Thai Carrot/Sweet Potato Soup

Soup:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cups onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
3 tablespoons green curry paste
4 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed (I probably used 5)
¼ cup peanut butter
4 cups peeled and diced carrots
3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Fresh Thai basil, minced, for garnish

Almonds:
½ cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for approximately 5 minutes. 

2. Add other ingredients (except almonds) to pot. Stir until combined.

3. Bring soup to a boil  then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. Put soup in blender and process until a smooth puree. 

5. Pour soup back into a pot and season with salt and black pepper. Reheat if necessary.

6. For the almonds, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Toss almonds with soy and olive oil until coated, spread onto baking pan, and roast approximately 10-15 minutes and set them aside to cool.

7. Serve up a bowl, adding a sprinkle of almonds and diced Thai basil and ENJOY!

Easy New Year's Collard & Black-eyed Pea Soup

Happy New Year, everyone!
It's been a minute since my last post to this blog. OK many minutes, over a year, actually. Much has happened in the world and in my personal life. A new year is here and I have plenty to be thankful for.
Back in September hurricane Irma paid us a visit, leaving us without electricity for 4 days. This was an absolutely minute inconvenience in comparison to the devastation it brought to other areas or what Maria, which followed closely behind was about to unleash in the Caribbean. That said, for a run-of-the-mill guy who has it fairly easy compared to many, 4 days without electricity felt like a big deal. My husband and I could not stand to look at another canned meal and with a tank full of propane at our disposal we broke down and fell off our vegetarian (almost-vegan) wagons. I wish I could say this was a once-only isolated incident but we quickly slid down a breaded, deep-fried, greasy, lardy slope of beastly indulgance. For about a two week period many of our meals consisted of Arby's, KFC, McDonald's, Wendy's and lesser known local fast food joints. Our binge was not a guilt-less one. I immediately regretted almost every single meal, mentally and physically.
The guilt helped push us back into a slightly healthier routine. We became weekday vegetarians and splurged on the weekend, sometimes eating nothing but two steaks each in place of a normal meal of a single serving with sides. Shameful, I KNOW!
I cooked many of the meat-centered dishes I grew up with for the holidays. The piece de resistance was a 21 pound pernil (traditional Puerto Rican roast pork). Our decision to return to a vegetarian diet was sealed after I watched a video online about the most adorable rescued pigs, bringing back all of the feelings which pushed me to make the choice 3 1/2 years ago. I want to do my part in reducing cruelty and environmental decline in this world and I have that option. Most of us do. I can't say that I will never again stumble but I know that as easily as I might, I can also get back on track. So as I greet the new year and embark on new projects and artistic adventures I resolve to jump back on my wagon and ride into the sunset with a clear mind and healthier, earth-friendlier lifestyle choice.
Now let's get to cookin'!

Easy Collard & Black-eyed Pea Soup
Ingredients:
-5 cloves of garlic (chopped)
-1/2 onion (chopped)
-1 bunch (or bag) collard greens (NOT FROZEN)
-2 14.5 oz cans of black-eyed peas
-1 14.5 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
-5 cups vegetable stock (or water and vegetable bullions)
-vegetable oil to coat bottom of pot
-grated cheese of choice to taste


1.Wash collards thoroughly to remove grit. I washed them once with salt and vinegar then two more times, changing the water in the container each time. Cut into bite size before or after washing.
2.Coat bottom of the pot with oil and sautee garlic and onion until garlic is slightly brown (not too much).
3.Add collards and stir continuously for about 5 minutes.
4.Add rest of ingredients except the peas and cheese and cover. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.
5.Add peas and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes.
6.Sprinkle with grated cheese and chow down!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Almost Vegan Empanadas de "Carne"

I have such sweet memories of Mami Luisa (a friend of my mother's who for all intents and purposes is my grandmother) making empanadas and pastelillos (a smaller version of empanadas). Wasn't it just yesterday that I sat on a stool at her kitchen breakfast counter, chubby legs dangling back and forth as I watched and munched on the ingredients as she assembled a family's worth to have already at the table before her husband Ruben arrived from work? It sure feels that way.

Ingredients:

-1 pack of 10 Goya Empanada "Discos", thawed

-1 10oz bag Morning Star Farms Grillers Crumbles (or brand of choice)

-1/2 medium onion, chopped

-2 cloves chopped garlic

-1 packet Sason Accent or Goya, with culantro and annatto

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp oregano

-1 8oz can tomato sauce

-1 15oz can chick peas/garbanzos

-approximately 10 manzanilla olives, sliced (or salad olives)

-1/4 cup IBERIA or Goya recaito

-Light Adobo, to taste

-Cheese of choice (I used Colby Jack), or none, if you are vegan

1. Sautee onion and reacaito in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or coat pan with spray on med/hi until onions are transluscent. then add the garlic and stir for about another 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the crumbles, chickpeas and olives. Add seasonings while stirring. Sauté for about 3 minutes and add the tomato sauce. Lower heat to med/low and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly. 

3. Set aside to cool down a bit. 

Now comes the assembly. 

Use a rolling pin to expand the discs a bit. The directions did not call for using flour, but I found it helpful to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. I then turned the disc over, so that the floured side would fry on the outside of the empanada and not become part of the filling. 

I used cheese slices, 1/2 per empanada, and 2 spoonfuls of filling.

-Add filling to the center of the disc and fold over to make a half circle.

-Use a fork to press/seal the edges.

Before frying, I preheated the oven to 200 degrees to keep the empanadas warm while I cooked. 

I layered them on paper towels to absorb excess grease.

Fry until golden brown, following package directions. Mine only needed about a minute and a half on each side.

Que rico!

Buen provecho.

Veggie Garden Time!

Truth be told, I actually have already grown a few veggies since our move to St. Petersburg, Florida last November. A few months ago I decided to grow some kale, lettuce and broccoli in a small bed at the front of our house. The results were mixed, kale being the clear winner. While I am super-excited about a longer growing season(s), it is still very new to me. I am navigating my way through it by trial and error.

I should have plenty of sunshine in my backyard and have already built a raised bed. I began growing my seedlings in our sunroom. Not all sprouted (yet, anyway) but most have.
This round of veggies will include:
-cherry tomatoes
-beefsteak tomatoes
-wax beans (not yet sprouted)
-corn
-zucchini
-watermelon
-peppers

A few of the seedlings should be ready to go outside very soon.

Game Day Philly Cheese "Steak" Hoagies

The big game is coming and that means...

Who am I kidding? I don't watch sports that don't involve costumes or choreography...or ice skates. The last time I tuned in to the Super Bowl or any sports event was to watch Prince perform the halftime show. But I do eat (a lot) and one of the things I loved when I was still a meat-eater was a big juicy cheese steak dripping with onions. 

So in seasonal spirit we'll call these "game day" hoagies, but they're really just any day hoagies.

Ingredients:

-1 8 oz package of Seitan strips, cut into finer strips

- 4 hoagie/sub rolls

-1 1/2 medium onion, cut into very fine rings

-1 package portabella/baby bella mushrooms, sliced

-Provolone cheese, as much as you want

-2 tbsp veggie Worcestershire sauce, or to taste 

-3 or 4 tbsp olive oil, divided

-1 tbsp oregano

-3 cloves garlic chopped

-salt and black pepper to taste (I snuck in a bit of Adobo while cooking the seating, just because it's full of deliciousness and I use it for almost everything I cook.)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Heat half of the oil in skillet and sauté onions until translucent (or they begin to brown) then add mushrooms. Add Worcestershire sauce and cook for about 5-7 minutes then set aside in a bowl.

3. Add the remaining oil to the heated skillet and saute the garlic, quickly adding the seitan. Add spices. Here is where I snuck in the Adobo and a bit more Worcestershire sauce. 

4. After 5-7 minutes of cooking (stir often), add the onions and mushrooms and mix. Cook just 2-3 minutes longer and set aside. 

5. I'm not going to tell you how to slice the rolls, because if you can read this, you have surely sliced one at some point in your life and me telling you would be both unnecessary and insulting. But I will tell you to take the filled rolls and partly wrap them in aluminum foil. Insert cheese and shove the whole thing (on a cookie tray) into the oven for about 5 minutes or until they look as toasty as you want them to. 

This made 4 hoagies, all of which my partner and I ingested. Do not judge us. A lot of folk would have just one but with a side of fries or potato salad. We had no sides...so there!

Enjoy.

Leftover "Turkey" Pot Pies

I lovvvvvvvve me a pot pie.
I mean, if it were legal, I might marry one. Or twelve.
OK, I would gladly engage in a sister-wife pot-pie marriage.
Don't judge me.

My dear mother-in-law heard my pot-pie craving call and was sweet enough to oblige. She gets all credit for this recipe (except for the turkey-alternative I had already prepared).

"Turkey" Leftover Pot Pies 

Ingredients:

Filling:

-Vegetarian Turkey Alternative Leftovers

-2 tbsp oil

-1 cup fresh carrots, chopped
-1 cup almond milk

-1 cup frozen peas

-4 medium potatoes, diced

-1 medium onion, diced

-2 stalks celery, chopped

-2 cups vegetable broth, to barely cover veggies

Biscuit Topping:

My mom-in-law whipped up a delicious home-made biscuit crust (2 cups flour, 1/4 cup shortening, 2/3 cup heavy cream) but you can just as well use store-bought biscuits or crust. 

Bake all this goodness at 350 degrees until the crust begins to golden/brown.

Our First Vegetarian Thanksgiving

I hope everyone enjoyed a happy and healthy Thanksgiving yesterday. It was our first as vegetarians. The one thing I feared most when we changed our diets was that I would feel as if I were missing out on the over-the-top holiday meals I have enjoyed since childhood. Not just the flavors, but the sentimentality attached to them. Would I miss traditional spreads enough to "cheat" on our new lifestyle? 

I am happy to report that we stuck to our guns and pressed on with plant-based alternatives. We didn't miss out on a thing! Thanks to Quorn and Gardein foods we enjoyed two types of "turkey", complimented by homemade vegetarian mushroom gravy and cornbread and vegan "sausage" stuffing. Candied yams, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and salads also showed up to dinner. All in all we enjoyed a guilt-free hearty holiday meal, adding to the long list of things I'm thankful for. 

Vegan Un-stuffed Stuffed Cabbage

File this one under "Hotel Cooking Challenges".
My partner and I are currently mid-move to our new home. His contract in Virginia was unexpectedly extended until the end of this month so here we are in a "charming" Extended Stay America for a few more weeks. A friend who recently had a similar experience asked me if I was working with one of those kitchens that belongs in her daughters' doll house...maybe, if it had an oven and a few more pots.

So what vegetarian/vegan delights can I whip up in this 2 range/2 pot kitchen? Last night I attempted Un-stuffed Stuffed Cabbage. A high school friend posted a recipe a few weeks back. I was reminded of how much I love stuffed cabbage and how long it's been since I had it so I decided to tweak it a bit and make it vegan.

Fair warning:
Some of the photos in the weeks to come might not be magazine-ready given the circumstances. I do guarantee that pretty or not, I will not post a photo of anything unless my culinary adventure was a success and the result was YUM!

Vegan Un-Stuffed Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

-1 lb vegan/vegetarian "beef" crumbles

-1 tbs oil

-1 medium/large onion chopped

-1 small cabbage, chopped

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1-2 14.5 can (I used 1 1/2) diced tomatoes

-1 8oz can tomato sauce

-1 cup water

-1 vegetable bullion

-1 tbs Goya Adobo Light (or to taste)

-black pepper to taste

-2-3 cups cooked white (or brown) rice

1. In skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add onions. Sauté until translucent, then add garlic and beef crumbles. Season the beef with Adobo. Brown, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil (add water or diced tomatoes as needed and to taste). Cover and simmer on low/med low for about 20 minutes, stirring ocassionally. You will know it's done as soon as the cabbage is tender.

Enjoy!

SUPER EASY Tomato "Pizza" Bites

There is really no need for me to give any specific measurements or even ingredients here since you can make these up as you go along. The suggestion to enjoy some just-picked  fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes is enough. The rest is up to you.

Tomato Pizza Bites

Ingredients:

-Fresh picked (if you have the option) organic tomatoes

-Fresh basil leaves

-Shredded mozzarella (or vegan alternative)

-salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste

-1 dollop of pesto spread per tomato bite

1. Wash and slice each tomato widthwise. Don't cut the slices too thin. You want them to be sturdy.

2. Sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper on the tomatoes.

3. Place a dollop of pesto on each, followed by a sprinkle of cheese, a whole basil leaf and topped with more cheese.

4. Broil on low for approximately 5 minutes, until cheese begins to brown. 

EAT UP!

These tomato bites make delicious and visually appealing appetizers. They are also great as a sandwich. Just spread some pesto on a bun and enjoy.

Jackfruit Adventures: Mu Shu Rolls

I recently learned about jackfruit as a meat substitute. I think I once purchased a ripe one at the international market, just to taste it, and was not all that wild about it once I got it home. It never occurred to me that canned green jackfruit might have other culinary uses.

Last night I had my first adventure with a jackfruit (that probably doesn't sound the way I meant it). I cooked it Mu Shu style and it was dee-li-shussss. I loosely followed a recipe I saw online as a jumping off point and tweaked the measurements and ingredients to suit my tastes.

Believe it or not, I searched high and low at the international market for Mu Shu pancakes (even asking employees who continually directed me toward large sacs of flour) to no avail. I settled for rice paper wraps. Last night's wrapping was a fiasco! While tasty, they did not turn out the prettiest of rolls. Today I had leftovers for lunch and the wrapping went considerably better.

Mu Shu Jackfruit Rolls

Ingredients:

2 20 oz cans green jackfruit in brine or water (NOT syrup), well drained

1 19 oz can bamboo shoots strips in water, well drained

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp minced ginger root

4-5 green onions, chopped

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cup slivered carrots or prepared shredded carrots

2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup vegetable broth

4 tbsp soy sauce

2-3 tbsp hoisin sauce (or to taste)

1 tbsp sesame oil

rice paper sheets

1. In a sauce pan or fryer, sauté onion, garlic and ginger root. 

2. Add well-drained jackfruit, soy and hoisin sauces and veggie broth. Simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until fruit softens and begins to shred when you press and stir it. Continue to stir, further shredding the jackfruit. 

3. Add remaining ingredients and cook on medium heat for another 10-15 minutes, checking it throughout. You want the carrots and bamboo shoots to retain some crispness. 

4. Follow instructions on rice paper wrapper package and serve.

Tastes yum-yum warm or at room temperature, straight out of the fridge.
Serves 4-5. This was a dinner for three and the four rolls pictured below was my lunch today. 

Kale, Carrot, Red Cabbage & Fennel Slaw

I love a good slaw in the sumer. In the past I stuck to pretty much your regular varieties. Now as a vegetarian, I feel inspired to try different flavors and textures. This slaw is super simple and super delicious!

Kale, Carrot, Red Cabbage & Fennel Slaw

Ingredients:

- 1 fennel bulb sliced and cut into approx 1 1/2" pieces

-1 carrot (I used a regular carrot and used the peeler to make the ribbons, but you could use bagged shredded carrots,)

-1/3 medium red cabbage, shredded

-1 medium bunch Kale

-Mayonnaise or veggie alternative to taste

-Kosher salt to taste

1. Combine and enjoy!

Measurements can vary depending on how much you are making or what particular flavor you might want to highlight.

Polenta & Spinach with Creamy Onion Gravy

I thought I would be safe to simply switch from brown or turkey store-bought gravies to mushroom varieties. I was wrong. I was a bit surprised to find beef-stock or some other animal ingredient listed on the label. Maybe this is a common mistake made by vegetarian newbies...maybe I'm just a Dodo bird. 

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In any case, I have started playing around with alternatives. 

If you love garlic and onions this should be a good one for you. 

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe's pre-cooked organic polenta (or your choice)

1. Coat frying pan with Trader Joe's olive oil spray (or your choice)

2. Slice to approximately 1/2" slices. Heat according to package directions (I like them slightly browned). Set aside in oven set to warm.

Creamy Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

2 cups rice milk (or preferred milk substitute)

3 tbsp flour

2 tbsp margarine or butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1. Melt margarine in saucepan on med-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent.

2. Lower to medium heat and add remaining ingredients, whisking continuously.

3.Whisk for 5 minutes until gravy thickens. For thicker gravy add more flour after 5 minutes. If too thick for your taste, add milk substitute until desired thickness is achieved.

Creamy Spinach with Garlic & Onions

Ingredients:

1 lb bag baby spinach

2 tbsp margarine or butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup rice or soy milk (or preferred substitute)

1 tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt margarine over medium heat and sauté garlic and onions until fragrant.

2. Raise heat to high and add flour, whisk well then lower heat back to medium.

3. Add spinach and mix. 

4. Cook until spinach is wilted.

Pesto Caprese Sandwich with Balsamic Asparagus

This easy-breezy sandwich is both refreshing and full of flavor. Perfect for summer dinners (or lunch) after a long day of gardening (hopefully growing your own veggies!) and yard work under the sun.

Pesto Caprese Sandwich

Ingredients:

Fresh Mozarella Cheese (or vegan substitute)

Roma Tomatoes

Pesto Spread of your choice (I use Trader Joe's Genova Pesto)

Fresh green or purple Italian Basil leaves (Mine came straight from my garden!)

Rolls (Ciabatta are ideal, but I happened to have some fresh Keiser ones in my kitchen so I used those. Save money, use what you have!)

I won't provide directions on how to put these ingredients together because if you can read my blogposts without assistance, you have the skills necessary to put a sandwich together on your own. 

I believe in you!

Steamed Balsamic Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh Asparagus

Olive oil (to taste)

Balsamic Vinegar (to taste)

1 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Kosher salt (to taste)

Also super-simple! 

1. Wash and cut Asparagus stalks into two or tree pieces.

2. Steam until tender, but not soggy (about 5 minutes, checking frequently).

3. Drain. Combine and toss all ingredients in a bowl.

4. Let cool and serve at room temperature.

YUM!

PS. Confession: While 1 serving is perfectly satisfying, I ate two sandwiches all on my own. 

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Quick & Easy "Pastelon" Bowl

Pastelon is a Puerto Rican dish that resembles a lasagna. Amarillos (sweet plantains) replace noodles and picadillo replaces the traditional Italian-style filling. The dish is a tasty combination of sweet and salty. Picadillo can also be served in a variety of dishes such as over rice or in tacos and burritos, to name a few. Pastelon can also be made as a meat "pie" by grinding the plantains. Later on I will prepare one of these for the blog (and my belly), but for now I thought I'd take a stab at putting together a simpler bowl-verision. It incorporates the predominant flavors in traditional Pastelon, but it comes together much faster.

Beefless Picadillo

2 12 oz packs of Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef (or your beef substitute of choice)

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes 

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

a handful of manzanilla olives

1/4 cup Goya Recaito

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp Goya Adobo Light (or to taste)

1 tbsp oil (vegetable or olive) or cooking spray

1. Coat the bottom of the caldero with oil.

2. Sautee onion, garlic and pepper until fragrant.

3. Add beef substitute and Adobo. Cook on medium-high for 3-5 minutes, stirring.

4. Add tomatoes, Recaito, oregano, olives. Once mixture begins to bubble, lower heat and cook another 5 minutes. 

Serve in a bowl with Goya frozen amarillos, cooked according to package directions.

Buen provecho!

Springtime Potato Salad

There is nothing inherently "spring" about this salad. The colors are bright and crisp and remind me of Spring. You could certainly vary the colors for a different feel. Red and yellow bell peppers would be lovely, but I didn't have those in my fridge when I made this, so how about we just stick with Springtime?

Springtime Potato Salad

Ingredients:

4 medium white or yellow potatoes

4 medium purple potatoes

1 small red onion

2 stalks celery (diced)

2 carrots (diced)

2 decent-sized broccoli florets (cut up)

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise or vegan alternative (or to taste)

1/8 cup dijon mustard

1 tsp dried parsley

salt to taste

1. Cut up all vegetables and set aside.

2. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes. 

2. Boil potatoes in salted water, checking regularly with a for for desired tenderness.

3. Drain cooked potatoes and spray with cold water. 

4. Combine all ingredients and chow down.

Easy Peasy! Enjoy.

Blue & Cheddar Portabella "Burgers"

These "burgers" are super-tasty and filling served bun-less (if you want to skip some carbs) with a side of broccoli slaw. If preparing as vegan, simply substitute cheese (and mayo in the slaw) with vegan alternatives.

Blue & Cheddar Portabella "Burgers"

Ingredients:

4 portabella mushroom caps

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried Italian seasonings

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

1. Combine and whisk oil, vinegar, dried seasonings, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

2. Combine blue and cheddar cheeses and set aside.

3. Place mushrooms in a container that allows them to rest flat, without overlapping much. I used a pyrex baking dish. 

4. Pour marinade over mushrooms. Use a brush to coat completely. Marinate for 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through.

5. Place mushrooms cap side down on a wire rack on a cookie sheet or baking dish and broil on low for  5-7 minutes.

6. Flip mushrooms over and add cheese mixture to caps. Broil on low for another 5 minutes.

Quick Kale Fix

Today I found myself realizing at 3:30pm that I still had not eaten lunch. I'm not one of those "Oops, I forgot to eat" people, trust me. Forgetting to eat is a foreign concept to my brain (and stomach). I might miss a breakfast or lunch here and there, due to timing but I always more than make up for it, not always in the healthiest of ways, unfortunately.
Wanting to silence the rumbling in my belly without spoiling tonight's dinner with a heavy afternoon meal, I turned to my good friend Mr. Kale. This also makes a yummy side dish.

Quick Kale Fix

Ingredients:

A small bunch of fresh kale (I didn't measure, but I'd guess about 4-5 cups)

1 small red onion, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, chopped (or to taste, I happen to love it)

A splash (let's say 1/4 cup) of Marsala wine (because, well...why not?)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

1. Wash, drain and chop kale (set aside).

2.  Add garlic and onion to heated oil and sauté for about 3 minutes.

3. Add kale, wine and salt. Stir and cover.

4. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until kale is at desired tenderness.

Two Weeks a Vegetarian

Two weeks into this I must say that I don't miss eating meats as much as I feared I might. I have not weighed myself but my pants feel a bit looser. I feel, how should I put this...less gross. Meals suddenly seem to count, meaning that I am more aware and in the moment while eating. I am taking the time to enjoy what I'm eating rather than thoughtlessly stuffing my face. Foods taste cleaner and are more satisfying.

I am learning how to buy groceries all over again. There is a world of vegetarian and vegan products out there to consider. Practically everything is new to us. We are in the trial-and-error phase. So far I have been pleased with all of the meat and chicken substitutes While we enjoyed the Go Veggy! cheese substitute slices in sandwiches (Tofurky deli slices were also good) the Vegan Gourmet cheddar (block) alternative was less than thrilling. I think it was more of a texture thing. You just don't expect block cheddar to crumble into a soggy mess in your mouth.  Rather than giving up on it completely I will try melting it over some veggies.

Last night I prepared some tofu "patties" with Korean BBQ sauce and scallions. I prefer extra-firm tofu to other varieties. I served them with a side of Chinese broccoli and Bok Choy, lightly sautéed with garlic over sesame oil. Not by any means an "inspired" recipe (they can't all be), but it tasted delicious and was quick and easy to make.

So two weeks in, I'm quite satisfied with the dietary changes we've made, so onward we go.

The Almost-Vegan Rican

I'll kick this blog off by giving future readers this fair warning: I am not perfect. That said, neither is my diet. But I am trying, and that is precisely what this blog will be about. After a lifetime of poor eating habits, my partner and I have decided to go the vegetarian route. We have tried every diet from Deal-a-Meal (the oldies in the crowd will remember it) to Atkins and Paleo. I am not saying that some may not work, they just never "stuck" for us.  Our decision to become vegetarians didn't come out of health concerns alone. We are animal lovers. From the start of our relationship, almost 17 years ago, we have never shared our lives with less than at least two dogs at any given time. They are our children. Our friends.

As we become more and more aware of the cruelty and atrocities committed by factory farming it has become harder and harder for us to separate our animals from the rest of the animal kingdom. If our pets have souls (and, call me crazy, but I believe they do), why wouldn't other animals as well? We simply have reached a point in our lives at which we can no longer go on supporting such heartless industries.

We are aware that sketchy practices spill onto even some "cruelty-free" sources of dairy, but as I said at the start of this post: I am not perfect. As of now we have been vegetarians for two weeks. That means no meat, chicken, pork or fish. We gave a freezer-ful away to neighbors. There are eggs still in our fridge, but I suspect they will expire before we might consider consuming them. In the past two weeks we have used a combination of vegan and real cheese. Also non-vegan mayonnaise and real butter. So... baby steps.

All in all, I don't think that's entirely too shabby for two 40-something guys who just two weeks ago were chomping down on some big juicy T-bone steaks. One of them (guilty!) gnawing on the bone like a modern day caveman. We are striving to go as vegan as possible, but will not beat ourselves up over not not achieving perfection. We're glad for every bit of animal suffering we manage to diminish along the way.

I have decided to start this blog so that I can share with others who might be on the same path our progress and experiences. I will share recipes I try and especially those I create. There will never be bashing of meat-eaters on this blog. I am not here to nag others. I refuse to be "that guy".  I am only here to do what I believe is best for my partner and myself (and perhaps some animals along the way).