Three-quarters of an ounce

I believe the meat-eating public has the right to know exactly how that piece of flesh or animal secretion journeyed from being a living, breathing, sentient animal to being a mouthful.

For many leafleting activists, a “Why Vegan” is the perfect tool to dispense this information.  Weighing in at approx 3/4 of an ounce, the 16-page 5″ x 8.5″ color booklet produced by Vegan Outreach is brimming with information and pictures.

I was on public transit last weekend, and I observed someone reading a “Why Vegan” from cover to cover. I know in that split-second decision he made to accept the booklet from me that he is someone who is curious, open-minded or maybe just wanted something read.

Will those ten minutes spent reading a “Why Vegan” change his life?  Or the lives of the animals he could choose not to eat or drink?  Only he can decide.

Why Vegan? [PDF ]

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Eating out, vegan-style

While there are over 90 vegetarian restaurants in the Bay Area, due to circumstances such as location or dining companions, you may not have the option to dine at an entirely vegetarian or vegan restaurant.

So, when that happens, I wanted to wish you the best of luck and share some suggestions and learning experiences to improve your dining experience. I also welcome your feedback and additions, too.

In a world where many non-vegetarian businesses (and even some “vegetarian” individuals) do not understand that fish and chicken are not vegetables — they have faces — the caveat is always that if you want to know exactly what (not who) you are eating, be prepared to ask.  And remember, what it really boils down to is the restaurant’s honesty or ability to answer your questions, and whether you trust what they are telling you and have faith that they can prepare a truly veg*n meal for you.

1) Be patient.  Remember, not every restaurant is capable of preparing good vegan food.  If you think this is the case, or it just becomes too frustrating, consider dining somewhere else (like a veg restaurant).

2) Don’t assume your definition of vegetarian (plant-based, eggs & dairy okay) or vegan (entirely plant-based, no animal or insect by-products) matches the restaurant’s.

Provide a definition so you know your expecations for veg*n food matches what they are preparing.  For example:

I’m vegan, and I want a meal that is all plant-based.  I don’t eat animal ingredients or by-products like dairy, eggs, chicken, fish or any other meat, including chicken or beef stock.

3) Call ahead if possible. Most restaurants are very accommodating, and may be able to make special menu items for you or offer ordering suggestions.

4) Ask open-ended questions about common areas where animal ingredients may lurk.

For example, ask “What are the ingredients in XYZ?”, not “Does the pizza have eggs?”.

Based on the type of cuisine you’re eating, here’s some tips of what to look for:

Thai:  There may be something ‘fishy’ about that veggie Thai dish! Thai cuisine often uses fish sauce. Even if the menu or item is labeled as vegetarian, ask.  Many restaurants use imported Thai sauces and spice mixes, which may not be entirely vegetarian.

Mexican:  Nothing’s better than a pot of fresh beans. But if you’re eating out Mexican style, be sure to check whether there’s lard in the beans or the tortillas.

Chinese:  Sometimes there are eggs in the chow mein noodles or potsticker/spring roll wrappers, and chicken or beef stock in the gravies. And it’s almost a sure bet that the fortune cookie contains egg. Note: oyster sauce does contain oyster extracts (unless it’s a vegetarian oyster sauce, which can be found in some Asian food stores); chow fun noodles (the flat, wide rice noodles) are usually vegan. Note: Some vegan chinese restaurants listed usually offer fortune cookies that contain eggs.

Japanese:  Traditionally there is ‘dashi’ (fish) in miso soup base, so ask before ordering.

Italian: Be wary of fresh pasta noodles as most contain eggs, as do many dried ones — be sure to ask. Sometimes there’s also dairy (cheese) or animal broth in spaghetti sauces; annoyingly, some pizza places ruin a decent crust by adding milk to it. And, while it may seem obvious to vegans that ‘no cheese’ means ‘no parmesan’, offer a kind smile and this gentle reminder to the person taking your order.

Indian: Yogurt or ghee (clarified butter) are traditional staples in Indian foods, so ask first. It’s customary to start the spices in a little bit of ghee.

Mock meats:   Check that the faux stuff is really fake and entirely vegan, as some do contain whey or eggs.

5) If the veg*n dish you ordered was good, and not on the regular menu, ask them to put it on the regular menu.  That will definitely make it easier for the next person.

But if you get tired of playing ‘Twenty Questions’, there are many veg restaurants in the SF Bay Area, including a large number of entirely vegan ones.

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Feeding my Inner Cookie Monster

I’m not sure if I would label myself as a “foodie” but I do enjoy my vegan food, everything from soups and salads and spreads to stir fry, sandwiches, and sushi.

When I was growing up, in my B.V. (Before Vegan)-days, my Mom and my sister quite often baked cookies, typically chocolate chip and peanut butter, respectively.  Going vegan didn’t mean I denied myself the pleasure of desserts, as I taught myself to make various baked vegan sweets, including cakes, cornbread, cheezecake, brownies, and muffins.

Dreena Burton's Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookie - simple & delicious

Cookies, however, was my one enjoyment that was always store-bought.  Looking back, I think it’s because vegan cookies were more accessible (shelf-stable) than fresh-baked cakes so I always just bought them.

My all-time favorite store cookies are the vegan chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe’s.  They have repackaged it from the white bag to a more natural brown bag, and the change isn’t only on the surface.  They have reformulated the cookies so they aren’t as intensely sweet (which meant I could only eat two) and they’re also less dense.  From a cookie monster perspective, way better.

As I’ve started blogging again, I’ve also started reading more blogs.  I discovered a “Homestyle  Chocolate Chip Cookie” recipe from Dreena Burton’s blog, and emailed it to Chris. “Don’t these look yummy?”

And they were – absolutely yummy.  So for anyone else out there needing to feed your inner (vegan) cookie monster, this recipe is simple and delicious.   You don’t need this to make the cookies, but I also found a video of recipe author Dreena making them.

So go ahead – treat your inner cookie monster today.

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