How I Became a Vegan (Part 2)

In college I studied accounting, and after graduation I worked as a CPA in a fast-paced and competitive public accounting firm. It was the kind of environment that really discouraged cooking. There was barely enough time to even eat, let alone cook, so I never bothered to learn how to. Thankfully all this changed when I discovered veganism.

Since I didn’t want to eat any more animal products, I had to start to learn how to cook. It started with one cookbook, then another, then 10 others, until I’ve cooked more in 6 months than I’ve ever did in my entire life. While my co-workers were mindlessly eating take-out chicken Caesar salads and grilled salmons in front of their computers, I brought freshly-cooked lunches every day, and it made me feel so accomplished and healthy even though I could only stir-fry. But man, I was a mean stir-fry master. There was honestly nothing I could not stir-fry, and that I give credit to my Chinese heritage.

As I cooked more, I discovered so many different kinds of foods, tastes, cooking techniques, and cookware that made my life so much more colorful and delicious. It was like an awaking of senses and sensibility. I discovered so many different kinds of foods, tastes, cooking techniques, and cookware that made my life so much more colorful and delicious.

As my passion for vegan food progressed, I just wanted to immerse myself in it. All I wanted to do all day was cook. I daydreamed about what to make for dinner while I’m at work, and I practically danced through Farmers Markets with Broadway tunes in my head. Cooking made me feel alive and purposeful, so there was really only one thing I could do: learn how to cook vegan food for real.

So I did. I moved from LA to the east coast and enrolled myself at one of the few vegan cooking schools in the country, Natural Kitchen Cooking School. I live in Western Massachusetts, so for 10 months, I took 6-hour bus rides to Manhattan every other weekend to take my classes. I never missed a class as it was invaluable to me. I learned so darn much from that program that I seriously never would’ve had the knowledge and the confidence to cook I way I do today if it weren’t for NKCS. So here’s a little shout-out to them. You rock!

Hmm… I was hoping to write my “short” story in two parts, but it looks like I’m a lot chattier than I thought. I still have an awesome third chapter that I’ve got to tell, so if you’ve got the patience, then hang on for the unanticipated THIRD part to my vegan story, which is really cool. I promise.

***Stay tuned for Part 3!!***

How I Became a Vegan (Part 1)

This is the story of a girl who discovered the true meaning and effect of conscious eating. This is not a top 10 bullet list or an argumentative essay with the thesis of converting people to veganism. This is simply a story, hopefully a story that people can connect with and be entertained by.

I’m Chinese, specifically a Chinese that was born in Taiwan. There is a saying that I heard that goes something like this: “The Chinese will eat anything with the back to the sky.” Although this may sound extreme, as far as I remember, there really wasn’t anything that the Chinese won’t eat. Frogs, snakes, dogs, pig blood, chicken liver, pig hooves, cow tongues, and chicken claws are just some of the most common foods that Chinese people eat pretty much on a daily basis. And yes, I’ve ate all of these before. It wasn’t a big deal! Having chicken intestines for dinner in a Chinese home is equivalent to having spaghetti in America. It’s simply a way of life and a culture that has developed for thousands of years, as absurd as it is.

When I was 9-years-old, my family immigrated to Los Angeles, where I was told that the ground was paved in gold, only to find that it was neither golden nor commutable without a vehicle. Within 5 years of coming to the States, my dad went from owning his own business to being bankrupt and bedridden. That’s when my mom discovered Buddhism, which lent her a spiritual support that she desperately needed at that time. As she became more devout, she vowed to never eat meat again. At the age of 15, I ate what my mom cooked, so when she asked both my brother and I to be vegetarians with her, we mindlessly agreed. Little did I know that it was to be the best gift my mom has ever given me.

Now let’s travel in light speed ahead to 2007, after I’ve been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 9 years. It was a perfect summer day in LA, so I decided to treat myself to a book under the sun. For really no good reason other than curiosity, I picked up Skinny Bitch at Barnes and Nobles and proceeded to finish the entire book in one sitting all while laughing out loud at the mall patio. I’m not going to lie and say that it’s not embarrassing that I have to say the word ‘bitch’ every time someone asks me how I became a vegan, but there is no denying that Skinny Bitch deserves all of the credit of how I discovered veganism. I’m sure I’ll eventually write a review on this hilarious, no-BS and immensely informative book, but now on to my vegan journey...

***Stay tuned for Part 2!!***

The Eggplant Experiment Take 1

I love eggplants. I think it's a very unique, exotic, and delicious vegetable. Nothing else tastes or feels like it. I don't think I've ever not liked something with eggplant in it. Every time I see eggplant on a menu, I almost always have to order it as it somehow stirs my innate food curiosity. The only problem is that I don't really know how to prepare eggplants. The only thing I've ever done with eggplants was to just stir-fry them, which is delicious, but I feel just stir-frying these wonderful violet vegetables would be not only boring but a dint on my cooking rep.

Max and I have been getting a lot of eggplants at our farm share. Apparently it's eggplant season! They have all kinds of eggplants, from the Japanese long and slender ones to the big round and dark Italian ones to the cute white-striped rosa biancas. We always get at least 2 eggplants, but I never know what to do with them, so I've decided to do some experiments on eggplants. Here's one of them.

The inspiration for this experiment came when I was at Trader Joe's, where I almost bought their Indian Fare Punjab (eggplant) instant curry packet. I looked at the ingredients on the box, which was so straightforward: eggplant, tomatoes, onions, sunflower oil, pumpkin, garlic, salt, coriander, chilies, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cloves. I've got almost everything (except the pumpkin) in my pantry, so there was no reason why I should spend $3 on a pre-packaged food instead of just making a fresh homemade dish.

Eggplant Experiment Take 1: Indian Eggplant Curry. It didn't turn out exactly like TJ's. It was better. It was one of the best eggplant curries I've ever had! I couldn't believe how delicious it was! It was packed with so much flavor, and the freshness of all of the vegetables really brought our the true taste of nature in every bite. To complement the curry, I made a brown basmati rice pilaf, which was also delicious.

Eggplant Experiment Take 1: success! Now I'm thinking an eggplant soy parmesan for Take 2.

brown basmati pilaf and indian eggplant and tomato curry

An All-American Dinner... Except It's Vegan!

Max's grandpa just came to America for the first time ever from Ukraine, so Max went home to keep him company for a few days, which means I've been alone at home. Usually when I'm by myself, I don't do much cooking. I pretty much just stir-fry my way through the days. Stir-fried baby bok choy with shiitake mushroom, garlic and a splash of soy sauce can be surprisingly refreshing and satisfying, but even simplicity can become borderline boring. That's why I decided to answer to my guilty pleasure craving --- french fries!

Yes, it's true. French fries are my Achilles ankle. I crave a lot of things, but what I crave the most often is crisp French fries with a glass of ice cold beer. Oh gosh... I can't think of anything more satisfying than that combo on a summer afternoon. I usually take care of my fries craving when I coax Max into going to a bar with me, but with him gone, I can only sit there and count my days until my next fries-and-beer fix. Today, I finally got off my lazy butt and took care of business.

Of course, I can't have fries as my main course (not saying that's never happened before, not gonna lie), so I decided to make a grilled vegetable sandwich. I've made this before, and it was amazingly delicious, so I just made it again. I got some fresh summer vegetables today at my farm share. Everything I got was freshly picked today. I grilled up eggplant, squash, carrots, and onions and put them between two slices of whole wheat nine grain sourdough bread from Wholefoods (my favorite bread of all time), smeared with garlic aioli. It was the most satisfying and perfect summer meal. To complete the picture, of course I had to throw in a bottle of blackberry wheat beer. Seriously, it was just as good as it sounds, probably better.

Now that I've got my fries fix, I've gotta find a decent recipe for vegetarian pho...

Grilled seasonal vegetables, baked garlic fries, and blackberry wheat beer
(maybe eating alone isn't so bad)

Good Eats from The East Coast to The West Coast (2 of 2: LA)

Now on to LA (this is part 2 to the previous post, so read that one before reading this one). The one thing I look most forward to other than my family when I visit LA is all the vegan food that the city has to offer. Its got everything from the traditional Chinese vegetarian restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley to the most trendy and cutting-edge vegan cafes clustered on the West Side and around Silverlake. I was more than eager to revisit my favorite eateries.

Los Angeles
Thursday, 7/23, Lunch
Sante - This was my second time at this restaurant. Much has happened to both me and the restaurant since my first visit. I became a vegetarian, and the restaurant got a complete face lift. My first experience was decent, but definitely not worth the second trip, but I went back because this restaurant was actually featured on Kitchen Nightmare, who know, that reality TV show hosted by Gordon Ramsey, who pretty much goes to restaurants and point out every horrific thing there is to it, then transforming it to something equivalent to a 4-star restaurant.

The menu was quite extensive. Although it's not a vegan restaurant, or even a vegetarian restaurant, almost everything on the menu can be made vegan. I went there with my friend and her boyfriend. We all shared the Vegan Nachos, which was pretty good. I would say it was about 80% of the standard of the vegan nachos at Real Food Daily. The nacho was topped with veggie chili, tomatoes, home-made vegan nacho cheese, cilantro, and scallions. For entree, I got the Spinach Enchilada with home-made vegan mozzarella cheese. Although the dish tasted great, the presentation wasn't very appetizing. Everything kind of look like a big glob, without the distinct shape of enchilada wrappers anywhere to be found. My friend had a tostada that she quite enjoyed. Side note, our waiter, who was the son of the owner, was very nice and accommodating. Also, the portions are HUGE! You can easily share an entree between two people.

I will probably come back one day... after I've hit at least 10 other more notable vegan spots in LA.

Thursday, 7/23, Dinner
Pure Luck - One of my top 5 (probably top 3) favorite vegan eateries in LA. Two words: vegan pub. It's got tons of veganized pub food that is just as satisfying as the traditional conterpart without the guilt and the cruetly. Plus, it's got like 8 beers on tap. If that's not vegan heaven, I don't know what is.

I went here with a good friend, and gosh we ate so much it was awesome. We both had a hefeweissen on tap and borsh soup. We shared a plate of half Rosemary French Fries and half Fried Dill Pickle Chips, which was so perfect crunchy and savory that it was perfect with the beer. I got a Torta with sauteed jackfruit "carnitas" with a side of Caesar salad (by the way, I have a slight obsession with Caesar salad, in which I also have to order a vegan Caesar salad whenever I get a chance, and Pure Luck has by far my favorit Caesar salad yet). The best part about the sandwich was the crisp rustic roll that was used as the bun. If you are ever around Melrose, you've got to check this place out, not to mention the gelato place, Scoops, across the street that always has a few vegan flavors.

Friday, 7/24, Lunch
Studio Cafe - Little cafe in Burbank that serves fresh soup, sandwich and salad. I used to go here when I worked at Disney. Nothing significantly notable except their daily vegan soup that is made from scratch everyday. This is probably the only place that you can find good quality vegetarian food with a half-mile radius from Disney.

Cafe Flourish - My new favorite spot in LA. This little cafe just opened a few months ago, and it's gaining more fans and raves than any other vegan eatery in LA. I came here for the first time during my last LA trip, and was totally blown away by the Mi Casadilla that I just had to do a quick drive by to get some on my way home. The quesadilla is filled with mashed cassava root with garlic sauteed kale and fresh salsa, guacamole and vegan sour cream. It is one of the most innovative vegan dishes I've had in awhile. I also couldn't resist getting The Pearl shake that's made of fresh coconut milk, almond butter, and Medjool dates, even if it's a $9 smoothie. $9?? Really?? For a shake?? But honestly, it is worth every penny.

Saturday, 7/25, Lunch
Vegetarian Wok - The kind of vegetarian food that I ate for 10 years before becoming a vegan. Even with all the trendy and fancy vegan cafes, I still always crave the Chinese vegetarian food that I grew up with, and Vegetarian Wok is one of the places that I always go when I visit LA. For those of you who's never had a real vegetarian meal Chinese-style, you're missing out. There is so much more to Chinese food than just stir-fry and imitation meats. I went with my mom, and between the two of us we ordered four dishes. Although delicious in its own right, I keep going back mainly for reminiscing reasons.

Sunday, 7/26, Dinner
Veggie Grill - Another one of my favorites. I almost always try to stop here for dinner right before I get on my flight back to Amherst, and this time I was lucky enough to do just that. I have been here 5 times, have gotten different things every time, and it was deliciously remarkable every single time, including this time. I went with my mom and her friend, who both are Chinese vegetarians and clueless about Western vegan cuisine. I ordered for everyone. I got their daily soup, which was Gumbo, Baja Fiesta salad, Carne Asada burger, Papa's Portobello burger, and Carrot Cake. My mom and her friend were so impressed and satisfied that they completely cleaned their plates down to the last quinoa. I totally can't wait for my next visit.

Looking back, I honestly cannot believe how much I really ate. I mean, I feel like that's all I did, and I am so proud and grateful. This is what I miss about LA, that after eating at over 20 vegan and vegan-friendly places in LA, I still manage to find new spots to check out every time I'm back. Who knows where I will go next?

Good Eats from The East Coast to The West Coast (1 of 2: NYC)

Yeah, I know it's been awhile, but I'll spare you the endless excuses and just jump right into the veggie and potatoes of this entry.

This past weekend I went back to LA to visit my family. It was good timing because I was in NYC for business on Wednesday, and I just went to LA straight from NYC. That was a huge relief going frpm NYC to LA because if I flew from the nearest airport of where I live, I will always have to connect flights somewhere. A 4.5-hour trip always ends up to be around 8 hours. So I was in NYC for the first time since I graduated from the Natural Kitchen Cooking School in May as a Certified Natural Chef, and there was only one thing on my mind when I got there --- EAT!

So this entry is going to be a dish-by-dish outline of my trip in NYC and LA. I have never eaten so much and shopped so much all within a 5-day period. Did I feel guilty for committing gluttony? A little bit. Did I regret it for even a tiny bit? HELL NO! I savored every bite. (When you live in a town with no vegetarian restaurants, going to a vegan cafe is almost as orgasmic as going to a Paul McCartney concert.)

Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera with me on this trip, so I can't show you pictures of what I ate, but I'm going to do my best at explaining everything and hopefully it'll at least get a little salivation out of you.

New York City
Wednesday, 7/22, Lunch
Gobo - The first thing I did when I got off the train in NYC, I headed to Washington Square Park (next to NYU) to look for the Dosa Man. I found out about the Dosa Man from an episode of Delicious TV. Basically, it's this Sri Lanka man that cooks vegan Indian food from a cart in Washington Square Park. I've been wanting to go forever, but I was always only in NYC during the weekends when the Dosa Man doesn't work. This was my first time in NYC on a weekday since I found out about him, so I dashed to the Park with my roller luggage, determined to have the much-appraised vegan Indian food that is both unbelievably delicious and affordable. Of course I didn't find him. I rolled my luggage with me around the entire park and loitered for about 45 minutes. I abandoned my dream figuring it was because it was rainy that day.

Thankfully, my favorite NYC vegan restaurant was only 3 blocks away, so I trekked over to Gobo for some decent vegan lunch. I ordered the pan seared vegetable dumplings and green tea noodle miso soup with soy filé, which, I'm disappointed to say, were unmemorable. The dumplings really didn't have any noticeable vegetables, but only some seemingly soy filling, which wasn't savory at all. The noodle soup had these green fettuccine-like noodles that just didn't seem fitting for a noodle soup. The content of the soup also lacked interesting fresh vegetables, and I don't even want to go into the lackluster broth. All in all, I left with a dissatisfied tummy and a lighter wallet. So much for my favorite vegan restaurant in NYC... (although I have to just mention that Gobo did give me one of my most memorable eating experiences when I went there for the first time and took a bite of the organic king oyster mushroom in sizzling basil black bean sauce; it was nothing short of divine).

Wednesday, 7/22, Dinner
Caravan of Dreams - I've been wanting to go here for awhile, but I always dismissed it thinking that it is too "hippie." Well, I'm really glad that I got over that and finally made me way down there because the food was surprisingly satisfying. I ordered the Goji-Coconut-Almond shake and their Ravioli of the Day, which was mushroom, covered in a light almond creme-pesto-alfredo sauce. The shake was decent (not mind-blowing), but the ravioli was delicious, especially as the meal progressed. I always like some fresh veggies when I eat, so having sauteed garlic kale as part of the ravioli dish was definitely a bonus. All in all, I would not hesitate to visit again, especially with Max next time. Two other bonuses: plenty of raw items on the menu and 3 kinds of organic beer on tap.

Lula's Sweet Apothecary - It is not an overstatement to say that this place is most likely what anyone with a sweet tooth would imagine heaven to be like. This tiny shop is perfectly located only a block from Caravan of Dreams, so I had no excuse not to go (even though I was totally stuffed from the ravioli). Although small, this shop has everything an old-school ice cream parlor should have, from 10 flavors of ice cream to more than 20 toppings, sundae, banana split, whipped cream, and soft serve. The best part? EVERYTHING IS VEGAN!!! Just amazing. I was so overwhelmed by the huge number of selection that I normally don't have that I pretty much just stood there with my eyes wide open for like 5 minutes. Still overwhelmed (and full) I chose to go with a twist of the soft serve which were cake batter flavor and chocolate flavor, served on an old-school cone, of course.

Thursday, 7/23, Dinner
Franchia - The next day right after work and before my flight to LA, I went to Franchia for dinner. It is a vegan Asian fusion place. It is owned by the same people as HanGawi, the super fancy and super expensive vegan Korean restaurant in NYC. I studied the menu before I went to the restaurant so I won't get caught off guard again with an abundance of choices. The menu is quite extensive for such a little tea house. I ordered the Spicy Kimchi Dumplings, the Spicy Shrimp Roll, and the Penang Stir Fried Rice Noodles. The dumplings were delicious, perfectly seasoned and stuffed with fresh kimchi. The sushi roll was interesting simply because I've never had vegan sushi with imitation meat, but once the novelty wore off, it was just really spicy rice with a dime-size vegetarian shrimp. All I can say about the rice noodles was that I was so disappointed by the lack of vegetables that I vowed to never order noodle dishes at these Asian fusion restaurants again. I will definitely go back for the delectable appetizers that this cute tea house offers, but I'll most likely save my appetite for a more satisfying meal somewhere else.

Preview for next entry: I went to at least 4 vegan restaurants and several Chinese vegetarian restaurants in LA. One of the most notable dish --- soy-free vegan quesadilla... ahhh... I'm salivating just thinking about it.

The Infamous JAM DOTS from the Natural Gourmet Institute!

Two of my favorite things about my cooking classes are guest speakers and goody bags. Every month, we have a new speaker come to our class to either give a talk or demonstrate some recipes. We've had some really awesome guests thus far, who have covered all sorts of vegan food-related topics from macrobiotics to the effects of vegetarianism on the environment to raw foods to the relations between the food we eat and its bio-chemical effects on our bodies. Equally exciting are the goody bags that we get every month. We usually get a book, some food and some cooking tool. I love presents, so I absolutely adore the goody bags.

Besides giving you readers more of a glimpse into my life in my cooking school, the purpose of me telling you about my two faves is to give you the background as to how these jam dot cookies came about. So here's the connection --- our speaker in March was Fran Costigan, who is an awesome professional "alternative" pastry chef. She uses the word "alternative" to describe the method in which she makes dessert, which is void of dairy, eggs, and refined sugar. This was an especially exciting visit for me as I am a huge baking fanatic, and I have also been following Fran's work on her website. What sold me was when I saw that she actually made a vegan wedding cake for her daughter, and it looks SO GORGEOUS! (check it out on her website) C'mon, a chocolate cake with mocha ganache and white vegan buttercream?? Gosh, I'm jealous of her daughter, not gonna lie.

Anyway, to complement our special guest visit, we all got Fran's new book, "More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts," in our goody bags. Of course, I read the whole thing in 2 days, and dog-eared the recipes that I like to make, as I always do with my cookbooks.

On a calm Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, I decided to make one of the recipes in Fran's book called Jam Dots. She writes that apparently these little cookies, originally from the Natural Gourmet Institute, are so delicious that it is rumored that many people enroll in a cooking class at the institute after having just a bite. Skeptical, I decided to see whether these finger cookies where really as spectacular as they sound.

Fran's adaptation of these cookies uses pecans, which I didn't have any on hand, so I used cashews instead. The only jam I had was apricot, so that's what I filled these dots with in the center. These cookies were so easy to make and so quick to bake that they were all done before I even had time to clean up. The dots came out wonderfully soft and chewy, even after lying for hours. The dangerous part is that they're so easy to just pop in your mouth that you won't even notice how much you've eaten until it's all gone. They are perfect as a stand-alone snack or accompanied by a cup of tea. I only made a small batch, but I will definitely make this again, especially using actually pecan the next time.

Fresh out of the oven --- cute and delicious!

After a few minutes...

Better Late Than Never --- Pumpkin Muffins

Alright, I admit it. I am a horrible documenter. I have tried numerous ways to get around it, trust me. I have used the strategy of putting the camera on the dinner table, carrying my camera everywhere I go, asking Max to remind me to take pictures, sitting at well-lit tables, etc. etc. You name it, I've tried it, but no matter what I do, I always manage to forget to take pictures of my food, whether it's at a restaurant or at home. I have to boast, however, that I have improved from my absentmindedness. I have went from completely forgetting to taking my camera with me when I go out, to realizing that I've forgotten to take pictures after couple of days of actually having the meal, to remembering my failure to take pictures immediately after my late bite. My other biggest obstacle besides my poor memory is my impatience. I love fresh warm food, and I hate cold leftover food, so whenever my food is ready to be eaten, I eat it with no second thought. Even when I remember to take pictures, I often don't because I simply can't bare the idea of letting the pipping hot food go cold, or even luke warm. So I admit it, I'm a terrible documenter and a total leftover snob.

At the other end of the spectrum is that I also have the tendency to take pictures and not post them on my blog. "Why?," you ask. Well, there's really not a good excuse. I just get backed up with other things and neglect to keep my blog updated with the most recent pictures. I'm also working on that, so please be patient.

With that said, here is one of my many past pictures that I never posted. Some may argue, "Why even tell us that it's old? No one will know if you just post it!" Well, to be honest, I do do that, but please don't hate on me, it's just pure practicality and timing. Besides, I don't do it often. My main reason for confessing this time is that they are clearly a fall or winter dish. They're Pumpkin Muffins, for goodness' sake! I can't fool anyone into believing that I just made these! Believe me when I say that I did feel a bit guilty posting these pictures, but I figured that I shouldn't sacrifice my readers' eye candy because of my bad timing. So here it is, better late than never!

Fluffy all around and crunchy on top (because of pecans), these Pumpkin Muffins are great for breakfast, or pretty much anytime you're craving sweets

Paired with a hot cup of tea, these muffins make Autumn that much more enjoyable

Corny Chowder & Colorful Cole Slaw

I know, I know. I've had another small blog hiatus, but I promise it's for a good cause this time. I've been focusing on two things lately: teaching vegan cooking classes in my apartment once a month and starting my own vegan food business. To give you a gist of what my business is, I am planning to start with two services: in-home vegan cooking classes and personal chef. I will reveal more about my business on my blog as the structure matures. I'm super excited about this chapter of my life! Although I will be starting small, it will be a great opportunity for me to venture into making vegan food for a living! Oh, what a wonderful thought... I am staying optimistic, and I believe it's a dream that's reachable in the near future! Of course, I wouldn't be able to do this without all of your supports, my readers. Whatever drives you to read my blog definitely gives me the confidence to continue this path. So here's a BIG THANKS in advance!!

Now to the food. What I'm posting this time is another homework assignment from my cooking school at the Natural Kitchen Cooking School. Since these dishes were small, I decided to make both in one night to give you readers double the eye candy, to make up for the small hiatus. Both of these dishes have made it to my repeating menu list. The Corny Chowder is definitely a bowl of sunshine. It is so bright that it makes you smile as you're eating it. The secret to the chowder-y texture is polenta, and it works perfectly! With this recipe, there's no need for cream in a satisfying corn chowder ever again! The toasted pumpkin seed and the parsley harmoniously pull the dish together in terms of flavor and texture. They're so essential that I don't even call them garnish in this dish.

The second dish is a Colorful Cole Slaw, and the beauty of this dish is its simplicity. This is what you call a pressed salad. All you do is put all the raw ingredients in a bowl, sprinkle salt and let it sit for at least an hour as it "ferments." Then, you press the water out of the salad by squeezing it dry. Finally, you just season it with whatever flavors you want. In this case, it was just some umeboshi vinegar, topped with some toasted sesame, and, voila!, a refreshing salad. It's a great complement to a soup like the Corny Chowder to complete a meal.

So simple yet pretty and delicious

A great meal anytime

Sweet Beans??? What???

If you grew up in an Asian culture, you're most likely not shocked to find beans in desserts, but as I try to recall, I don't remember ever seeing beans pop up in Western desserts. I've got to say that my Westerner friends are missing out because beans can be exceptionally delicious as desserts.

The most commonly used bean in Asian desserts is probably hands down adzuki beans, especially in the Japanese culture. Adzuki beans tend to be cooked, then mashed into a paste and mixed with sugar to be used as topping or filling in Japanese desserts. If anyone thinks green tea (matcha) ice cream (vegan ice cream, of course) is good, get your hands on some adzuki ice cream. You'd be pleasantly surprised. In the Chinese culture, we use adzuki in mainly our warm liquidy desserts such as this one that I'm featuring today.

Last week as winter is still stubbornly lingering, I started to feel homesick. Yes, I admit it, I miss the beautiful sunshine of California (but I'm still not coming back until LA has a well-built public transportation system). Daydreaming about the winters I had in LA, I started craving the Chinese adzuki bean "soup" that my mom always made during these cold times to warm up our bodies. Determined to bring some Cherng tradition to Amherst, I called my mom and asked for her secret adzuki bean soup recipe.

Luckily, there is a mini Chinese grocery store within walking distance from my apartment, which surprisingly carries EVERYTHING you will need to make any Chinese dish, vegetarian ones included. I had no problem getting the 3 ingredients I needed: dried adzuki beans, lotus seeds and sugar ice. The end result was exactly as the ones that my mom used to make, and it definitely satisfied my homesickness. Oh yeah, and it was also quite nice to have it for breakfast and dessert for the following week. Dessert for breakfast??? What??? What can I say, we Chinese peeps are just rebels like that.

There you go, Connie. Ask, and you shall receive.

Nice chewy red beans and lotus seeds in a sweet broth

Give me some of that vegetarian curry chicken, mon!

Every time I go to New York City for my vegan cooking class, I seek out a new vegan eatery. Since I've been going to my cooking school in October, I have been to at least 10 different vegan/vegan-friendly restaurants. Sadly, I have not been documenting my trips to these restaurants, so I don't have materials to post on my blog. But no fear, my faithful readers who lie awake at night thinking about my blog! (Hey one can dream, right?) I have finally adopted the habit of taking my camera with me to NYC and taking pictures of anything that I want to put on my blog, so look out for entries about neat vegan restaurants that I will be going to in NYC!

In the meantime, I will talk about this eatery that I went to back in November. So when I said that I haven't been documenting my trips, I really meant that I haven't been documenting my trips EXCEPT this one trip to this vegetarian deli called Uptown Juice Bar. When I go to NYC for my cooking class and have no place to stay, I stay at the cheapest but liveable hostel that I can find. During this trip, I was staying at a hostel in the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, and after a scrutinizing search on HappyCow.net, the only vegetarian eatery I found around the area was this deli.

The deli is locate in Harlem, where most of the people on the street seem to be black, with a strong emphasis of the Caribbeans. The storefront is small and plain. The front half of the deli is just as narrow as the door with the juice bar and food on the left hand side. As I was browsing at the selection of cooked food, I was pleasantly surprised. I never would have expected to find wholesome dishes such as kale, seitan, and tofu cutlets at an urban deli. I ordered a 3-item combo and proceeded to the back half of the deli.

As I approach the dining area, I felt I was at a different place. All of a sudden, I find myself in a serene, soulful and spacious room with tropical and jazzy paintings on the wall. In the very back of the deli is a set of double doors that seem to lead to a back garden of some sort. As I was sitting and enjoying my lunch, the sun was shining through the back doors that created a very relaxing and dreamy atmosphere.

So what did I get??? I got curry chicken, collard greens, and cabbage. I was craving greens when I ordered my food, hence the collards and the cabbage (you won't believe how hard it is to find some decent cooked vegetable in NYC). The food may sound plain or look plain, but trust me when I say that the taste is light-years away from plain. The curry chicken was perfectly seasoned, and I can still distinctly remember the freshness of the veggies, especially the natural sweetness of the cabbage. Best fast vegan food I've ever had by far.

On the way out I grabbed a vegan sweet potato pie to go, which was also very satisfying.

So the next time you find yourself wandering in Harlem, seek out this place. You won't be disappointed.

Belarusian Borsh

My boyfriend Max was born in Belarus, a country surrounded by Russia, Ukraine and Poland. The culture is very much like Russia. The main language is Russian, and the food is primarily Russian-originated with influences from other neighboring countries. I have never dated someone or even had a friend from Russia or Eastern Europe, so when I started seeing Max, I was learning something new about that culture on a daily basis. The most "authentic" experience I have had is visiting Max's home in Boston where his mom lives. It was there that I started to see what Russian food entails.

I have had some traditional Russian dishes at Max's house ever since my first visit a year ago, especially on New Year's Eve, which is the biggest Russian holiday. We had an awesome Russian feast at Max's house (My contributions were a tofu lettuce wrap and an espresso chocolate pie. Not very Russian, I know, but they sure were delicious!). Every time I visit Max's house, Max's mom always, without fail, makes borsh, a tomato and/or beet-based vegetable soup.

[A quick disclaimer dedicated to Max, borsh is first of all supposed to be spelled as BORSH, and not borsch or borscht. BORSH is the direct translation from its original Russian name, so all those other ways of spelling that are so much more well-known in the U.S. are just another incidence of American's tendency to westernize and personalize other cultures. Second, there is a variety of traditional borsh. Some borsh are beet-based, some are tomato-based, some are made with beef stock, and others are totally vegetarian. The Belarusian and Ukraine variety is tomato-based and is typically vegetarian. Ok, there, Max. Hopefully I have done Belarus some justice.]

I love soups, so I always look forward to Max's mom's borsh whenever I visit. Finally, after the sixth time I had it at Max's house, I decided to give it a try myself. Max's mom gave me 2 beets and a packet of borsh soup base as symbols of encouragement and hope. "Can a Chinese girl properly make a Belarusian dish??" is what I'm sure was running through her head. Well, I did make it, and it tasted great. It was perfect for the winter weather. Of course, I made a tomato-based version (the Belarusian way) with chunks of beets because I love beets. I topped the soup with a dollop of home-made vegan sour cream, the way that borsh is traditionally eaten. This borsh comes with Max's Belarusian seal of approval :)

A perfect soup for the wintery weathers of the northeast


Loaded with fresh veggies

Enchilada Casserole

The theme of my last vegan cooking class was beans. Along with the theme, we made these enchilada casseroles. You may have also heard of this dish called Mexican lasagna. Essentially, it sort of takes like enchilada, but without all the frying and cheese. The cheese is replaced with strongly complementing ingredients such as roasted tomatoes, olives, green bell pepper, pinto beans, corn, and cayenne pepper.

If you're looking for an equally satisfying alternative to a traditional enchilada without all the fat and cholesterol, give this dish a try. Another great thing is that it's a quick and easy meal. It'll literally take you less than 30 minutes to make it. I made some steamed broccoli to add some color and vitamin C to the dish.

Ole!

3 layers of corn tortilla, full of beans and veggies, topped with some fresh cilantro


Steamed broccoli tossed in some soy sauce, sesame oil, and toasted black sesame

Coffee Crunch Cake

After much encouragement/harassment, I am posting my first post in a long while. A lot has changed since my last post. I live on the East Coast now! My daily activities have changed from being stuck on the I-10 and binge shopping at 3rd Street Promenade to trudging around in 8-inch snow in my rubber boots and stealing free bus rides everyday. I started going to a vegan cooking school in NYC called the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, and I will be selling it short by saying that it has transformed my life.

To meet the demands of my loyal readers, I will be changing my food blog format going forward to a primarily PICTURE food blog. Since everyone nowadays is too busy to read or pee, I'll just be posting the pictures to the food that I cook and/or eat. Of course, I will still include short snippets of my much-acclaimed humor and opinions. If you're a vegan food connoisseur like myself and would like to also venture into the wonderful world of cooking your own wholesome vegan dishes, please send me a message or comment demanding the recipe.

Before I post my first Food Pic post, I have to dedicate this post to my awesome blossom friend, CK. If it weren't for her constant encouragements, be it in forms of motivational speeches or straight-up threats, my blog probably would have fell into the abyss of a lazy blogger. For my birthday, CK gave me a perfect gift. It was a Kitchenaid 7-Speed Hand Mixer of the Cook for the Cure Collection, with complementing pink measuring spoons and cups. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I got it. To show CK my gratification of her awesome gift, I am posting this blog with the first thing that I made with this mixer.

Coffee Crunch Cake
Veganized version of the cake I saw in the most recent issue of Bon Appetit. The crunchy texture is a fun alternative to the fluffy pastry that's everywhere. Not only does it go great with a cup of warm tea, it can also serve as a good snack for those caffeine addicts.

Contains espresso, almonds and chocolate chip


Yummy with a cup of green tea

Max enjoying a piece of Coffee Crunch Cake :)

A Shortcut to Cobblers

I've been subscribing to Vegetarian Times for about a year now, which I get about every 6 weeks or so. I absolutely LOVE the magazine. It's not only got some great recipes (both vegetarian and vegan), it also includes tons of fun and useful information. One of my favorite sections is the Carrot & Stick section where VT points out the good and wrongdoings of various organizations. For example, a "Carrots to" story would be Whole Foods eliminating plastic bags at all of its stores, and a "Sticks to" story would be the FDA approving milk from rBGH- (recombinant bovine growth hormone) treated cows while it's banned in Europe and Canada. Another favorite is the last page of the magazine, which is usually just a page of "fridge notes" giving great tips about general things to better your life and the globe, such as the tips VT gave during a holiday season on how to have an eco-friendly gift-giving holiday. VT is such a great, resourceful magazine. I just wish there were more magazines like it.

In the most recent issue, VT featured one of my favorite fruits: mango! They gave 5 incredible recipes on creative dishes that use mango as the centerpiece, from mango salsa to mango-teriyaki tofu. The last item of the feature was a Mango and Pineapple Crumble, which made my eyes sparkle. If you haven't heard me rave endlessly about the cobblers by Cobblermania, you're missing out. I've never been a fan of cobblers, but since I've first tried Cobblermania's cobblers, it has completely opened my mind and taste buds to the magical world of baked fruit desserts. VT's mango crumble seemed like a quick and easy way to make a cobbler-like dessert, so I thought I'd give it a try. Just the smell of warm sweet brown sugar infused with the tang of mango and pineapples baking in the oven is itself worth the minimal time and effort.



Mango and Pineapple Crumble
Serves 6

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbs chilled vegan margarine, cut into pieces
1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs unsweetened shredded coconut
3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 8-inch-square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice, and salt in medium bowl. Add 4 Tbs. margarine, and rub with fingertips until mixture forms coarse meal. Press together until mixture begins to form moist clumps. Stir in pecans and coconut.

Combine remaining 3 Tbs brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp allspice in large bowl. Add mangoes and pineapple, and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish; dot top with remaining 1 Tbs margarine. Sprinkle oat topping over mango mixture.

Bake 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and juices bubble. Cool 10 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt

I absolutely can't wait to share this with you. It's probably one of the best desserts I've had in awhile (other than Cobblermania's cobblers) --- So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt.

I've actually tried this once before, but that was before I had a food blog. I just came back from a long overdue trip to Whole Foods, and I'm having So Delicious' new line of dairy-free and soy-free yogurt made with coconut milk in Passionate Mango flavor. After trying it for the second time, more than a month since the first, I am again pleasantly surprised by the product. The silky texture and subtle sweetness of the coconut milk complements wonderfully with the tanginess of the passion fruit and mango.

If you like coconut, you've got of give this a try. I have not tried the other flavors, but I'm sure they are equally "so delicious." ;)

Temporary Hiatus

Staying responsible to my readers (a whopping 3, I believe), I just want to give you a heads up on this tiny break of posting. Last and this week have been quite hectic as I'm moving out of my apartment and bidding farewell to my bf, all while staying until midnight at work. All my cookery blogging tools (i.e., pots, pans, dishes, camera, etc.) are currently packed into moving boxes. Once I am completely moved out of my apartment (by August 31 at the latest), I'll be back on my feet and continuing my vegan cookery journey.

Meanwhile, if I can figure out how my camera works now that I lost my Director of Photography (my bf), I will post some pictures of food that I've had in restaurants in the past week. Until then, here's some food for thought:

Did you know...

• Meat production causes 20% of the common water pollution related to consumer expenditures and uses about 860 million acres of land in the United States alone
• One hamburger causes 55 square feet of rain forest destruction and 12 pounds of livestock feces and other pollutants
• More than 100 species of food fish have been driven to full or near extinction due to long lines that can span 80 miles, with thousands of hooks and huge nets that destroy the ocean floor and drown everything in their way
• The average American will eat 1100 animals in his or her lifetime
• Approximately 68% of all deaths in the U.S. are caused by diet-related diseases
• The average American consumes about 50% more protein than the recommended daily amount
• Excess animal protein, which is often high in saturated fat and cholesterol, raises blood cholesterol levels, and can contribute to heart disease, kidney disease and osteoporosis
• Nuts and legumes (e.g., beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts) are excellent sources of protein and fiber---a 3-ounce serving of tofu has 6 grams of soy protein for soft tofu and up to 12 grams of soy protein for the firm varieties

Confused about some vegan food terms? Check out Real Food Daily's menu (a chain of organic vegan restaurants in Los Angeles), which includes a pretty complete list of vegan terminologies: http://www.realfood.com/glossary.htm

Vegan Food Pyramid (click to enlarge)

Animals are friends, not food

"Ciao" on Spicy Italian Sausage

Since I am a self-taught vegan cook, I get my ideas and inspiration from various sources such as other food blogs, vegan cookbooks, cooking classes, cooking shows, etc. Today I want to share one of my favorite and most helpful websites called Everyday Dish. The website is ran by Julie Hasson, a vegan chef and cookbook author. The site has everything from cooking shows to a food blog, to a marketplace where people can buy vegan cookery-related stuff. Of course, my favorite section is the cooking show, where Julie demonstrates how to cook tons of delicious original vegan dishes such as kimchi, crepes, tofu scramble, cookies, salad, and noodles. She also has guest hosts sometimes who have cooked a variety of vegan dishes like cobbler and bread. The blog is basically a written version of the show and includes beautiful pictures of the cooked dishes. Whether you are an inspired beginner cook or are just curious how versatile vegan food is, I would HIGHLY recommend checking out this website. You will be pleasantly surprised at how creative vegan food can be.

I am sharing/promoting this website simply because it has worked very well for me. Recently, I made a dish created by Julie called Spicy Italian Sausage (click on the link for the show or here for the recipe). What I loved about these vegan sausages are not only because they are super delicious, but also because you can spice up all kinds of Italian dishes with these. I have used the sausage in slices for pasta, patties for Cutlet Parmesan, and crumbles for pizza. I absolutely love this recipe! Also, they were quite popular with my omnivorous boyfriend, so I would highly recommend this dish for your next party where you may have non-vegan guests.



Spicy Italian Sausage
Makes 8 links
(altered from original recipe to cater to my pantry)

2 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
2 tbsp granulated onion
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, preferably freshly ground
3 tsp ground smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp grounded rainbow pepper
2 1/4 cups cool water
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the water, garlic, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.

Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. After cooling, the sausages may feel a bit dry on the outside. Don’t worry, as they will soften and firm up considerably after chilling.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Cutlet Parmesan
Serves 4

1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plain soymilk
2 tbsp cornstarch
Panko breadcrumbs, plain
Vegan mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, optional
4 cutlets (Everyday Dish’s Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages)*
1 pound whole wheat angel hair pasta
1 jar marinara sauce of your choice

Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

On a large plate or pie dish, mix together the flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the soymilk and cornstarch until smooth. On a large plate or pie dish, add panko breadcrumbs.

Working with one cutlet at a time, lightly coat each side of cutlet with seasoned flour. Next, dip the cutlets into the soymilk mixture, coating cutlets on both sides. Finally, coat the cutlets with the panko breadcrumbs, making sure to coat both sides well. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Place a large cast iron or other skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to skillet, tilting pan to spread oil in an even layer. Add cutlets and cook until lightly browned and crisp on the bottom. Flip cutlets over, cooking until lightly browned and crisp on the other side.

Pour hot marinara sauce on top of cutlets. Place slices of Mozzarella cheese, if using, or sprinkle vegan Parmesan cheese on top of sauce. Place skillet under broiler until cheese is golden (and melted if using Mozzarella) for several minutes. Watch carefully so that cheese doesn’t burn.

Remove skillet from oven and serve over cooked angel hair pasta. Sprinkle additional vegan cheese and oregano, if desired.

*Instead of shaping the seitan dough into sausages, shape the dough into patties and steam for 30 minutes. Refrigerate cooked and cooled patties overnight.

*~*~*~*~*~*

On a side note, this weekend Max and I went on a small weekend getaway in San Clemente/Laguna Beach. I can't believe I've never been considering I've been in LA for the past 15 years. Anyway, we drove down there and first stopped at Fashion Island (overrated in my opinion) for lunch, then we went to Crystal Cove State Park, a long strip of beach. After, we checked into our bed and breakfast at the Always Inn, where we met the most hospitable hosts you'll ever meet (they gave us complimentary champagne and red wine). For dinner, we stroll the Laguna Beach nightlife and found a Mediterranean restaurant, which had a pretty appetizing bulgar salad (sorry, forgot to take pictures because we were too hungry). Next day, we walked to the San Clemente beach by our bed and breakfast and took some amazing pictures of the beach. The water was absolutely beautiful and so blue that it blended with the skyline.

Crystal Cove State Park

San Clemente Beach

I would definitely suggest a mini weekend getaway in or around Laguna Beach. It is like a resort down there (reminded me of Hawai'i). It was so relaxing to be by the beach and breathing the therapeutic salt water. I definitely needed that little escape before I get back into my hectic life.

Yummy Tom Yum in My Tummy

This past weekend I went to a Pan Asian restaurant in Santa Monica called Buddha's Belly (refer to previous post) for a friend's birthday. If you remember, I got the anti-climatic tofu steak, but I failed to mention that what really caught my eyes that night was my friend's dish. My friend was sitting across from me, and she ordered the Spicy Tom Yom Koon Thai Ramen Noodle Soup. It looked and smelled soooooo good... Basically, it is a hot and sour soup (I absolutely heart Chinese hot and sour soup, by the way). After salivating from looking at her contently devour that bowl of noodle soup, I was determined to make a vegan version when I get home.

There are various types of Tom Yum. The one she had was with shrimp, which is (I think) is the most common version. Traditionally, Tom Yum is just a soup with seafood and mushroom, but I loved the idea of turning it into a bowl of noodle soup, especially because I am a noodle connoisseur. Below is my rendition of a Tom Yum Tofu Ramen. Since it was my first time making this ethnic dish, I have posted what I would do the next time I cook it again. Of course, feel free to tweak the spices according to your own preferences.



Tom Yum Tofu Ramen
Serves 4

5 cups vegetable broth
1 stalk lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 Thai green chilies, sliced (remove some seed for less spiciness)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ramen noodles
6 oz. (1/2 package) firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 canned mushroom
1 cup broccoli
1/2 lime
2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce (or substitute with lite soy sauce)
1 tablespoon vegetarian Thai chili paste (nam prik pao)
cilantro for garnish

Pour stock into a big pot and cook over high heat. Cut the lemon grass stalk into 1-inch pieces, and use the back of the knife to pound the flavor out. Drop the lemon grass into the broth.

Add garlic, chilies and lime leaves (stems removed) to the broth. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until broth is fragrant.

Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and cook the ramen noodles for just a few minutes. Raw ramen cooks pretty fast, so you don't want to overcook it. It will get too soft and soggy if you do, especially if it is going to be served in broth. Drain and set aside when cooked.

Going back to the soup, add tofu, mushrooms and broccoli. Cook for another 5 minutes and turn off heat.

Put a handful of cooked ramen into a serving soup bowl and pour the soup over the noodles. Since it may not be common sense that the lemon grass is inedible, you can take out the lemon grass and the lime leaves for a more "friendly" noodle soup.

Add some vegetarian fish (or soy) sauce, as desired. For a spicier and more savory taste, add the Thai chili paste. Since I didn't have a vegetarian version handy and was too lazy to make my own nam prik pao, I just used a Thai garlic chili paste. I added about 2 tablespoons to the whole recipe to get the desired spiciness (I love spicy food).

Before serving, squeeze a bit of lime juice as desired and place some sprigs of cilantro on top for garnish.


Both Max and my roommate really enjoyed the noodle soup. Of course I did too. It's perfect for clearing your sinus. I love the tangy, spicy taste of the stock. I'm going to play around with the spices and the ingredients the next time I cook it. I may even use soy shrimp... yum...