This Vegan Journey

A Seed was Planted

I could never give up cheese! Yes. Once upon a time I too once said that oft spoken, very typical omnivore line. I'd never wanted to be a vegan. It was too..extreme. I mean, what the heck was left to eat if you cut out eggs and dairy too?! I did however, sometimes think about being a vegetarian.

That seed was planted in my mind when I was 17 and went to Honolulu on vacation with my sister. Someone on the street had passed me a book filled with Indian vegetarian recipes, and it expressed the spiritual aspect of vegetarianism, and how it is better to do less harm if possible to other beings. The idea struck a chord in me, and stayed with me, though not in a prevalent way. 

So the thought of being vegetarian stayed in the back of my mind for years. Every now and then it would surface, and I would comment out loud about it- only to have the idea shot down by people close to me.  An ex-boyfriend said that it was a natural part of life to partake of other lives. I thought that was a decent point. Another good friend said to me, "Elizabeth, you're so skinny already. If you become a vegetarian, you will disappear!". Silly as it sounds, that comment got to me. I thought,  "Oh no! I don't want to get any skinnier!". I'd been underweight for most of my life and hated it.  I spent most of my college years under 100 pounds. By my mid-twenties, I'd finally found myself in a healthy weight, and I did not want to mess with that!


Still..every now and then I would ask the question: Are humans meant to eat meat? When I met vegetarians or vegans, I always wanted to pick their brains. I'd ask them: "Why did you decide to become vegetarian?". I think deep down, I wanted to be convinced.

Can a Book Change Your Life?

In late November of 2009, just before the holidays, Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet came out and was prominently displayed in bookstores. I'd just started doing private English tutoring for foreign students at bookstores, cafes and libraries around NYC. I was early for an appointment at Borders and had plenty of time to kill. I was looking for  reasons why I should go vegetarian, so I decided to see what Ms. Alicia had to share.


I found myself devouring her book. She made some compelling points about what it did for your health, even what it did for your heart (figuratively, though literally, too!), and about factory farming. Back then I hardly knew anything about factory farming. I did not ever want to be a vegan, but she also made a case for rejecting dairy;spoke about how the industry was cruel. Well!  I found myself looking at all the new, alternative foods she'd suggested and contemplated trying this out..and then I thought, "Wait, wait, wait! Am I really thinking about giving up cheese? And bacon?!". The answer was yes, I was.


Oh, I'm mostly vegan..

I was surprised to find that I didn't miss things like meat, cheese, and eggs as much as I'd thought I would. I should also mention that around this time, I was deep in cohabitation mode with my then long-term boyfriend. I (kinda) jokingly called us the dynamic domestic duo. We lived well together, and I developed a love for food and cooking as I never had before.Yes, funnily enough, I started exploring veganism as my love for food was growing. I had decided to try veganism gradually, but I found myself so fascinated with all the new foods I was learning about, that I ended up eating vegan 95% of the time.  I did that for about a year.

During that time, I also read up a lot about the reasons to go vegan. Environmental, ethical, health, etc. I was increasing awareness, day by day. I was amazed to find out what damage factory farming does for not just animals, but everyone.

But still. I held on to my seafood. And cheese. And occasional eggs. As many non-veg people have expressed to me in conversations, I too did not want to be restricted. Let's be honest. I'd say a vegan diet is restictive- and is not. On the one hand, you're not eating specific foods. There's no getting around that argument, sure. Though I want to emphasize that that is a choice. In that sense there is no actual restriction. There is freedom in deciding, consciously, what to put on your plate. And generally vegans eat a way more varied diet than those who follow the Standard American Diet...

Reaching out-and getting Vegucated

So, this new world was opening up to me; a new perspective; way of looking at the world-and I had no one to share this with! I wished I had other vegan friends who understood. So I searched meetup.com, because I figured they had to have vegan meetups in NYFriggin'C, right? Sure enough, they did. A block away from my then apartment, actually! That first event I went to, which was Vegan Drinks, I met Marisa Miller Wolfson. She is the writer, director and editor of the amazing film Vegucated. I told her that I was not vegan, but I was mostly vegan. That's great!, she said. She was very approachable and not judgmental at all. She asked me what kept me from going all the way. I told her about my reticence to give up certain foods. She listened with open ears.

Months later, I attended an event called "Go Radical in 2011". Marisa, as well as activists Mickey Z and Jasmin Singer, were speakers at the event. Marisa showed a clip from her movie about factory farming. I learned that male chicks were thrown in the dump, or ground up alive, because they were not useful. I cried. My mind was astir. I thought to myself: "I live in the East Village, the vegan mecca of New York City. I've been holding on to certain foods, but really, vegan cuisine has come such a long way, there's a great substitute for just about everything now..or will be very soon. Being vegan is so easy and accessible, why the heck not take the next step?". So I did. I approached Marisa after all the speakers were done, and told her I'd decided to do it. I was going to go vegan! She high-fived me. I was so excited. I remember stopping in Kate's Joint to order pickup, and calling my ex, telling him about the decision I'd made, and how thrilled I was about it.

Almost Two Years Now...

Veganism, for me, has been a great journey. It's worthwhile for all of us to ask questions about our actions and to find the answers most suitable to us. In my humble opinion, veganism greatly decreases the harm that can be done in our society, given our current conditions. And I realized that instead of asking "Are humans meant to eat meat?", the more appropriate phrase to ask was "Is it better to not eat meat?". Humans can live as omnivores as well as herbivores. That is biologically apparent. So I choose to make what I consider the better choice. Ultimately, for me, going vegan was more of an intuitive decision than an intellectual one. There is plenty of information out there about the environmental, ethical and health reasons to go vegan-but for me it's something that feels like the better choice.

Now, did I take on miraculous superhero powers from going to a vegan diet? I'll be honest (and everyone is different), I didn't experience much physical change. But I did experience what Alicia Silverstone has called in her book a heart opening. I found myself having spurts of joy, and warmth for others. Now granted, I also broke up with my ex within days of going vegan. Are these shifts somehow connected? Perhaps. I like to think, though, that veganism helped with this explosion of positive energy that I was experiencing. Also, I found myself being really excited and passionate about veganism. I said (and still say) it's one of the best things I've ever done.

Bliss Grand

Williamsburg's Bliss Cafe has opened up a new location, Bliss Grand on (surprise!) Grand Street. Hearing good things about the place, I was excited to try it out. I finally went last night with my good friend Brandi.

My friend David recommended ordering their BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Burger. On a whole wheat bun, it came with cole slaw and fries. For a dollar extra, I got their truffle fries (with sea salt and nutritional yeast). It was hearty, delicious and filling!

Now, what is jackfruit, you ask? I wondered the same thing! It's a fruit that is native to Asia, apparently.

So, what have you tried at Bliss Grand?

xo,
Ellie

Rosemary Root Vegetable Puree~Cauliflower Millet Mash

 

On Thanksgiving, I had a lovely dinner by Cinnamon Snail . One of the things they served was their delicious Rosemary Root Vegetable Puree. Inspired by the flavors, I decided to make my own...

And it was incredibly easy to make! I just took two sweet potatoes and two parnips, and chopped them into big pieces and boiled with a little water, covered. Then I pureed, and added sea salt and minced fresh rosemary.

Et voila! With some sauteed kale, it made for a complete meal..

Kate tried some and said, "That's what's up.". So there you have it. It's indisputably roommate approved!

 

I also made a Cauliflower Millet Mash recently, with a head of cauliflower I got for way too much (5 bucks!) at the farmer's market. It makes for a good breakfast or side dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup millet
3 cups water
1 medium onion
1 head cauliflower
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
olive oil
sea salt
lemon juice
minced thyme (optional)

Directions:
With olive oil, sautee onions and garlic in pot. Allow to caramelize.
Put in millet, water, cauliflower and salt. Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are soft and millet is cooked.
Remove from heat. Mash. Add in lemon juice, salt to taste, and thyme if using.




Hope you're all enjoying the holidays!!
xo,
Ellie

Brunch at Cafe Gitane

Yesterday I met with Jess, a college friend I hadn't seen in a while, for brunch. We went to Cafe Gitane, an African/Moroccan and French cafe located in Nolita. Their menu offers some delectable sounding food and beverages for both vegans and omnis, and it was a cute spot!

I ordered their avocado toast (with olive oil, lemon juice, and chili pepper flakes on seven grain toast), and their organic mixed green salad (with tomato and endive).

They also serve a Moroccan Couscous (with red peppers, raisins, toasted pine nuts, hummus and eggplant) that looked absolutely delicious. I told Jess jokingly that I had a date with that dish next time I visited the cafe. "You can come, " I said. She said, "Sure, I'll be the third wheel!".

I'll definitely be back. Anyone wanna come with?
xo,
Ellie

Guest Post by Bud Burdick

Another guest post! 
This time, we have one by my friend Bud Burdick.
A dancer, yogi, and capoeirist, he has been vegan for 6 years. He is strong, positive, whimsical, a clear, logical thinker, and someone I am glad to call my friend. 

Here is his story about his journey with veganism...

It was a video that really influenced me to make a change.  Graphic and real, this video portrays the way animals, particularly those used for human consumption, are violated, mutilated and abused regularly in an industry that views them as commodities.  This industry ignores basic needs and desires of the animals yet falsely portrays happiness and bliss on packaging and in the media.   In 2004, following a couple years of healthier eating, I became vegetarian, eventually transitioning to veganism in 2007. I had previously eliminated Pepsi, sodas, and fried foods from my diet, but the transition to becoming vegetarian was much larger as I eliminated all animal products except for “cage free, organic” eggs.

I was always surrounded by cats, various rodents and other animals that I did not consider food, yet never thought of the animals that I ate as being the same as, and having the same desires as the animals I embraced and took care of.  It was not until I approached a table at a concert and saw trapping videos and fliers portraying the atrocities of the animal industries that I began to question what I knew as normal. 

I decided to look further into the information I received from the Syracuse Animal Rights Organization (SARO) at that concert and watched the film Meet Your Meat by PETA.  This is when I decided to change.  Two and a half years after my transition to vegetarianism, I saw through the smokescreen of the cage free industry.  I learned about the methods used including suffocation or grinding up of male chicks and decided to go vegan.   Some eggs must be hatched so that spent egg laying hens can be replaced and since males cannot lay eggs, they are seen as useless and are subsequently destroyed. Coming from a Hamburger Helper, hotdog, and eggs over easy kind of background, I had a lot to learn.

I did not know any vegetarians or vegans when I began my journey, but eventually sought them out.  I joined the Rochester Area Vegetarian Society (RAVS), eventually becoming a board member.  I have found that to be successful, one must be willing to experiment with food, try new things, seek out people with similar feelings, and find ways of sharing knowledge about the issues and atrocities that occur.  Early on I ate a lot of homemade pizza on whole wheat crust since it was an easy way to pack in the veggies and calories.  From there I picked up recipe books and really started experimenting with food ingredients and combinations.

The transition to vegetarian and eventually vegan was fairly easy for me since I felt so strongly about the issue.  Reaching out to others in the vegetarian community and representing my lifestyle wherever I went, has allowed me to spread awareness of vegetarianism and the issues of the factory farming industry, all the while maintaining myself as a fit, strong individual.  This has allowed me to shatter the very false myth of vegans being sickly and weak.

I find that there is a disconnect in society about what is right and what is wrong.  The footage in the video I watched presents situations in which animals are blatantly abused.  Had a pet been placed in a similar situation, animal cruelty charges would be brought up.  So what really is the difference?  Cats, dogs, cows, pigs, people, we all feel and we all have desires.  Even if they are as simple as surviving and not being in pain, why should these feelings and desires be denied?  Why should a pig not be allowed to be a pig, a chicken a chicken, and a human a human?

The ability to dominate and control is how humans differentiate from these other animals, oftentimes feeding our egos as we engage in activities in which we have the upper hand.  If we could get over our egos we could better realize how others suffer from our actions and decisions.  If we stepped down from the pedestal that we hold ourselves up to, we could open our eyes to what is going on around us and we can begin to work toward change.  Becoming a vegan is a major way that I work toward change.  I refuse to support the actions that are prevalent and allowed in the animal industries.  From the abuse animals endure, to the impact on the environment, to the labor issues related to underpaid and overworked factory farm employees, this system only hurts those involved, whether they walk on two legs or four.

I moved to Brooklyn from upstate New York a year and a half ago.  Since arriving, I have become a part of a growing, caring community of vegans and vegetarians.  The availability of vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants and markets within the city leave those with even the smallest inkling of becoming vegan no excuse not to.  Outside of the city it may be harder, yet even the smallest college towns seem to have cafes and restaurants that promote veganism and healthier lifestyles popping up.  Vegetarian groups and college clubs are common and offer great information and events for the curious.  There is a multitude of ways to get the information one needs to be successful. 

It may begin with one day a week of not eating meat or you may decide to completely abstain from animal products.  If you are considering making a transition to a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle, find what works for you and allow that to grow and become something that you can be proud of and represent in all aspects of your life.  

Rosemary Spiced Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

After not sleeping in my own home for four nights in a row (don't ask!), I finally spent some real time at home this past rainy Sunday. It was the perfect day to stay in, cook/bake, be cozy and ground myself! I then capped it all off with a yoga class in the evening. Perfect.

As part of my cozy stay-in Sunday, Kate, her son Shane and I embarked on a cookie baking project. We headed to the kitchen and checked our pantries. We had no sugar, no "butter", and no traditional flour. Hmm. We did know that we definitely wanted something made with peanut butter, being that we are all peanut butter fiends! Here is what we came up with...

Rosemary Spiced Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yea (guess whose idea the rosemary was)!

Instead of traditional flour, we used a mix of brown rice flour and pastry flour. And instead of sugar, we used a combination of brown rice syrup and maple syrup. Shane actually poured more maple syrup in the bowl than we'd intended, cause the bottle was a bit heavy for him. At first Kate and I freaked (nooooo!), but then we realized it was serendipitously a great thing that happened. We threw in some pecans, and some spices, and we had success!...

Shane. The official pourer.

Scooping the dough into cookie-shaped rounds

Mmmmmm...

Shane watching the cookies bake..

This only lasted about a minute before he got bored and went back upstairs.

Some of my fave quotes from Shane:

About the rosemary: Mmm! It smells like Christmas!

About the scoop of peanut butter he poured into the bowl: It looks like poop!

About baking with us: This is the funnest thing ever! ( I was thinking the same thing.)

 Okay. I've done enough exploiting of Shane's cuteness. Here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tspn rosemary, minced

1 tspn baking soda

sea salt

1/3 cup safflower oil

1-2 tspns vanilla extract

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

1 "glug" of maple syrup (Please refer to Shane story for explanation)

1/2 heaping cup peanut butter

2 eggs' worth Egg Replacer

Chocolate Chips (as much as you want)

Pecans (as much as you want)

Directions:

~Preheat oven to 375

~Grease pan with safflower oil, or use baking sheet as a liner

~Put dry ingredients and wet ingredients into separate bowls, then mix the wet into the dry. Add a little more safflower oil to moisten if desired.

~Add in pecans and chocolate chips

~Scoop and roll into cookie shaped rounds and place into pan

~Sprinkle tops of cookies with sea salt

~Bake for about 20 mins. Be careful not to bake too long, as they may taste dry.

~Enjoy!

Xo,
Ellie

A Vegan Saturday

 

Hey everyone! Here is yet another installment of a typical Saturday in this vegan's life. As I've mentioned before, there have been some changes in my surroundings lately. I've moved from Greenpoint, Brooklyn to Jersey City, NJ. Why the move? I have a hankering to travel, and by moving to Jersey, I will be able to save money to do that. I'm quite happy at the new place! I love living with my close friend Kate, our place is beautiful, and we are close to India Square, where we can get some amazing vegan Indian grub on-for cheap! Kate and I like to go to Dosa House for some fantastic $6 dosas. We went there last Saturday with her awesome friend Emma and coworker Will for a meeting-that I crashed. We got our usual: the Green Pea Masala...

Later on, after rehearsal with the band, I headed to my friend Sophia's for her special Christmas/Hannukah party. She prepared a Chinese dinner. She was a fantastic host and the food was just amazing!

 

 

To start, Pan Fried Taro Cakes were served..

 

 

we had 'em with hoisin sauce..and sriracha!

 

 

Some other things we had...

 Fried Stuffed Tofu Pockets with Mushrooms and Taiwanese Cabbage

 

 Mung Bean Noodles

 

 Sauteed Chinese Watercress

 

Smoked Bean Curd with Sprouts

 

 

 Ma Po Tofu

 

 Sauteed Amaranth Leaves with Garlic

 

'Chicken' Seitan with Lily Flower, Woodear, Scallions and Goji Berries

 

 

 

For dessert, we had Adzuki Bean with Tapioca and Glutinous Rice Balls.

As you can see, the dinner was fantastic and the guests were all in for a treat! Thanks again, Sophia, for such a lovely meal!

xo,
Ellie

 

Vegan Post-Thanksgiving Dinner with Friends

 

Hey everyone! So, I'm finally getting around to posting today about my vegan Thanksgiving with friends! This year I co-hosted the dinner with Michelle, and the food was ridiculous!!

Michelle and I made a few base things for the meal, and the guests brought desserts, bevvies, and side dishes. Here is what we had...

To start, we offered some Pumpkin Curry Soup made by Michelle's boyfriend Rob, some Mulled Apple Cider (a concoction I make using only Yogi's Detox Tea), and Canapes of Veggie Pate on Crostini with Fig Compote.

I prepared some Breaded Seitan with a Rosemary Sage Gravy...

And my (sorta) famous Cornbread Sage Stuffing.

I also made a Red Kale and Mesclun Greens Salad with Pumpkin Seeds. Michelle made a fantastic Mustard Tahini Dressing to go with it..

..and I made Scarlet Roasted Vegetables, a recipe from Alicia Silverstone's book, The Kind Diet.

 

Michelle made her insane Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Chives. Cashew cream based, it's quite possibly the best mashed 'taters I've ever had. No joke.

 

And Sophia brought over some delicious Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms.

 

 

For dessert, Dania made a beautiful Pumpkin Cheesecake from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book Vegan Pie in the Sky, and Sophia made Kabocha (aka Japanese Pumpkin) Pie and a Mixed Berry Cobbler Pie. Both gluten-free and from scratch! 

 

  

 Close up of the Kabocha Pie..

and the Mixed Berry Cobbler Pie.

 

And that was our dinner! Here are some more visuals for ya..

My first plate.

 

And Sophia's.

 

The hosts!

 

 

 

Before I finish this entry, I'd like to leave you all with my Cornbread Stuffing recipe. I first make cornbread using the recipe from The Kind Diet. It's really simple and sooo delish!

Cornbread Sage Stuffing:

Ingredients:
4 cups cornbread, cubed
4 cups whole wheat baguette, cubed
2 cups onions, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp(?) thyme (optional)
sea salt
black pepper
olive oil
1 cup veggie broth

Directions:
Grease an 11x7 inch baking dish and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sautee celery and onion with olive oil.
Lower heat, stir in herbs, salt and pepper.
Gently stir in bread cubes and slowly add in vegetable broth.
Pour into the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes to brown the top.


Hope you're enjoying the holidays!
Till next time.
xo,
Ellie