Vegan Food

Vegan Recipe Roundup #1

Yes, I’m still alive! And I’m gearing up to start regularly writing on this blog again.

I’m happy to welcome you to the first post that I’ve written since moving to Philadelphia. It’s been a busy month and a half, and I’m still job hunting, but life is going well. Tyler and I have settled into our small apartment on Fairmount Avenue in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. We’ve done really well avoiding eating out (despite living around the corner from some stellar vegan-friendly restaurants and cafes), particularly since I don’t have any income coming in, but we have managed to make lots of filling, affordable, and delicious vegan meals. I wanted to share these recipes that we’ve followed this past June and July, and encourage you to try a couple, whether you’re vegan, veg-curious, or an omnivore.

The recipes are listed in no particular order, and accompanied by my own photos. For each one, I provide any alterations I made, as well as suggestions from our experience. Here’s my first vegan recipe roundup:

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Vegan Heaven in NYC: Visiting PeaceFood Cafe

This past week I returned from my family’s spring break trip to Morocco by flying into JFK airport in New York City. I spent the night there crashing on a friend’s sofa since it would have been another three-hour train ride to central Pennsylvania. Not only did I get to catch up with my high school friend, but I also treated myself to a meal at one of New York City’s vegan restaurants! I chose to go to PeaceFood Cafe on 82nd Street in Manhattan, and I have zero regrets. So in this post, I’ll share what I ate at PeaceFood and what the restaurant is all about.

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The Ultimate Guide to My Go-To Breakfast: Tofu Scramble

Tofu Scramble: The cruelty-free alternative to scrambled eggs.

Whether you’re a vegan, a vegetarian, someone interested in adding more plants to your diet, or just a curious eater open to trying new things, this savory and warm dish is easy to make for an energizing and filling breakfast. I’ve also enjoyed it as a quick way to make lunch or dinner. It’s flexible and you can adapt it to the amount of time you have, any food that might be reaching its expiration date, and your tastes.

But wait. Why not just eat eggs? It’s not like the chicken who lays the eggs is hurt or killed, right?

For the vast majority of egg-laying hens, life is miserable. Most chickens now live in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), or factory farms, where they are confined to cages in enormous windowless sheds. The average natural lifespan of a chicken is 15-20 years. A hen in the egg industry is generally slaughtered around 2-3 years because her egg-laying productivity begins to fall. When farms need to restock their egg-laying hens, they have fertilized eggs hatch. Of course, around 50% of those eggs will hatch male chicks, who are useless to the egg industry. 7 billion male chicks are killed globally every year, with about 200 million of those in the US.

So yes, unless you’re sourcing your eggs from your own backyard where you are positive the hens that produce your eggs can roam freely and live out their lives even when they stop laying those eggs, purchasing and consuming eggs supports animal cruelty and mass slaughter. But thankfully there’s a wide range of plant-based alternatives to bake and cook with!

Read moreThe Ultimate Guide to My Go-To Breakfast: Tofu Scramble

Finding Food as a Vegan: Christmas Market Edition

If you’ve spent any time in Europe during the holiday season, especially in Germany, you’ve probably visited a Christmas market or Weihnachtsmarkt. These fests have beautiful lights and decorations, delicious smells wafting from candy, drink, and food stalls, and an assortment of crafts and local goods to purchase. This year my boyfriend and I have managed to hit three German Christmas markets in five days: Rothenburg’s, Esslingen’s, and Stuttgart’s.

And if you’ve spent any time in Europe at any time of the year, you’ll know their traditional cuisines are heavy on the meat. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, it can be tough to find food in rural areas, traditional restaurants, and fests. Here are four quick tips if you’re looking for plant-based bites in German Christmas Markets:

Read moreFinding Food as a Vegan: Christmas Market Edition