Day 14, or "Rejuvenation"

After the strong feeling of deprivation I experienced on Sunday, I'm proud to report that things are back on track. Yesterday I knew I needed an attitude readjustment, or else the next two weeks were going to be pretty miserable. So to solve my problem, I went back to the source of original motivation and reread Skinny Bitch in almost its entirety (skipping the gross parts about how animals are treated - I think last week's film illustrated that quite well enough). The book had the desired effect: I remembered immediately why it is that I wanted to try this out in the first place. Health. Cleansing. Curiosity. And if I'm honest with myself, I feel really good. Probably better than ever. It's a clean kind of feeling, and I can see where it could become addictive. After the second reading of the book, I feel like I should at least try out being vegan for three months. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. Let's take this one meal at a time. . .

Reading Skinny Bitch again was helpful not only because it rejuvenated my lagging morale, but also because it gave me a better idea of what to eat, and when. For example, they suggest that breakfast should be three pieces of fruit, eaten slowly and spread out over about thirty minutes. They also suggest that lunch be as raw as possible - a big salad, preferably. Easy enough! So with my new arsenal of information and techniques, I'm confident that the next two weeks are going to be vegan-tastic. Yeah, I said it. Vegan-tastic.

Day 13, or "Ugghh"

Today was just not a good day for being vegan. Don't get me wrong - I still did it - but I wasn't happy about it. It started out right, with strawberries and cornflakes for breakfast and Mediterranean pitas for lunch. Actually, I want to discuss these pitas in detail before I start complaining about the rest of the day. 

I love pretty much all things Mediterranean (minus bell peppers and eggplant, which I am allergic to). And I'm happy to report that it is entirely possible to enjoy a whole wheat pita bread bursting at the seams with vegan filling - right down to the 'yogurt' sauce! Here's a quick recipe (it's really more like 'assembly instructions' but we won't be too picky). 

Vegan Mediterranean Stuffed Pitas

Ingredients:

Diced firm tofu, pan-fried in a bit of olive oil (I bought this already diced and cooked, so all I had to do was warm it up in a skillet. Very easy.)

Thinly sliced cucumber

Thinly sliced tomato

Lettuce

Pitted olives, any variety (I used black Spanish olives, but Kalamata would probably be more appropriate)

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

One package dairy-free plain 'yogurt' (cleverly called "Yofu")

Dried oregano, black pepper, and any other seasonings you want to put into the yogurt sauce

Chopped fresh mint or other fresh herb (I used basil because that was all I had)

Pita bread, toasted or warmed in the oven

Assembly: In a small bowl, mix the herbs and spices in with the yogurt. Spread yogurt on the inside of the pitas, and fill with tofu, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Have a stack of napkins on standby. This meal is messy. . .

The 'yofu' sauce didn't taste any different from regular yogurt sauce (much to my surprise and delight) and even Claudiu agreed. 

After lunch, we went downtown for the last day of Bürgerfest. We saw three bands perform, at opposite ends of the city. This means we did a lot of walking, which is of course no problem. Except that the entire population of Regensburg was also lining the streets, doing one of several activities: eating bratwurst, selling bratwurst, eating a steak sandwich, yelling"STEAK SANDWICHHHH," eating gourmet cheese on freshly baked pretzels or baguettes, selling said gourmet cheese, pretzels, or baguettes, savoring a nice, cold gelato in the sun, selling said gelato. . . okay, you get the picture. It got worse when four out of the six people I was with decided to have steak sandwiches for dinner. Oh, woe is me. . .

Last night I learned that it can be hard to concentrate on animal rights ("Meat is murder!") when the intoxicating smell of a summer barbeque is wafting straight at you from all corners of the Earth (or at least all corners of Regensburg, land of sausages). I'm proud to say that I stuck it out until we got home and had Mediterranean pita breads, round two. But I wasn't exactly happy about it. I'm not sure what this means for life after the thirty day challenge, but at least now I know that I can tough it out for my month of veganism, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Yes!

Day 12, or "Who Knew Leftovers Could Be So Good?"

This isn't going to be a very long post, because most of what I ate yesterday was not interesting (fruit, nuts, blueberry muffins...) but I did have a spectacular lunch using the leftover steamed vegetables and pasta that we made for the curry. I chopped up a couple of cherry tomatoes, tore up some fresh basil, drizzled the whole thing with a bit of olive oil, and added some salt and pepper. The result? A perfect summer pasta salad:

And it's a good thing I packed a lunch, because the kids I babysat for yesterday were having hot dogs!

Day 11, or "First Try at Baking"

On Friday, Claudiu and I had what my mom would call a "cooking festival." There was slicing, dicing, baking, sautéing, whisking, mincing, stirring, boiling, chopping, you name it. Also, there was eating. 

Due to the fact that my kitchen appeared to have been visited by the spaghetti-with-red-sauce tornado-monster (my roommate had two friends staying at our place for the weekend and thus, no time to do dishes) and also due to the fact that I don't have an oven, I headed over to Claudiu's place for this 'festival' around one in the afternoon, carrying a bag of groceries that probably weighed at least 382.09 pounds. On the day's menu: Vegetable Curry Pasta and Vegan Blueberry Muffins, recipes I found at Madhuram's Eggless Cooking. The following is a detailed account of the afternoon's proceedings, complete with adapted recipes. . .

It was lunchtime, so naturally we started with the curry. We began by dicing a whole lot of fresh vegetables for the steamer:

While the vegetables were steaming, we started on the sauce. Claudiu saw my lame work with the crushed red pepper grinder and promptly took over, resulting in a fiery flavor I'm sure I would have been too timid to create had I been cooking alone. 

Once the sauce had thickened and while the pasta was cooking, we combined the steamed vegetables with the curry:

It smelled so good! And now, the how-to you've all been waiting for, adapted from this recipe.

Vegetable Curry with Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetables of your choice (I used fresh carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms), steamed 8-10 minutes if frozen, 6-8 minutes if fresh.

1 cup of whole wheat pasta (I used whole wheat penne)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (cilantro has not yet made its way into Germany, apparently, so I was forced to omit this)

salt and pepper, to taste

Curry Sauce:

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced 

2 tbsp flour

2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp cornstarch (we needed a little extra)

1/4 cup dry white wine or water (I used water, but I would suggest trying it with the wine)

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Sauteé garlic and onions in olive oil in a medium skillet, 2-3 minutes. Add flour, curry powder, and chili/cayenne, stirring 1 minute. Add broth and heat to boiling. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water or wine until the starch is completely dissolved. Add to the sauce, bring to a boil, and stir until thickened, at least one minute. Season with salt and pepper. 

Prepare pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is nearly finished, combine the vegetables with the sauce. Sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Plate, and enjoy!

After all that hard work (cooking and eating), we took a break to watch Youtube videos and listen to several versions of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" (live and studio). I did my best not to play air guitar or sing along to the shredding guitar solos - I mean, I don't want to impress this guy too much. Around four, we went to the grocery store to buy more bubble water and sugar. Claudiu pointed out something hilarious on the bottled water:

Yes. The water has a "vegan" label. Yikes.

I should probably admit at this point that I forgot to put the blueberries back in the freezer right away when I got to Claudiu's, so they may have gotten a little warm before refreezing. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. However, the blueberry juice had an interesting effect on the muffin batter:

Yes, that is purple batter. While Claudiu would love to blame this on my veganism, the only logical explanation I can come up with is that the unfrozen blueberry juice had a hay day in the mixing bowl. At this point, I considered changing the name of the muffins to "Kaci's Psychedelic Muffins," but I quickly reconsidered, not wanting to give people the wrong impression as to the 'special' ingredient in these muffins (Apple Cider Vinegar). 

I have to admit, though, before going into the oven, they did look unlike any blueberry muffins I've ever made:

We were extremely skeptical during the 22 minutes they were baking, partially due to the color, and partially due to the fact that our measurements were slightly less than precise. First of all, the recipe I was using naturally had all measurements in cups and tablespoons (instead of grams and milliliters, standard for Europe). Second of all, Claudiu's kitchen, while extremely well-equipped (far more so than my own), lacked any measuring tools other than a scale of questionable accuracy. So we did a lot of eyeballing, which can be dangerous when baking. But when they came out of the oven, the muffins looked, well, normal:

For the recipe, check out this page. For the milk, I used soy. I also omitted the lemon extract, and found that with the zest, they were lemony enough. As if this wasn't enough approximation, I also didn't have any baking soda. So I did what any good cook does - I googled how to substitute baking powder: double however much baking soda is required and omit the salt. I think they turned out rather nicely. . .

With the leftover batter, we made two ramekin-muffins, which also turned out well:

And thus came our cooking festival to a delicious end. Mmm!

Day 10, or "A Vegan Goes to Munich"

Today I went to Munich to meet up with a friend from high school for the afternoon. Still thinking about the Saftladen's "vegan sushi," I suggested we go to Japanese for lunch, since it's nearly impossible to find any good sushi in Regensburg. Against my better judgment, I admitted to him that I'm trying to be vegan at the moment. He actually thought my thirty day trial is a pretty good idea, but vehemently hopes that I will at least tone it down to "will only eat organic, free-range meat products," after thirty days, which is still a possibility, I suppose. If that ends up being the case, I will really only eat meat I cook myself, and dairy products I buy myself. Or, as Chris pointed out, I could also eat at those "hippie restaurants" that say on the menu that the chicken is free-range and the produce locally grown. 

Chris also felt it necessary to point out that one of my bracelets is made of leather. This presents a dilemma. I really like this bracelet, and I already own it (as well as a small collection of other leather items - a purse, a few pairs of shoes). I think at this point, I will just have to move forward with a refusal to add any new items to the leather crew. Thanks to my mother, who is disgusted by the very idea, I don't own anything with fur. I also want to be more careful about what kinds of soaps, shampoos, and make-up I buy. I might actually take the "This Product Not Tested On Animals" label seriously from now on.

The sushi restaurant we found had a pretty decent array of vegetarian options, and I got a delectable spinach roll, which is something I'd never had before. I'm still not crazy about seaweed salad, but I did my best to enjoy the sliminess (I had to put on a good face to the still-dubious, beef-donburi-ordering Chris). 

Tonight I'm going to have the leftover salad from last night for dinner, and look up recipes for the vegan cooking and baking afternoon Claudiu and I have planned for tomorrow. *Sigh.*

Day 9, or "Animal Rights Activist?"

Day 9 was definitely a landmark day in my newfound veganism. Wednesdays are always difficult because of my class schedule - 12:15 until 1:45, and then 3:15 until 6. I'm never sure where lunch falls in there, so I usually just end up eating a series of snacks in between classes. Previously, these snacks involved whatever was looking good in the cafeteria (chocolate muffin, granola bar, yogurt) but now I have to think ahead and pack myself some good stuff. Today, I packed half of a veggie sandwich with cucumber, lettuce, and sun-dried tomatoes (leftover from the pasta the night before). 

On my way to class, I passed the "Saftladen" (juice stand) like I do every day. Once I bought some chocolate covered strawberries there, but other than that I usually don't pay it much attention. But today it certainly caught my eye:

The sign reads, "Fresh-Pressed Juices, Vegan Sushi, Gazpacho." I bet you can guess what got me so excited. . . Unfortunately, I didn't have any money with me, so I had to settle for my sandwich, which, also unfortunately, ended up as kind of a disaster: 

It still tasted great, but I think I'm going to have to continue the search for a better vegan sandwich bread. Something a little thicker and less crumbly, I would imagine. 

In the evening, Claudiu and I went to see a documentary [click here to learn more - you can even watch it online for free!] about animal rights called Earthlings, narrated by Joaquin Phoenix (I know him as the guy who plays Mel Gibson's brother in Signs). We had picked up a flier advertising it at the same tent I got my über-alternative Veganarchist pin at the music festival over the weekend. Though I cannot recommend the film as a great 'third-date' movie (unless you find cringing repeatedly, frequent gagging, and wanting to yell, "Make it stop!!!" at the screen a romantic experience, in which case you should potentially consider seeking professional help), I can recommend it to everyone who as ever even considered the idea of becoming vegan and needs a helpful nudge through the door, or to anyone who is simply curious as to just where, exactly, the animal products we buy in stores come from. 

Claudiu and I agree that although in and of itself, the film is not enough to "convert" someone to veganism, it is a powerful instrument in at least forcing us to think about where our food and clothing come from and the cruelty of using other living creatures as sources of entertainment or science experiments. The central idea of the documentary - that animals suffer physically and psychologically because of humans, and that this is fundamentally wrong - is extremely powerful when supported by the images of slaughterhouses, puppy mills, circuses, laboratories, and leather factories. It might just have made me into a life-long vegan. Animal rights is not something I've ever given much thought to; I've been known to use the line "Don't tell me, you'll spoil my dinner" just as much as the next person. But as the documentary explains, that's the ultimate reason why things aren't changing. We don't want to know. 

Well, now I know. And though it was hard to be hungry after the movie, it was almost nine o'clock and neither of us had eaten yet. I think I actually swooned a little bit when Claudiu suggested we go home and make a big salad for dinner. And that's exactly what we did:

And finally, a picture with something other than food in it. . . Claudiu reacting to his vegetarian dinner. Or maybe it was my hyperactive insistence on photographing everything that went on in the kitchen. Either way, he's a keeper for putting up with my utter ridiculousness. Thank you!

Day 8, or "1 Week!"

Yep, it's official: I've been vegan for an entire week. You don't look impressed. Fine. Check back in another three.

And even more great news: I've had my box of cornflakes now for three days, and it looks like it's going to make the jump into four days quite easily. (But after that, I can't make any promises.) So now I can eat cereal for breakfast whenever I want! I sound like a little kid. . .

Breakfast (cereal) and lunch (salad) were pretty standard on Day 8, so in this post I'd like to share with you one of my favorite vegan snack options - half a banana with peanut butter. It's a little high in calories, but still very nutritious:

Yesterday I actually was feeling a little under the weather (maybe just to spite the Skinny Bitches, who promised that I wouldn't get any more colds or allergies). I had to give a huge presentation at 6 pm, and I was just feeling like I didn't have the energy. So I did what I would have done in the 'old days' - I bought myself a diet coke. Here's the funny thing: I used to drink diet cokes pretty regularly, maybe not every day but several times a week. But I took one sip of it yesterday and literally poured the rest down the sink. It tasted awful! This is kind of hilarious, because I have never found a diet coke anything but satisfying. So maybe my taste buds are changing. . . A change I like! Oh, and by the way, I'm feeling 100% better today. I think my immune system is running in full gear.

To celebrate my healthiest week ever (and I was healthy before, so this is definitely saying something), I decided to cook dinner for Claudiu, who generously offered to come even though he knew it would be a vegan meal. I wanted to try a recipe I read on VeganYumYum for Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta with Broccoli. It turned out pretty well, but not my best work. The "Lemon Pepper" part was unfortunately non-existent - next time I'll have to add a lot more of those two flavors. The amounts indicated in the recipe were definitely not enough.

For dessert, I served "ice cream" with sliced peaches and cinnamon. Over all, I'd say it was a success, but that next time will most assuredly be even better.

Day 7, or "New Ingredients"

Yet another reason that I (so far) love being vegan is that it means I can go grocery shopping pretty much whenever I want, and not feel the least bit bad about it. I'm spending $0 on going out to eat, so even if I went to the store daily (which I don't actually do, but it's getting close) I'd still be spending less money than usual. 

And it's not like I'm going to the same store every day. Some days I go to the Biomarkt (my favorite days) and pick up just a few small things, usually special vegan products, because I can't get them anywhere else. Other days, I just run across the street to the little "Netto" to grab some bubble water, a loaf of bread, or a cucumber. On Tuesdays and Fridays I have the option of going to the small vegetable and fruit market located practically outside my door. And other days, like today, I'll go downtown to the huge grocery store, Kaufland, and do my basic shopping for the week. Kaufland is where I buy my salad ingredients - lettuce, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, any canned vegetables, chopped nuts, etc, and also the fruit that is too expensive to buy at the Biomarkt, where grapes can sometimes cost as much as 8.99 Euros for 1 kilo. 

This morning I had a piece of toast (topped with vegan butter and white grape jelly) and a grapefruit for breakfast, and then went downtown to the store. I spent a solid twenty minutes in the cereal section, trying to decide what would be the least harmful to my cereal addiction but still allow me to use up the rest of my soymilk. I settled on unsweetened, no-nonsense, plain old cornflakes. And I managed to have just one bowl as an afternoon snack. Lunch was, of course, a salad, but this time with two new additions: baby corn and chopped almonds. I also used up the last of the artichoke hearts. Sad day.

For dinner, I was (yet again) going to make the pasta, but somehow just didn't feel like it. I had all the ingredients for a scrumptious veggie sandwich (quickly becoming one of my favorite foods) so I settled on that instead. I bought bread today specifically with the idea of veggie sandwiches in mind, and it worked out well. The slices are huge, so I cut one in half and toasted it. Then I spread ketchup on one side and sweet Bavarian mustard on the other. On top, I put cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and a leek-carrot tofu burger (wow, I sound like such a hippie). I have to say it was my best veggie sandwich to date. Here's a photo of the sandwich-making process (very complicated, try to follow):

And the finished product:

Mmm! Guten Appetit!

Day 6, or "Way Too Much Cereal"

Yesterday (Day 6) was pretty rough. I spent the whole entire day in my room, working on a presentation I have to give tomorrow on "Youth Politics in East Germany, 1945-1953." Oh, boy. Needless to say I still found plenty of time to eat (and photograph what I was eating). 

At this point I should probably let you in on a little secret: I cannot control myself around cereal. I thought that maybe this new way of eating I'm trying out would cure me - that I would be so healthy and fit that the thought of only one bowl of cereal would be perfectly satisfying. In fact, it actually worked on Day 4. I had one bowl of cereal with soy milk and bananas, and that was it. This was a small miracle. Unfortunately, it did not recur the following day. I had one bowl of cereal with blackberries in the morning, yes. Followed by a second. And then that afternoon, for my snack. . . the rest of the box. Now, to be fair, it was a very small box. But still, way too much cereal. But I'm holding out hope that someday, I will be able to purchase a box of cereal and have it last for days--days! At least like, four days. Wouldn't that be something. . .

For lunch (at this point I hadn't had too much cereal and was still feeling good) I made myself a veggie sandwich, but this time I cooked up one of the veggie burgers I bought at the Biomarkt to put on it. It was delicious! For toppings, I used a few slices of avocado, some cucumber, a few artichoke hearts, and a grainy mustard. Voila!

Unfortunately, several hours after this is when the cereal monger crept into my head and told me to eat some more delicious müsli. For this, my dear reader(s), you will have to forgive me, because I had planned on making a delicious vegan pasta for dinner that I was going to photograph quite nicely. But by six o'clock, I just wasn't hungry enough to make a big production. So instead, I whipped up a random dinner of cucumber salad and a tofu-vegetable patty with ketchup for dipping (sounds gross, but it was actually great):

My brain was pretty much dead by dinner, as I had just read about 75 pages worth of research (in German) and tried to tease out the important points for my presentation. I crawled into bed and decided to start rereading Twilight, so you know it was bad. But around eight, I remembered that soy ice cream in the freezer. . .

Topped with blueberries, half a banana, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, it definitely hit the spot! I see no reason to return to dairy if I can have this dessert and eat it, too.

Day 5, or "A Vegan Tent?!"

Today was my favorite day of being vegan yet. I got up early and went to the Biomarkt (I know, it's becoming like a daily occurrence, but I monitor my spending). Today's shopping list: a lime, a grapefruit, two bananas, some müsli (German cereal), the promised Tofutta ice cream, vegan butter (for veggie sandwiches), and a different kind of chocolate bar. Then I went home and had breakfast - said müsli with half a banana and soy milk:

And I couldn't resist trying the new chocolate bar, which I give TWO THUMBS UP! It tastes just as good as regular milk chocolate.

For lunch, it was back to the old salad staple, which is still not even getting remotely old. It's just so satisfying, and for so little work! 

But my favorite part about being vegan today happened later on in the day. I was going back to the open-air concert (better weather!), but this time I knew what I was in for and decided to bring my own dinner, rather than risk becoming hungry/crabby due to the delicious scent of German sausages on the grill wafting over the fairground. I packed myself a veggie sandwich (whole grain bread, vegan butter, cucumber, avocado, salt and pepper). Little did I know what a treat I was in for at the concert!

When we arrived at the island, we made our usual rounds among the tent stands filled with student activists preaching communism, fair trade, or Save the Whales! (yesterday we were accosted by members of Greenpeace). But today, to my utter surprise and delight, there was an ENTIRE TENT devoted to veganism! Well, it was partially devoted to veganism, and partially to animal protection. My dear Claudiu even got himself a pin that says (in German) "Meat is Murder!" and has fake blood splattered across it, to show his support of my new dietary habits. Or to make fun of me and all other vegans slash animal rights activists. Either way I'm okay with it. I got a sweet pin too:

Even better than the pin, though, was the fact that they were offering vegan desserts for one Euro a piece! I had a German specialty - a pastry made with nuts and coconut flakes - and treated Claudiu to a vegan banana muffin. (Which he found quite to his liking, but it was good "not because it's vegan, but because they must just be good bakers." Uh-huh.) The desserts were so good, actually, that we had to go back several hours later to try a few others. My favorite was the vegan Black Forest cake - it was impossible to taste a difference.

Lastly, reviews on the Tofutta ice cream are in: another two thumbs up! It doesn't taste quite like regular ice cream, but it doesn't taste weird, either. Just delicious. Hooray!

Day 4, or "Late Night Delight"

While I love going out at night, at heart I am an early riser. My sleep schedule gets completely thrown off when I go to bed at three am and wake up at eleven. So does my eating schedule. Come to think of it, I might actually be an early riser because I love breakfast so much. So waking up past breakfast time (but still too early for a nicely-timed lunch) throws me off balance. But alas, such is the life of a fun-loving college student.

For my 'brunch' this morning I had the leftover cherries from yesterday, followed shortly thereafter by a peanut butter and agave nectar sandwich with the last of my vegan bread (which I will not be buying again):

After a hard several hours of thinking about doing homework and playing guitar instead, I had worked up an appetite. I knew I was going out around five and probably wouldn't be home till late (meaning I probably wouldn't have anything to eat for a long while), so I made myself a huge salad with the leftovers from yesterday's southwestern dish, plus a few added extras (lettuce, cucumber, and olives):

I was entirely correct in assuming I wouldn't be eating for a while after that. I went downtown for an outdoor concert (in the rain, in the cold) and didn't get back until around eleven pm. I was so chilly and hungry that all I could think about was trying the vegan instant soup I bought on my first trip to the Biomarkt. Unfortunately, it was kind of a letdown - a glorified spicy Raman noodle packet, if you ask me. But nonetheless it did warm me up, and together with a kiwi and some pistachios, my late night dinner was an overall success. 

And with that, I bid you good night.

A Bit of Inspiration

Instead of researching "East German youth organizations from 1945-1961" on this lovely Friday morning, I find myself researching vegan recipes and websites. If I've come to any conclusion, it is this: I am not alone. There are literally hundreds of vegans (maybe thousands?) writing about their culinary adventures and providing encouragement to those of us who are new to the trade. It appears that all vegan bloggers are also expert food photographers, so my traipsing through the websites of other health-conscious foodies was quite a humbling experience. But not so humbling that I won't share some of these gems with you!

Sweet Beet and Green Bean

This site is full of fun recipes from a girl raised on junk food who became a vegan five years ago. She also has a list of excellent links that I plan to explore, especially during the times I should be studying.

Vegan Yum Yum

I literally couldn't believe that the photographs of food on this site are actually of vegan fare. This girl is a powerful force in the kitchen, evident in her extremely long post on Vegan Cinnamon Buns. Homemade dough and everything. 

Foodgawker

This has been one of my favorite go-to sites for recipes since I discovered it about a month ago. The idea is so clever - people submit their best food photos, which are then featured on this site, each photo acting as a link to the blogs of the people who submitted them. I was really worried that returning to this site would increase cravings for oh, I don't know, Singapore Chili Prawns or Italian Supreme Calzones, and let's be honest, it did. But Foodgawker also has a surprising number of vegan dishes featured, and thus provides links and recipes to a whole new world of cooking for me. A few of my favorites: Herb and Cornmeal Onion Rings, Curried Chickpeas, and Greek Style Roasted Potatoes. 

Aside from the fact that I have a minor panic attack at the thought of never eating lobster again, (or turkey at Thanksgiving, or my great-aunt's tiramisu) I think I could actually be a lifelong vegan with all of these creative people posting recipes for my personal use. And maybe there's a balance somewhere in all of this - a culinary compromise, if you will - that will someday allow me to partake lightly in the delights of shellfish and family traditions, while at the same time paying careful attention to everything that goes into my body.

Day Three, or "I Love Avocados"

It's official: I am having a love affair with a luscious, ripe avocado as we speak. But enough about him. Let's talk about me.

Today I woke up rather past what would normally be considered "breakfast" hours, so I satisfied myself with a kiwi and a piece of toast, and then Leigh and I headed down to the island for some quality sunbathing. Which I might have overdone a bit. But that's beside the point. Before we left, I ran over to the grocery store to grab myself a snack--let's face it, downtown Regensburg can be very dangerous to the aspiring vegan. Ice cream shops outnumber people on a scale of something like ten to one, and literally every corner features either a bakery, sandwich imbiss, or pizza parlor. So I brought along a small army of cherries and pistachio nuts to fight any unwanted temptations. 

A note about the cherries: I felt very deceived by my purchase when I got to the cash register. The sign had claimed: Cherries! 59 cents/100 grams! Naturally I was delighted by this low price, and grabbed a pre-packaged baggy of the red little suckers. Who knew that they were packaged in 500 gram baggies?? That, sir, is false advertising. Nowhere on that bag did it give the weight, so the shopper is obviously inclined to check the price on the huge sign that says, CHERRIES! I thus ended up spending three Euros and nine cents on them, but if I'm being honest, it was well worth it. 

My stir-fry plans for tonight have fallen through, due to an extended gym workout and the ungodly outdoor temperature of eighty degrees today. It is far too hot to even consider using a stove. I'm not normally a heat person (gross understatement) and cool-weather Germany has utterly spoiled me. Going home to St. Louis in August is going to be a very rough readjustment. Sigh.

On my way back from the gym, I went by the Biomarkt and bough a bag of corn chips, a lime, and the promised carob-soy 'chocolate' bar to get me set up for dinner:

Now, I've promised recipes to all my reader(s), so here goes. It's about the simplest thing to make ever:

Vegan Southwest Salad

serves 2-4

1 can of corn

1 avocado, sliced into bite-sized pieces

10-12 cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters

juice of 1/2 a lime

freshly ground pepper

salt

corn chips

Directions: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the first four ingredients, stirring gently. Add a generous amount of ground pepper, and sprinkle with salt. Serve with corn chips. 

This recipe would be even better with a can of black beans, a finely chopped red onion, and some fresh cilantro. 

Today I actually enjoyed sticking to this vegan diet. Knowing that a trip downtown all afternoon would normally have meant all kinds of unhealthy snacks makes me feel really good about what I'm choosing to put into my body. 

Vegan chocolate verdict: Definitely not the real thing. I'm going to have to try another brand. I mean, it tastes pretty good, but in a super healthy, non-chocolate-y way. Check back soon for my review of Tofutta Soy ice cream. I'm nervous.

Day 2, or "Wait, where's my chocolate?"

It may sound pathetic (because it is) but at this point I think I have to admit to myself that I'm a chocoholic. And on Wednesdays, which is my longest school day (class from 12-6) I typically treat myself to some sort of, well, treat. A chocolaty treat. And I'm going to be honest: the kiwi I had in its place, although delicious, somehow just didn't quite satisfy. The cashews didn't do it either. Ah, well. This is a good time to address my chocolate addiction, I suppose, and of course to see what's out there in the way of vegan chocolate. Unfortunately my long day didn't permit time to explore the Biomarkt for chocolate options. So I'm eating broccoli instead. 

This morning I had a grapefruit for breakfast, and packed myself a mini peanut butter and agave nectar sandwich for lunch (mini because the vegan bread I bought comes in very small slices). Boy, do I sound like a hippie. I'm not even 100% sure what agave nectar is, other than that it looks like watered-down honey and is supposedly better for you than other kinds of sugars. But anywho, it was delicious, certainly can't complain there. Nuts and kiwi were the afternoon  snack, and it's leftover pasta and broccoli for dinner. Tomorrow I'll be heading back to the store for some more fruit and maybe some veggies for a stir-fry. Oh, and some chocolate. 

Day 1, or "Hey This Is Easy"

My thirty days of vegan-ness have begun! 

To prepare for the coming month, I made a special trip to the City Biomarkt yesterday to check out my options in soy and organic products. And by the looks of things, getting to shop at that store is reason enough for going vegan. The store seriously smells wholesome. It's not as big as it looks from the outside, but it has all manner of healthy must-haves for the TDC. I had to restrain myself at the sight of everything and resist the urge to buy too much, partially because the prices are exorbitant, and mostly because I only had 15 Euros on me. (Good thing.) Among the things I purchased: two pears, a grapefruit, an instant vegan-vegetable soup, agave nectar (thanks to high praise from the Skinny Bitches), and two types of veggie/tofu burgers from the refrigerated section. 

Today I went to the bigger, more reasonably priced grocery store in town to buy the main ingredients for my new vegan-style lunches (aka salads): lettuce, cherry tomatoes, a mini cucumber, artichoke hearts, green olives, a tiny, fancy bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, and some delicious walnut-infused white vinegar. One of the things I have to caution against for the next thirty days is food boredom, or feeling like I don't have any options. I'll be eating all my meals at home, so I didn't feel bad splurging on the artichoke hearts. I also picked up a package of whole wheat pasta, an avocado, some vegan whole-wheat bread, and a can of corn. 

Lunch:

The menu for dinner tonight is going to be whole wheat pasta with sautéed tomatoes and zucchini, with a side of steamed broccoli. At work this morning, my boss gave me two enormous containers filled with strawberries: her mother went strawberry picking and brought back too many strawberries for the family to consume. So for dessert, a handful of the freshest berries around. Lecker.

Dinner:

Cleaning House

All this talk of vegan cookies, cakes, and falafel is probably giving you the wrong idea about how I'm going to be doing this. I am 100% aware that this kind of a diet can easily turn into an unhealthy carb-fest if done improperly. But I'm going to go by the Skinny Bitch recommendations on how to do it (using, of course, their book Skinny Bitch in the Kitch for recipes) which means meals focused around fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. I'm going to try to drink almost exclusively water and tea, eliminate soda, and consciously monitor my already quite low alcohol intake. 

To get things started, I've cleaned out all non-vegan items from my kitchen reserve and pawned them onto my roommate (which actually only included a third of a block of cheese, one yogurt, and a package of seasoned rice which wasn't even healthy to begin with). Tomorrow I'm going to go to this organic grocery store that I always pass when I'm on the bus but have never been in. Hopefully I can find some tofu and soy milk there (I'm not worried - the place looks big), and maybe even some of the brands that are recommended in the Skinny Bitch books. I'm on a budget here, so I'm going to limit my spending to only things I can consume in the next few days, and maybe one or two dry items that will keep for a while and can be used in recipes. 

Once I'm restocked with the right foods (and through the linguistics midterm I have tomorrow afternoon), I'll be ready to kick off the Challenge, which starts Tuesday. And after my fast food consumption in Hamburg this past weekend (which actually wasn't very much, but I just feel dirty after sitting in a Burger King) I'm actually really looking forward to this opportunity to try something new. Who knows, maybe I'll start meditating and doing yoga, too. Ohm. Ohm. Or not. We'll see.

Vegans in Hamburg?

Apparently the German city whose very name calls to mind a thick, juicy beef patty has got a decent number of vegans living in its domain. This is not a scientific observation (surprise) but simply a personal one--in every restaurant and grocery store I found myself in this past weekend, there were both vegetarian and vegan options. I was impressed. I decided to do a little taste-testing in preparation for the TDC (Thirty Day Challenge, see earlier post), just to get an idea of what's out there. My guidebook (which was basically the German version of the Frommer's Day-by-Day mini-guides that are my absolute travel obsession) listed the BioKonditerei Eichel as a good option for vegan baked goods, so I put my map skills and knowledge of the German public transportation system to good use and made my way over there on Friday afternoon. Here are a few photos from the excursion:

The cake I chose was Vegan Rasperry Torte, and it was pretty good. The "creamy filling" definitely tasted like soy, but I like soy so this really wasn't a problem. I also bought a small package of homemade Vegan chocolate cookies there that I was planning on saving as a treat for during the Challenge, but then it turns out that we didn't really have dinner that night so the cookies came in handy. They were much better than the cake (I really wish I'd bought another pack or tried the vanilla-ginger version). 

For lunch the next day we went to a Döner-Kebap place that the German guy I was staying with really likes. If you don't know what a Döner is (and you probably don't, unless you've spent time in Germany or perhaps London), definitely check out this link. I got hungry just looking at it, which is not a good sign considering there are approximately zero Döners in my vegan-y foreseeable future. Anyway, this place was definitely classier than most of the ones in Regensburg, and it had a much larger menu, which included organic vegan falafel as an alternative to the typical shredded mystery meat. I promptly selected the yogurt sauce to go with it, realizing as I sat down that my meal was no longer vegan. I have a lot to learn. . .

Over lunch, I tried to explain to my companion what I was doing with the TDC. I knew this attempt at an explanation would be met with obstinacy, and boy was I right. You can hardly blame the guy--a life without meat and dairy products is pretty much absurd to most German men. But he seemed to be legitimately concerned for my health (which I thought was very silly, seeing as his eating habits were centered around fast food, much to my dismay/disgust). Among his concerns were that I would not be getting the right vitamins ("Some vitamins can only be found in meat!" and my personal favorite "If you don't eat meat, your skin will get really bad!" That is just silly. Meat in no way improves the complexion.) As for the vitamins remark, it's true that vitamin B-12 can only be found in meat, but it's easily replaced with supplements. If I decide to continue past the thirty days, I'll get myself some supplements when I'm back in the US. Until then, I'm not going to sweat it. And I'm certainly not going to worry about my skin of all things being negatively affected by my new dietary laws.

About Me

I don't like all the qualities people associate with veganism, and in no way wish to fall into a category of people as ridden with stereotypes and fraught with negative connotations as a group of hairy feminists. So let's get things straight. I wear bras, shave my legs, and recently bought a very nice pair of strappy leather sandles. I'd list ice cream as one of my top five favorite foods, and I truly enjoy a good steak. 

But I also want to be able to consider myself health- and environmentally conscious, because I think that's the direction that the world needs to take. I want to know for myself how it feels to rid my body of chemicals and toxins that come from the packaged world of the mass food industry, and return to a more natural state of being (and eating).

I don't want to make a big deal about it, though. I'm not telling many people--even my close friends here in Germany don't know about the "Challenge." I'm passing off my inability to go out to eat on a lack of Euros. But at the same time, I need to be held accountable during the next thirty days. So I'm writing this blog--anonymously--to record what happens. If you're reading this, I want you to know that your comments would be appreciated--if only so I know someone is following along.

Here's the game plan:

Monday I'm going to go investigate the large organic store I always see when I'm riding the bus downtown. I need to check out my options--soy options, that is. I'm going to stock up for my first few days of veggie madness, and then on Tuesday. . . los geht's! There will be recipes, photos, and probably a lot of bitching and moaning on the process, so stay tuned!

My Thirty Day Challenge

Is it possible to be a world traveler and a vegan? I'm picturing touching down in Thailand and having to abstain from curried shrimp, or offending a Chinese family by turning down traditional Peking duck. One of the best parts about traveling is sampling the local cuisine, and it's also one of the best ways to be immersed in a new culture. As a young American looking to learn more about the world, immersion is always the ultimate goal.

But it's clear to me that America's relationship with food is on the rocks: obesity rates are sky-high, horrifying factory farms are destroying the environment, and mass-produced, processed foods are poisoning our bodies. In Europe, the consumers tend to have higher standards, but organic practices are hardly the norm.

So I'm going to try this "vegan thing" out. I'm attracted to the wholesome way of life it promotes, and I agree with its central arguments. And having just finished Skinny Bitch, I feel like I've got all the inspiration I can ask for.

It's going to be frustrating--I'm not going to lie to myself. I'm doing this in Germany, the land of sausages and ice cream cafés, where I can't make pilgrimages to Whole Foods several times a week, or even rely on trusted brand names. So here I am, A Vegan Traveler, attempting to "live lightly" in a foreign land for at least thirty days. Starting next week. We'll see how it goes...