I don't normally watch Top Chef. For two reasons, actually:
1. The obvious: Most of what they make, I wouldn't make and won't eat, so why would I want to watch a bunch of people working with materials I find icky?
2. Unlike the other talent-based shows I watch (American Idol, the dancing-oriented shows, Project Runway) I can't judge the output. Even if I'm no expert on fashion, for example, I can see the outcome and judge whether I like it or not. But in thsi case: You can't judge the outcome. You can't taste the food. It seems pointless to me.
Anyway, I already recorded one episode of Top Chef this year, since it featured Zooey Deschanel and her vegan, gluten-free ways. And had I realized the Natalie Portman episode was on this week, I would have set the TiVo to record that too. but I didn't realize.
And according to ecorazzi, maybe I'm glad.
I know they have tons of repeats of each episode, so I'm sure I can have another chance ot watch.
Anybody out there have an opinion on whether it's worth it?
Thanks to Vegan.com for pointing out that vegan books are hot, hot, hot right now :)
I have The Conscious Cook and have been perusing it. Haven't cooked from it yet, but isn't half the appeal of cookbooks the photos and descriptions? (Just work with me, here.)
I want to get The Kind Diet, and I'm considering Eating Animals, if only to support the author and his efforts on this. I was afraid that it would be another "Omnivore's Dilemma"...where the author totally makes the case for veganism, but them wimps out because he can't hack it. Worse yet, Pollan comes up with some ridonkulous "thank the pig" argument for how eating meat can be all OK. Yeah, 'cause the pig cares. Anyway, I didn't know if Jonathan Foer would go down that same path, and I didn't feel like reading that kind of disappointing effort again.
From what I hear, though, he does not go down that path. Now, I don't know if I want to read it, because I already know what's in it, and I already became a vegan, and I don't know if I need my distress re-heightened. What are you fellow vegans doing?
Anyway, I'm pretty happy that these books are getting mainstream attention, and clearly mainstream wallets opened.
Thanks to the Alicia Silverstone video I featured a few days ago, and the fact that I'm in NYC this week, I actually went and tried restaurant #1 on her list: HanGawi.
I don't know why, but somehow I was expecting a little hole in the wall. I suppose it's because the neighborhood is unprepossessing. BUt it is no hole in the wall. It is actually a pretty upscale place. Complete with pricy prix fixe options.
My dining companion and I went a la carte, which was far more affordable.
I tried:
A Fried Dumpling
Spinach and Corn Porridge
Kabocha Pumpkin Stone Bowl Rice
What was most striking was that the food was simple, fresh and tasted like exactly what it was. Spinach. Corn. Pumpkin.
I am not a fan of vegan food that tries to hard to be fancy by throwing a bunch of warring flavors into the same dish, to make it unnecessarily complex, as though that made it gourmet. (I'm looking at you, Millennium.)
This was really refreshingly good.
So, add my recommendation to Alicia's.
Tonight I went to a catered dinner. And as much as you may not want to seem like a pain in the ass to people who are being nice enough to host you to begin with: If you do not ask you will not receive.
I emailed and simply gave them a heads up, and when I arrived (where I'm sure I was the only vegan amongst about 40 guests) I had a special meal all ready for me.
Appetizer: Bruschetta, the way it oughta be, without any silly cheese to clog up your system!
Entree: A delectable vegetable , well, I guess I'll call it a stew or cassoulet. It was unusual vegetables like giganta beans and radicchio and artichoke hearts and mushrooms and other vegetables that were all hearty and autumnal. Just the perfect combination of slightly bitter and tangy with more meaty. Truly scrumptious.
Dessert: Fresh strawberries and blueberries
As per usual, I think some of the other guests at my table were looking rather enviously at my plate!
She posted a very brief video of her favorite places to eat vegan in NYC (where I'm going next week). While she hit one of my faves, Candle 79, she hasn't even scratched the surface of vegan NYC. She knows it too, so part 2 will be coming soon!
Last night I was all set to have dinner with a good friend at a new restaurant. I had always been intrigued by Iberia, a Spanish tapas place in Menlo Park, but hadn't seriously checked it out, because I assumed it wouldn't be veg-friendly.
But when my friend suggested it, I checked out the menu online and saw a long list of vegetable tapas dishes that looked very veg-friendly indeed. So, I said, "Let's do it!"
I got there before my friend and sat down with a menu. A menu that didn't have any of those vegetable dishes listed. In fact had only one item on the entire menu that was vegan: Gazpacho Soup. There was only one other dish that was even vegetarian.
I called over the waiter and told him I had seen this long list of vegetable dishes on their web site, and he told me "those are only served in the bar". I explained to him I was a vegan, but my friend was not, and couldn't I order off the bar menu, so that we could sit and have a nice dinner in the dining room? No. I could not.
Then what would he suggest I eat?
Gazpacho.
Sure, and what else? Seriously, can't I order off the bar menu?
No, I could not, but oh, yeah, they could make me a vegetarian paella. No chicken stock, he assured me.
So, that is what I did. I suppose if they hadn't had the paella I would have asked to talk to the manager or asked my friend if she minded moving. But I decided to settle for the paella, which was pretty good.
Although if there's ever a next time, I would sit in the bar, there were a few cute little tables there. Don't know, however, if a next time is in order.
A letter to the restaurant? Maybe.
Welcome to Karmasm, the online store for getting sex toys and assorted aids that are all animal-, eco- and worker-friendly.
Why, because it's good karma.
I actually love this kind of stuff...bringing one's ethics into any business one does or has. it's teh awsum.
Last night I made the quickest damn vegan version of Joe's Special there can possibly be. OK, it's not really Joe's Special, but sorta, kinda.
My ingredients were simple:
Grapeseed oil
Frozen Garlic cubes from Trader Joe's
Yves Ground "Meat"
Whole Food 365 Refried Beans with Red Pepper
Green Peas (I used organic frozen green peas that I microwaved before throwing into the skillet.)
Nutritional Yeast
You can guess the rest:
-Saute the garlic in the oil
-Add the "meat" and beans
-Add the peas
-Close by sprinkling nutritional yeast over everything and mixing in well
See, I don't just eat nutritional yeast because it's healthy and gives me my B vitamins...I actually like the added flavor it brings to almost everything I cook!
The whole shebang took less than 10 minutes to cook, was spicy and flavorful, provided me with lots of protein, iron, vitamins and made a big enough batch that I'll have the rest for lunch this week.
(And yes, to be more of a real Joe's Special you should add spinach, not peas, and the beans are extraneous, but I'm rarely much of a recipe-follower.)
Just doing my part to encourage all those would-be vegans who are afraid it takes hours of time to make yummy, healthy vegan food.
Last night was the S.O.'s birthday, so we went to our favorite local restaurant, Pizza Antica in Santana Row.
I have always found them to be extremely veg-friendly, and even though they are but one short week away from adding our favorite winter specialty to their menu (a Brussels Sprouts Salad that rocks) I was able to dine heartily. Especially after I told the waiter I was vegan, so he could make suggested.
I started out with an antipasti plate consisting of various brightly colored vegetables, including corn, red peppers, tomatoes, onions, potatoes and snap peas.
Then had the pizza you see on the left: Thin crust (my favorite kind) topped with tomato sauce, roasted garlic and portabella mushrooms. YUM.
Finally, they had peaches and strawberries that figured heavily into non-vegan desserts on the menu, so I just had them prepare me a bowl of those. Again, yum.
And enough pizze for a light lunch today. Perfecto Pizza Antica.
That I, of course, forgot to take a picture of before we gobbled it down.
Nonetheless, I bring you: Baked Vegetables and Mushroom Gravy
First, prepare the baked vegetables:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Pour oil into a baking pan to coat the bottom
Fill the pan with assorted vegetables. The ones I used last night (and use most often) are:
- Potatoes
- Squash (Usually use Butternut and/or Acorn)
- Cauliflower
- Corn on the cob (split into half-ears)
Can also work with:
- Brussels Sprouts
- Parsnips
- Sweet Potatoes or Yams
You get the idea.
Roll each vegetable chunk around to coat it in oil.
Sprinkle the veggies with: Salt (I use kosher sea salt), black pepper, garlic powder and...wait for it...cinnamon.
Roll them around again to coat them in the seasonings.
The cinnamon is the requisite special ingredient that makes all the difference.
Bake the veggies for 35-40 minutes.
While they are baking, make your gravy.
Now, I'm not much of a measuring gal, so I tend to do this:
Heat up some oil in a skillet.
Add minced garlic, chopped leeks, maybe onions or tomatillos if you prefer.
Add sliced mushrooms. I also sometimes add in corn kernels or green peas. I also like to add fresh spinach leaves.
And if I want some more protein, I'll throw in some seitan or Trader Joe's Beef-less strips.
Sometimes I add plain old water to add more liquid, because then I sprinkle healthy amounts of nutritional yeast over the whole mess and stir it up, making sure everything gets coated in the yeast. The water should be enough to combine with the yeast to make a nice gravy, but sometimes I adda little Earth Balance margarine or Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream to richen it up a bit.
So, this can simmer on warm for quite some time, but I always do wish I started the gravy a bit later, so it was ready closer to the time the veggies are done baking, instead of way ahead.
Scoop the veggies on a plate.
Smother in the gravy.
It is *not* low-cal, I can tell you, what with the whole gravy aspect, but you can really control that more if you want, and depending on the variety of veggies you use this can be a vitamin treasure trove!
Enjoy.
And then, like me, enjoy for lunch the next day too :)
