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Dinner Parties - All Vegged Out

While writing about tough veggie
situations such as camping and
cookouts, I started thinking about
one of the hardest points in my
life as a vegan. Even harder than
trying to eliminate all meat, cheese
and dairy overnight was the first
night I ate dinner at my
boyfriend's house.

I had never in my entire life been
called a "picky eater" before that
night, and it bothered me
tremendously. Since then, I've
found ways to get around being
seen as a picky eater and have
started collecting easy and
unique recipes to help make
with my dinner hosts.

The best advice I have so far is to
1) Don't spring your veggie diet
on your hosts at the last minute,
and 2) Be prepared to help with
the cooking.

By not giving your dinner hosts
fair warning about what you do
and don't eat, you leave them
feeling guilty about not making
something you can eat. But by
not being involved in the cooking,
you risk your dinner hosts
accidentally including ingredients
that you don't want to eat. Don't
assume everyone knows what a
vegan or even a vegetarian diet
consists of. My boyfriend's parents
still to this day offer me fish,
turkey and dairy. It's up to you to
be responsible for what's being
cooked for you. That's not
something you want to, or even
should, put on your dinner host
to take care of.

The last thing you want to do is
offend your dinner host though,
so of course you'll decide the best
course of action depending on who
you're dining with. If you're eating
at a close friend's house, you might
both be perfectly comfortable
cooking together. If you're dining
with someone you don't know as
well, cooking with them could be a
great opportunity to get to know
them better. But if they're offended
at the idea of you having to cook
your own meal to get it right, you
might instead just want to write
up a list of the less-obvious things
you don't eat, or at least discuss
the dishes they're preparing before-
hand.

Below is a list of some great sites
where you can find recipes to get
you started:
VegWeb
The Vegan Chef
Vegan Food
Vegan Food for Meat-eaters
Everyday Vegan/Vegetarian Food
Vegan Connection
Fat-free Vegan Recipes
Vegetarian Resource Group Recipes

Photos on the right are from
VegWeb. Links to the recipes are
in order from top to bottom:
Tofu Alfredo Pasta
Super Chocolate Cake
Angel Hair w/Onion Sauce
General Tao's Tofu Chicken
Vegan Cheesecake
Jumbo Stuffed Shells
Potato Pancakes

Cookouts - Veggie Style

You can't have a great summer get-together without having a cookout. Sure, they're a lot of fun, but they can pose some obstacles for vegetarians and vegans. Afraid you'll be stuck with nothing to eat at the next cookout? Not sure what to bring instead? Don't worry! There are still plenty of great veggie options to choose from.

Some of the obvious veggie meals include fruit salads, pasta salads, potato salads and grilled vegetables. You can grill anything from corn on the cob to snap peas to zucchini. I don't know a single person who doesn't love grilled zucchini and squash. Wrap it up in some foil and season it with steak sauce, Cajun seasoning or maybe just some garlic and butter. Another option (for those of you who won't get hassled for bringing tofu to a cookout) is grilled tofu. When done just right, seared on one side and smothered in barbecue sauce, you have the simplest and best imitation barbecue ribs on the planet!

Both Boca and Morningstar Farms have made eating with non-veg*ans incredibly easy. Here are some of their "meat" options you can grill up at your next cookout:

Boca Burgers:
Flame Grilled
Original (vegan)
Grilled Vegetable
Roasted Onion (vegan)
Roasted Garlic (vegan)
Cheeseburger

Boca Chik'n:
Original (vegan)
Spicy (vegan)
Original Nuggets (vegan)

Morningstar Farms Burgers:
Cheddar Burger
Garden Veggie
Grillers Original
Grillers Prime
Grillers Vegan (vegan)
Mushroom Lover's
Philly Cheese Steak
Black Bean Veggie
Tomato & Basil Pizza Burger

Morningstar Farms Chik'n:
Buffalo Wings
Chik'n Nuggets
Original Chik'n Patties
Parmesan Ranch Chik'n Patties
Original Chik'n Tenders

Morningstar Farms Meal Starters:
Chik'n Strips (vegan)
Steak Strips (vegan)

Morningstar Farms Hot Dogs:
Original Veggie Dogs
Corn Dogs
Mini Corn Dogs

Camping Veggie-Style

The weather's getting warmer and students are getting restless. I've heard of a lot of students who are planning camping and hiking trips around this time of year, and I myself am even hoping to get out there and do some camping after these next three terrible weeks are over.

Camping is a great way to get away for a while and relieve some stress. But it can also contribute to some unnecessary stress for vegetarians and vegans who end up having to take all their own food to these trips for fear of being stuck out in the woods with beef jerky and canned chili.

Go out and enjoy this beautiful weather, sleep under the stars and nap by a lake … and don't stress over what you're going to eat. Here's a variety of things you can take on your camping trip:

For breakfast:
Dried or fresh Fruit
Toast/bagels with jam
Oatmeal
Cereal and soy milk (You can get soy milk that doesn't need to be kept cold at Wal-mart and The Herb Shop!)
Breakfast bars

For lunch:
Canned soup
Dried or fresh vegetables
Tofurky sandwiches
Veggie dogs
Peanut butter and jelly

For snacks:
Cliff bars, Luna bars, other protein and energy bars
Trail mixes, seeds, nuts
Granola, granola bars
Soy jerky
Hummus
Fruit and vegetables

For dinner:
Potatoes
Corn on the cob
Baked beans
Veggie chili
Canned soup

For dessert:
Smores
(You can even get real fancy by baking some cookies or brownies to take along with you - vegan desserts won't spoil like typical dairy and egg desserts!)

Sites to help you plan your trip:
MaryJane's Farm
Veggieboards: Camping thread

Sites to find packaged food great for camping:
Vegan Essentials
Vegan Unlimited
The Vegetarian Site

Quick Update!

I was reading through my old posts today, and I'd like to update you on a few things that have changed since writing some of those past entries.

1 - Herb Shop Vegan Cheese
(An update from the "Statesboro's Herb Shop" post, 03.09.07)
I've finally tried the vegan cheese from the Herb Shop! Despite all the awful things I've heard about some of the veggie cheeses out there, this stuff tasted surprisingly okay. If you're new to veganism, or just seeing if you can make it, I'd say definitely try it out. I tried the block mozzerella and (to those of you who've tried vegan cheese before) you'll be very happy to hear: it melted! However, be aware, I used only a small portion of the block and put the rest away for a couple days - and it molded up within only two-to-three days. If you're going to spend the money, make sure you're going to get through the entire block fairly quickly!

2 - Major Ramen Disappointment
(An update from the "Cheap Groceries: Vegetarians" post, 03.01.07)
To those of you on a tight budget, I'm sad to say that the Oriental flavored Ramen Noodles are no longer vegetarian! I'm not sure when it happened, but after randomly glancing at the back of the package just the other day, I realized the seasoning package now contains BEEF of all things. (Yea... real beef flavoring... in the *oriental* package) The noodles themselves are still alright, but definitely make sure you keep the seasonings out of your dishes from now on!

3 - Oreo... Uh-Oh?
(An update from the "Cheap Groceries: Vegans" post, 03.07.07)
I was re-reading the cheap veggie food post and realized I wasn't too clear about the kinds of Oreos that are vegan, so I thought I'd clarify it real quick. None of the "creme" flavors are vegan, as well as none of the double-stuffed, inside-outs or original flavors. The only two I've found that are vegan are the regular "mint" and the regular "peanut butter" flavors. Seeing as ingredients change much more frequently than I previously realized, I'll definitely be checking up on both of those the next time I visit the store. Check here to see what others are saying about the Oreos in their areas.

4 - How Could I Forget!
(An update from the "Cheap Groceries: Vegetarians" post, 03.01.07 & "Cheap Groceries: Vegans" post, 03.07.07)
I can't believe I forgot to mention... I wrote about some of the places you can find veggie products at Wal-mart, but I completely forgot to add that there's also a great veggie section in the last freezer row. This is a great place for those transitioning to vegetarianism who aren't ready to give up the taste of meat quite yet. There's an entire fridge here dedicated to Boca Burger meat alternatives and Morningstar Farm products. They have quite a lot of great vegetarian options surprisingly, including various flavors of burgers, 'meat'balls, chick'n nuggets, appetizers and microwave meals. There aren't too many vegan options here, but two products that I have found include the Boca Burger brand ground beef and the Boca Burger regular, "vegan" marked burgers. Both are very good. I've mixed the ground beef in with spaghetti and lasagna and haven't had a single complaint from non-veg*ans! Check out Boca's products here and Morningstar's here.

Easter Recipes

Easter is fast approaching, and if you're a seasoned veg*an, you know that the holidays can be especially stressful due to the major differences between traditional holiday foods and veggie dishes.

With more people becoming vegetarian and vegan every day and learning how to make holiday cooking as simple as possible, there are more holiday food alternatives than ever before. So don't sit and munch on dinner rolls and side salads this Easter. Try out some new recipes, test them out with your friends, and make a great veggie meal this holiday.

Below are a few recipes you should definitely try out for you (and for your family!) this Easter.

Tofu and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Vegetarian and vegan friendly -
Prep. time: 45 min.

*All of these ingredients can be found at any store in Statesboro, and the tofu can be found in the produce section of Walmart or at the Herb Shop

* 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
* 3/4 cup vegetable broth
* 1/2 cup low-fat firm silken tofu (4 ounces)
* 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 675 grams / 1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes (4 medium), peeled and cut into 5 centimeter chunks
* 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch of ground nutmeg

1. In small saucepan, combine garlic and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Transfer broth to blender or food processor. Add tofu and oil and process until mixture is smooth and creamy. Cover to keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine potatoes with enough cold water to cover. Add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of potato cooking water; drain potatoes well.

4. In large bowl, mash potatoes; gently stir in warm tofu mixture and enough reserved potato water to make smooth puree. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and nutmeg and serve.
Recipe found here.



Raspberry Cheesecake
- Vegetarian friendly - Easily made vegan by using vegan cream cheese -
Prep. time: 10 minutes - Wait time: 2 hours

*All ingredients can be found in Statesboro - find the tofu at Walmart or the Herb shop, and try the vegan Tofutti brand cream 'cheese' from the Herb Shop

1 container silk tofu
8oz cream cheese
1 cup powedered sugar
2 tablespoonns Raspberry preserves

1. Sofen cream cheese in microwave. Blend togather tofu and cream cheese, and slowly add sugar. Beat until it's creamy and has all lumps out. Add Preserves.

2. Pour into homeade or already prepared crust. Let chill for 2 hours.

3. Before serving, swirl raspberry glass in a circle in the middle, and add 2 chocolate covered strawberries in the center of the raspberry ring.

Recipe found here.


Some other good sites for finding veg*an Easter recipes:
Bryanna's Vegan Feast
The Vegan Kitchen
Veggie Boards (Thread: Easter meal ideas)
Veggie Boards (Thread: Holiday meal ideas)

Ordering Food On-line: 'Vegan Unlimited'

Vegan Unlimited is one of my favorite places to visit to check out new vegan products and food. I haven't ordered a whole lot of food products from them yet (their non-food products are wonderful!). But they do have a wide variety of food, some that you can't find on many other sites. (Check out their food section here.)

One section they have that really sets them apart from many other veg*an sites is their 'snack food' category. They have all kinds of snacks, from dried fruit and nut mixes to soy jerky to non dairy/gelatin pudding. The site also contains a better variety of 'Mac and Chreese' products than many other sites. Along with the mac and chreese are some other quick meals that other sites don't carry, such as 'Tasty Bite' bombay potatoes, Tasty Bite eggplant and 'Thai Kitchen' peanut noodles.

Vegan Unlimited doesn't focus real heavily on prepared meat-substitutes, but they do still have several meat alternatives. Most of them are "Dixie Dinner" brand, which I haven't yet tried. But all of them are quick and simple (most say they need only 5 to 10 minutes of microwaving or mixing).

While the site's 'sweets' section is quite small, the sweets they do offer I've never found at another veg*an site. They have alternatives for foods that many people don't even know aren't vegetarian/vegan, such as gummy candy, 'rice'mellow cream, licorice and creme-filled wafers. Their chocolate section, on the other hand, is huge. They have everything from simple chocolate bars and chocolate bites to hot cocoa and high-quality gift boxes of chocolate truffles.

Despite Vegan Unlimited's smaller-than-average food section, what they do have is very good, and much of it you won't find at other major sites. If you're looking to find some unique items, and do your non-food and food shopping at the same site, Vegan Unlimited is definitely for you.