It has been a couple months since my last post and I have an explanation for that...or an excuse, is there really a difference? I was doing very well with maintaining the vegan lifestyle until the middle of March when I hit a major slump and started craving all of my favorite foods again, or as I jokingly called it my "mac and cheese night sweats." I also began to feel somewhat marginalized in my community and even in my group of friends. A friend of mine when speaking about another vegan stated, "they are imposing their extremist lifestyle on those around them." I had no intention to impose on others when I began this journey, and in fact have not done this intentionally. However, it became apparent that others were placing impositions on themselves that I had not put there, like my boyfriend lamenting that we could no longer go to certain restaurants (where there were vegan options for me), or friends apologizing profusely for putting cheese on the salad they had brought to a potluck (when there was plenty of other food for me to eat), or my father throwing out suggestions for any food that I could eat or make myself when I went home for the weekend (when I had already eaten and was not even hungry).
I also noticed that something about using the word "vegan" demands perfection unlike other self-identifiers that allow a little room for...say, humanity? If you say you are on the Atkin's diet, no one jumps down your throat for enjoying a bagel every once in a while. If you say you are trying to stop drinking caffeine, no one gasps when you have a sip of a friend's latte. So why is it that people feel the need to scream "aha!" every time I dip the corner of my finger in a cheese sauce to try it or take a bite of a scone that may have been made with eggs? I am still not sure why this is the case, perhaps it has something to do with the area I call home or perhaps there is something about the nature of veganism that breeds a certain hostility in others? I do know that at this time, I no longer want to call myself a vegan...
What types of changes has this meant for me since I came to this realization? Honestly, not many, except feeling free to eat whatever I want makes me feel like every time I choose a vegan meal over a non-vegan one that I am making a choice that is better for me, animals and the environment. I am still eating at least 80% vegan, but now I will occasionally eat something with eggs in it or enjoy some tuna or salmon rolls at my favorite sushi restaurant. Yes, I understand that I could do better at this whole vegan thing, but I also know that by eating such a small amount of animal products I am doing a hell of a lot better at reducing my eco-footprint and reducing animal suffering than most people out there, including those pesky "aha!" people. So I have changed the name of my blog to reflect my new direction (and to reflect the fact that I cannot seem to take a picture of anything without devouring at least some of it first :P) and I hope that you continue to tune in! Here are a few vegan recipes from this week, enjoy!
Ooey Gooey mac and cheese:
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8oz whole wheat penne pasta
2 1/2 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, divided
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cups rice milk
1 package Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds (About 2 cups)
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Directions:
Salt pasta water and bring to a boil, Add penne. During last few minutes while pasta is cooking, add broccoli to cooking water. Drain and set aside.
Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat, stir in flour and cook for a couple minutes. Add nutritional yeast, then very slowly whisk in rice milk. Bring to a boil and stir a few minutes until thickened. Reduce heat and add daiya, stirring until melted and thickened. Add pasta and broccoli to cheese sauce, stir and pour into casserole. Top with 1/4 cup bread crumbs mixed with remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter (melted) and sprinkle over top.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until browned and bubbling.
Nutritional Information
Calories = 311, Fat = 14g, Carbohydrates = 40g, Fiber =5g, Sugars = 5gHealthy cherry pocket pies:
Makes about 10 servings (1 pie)
Ok, maybe these pocket pies aren't exactly healthy but they are definitely a step up from the mcdonald's apple pie...
I used my awesome mold that my boyfriend's mom got me from Williams-Sonoma to cut them into these fun shapes and although they are shaped like apples they are filled with cherry pie filling, yummmmm! Also, the crust is borrowed from the wonderful book Babycakes by Erin McKenna.
Ingredients:
Crust -
3 cups spelt flour
7 Tbsp organic coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar
Filling -
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet dark cherries
3 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 Heaping Tbsp cornstarch
Directions:
To make filling: Mix 3 Tbsp of agave nectar with the cornstarch in a sauce pot, add frozen cherries and a splash of vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool.
To make crust: In a large bowl, stir flour with coconut oil (melted on low in microwave), vanilla and agave nectar until well incorporated. Add 2-3 Tbsp cold water slowly until dough is moist. Shape dough into ball and wrap in floured plastic wrap, refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Roll out to 1/16th to 1/8th inch thickness on a floured board and cut out the two halves of pocket pie using your cutter. Place bottom of pie (without hole) on cutter and top with 2 Tbsp of filling. Place top of pie (with hole) on cutter and sandwich the two pieces together (the cutter flutes the edge). Freeze pies for about 20 minutes, then brush with rice milk and dust with large crystals of sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on wire rack.
Nutritional Information:
Calories = 315, Fat = 11g, Carbohydrates = 50g, Fiber = 6.5g, Sugars = 23g
