What, me vegan?

[xiane]

Not quite, but close.
Lunch: tempeh reuben with home-made 1000000000 island dressing = hellyeahthebomb.
It would have been vegan, except for that butter and mayo. O_o

I just can't DO margarine. Sorry. It's SO frickin' narsty.

However, I recommend Vegan With A Vengeance highly for some tasty-ass fare. I had the scrambled tofu [as leftovers] from it for breakfast this morning [made two days ago, still excellent] and it's really satisfying.

I have some of the marinated and scorched tempeh left over, I'm sure that will become some other tasty sammich soon. Mmmmm.

Comments

[briskpepper.livejournal.com]

I'm very proud. I haven't eaten beef or pork in about 2 months.

[xelucha.livejournal.com]

I've been making practically every recipe in that Vegan with a Vengeance book! It's really the first time I've enjoyed tempeh. It usually tastes like vitamins, but these recipes really jazz it up.

I always hated margarine, but the non-hydrogenated soy margarine I've been using lately is fab. I wind up cooking vegan a lot of the time without even realizing it! But I gotta have cheese -- real cheese -- every once in awhile.

[fury-of-sunsets.livejournal.com]

that is one of my all-time favorite vegan cookbooks (that and _the voluptuous vegan_), i'm psyched that you've been enjoying it as well! her tempeh reubens are to die for.

she just came out with another book called _vegan cupcakes take over the world_ which makes me giddy just because the thought of that is so adorable and awesome.

as for margarine...you might try earth balance/soy garden; it fools even the most pickiest of carnivores.

<3

[ladymeshel.livejournal.com]

margarine is nasty AND bad for you. When I don't use real butter, I really like Earth Balance. Check it out. I don't do fake cheese, EVER.

[tclefey.livejournal.com]

I've been vegetarian pretty much my whole life (like I wouldn't eat chicken baby food or anything, meat has never agreed with my digestive system). Granted, I was so picky as a kid, I was closer to being a pasta/cheeseatarian. I can't imagine giving up cheese, though.

[ismene.livejournal.com]

Butter is better for you than maragarine, anyway. That said, your reuben seems to be missing the corned beef. I hope you at least remembered the saurkraut.

[dna-genocide.livejournal.com]

Hey, I know this is way off-topic, but are you really in Shelby? If so, I'm not more than an hour and a half or so from you... :D

I be in Boone.

[parkas-4-kids.livejournal.com]

I made a most delicious marinade last night for some chicken that I grilled tonight. It's actually really simple, but it tastes AMAZING. All you need to do is mix two parts barbeque sauce with one part spicy brown mustard (or one part of each depending on your tolerance for spicy food) and thin it out with some white wine (I used chardonnay 'cause it's all we have right now). Let it soak for at least twenty-four hours before cooking, and you'll have a veritable orgasm in your mouth when it comes time to eat.

Guaranteed to satisfy or your money back!
(Convenient since this recipe was free)

[ex-carnaval-619.livejournal.com]

I use Nayonaise for mayonaise and Smart Balance Light (non-dairy made with olive oils and omega-3&6 - I think) for 'butter'.

I'm as close to vegan as I'm gonna be as far as food consumption goes at the moment.

Unfortunately the lip balm I bought at the organic market had royal jelly in it...

I try at least.

Hey!

[amandapanda02.livejournal.com]

Thank you somuch for your message and I am still trying to get the hang of this so forgive me if this is not the proper way to respond!
Do you live in the baltimorearea because that is how I found you?
I am desperatelt seeking people with similar interests and/or struggles to myself and I am glad to have found that in you. I am sorry for your struggles whatever they may be or may have been but I hop that we can help one another and posdibly begin to build a strong friendship in which to support one another. It is good to hear that you are doing well these days though in spite of it all. You give me hope for the future. Thank you!

[6-and-66.livejournal.com]

I can't do margarine either.
I've tried to find alternatives to real butter, but .... I'm still thinking

Keep up the good work!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Are you just eating chicken/fish/veggie stuff now? That's really good [and better for you, too!]

I wanna make the rockin' veggie breakfast burritos that you used to make. Obviously they won't be as good as when you made them, but a girl can dream. :D

[xiane.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of great recipes in that book! I really like the scrambled tofu jazz, too - that was really filling and tasty.
Have you seen her cupcake book? OMG. That's really good stuff. We made the vanilla cupcakes from it and they were SO GOOD.

[xiane.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look for Earth Balance around here - there's a veggie shop locally, but it's run by the God Squad and I've been cautious about venturing in for fear I'll be beset upon by well-meaning Christians. O_O

I have the Vegan Cupcakes book! It is completely and utterly worth the bucks - her recipes come off perfectly, and no one has guessed yet that the delicious cupcakes are vegan before we reveal the "secret" - ha!
Even Rob liked the reuben, and that's a taste combo I wasn't sure that he'd like. I also liked the marinated tempeh just as a sammich filling, in general. I want to try the tempeh "sausage" and gravy soon.

...now I'm so hungry!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

I'm not really a fan of butter either. It just tastes... fatty. Mleah.

Olive oil's a thought for the next try. Good suggestion!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Fake cheese tastes like wax to me. Ugh.

I'm hearing good things about Earth Balance. I hardly ever eat butter, so I figured for a sammich like the reuben, a little butter wouldn't be a bad thing. Dayglo, above your reply, suggested olive oil - that might work, too.

Fake cheese. Ugh. :D

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Hehee, cheesatarian. :D

I was a vegetarian for 14 years, then I started having serious gastric issues and went through a phase where I ate whatever would stay down and not make me want to die.
After moving to NC and regaining WAY too much weight - and eating poorly, in general - I decided that going back to my vegetarian ways was the way to go. These days, it is SO much easier in many ways, what with all the available food choices at the grocery stores. However, eating at restaurants locally can be tough, but that keeps me eating at home where the food is healthier overall. Yay!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

I don't know how to make "corned" tempeh. :D

Oh yes, much sauerkraut was consumed! I am a proper daughter of German heritage, and love anything sour or pickled.

[xiane.livejournal.com]

It's so unfortunate that I'm really in Shelby. :D

I keep meaning to drive out your way! If I do anytime soon, I'll definitely let you know I'm headed that way. Any good coffee places in Boone? :D

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Simple is often the best! That marinade does sound delicious - we're really into marinading things, since it's a cheap way to make stuff taste gooooood.

Gah, I'm SO hungry now.

[xiane.livejournal.com]

I see no problem with using beeswax, honey, or wool. That's just mah philosophy, tho.

I'm not a vegan, but I sure do love some vegan food!

Re: Hey!

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Hello! I'm sorry that I didn't answer this right away - for some reason, a bunch of LJ replies never made it to my inbox, and I've just discovered them. :/
I am from Baltimore, and I visit a couple of times a year, but I've been in Shelby NC for the past year and a half - I moved here to get married! My mom and several really good friends live in B'more, so I'll definitely be visiting regularly.

I'm really brainless at the moment, but I'll try and pull out a couple of posts I've made about stuff that's happened to me, and how it affected me and my outlook on life. I'm really glad to have given you some hope - you seem like a wonderful person with a lot of beautiful things in your future - but you have to believe in yourself! :)

ps - you can always email me if you like, too. [xiane @ xiane.org]

[xiane.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

My friend Dayglo suggested just using olive oil, and that seemed workable. Also there's been some suggestions for Earth Balance margarine, so that's something I want to check out. Yay for recommendations!

[dna-genocide.livejournal.com]

Yesssssssss... Plentoy of more-than-decent coffee places around here. Pshh... this is CollegeTown, USA. I live stone's throw away from 4 different of those "more-than-decent" coffee places that we would be more than happy to take you to.

/couple of them are on campus and rock teh s0cks0rz!

If anything, are you planning on attending any of the Purgatorys? We are staff members for it, if ya did'nae know!

[parkas-4-kids.livejournal.com]

The marinade turned out MUCH better than I was expecting. You could actually taste the wine, the barbeque sauce, and the brown mustard separately as opposed as one collective flavor.

If you make it, though, I'd suggest using a pinot grigio instead of a chardonnay; chardonnay was all the white wine I had when I made it. :-3