4-Way, Cincinnati-Style Chili

This is a favorite 'round here. Of course this is a vegan riff on the Cincinnati original with whole wheat pasta, vegan chili, Follow Your Heart cheddar, and finely-diced onions.

Chipotle, Corn, and Black Bean Stew

Vegan with a Vengeance is back with...um...a vengeance. This was a tasty weeknight number. From pantry to table in about an hour. The lime zent and juice add brightness and the chipotle adds smoky goodness. Two carrots up (way up)!

Emerald Buddha Soup

I wish I could tell you the origin of this recipe. However, I got it from my Mom who is famous for taking seven different magazines and books out from the library, writing out the recipes that interest her and not recording the source. (As an aside she loves to alter the recipe at the point of transcription. This could take many forms, but usually involves adding more heat in the shape of more cayenne or Thai chilies to a recipe.) This was tasty although more calorie-dense than you may expect. That barley can pack on the pounds! There are light and dark red kidney beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas. The wilted spinach adds a touch of the gourmet. I think Buddha would enjoy. I certainly did.

What's in a Name?

So far this has been mostly a food blog – capturing what’s been going on in the kitchen from day to day. I haven’t discussed anything regarding the “transition to a vegan diet” component. Part of me always wants to do things perfectly. I want to wake up fully-formed into a fresh, vegan me. The reality is there’s still a ton of stuff in my pantry, fridge, and freezer with hidden and not-so-hidden dairy and egg ingredients. Well maybe not a ton, but enough. I can’t see myself pitching everything just because it has “organic honey” listed as the second to last ingredient. What about that stash of burgers with trace amounts of egg whites. And why oh why do manufactures insist on making so much soy cheese with casin? Is avoiding refined sugar a deal-breaker? All this stuff is in my possession from days when I wasn’t concerned about avoiding dairy and egg ingredients. Throwing it out would be wasteful and part of my goal here is to be less wasteful and more environmentally conscious. Also (dare I say it) my prime motivator in becoming vegan is a healthier diet. I’m just not obsessed with throwing out my wool and exorcising all leather from the house. My shampoo probably contains some kind of animal ingredient. I can’t stress about that now. Call me a selfish vegan, but this is about my health. I’m trying to pull off this “lifestyle” change living with a very tolerant and open-minded occasional-omnivore housemate. He likes cheese and crackers, indulgent traditional baked-goods and a steak now-and-then. That’s fine with me. I’m not out to change anyone here but me. Also, I’ve tried to go vegan before and got exhausted along the way, burned out and gave up. As I’ve learned in other areas of my life this exhaustion is probably due to trying to be perfect and accepting no failure. So can I pull it off this time by being more tolerant of my inconsistencies? Why does “vegan” have to have clothing rules? Can’t a person eat a vegan diet and live in peace? Do I have to be a vegan warrior or nothing at all? Can someone call themselves vegan and still think PETA is insane?

Vegan Planet Strikes Again!

For tonight's tasty dinner I paired two Vegan Planet recipes: Quinoa and Pan-Fried Corn with Orange Zest and Chives (p. 230) and Jerk-Spiced Portobello Steaks (p. 335). Cooking the steaks was a bit of an adventure. My kitchen stove lacks an exhaust hood and this recipe calls for adding a dry jerk rub to the portobello mushrooms. Everything would have been fine had I conformed to the 1/4c. olive oil recommendation in the recipe. But, being ever calorie-conscious, I cut the olive oil down to 2 Tbs. and a very smoky kitchen ensued. Dry spices + high heat = a whole new kind of indoor air pollution. Can't say I'm a huge fan of the jerk flavor. It was good for a break from my typical Mex/Indian/Thai/Chinese spicing patterns. The quinoa was delicious! I used the red variety for extra color and plating points. The orange zest in the quinoa was delicate and subtle, in nice contrast to the steaks. Tomorrow I vow to move on to a different cookbook and let Vegan Planet cool down.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

Another treat from Vegan Planet (p. 361). I used sprouted grain tortillas.

Big Fat Twinkie Failure

Well, frankly I'm embarrassed to even post these examples of overweight canoes. This was my sad attempt to join the fun recreating the Vegan Lunchbox Twinkies. Obviously cutting the batter in half and doing two batches would have worked out for the better. After finishing the frosting I was so disgusted by the amazing amount of fat I was injecting into the already obese snack-cakes I couldn't even manage to try one. They were so thick and dense I had to put the icing in from both the top and the bottom. Ugh! Go. Learn from my mistakes.

Fronch Toast

Breakfast this morning brought to you by Vegan with a Vengeance. Tasty! It would have been even better if I hadn't been messing around to take the perfect picture. (I think it's best served as hot as possible.) We all must suffer for our art, no? However, I have a ton to left over fronches. What to do?

My Spell Checker may be Feminist, but not Vegan

Running spell check within blogger on the previous post generated an interesting "suggestion" to change vegan's to vagina's. I don't know where to start with that. Of course there's also the pagan agenda to consider....

Three-Way Sesame-Coated Tofu Strips with Spicy Broccoli

This recipe from Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet (p. 341) will leave you hovering in sesame bliss. Each tofu strip is coated in a tahini and tamari sauce before being dipped in sesame seeds and browned in a skillet. The broccoli had wonderful color. The secret? Steaming for a couple minutes and transferring directly to an ice bath. The whole dish is finished with toasted sesame oil drizzle. Yum! Plus, the textures of the dish are a treat for the palate and it has enough calcium to kick any non-vegan's ass.

Nutritional Yeast OR Brewer's Yeast? WTF!

My local health food store sells nutritional yeast in bulk. However, they insist on labeling it as "nutritional yeast or brewer's yeast." Is this a yeast lottery? These are two different products and I don't want the bitterness of brewers' yeast upsetting the delicate balance of my mac and cheeze. I long for the original packaging even if I pay a bit more. Call me risk averse.

Dinner

Linguine and soy meatballs with a roasted red pepper tomato sauce

A Vegan Journey

I'm transitioning to a vegan diet after 18 years as a vegetarian. I've flirted with a vegan diet many times in the past. This time I'll document my journey here. I'll let you know right now I'll be inconsistent and contradict myself. (Just so we're clear.) Of course I don't plan to limit this to food-only posts. As the blog name might imply, I'll be approaching everything with energy and vitality.