Vegan Archives - Page 11 of 22

Strawberry-Pear Tarts

February 23, 2011 by epicureanvegan

For about a month, I’ve had some puff pastry in freezer because I accidentally bought it, thinking I was getting phyllo sheets. So, instead of letting it continue to sit and freeze, I decided to make these tarts. Now, even though puff pasty is vegan, it isn’t the healthiest stuff out there and we probably shouldn’t gorge on this stuff on a regular basis—vegan or not. It’s a treat and that’s okay. And these treats you’ll love—not too sweet and ready to eat before you know it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 pear, peeled, sliced thin and cored
6 strawberries, sliced
2 Tbs brown sugar
2-1/2 Tbs vegan margarine, melted and divided
1/3 C walnuts, chopped
4-4″ tart pans

DIRECTIONS:
To thaw puff pastry, remove from bag and place on counter. It will thaw in about 40 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 400. Unfold pastry sheet and place the bottoms of the tart pans on it, cutting around the circles.

Place bottom of pan and cut out dough back into the tart shell. In a medium bowl, combine the pears, strawberries, brown sugar, walnuts, and two tablespoons of melted margarine.

Divide the fruit mixture evenly among the 4 tart pans. Roll out the extra dough and using a cookie cutter, cut out a heart or other beautiful shape you wish to make. Place on top of each tart. Brush the cut-out with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of melted margarine.

Bake for 20-22 minutes and enjoy!

Strawberry-Pear Tarts

For about a month, I've had some puff pastry in freezer because I accidentally bought it, thinking I was getting phyllo sheets. So, instead of letting it continue to sit and freeze, I decided to make these tarts. Now, even though puff pasty is vegan, it isn't the healthiest stuff out there and we probably shouldn't gorge on this stuff on a regular basis---vegan or not. It's a treat and that's okay. And these treats you'll love---not too sweet and ready to eat before you know it.

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 pear, peeled, sliced thin and cored
6 strawberries, sliced
2 Tbs brown sugar
2-1/2 Tbs vegan margarine, melted and divided
⅓ C walnuts, chopped
4-4" tart pans

Directions

To thaw puff pastry, remove from bag and place on counter. It will thaw in about 40 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 400. Unfold pastry sheet and place the bottoms of the tart pans on it, cutting around the circles.
Place bottom of pan and cut out dough back into the tart shell. In a medium bowl, combine the pears, strawberries, brown sugar, walnuts, and two tablespoons of melted margarine.
Divide the fruit mixture evenly among the 4 tart pans. Roll out the extra dough and using a cookie cutter, cut out a heart or other beautiful shape you wish to make. Place on top of each tart. Brush the cut-out with the remaining ½ tablespoon of melted margarine.
Bake for 20-22 minutes and enjoy!

Vegan Shepards Pie

February 22, 2011 by epicureanvegan

This is actually easier to make than you would think. You can nuke 2 large potatoes, or use frozen ones (thawed, of course). I used edamame for some added protein, but feel free to use peas if your prefer. Easier, healthier, comfort food.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag Boca Crumbles
1 small onion, diced
1-1/2 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 C edamame, thawed if frozen
1 C vegetable broth
2 C mashed potatoes
1/4 C almond milk
2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 C vegan mozzarella, shredded
Vegan margarine

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat the vegetable broth and add the onions and Boca crumbles. Cover and let simmer over a low-medium heat, season with salt and pepper; stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, add the mushrooms and edamame. Cover again for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes, milk, mozzarella, chives, parsley, and garlic in a mixer and cream until slightly smooth.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish with a little vegan margarine. Pour the Boca mixture into the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Next, layer on the mashed potato mixture and spread evenly over the top.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Vegan Shepards Pie

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 bag Boca Crumbles
1 small onion, diced
1-1/2 C cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 C edamame, thawed if frozen
1 C vegetable broth
2 C mashed potatoes
¼ C almond milk
2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
½ C vegan mozzarella, shredded
Vegan margarine

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat the vegetable broth and add the onions and Boca crumbles. Cover and let simmer over a low-medium heat, season with salt and pepper; stirring occasionally. After about 10 minutes, add the mushrooms and edamame. Cover again for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the potatoes, milk, mozzarella, chives, parsley, and garlic in a mixer and cream until slightly smooth.
Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish with a little vegan margarine. Pour the Boca mixture into the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Next, layer on the mashed potato mixture and spread evenly over the top.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Cheeze Swag is Awesome: Galaxy Nutritional Foods

February 21, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to taste and review rice and soy cheezes from Galaxy Nutritional Foods thanks to Sharon at Sharon Kitchens (and of course, to GNF)! I received full sizes of the following: Rice American Flavor slices, Rice Pepper Jack Flavor slices, Soy Mozzarella Flavor block, Rice Cheddar Flavor block, and Vegan Grated Topping. I’ve used the Grated Topping many times before on pastas and when making pesto. Galaxy Nutritional Foods has been around since 1980 and feels very strongly about providing tasty products made with natural ingredients. Their mission is also to help the environment and developed their Eat Green for Body & Earth Program where they take seriously, three things: Keeping Ingredients Organic, Reducing Their Carbon Footprint and Doing Their Part at the Office. Check out their Green Initiatives.

PEPPER JACK FLAVOR VEGAN RICE SLICES

Pepper Jack flavored slices were a first for me. These dairy, gluten and soy-free slices contain 2 grams of fat per slice, no saturated fat, 5 grams of carbs, and 120 mg of sodium. I made a panini using a slice . . .

And even though it didn’t really melt too much, the flavor was quite delicious and had the perfect amount of seasoning; ideal for a panini. I was impressed.

AMERICAN FLAVOR VEGAN RICE SLICES

I use these types of cheezes a lot, but this particular brand is new for me. I have always used Tofutti brand and I like the taste just a smidge more than these, however, with that said, I will be converting to Galaxy Nutritional Foods and here’s why: 1.) These slices are soy-free. I still enjoy some soy, but I think it ought to be in moderation—especially for women. 2.) GNF slices have 2 grams of fat, whereas Tofutti American flavor slices have 6 grams. 3.) GNF has 0 grams of saturated fat where the others have 3 grams. 4.) Tofutti has 290 mg of sodium, compared to GNF’s 120! That’s a big deal, too! GNF does have 5 grams of carbs, where Tofutti has 2, but for me, the other nutritional facts outweigh a couple extra grams of carbs. These slices are perfect for sandwiches, and for my favorite Boca chick patty sandwich.

MOZZARELLA FLAVOR SOY VEGAN BLOCK

I decided to make pizzas using this cheese. I often use Daiya or Vegan Rella cheezes because they’re soy-free and I like the tastes. Vegan Rella, however, can be sticky and hard to use when it’s shredded. All of these cheezes, including this one from Galaxy Nutritional Foods, melts quite nicely. And the GNF shreds great.

I just wasn’t nuts above the flavor. In fact, it lacked a lot of flavor. Perhaps it’s the soy—it seems I prefer their rice-based options more. The texture is great though–I have no problem with that; very much like real cheese.

But here’s what can be a game-changer for you: Again, GNF comes out on top when we’re talking about nutritional facts. 1.) GNF has 3 grams of fat, half that of Daiya. 2.) 60 calories (30 fat calories) and Daiya has 90 calories (60 from fat) 3.) Daiya has 2 grams of saturated fat, while GNF has .5! 4.) Again, GNF rocks with their lower sodium content at 150 mg whereas Daiya as 280 mg per serving. 5.) GNF has 6 grams of carbs and Daiya has 7. So overall, it may come down to the soy and whether or not you prefer to avoid it.

CHEDDAR FLAVOR RICE VEGAN BLOCK

Today, I made nachos with the Cheddar Flavor Rice Vegan Block. This would also work with quesadillas, or a grilled cheeze sandwich, too. Like the Mozzarella flavor, this one shreds well and I like the texture.

I nuked the nachos for about 45 seconds and it melted well. However, like the Mozzarella block, it lacked flavor. I know it’s not easy making fake cheese taste like the real deal, but I prefer the taste of other vegan cheddars. BUT . . .we have to look at nutritional facts. Again, GNF scored mega points with that. Total fat is again 3 grams with .5 grams of saturated fat. The sodium content is higher in this one (compared to the Mozzarella) at 240mg—but still under other vegan cheddar brands.

VEGAN GRATED TOPPING

I’ve been using GNF’s Vegan Grated Topping for a while now. The texture is great and I enjoy the flavor. It’s ideal for pesto, on pasta, and anything else you’d need Parmesan for.

Overall, I was greatly pleased with these Galaxy Nutritional Foods products and I am glad I had the opportunity to try them out. I’m definitely going to be buying the rice slices–I think they’re tasty and much better for you than other brands.

My First Guest Blogger! Vegan, Wheat-free, and Nearly Sugar-free Blueberry Muffins

February 8, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’m very excited to introduce you to my first guest blogger, Kerrie Flanagan, director of The Northern Colorado Writers and freelance writer-extraordinaire. Kerrie has been a great sport when testing out some of my vegan creations. Some have been great, others not so much. She’ll even manage to smile when choking down one of the not-so-much ones. Thanks for being here, Kerrie!

Kerrie and I

I am thrilled to be the guest blogger today for my good friend and roof buddy (long, but fun story) April and take a break from working on my writers conference. When it comes to food, April and I agree on a few things; we both like to cook, we both want to provide healthy meals for our family and we both like to experiment in the kitchen. But when it comes to what we eat, we are on different sides of the fence. I am not a Vegan. I do eat meat (but I buy it from a local rancher and it is all free-range, grass-fed beef) and dairy. But I have the utmost respect for April and other Vegans. I love sampling her amazing food and trying some her recipes on my family.

So why am I here on the Epicurean Vegan? (besides the obvious, that I want to help my friend) it is because of my teenage daughter. Her acupuncturist wanted her to go on an elimination diet. So for 6 weeks, Delaney was to avoid wheat, dairy products and refined sugar. This was not an easy task, but we are on week 6 and she is doing great. One of the biggest things she missed was baked goods. The dairy part was no problem, the wheat; a little more of a challenge, but the sugar free part; nearly impossible. I am happy to say though, I found a recipe for muffins with oat flour and made a few adjustments (with April’s help) to substitute the dairy products. Delaney gave them a thumbs up.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup oat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 Tbs honey (or 1/2 cup sugar if you want them sweeter)

2 tsp lemon zest (or 1/2 tsp. lemon juice)

1 tsp egg replacer + 2 Tbl water (whisk together)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup Almond milk

1 cup blueberries (thawed frozen, or fresh)

DIRECTIONS:

Combine everything except the blueberries in a large mixing bowl and mix with a whisk. Don’t use a mixer, as it will chop up the rolled oats.

Cover the bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes to allow the batter to thicken. Once complete, fold in the blueberries with a spoon. Grease a muffin pan with baking spray or use paper baking cups and fill 2/3 full with batter.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.
*These were a little crumbly straight out of the oven. Once they cooled they were fine. You might want to try increasing egg replacer a little bit.

Open-Faced TVP Burgers & Sweet Potato Fries with Truffle Oil

February 5, 2011 by epicureanvegan

I’ve been intrigued for some time now with TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) and so I bought some from the bulk section of my natural grocer’s. I pretty much winged it and found that the process of making a veggie burger is quite simple—not much of a mystery. I ended up with some delicious burgers that tasted fresh, flavorful, and home cooked. They have a meatloaf quality to them, so the Husband went with just ketchup on his. I went all out with spinach, a vegan cheese slice, tomato, avocado, and drizzled with vegan ranch dressing. I made 6 large patties, but feel free to halve the recipe, or even freeze the extra ones. And don’t forget . . . TVP contains the same amount of protein as meat and has no fat!

INGREDIENTS:
Burgers:
2 C TVP
2 C vegetable broth
3/4 C quick oats
1/2 C flour
1/2 C nutritional yeast
1 Tbs wheat germ
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs ketchup
6 tsp egg replacer powder + 8 Tbs water
1/2 C onion, chopped fine
1/2 C green bell pepper, chopped fine
Other: “burger” fixings: tomato, avocado, lettuce/spinach, vegan ranch, cheese, etc.

Sweet Potato Fries:
1-2 medium sweet potato or yams. sliced into fries
Olive oil
Truffle oil
Celtic Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS:
For the burgers, boil the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Stir in the TVP, cover, and remove from the heat for 5 minutes.

Whisk together the egg replacer powder and water; set aside. Combine all the dry ingredients, onion, and bell pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the TVP, ketchup, and egg-replacer to the dry ingredients and combine well.

Shape into patties and place on a baking sheet that will fit in the fridge. Chill covered with plastic wrap for 30-90 minutes. I’d say the longer the better, to give some time to firm up. They won’t cook down much at all, so consider thickness as you make the patties.

This would be a good time to make the fries . . .see below.

Once the patties are ready, spray a flat skillet or pan with some cooking spray. You can also grill these over medium heat, but I didn’t want to mess with the grill. About 5-7 minutes per side over medium heat.

Serve open-faced or on a bun with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

For the fries, combine them in a large bowl, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1-2 teaspoons of truffle oil, and sprinkle generously with the sea salt. Layer onto a baking sheet lined with foil.

Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes. Check often, as they may need more or less time.

Feast On This!

February 4, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Did You Watch Oprah?

On Tuesday, she aired the results of she and 378 of her staffers going vegan for a week. It was fascinating to watch, and great to see the results of many of the participants. A total of 444 pounds were lost, but 80-some were gained. Several staffers even plan to stick with it. On the show, was Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules and Kathy Freston, the Veganist. I was delighted of course that veganism made it all the way to Oprah-Land, but I was disappointed that there wasn’t more brought up about the ill-health effects of eating animal products; it focused only on animal welfare it seemed–which is great, too, but I think what is going to make an impact on most people, is how is it’s going to affect them–not the animal. I didn’t feel that it was an accurate portrayal of the vegan diet and all that it is about. Of course, that may not have been Oprah’s aim. I was actually surprised that Pollan seemed determined to put a damper on the vegan diet the whole time, yet I agreed with him that meat and dairy industries need to be reformed. I definitely plan on picking up Freston’s book though.

What did you think?

Make it a Vegan Super Bowl Party

Super Bowls parties are known for being packed with chicken wings, cheese dips and spread, but that doesn’t mean they have to be staples of the shindig. Ecorazzi lists their top 10 vegan Super Bowl foods. The Buffalo Tofu looks fabulous!

Other winning appetizers to bring: Party Cheese Ball, Crock Cheez, Stuffed Mushrooms, Cheez Platter, Cheddar & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, 8-Layer Dip, Spring Rolls, Avocado Bruschetta, or Spinach Dip!

One commercial you won’t see aired during the big game will be PETA’s attention-getting “veg-porn” ad, called “Veggie Love.” I’m sure you’ve all seen it by now because it’s been getting lots of internet views. I realize it’s all about getting attention, but I wonder if the money could have been spent in better ways—in a way that would have actually benefited animals and have a positive impact. I love PETA and respect what they do, but there are times I feel they shoot themselves in the foot once in a while.

What do you think of the ad?

“Vegetarian – that’s an old Indian word meaning “lousy hunter.”

-Andy Rooney

Chocolate Avocado Banana Bread

February 3, 2011 by epicureanvegan

That’s right. Chocolate. Avocado. Banana. I figured since the Glazed Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes worked so well, why not give it a try with other stuff? I had two avocados a banana begging to be baked into something, so there you go. The Sixth Grader loves this bread and I have to make sure he doesn’t make a sandwich using it–he loves it that much. Unlike the cupcakes, you can taste the avocado, but for one, we love this green fruit over here and two, the taste is subtle. The chocolate really balances the flavors nicely. Now if the green color is off-putting, I suppose you can add about a 1/4 C of cocoa, but I kind of like the Grinchy green!

INGREDIENTS:
1 banana
2 avocados
1 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 C flour
2 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 C almond milk
1 C dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli semi-sweet are vegan)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, mash the banana and avocado together. It will look like guacamole . . . yet smell like bananas. Stir in the canola oil and lemon juice.

Add the avocado/banana mixture and almond milk to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Grease and flour a large loaf pan. You can also use an 8×8″ baking dish or even a bundt pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. The top will brown, but insert a knife in the middle to make sure it comes out clean before taking out. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan and slicing. Enjoy!

Chocolate Avocado Banana Bread

That's right. Chocolate. Avocado. Banana. I figured since the Glazed Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes worked so well, why not give it a try with other stuff? I had two avocados a banana begging to be baked into something, so there you go. The Sixth Grader loves this bread and I have to make sure he doesn't make a sandwich using it--he loves it that much. Unlike the cupcakes, you can taste the avocado, but for one, we love this green fruit over here and two, the taste is subtle. The chocolate really balances the flavors nicely. Now if the green color is off-putting, I suppose you can add about a ¼ C of cocoa, but I kind of like the Grinchy green!

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

1 banana
2 avocados
1 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 C flour
2 Tbs canola oil
1 tsp lemon juice
⅛ C almond milk
1 C dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli semi-sweet are vegan)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, mash the banana and avocado together. It will look like guacamole . . . yet smell like bananas. Stir in the canola oil and lemon juice.
Add the avocado/banana mixture and almond milk to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Grease and flour a large loaf pan. You can also use an 8x8" baking dish or even a bundt pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. The top will brown, but insert a knife in the middle to make sure it comes out clean before taking out. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from pan and slicing. Enjoy!

Product Review: Solterra Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Pizza

February 3, 2011 by epicureanvegan

First I saw “Vegan Cheese Pizza”, then I saw it’s made with daiya cheese and I knew, this pizza had to be mine. Well, mine and the kid’s. We are always on the lookout for vegan pizzas, but I think we’ve had pretty good luck so far with the Tofurky one. From Solterra, this gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free 8″ pizza will run you $4.99 at Whole Foods (and probably at least a buck cheaper in other places) and offers a unique way of cooking it. You leave the pizza in the packaging, just peel back the front/top paper to reveal a plastic window over the pizza.

At 450 degrees, place the pizza directly on the oven rack and bake for only about 5-7 minutes. After about 6 minutes, it didn’t look done, but I think it was–just was hard to tell through the plastic.

I ended up burning the edges quite a bit, so I just cut those off–the rest of perfect. In fact, it was pretty darn good! We liked the thin crust and of course, the daiya cheese.

I would certainly buy this pizza again and next time, I won’t over cook it! Solterra’s products are all gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free, with several products that are dairy-free as well. Click HERE for nutritional information.

Portobellos with Tomatoes and Truffle Cheeze Sauce

January 11, 2011 by epicureanvegan

We got some beautiful portobellos and tomatoes from Green Buffalo Food Co. and this came together so fast. The truffle cheeze sauce is amazing! I could have eaten it with a spoon—it is rich, creamy and perfect for veggies, pasta, or by the spoonful!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Tbs olive oil
2 Portobello mushrooms, stem and gills removed
2-4 large basil leaves (I used spinach, but I think I’d prefer basil for more flavor)
4 tomato slices
Sauce:
1/3 C almond milk
1/2 C Daiya mozzarella
1/8 tsp (or less) white truffle oil

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Place portobellos, face down, in the pan and lightly saute for about 2 minutes. Turn over and saute the other side. Add the basil leaves and 2 tomato slices per mushroom. Reduce heat to low and cover.

To prepare the sauce, bring the almond milk just to a boil, reduce heat to medium and whisk in the cheeze and truffle oil. Whisk until smooth—it’ll only take a couple of minutes.

Serve the portobellos with sauce drizzled on top and enjoy!

Portobellos with Tomatoes and Truffle Cheeze Sauce

Author: Epicurean Vegan

Ingredients

½ Tbs olive oil
2 Portobello mushrooms, stem and gills removed
2-4 large basil leaves (I used spinach, but I think I'd prefer basil for more flavor)
4 tomato slices
Sauce:
⅓ C almond milk
½ C Daiya mozzarella
⅛ tsp (or less) white truffle oil

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Place portobellos, face down, in the pan and lightly saute for about 2 minutes. Turn over and saute the other side. Add the basil leaves and 2 tomato slices per mushroom. Reduce heat to low and cover.
To prepare the sauce, bring the almond milk just to a boil, reduce heat to medium and whisk in the cheeze and truffle oil. Whisk until smooth---it'll only take a couple of minutes.
Serve the portobellos with sauce drizzled on top and enjoy!

Anniversary & Reflection

January 11, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Epicurean Vegan Turns 1!

That’s me with the largest acorn squash—ever.

I began my vegan journey when I gave up dairy in June of 2007, then finally giving up meat in December of 2009. I always felt I couldn’t digest meat and dairy very well, which is probably why I also was never a huge meat-eater. I picked up The Kind Diet and suddenly, things made sense. I loved the taste of dairy, but it made me feel crummy later (and did nothing good for my waistline). It was no wonder I had a love/hate relationship with food. I finally discovered that food can taste amazing and not make me feel lousy afterward. Oprah would called that my light bulb moment. I couldn’t wait to start on my new culinary adventure.

But then . . . an appendicitis struck and thus, my world of food blogging. A year ago this week (on a very cold and blizzardy night–of course) I ended up at the ER with a very cranky appendix. Long story short—it was successfully removed, but the ordeal definitely knocked me on my butt. So I made my home on the couch, bloated belly and all, and an open laptop staring at me. I decided to start a vegan blog. I had no idea how to even blog, or if anyone would even find me, but I was loving my new plant way of life, that I just wanted to share it with others.

I don’t remember what my first post was—for some reason, I have about 25 posts from January 21st. Not sure what happened there. So my first month of blogging may have been a little rocky, but over the last year I’ve had so much fun sharing recipes, what I’ve learned about vegan food, and meeting so many great foodies along the way.

I’m lucky to have a supportive family who has happily joined the vegan world with me and has been obliging guinea pigs for my recipes. Not everything I’ve made has turned out edible, but it’s all been a fun learning process. I have been introduced to ingredients I never knew existed and have now become favorites. Kale, miso, tempeh, tofu—love them all!

My very patient, loving, and supportive husband had some fear when I announced my new “diet”, especially when I said that he wanted meat—he had to cook it, but after a month or so when he realized he wasn’t starved he thought he could probably do this too. You have to understand The Husband. He was a devoted chicken man. Chick-fil-A was his absolute favorite restaurant, but now, he can’t even imagine eating it. (I’m pretty sure Food, Inc., and Fast Food Nation, helped push him to go veg). He feels great, noting that those slowly, creeping pounds are not longer creeping up. One of the things I’ve noticed is my energy level. I actually took up running this last summer, participating in two 5Ks.

I never would have had the energy before—meat and dairy weighed me down. Literally. Weight gain is hardly an issue anymore. Without going into detail, I’ll just say that things run so much smoother!

Eating out and traveling as a vegan has been an adventure, but I don’t stress about it. I have found that restaurants are becoming more and more veggie-friendly and even if we have to put a little more effort into planning our meals while on vacation, it’s always worth it. We have found some vegan-havens in Boulder and Jackson Hole (well, everywhere, actually)!

(Dushanbe Tea House in Boulder)

(Nani’s in Jackson Hole)

Even camping is easy to veganize. There are lots of vegan options for the camper and hiker—which is a big part of our summers!

Anyway, I wanted to share my thoughts on my first year of veganism and all its positive effects it has had on us. Even though some friends and family think we’re a little nuts, that’s okay. I’ve learned a lot from some great cookbooks, but mostly from other vegan bloggers who have made this endeavor interesting and fun. Thank you to all my readers and fellow bloggers—I couldn’t continue this without all of you!

Strawberry-Pear Tarts

Vegan Shepards Pie

Cheeze Swag is Awesome: Galaxy Nutritional Foods

My First Guest Blogger! Vegan, Wheat-free, and Nearly Sugar-free Blueberry Muffins

Open-Faced TVP Burgers & Sweet Potato Fries with Truffle Oil

Feast On This!

Did You Watch Oprah?

Make it a Vegan Super Bowl Party

Chocolate Avocado Banana Bread

Product Review: Solterra Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Pizza

Portobellos with Tomatoes and Truffle Cheeze Sauce

Anniversary & Reflection

Epicurean Vegan Turns 1!

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