I got a couple requests for a sample vegan meal plan, so I’ve compiled one, below, and also provided some resources should any of you be interested in creating your own meal plans.

First, here’s a picture of the vegan “food pyramid”:
[source: Busy Vegan]

As with any food pyramid, the approach is not set in stone — it’s all about what works for the individual. So, I’ve seen other vegan food pyramids that differentiate carbs from grains versus carbs from vegetables, etc., but I like this one most and seem to feel best when I eat in a similar fashion. Honestly, though, I do not spend my time making sure my meals fit this recommendation! (In fact, some days my pyramid looks like one big pita enveloped in hummus topped off with coffee!). I am simply using this image to serve as a guide to how most vegans should eat most of the time. Curious to see a vegetarian food pyramid? See here.

A typical day for me can look as follows. Lately, I’ve noticed my calorie intake ranging from 1600-2500 calories/day depending on level of exercise and other random variables. This day compiled below comes in at 1800 calories and also happens to fit in the daily recommended percentage of iron (based on a 2000 calorie diet). You’ll also notice I get more than the recommended 49 grams/protein day for my weight.

[view larger here]

One thing I need to learn more about is B vitamins and omega 3s. I am still not convinced that taking a multivitamin is the right thing for me, yet I have not done adequate research (and preparation) to ensure I do get all the necessary vitamins and minerals from my diet alone. That’s to come!

Resources

• Vegan Meal Plans, 1800 calories/day & 2300 calories/day options by Vegan Outreach here
• Mama Pea’s “Pealightful Meal Plans” – A vegan weight-loss approach & grocery guide here
• Vegan Kickstart – A 21-Day Vegan Meal Plan that begins in April. Sign up to receive recipe emails now here.
• “Fooducate” – An excellent blog that’ll ease you into becoming a more conscious food consumer here
• How to be Cognizant of Calories, how to ensure you’re eating the right ones and why you should focus on eating unprocessed foods rather than on calories alone (or on “dieting”)
• How to be Cognizant of Portions
• How to Get Enough Protein as a Vegan
• How to Maintain Weight-Loss Long Term
• What do Vegans Eat?
• How to Make Healthier Substitutions When Cooking
• How to Read a Nutrition Label
• Finding vegan food at Trader Joe’s, Costco & Target

Have any of you ever written down your entire day’s worth of food and analyzed where you might improve? What did you find? If you guys are vegan, how does my typical day compare to yours?

<3,

The Cranky One

I made Post Punk Kitchen’s (PPK) “Chickpea Rice Soup with Cabbage” [recipe here]. I used two 10-oz bags of shredded cabbage from Trader Joe’s, instead of the 16oz required by PPK, a 15-oz can of chickpeas instead of a 24-oz one, no dill (didn’t have any), no oil, sea salt instead of regular salt, and topped with green onion.

Amazing! Nutritional stats for entire soup: 922.5 calories, 6.5g fat, 3541.5mg sodium, 34g fiber, 31g sugars, 32.5g protein

Per 1-cup serving (12 servings total): 76.88 calories, 0.54g fat, 295.12mg sodium, 2.83g fiber, 2.58g sugars, 2.71g protein

To lower sodium count, use low-sodium vegetable broth and make sure to really rinse the canned beans!

Enjoy!

<3,

The Cranky One

New item at Trader Joe’s: whole-wheat gnocchi!

Gnocchi are basically soft, yet dense, pasta dumplings typically made from a potato + flour mixture.  I recently became more aware of the food when it started showing up in my boyfriend’s “frozen foods rotation.” He loves the Trader Joe’s frozen version that already comes with a not-vegan-friendly Gorgonzola sauce…
[source]

So, when I saw the dry whole-wheat potato gnocchi staring so suggestively back at me in the Trader Joe’s “New Items” section, I quickly grabbed it and cackled malevolently. “Buahaha…I am going to cook you up so bad,” I said. The surrounding customers were not amused.

Whole-Wheat Potato Gnocchi – Stats

• Ingredients: 70% potato puree (water, dehydrated potato flakes), wheat flour fine bran, potato starch, rice flour, corn starch, salt, acidity regulator: lactic acid, preservative: potassium sorbate)
• Nutritional information per 1-cup serving (3 total): 248 calories, 0g fat, 450mg sodium, 8g fiber, <1g sugars, 1g protein
• Notes: Very simple to cook — boil water, add gnocchi, wait about 2 minutes ’til gnocchi floats to the top, and drain. Done! Yes, it’s a processed food with a preservative, made predominantly from starch. I’m not sure where exactly the “whole wheat” comes in — I guess that’s the wheat flour fine bran; so, obviously, this is not a 100% whole-wheat product. Also, I had to check what “lactic acid” is because I feared the root “lact” might indicated lactose, however…

From the Vegetarian Resource Group here

“…lactic acid [is] not from dairy. ‘Lac’ ingredients are usually produced by a fermentation process using cornstarch or beet sugar. Lactose is always from dairy. Most ingredients made with with calcium are vegan (i.e. calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate). The exceptions are calcium caseinate and calcium stearate.” Ah. The more you know.

So, processed stuff aside and fear of lactose being unfounded, how did the freakin’ gnocchi taste?!

[can you see the blur of my dog Cody's face at the end of the table?]

Yum. Mers.

Served with Trader Joe’s basil tomato sauce and Tofurkey Italian Sausage for the boyfriend (By the way, the Tofurkey always makes my list of favorite vegan foods). If you eat one serving of pasta with a 1/2-cup of pasta sauce (as I did; I did not eat with the “sausage”), you’re looking at around 300 calories. If you serve with a side-salad or some steamed veggies, you’ll have a nice and healthy treat for dinner.

You can also make your own gnocchi from scratch if you’re so inclined. There’s a delicious looking recipe on Vegan Yum Yum  [here], but you’ll need a potato ricer, a food mill and way more patience than the Cranky One has. This much less glamorous recipe [here] on E-How (oh, so reputable! ) looks much easier and doesn’t require any fancy equipment. If you do end up making gnocchi from scratch, please remember that I don’t charge for taste-testing

<3,

The Cranky One

Just kidding.

I recently received an e-mail from a reader asking me the simplest way to graciously host a vegan in her omni household and I wanted to share my response with you guys (should any of you ever be in the same sitch). I’ve also added a few other relevant notes that I will list first:

1. Ask What “Vegan” Means to Your Guest. It’s a misconception that all vegans have the same taboos and food “no-no”s.  Check with your pal just as you would anyone else coming to visit.
2. Ask your guest about his/her favorite meals. No point standing their wringing your hands and chanting “I will not, I repeat, will not eat tofu for breakfast, lunch and dinner!” I think you’ll be surprised to hear some of your pal’s favorite dishes (and don’t worry, we don’t all eat a ton of tofu — though I certainly could, I love the stuff!). It’s always fun to learn what others love to eat and try something new, so do your pal a solid and try recreating one of his or her fave meals!
3. Think of all the things you already eat that are vegan. I don’t know why many people tend to think that eating “vegan” is foreign to them — we’ve all eaten veggies, fruit, rice, bread, pasta, peanut butter, etc., right? Chances are you have tons of vegan things in your pantry already! It will depend on your pal, but you’ll usually want to check the back of pastas to make sure they don’t have eggs; and check bread labels for both eggs and honey (typically, those are two vegan “no-no”s).
4. Think of your day-to-day staples, and plan on having a few alternatives. Drink milk every morning? Use butter or cream cheese on your bagel? Keep a stash of almond, soy, or rice milk; or whole grain “drink.” These are great because you can keep them in your pantry (they don’t need to be refrigerated until opened). For butter, I recommend Earth Balance; for cream cheese, I recommend Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese (non-hydrogenated, plain version).
5. Think Beyond the Side Salad. I don’t get why salads have to be so blah. Rinse and drain a can of black or kidney beans, add corn, jicama, cucumber, onion, etc. You can break up some baked tortilla chips for a southwest feel, add bbq tempeh or tempeh bacon. You can add cranberries and cooked quinoa with a spritz or two of lemon. You can use my deconstructed taco salad idea and turn it into a legit salad.
6. Lost in confusion? Think of your favorite meals! It’s seriously a cinch to make anyone’s favorite meals vegan! Even if your fave meal is steak and potatoes — in which case, alright, serve some grilled tempeh, eggplant or mushroom (all three have “meaty” texture) with mashed potatoes (use soy milk or veggie broth instead of milk or cream; use vegan butter). Fave dish enchiladas? Use tofu or sweet potatoes as a filling. Omit cheese or use Daiya-brand shredded “cheese.”
7. When Stumped, Imitation is Flattery. If you’re not feeling the “recreate your fave meal” tip and really want something outside of the norm to wow your vegan pal (you must be crushin’! just sayin’!), then take inspiration from vegan restaurant menus! You don’t have to buy a fancy cookbook or spend hours scouring food blogs (though it is fun, lemmetellya!); all you have to do is search google for vegan restaurants, or even take a look at the menus of my two fave local vegan restaurants: Native Foods and The Veggie Grill, for ideas!

Here was my original response to my reader:

“Ok, here’s a list of options!

1. Grab some whole-wheat spaghetti and tomato sauce. Cook as you normally would. Saute some Tofurkey brand Italian Sausage (sold at Trader Joe’s) to go on top. The sausage is vegan and AMAZING, trust me!
2. Saute diced white onion in a tbsp of olive oil until translucent, add vegetarian refried pinto beans and cook until warm. Put beans in whole-wheat tortillas, topped with guacamole, salsa, more diced onion, cilantro, and soy sour cream if you like.
3. Make either of these two pasta dishes — both are delicious! Here or here.
4. I also love to cut up a pound of sweet potatoes, mix in a bowl with one tbsp. olive oil, fresh rosemary, salt & pepper. Put in a baking dish (sprayed with Pam) and bake at 450 until soft with crisp edges. You can serve these as a side dish.
5. You can make sandwiches with jarred roasted bell pepper, avocado and spinach. Use a pesto spread instead of mayo, or use vegenaise. You could also use tempeh “bacon” slices. I love just plain veggie sandwiches with loads of cucumber, sprouts, spinach, red onion, mustard and avocado.
6. One of my fave dishes my mom makes is cooking brown rice as directed then putting it in a large saute pan and adding tomato sauce (you don’t want to over saturate, you want it to absorb, so it will depend on how many servings of rice you’ve made). Then add a can of garbanzo beans and season with salt and pepper. You can serve with my breaded sesame tofu.

Since I’m sure you don’t have all day to spend in the kitchen, my best bets are always to go with a pasta dish, sandwiches, or even buy the vegetarian chili from Trader Joe’s (canned; it doesn’t say vegan on it, but it is) and serve with tortilla chips or in a burrito.

You can serve a nice green salad with all of these meals, if you like. For breakfast, you can keep it simple by providing fresh fruit and whole wheat bagels. The bagel’s can be topped with Earth Balance vegan butter or vegan cream cheese (I love the Tofutti brand). I also have a recipe for vegan French toast here, if you’re interested. Oh, and toast with pb is always vegan!

Hope that helps! Oh! and I forgot to add that whole-wheat pita bread and hummus dip is always a wonderful addition to any meal.”

When you have friends visiting, how do  you accommodate their eating habits/lifestyle?

Tune in tomorrow for my whimsical brownie bites:

<3,

The Cranky One

Udon Soup. Oh yea.

I recently found these organic & vegan O’Hana House Udon Noodles at Costco:

An excellent find! $5.49 for six individual packs. These are amazing because a) they’re delicious, b) they’re fully cooked and just need to be heated up, and c) they give me endless recipe possibilities. I’ve been fixed on making soup with them, but that’s totally underutilizing their potential. I see pestos, salads and more in the future with these babies.

Nutritional Info., 1/2 individual package: 120 calories, 0g fat, 235mg sodium, 1g fiber, 3g protein
Ingredients: water, organic wheat flour, organic tapioca starch, sea salt, lactic acid

Talk about an easy three ingredient meal — grab the noodles + your fave vegetable broth…

(I’d recommend not using Swanson’s since they use high fructose corn syrup in their vegetable broth…)

Add your fave veggies….

Simmer. Add your fave spices &/or sauces to the broth (I add shoyu + salt + pepper) and voila! A low-cal, low-fat, vegan feast!

See other recent Costco finds here.

What’s your quickest 3-ingredient meal? Ever had udon noodles?

In other news, I’ve received a response from Claim Jumper on their suggestions for eating vegan at their restaurant – check it out here.

<3.

The Cranky One

Wanted to share this recipe with you. I was craving a taco salad, but have also been conscious of my swelling tummy and lack of exercise. So, I figured a simple, healthy taco salad without the excesses would be a good compromise.

Derrida’s Taco Salad

Ingredients
Makes 4 servings

• 1 can non- or low-fat refried pinto beans; black beans would work, too. (If you’re vegan, make sure they’re not made with lard!). Tip: Do not buy the non-fat refried pinto beans from Trader Joe’s. They were gross! Opt for their “salsa” style instead or try their Cuban style black beans.
• 1/4 cup vegan bread crumbs, divided by tablespoon (4). I used the Panko bread crumbs (new item) from Trader Joe’s — they’re vegan! This gives the taco-shell crunch we’re going for, without all the calories!
• 1/4 cup vegan shredded cheese, divided by tablespoon (4)
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• Diced tomato and onion to taste (for sauteing beans in and as a topping)

Directions

• Preheat oven on broil.
• Spray cooking spray in a skillet and saute diced onions and tomatoes (about 1/2 cup each) over medium-heat until translucent. Add entire can of beans and saute until warm. Remove from heat.
• Place 1/3 cup of beans into each ramekin. Top with a tablespoon of bread crumbs and a tablespoon of shredded vegan cheese. Broil in the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese and crumbs are lightly browned and crispy.
• Top with cabbage and diced tomatoes and onions. Feel free to add non-fat sour cream (or soy sour cream), hummus, chili sauce, black olives, etc. You can even add ground soy “meat” or crumbled tempeh (but add the calories in, if you’re tracking!). Garnish with lime.

Before topped with the “salad”

Nutrition Facts
4 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		139.6
Total Fat		2.4 g
	Saturated Fat	1.3 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.3 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.6 g
Cholesterol		4.9 mg
Sodium		531.5 mg
Potassium		442.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate		20.4 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.7 g
	Sugars	1.1 g
Protein		8.2 g

Vitamin A	4.3 %
Vitamin B-12	1.9 %
Vitamin B-6	3.9 %
Vitamin C	21.2 %
Vitamin D	0.0 %
Vitamin E	1.1 %
Calcium	12.7 %
Copper	2.7 %
Folate	6.1 %
Iron	10.3 %
Magnesium	10.1 %
Manganese	17.5 %
Niacin	3.5 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.8 %
Phosphorus	14.5 %
Riboflavin	4.4 %
Selenium	5.4 %
Thiamin	6.7 %
Zinc	2.6 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Enjoy a ramekin of taco salad with a side salad or steamed veggies for a really healthy meal!

Happy munching!

<3,
The Cranky One

Heat & Eat Foods at Trader Joe’s (Vegan-Friendly)

Sesame Soba Noodles with Asian Vegetables $2.99

Nutritional Info. for 1 bowl: 250 calories, 4g fat, 610mg sodium, 3g fiber, 9g protein

Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu $2.29


Umm I don’t have a picture of the inside because I ate it too soon lol. It looks just like the soba noodle one except with more noodles and little pieces of tofu!

Nutritional Info. for 1 bowl: 600 calories, 7g fat, 840mg sodium, 3g fiber, 18g protein

The Pad Thai has quite a bit of calories and sodium for one meal, but I don’t see why you couldn’t eat half and just add a bag of steamed veggies to the mix. Or you could just ravenously eat the whole thing, shrug and go “eh, at least it’s got a lot of protein!” (<– that’s what I did!).

Coupons — One for Free Vegan ‘Cheese’!

I’ve accumulated some coupons and was wondering if anyone wanted them. First to reply that he/she wants one/all of ‘em, gets ‘em.

• FREE Galaxy Product (Vegan cheese, rice cheese, veggy cheese…) (I’ve got two of these)
• Save $1.00 on any Galaxy Nutritional Foods — Rice, Veggy, Rice Vegan or Vegan Product
• $1.50 off a Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal or Crackers (I’ve got 3 of these)
• And for all my pals who eat out, here’s a coupon for $1.00 off a grilled chicken salad at Jack in the Box and $2.75 off a chicken breast meal at El Pollo Loco — two healthier options from fast-food joints. (Hey, sometimes economy trumps health-zealousness, right Maslow?)

Do you guys ever eat microwaveable meals? If so, which are your favorites? Are you guys coupon hounds?

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. Did you guys hear the new Hungry Girl book coming out March 30 is now available for pre-order? The first 2000 people who buy two copies and complete and submit receipts and an entry form could win a CASE of Popchips. It would be dangerous for me to have a case of Popchips since a) I could eat a case of Popchips. in.one.sitting. Annnd most of the varieties aren’t vegan. Anywho — you can pre-order the book for $10.79 from amazon here.

I marinated about six sweet potatoes, chopped like French fries, in one tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper and a spray of cooking spray. I then cooked them at 450 degrees until they were somewhat crispy, and flipped half way through.

What is nutritional yeast (or “nooch” as it is lovingly called in the vegan blog community)? It is a deactivated yeast that comes in flakes that look like fish food (as my friend Michelle says) in both color and consistency. It has a nutty, almost cheese-like taste, that makes it perfect as a topping for veggies and pizza. One of the perks? “It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium. Some brands of nutritional yeast, though not all, are fortified with vitamin B12. The vitamin B12 is produced separately from bacteria and then added to the yeast” (from Wikipedia here). You can find it in the bulk bins or pre-packaged at Whole Foods. Note: Nooch has about 50 calories per two tablespoons. I used only one tablespoon over my serving.

Potato starch isn’t the healthiest thing to add to a dish, but I read in Vegetarian Times that if you add just a little to your cut-up sweet potatoes before baking they will come out crispier. I didn’t notice much of a difference, but maybe it’s because I only used a few teaspoons?

I also topped off my cooked sweet potato fries with some grated mozzarella flavor “soy vegan block” from Galaxy Nutritional Foods. I don’t like the smell of this faux cheese and the taste alone is err…moldy-ish… But when it’s grated on top of sweet potatoes with nooch, you can’t tell! lol So you can just enjoy the texture instead. Per 1 oz: 45 calories, 2g fat, 150mg sodium, 0g fiber, 2g protein

The dish was amazing and tasted a bit like cheese fries! Mmm next time I’ll add some vegan chili!

Ever used nooch? Vegan soy block “cheese”? Potato starch? What’s your favorite way to make sweet potatoes?

In the News (Interesting Links I Want to Share)

• Is agave nectar really just high fructose corn syrup masquerading as a health food? (via That’s Fit here)
• Did you see that Kevin Smith, of Silent Bob, got kicked off Southwest Airlines for being too “fat”? (via Jezebel here)
• Is “orthorexia” (obsessively shunning foods deemed unhealthy) a legit eating disorder? (via Time Magazine here)
• USDA dairy and livestock will get tighter rules on fitting the “organic” bill (via The Huffington Post here)
• An interview with my <3, Michael Pollan (via Alternet here)

<3,

The Cranky One

Lindsay is one of the first bloggers I began following and she cooks up a storm of amazing vegan recipes that you’ve got to try out! Here’s my attempt at blogger-to-blogger journalism (I’m the bold text, obvs).

—–

Who is Lindsay aka Happy Herbivore in one sentence? (I know this is a kindergarten ice-breaker of a question, but I like hearing the answers anyway!)

Happy Herbivore is my fat-free wholefoods vegan recipe website and my Internet nickname (or “handle” if you want to be technical). I’m an ex-lawyer turned healthy vegan chef. and apparently, I’m not very good at following directions, seeing as I couldn’t keep this answer to one sentence!

Why and when did you decide to become vegan?

In late 2006; I was motivated by the plight of animals, my health and the environmental benefits. I was a vegetarian for most of my life because I loved animals, so compassion plays a huge part in my veganism, though the health benefits are a constant reminder of why it’s so important to eat this way.

Why did you start your blog, Happy Herbivore (HH)?

Shortly after I went vegan, I read Eat to Live and switched to a low fat, whole foods vegan diet. The only problem was finding recipes that fit my new diet. Sure there were plenty of vegan cookbooks and websites around but most of the recipes used gobs of oil, fats, processed flours and other ingredients I’d just swore off. Blogs were just starting to become cool back then so I created one to log my attempt at my new diet. I started creating recipes along the way and eventually, happyherbivore.com was born.

When and how did you become such a good cook and recipe creator?

Aww thanks for such a nice compliment! I didn’t know how to cook – at all – until I went vegan. My college roommate has horror stories of the times I attempted to cook for us. I used to eat out all the time, but that wasn’t really an option on my new diet. So, I bought a few vegan cookbooks and made the recipes. Once I felt more comfortable in the kitchen, I started trying to “healthify” recipes by omitting the fat and using whole wheat flour. I would also “veganize” recipes using basic substitutions like fake meat or bananas instead of eggs. Eventually it all just sort of clicked for me and I started throwing meals together based on what was on hand. I still do that fairly often — some of my best recipes have been developed that way, but I also like to recreate dishes and try my hand at other cuisines.

Ever have any recipe disasters?

Oh my god yes. It’s funny, anytime a blog reader meets my husband they marvel at how lucky he is that he gets to eat all my food… and he is so quick to say “oh its not always great, she really misses sometimes!” and I do. The first time I made seitan it blew up — blew up and splattered all over the kitchen. I’m still scratching my head on that one. I’ve made stuff that came out bland. I’ve had bread, muffins and cupcakes not rise. I am fortunate that usually everything comes out perfect on the first try, but some recipes are sticklers and take a few tries to get right. and sometimes it’s just a major disaster that shouldn’t be repeated.

What advice would you give someone who wants to be vegan but is afraid of missing out on her favorite foods?

Recreate them! These days there is a vegan substitute out there for every itch — and if there isn’t, make it. I’ve recreated every food my husband and I loved in our pre-vegan days (including she crab soup and cinnamon buns!) and I must say, I like all of the vegan versions better. The commercial meat and dairy substitutes are getting really good too! Some are so similar it’s nuts. I had a Gardenburger BBQ riblet recently and I swear to god, it tastes just like the McRib. I’ve even fed my family fake sausage before and they didn’t miss a beat. Heck! They even have vegan marshmallows now! Life is good.

What entree and dessert dish from your extensive list of recipes would you create for the most vegan-hesitant omnivore out there? why?

The trick to feeding a skeptical omni is to give them something that’s naturally vegetarian — like a veggie laden soup or casserole. It takes a while for most people to warm up to fake meats and tofu. However, I’ve had a lot of success feeding my chickpea tacos to even the most skeptic omnis and who doesn’t like nachos? (those nachos rock). The Cranky One felt compelled to interrupt the interview with food pictures of the dishes mentioned:



If you’re looking for a more complex dish, the pan-seared portobellos are amazing (my Dad says they taste like steak). The cheesecake is a safe bet for dessert but my black bean brownies are hands down the most popular recipe.

I hear your new HH cookbook is coming out later this year! Give us the deets! What can we expect?

The Happy Herbivore Cookbook is AWESOME. It has 200+ recipes — a few recycled from the blog and past e-cookbooks but mostly new stuff. Everything is true to my cooking style of no added fats and wholesome food but the best part: every recipe is super easy to make, whips up fast and uses common, ordinary ingredients you always have on hand. No umeboshi plums, pomegranate molasses or specialty items like that — no way! It’s completely practical for any diet, lifestyle or budget. It’s also going to be full color — so get ready for some food porn.

The cookbook also ventures out into world cuisines like Ethiopian and Indian. But I kept it classic and comforting too — lots of breakfast/brunch foods, sandwiches and wraps, pasta, casseroles, one-pot meals (who doesn’t love those?), fake meat, desserts, veggie & grain side dishes, snacks and other neat stuff like “cheese” recipes! You’ll love it. I’m going to post pictures of some of the recipes on Happy Herbivore soon.

Most of us like to play “cook” every now and then, but what’s it like working on a cook book? Do any of your friends and family like to act as taste-testers or food critics?

Writing the cookbook was a lot of fun! Of course it was stressful at times — particularly as the deadline was rearing it’s ugly head, but for the most part I enjoyed it. It also gave me the chance to really sit down and work on recipes that had been rolling around in my head forever but I never actually tried. It also forced me to move out of my comfort zone and try new things, new cuisines. The only really unpleasant aspect was all the dirty dishes!

I also lost 6 lbs since I started writing the cookbook — so I guess that is a testament that my food is healthy! (and still really delish!)

As for testing, my husband Scott is my biggest critic (and taste-tester) but I also have an entire cookbook tester squad that makes the recipes and critiques them… I really couldn’t have done it without them.

Has anyone or anything inspired you to live this lifestyle, to write a vegan cookbook? Where is all this drive coming from?

My fans and supporters. Every thing I do, I do for them. Anytime someone sends me an email, tweet or comment that they made my food I feel inspired to do more… I wouldn’t be where I was today without them, without their support and encouragement. I want to share healthy, wholesome food with the world and feel so privileged to have that opportunity.

I’m also personally inspired by my fellow vegans, particularly those in the trenches that are out there advocating. A day doesn’t go by where I’m not in complete awe of another vegan and what he or she is doing to help spread veganism. Cooking is my gift, my talent — it’s how I contribute. I believe that every meatless meal matters — that one less meat-filled meal benefits the animals, the earth and my fellow humans… so if I can supply recipes to help make that happen? I’ll do it!

Thanks, Lindsay!

—-

Well, she certainly inspires me. Show Lindsay some love and check out her awesome site, Happy Herbivore!

What favorite food of yours needs a healthy makeover?

<3,

The Cranky One

p.s. I want to give a birthday shout-out to my love, Lo and a congrats to Janetha for just getting engaged!

Hey guys!

I’m not a big fan of breakfast — never really have been. I was always the kid who would order a hamburger and french fries for breakfast if the option was available. Anywho. My friend whose going vegan for lent (remember her? post here) really likes French toast, so I thought I’d scour the web in search for a good vegan recipe and try it out. Found it

Vegan French Test (Original recipe posted on VegWeb here) (After pushing publish I realize I put French “test” instead of “toast,” but I don’t have the heart to change it…it shows how heavily academia weighs on me lol)

Ingredients

• About one tablespoon Earth Balance vegan margarine for the pan
• Two cups vanilla soy milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
• 5 tablespoons flour (I used oat flour)
• 3 teaspoons organic sugar (I used Trader Joe’s brown sugar)
• 4 slices of bread (I used Milton’s Whole Wheat)
• Toppings? I used a tiny bit of maple syrup, a sprinkle of vegan powdered sugar, some vegan chocolate chips and walnut pieces

Directions

• Mix everything together except the Earth Balance and toppings.
• Use a bit of the Earth Balance on a pan and heat until its melted – you can use a mix of Earth Balance and cooking spray. It depends on your calorie restrictions (if any), preference, taste and all that jazz.
• While above is melting, soak a piece of bread in the mix.
• Add soaked bread to pan and cook on both sides, over medium heat, until edges are crispy and the center is golden and not too soggy. You may want to use some cooking spray in between flips as the bread tends to stick to the pan (maybe I need a new pan?)
• Remove from pan, add toppings and enjoy!

The results?

Get.In.My.Belly.

I’ll post the nutritional info. later tonight if I can — Thoreau is calling my name and, I’ll admit, I’ve kinda got a crush on that nut.

What’s your favorite breakfast food?

<3,

The Cranky One

Nutritional Info. per slice w/o toppings (calculated with Sparkpeople’s Recipe Calculator):

Calories		141.6
Total Fat		3.7 g
	Saturated Fat	0.6 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.9 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.2 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		187.2 mg
Potassium		218.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate		22.7 g
	Dietary Fiber	4.4 g
	Sugars	4.2 g
Protein		6.3 g