-bought or home-made: see Veggie Burger Recipe), cooked and cut into sections
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pita bread on cookie sheet. (You might have to make 2 pizzas at a time.) Spread 1/4 teaspoon of the olive oil on the pita bread. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of sauce on the pita. Sprinkle 1/4 of the garlic on the sauce. Place 1/2 cup spinach and 1/4 of all the other ingredients up to the veggie patties on each pizza. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Top with 1/2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast.
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Day 78: Cooking out
Summer time means cooking out. Normally that is a good thing, but not necessarily when you are Vegan. Last night, at a birthday party, the only options were hamburgers and hot dogs.Thankfully, I had planned ahead and brought my own dinner. Before we left the house, my husband said that it was in bad taste, to bring your own dinner to a party. "Not if you're a Vegan. Trust me on this," I said. Besides, the party was at my brother's house. He wouldn't be offended. Sure enough. I had to break out my vegan pot stickers in the middle of the party, but hey, that's the only way to do it in this meat-focused world.
Speaking of meat, I have been craving shrimp again, and butter. Not sure how the butter craving began, but it's here. It's not so much that I'm craving plain butter, but things made with butter, like pie crust. Our dinner guest tonight brought a beautiful blue berry pie and all I could eat was the blueberries. The pie crust was calling my name, but I could tell it had butter because it was so flaky.
I am also missing being able to just pull something from the fridge and eating it. I need to remember to make extra food to keep in the fridge so I can do that. Right now, it feels like every time I have to eat, I have to cook an elaborate meal. I'm not sure why I am feeling that, but I do not like it. The truth is I really don't have to cook that much to get breakfast on the table. Same for lunch. Dinner is the problem.
But speaking of lunch, we had Hummus, tomato, and mushroom paninis today for lunch. They were very, very good. Here's the recipe:
Hummus Panini
5-6 mushrooms, slicesd
tamari
4 pieces of 100% whole wheat bread
hummus
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 tomato, sliced
Saute sliced mushrooms over medium-high heat until they start releasing their liquid. Splash with tamari. Spread a thick layer of hummus on the 4 pieces of bread. On one side, sprinkle cilantro and green onion. Top with mushrooms and tomatoes. Put the other slice of bread on top to finish the sandwich.
Place sandwich on pan and put a heavy skillet on top of sandwich to press on it. Cook for five minutes per side over medium heat. Enjoy!
Speaking of meat, I have been craving shrimp again, and butter. Not sure how the butter craving began, but it's here. It's not so much that I'm craving plain butter, but things made with butter, like pie crust. Our dinner guest tonight brought a beautiful blue berry pie and all I could eat was the blueberries. The pie crust was calling my name, but I could tell it had butter because it was so flaky.
I am also missing being able to just pull something from the fridge and eating it. I need to remember to make extra food to keep in the fridge so I can do that. Right now, it feels like every time I have to eat, I have to cook an elaborate meal. I'm not sure why I am feeling that, but I do not like it. The truth is I really don't have to cook that much to get breakfast on the table. Same for lunch. Dinner is the problem.
But speaking of lunch, we had Hummus, tomato, and mushroom paninis today for lunch. They were very, very good. Here's the recipe:
Hummus Panini
5-6 mushrooms, slicesd
tamari
4 pieces of 100% whole wheat bread
hummus
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 tomato, sliced
Saute sliced mushrooms over medium-high heat until they start releasing their liquid. Splash with tamari. Spread a thick layer of hummus on the 4 pieces of bread. On one side, sprinkle cilantro and green onion. Top with mushrooms and tomatoes. Put the other slice of bread on top to finish the sandwich.
Place sandwich on pan and put a heavy skillet on top of sandwich to press on it. Cook for five minutes per side over medium heat. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Day 75: Menudo "Soup"
I have been craving menudo. Menudo is a Mexican soup that has a tomato broth base with lots of spices, hominy, lots of garlic, and beef tripe. I couldn't eat this soup when I was a little kid because the thought of eating tripe grossed me out, but it's an acquired taste and I learned to love it.
Of course, now that I'm not eating animal products, I thought it would be hard to make it taste like I remember and truthfully, it didn't taste or smell exactly like menudo, but it came pretty close. My husband said it was more of a menudo soup than actual menudo. That is what I am calling it. I looked up a bunch of recipes online and at the book Viva Vegan and then came up with my own concoction:
Menudo Soup
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped in large chunks
1 large tomato, coursely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 12 oz. can of hominy, with liquid
1 12 oz. can of pinto beans, with liquid
4 cups of water
1/2 a packet Menudo Spice Mix
1/2 a tablespoon cumin
1/2 a tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 a tablespoon oregano
2 kale leaves, sliced in ribbons
handful of green beans, cut in small sections
1 summer squash, sliced in rounds and then cut in fourths
Salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, tomatoes, and garlic for 8 minutes or until onions are translucent and tomatoes are starting to break apart. Add hominy, beans, and water. Sitr to combine. Add spice mix, cumin, garlic salt, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add kale, green beans, and summer squash and stir to combine. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until squash and green beans are tender. Salt to taste.
Offer lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage, chopped radishes, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, and chopped serranos, chopped oregano, and avocado slices as accompaniments. Serve with warm corn tortillas.
Enjoy!
Of course, now that I'm not eating animal products, I thought it would be hard to make it taste like I remember and truthfully, it didn't taste or smell exactly like menudo, but it came pretty close. My husband said it was more of a menudo soup than actual menudo. That is what I am calling it. I looked up a bunch of recipes online and at the book Viva Vegan and then came up with my own concoction:
Menudo Soup
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped in large chunks
1 large tomato, coursely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 12 oz. can of hominy, with liquid
1 12 oz. can of pinto beans, with liquid
4 cups of water
1/2 a packet Menudo Spice Mix
1/2 a tablespoon cumin
1/2 a tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 a tablespoon oregano
2 kale leaves, sliced in ribbons
handful of green beans, cut in small sections
1 summer squash, sliced in rounds and then cut in fourths
Salt to taste
Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, tomatoes, and garlic for 8 minutes or until onions are translucent and tomatoes are starting to break apart. Add hominy, beans, and water. Sitr to combine. Add spice mix, cumin, garlic salt, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add kale, green beans, and summer squash and stir to combine. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until squash and green beans are tender. Salt to taste.
Offer lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage, chopped radishes, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, and chopped serranos, chopped oregano, and avocado slices as accompaniments. Serve with warm corn tortillas.
Enjoy!
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