Given that my life is currently like a cross between a Lifetime movie and a Law & Order episode, I haven’t been able to indulge in one of my favorite activities: cooking. Besides not feeling well enough most of the time, I don’t have my cookbooks, my utensils and gadgets, my pots and pans or […]
Tag Archives | vegan
Restaurant Review: Peacefood Cafe
This photo courtesy of Peacefood Cafe When we needed a place to take a friend out for her birthday dinner, I don’t know why Peacefood Café popped into my mind. I had never been there before and can’t remember ever walking past it. Maybe I read something recently about it. Whatever the reason, I’m so […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Three Green Pasta Edition
But for those of you who just have to have your pasta, here is an indulgent dish that tastes as beautiful as it looks. I call it Three Green Pasta because it is filled with a bounty of green goodness: broccoli, asparagus and spinach pasta. Bell peppers and grape tomatoes add flavor as well as […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Noodle-Free Vegetable Lasagna Edition
I just finished reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Whenever a book is made into a movie, I have to read the book first. Since I love the written word, I usually find the book much better than the movie – richer in detail, deeper and more complex. Not to mention, the screenplay is […]
Restaurant Review: Gobo (UES) Part 2 – Brunch
And guess what? We didn’t wait until Sunday for brunch. Tom and I actually went back to Gobo during the week for another delicious outdoor dinner. We made sure to order different items from the menu because we both get into the habit of finding favorites and sticking with them. This time, we had the […]
Restaurant Review: Gobo (UES)
Now that I’m back in the city, I don’t have to cook every single meal myself. New York City is home to nearly a hundred vegetarian restaurants so when I can’t stand the heat, I can get out of the kitchen and enjoy someone else’s cooking for a change. One thing, however, always seemed to be missing […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Gyoza and Vegetables with Spicy Soy Sauce Edition
It’s summertime and that means fresh fruits and vegetables. We wait all year for our favorite sweet and succulent flavors to come back into season. Some of us get to grow our own vegetables, some of us go to farmers’ markets, and some of us enjoy the better selection at the grocery store. But what […]
Restaurant Review: Garden Café on the Green
When you hear the name Woodstock, you probably automatically think of the famed music festivals held in the ‘60s. Actually, the events were held in Bethel, N.Y. but Woodstock is still considered the home of American music, arts and crafts. Walking through Woodstock is like stepping back in time. People smile, say hello and make […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Improvisations Edition: "McVegans," Cheezeburgers, Corn on the Cob with Spicy Chile Garlic Butter, Sweet N’Crunchy Color Slaw & Simple Summer Salad
Between Tom and I being in between homes and living out of bags like nomads since last winter and the effects that has had on my health (including being out of work), we have missed out on a lot of things. We haven’t seen or spoken to our friends, we haven’t been able to attend […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Crispy Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts Edition
I knew this would happen sooner or later. When I named the group of recipes “Extreme Vegan Makeover,” I knew that eventually I would want to post a recipe that wasn’t a veganized version of some other recipe. Then what would I do? I know! Just post the recipe and some pictures that make your […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Spinach-Stuffed Seitan, Deconstructed Edition
As promised, here is the easier version of the last recipe for Spinach-Stuffed Seitan Roast. This version involves making the seitan into cutlets and does not need the oven (which is good for the summer). This version also has a smoother, softer, less chewy “meaty” texture (which I happen to prefer) so no knives are […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Spinach-Stuffed Roast Edition
When special occasions arrive, there is usually an impressive entrée presented to the table. Vegans may find themselves choosing between a Tofurky roast or Field Roast, both of which are very good. But if you want to really impress your guests, make your own creation. This is a delicious vegan version of a spinach-stuffed roast […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Hoppin’ John Edition
“Eat poor that day, eat rich the rest of the year. Rice for riches and peas for peace.” – Southern saying on eating a dish of Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day New Year’s is approaching along with many traditions: Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, counting down the end of the year while waiting […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: "Chicken-Fried" Seitan Steak with Buffalo Vinaigrette Edition
Before I became a vegan, my favorite food was chicken. In particular, two of my weaknesses were fried chicken and Buffalo wings. When I was a child, my mother would make the most delicious fried chicken. It required several wet paper towels because our hands would get so greasy. Whenever we went out to eat, […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Breakfast Edition: Tofu Scramble with Mushrooms and Red Potato and Onion Home Fries
Like many people with food and weight issues, I never used to eat breakfast. I usually didn’t wake up hungry; in fact, too many times I woke up still tasting the unhealthy food I had eaten too much of the night before. Or I might be rushing to work, thinking I didn’t have time to […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: "Meat" Loaf Edition
A self-confessed food television addict, most of the shows I watch have nothing to do with vegan cooking. They don’t have much to do with healthy eating either. Still, I tune in to Dinner: Impossible, Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, Iron Chef and one of my favorite shows, Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I love to watch […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Eggplant Rollatini Edition
Tom’s favorite food is Italian food. Lasagna. Pizza. Baked ziti. Stuffed shells. When we went vegetarian, nothing really changed. We made sure we got marinara sauce instead of meat sauce and that was that. However, when we saw the light and went vegan, everything changed. Sure, I continued to make Italian food – yummy pasta […]
Extreme Vegan Makeover: Spicy Chile Cheeze Corn Muffin Edition
I love watching cooking shows and reading food magazines but when I began my weight loss plan, I had to learn how to make lower-calorie, healthier versions of the recipes. They needed to be “Weight Watcherized,” if you will. That meant using low-fat or fat-free versions of ingredients, cutting the amounts of oil in half […]
My Vegan Journey
I have always been an animal lover but I have since learned how that particular self-concept fell short, in part, because of how and where I was raised. Born in the South Bronx, I never saw a lawn, a garden, or any animals other than dogs, cats, fish (in tanks), pigeons, rats and roaches. Lots […]