Back in Action

Wow, sorry about that. I have been completely missing in action, primarily due to final exams, term papers, and a fantastic trip to Paris and Amsterdam (more on that later). But I have returned, with about 76,092 new photos and some unbelievable culinary experiences to share with you. 

I know I've talked about gooseberries before, but I didn't include a picture of the precious little fruits. I still haven't done anything other than devour them raw, but I did some research and apparently they make a mean pie. They're also quite popular in jam over here, and my grandmother recently brought back a jar of it from Germany that my great-aunt made with the gooseberries from her garden. Yum.

Day 30, or "Challenge Completed!"

For my last day of veganism (for now), I had a second sushi-making party. My guy friends were all a little offended that they didn't get the invite to the 'girls only' event with my grandmother, so I decided to let them be part of the fun this time. And oh goodness, was that a different experience. . . 

Sushi-making with just the girls was a relaxing, low-stress evening where everyone took their time and where we chatted while we rolled the sushi and sipped girly drinks. Sushi-making with the guys was an energetic event (to put it kindly). There was yelling, name-calling, and a crackling sense of competitiveness in the air. There was fighting over the sushi mats. It was hilarious; it was a ton of fun. We made about ten rolls, and not one piece went to waste. Plus, the boys helped with the dishes. 

And with this post, I can no longer call myself a vegan. (Actually, I still haven't eaten anything that's not, but I might.) For the next month or so, I'll be cooking 'normal' recipes (still healthy, though!). Sorry if this offends any of you, but most likely you're pretty thrilled. Me, too.

And just to give you an idea. . . My friend Lukas, smoking a sushi roll. Classic.

Day 29, or "Huge Zucchini"

A while ago, Claudiu's sisters dropped off an enormous zucchini from their garden. It sat in the fridge forgotten until yesterday, when we decided to cook something with it. I know from experience that large zucchinis sometimes don't taste very good (they tend to get bitter and stringy), so my first instinct was to bake some muffins or bread out of it. But Claudiu got my attention when he sent me this link for stuffed zucchinis. Neither of us wanted to try to locate millet in a German grocery store, though, so I looked around and found this one, which uses couscous--something I already had. I decided to combine the two and and create my own recipe. 

Earlier in the day, I spontaneously purchased 500 grams of green beans. I'm going to be honest and say that I still don't fully understand those little metric weight units. In other words, 500 grams is a whole freaking lot of green beans. Oops. But I wanted to try the shallot and green bean recipe my friend Katie recommended a while ago. Delicious!

Check out the size of that zucchini!!

Mediterranean Couscous Stuffed Zucchinis

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium zucchinis

1 cup couscous

2.5 cups vegetable broth 

large handful chopped, pitted kalamata olives

1/4 cup capers

1 can diced tomatoes

3 tbsp fresh parsley (I used frozen)

a few generous shakes of several types of dried herbs and spices (I used basil, oregano, sweet paprika, black pepper, and herbed salt)

2+ tsbp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion (I used a shallot)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

To prepare couscous: Bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add couscous, stirring once. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. 

To prepare zucchini: Wash and remove stem. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and place in a large pot, flat side down. Cover zucchinis halfway with water. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Place zucchinis on a plate and let cool. Once cool enough to work with, scoop out the pulp. If the zucchini is large, try to remove most of the seeds from the pulp. Chop the pulp and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion (or shallot) and sauté two to three minutes. Add parsley and herbs; sauté one minute. Carefully add the tomatoes, juice included, to the pan (it might splatter) and the zucchini pulp. Finally, add the olives and capers. Remove from heat. 

Add couscous to the tomato mixture and mix well. 

Place zucchinis on a baking sheet and fill with couscous mixture, mounding slightly in the middle. 

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. If you're not vegan, I'd recommend broiling some cheese on the top at the end, or grating some fresh parmesan over the top once its out of the oven:

Katie's Green Beans with Shallots

Ingredients:

500 grams? of green beans

3 shallots

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions: Wash and trim the ends off of the green beans. Boil for three minutes, and then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve color. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan and sauté 3 minutes. Add green beans and cook until beans are heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

The Organic Question

Eating a diet of entirely organic foods is, for most of us, pretty impractical. (Not to mention extremely budget-unfriendly.) But you and I both know that buying organic is better for our bodies and the environment. So let's compromise.

The "Dirty Dozen" (to read the original article, click here) 

These are the top twelve most pesticide-ridden foods. From now on, I'm going to make an effort to either buy them organic, or not at all.

1. peaches

2. apples

3. bell peppers

4. celery

5. nectarines

6. strawberries

7. cherries

8. lettuce

9. grapes

10. pears

11. spinach

12. potatoes

And now for the compromise. . . the twelve "cleanest" foods. My wallet can breathe a sigh of relief.

1. onions

2. avocado

3. frozen sweet corn

4. pineapples

5. mangos

6. frozen sweet peas

7. asparagus

8. kiwi

9. bananas

10. cabbage

11. broccoli

12. eggplant

For everything in between, I'll have to rely on the organic rule of thumb: if the peel is edible, buy it organic.

Day 28, or "The Basics"

This morning I went to the grocery store--I was completely out of anything edible, as is often the case when I get back in town. Shopping is tricky right now, though, because I'm down to just one more week in Regensburg. I don't want to buy any more staples (olive oil, pasta, jam, etc.) and I think I've timed everything pretty well because I'm running out of all those things. Instead, I'll focus on buying fresh (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, blueberries) and using up whatever I still have lying around. 

I know you are probably sick of seeing salad pictures, but I can't help myself.

One thing I have not managed to use up yet is the kilogram of frozen spinach I bought a month ago. Actually, I hadn't even opened it until last night, the reason being that I used to use spinach for my scrambled eggs. Haven't had any of those in a while. But last night I was trying to use some things up, which meant a jar of organic pasta sauce, some spaghetti, and that frozen spinach. Of which there is still an unfortunate amount left. Anyone know any good frozen spinach recipes?

Day 27, or "Back to the Kitchen"

The train ride home was quite pleasant, seeing as I had a pound and a half of ripe red cherries and a bar of dark chocolate to keep me company. But as I stared out the train window and pondered the last four weeks, I came to the conclusion that I'm ready for my thirty days to come to a close. 

I've learned so much this month about cooking, eating, and especially about making conscious decisions concerning the food I purchase and consume. I love the challenge that cooking and eating vegan presents, but I don't think it's something I want to do forever. It's not that I miss any one food in particular--I'm not craving red meat or pining after mozzarella. Well, maybe a little. But really, that's not the driving force behind my desire to return to 'normalcy.' 

When I started this blog, I discussed my search for reconciliation between my life as a traveler (and food as an important aspect of cultural immersion) and the responsibility I felt to be a healthy and environmentally conscious human being. I know that those in the vegan community would disagree, but I even after all I've read, I still can't see the consumption of meat as morally wrong. (A lot of you are probably breathing a big sigh of relief right now. . .Claudiu). What I do think is wrong, though, is the cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, as well as the current methods of factory farming practiced in the US and other developed countries. The thirty day challenge has certainly changed the way I think about meat (and all other animal products, for that matter) and will have a lifelong impact on the way I cook and eat. But while veganism is certainly one way to be a conscious and educated consumer in today's world, it can't be the only way. In the future, I will be exploring more organic options, (grass-fed beef, for example) and trying to figure out how I can make sure that when I eat something that comes from an animal, it comes from somewhere that would not make me lose my appetite. 

But for the time being, I'm still vegan! Wednesday marks the last day of the challenge, and some products will be keeping their place on my shelf (soy milk, corn flakes, tofu sausages, and of course all those fruits and vegetables). The coming week will see a makeover of my blog, as well as a new name and web address (which will be posted on facebook). And even after Wednesday, veganism won't be completely out of my life. Stay tuned. . .

Day 26, or "A Vegan Went to Market"

Saturday morning we all headed to the local market to check out the produce. It was a beautiful sight--so many fruits and vegetables, much of it organic, being sold by the farmers themselves. There were also stalls with barrels of olives, homemade pasta, and different varieties of flowers at every corner. We sampled apple brandy (at eleven in the morning) and bought more than two pounds of cherries. I also tried my first gooseberry and found that it ranks among my favorite fruits. 

As we wandered through the stalls, I explained to my aunt that one of my favorite things to make is hummus, which turned out to be a dish she tried in Turkey and loved but didn't know how to make herself. This revelation was followed by a fifteen-minute search for chickpeas and tahini, which were both surprisingly available in the surrounding stores. That afternoon, I taught her how to make it by hand. We ate it with chopped celery and carrots (and more of that salad from her neighbor's garden). At one point over lunch, my grandma commented that this was the healthiest she had ever eaten in Germany. Mission accomplished.

Day 25, or "Vegan Confusion"

A constant source of humor this weekend was my relatives' utter inability to remember what, exactly, a vegan can and cannot eat. In principle, it should be simple - nothing that comes from animals. But if I had a nickel for every time I was offered an animal product being passed off as vegan (a fish sandwich, sauerkraut with bacon, German meat loaf for goodness sake), well, you get the idea. The entire concept of "vegan" is so foreign to both this culture and to older generations that it ended up being the main source of conversation for us the whole time I was visiting. I guess that it was better than the alternative conversation topic: Michael Jackson. Apparently, the Germans are taking his death pretty hard, too. Give. me. a. break.

Friday we took a boat across the lake to Konstanz and stopped at a café for a late lunch. I had a veggie sandwich on sun-dried tomato bread:

For dinner, we were planning on showing my aunt how to make baked potatoes (a dish she described to us with great difficulty as a "Northern Germany specialty" - when we found out what it was, both my grandma and I had to laugh). We got home so late, though, that we ditched my method (oven) and did it my grandma's way (microwave). They turned out surprisingly well, especially since we also baked two sweet potatoes. I was definitely wishing I could have had a dollop of the cucumber-yogurt sauce on top, though. Sigh.

Day 24, or "An Actual Traveling Vegan!"

Today my grandma and I took the train down to Lake Constance to visit my great-uncle and his wife. I was pretty nervous about having to try to eat vegan at their house, mostly because I was worried about inconveniencing my aunt, who is the quintessential German cook and can prepare any and every traditional dish. I don't know how much you know about traditional German dishes, but I can say with confidence that almost every one contains some form of meat, eggs, cheese, cream, or butter. Except the potato salad.

I had sent my relatives a heads-up email about my new dietary habits, and my aunt really went out of her way to accommodate me. In addition to buying tofu (and having absolutely no idea what to do with it), she also offered to try to make me spaetzle (the traditional German egg noodle) without the eggs. The result was actually strikingly similar to the original, but it stuck together more. We also had lentils and a huge salad with lettuce from her friend's garden and tomatoes so ripe I could have cried.

Day 23, or "Italian Bliss"

One of the interesting things about being vegan and entertaining company in a foreign city is that you have to go out to eat a lot. I couldn't exactly expect my grandma to want to come over for vegan lunches and dinners every night (sushi night was a delightful exception). I also wanted to take my grandma to the restaurants I (used to) love going to. One of those is L'Osteria, where I took my mom and her friend when they came to visit. They pronounced it the maker of the greatest caesar salad they'd ever had, and insisted that I take my grandma there, too. Caesar salad was, of course, out of the question for me, but I did even better! I ordered the arugula pizza, sans shaved parmesan cheese. Instead, it was drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and crushed fresh garlic. I'm not kidding when I say it was one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten, and the cheese went completely un-missed!

Day 22, or "Yes, that was almost a week ago."

But between my grandmother's visit and my trip to the Bodensee, I haven't had any time to write. So my entries might be a little shorter as I try to catch up to today. . .

Let's see. Tuesday I made an Asian-inspired tomato and cucumber salad with sesame seeds and vinegar. It was okay, but I'm going to have to go out on a limb here and say that cherry tomatoes really don't have any business in Asian-inspired dishes. Or at least not this one. Still looked pretty, though: 

That afternoon, I met my grandma in the city and we went to one of Regensburg's 923,940 ice cream cafés. I ordered a "fruit bowl," which was three kinds of sorbet (raspberry, mango and banana if I remember correctly) topped with all kinds of tropical fruits.

My grandma ordered the same thing but with ice cream underneath. Yes, they were both that big. And yes, we each ate the whole thing. Oh and yes, we both had stomachaches the rest of the afternoon. Worth it. . .

"The Bee Enslavement"

I'm not really sure what to think about this, but it turns out that vegans who eat honey are like vegetarians who eat fish (meaning, not 'real' practicers of their chosen diets). I confess, I found this to be extreme upon discovery, but I think I've been persuaded. It's very easy to read this website and scoff at it - I'll admit it's a little absurd. I scoffed, too (especially at the bit containing the title of this entry). But I also recognize that the author has a point (whether or not you agree is entirely your choice) and that if I'm going to call myself a vegan, I'd better stop eating honey. Also surprising is that refined cane sugar is not vegan, because it is processed using charred animal bones. This sounds an awful lot like an urban legend to me, but I've read it in multiple sources and I'm starting to think that not everyone can be making it up.

So there you have it: no more honey, and no more refined cane sugar. Whoopee. 

One last thing - there won't be any updates (or at least any with photos) until Sunday. I'm going out of town (I am, after all, a traveling vegan) to visit my uncle in Meersburg. It should be extremely interesting to see how my staunchly German (and thus, staunchly meat-eating) relatives view my new and improved dietary habits. More on that to come. . .

Day 21, or "That's How We Roll"

To celebrate my grandmother's arrival in Germany, I decided to plan a sushi-making girls' night in her honor. I had never made sushi before, mostly because I've heard it's a huge pain. Not so! Yes, the prep work can be complicated, and yes, there are lots of specialty ingredients, but the fun entirely outweighs any 'negative' factors. Plus, once you've bought the basic ingredients, the next time you decide to make sushi will be much cheaper than going out for Japanese. With that, I give you (drum roll please) the grocery list!

Basic Items:

short grain brown rice and/or white sushi rice (we made one pot of each)

rice vinegar

soy sauce

wasabi

pickled ginger

nori seaweed sheets

at least one bamboo mat (I bought two so that two people could roll at one time)

vegan mayonnaise

sriracha (hot chili) sauce

chopsticks

tin foil or plastic wrap

sugar

salt

Filling Suggestions:

avocado

cucumber

carrots

shitake mushrooms (I used dried)

1 block smoked tofu

1 package toasted sesame seeds

sesame oil

I recommend going to your local Asian food store for the bulk of the ingredients - the products tend to be much cheaper than at other locations (or at least that was the case here). 

For our sushi, I relied on two main recipes. The first, 'Spicy Sushi Rolls with Avocado and Cucumber' (pp. 48-50), comes from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, and the second comes from a German magazine, Leichter Genuss, for 'Shitake-Tofu-Sushi' (Sonderheft 02/2009, p. 52). The recipe that follows is a combination of the two, because each person ended up just using whatever ingredients they wanted in their roll. 

Basic Vegan Sushi

Step 1: Soak 5-6 shitake mushrooms in water for 60 minutes. Rinse under cold water and boil for 10 minutes. Cool and cut into slivers; set aside.

Step 2: While the mushrooms are soaking, prepare the rice. 

For Brown Sushi Rice: Combine 1 cup rice with 2 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Place the rice in a shallow bowl. Drizzle one tbsp rice vinegar, one tsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt over rice and stir, using a slashing movement (not a tossing one) to avoid making the rice gummy. Set the rice aside (do not refrigerate) and let cool to room temperature. The rice can be used for several hours after it has cooled.

For White Sushi Rice: Combine 1 cup rice with 2 cups water and boil over high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes, covered. Drizzle 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp sugar over rice and stir, using slashing movement (see above). Cool.

Step 3: While the rice is cooling, prepare the fillings.

 Peel and slice the cucumbers (I used two mini cukes) and carrots (I used three small ones) into long, thin strips. If you're using a large cucumber, be sure to remove the seeds as well. (Wait until you sit down to actually roll the sushi to slice the avocado, otherwise it will brown.) Cut the tofu in half (to make it into two thinner patties) and then slice into long, thin strips.

Heat 2 tsp sesame oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Panfry the tofu and shitake mushrooms until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Season with soy sauce and let cool. 

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise with 1/2 to 1 tbsp sriracha, depending on how spicy you want the rolls to be.

Step 4: Assemble!

Wrap sushi mat in foil or plastic wrap (this makes it easier to clean later). Lay 1 nori sheet, shiny side down, on the mat. Have a small bowl of water nearby and keep your hands wet so the rice doesn't stick to them. Place a handful of rice on the nori and spread evenly on the two-thirds of the mat closest to you, leaving the space above free. 

Drizzle a line of mayonnaise on the the rice.

Top the mayonnaise with the desired fillings. 

Hold the fillings firmly in place with the fingertips of both hands. Using both thumbs, lift the edge of the mat closest to you up and over, enclosing the fillings. Roll away from you, applying gentle pressure to ensure a compact roll. Be sure the mat does not get rolled in with the sushi. If needed, apply a bit of water (or wasabi) to the edge of the nori sheet to help it seal.

Allow the finished rolls to sit while assembling the others. 

Starting with the oldest rolls (and allowing the fresh ones to sit), slice into the desired thickness using a wet, sharp serrated knife.

Serve with wasabi, ginger, and soy sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.

To complete the Asian-themed girls' night, we drank prosecco flavored with lychee-infused wine, and had passionfruit sorbet for dessert. I will definitely be making sushi again. . . Probably next week!

Days 19 + 20, or "Snickity Snack"

Hi, yes, sorry I failed to report back for two days. Everything's fine: I'm still vegan. I've just been really busy, aka not cooking, and thus eating random vegan-y snacks (i.e. fruits, the occasional raw vegetable, corn flakes, tofu-dogs, you get the picture). Last night, though, I did have an interesting restaurant experience brought on by my grandmother's arrival in Germany and subsequent (understandable) desire for German comfort food. 

We went to one of the two Hofbräuhauses in Regensburg (the better of the two, in my opinion). I knew it would be fun and potentially disasterous to see what they could come up with, but I ended up actually being pretty impressed. I explained my situation, and received a large salad with lots of shredded vegetables, plus about six rather large breaded mushrooms on top. I also got to eat some German potato salad (it's vinegar-based; no mayonnaise), so the evening was not completely without its German flair for me. 

To hold you over until tomorrow, when I will be posting all kinds of exciting information about tonight's homemade Vegan Sushi Dinner, here are a few more links to blogs I've been reading lately:

Kitchen Parade: not all vegan, but lots of creative vegetable dishes

Insomniac Chef

have cake, will travel I sense a prospective role model in this witty, thirty-something vegan woman. And finally. . .

The Post Punk Kitchen, where I got some sushi ideas for tonight's shindig. 

As a last note, I'd like you to know that on Blogger's spellcheck, both 'shindig' and 'spellcheck' (one word) are not flagged as incorrect. Vegan, on the other hand, is. Hmmph.

Day 18, or "Morally Allergic"

Yesterday I really needed to get a head start on the two final papers I have to write in the next two weeks (one week of which I will be out of town). But after getting just the tiniest bit of work done, I decided it was time for a break. A cooking break, that is. I had been craving Mexican food for a while and had most of the necessary ingredients lying around (fresh corn, avocado, black olives, tomatoes, lettuce, rice, and half a zucchini I didn't know what to do with) so I went to the store and got a can of kidney beans and some salsa and was ready to go. The results were delicious, and although the picture does look similar to the salad I made a few days ago, this dish was definitely a little more exciting.

Vegan Taco Salad

Ingredients:

brown rice (however much you want to make - I made about four servings worth because it stays good in the fridge for up to a week)

vegetable broth or bouillon 

1 can kidney beans, rinsed

1 ear fresh sweet corn, rinsed and cut off the cob

1/2 zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons

1-2 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic

4-5 cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 handful of black olives

1/2 avocado, diced

1/2 or 1/3 head romaine lettuce, washed and shredded

salsa

vegan plain yogurt (optional)

Directions: Cook the brown rice according to package directions, using vegetable broth and a pinch of salt for flavoring. In a saucepan, heat the garlic and olive oil over medium heat. Add zucchini; sauté 1-2 minutes. Add corn and cook until veggies are tender and heated through, about five minutes. It's okay if some of the vegetables begin to brown. For assembly: layer rice, beans, and corn/zucchini mixture, and top with the chopped fresh vegetables. Serve with salsa and yogurt on the side. 

Yesterday was also our program's Fourth of July party at the university. Main dishes and drinks were provided, but everyone was asked to bring a dessert. Having no oven but wanting to be able to eat some dessert myself, I did what any good vegan would do: I made a fruit salad. I actually had to google "how to cut a pineapple" (pathetic) and thus stumbled upon the website www.howtocutapineapple.com (more pathetic). The instructions were good, though, and I ended up with a great fruit salad of pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, nectarines, and strawberries to bring to the party. The dessert buffet at the end almost killed me (TWO varieties of homemade tiramisu - one with raspberries! - my absolute favorite thing once upon a time). 

Dinner, however, was actually pretty good. Our program director had thought ahead and realized that there were no vegetarian options, so he brought along some veggie skewers to throw on the grill. Unfortunately, this resulted in my consumption of two mushrooms and a piece of zucchini (bell pepper allergies again). But the German potato salad was vegan (I asked, no mayonnaise - just vinegar) as was the coleslaw. So I got to eat a bit, after all. 

Over dinner, the topic of my newfound veganism came up. One of my other friends, Anya, is a vegetarian and has been since she was a kid. She said that sometimes she just says she's allergic to meat to avoid having to deal with people ridiculing her vegetarianism. "I am allergic," she said. "Morally allergic. . ." I like that. I think I might be, too. 

Day 17, or "Spreading the Good Word"

Amen, hallelujah. Instead of 'defending' myself for being vegan like I usually do, today I actually found myself advocating it as a new way of life that has a lot to offer. It's true: I feel amazing, and I'm really not missing any of the things I used to love to eat. Part of the reason I don't feel like I'm missing out is because of how good my body feels; the other 82% of it is probably due to the incredible substitutions out there for vegans. 

Even though I felt rejuvenated and recommitted yesterday to my personal health crusade, I have to admit that I was still craving a good German sausage after spending all weekend at the Bürgerfest downtown. Conveniently, the Biomarkt sells a tofu version of one of my favorite sausages, which I've been hesitant to try but finally felt desperate enough to go for. The result was exciting - I may never go back to the original version.

Preparing for my 'bratwurst' sandwich:

I can't wait to try out the other kinds. . .

Also, I successfully went out to dinner in Regensburg this evening and was able to eat almost exactly what I used to order at my favorite little Asian restaurant, with a few minor adjustments. For the last six months, I have consistently ordered the chicken and vegetable curry with rice. Today, I asked if they could make it with tofu and "ohne Tierprodukte" (without animal products). Though there was a bit of initial confusion (the Vietnamese man thought I was asking if tofu was an animal product and explained very slowly that it's actually made of soy), I eventually got the right point across. The dish tasted almost exactly the same, but the sauce was much thinner - I think they must put cream in the original version. In any event, it was really good! I'm so glad I know I can still eat there.

Tomorrow is the big Fourth of July party at school for all the Americans. It should be interesting trying to navigate amongst the grilled hot dogs and chocolate cupcakes (and by interesting, I might actually mean terrible). Who knows, maybe they'll have some watermelon?

Day 16, or "Eating on the Run"

The "eat and run" mentality is something I loathe about American food culture, but I think that no matter where you live, sometimes it just can't be avoided. Yesterday morning I was pressed for time, preparing for a presentation and trying to get to class by noon. Before I became vegan, Wednesdays were days when I would just grab a sandwich up at school. That no longer being an option, I made my own sandwich but had to eat it at the bus stop in about three minutes (there's a "no food" policy on the buses here, probably wise). The sandwich was delicious, but pretty ugly, so I've chosen not to feature it here. But so you have an idea: tofu, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and sweet mustard on a whole grain English muffin. 

Dinner was also a pretty snappy affair - in fact, it involved so much chopping that I almost ran out of time to eat it! The theme was southwest: romaine lettuce, fresh sweet corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and pumpkin seeds. Yum. . . 

Lastly, a note on chocolate: I googled dark chocolate to find out if it's vegan, and apparently there's a mixed opinion on the subject. Thus far I have been avoiding it, because although no animal products are listed in the ingredients, most labels say "This product may contain traces of milk." Some vegans appear to be okay with this 'compromise,' while others won't go near it. Personally, I'm going to do these next two weeks as purely as possible and avoid even 'traces' of milk. However, I did make one exception: at the Biomarkt, I found a bar of dark chocolate with hazelnuts that stated quite adamantly underneath the ingredients: "This product does not contain any milk. However, it is possible that minor traces could be detected." Sounds to me like they're just covering their bases. I'll buy that.

Day 15, or "I Got Skills"

Hummus-making skills, that is. But more on that later. 

Yesterday was another great day both in life and as a vegan. Armed with new a few new ingredients, lunch was a colorful salad oasis. Instead of using bagged lettuce like I usually do (it saves so much time, plus we don't have a salad spinner), I bought two small heads of romaine lettuce, which will double well should I decide to make a veggie sandwich any time soon (I'm thinking lunch Wednesday). 

Earlier, I also had my three pieces of fruit for breakfast (apricot, kiwi, grapefruit), purchased at the farmer's market right outside my house. 

For dinner, I was going over to Kathryn's house because Anya's mom was in town and cooking for us that night. I wanted to bring something that I knew I would be able to eat, and I'd been craving hummus for, well, since I got here in January. I also had a slew of diced broccoli and cauliflower left over from the curry (still) that needed to be used up. The only problem was that I didn't have a food processor, but I was sure it could still be done. After reading a bunch of recipes online, I made up my own using tips from each. And I must admit, it was completely perfect.

Homemade Hummus Without a Food Processor

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas (do not drain)

3-4 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)

1 clove garlic, pushed through a garlic press

lemon juice, for texture and taste (approx. 2-3 tbsp)

ground chili powder, to taste

fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions: Drain the chickpea water into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Discard the shells from the chickpeas, adding each pea to the saucepan as you go. This is a pretty time-consuming process, but mashing the peas by hand is much easier if you don't have the shells to work with. Transfer the simmered chickpeas to a bowl and mash with a fork, adding liquid from the saucepan as needed. Add garlic and tahini and continue mashing. Depending on the consistency and the flavor you are going for, add the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time. Garnish with the parsley, and serve with diced vegetables and/or corn chips. Enjoy!

The appetizer was a huge success at Anya's dinner party. I had planned on making two cans worth of hummus, but the shell-discarding process took longer than I had anticipated and I ran out of time. Guess I'll just have to use the other can for myself. . .

Luckily for me, Anya's mom was very sympathetic to my "situation" and offered to make vegan versions of the salad and pasta she was serving (Anya is a vegetarian, so all that had to be omitted was the cheese). The beet and walnut (and bleu cheese) salad she served made me want to go out and buy my own beets for salad:

The pasta was delicious - tomato, basil, and sautéed eggplant (which I avoided like the plague - I'm allergic to eggplant). I played guitar during dessert, so it wasn't too painful to watch the little chocolate-marzipan cakes topped with chocolate chip ice cream go by. No seriously, it wasn't.