The Vegan's Hundred

First, I'm at Tiny's coffeeshop in the SE and they're playing music that is driving me freakin' batty! It's the crap that people call "music" where it's just a lot loud banging about. So. Annoying. That's not music, people, that's pounding on instruments incessantly!

Anyways...

Out in the blogosphere something called The Omnivore’s Hundred, a list of 100 foods that all omnivores should eat at some point in their lives, came about. Well, Hannah Kaminsky from Bittersweet liked the idea, but she changed it and calls it The Vegan’s Hundred instead! Everything here is either naturally free of animal products or can be veganized, and just like the original, these foods vary from the every day to extraordinary, delectable and disgusting. In her words "They’re simply all of the things that, in my opinion, any vegan foodie should definitely sink their teeth into at least once."

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

I don't know how to cross things out so i'll just write comments after each...

1. Natto- No freakin' way!
2. Green Smoothie- i think i've had one in the past
3. Tofu Scramble- oh, yes!
4. Haggis- i haven't had that yet. i saw it while in Scotland (the vegan kind), but didn't try it. i'll have to nab some from Food Fight! sometime
5. Mangosteen- nope, though i might have had some in tea form
6. Creme brulee- nope
7. Fondue- nope
8. Marmite/Vegemite- no, i haven't yet!
9. Borscht- i don't think so
10. Baba ghanoush- of course! Ya Hala's is the best!
11. Nachos- yes
12. Authentic soba noodles- yes
13. PB&J sandwich- well, of course!
14. Aloo gobi- i think
15. Taco from a street cart- Yay for Los Gordito's!
16. Boba Tea- bubble tea? yes
17. Black truffle- no
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes- yes
19. Gyoza- yes
20. Vanilla ice cream- yes
21. Heirloom tomatoes-yes
22. Fresh wild berries-yes
23. Ceviche- nope
24. Rice and beans- oh, yes
25. Knish- i think
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper- no
27. Dulce de leche- i think
28. Caviar- no
29. Baklava- not since i went vegan
30. Pate- yes
31. Wasabi peas- i've tried but i dislike wasabi
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl- nope
33. Mango lassi- not since i went vegan
34. Sauerkraut- oh, yes!!!
35. Root beer float- nope
36. Mulled cider- with Captain Morgan!
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam- yes!
38. Vodka jelly- no
39. Gumbo- no
40. Fast food french fries- yesssss!
41. Raw Brownies- yeah
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans- no, not fresh
43. Dahl- yes
44. Homemade Soymilk- no
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more- ugh, no, i'm hard pressed to buy $12 wine
46. Stroopwafle- yes!
47. Samosas- yes
48. Vegetable Sushi- yes!
49. Glazed doughnut- oh, my, yes!
50. Seaweed- yes
51. Prickly pear- i don't think so
52. Umeboshi- yes
53. Tofurkey- yes
54. Sheese- yes
55. Cotton candy- yes
56. Gnocchi- yes
57. Piña colada- i think
58. Birch beer- yes
59. Scrapple- not the vegan kind, i should make that soon!
60. Carob chips- yeah, not a big fan
61. S’mores- S'mores cupcakes!
62. Soy curls- yes
63. Chickpea cutlets- yes
64. Curry- yes
65. Durian- i don't think so
66. Homemade Sausages- yes! mostly thanks to Jess!
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake- not since vegan
68. Smoked tofu- yes
69. Fried plantain- yes
70. Mochi-yes, yum!
71. Gazpacho- yes
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies- yes
73. Absinthe- no, i don't think so
74. Corn on the cob- yes
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can- yes
76. Pomegranate-yes
77. Fauxstess Cupcake- not yet
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy- yes
79. Jerky- yes
80. Croissants- yes, good old Pillsbury!
81. French onion soup- nope
82. Savory crepes- yes
83. Tings- yes
84. A meal at Candle 79- nope
85. Moussaka- yes
86. Sprouted grains or seeds- yes
87. Macaroni and “cheese”- yes!
88. Flowers- yes
89. Matzoh ball soup- yes
90. White chocolate- yes
91. Seitan- yes
92. Kimchi- nope
93. Butterscotch chips- not since vegan
94. Yellow watermelon- yes
95. Chili with chocolate- yes, thanks to Missionary!
96. Bagel and Tofutti- yes! Sweetpea has awesome bacon and scallion cream cheese!
97. Potato milk- no
98. Polenta- yes
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee- don't think so
100. Raw cookie dough- yeah

more mac n chz....

Because who doesn't like the comforting warmth and goodness of pasta with a cream sauce with veggies (to make you feel like you're eating something healthy) and a protein?? who, i ask??

I don't think I had tried the Road's End Organics brand before. I possibly may be lying. But if I am, it was years ago. I was at the People's Co-op shopping with my roommate when I saw the box that showed shell macaronis on it, and was, like, Must! Have! I really like shell pasta and you don't see it very often. I also picked up the new seitan in town, Cast Iron Seitan, made by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her husband Justin. They sell it in bulk at People's (as well as local company Ota Tofu, Earth Balance and Tofutti Cream Cheese) for $6-something/lb. So as soon as I got home, I started sauteing up organic Oregon cremini mushrooms and diced seitan, steamed some organic broccoli and frozen organic peas, and boiled the pasta shells. 

Now, don't expect it to taste like the blue box of mac n cheese. It's not the same flavor. (though I'm sure if you add enough salt, it may. b/c y'all know that cheese isn't real cheese. it's crap. like Velveeta) But it's comforting and I really liked it. I ate up the leftovers the next day. So I would say it serves two, but who would want to share?   :o)

New Years Meal!

Every year for the past few years my family has made a particular meal for January 1st. I believe my sister started it. She found some recipe from one of Nava Atlas's cookbooks (the 5-Ingredient one) that has black eyed peas and greens and we found that we liked it a lot. We eat it every year with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and some kind of fake brat/sausage.

I hope that 2009 will be a good year for me and for you too! Happy New Years! And definitely follow the link and try that greens recipe out!