Wednesday, October 30, 2013

But... what do vegans eat? Part 1

That's okay, Ryan.
I get this question a lot, and honestly, it's a valid question. The western diet is meat-based, and dairy is what you eat when you don't get meat. Most people don't know HOW to eat things that are really good for them. So consider this part 1 in a series of posts to help others understand what exactly it is that we eat.

I don't get much opportunity to cook while living on campus, so when the occasion arises, I love to get my booty home and make a delicious meal! I have a complicated relationship with cooking. I basically refused to work in the kitchen until I was a vegan. I wasn't good at it, and I didn't want to be. But when I went vegan, of course I went to Pinterest (follow the link to check out my boards) to find what I could eat. I initially looked up recipes for JIM to make for me. But as I was scrolling the yummy-looking pictures, I found myself getting really excited! I wanted to try to make those things. And I certainly knew that I couldn't rely on others to have food provided for me all the time (because... no, fish isn't vegan). Also, the more research I did about veganism, the more I learned about health. I wanted to eat more fresh foods. I wanted to eat from our garden--that required some effort and education.

My dear friend, Taryn, has made the choice to go vegan! I'm so proud of her. We needed to spend more time together anyway, so I invited her to my house this weekend to cook her dinner and spend some time with her! We're going to work together so she can learn how to prepare a vegan meal, and so I can get back into practice. Here is our menu:

Appetizer: Spicy Cauliflower
Main Dish: Vegan Grilled Cheese with Kale
Side: Dirty Rice with Tofu, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, and Kale
Dessert: Vegan Ice Cream with Sugared Pecans


Pictures to come in Part 2!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYWAoDYsE1o

What are your favorite vegan recipes? What non-vegan dishes would you be interested in finding a vegan alternative for? Leave comments for your fellow foodies!

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