Vegan Drinks~La Esquina Tacos~WFAS Fundraiser

I started this blog about 5 months ago, and I can't believe I've gone this long without mentioning Vegan Drinks! So, what is Vegan Drinks?  It is a social networking event where like-minded folks can get together, have a drink (or two), and promote their business, project, organization, just hang out, or whathaveyou! It is a monthly event that started in NYC in 2008, and there are now Vegan Drinks events in multiple cities. In New York, it occurs on the last Thursday of every month.

Vegan Drinks was the very first veg-event of any sort I'd ever attended, so it sort of has a special place in my heart. About two years ago when I first started exploring veganism, I felt that a whole world was opening up to me-but that I had no one to share that all with! I'd wished I had some vegan friends, so I found out about Vegan Drinks and decided to go there and meet some! I liked the vibe of Vegan Drinks, and I found the people very friendly. I heard someone once mentioned that it seemed clique-y. It's true that there are circles of friends there that can be pretty into one another, but they are usually pretty open if approached-so personally I would advise others to go ahead and talk to 'em! I've found that most people I've approached at Vegan Drinks have been quite welcoming.

 

 

 

Last month's Vegan Drinks benefited Vegan Outreach, an organization that aims to promote veganism as a means to end animal exploitation. These two ladies, Lisa from Mercy for Animals, and her friend, were there as representatives, tabling for the organization.

 

That evening, it was pouring rain-so there was not as much turnout as usual. Still, I saw a fair amount of friends. My best friend Sophia, who is at the moment going through her own journey with exploring veganism, attended her first Vegan Drinks that night!

Here's me with Dylan...

And here's my friend David enjoying some cornbread.

Yes they serve food at the event!

 

 

 

 

Usually at about 8pm, people are welcome to come up and say whatever 30-second-spiel they have to share to promote their groups, causes, etc. Here are some people that stepped up to speak:

Sarah Hill from vegetarian restaurant Terri.

 

Andreas Turanski, repping the group Veg Strong.

 

Ethan Wolf from Sea Shepherd NY.

 

 

 

 

There was very little food left later in the evening. So after the event, Sophia and I wandered, hungry, into La Esquina in Soho for some tacos...

 For about 3 bucks, you can get your fix at this veg-friendly spot. I got their Acelgas, made with spinach, giant beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde, and their Aguacate con Queso-minus the Queso (aka cheese). The avocado taco was the real winner. What I love about 'em is that they are served up with generous chunks of avocado! Other ingredients include black bean, pico de gallo and salsa verde....

 

 

 

So that was my night last month! This month-this Thursday actually, is the next Vegan Drinks, and they will be benefiting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary! If you don't know about this amazing organization yet, you can refer to one of my older posts here . My friend Rachel is doing a lot of organizing for this event, and she is a great host, so you can count on a good time! There will be food, music, good peeps, and cool raffle prizes-including a night's stay at WFAS's Bed and Breakfast, an astrology reading, a Vaute Couture shirt, a gift certificate from V-Spot..the list goes on! I will be there helping them sell raffle tickets, so don't be shy-come find me and win some prizes! For more complete details on the event, check out this link:

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/453817474650126/

 

xo,

Ellie 



Weekend with Friends-Dosas-Sacred Chow-Organic Grill

Wow. I'm so behind on my posts! To be frank, spending time with friends has been taking priority. They've been a source of nourishment for me and my life, and I so appreciate them! So today's post is going to be about some of that-how I spent my time with friends last weekend.

Last Friday, I started off the weekend by meeting with Kate in Washington Square Park, and I finally got to try food from the Dosa Truck!

You can usually find the Dosa Guy on Sullivan Street outside the park until about 4:30. What are dosas? It's a southern Indian version of a crepe. The "crepe" is fermented and made from rice and lentils. The inside is filled with..whatever! The Dosa Guy fills his dosas with all sorts of vegan goodies.

Kate and I shared a curry special he was offering, and a dosa masala.

Here's the curry special, with veggies and soy protein.

The dosas. Kate and I ended up spending only 6 bucks each!



After talking and laying out in the park for a while, we headed to Sacred Chow for dessert. We decided to go with chocolate. When do you ever go wrong with that decision, right?

We shared their Chocolate Truffle Cake (filled with raspberry ganache), topped with vanilla soy ice cream. We devoured it in, oh, five minutes?

In the evening, I did a show with my band Koshka at the Way Station in Brooklyn. I also did an unexpected solo set, which was exciting! My friends were there to support, and they were a wonderful audience. So grateful.

On Saturday, I met with Kneel for brunch at Organic Grill. What I love about Organic Grill's brunch is that they offer decent versions of vegan frittatas and omelettes. It's a great way to get your fix-without eating eggs! Kneel ordered their Tofu Rancheros with home fries on the side, and I ordered their Tofu Frittata....

Tofu Rancheros-seasoned tofu on a grilled corn tortilla, topped with daiya cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and cashew chipotle sour cream.

Tofu Frittata-with soy sausage, yukon gold potatoes, daiya cheese, onions, roasted peppers and herbs de provence, topped with cashew sour cream and tomato.


After brunch, Kneel and I wandered the East Village and stopped in Lula's Sweet Apothecary for their usual decadence fix. We got their Peanut Butter Fudge ice cream, as well as a Sundae Cone-vanilla ice cream with bits of waffle cone mixed in. Good times, good food, good weekend.

Speaking of weekend, I'm heading off to the Hamptons in a bit to celebrate my best friend Sophia's birthday! There will be lots of cooking going on, so you can be sure there will be a post very soon about that! I hope that you all are enjoying the last weekends of summer. Be well.

xo,
Ellie

Sleepover and Cooking with Girlfriends

Quick blog post!

A few weekends ago, I had a little sleepover with my friends Michelle and Sophia. Joining our culinary powers, we composed a fantastic, gourmet meal.

Michelle used a recipe from Candle 79's cookbook and made a beautiful Cucumber Avocado Soup.

The texture was just lovely. And check out Michelle's garnishing skills!


Sophia made a great Tofu Coconut Curry with Scallions. 

We had this as our main dish with short grain brown rice, and two kinds of kale as side dishes. One was a simple, sauteed tuscan kale. The other was a raw massaged kale salad I've made before. The recipe can be found here .


For dessert, I drew from one of my favorite blogs (again) and made this amazing Raw Blueberry Ginger Ice Cream. Gosh I love raw ice cream! Better than dairy, hands down! Tip: Don't be afraid to work that food processor, and show 'em who's boss!

Blend, baby, blend! The reward, as you can see, is a bit of thick, fresh fruity goodness!

We threw in some fresh blueberries and Spicy Cashews from One Lucky Duck as a garnish. The cashews are so good!-a great blend of spicy and sweet. They are the perfect addition to this incredible recipe-which you can find here !


After dinner, we capped off the night with one of my favorite movies: About a Boy. And speaking of which, I'm going to cap off this post- with Sophia's modified Tofu Coconut Curry Recipe. You can find the link to the original recipe here . Her modified version can be found below:

Sophia's Tofu Coconut Curry

Seasoned Salt:

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder (she used both)
2 1/4 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Preparation:
Put all ingredients into a mini food processor or small blender container and blend on low.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (12 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed (she used Nasoya Extra Firm)
1 tablespoon seasoned salt, or to taste
Scallion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) can coconut milk
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin


Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu cubes, season with seasoned salt and fry until golden on all sides, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove to paper towels, and set aside. (dry tofu first with paper towel and cook until mostly dry). Add the scallion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in coconut milk, curry powder, salt and pepper. Return the tofu to the skillet. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Thanks Sophia for the recipe!
Goodnight everyone.
xo,
Ellie

That Non-Vegan Knows Why the Caged Bird Sings

Sometimes people ask me, "Ellie, would you date a non-vegan?"...My answer is, actually, yes. I thought I'd get more into the topic here-especially since there was a particular conversation I had recently that I'd really like to share with you all...

A lot of my veg friends want to date other vegans. It makes sense. Eating is a very social activity, and having a fellow veg significant other in your life makes it all easier. Also, a lot of my friends want someone who shares the same viewpoints as them, and they want to be with someone who is compassionate and kind.

I agree that eating together could be tricky, but it depends. I've been fortunate in that I've dated non-vegans who were not squirmish about eating vegan with me. They have been open to that kind of cuisine enough so that if we cooked together it would always be vegan, but when we ate out (unless it was at a vegan spot) it would be a free-for-all. It does NOT bother me if a guy eats meat near me. Some people are more sensitive to that stuff, but honestly, it hasn't been that long since I was a meat and cheese eater myself, and (although admittedly sometimes I feel a pang of sadness) I do not judge.

But enough about that! What I really want to touch on is the belief many people have that being vegan means you are more compassionate, kind, etc. Let me just jump in with my story...

A guy I dated mentioned to me that he loved birds. I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was something that gave me the impression that he wished he could have one as a pet. I remembered another friend who had a cockatiel, and told him about what good pets they make, how smart they are, etc. He looked at me a little startled for a moment, then said, " I have a vegetarian friend who has birds and I get so angry at her for having them."  He then proceeded, saying "When you ask someone what animal they'd like to be, most people say they'd like to be a bird. Why? Because they have this wonderful ability to fly. It's what they are born to do. My friend tries to tell me: 'Their cages are spacious!', but how does a large cage compare to that?!". He then pointed out the window. "My friend keeps getting birds and I get so angry at her!".

It was my turn to be startled. There I was, the vegan, being schooled by a non-vegan about compassion. And he was right! I was the one, in this case, who (as people in my community often say) "failed to make the connection".

As a side note: I want to mention, as my friend David pointed out, that buying a bird is quite different from adopting a bird. If a bird has already been "owned" and needs a home, it's a lesser evil, so to speak, than encouraging the capture of birds from their natural habitat by buying them.

What's that Keanu? You're not a vegan? Mmmmmm, I won't hold that against you!

Anyway, I just think that there are a lot of great, interesting, thoughtful guys (and gals!) out there, and they are not always vegan. I personally would like to keep myself open to engaging with them. Also, I want to point out that there are some vegans who go into veganism for what I think are the wrong reasons. It's not always about compassion. Sometimes it's about "purity", or self-righteousness. Some vegans are misanthropic, while others have a love for humanity that extends to all life. We have all kinds. Also, vegan or not, we do not always "make a connection" on all fronts. I know of a vegan who did not "make the connection" about horse carriages in NYC and talked about how much she enjoyed a ride she took. Meanwhile, when I volunteered with NYCLASS, I encountered some non-vegan tourists who were saddened and concerned about the horses they saw on the streets.

Now, I just want to be clear that I do NOT judge vegans who only want to date other vegans. Veganism is a wonderful way of life (as I tell people, it's one of the best things I've ever done), and it's natural for vegans to have an immense passion and enthusiasm for this movement and lifestyle, and want to share that with another person. Trust me, I get it! But for me that's not such a priority. Hey, as long as we do the best we can, it's all good. I mean, at least I hope the person I'd be with is trying the best they can!

Whew! So there it is. My two cents. And with that, I bid you adieu-for now!
Till next time.
xo,
Ellie

Summer in the Hamptons

An old pic of me in Montauk.

Oh gosh! I'm about five posts behind. I promised a sushi post, and that promise still stands..but I'd like to start catching up with a little something about my weekend in the Hamptons!

My amazing friend David invited me to his family's beautiful place in East Hampton, and I had a lovely time. Now, the Hamptons is freaaaakin' expensive! Even the Farmer's Markets are double the price of what you'd buy at, say, the Union Square Greenmarket-so I brought some stuff I'd bought in the city and we prepared some meals while we were out there. Unfortunately, pics were not taken, but some notables were our awesome arugula salad with cubed Sunshine Burgers tossed in- along with avocado- 'cause, you know, avocado makes everything just that much more magical!

Another thing that David said was worth mentioning was that we used Gena's Outstanding Miso Sesame Salad Dressing as a base for the cannellini beans we prepared. It was indeed delicious! You can find her recipe here . Try it out!

One vegan-y highlight of our weekend was when we passed Russell Simmons (big vegan advocate) in our car while he was jogging down the road. We stopped and David called out, waving, "Thank you for your compassion for animals!". He paused, then smiled and waved his arms back at us.

And of course this vegan heartily appreciated sighting a cute chipmunk, rabbit, hummingbird, a family of deer, and horses! As a nature-loving city gal and an animal-loving vegan, that truly was a treat!

Other highlights include some places we stopped in while in town. One of the places was Twice Upon a Bagel. They had a nice selection of tofu cream cheeses, including Pear Tofu, Peach, Banana, Rasperry, Scallion, etc. Warning: Beware of the owner! He will push coffee on you! He's a funny character.

I got their Low Fat Apple Cinnamon Tofu Cream Cheese on a toasted Whole Wheat Bagel. Don't ask me what makes it more "low fat" than the other spreads 'cause I have no idea! Anyway, it was pretty dang good!

David had some Everything Bagel with his Plain Tofu Cream Cheese. No but seriously, the amount of tofu cream cheese they gave him was crazy! Still, we enjoyed our breakfasts very much. Mmmmm!

Later we stopped for lunch at Hampton Chutney Co. This place is quite veg-friendly. They serve South Indian dosas, which are crepes made from rice that are filled with all sorts of yumminess. David and I got the #4: Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, Spinach and Roasted Onions. I got their Cilantro Chutney to go with it, and David got the Mango Chutney.

The inside of the crepe. The ingredients were so simple yet so delicious!

Their Watermelon Juice went really nicely with our meal. Definitely recommended.



Had a great weekend. It was a needed getaway from the usual hot hustle and bustle of New York City in the summer. I will post again very soon about, oh, all sorts of things. I have a lot of catching up to do! Hope you are having a fun, delicious summer!

xo, Ellie