For the past week I’ve been making my own meals from scratch, exclusively.  My budget got screwy in July, and I’m determined to recoop as much as I can back into my Savings this month.  This meal was by far the cheapest, and perhaps the tastiest.  Cajun by nature is a mixed bag.  For me the signatures tend to be green pepper, yellow onion and diced tomato for fresh ingredients.  With lots of random spicy goodness, and oddities thrown in.  For vegan (of course!) I use a lot of interesting beans.  Which is fun to work with.  I like cajun because it involves a lot of bravery. The core ingredients:

• 4-5 cloves fresh garlic
• green pepper
• medium yellow onion
• can dark kidney beans
• can diced tomatoes
• black eyed peas (made from dry)
• half some large green hot pepper (I pick what looks tasty)

Probably here in Baltimore that equals about $5 in ingredients and it made a TON of food.   I use a laundry list of basic spices in everything.  The base for this was chilli powder, supplemented with dry basil, cilantro, oregano, cayenne, crushed red pepper.  Also for savory added a pinch of cinnamon and all spice.  Always I make sure to balance the sugars, salts and acids.  Used raw sugar, table salt, a dab of balsamic vinegar, and squeezed in half an orange I had lying around.   I had made a large batch of brown rice on Sunday night, so that was already done. These days when I cook I don’t measure and don’t use recipes.  The whole process is very voodoo and I hope to someday be able to articulate how I go about making food.  I had not made cajun for awhile so this was a nice change of pace.  First I cut up the yellow onion, then peeled the garlic cloves, and slice off a hunk of hot pepper and threw it in the little hand held chopper.  Threw all that in the pan, and started cutting green pepper.  At which point I realized it might be wise to put in black eyed peas.  I threw them in a pot with some water, finished the pepper, and let the beans simmer for a half hour.  At this point I took a small bowl and started mixing the dry ingredients. I opened and rinsed the kidney beans, and drained the tomatoes, started the pan with veggies after adding some olive as the peas finished.   Let the onions and peppers soften and squeezed in some of the orange, and then threw in the kidney beans, and tomatoes, added the dry spices.  Then I drained the black eyed peas, and tossed them in.  I let it all simmer for a minute, then did a taste test.  At this point I added more orange, chilli powder, and the cinnamon and all spice.  Probably a few other things as well. Grabbed a literal handful of rice, scooped on some of the tasty cajun mix, and enjoyed.  As I have been walking a lot, I’ve been eating a lot.  Three small bowls tonight, and this will get me through a few lunches as well.  For $5-7 total, no joke.

Earthlings was produced by a group of ethical vegans.  The film examines five forms of human exploitation of animals: pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and vivisection.  It is a full length documentary, and it bears witness to the suffering of our fellow animals.

I’ve heard from some vegans, that vegans do not need to watch this film, since we are already aware of the suffering therein.  Though I encourage all vegans to watch it and bear witness to why we do the things we do, and know the the best extent that we can what is happening to animals.

After watching Earthlings in it’s entirety, I don’t know if I would show it to just anyone, and certainly without preparation for what they are going to witness.  I believe in showing an equal level of compassion to all sentient beings. However, I do see the film as an important tool that can illustrate this suffering to those who have never been able to understand it before.

If you have a high speed connection Earthlings is accessible to you on google video and  you tube.  Or you can be real .

This is how I make everything from mochas to chai in my own home. I still go to my favorite independently run coffee shops, and I recommend that you do to. They need your business. However, you need an excuse to cut those excursions to Starbucks out of your life. They are union busting assholes.

Necessary Supplies:

• An Espresso maker with a steamer (can be found easily for around $40)
• A plain old coffee maker or french press
• Tons of soy milk, I recommend keeping a stock of plain and vanilla
• Raw sugar
• Espresso blend with a fine grind
• Your favorite blend of chai teabags
• cocoa powder, or vegan chocolate syrup
• your favorite coffee

If you don’t care about steaming the milk, you can find espresso pots that will make espresso on the stove top. We have one of that we use when we go camping. Also for regular coffee there is the option to use a french press.

College Dorm Tip: If you’re allowed to have a microwave in your room, boil water in the microwave to put in a french press to make coffee.

Definitions of the famous cafe drinks:

Cafe Latte: One to two shots of espresso, and filled the rest of the way with steamed milk. A good latte often has a small cap of foam.

Cappuccino: One to two shots of espresso which comprises 1/3 of the drink, then there is 1/3 milk and 1/3 foam. However, it isn’t unusual to see one that is comprised mostly of foam.

Cafe Mocha: One to two shots of espresso, which is then mixed with chocolate (if using cocoa add sugar), then the rest of the drink is filled with steamed milk, and a cap of foam.

Chai Latte: Chai is somewhat mysterious, however at home I can make a decent chai latte out of a 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup brewed chai tea, steamed milk, and sugar.

Steaming: One thing I’ve learned from working at cafes is that every stem wand is different. Also the various home steamers all work a bit differently. One trick that I have found that is fairly universal is bobbing the cup until the tip of the steam wand is slightly submerged and then just on the surface. I also tilt the the mug slightly and keep the wand towards the edge.

Espresso: Good espresso should be mixed with milk immediately, and be well tamped (compressed).  If you do a good job you’ll see a little layer of crema which is a reddish brown foam.  If at all possible steam the milk first, or at the same time as the espresso is being brewed.

At the radical coffeehouse near me soy milk is often preferred over dairy, even by dairy drinkers.  Steamed cow milk easily scalds, and smells nasty, it also often overwhelms the flavor of the espresso, and chai.  There is a rumor that soy milk is difficult to foam, but it’s a myth.  Soy milk just requires a different feel.  Cafe drinks no longer need to be shrouded in mystery, you can easily make them at home.

Last night I came home from work feeling ill. I had barely eaten all day, and was in dire need of some wholesome nourishment. I wanted soup, and my pantry was getting a bit mangy. Also, I should add that I had never made soup before. Less than a day later I had made two awesome soups, both taking at most 15 minutes of prep, and maybe a half hour total cook time.

I am no kitchen genius, so how did this all occur?

First, I almost always have a few staples in my cabinets. I keep in stock a very large spice collection which I have built from the basic basil and oregano to cardamon and a spices from a wide variety of cuisines. I’m no spice picking genius either, but I leave the story of the spice rack for some other time. Anyways, I also almost always have yellow onion and garlic. In the pantry I have things like lentils, rice and various pastas and grains. There are also the canned goods like black beans, chick peas, and diced tomatoes.

When I decided that I wanted soup I immediately turned to my Quick Fix Vegetarian cookbook, but it failed me. I had the makings of several soups, but I was either lacking a few key ingredients, or I didn’t like the seasoning. I ended up recombining four recipes from Robertson’s book plus some of my own crazy ideas into the following two recipes.

Curry Chickpea and Lentil Soup

• 1 smallish yellow onion
•  2-3 whole cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• cumin to taste
• ground coriander to taste
• 1 cup washed and picked red lentils
• 1 15 ounce can chick peas
• 1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth (from paste)
• 1 cup water

I chopped the onion in my handy and aggression relieving Ikea chopper, threw it in a pot big enough for the soup with the garlic with a tad of olive oil and sauteed on medium-high for about five minutes. Meanwhile I got out my spices and opened and drained my cans, and washed the lentils.

I have crappy McCormick curry powder right now, so I threw that in and the lentils, canned goods, and added four cups warm water and melted in my veggie bouillon paste. I love using the paste because it taste better, and doesn’t come in cumbersome packaging or need to be pre-made. I always have some in the fridge.

At this point I brought the heat up to high and added salt, fresh ground pepper, ground coriander and cumin to taste. This evened out the evil of the cheap curry powder. I let everything come to a boil, and then reduced to a simmer for about 20 minutes, adding water as needed after the first ten minutes.

Alternatives: Try wilting in some baby, or shredded spinach in the last five minutes or so, instead or with the chickpeas. Or whatever sounds good to you!

Wholesome Chili Black Bean Soup

• 1 smallish yellow onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
• dried basil to taste
• cayenne to taste
• 1 can rinsed black beans
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup quick cook barley
• 5 cups veggie broth (from paste)

Once again I used my handy dandy chopper on the onions, and then used my mincer on the garlic. Threw it into the pot I planned to make my soup in with a tad of olive oil on medium heat and covered for about five minutes. While waiting I drained, rinsed, and prepared my spices.

Then I added the chili powder and ground oregano, beans, tomatoes, 5 cups water which I mixed with bouillon paste then I threw in the barley and kicked the heat up to high while I was waiting for things to heat up I added cayenne to taste along with the basil. I let things cook for about 20 minutes lowering the mixture to a simmer once it began to boil.

Alternatives: If I had them on hand when making this soup I would have added some mushrooms and possibly some greens.

I finished off my day of soups with Vegan With a Vengeance Mexican Chocolate Rice Pudding.

This blog is going on hiatus because I am too busy living to write.  I am still vegan, and I am still passionate about my veganism.  I may be back in the spring.

Today is day 21 since going vegan. I feel fantastic physically even though my job has been demanding, and making me sick from stress. For the first time in my life I enjoy cooking, and I can’t remember the last time I had a meal out. We’re saving money on groceries, I have clear skin for the first time since I was 10, I am losing weight. Not to mention the fact that I’m no longer contributing the unnecessary harm of animals.

Today I made Brooklyn Pad Thai as per Vegan With a Vengeance, and am enjoying the lingering effects from too many margaritas. I am going through WAY too much soy milk, and may start making my own in a year or so. Though I feel I need to get way better at this cooking thing before committing myself. Not only is Silk evil, most soy containers can’t be recycled, I did spot some at Whole Foods though.

I continue to sow the seeds of veganism at my job. I am bringing in one of my cookbooks for yet another coworker to look at, and another is waiting for her vegan cookbook in the mail. I’ve gotten people into hummus and tofu, told people where to get vegan indian microwavable meals. The simple act of abstention has had amazing effects.

Of course you non-vegans want to know how easy this has been (maybe you’re hoping it’s been hard). Perhaps you wonder if I dream of dairy. The answer is that other than need to plan out a half an hour a day to cook (which we should all be doing anyways), and some strategic label reading life has continued as normal, except better for the reasons listed above.

I’ve read that due casein in dairy, dairy can be a little addictive and hard to give up. Having phased out dairy, I have had no issues, sometimes I want the end product like for instance cake, but I want it vegan. I want milk, but I want soy milk not dairy milk. The smell of dairy also really grosses me out. Not to mention the smell of eggs.

I know there hasn’t been much animal rights focus here yet, but I assure you I am just brushing up on my research. I feel that harming animals is wrong in my heart and gut, I need to work on why it is wrong as far as my brain is concerned. Give me a few weeks, but since I have a few minutes, let me tell you about the life of an egg laying chicken:

First there are the chicks that don’t make it, which would be any chick that is born male. They are often ground up alive as feed for the female chickens. As young chicks the egg layers have the ends of their beaks removed with a hot knife, because the cages they are confined to are so small that they become irritated and peck at each other.

Then they are placed in cages where they can’t even extend their bodies fully without their heads sticking out of the cages. Chickens used for food are usually killed after three weeks. You want to see it? Also find out how Free Range Free Range Is.

For the record I no longer consume any dairy, eggs, use any animal tested products, consume any refined sugar, alcohol made with isinglass, and am waiting on vegan fair trade shoes which should be arriving on Tuesday. Completely eliminating refined sugar is a commitment I only made several weeks ago, and I’ve probably made some mistakes. By the end of week four I am hoping to have worked out all the bugs in this vegan thing.

WRONG. There is a difference between being cruelty free and being vegan. Cruelty free can mean that a product just wasn’t tested on animals, these products however may still have animals in them. You may be following the PETA List, but that list only covers animal testing not the individual ingredients in makeup.

Let’s go through a quick review of some of the common animal derived ingredients found in “cruelty free” makeup. These are some of the ingredients found in Revlon products including glycerin, silk, and carmine. Those are only the ones that I know how to pronounce. Revlon doesn’t test on animals, but they are also most certainly not vegan. Some Revlon products are vegan accidentally like their Mitchum deodorant.

Which leads to the inevitable question number two:

Where do you get your makeup?

There are lots of truly cruelty free companies that neither test nor use animal products. Such as Beauty Without Cruelty, ELF (careful some products contain beeswax), Zia, and Bare Minerals. There are also online stores that are truly cruelty free such as Vegan Essentials, Pangea, Different Daisy, and Vegan Unlimited. The online stores also carry vegan makeup lines that don’t have their own websites.

It is still important to check ingredients. Many cosmetics may still contain beeswax or silk, even if they are all natural or mislabeled as being vegan.

What if I want to see the makeup first?

I would check out your natural food stores, both the small local ones and the bigger chains like Whole Foods. However, I caution against listening to what employees say about what is and isn’t vegan. I once had a Whole Foods employee tell me that their makeup was vegan, and the first bottle I checked contained silk and carmine. However I have heard that some Whole Foods carry Zia products and possibly other vegan brands as well.

Moral of the story? It is possible to be glamorous and vegan. Just know your ingredients and vegan brands when you shop, and you’ll be pretty in no time.

It is easy to forget how large a role eating plays in our social lives. After a good event everyone’s first comment is “Where do we want to go out to eat?”. When it is decided there is going to be a party at work it seems like the potluck sign-up is produced simultaneously. Holidays are marked by feasts, picnics, and barbecues. It feels as if food as become a sign of caring, so what is one to do when they refuse to bring porkchops to the event?

I often sign up for appetizers, especially since everyone at work loves my hummus in all of it’s flavors. Once I signed up to bring salad and was politely told no one would eat it. Being vegan in social settings makes you somewhat of an outcast and it is hard to reclaim your position as a human being who eats and offers food.

It happens every time you’re hungry, your friends as you if you want to go with them to get pit beef, and you decline. There is a subtle “Ohh” on their part as they remember your vegetarianism. The worst for me has been cake, at every event that offers a cake I’ve been asked over and over to partake, why I won’t eat any, and at times have had plates of it brought to me.

I guess this is because cake is an important social ritual in American culture, we eat cake to mark milestones, and even though the reason why I’m not eating the cake has nothing to do with the celebration, I guess it could be taken as such. I have found that a lot of people refuse to internalize what it means to be vegan. They know it has something to do with egg, dairy, and meat. Though rarely process that this includes these ingredients when they are cooked into the food.

I think the best solution is to ask whether or not it is ok to bring a desert as most of these gatherings are potlucks anyways. Or if worse comes to worse lie and say you’re allergic. Then they will really let you bring your own desert next time!

Lunchtime is another adventure entirely, though for me it has been a little bit more pleasant, everyone’s first comment is that my food smells good, followed by asking what it is. At that point there is usually the question of no meat, milk, or eats, and I define being vegan until I’m out of air.

I find that the best solution is to cook pretty, aromatic, and interesting foods that make veganism as a whole appear more appealing. Some books I recommend on the topic are Vegan with a Vengance , The Alternative Vegan , and Vegan Freak .

Vegan with a Vengance and  The Alternative Vegan provide amazing recipes that anyone would enjoy.  If you’re coooking for omnivores I would avoid recipes that use a lot of tofu, it tends to turn them off.  However, if it is being used as a filling to a cake go for it!  Food, for whatever reason plays an important role in social environment so make something tasty and participate.  You may even educate your friends, family or coworkers.

Vegan Freak is quickly becoming a staple for vegans, and a survival guide for those of us who are new to it.  Section 3 of the book focuses on how to deal with the people in your life relating to the fact that you don’t consume anything that has a face, or consume any product from something that can feel pain.  Also Happy Cow has an online restaurant guide for us ethical eaters, for those times you can’t bring a dish.

Don’t shy away from eating with others, find ways to make it interesting and educational for them, and less of a hassle for you.

I assume every blog has a page like this, usually as the first entry. Not wanting to be one to stand out (har har) I decided that I should have one too.

First of all, I am a new vegan, thus why this blog is titled “the new vegan”. I am in love with being vegan, and when you are in love with something you tend to want to talk about it an awful lot. I’ve been flooding my livejournal with vegan entries, and I think that by now everyone has got the point.

I have also been doing a lot of research and finding lots of vegan friendly links. Finding things on the internets is something I am particularly good at, hell I used to work at the research desk at the library, so I have an awful lot of links. This seemed like a nifty way to organize and to share the them.

Oh, and of course, I want to share the joys of veganism, coming from the perspective of a new vegan. I’m cute, I make silly mistakes, I am enthusiastic, and am very happy to be what I am. I am also living proof that going vegan is not only possible, it’s practically easy. I am hoping to make the whole mysticism of how vegans are made obsolete.