Day 54: Dinner

Oh yeah! It looks delicious, and it was delicious. Black eyed peas, short grain brown rice, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and the perfect blend of seasonings. 100% organic and certified vegan. Unfortunately, I can't give you the recipe. In fact, I didn't make this. It's an Amy's frozen dinner- one of the bowls. 

Am I getting lazy or what? Will this website come down to nothing but reviews of frozen vegan dinners? Nah... but I haven't felt like cooking lately.

So this blog will look good on the read-through, let me rant about something else that's not food-related, but is related to a conversation I overheard today at work. It pisses me off when someone says a child is "brilliant" just because they prefer reading over watching television or playing video games. I was one of those kids, and everyone (all the way up to my parents) thought I was antisocial and weird, yet today reading is so remarkably unpopular among the younger set that any kid who likes reading is a genius. Geez.

Let's put it in perspective. If your eleven year old child reads AND understands Pynchon, Balzac, or A Brief History of Time, it is safe to say that you've got yourself a genius. (The "understands" part is important. I read Crime and Punishment when I was twelve. Did I "get" it? Not for about five years.) If the child can put down Poe, Dickinson, and maybe some of Mark Twain's more elusive works, they have potential (but don't get your hopes up). A child who likes Louisa May Alcott, Judy Blume, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the Harry Potter series is about where they need to be- and where your kid should be if they're not. But if your child reads nothing but Goosebumps, Sweet Valley High, and those obnoxious manga novels, then sorry, but they're no better than the neighbor's kid who spends seven hours a day with their Xbox. Some people really need positive assurance that they're good parents, but don't delude yourself. Okay, that's all.

Surprise! Whole Foods is NOT a grocery store.

Recently I took out a credit card because it offered rewards points, which could be redeemed for airline miles, gift cards, etc. What really impressed me was how this particular card offered five points for every dollar spent on groceries and gasoline. The way I see it, I can use it to buy all of my groceries and gas, pay it off every month, and rack up about 2500 points a month. That really adds up.

So why so sad? Purchases at Whole Foods don't count. Nope. It's not a grocery store. Sorry, but if I'm going to spend $93 on tofu and edamame, I want 465 points, not 93. I'm a big fan of getting something for nothing.

Since I'm obviously insane, this was enough to compel me to attempt to do all of my grocery shopping at Publix. (Unless of course I'm in the mood to get some marzipan for $1.75 a bite.) I'm getting that $250 Amazon gift card by God! I went shopping there this evening- and want another surprise? When it comes to the sort of stuff I've been eating, Publix is no cheaper. They sell tofu and tempeh, but only the more "gourmet" varieties, which are twice what Whole Foods charges for its store brand. Cedarlane and Amy's Organics microwave dinners (which I have been eating many of, hence the lack of posting recipes) are five to six dollars each. You can eat lunch at a restaurant for not much more. 

Life and veganism are full of surprises. Yes, I'm aware that this is a rant. I'm furious.

OOOOO... Scary.

So I have recently taken on the hobby of calculating the caloric content of my food. All I can say is , "Yikes." Who'da thunk a half cup of olive oil would pack over 900 calories? (That's how much I used in the marinade for my kebabs yesterday.) In fact, each of those kebabs had 228 calories (and I ate three for lunch today)! A full recipe of hummus contains 800 calories, without the bread to dunk in it. Of course, I'd never eat that much hummus at one sitting... no way...

Day 50: Dinner

Vegan kebabs are self-explanatory. I mean, geez. Drain your tofu, slice into large chunks, and skewer the pieces with your vegetables instead of meat. These are designed to be cooked on the grill, but it's not grilling weather, and besides, I have no grill. (Well, the thought of putting these on a George Foreman is hilarious.) So I broiled them in the oven and they still turned out fabulous.

You definitely don't want to make tofu kebabs without marinating the tofu for at least eight hours because they'll taste like putty. Also, if you're using wood or bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for a couple of hours. Otherwise you'll run the no fun at all risk of their catching fire.

How to make 'em:

• Eighteen cherry tomatoes (for nine skewers)
• One green bell pepper, chunked
• One red onion, chunked
• One package button mushrooms
• One package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into chunks
• One zucchini, sliced

And for the marinade:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 5 tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. sesame oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning or basil
• salt and pepper
  

1. Make marinade by mixing all ingredients. Marinate tofu and vegetables for eight hours or overnight. 

2. Preheat oven to broil. Thread your kebab-making material on skewers. (You'll have about nine.) Don't add tomatoes yet.

3. Place skewers on sprayed cookie sheets. Broil for 6 minutes, then remove from oven, turn, and baste with remaining marinade. Broil 6 more minutes. Remove from oven, thread tomatoes on kebabs, and broil 3 minutes more.

Delicious with pita bread and hummus.

Chickpeas Done Right

So it's Saturday afternoon, sixty degrees outside, Stravinsky's on the iTunes, and I'm STILL a mite depressed. So why not make something beautiful? Of course. 

This was the first time I have ever made hummus, and to be frank it's not the best I've ever had. But hummus is one difficult dish to screw up completely, so I still scarfed it down. Next time I'll add a little bit of cumin, some parsley, and some more garlic and olive oil. And a little less liquid. It was awfully thin.

Making hummus is easy if you have a food processor, and impossible if you don't. Look how easy it really is:

• 1 can chickpeas (16 oz.)
• 2 tbsp. tahini
• 3-5 tsp. lemon juice (according to taste)
• 2-4 garlic cloves (again according to taste)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

1. Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.

2. Place everything in your food processor (including chickpea liquid) and blend until nice and creamy. Serve with pita bread wedges.

It is a good idea to keep a few cans of chickpeas and some pita bread in your kitchen, because this can be made in the drop of a hat if company comes by or if you have a Mideast hankering at 3 a.m.

Day 46: Dinner

In the ambit of veganizing your old faves, you're going to have hits and misses. Vegan beef stew- hit. Vegan mac 'n cheese- miss. Vegan fish sticks- well, let's just say the jury's out for the time being. (But they sure do look like fish sticks, eh?)

My vegan friend Travis recently told me that when it comes to a dish like mac 'n nutritional yeast, you have to look at it as a completely different food product. You can't make it taste like the traditional stuff, and you shouldn't expect it to. So that's how I looked at this fish-fried tofu. Or tried to.

If you're making fish sticks with no fish, and you want them to taste even remotely like fish, then you're going to have to use something... fishy. Seafood's off limits, so how about seaweed? The recipe called for kelp powder, but since I had a whole bag of kombu sheets in the cupboard I decided to shred them up and use them instead. Not a good idea. If you make this dish, use kelp powder; kombu is too tough and hard for the food processor. It will grind it into smaller pieces but not a powder, and you'll have to constantly be spitting the little pieces out that end up in the batter.

I would also advise you to cut them into smaller strips than I did, and to not batter them as heavily as I did. Ever had those chicken strips from McDonald's? The ones that are about 90% batter and hardly any actual chicken? Yeah, I know.

I also made sweet potato fries, and with much success, seeing as I have an obscene amount of difficulty baking sweet potatoes in the oven. To make these, cut up a sweet potato into wedges and soak them in salted water for an hour. Then cook at 425 for 45 minutes, turning after 30. Spray the potatoes and cookie sheet with vegan butter-flavored spray (Spectrum makes a good one). To make the vegan tartar sauce, stir together a couple of heaping spoons of Vegenaise with a spoonful of relish and add plenty of freshly-ground pepper and a little lemon juice if you like.

One thing more- these fish sticks were made with tofu from Whole Foods' store brand, 365 Everyday Value. They apparently just entered the tofu market, and their stuff is a whopping fifty cents less per pack, so I thought I'd give it a try. And while draining tofu is never all that much fun, this stuff soaked six layers of paper towels on the second pressing. It didn't taste any different though- just a lot tougher to prepare.

Anyway, here's the recipe for vegan fish sticks.

• 1 lb. firm tofu, drained
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 2 tsp. kelp powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. dill
• 2/3 cup unsweetened soymilk
• Cooking spray for pan

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray cookie sheet with oil.

2. Combine flour, almonds, kelp powder, and all spices in a food processor. Pulse until all is a finely ground meal (don't let the motor burn out!).

3. Slice tofu into small strips (about the size of standard fish sticks). Dip in soy milk and dredge in flour mixture one at a time. (You can also use a fish-shaped cookie cutter- that would be a big hit if you're preparing these for children.) Lay on baking sheet and spray with more oil.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn and bake for another 15 minutes.

Vegan Nutrition For Dummies, Part Two

A couple of months ago, after I first started this blog, I wrote an entry on vegan nutrition- the vitamins and minerals that are deficient in a plant based diet and that vegans need to supplement themselves with. Sadly, I did not heed my own advice. Drats.

The other day I complained about my jaw aching. It does hurt quite a bit, and I dare say it's gotten worse since the beginning of the year. (I definitely do not have TMJ. I spoke to my dentist about just that only a few weeks ago, and she checked me for it. That's not the problem.) Someone told me that my perpetually sore jaw could be a result of a calcium deficiency. I had a great aunt who had severe osteoporosis, so I can concur that it's no fun at all- but it's the sort of thing that a not yet thirty person sees their self as being invincible to. Let's not be foolish here.

So in addition to my daily multivitamin (which in spite of being a women's multivitamin doesn't have the full RDA of calcium) I have begun taking calcium (fortified with Vitamin D), Vitamin B complex (vegans never get enough of those), and Vitamins C and E. This will strengthen my bones, enrich my blood, and improve my immune system (it's a sign when I actually get sick twice in one winter). I feel better already.

Day 45: Dinner

So I am starting to accomplish my "short-term goals." The first was beef stew (lately I have had a dearth of freezer-friendly leftovers, and I must have something to eat for lunch). Although the recipe called for chunky "beef-style" TVP, I gave into the urge to use Boca crumbles- they're made from the same thing as Boca burgers, just in ground beef form. I do wish they made vegan beef tips, but these did the trick.

You have probably noticed that I'm drinking a beer. I don't drink beer a whole lot but yes, Guinness is my favorite beer, and I prefer it at room temperature. (There's nothing on God's green earth sexier than a woman who drinks thick, dark, warm, cloudy, bitter beer. Fellas, am I right or am I right?) But Guinness is not vegan (isinglass). This recipe called for half a cup of stout (I had to buy a whole bottle, and I elected to drink the balance rather than pouring it down the sink) and unfortunately, Guinness is the only brand of stout sold at the Birmingham Whole Foods on a piecemeal basis. Can you believe that?! There ARE vegan stouts, but the most common is not among them.

Anyway, this beef stew is thick, rich, and hearty, just like a regular beef stew. I suggest serving it to your favorite carnivore and not telling him until he's done. I like to eat mine over rice, but it's a matter of personal choice- you can do it either way. Between the rice, the potatoes, and the high glycemic carrots and peas, it's an Atkins follower's nightmare. Enjoy!

• 1 large potato, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup soy sauce or Bragg's
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 cup "ground beef" crumbles (or TVP)
• 2 tbsp. non-hydrogenated margarine
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (yeah, I know)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. dry mustard (I omitted this because I'm allergic)
• 1/2 tsp. ground sage
• 1/4 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup stout beer
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

1. Boil potatoes in water, soy sauce, and onion powder until tender. (If you do this first they'll be ready about when it's time to add them to the stew.)

2. Saute onion, carrot, and leek in a stockpot with margarine until tender (about 10 minutes). Add flour, yeast, salt, pepper, mustard and sage.

3. Gradually stir in potatoes and the liquid they're cooked in. Heat until simmering.

4. Add "beef," tomato puree, beer and peas. Simmer, stirring often, 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Happy Hallmark Day!

Well, I know this is supposed to be a food blog, but I just wanted to take a second to let everyone know that I have a man who has taste (and not just in women). These are the most beautiful roses I've ever received (no offense if you've given me roses in the past).

Anyway, back to food. I'm not going to be vegan tonight. I'm having sushi! And it will be the best sushi I've ever had, I'm sure. If you think I'm cheating, let me add that I've decided to extend this "diet" through Lent. I don't cheat when my faith's involved.

Day 40: Dinner

My late Aunt Vivian was both an avid cook and gardener. She always made a point to cook up several dozen gallons of her signature vegetable soup (which I'm pretty sure was vegan) every year so that everyone in the family could have a few jars. She'd use the vegetables from her garden, so the composition would depend on the year's harvest. And was it ever good. Unfortunately, her recipe died when she did.

This vegetable soup recipe was almost as good (although in the case of the beans and corn, I added a little more than was called for- you can do the same). Here it is:

• 3 cups vegetable broth (the recipe called for beef broth, but that's not how I roll)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 2 smallish potatoes, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen green beans
• 1/2 cup soybeans (recipe called for limas, but again, that's not how I roll)
• 1/2 cup corn
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Combine broth, water and tomato juice in a large kettle, and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, saute carrots, onions, and bell pepper with olive oil.

3. Add sauteed vegetables to broth mixture along with other vegetables and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.

4. Toward end of cooking time, remove 2 cups of soup and process in a blender until pureed. Add back to the soup. (This will thicken the soup.)

5. Remove from heat. Ideally, you should let it sit for about an hour, so that the flavors can meld. But if you just can't wait, you can go ahead and eat.

This soup supposedly gets better with time (and I believe it). So the plethora of leftovers you'll have will be even better.

Day 39: Dinner

This is a terrible picture, but these were some good fajitas. I've made vegan tacos and burritos, but fajitas haven't been in the mix yet and it's about time.

A word to the wise: Don't wait to buy tortillas on or around Superbowl Sunday. Apparently there's a major run for them around that time- hey, quesadillas are the quintessential Superbowl snack. (How's that for alliteration?) Yes, Whole Foods was completely out of tortillas. Except the mega-gourmet kind, which were five dollars for a pack of six; I wasn't paying that much, so I got lavash bread instead. Lavash bread is a standard of Persian cuisine, and while it's best served with cream cheese, dates and walnuts, it tastes just like the ol' Latin American tortilla. Except rectangular, not round. You'll need to tear them in half if you're going to use them for that purpose.

Here's a few words about poblano peppers. On the heat scale they're somewhere between bell peppers and jalapenos, and they have a very distinctive flavor. You're going to want to peel them, because the skins will give you indigestion. The best way to do this is to roast them over a gas grill or burner; just hold them with tongs over the direct flame until they blister and blacken. Yes, this is a little scary, but it's also kinda fun. When they're all black, put them in a ziploc bag for about fifteen minutes. This will cause them to sweat, which will make the burned skin soft and easy to peel off. Rubbing them under running water will facilitate this. If you can't find them in the store or just don't want to go through the trouble, you can use bell peppers instead.

Here's how to make these:

• One large onion, sliced
• Two roasted and peeled poblano peppers, sliced
• One pound mushrooms, sliced
• One cup of corn (I used frozen)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. cubed firm tofu (you really don't even need to drain it)
• Generous splash soy sauce or Bragg's
• Shredded vegan cheese
• Tortillas
• One cup cooked rice
• Salsa, for serving

1. Heat the oil in a skillet or wok. Cook onions for about 3 minutes, then add peppers, mushrooms, corn, tofu, and soy sauce. Cook until all is done, and then maybe a little longer to strengthen the flavors.

2. Heat the tortillas in the microwave until warm.

3. Serve with rice, cheese, and salsa.

Short Term Goals

Here are the dishes I want to try my hand at veganizing in the coming weeks:

• Biscuits and gravy
• Kebabs
• Spaghetti with bolognese sauce
• Spaghetti with alfredo sauce
• Fish sticks with tartar sauce
• Chicken Waldorf salad
• Kafta (or baked kibbee)
• Chicken nuggets with Polynesian sauce (just like at Chick-Fil-A)
• Mashed potatoes
• Shepherd's pie
• Cream chowder
• Hashbrowns
• Lasagna
• Beef stew
• Chicken and dumplings
• Vindaloo
• Spring rolls and summer rolls

Day 37: Dinner

My Pasta Della California didn't look nearly as appetizing as the picture from Post Punk Kitchen, but it was very tasty. (It got its name from the avocados it contains- that's what "California" means, obviously.) This was a very good meal, and one where you could really taste the B vitamins and monounsaturated fats. I would recommend chopping and zesting all of your goods beforehand, though.

The recipe:

• 1/2 pound linguine
• One large bunch broccoli, florets only
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• Zest and juice of one lime
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Generous dash black pepper
• One large bunch arugula, chopped (leaves only)
• 2 avocados, peeled and chunked

1. Cook your linguine according to package directions (about 10-12 minutes, usually). Add broccoli one minute before finish. Drain in a colander.

2. Meanwhile, saute garlic, lime zest and red pepper flakes in olive oil in a large skillet for about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce by about half. Add broth, lime juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and add arugula.

3. When arugula wilts add the broccoli and pasta. Stir to coat until fully warmed. Add the avocado and turn off heat. Gently toss until avocado is fully incorporated. Serve with extra black pepper.

Moe's for Vegans

Today I went on a five mile hike. That's right, I hiked in the woods (at Tannehill State Park) for five miles. About two and a half hours of solid walking. Despite the slightly sore leg muscles, I haven't felt this good in a while. And I got to see lots of that beautiful February foliage.

I felt I needed to reward myself afterwards, and the first instinct I felt was "about five chicken soft tacos from Taco Bell." But I resisted the urge, and went for a burrito at Moe's instead. My usual at Moe's is chicken with lots of cheese and that spicy ranch sauce on top. Not today, of course. I ate a tofu burrito with lots of pico de gallo, and no cheese. And it was a junior; to eat the big 'un wouldn't be good for the liver. The worst thing you can do for your liver that doesn't involve bourbon or Loritabs is to overeat.

We all know by now that Moe's burritos are never vegan; the tortillas contain eggs, milk, or both, or something like that. But dammit, I did the best I could. And their tofu is pretty darn good.

Day 35: Breakfast

I was feeling a little creative today, so I decided to pull out the ol' juicer and blender to make something I could drink for breakfast. YUM! If you have some bananas that are going brown (and banana bread is not currently on your diet) then try blending them with two juiced navel oranges, soy milk, and a tad of vanilla extract. There are other things you could add to a drink like this, such as spirulina, ground flaxseed, or wheat germ, which would increase its protein and fiber content. 

By the way, don't dismiss this as an easy breakfast. If you drink it too fast you'll get indigestion, and cleaning a blender and juicer first ting in the morning is no fun at all.

Day 33: Dinner

Tofu vs. Ricotta: The Final Showdown

Round 1: Calories (per 3 oz. serving)

Tofu, 117; Ricotta, 117 (Dead even! Wow!)

Round 2: Total Fat

Tofu, 7.1 grams; Ricotta, 6.6 grams (Ricotta wins, but just barely)

Round 3: Saturated Fat

Tofu, 1 gram; Ricotta, 4.2 grams (It's a bloodbath!)

Round 4: Dietary Fiber

Tofu, 1.9 grams; Ricotta, 0 grams

Round 5: Cholesterol

Tofu, 0 mg; Ricotta, 9 mg

Round 6: Protein

Tofu, 12.8 grams; Ricotta, 9.6 grams

Round 7: Calcium

Tofu, 55% RDA; Ricotta, 24% RDA

Round 8: Iron

Tofu, 12% RDA; Ricotta, 3% RDA

Before you say "I'm not making my grandma's recipes using THAT weird treehuggin' crap!" let me tell you: finely processed tofu is identical to ricotta in texture, flavor and substance. It's also a little healthier (who'da thunk tofu would have so much more calcium?) and it relieves you from the guilt of realizing that you just ate a lot of cheese. This manicotti was one of my biggest successes yet, and I now realize that my food processor was one of my best investments of all time.

I'm feeling inspired. Next week's battle: Tofu vs. Mascarpone. I'm itching to cook up a vegan tiramisu.

Here's the recipe. My advice is to add a little onion and garlic to the tofu mixture. Also, I boiled seven manicotti shells but only had enough to stuff five; if you're a big eater or cooking for a crowd, I'd advise you make more.

• About 5 manicotti shells
• 1/2 package firm tofu
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 package frozen spinach
• 16 oz. tomato sauce (jarred is okay)
• 4 oz. mozzarella flavored rice shreds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Boil manicotti shells until done. Set aside to cool.

3. Crumble tofu and add to food processor with olive oil and salt. Process until creamy.

4. Thaw spinach by running under hot water for a few seconds. Drain completely (give it a good squeeze) and add to food processor. Process until mixture is a pleasant green color.

5. Stuff mixture into manicotti shells. (This is a pain in the ass; if you have one, use one of those icing pipers and it will make the job much easier. I didn't, so I just used a spoon and my hands.)

6. Coat bottom of a casserole pan with tomato sauce. Place shells on top and cover with more sauce. Sprinkle rice shreds on top of sauce.

7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes more, or until the cheese melts. Then enjoy!

Day 31: Dinner

The term "Ethiopian food" sure sounds like an oxymoron. We've all heard the jokes concerning this, especially those from the mid-eighties when the East African famine made them particularly tasteless. (Hey, what do you call an Ethiopian with sesame seeds on his head? A Quarter Pounder! Hyuk hyuk.) The epicurean progression benchmark of any city is usually measured by whether or not there is an Ethiopian restaurant in town. Birmingham, of course, doesn't have one.

 The first time I ate Ethiopian food was at Meskerem, in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's a buffet, filled with lentils and greens (have you ever seen an edible looking cow in any of those documentaries?), and the foods are largely flavorless, which is typical of African food in general. (The ancient Africans traded gold for salt.) The most distinctive trait of Ethiopian cuisine is that no silverware is involved; the idea is to take a sheetlike roll of spongy bread, cover your plate with it, spoon your food on top, and eat with your hands, by tearing pieces of the bread and wrapping the food with it. I was not extremely fond of Ethiopian food, though Charlotteans who are will usually say that Meskerem is the place to go. 

This stew was much better. I put the onion and carrot in the food processor (which I bought just today) rather than chopping it, which gives the stew a thicker consistency. Also, I would have gone without the peas; I don't really like peas.

Here's the recipe for Ethiopian lentil stew (with 21 ingredients- wow!)

• 1 cup brown lentils
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 3 carrots, diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup peanut oil (I used cooking spray instead)
• 10 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup vegetable stock (or water with two veggie bouillon cubes)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. Hungarian paprika (I used the plain kind)
• 1 tsp. fenugreek
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• 1/8 tsp. cloves
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Boil lentils until tender; drain.

2. Saute onions and carrots in a large soup pot with oil for 10 minutes.

3. Add garlic, ginger, and spices and saute 5 minutes more.

4. Add tomatoes and cook 5 more minutes.

5. Add tomato paste and broth and bring to a simmer. Add lentils and peas, and simmer covered for 15 minutes more.

I advise you to eat this with some chewy whole wheat bread. Ethiopian food is meant to be eaten with bread, of course.

Day 30: Dinner

There ain't nothing like macaroni and cheese... at times I would go as far as saying it's my favorite food. I like to bake mine in the oven, with gruyere, grated parmigianino, and lots of crunchy bacon. In fact, Kraft mac and cheese in the blue box with Bacos on top isn't all that bad either. But I will tell you one thing about vegan "macaroni and cheese"- it sucks like a tornado.

Don't ask for the recipe; I can't bare to reprocess it in my mind. But I did use quinoa noodles, which would have been yummers if eaten with only a little butter, and as far as the nutritional yeast that gives it its distinctive chreese texture and "flavor," it can be mistaken for parm when sprinkled in moderation atop pasta salad but one should never- NEVER- make any recipe that calls for a full cup. So if you can't live without your mac 'n cheese, don't become vegan. Cruelty-free should be about ending misery.

Day 29: Dinner

I always load up on the kung pao chicken when I go to the Chinese buffet, where sodium and MSG are used more liberally than they should. Now that those days are over, I really enjoyed this fresh kung pao tofu. One of the best Chinese meals I've had in a while.

Here's the recipe:

• 12 ounces of tofu, drained (you can also use seitan or tempeh)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts (or cashews)
• 1/4 cup Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. sugar (I used agave nectar)
• 2 tsp. cornstarch (or arrowroot)
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Stir fry tofu and garlic in a sprayed skillet (I used sesame oil) for about three minutes. The tofu will begin to brown.

2. Add bell peppers and onion. Stir fry until soft.

3. Mix last six ingredients and add to skillet, stirring until sauce is thick.

4. Add peanuts, stir to coat, and serve over brown rice.

You will definitely like this recipe!