My Vegan Corporate Life

Doing Things I'm Not Good At and Loving It

2012-09-03T15:28:00.004-04:00

The last time I went to the chiropractor she stood there while I was sulking and spouting excuses from my lips about how, "I wished I liked yoga and pilates, but I'm just not that great at it… blah blah blah."

She looked at me and with very kind eyes and proceeded to talk wisdom at me; "Danielle, A-types like you and me need to do things we're not good at. Just put your yoga mat in the back and be proud that you're not good at something."

Which led me to thinking…Maybe I could be OK at it if I actually did it? So, my Labor Day weekend has been centered around the "DO IT!" philosophy. Doing whatever I want, even things I'm bad at. For example:

I took a nap. Usually I fight it. I'm horrible at napping. But on Saturday I couldn't help myself.

I went to yoga. I realized it was hot yoga when I was sat down in the studio (whoops!) and ended up loving every second of it. Even when the teacher gave me a yoga block in front of 30 people. It's cool (it was actually really hot). I'm going back tomorrow.

I went to the driving range by myself. Which is a big deal because it was the 5th time in my life that I had swung a golf club. That and because there are no women. Where are the women? I was the only female there and wearing a bright pink skirt. I totally whiffed and just started laughing out loud, which payed off because a man dropped off an entire FREE basket of golf balls and said "I'm not going to use them." I replied, "Thank you!" But was thinking, I need all the help I can get, you know it and I know it.

I decided to start painting and to use oil paints (OMG!). A first for me and my love of pencil/watercolor. Last week I stocked up on a 30x40 canvas then proceeded to mentally vacillate between subjects. Flowers? No. Food? No. A tree? Maybe. I do love trees. While everyone else was drawing pink hearts on their books in middle school I was inevitably drawing trees. Not the illegal kind - just for the record. But ultimately, no. I tried to find inspiration while running and walking around Portland. Bike tires? Eh, no.

This morning I woke up and just started painting. I clicked on iTunes and bam! "Blackbird singing in the dead of night…" So simple. I decided to add the bird. Then I bought the new Jason Mraz and painted for the remainder of the morning.

Step 1: Place the canvas in a walking path so that you have to paint.

Step 2: Use tape to your advantage.
Go with your gut. I had an entire thing in the right hand corner. It was bad so I took it off.

Step 3: Let it dry. Don't touch anything.
Wash your hands with Olive Oil.

I hope your Labor Day weekend has been full of relaxing, fun and adventurous new things. And if it has not been all that you had hoped for, try again tomorrow.

Thanks,
Danie

Purely Entertaining: Pure Vegan Cookbook

2012-09-01T09:48:00.001-04:00

When the Old Port is filled with tourists in Portland, Maine, I usually try to avoid every part of commercial street. This time, however, I was leisurely walking up and down the grid with my very on tourist in tow… Sarah, my friend from Massachusetts.

We perused through the merchandise at one of the shops. You know the "shops" I'm talking about -- lots of white linens and Maine beach give-me-a-canvas-bag-with-a-starfish gear. I think there was also lots of hand-stitched merchandise and scenic Maine coasters.

Anyway, that's where I saw the Pure Vegan cookbook and convinced myself, "Yes, it's your birthday (in 2 weeks) you deserve it!" My birthday I Deserve Things barometer usually extends the entire month of July.

So I bought it. The photos are fantastic. The recipes are a mix complexity and curiosity. I just tried the cover photo recipe, Tomato and Three-Bean Salad and it was wonderful. We paired it with Trader Joe's vegetable pasta and seitan, dressed with organic red sauce. Needless to say it was a filling meal with promising leftovers.

Baked Ratatouille is on my list when the chill of fall hits and Garbanzo Bean and Tomato Soup will also be in the line-up of MMs (must-makes).

I think the book is really for the Vegan Martha Stewart's of the world. The sub title does state: 70 Recipes for Beautiful Meals and Clean Living.

So here's the deal.

If you're looking for something functional, everyday cuisine, this isn't your book. It only really highlights two major protein sources (beans and tofu) without any recommendations for some of other hearty staples we vegans love. For instance, seitan, tempeh and quinoa are nowhere to be found. Lentils do get a shout out in the Polenta with Wild Mushrooms, Hazelnuts and Figs recipe, which will be a hard sell to those meat-eaters in my life.

What I'm saying is even if your life is like the book trailer and seems to be filled with shiny, young, my-closet-is-only-filled-with-flowing-dresses and seagulls and tofu and reminders of morning, noon and night and beautiful people and rice. It only really highlights 2 major protein sources.

My recommendation is buy it off Amazon at half-price. It makes a good entertaining / statement coffee table book.

Thanks,

Danie

Eden and Acadia: Vacation Heaven

2012-08-26T16:43:00.001-04:00

Maine's majestic coast and superior forest do indeed prove to be one of the Earth's greatest treasures. Let's face it, sometimes the things physically close to you are overlooked regardless of how remarkable they may be.

This summer, Joe and I decided we were past due on a trip to Bar Harbor. We stayed one night but really needed at least three to take in the magnificence of Acadia National Park.

Tuesday morning, when my jarring iPhone alarm went off at 5:30am we managed to pack up the remainder of things, hop in the car and drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain for sunsrise. The experience proved surreal for two reasons. First, the top of the mountain had a higher human to tree population at 5:55am than I had seen in the park the day before. Second, because most people were in pajama pants and sweatshirts, trying to hide heavy eyelids to their morning mountain comrades and were focused on looking over a cusp of the Earth. Camera and iPhone in hand of course.

"Second star to the right, and straight on till morning"

Sidenote: I just want to throw out a suggestion to the park to increase revenue. How great would a coffee stand at the top of Cadillac Mountain opened 10 minutes before sunrise be? I'm sure you could pay a college kid to run it. I'm not saying you need to offer Wi-Fi or anything and soft seating, but seriously, any coffee would be a hit with the tourists. You can call it the The Cadillac Mt. Caffeine Fix. Extra bonus for souvenir Cadillac cups. You're welcome.

I highly recommend that if you do venture to Bar Harbor, force yourself to wake up early in the morning and see the sunrise. If I didn't know the origins of the novel Peter Pan, I would have taken the view of the lush tiny islands as a writers inspiration for a perfect Never Never Land.

Anticipating there would be limited options in the vegan realm I stocked up on protein bars. To my surprise Joe said that he researched and actually found a vegan restaurant. I was ecstatic and rightfully so. It is the first FULL SERVICE ONLY VEGAN cuisine restaurant I have found in Maine that, in my opinion, is on par to other well-known restaurants in metro areas.

I am disappointed there is not another in Portland.

The place is Eden and I had no idea the food would be great until we received our appetizers. Because I wasn't expecting to do a full review, I didn't take copious notes. However, here is a brief summary of the food we enjoyed.

Bread: Baked lavosh strips

Appetizer:

Beer Battered Pickled Jalapenos & Onion RingsHouse-Smoked Maple Barbecue Sauce, Creamy Herb & Garlic Aioli $8

Entrees:

Joe ordered…Singapore Noodles
Wok-Charred Cabbage, Broccoli, Onions, Carrots, local Fresh Tofu, & Rice Noodles,
Fresh Chili, Kefir Lime, & Lemongrass Yellow Curry

I ordered...Almond & Panko Crusted Soy Seitan Cutlets
Pan-Fried House-Made Soy Seitan Cutlets, Sauteed Greens,
Chilled Yukon Potato & Charred Leek Salad,
Dijon, Caper, & Dill Vinaigrette

Dessert:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie. Yum.

Click here to visit their website.

I would say pass on the martini, it was much too strong for my liking. The beer options were great.

Bad lighting - but TOTAL vegan comfort food. Amazingly good!!

Definitely venture into Eden if you're in Bar Harbor. I plan to make it yearly ritual. There is also a small health foods grocery store so you should have a problem finding a plentiful amount of vegan-friendly fare.

Thanks,

Danie

Gentlemen of the Road Tour: Mumford, Music and Vegan Beer

2012-08-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

Well, that was fun.

Did you go? It was awesome. A plethora of people and music and sunshine and fireworks and people and more people and dancing. The Eastern Prom in Portland, Maine was a perfect place for the kick-off of the Gentlemen of the Road tour. The bands were fantastic and I actually walked away with a list of “must look-up on iTunes” immediately.

I have to admit that there was one thing I was a little disappointed in. One thing that makes music festivals awesome. I’m not going to subject you to a diatribe of pro-vegan animal rights stop-serving-hamburgers-at-concerts bull crap because, let’s face it, that’s never going to happen. The masses like their hamburgers. I’m also not going to complain about the lines or the fact that the blanket room was minimal at best… those are but minor mishaps. I’m happy we got an outside concert in Portland, Maine and that it was Mumford.

Let’s consider something more important. Something some might consider a close number two after the music… the beer.

I think the real question is: How do you put on a hipster concert in the middle of Portland, Maine without considering vegan brew?

(Don’t think it was hipster concert --- did you see the PASSPORT you were carrying in as your ticket or ANY of the vintage signage a’happening? How about knitted shirt/dresses with bright accented sunglasses – and of course the skinny jeans. Totes hipster concert.)

Passport into Mumford and friends musicland.

Hipsters like vegan beer too.

Shipyard and Gritty’s are not vegan, which were the only beer options. Don’t believe me? Barnivore says so. Which wouldn’t be a big deal if you could leave the concert, but there was no re-entry.

I know us veggies are not a big crowd, but please, take a look around the city of Portland. There are 12 gazzillion veg-friendly microbrews in (or in close proximity to) Portland, Maine that could have been served. It’s not necessary to name them… (Allagash, Maine Beer Company, Rising Tide, Baxter Brewing Co., it’s cool).

Plus, I’m not sure if you know some vegans. There is a small percentage of us that are fanatical, pedantic and well, fucking crazy at best. Some vegans get angry when they pay for $70 worth of concert ticket with no beer options. I’m not an angry vegan. But when we take over the world some day (as noted in the most ridiculousness of ridiculous articles by The Alarmist , Alarmed by Vegans!!!. You should read it to prepare.) there will need to be some re-consideration of the way these concert deals go down.

I feel as though I’m doing a service to the other vegans on the next three stops of the Gentlemen of the Road tour. We vegans need to look out for each other. Good luck!

Thanks,

Danie

Summer photo files: Random and wonderful

2012-08-03T15:04:00.000-04:00

Lone bike attached to the stop sign.

Neville and his chew toy.

Perfect.

Ridiculous.

Ernie focused on my veggies chips….

Summer shoes.

Aprons… love 'em.

Acadia the beautiful… more to come on this...

AND

Allie and Charlie got married!

Vacation Station: Vegan in Vegas

2012-06-17T13:28:00.001-04:00

First and for most, Happy Father’s Day! There has never been such a relevant post on father’s day as this vacation post about Las Vegas. Clearly, hearing about my time in Sin City is a duty I must uphold on this on this sacred day. My family will be celebrating later, so right now – I have nothing to share until people get presents. Father's Day spoilers are not allowed.

So that being said…let's go to Vegas.

When you fly through Denver you get snow capped mountains to look at.

At the beginning of this year I reviewed my calendar and realized that if I wanted to take a vacation, it would be best to leave before the department transition that was about to happen. (Before my promotion: Read here).

So after about three months of trying to figure out where we should go, Joe and I decided on Vegas. Vegas was on our bucket list.

We booked a stay at Aria and started planning our trip. With everything I had heard, it would be Disney on steroids but for adults.

Vegas had a few surprising takeaways. The wind tunnels were more extreme than I had thought. The wind actually conquered a girl’s skirt as we were making our way down an escalator by The Mandarin Oriental, only to get the comment of the guy behind her, “You just made my night Marilyn.” Lots of wind.

And when did Vegas become a family hot spot? the amount of kids I saw was utterly… well, shocking.

But all that aside the thing I love about Vegas is that you can do whatever you want. You could wear sweat pants, you could wear a show girls outfit, you could walk around with a snake and people just go about their business without any real sort of negative criticism or care in the world. It’s much more of a, “Uh, It’s Vegas” attitude -- which I found a bit refreshing in the midst of pure commercialized insanity.

Because I forgot to take notes and my memory is escaping me at times on the details, here are the top 8 things I liked most about Vegas. Some vegan, some just noted for fun purposes.

8. The Bellagio Fountains – Right like you don’t automatically think of Ocean’s 11. I do. The water breaks up the concrete strip. It's pretty and the music is classic.

7. The Wheel of Fortune Game - So basically I lost every time I played this game, but it is a lot of fun. If you like slots you should try it.

6. The outside moving walkway by The Bellagio - I know this is weird thing to be on a top favorite list for Vegas but I seriously loved it. It feels like you're floating outside. Some of you must be thinking well maybe she's never been on a moving belt or something? Not true. I also am not a fan of decreasing the chances for the public to get exercise, but there is something about being able to float along the walkway and enjoy yourself.

These photos are of the lobby area within the Bellagio. They're beautiful.

5. The Aria Experience. I say experience, because the room was completely digital and it took us about 20 minutes to figure out how to turn on the lights and open the curtains. The pool looked lovely, however it wasn’t really warm enough for us swim, unfortunately.

The actual structure of Aria is modern and beautiful. There is a waterfall wall (say that 10 times fast) at the front entrance. We didn’t have a view of the strip, but our view was serene - in a flashy kind of way. Also, Aria had a few chic bars and the Elvis show.

The hotel is part of City Center and had a pub style restaurant directly connected to it, where Joe and I got drinks and watched The Master's.

Aria Lobby. Daisy Ceiling Garden.

View from our room.

Watching The Master's...

4. Ka and Elvis Cirque du Soleil Shows - we went to two Cirque du Soleil shows. Joe fell asleep at one of them, while I was captivated through both.

Ka is a dark tale that brings you through multiple, amazing battle scenes. I honestly never knew Joe fell asleep until the show ended and I asked him what he thought about the production. When his response was, “It was OK”? I replied with, “What do you mean OK? Did you see the two men on the circular pieces jumping rope and running? It was amazing!”

That’s when I realized he actually didn’t see that part because he was sleeping. I laughed. It’s Vegas.

The Elvis show was also great. It highlighted many more traditional acrobat moves expected from Cirque, all to the sounds of Elvis.

3. Wynn Buffet - We only ate at one buffet during our trip and we strategically selected The Wynn because of the reviews I had seen online.

Steve Wynn is a vegan so all of his restaurants accommodate vegans easily. The Wynn was a good 10-15 minute walk from Aria. But it gave us the chance to see the other notable resorts, The Bellagio, The Palazzo, Mirage, Ceaser’s Palace etc.

The buffet has many diverse choices and labeled options for vegans. Salad bars, stir-fry, soups, veggie rolls, fried rice, breads, cookies, and more. Joe could get meat stuff, I could get veggies and it was delicious.

2. Hoover Dam – If you go to Las Vegas, I highly recommend visiting the Hoover Dam. We rented a car for a day at Aria and booked it out there for a tour. It’s amazing.

The tour guides are awesome and the structural complexity and magnitude of the pieces are a bit surreal. Not like Grand Canyon wondrous, but definitely unbelievable to think that men could build something so culturally important and physically tenacious in 1931.

We took the full tour because Joe is a history buff and I just like exploring.

On the bridge overlooking the Hoover Dam.

1. Wing Lei at The Wynn – To celebrate my promotion and our vacation in Vegas, we decided to make reservations at Wing Lei. I had read good reviews online from other vegan bloggers. The dining area was wonderfully decorated with gold finishes and bright statement colors.

The food was delicious. There was a full vegan friendly menu at the back of the dining portfolio and I ordered the best cocktail I had in Vegas. I don't normally order full mixed drinks,they’re usually too sweet or to tart for my taste. However, this drink was delicious. It was their signature martini and I believe had a hint of pomegranate.

I didn’t feel as though I should take pictures because the atmosphere seemed more reserved, but you can get a sense of the restaurant through their website.

So our time in Vegas was great. If you're traveling there as a vegan -- there are mounds of options. My advice is to call ahead and make it to The Wynn.

If all else fails there is a Walgreens located in the middle of the strip near City Center. Grab some snacks.

Thanks,
Danie

Chunky cherry (vegan) granola

2012-06-10T13:08:00.001-04:00

There is serene calmness at my house today. Much the way I feel when there is a meager wind across the lake during a summer afternoon.

I’m not sure if it’s the sunshine booming in through my kitchen, or the multiple plants that I purchased yesterday, but I am happy this morning. Living things in constructed space always seem to make me happier.

Regardless, I had an intense yearning to put on my lovely polka dotted apron and craft something delicious.

On a side note, can I confess something? My life is always much more creative with music. For some reason the time seems to escape me when music is playing in the background. Not like when I’m watching TV and my brain is only concentrated on one screen, attention fixed. Alternatively, music allows me to go in and out of concentration and therefore allows my thoughts to run off on pathways that bring me to interesting observations. It’s a much more creative process. I think this is one the real benefits of Sunday mornings and why I love them so much.

So my music choice today? I decided to listen to Mumford & Sons while I composed the beginnings of the chunky granola recipe. Which brings about another confession…I honestly have never listened to the entire Mumford & Sons CD and I’m going to see them in August. They will be playing in Portland, Maine August 4th on the Eastern Prom and I GOT TICKETS! Woohoo! Have you seen the Gentlemen of the Road website? It’s actually a very cool design. Check it out.

Another thing I love about Sundays - no make up. Just sunshine and Lots'O'polka-dots.

I love when my boyfriend buys me flowers.
I mean, I picked them out and brought them to the register, but he paid. So technically he bought them for me. 10 points for Joe. :-)

So anyway, let’s get to the granola.

Granola isn’t granola to me unless it’s chunky granola. Chunky granola is where it’s at.

2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/4 Cup Garbanzo flour (high in fiber in protein!)
1/4 Cup Flax meal
2 Tablespoons Raw sliced almonds
1/4 Cup Raw sunflower seeds

1/4 Cup Dried Bing cherries1/4 Cup Light Agave

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Vegan cane sugar to sprinkle on top if desired.

(Makes about 4 cups of granola)

Process

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place raw sunflower seeds and almonds on a cookie sheet. Toast until golden brown. About 10-15 minutes.

STEP 2: While you're toasting the sunflower seeds and almonds, start to combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl mix oats, flour, flax meal, and cherries.

STEP 3: Take out the sunflower seeds and almonds from the oven and increase the heat to 350 degrees. Wait a few minutes for the sunflower seeds and almonds to cool. When done, combine with the dry mixture.

STEP 4: Now add the vanilla and the agave and stir until all portions of the mixture are consumed by the agave.

STEP 5. Take the mixture and place into a greased pan. I would recommend greasing the pan with coconut oil, but use what works best for you. Spread the mixture about 2-3 centimeters thick and press down with a wooden spoon until flat.

SIDE NOTE: I prefer using smaller pans because they crisp the edges, and therefore increase the chance of chuck. However, if you want to use a larger pan OR a smaller bite size muffin pan or other cookie bar pan feel free. Just make sure you adjust the cook time for the appropriate pan.

STEP 6: Sprinkle vegan cane sugar across the top if desired. Place pans into the oven (at the 350 temp) and cook for 20 minutes or until the granola is golden brown. When finished, let cool and shuffle into a storage container or your breakfast bowl/sandwich bag.

I hope you enjoy the rest of this Sunday! I'm going to go wander to the art store and continue searching for a decorative clock for my kitchen.

Thanks,

Danie

Food finds through photos

2012-05-31T21:30:00.001-04:00

Farmer's market finds taste better...

Fiddleheads!

Gazpacho in a jam jar. Like this isn't the best entertaining idea...

And of course, drink and be merry...

The WIML post: Literacy, clay shooting, zip-lines and more

2012-05-28T12:21:00.002-04:00

There were multiple points during last week where I was thinking, “What is my life?!”, which for those of you who don’t know me can be interpreted as “How did I get myself into this?” and/or “Why is this happening?” No, but seriously, the week was a bit hectic.

Below is the “WIML?!” sequence. Let’s begin.

WIML#1: Veep for literacy no more (Monday)

My time on the Board of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Saco-Biddeford sadly ended on Monday. I have been on the board for 4 years and I will miss the people and the cause. The last meeting was a weird feeling. I am essentially giving up something that I have grown attached to over time. Something I never realized I cared that much about until I said goodbye.

It was time for me to spread my wings and move on. I always find it sad to leave something that I care deeply about. But I will leave the importance of literacy and volunteering for another post, on another day.

I did bring vegan cookies to the meeting as a peace offering. They were Liz Lovely Ginger Snap Dragons, Cowgirl and Cowboy cookies. I think I'm tied for a favorite between the ginger cookies and the oatmeal walnut chocolate goodness.

Have you tried them? They are so good. The calories are not so good, nor is the sugar. But the taste is good. Try them for the taste.

Ginger Snaps. Yum
Photo credit: Liz Lovely

WIML#2: Clay sport shooting and guns (Wednesday)

Clay Sport Shooting. Let me make something clear. I live in Maine, but I have never shot a gun in my life. I have never held a gun. I was never even allowed to own a toy gun unless it was a Super Soaker.

Some people are really comfortable around guns. I am not one of those people.

My body seems to have a nervous physical reaction when I hear the word “gun” and my mind reels something similar to, Don’t get that thing near me. Oh my god, oh my god.

So when one of my favorite co-workers decided she wanted to go to LL Bean for clay sport shooing as her last hurrah at the office, I decided not to think about it. I actually made a conscious effort not to think about it all until we were literally driving into the shooting range in Freeport, Maine.

We parked in the sandy lot and walked over to the tent to hear a very long list of safety rules from our instructors. One was a Maine Guide, the other was a retired Marine. They were both very sweet and brought us through how to hold a gun, load a gun, and particular safety things that I never thought I would be learning.

Oh my god, oh my god.

Me and my 80's sunglasses sport claying it with help from the instructor.

The big question is, Is it really right for a vegan to be shooting a gun? Here is my take, I don’t like guns and I probably never will. But they are machines just like everything else and we were shooting at clay – so why not? If we were shooting at actual living things, I would have definitely not taken part of any portion of the activity – AT ALL.

After the experience I’m glad I did it. Why? Not because my right shoulder and arm are bruised from the kick-back or because I’m ever going to be comfortable being in the vicinity of guns. Or because I now know what the whole “report” “simo” terminology is. Or even because I actually had the best score from my team. (I think it was beginners luck, but leave it to the vegan...WIML?!)

I’m happy I did it because it reaffirms my belief that only certain people should EVER be allowed to carry guns, ever.

It did make me have an appreciation for people who can actually hold a gun, as they are heavier than what you might expect. My arms are going to hurt for like the next week. To make it even more humiliating, the super sweet instructors told me at the end of the afternoon that the gun I was actually using a “youth” gun.

Luckily my day job doesn’t involve guns.

WIML #3: Annual shareholders meeting (Thursday)

When you’re a “spring chicken” like me. And you work at a company where the shareholders meeting is conducted by people, mostly men, who are at least 15-20 years older than you. You realize that they tend to reference “times” that you don’t know about.

It’s not your fault. You don’t remember the times in reference because you weren’t born yet or you were just too small to care about anything other than the songs to Beauty and The Beast.

Don’t get me wrong. I want the company I work for to be run by people with experience and expertise in conducting big business.

It’s just a very surreal (WIML?!) moment where you realize you are in a room with some of the most powerful people in your business world and you’re one of the only people under 30. And that despite the business suit and expensive necklace you wore for this meeting, you were most likely the only person listening to Jay-Z on the way into work.

Notice the generation gap.

WIML#4: Zip-line fun (Saturday)

About a month ago I received an invite to a bridal party and bachelorette outing for my friend Allie. In classic Danie style I emailed my RSVP back to the matron of honor and marked my calendar, then raced off to my next work assignment. All the time thinking I just signed myself up for a cute luncheon and a potential ropes course.

Climbing up trees and shimmying along ropes, really, how hard could this be?

So a few weeks later when I received an email stating that I would need to sign a life waiver for this event, I was a little dumbstruck. A life waiver for a ropes course?

Which was when I realized I didn’t sign myself up for ropes course, but ZIPPING along the rope. The longest “rope” in the continental US. Go team.

Instead of high heels, short dresses, and other crazy things that come along with bachlorette parties, we packed into a few cars and made it to New Hampshire.

Maine in the summertime = perfection.

I thought the zip-line was fun and not nearly as scary as I had anticipated. I love rollercoasters and don’t really have a problem with heights, so it was actually an equable experience for me. The sky was clear and you could see the green mountains of New Hampshire for miles.

After everyone finished we had a sparkling cider toast and then headed back for a cookout. The bride-to-be was happy. And at the end of the day, that’s all the matters.

So speaking of happy. Is it wrong to take photos of the gifts you want at your friends bridal shower? Haha. Above is a 3 slot lasagna pan! PERFECT for people who have multiple eating preferences in one household. I thought all you vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, meat-eating families would enjoy this just as much as I did.

Have a great Memorial Day!

Thanks,

Danie

Mom's Super Kale Recipe

2012-05-25T17:07:00.000-04:00

It's the weekend! Woohoo! For this special Memorial Day weekend I am sharing with you Mom's Super Kale Recipe. Given to me by my one and only mother.

It's super for two reasons:
1. Kale is awesome and fabulously nutritious
2. The recipe is SUPER easy to complete

I'm also sharing this recipe with you because the bitterness factor, which can deter people from falling madly in love with kale, seems to disappear with the mixture of olive oil, onions and broth.

Enjoy!

Good for dinner and left over lunches. Yum.

3/4 Cup Onion Chopped (or more!)
1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5-6 Cloves of Garlic
1 Bunch of Fresh Kale (Or a medium sized bag of Kale)
1-2 Cups Vegetable Broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Process

STEP 1: Clean kale and remove stems. Chop kale into smaller pieces as desired.

STEP 2: In a large skillet with cover, saute olive oil, onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.

STEP 3: Add kale and cook on medium-high heat, turning every few minutes until kale is fully wilted.

STEP 4: Add broth and reduce burner to a low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook slowly until the kale is tender, continuing to stir every few minutes.

Thanks,

Danie

Simple sweet tooth suggestion: Justin's PB Cups

2012-05-20T10:46:00.002-04:00

Right now it's Sunday morning workweek meal prep time. The time where I break out the tupperware and see how much I can prepare for the next 3-5 days. Meal planning is essential. Quinoa is a top fave, as well as whatever I managed to gather at the store.

Yesterday, I actually made it to the Portland Farmer's Market, so I have a few local leafy swiss chard greens and some fabulous cilantro that I will crafting for my meals. I actually think I'm going to make this recipe, minus the butter of course. I also have some new local tempeh options. Which for those of you that remember I hate tempeh, but not this tempeh, this local tempeh is awesome.

Wouldn't it be funny if Swiss chard inspired the range of lipstick colors in today's society. .. I'm just saying, it would be an interesting line.

But this post is actually about a simple sweet tooth fix suggestion. Which can be cured by Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, don't be fooled by the milk chocolate package, dark chocolate are ONLY are vegan acceptable. They're pretty tasty and come with a packet of two scrumptious pb cups. Which is perfect for me since I can eat one and save one for "later". Which turns out to be 1-5 minutes after I've devoured the first. It's great because I don't have to make a batch of like 24 homemade PB cups, because honestly I don't have the time. The time I do have, I would rather spend plotting out useful meals.

Designate your time wisely, but if you're looking for a quick sweet tooth fix - Justin's PB cups are a good choice.

Hope you have a great start to the week.

Thanks,

Danie

I’m back, promotion in hand

2012-05-19T16:43:00.002-04:00

Well howdy, it’s been a while. You’ve heard me say it…life gets busy. But I’m back with a promotion in hand! Which reminds that my “about me” section is out of date and therefore is taken out of the left hand navigation bar until further notice.

Anyway, I’m a manager now. Super excited about it. My sedulous work ethic has paid off. Go me. (We rarely pat ourselves on the back, so I’m taking this opportunity.)

Back to the writing board, finally.
Busted out this post in the air - thank you mini seat tray.

During my last business trip to Tennessee I was scanning back through previous VCL posts on my iPhone and was seriously laughing at some of the things I managed to write over the past two years. I noticed that there was a blatant trend. Most of my posts were very vegan, but not that much corporate.

I can’t promise to change the content toward more business related things – I mean vegan stuff is just more exciting to talk about. Plus, I have so much to write about from events while I was away.

But today, let’s talk about corporate work. Let’s talk about one of the terms that makes me feel all suit and 1980’s black pumps. Let’s talk about professional development.

People love professional development. While I kind of grimace at the term, I actually really love the concept of what it represents. And about a year ago I realized that professional development really means strategically plotting the next 5-10 years of your life. Even if you don’t know what your life will bring or when the change will happen. It’s a direction.

It’s talking to people, learning more, growing up, realizing that you don’t know anything and touting your skills all in the same sentence. “Sure I've never completed a media transaction, but I’m a fast learner and can adjust to teams quickly.” It’s nodding and agreeing with people and presenting your own point of view in an interesting, non-controversial way.

Let me give you newbies to the corporate world a hint. When you hear the word “corporate” you may think old, archaic, static, and potentially men in grey madmen like suits. And to be quite honest most of that may be true depending on the company. Once you realize however that corporations are anything BUT STATIC, you open a world of learning opportunities for yourself.

You are the only person responsible for your development. The sooner you learn that the better. Yes, there will be people who point you in the right direction like a steadfast golden weather vane. But for the most part you are on your own in this worky-work world.

There may be times when you feel as though you’re not on a career path, but the yellow brick road to OZ. You will encounter Wicked Witches. Your colleagues will become your affable friends and hopefully will sustain courage, heart and a brain. There are no ruby slippers. And if you’re lucky, truth will prevail behind lots of smoke and mirrors.

But don’t give up. Talk to more people. Make the decision to be the best at what you do. Job-shadow, interview, volunteer for more projects. When I realized I that I was in charge of my own professional development I did all of that. I found that most people went out of their way to help me. I gravitated toward professional women and they were more than happy to give me advice.

Ok, it wasn’t ALL great. I did run into a few personality road-blocks and someone did question the legitimacy of my resume, which left me a little stunned and kind of bitter. But I didn’t let it get me down. I just kept trying to learn more, became even more appreciative of those who helped me and grateful for the information I was receiving.

Let’s go back to courage, heart and a brain for a second. The first and last seem to be the things that HR Professionals look for in candidates. If they’re intelligent and stand up for what they believe in, then they can get the job done. But I think if you want people to like you (which you may or may not care about), then the second quality is where you ultimately win. Real leaders have all three qualities.

As I embark on my first job as “manager” it’s an interesting mix of feelings. Previous experience has treated me well. There are some things I will always do, some things I will never do, and even more future things that I will leave to hard work and perseverance.

So keep on keeping on. Until next time (which will be soon.)

-Danie

Mary’s Walk, Vegan Zapoteca, Mo & More

2012-03-11T18:18:00.001-04:00

Life is busy. Enjoy!

First, things are a changing. I can feel it. This morning when I woke up I viewed the Weather Channel iPhone app. The hourly forecast said 70 degrees. I was ecstatic. I practically jumped out of bed.

Then I realized it was Vegas. Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. Not Portland, Maine.

I retreated immediately back to bed.

When I got up for good I finally threw on a light fleece, ear warmers, and running gloves. It was a perfect day to run in a road race. Joe, my Mom, Stepdad and I made up the group Nana's Dream Team. We walked to the KerryMan Pub in Saco and ran the 5K to Thornton Academy. Mary’s Walk is a road race to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation. Visit the site: http://www.maryswalk.org/

Me: Oh 365, that's a pretty significant number.
Joe: Why? Because it the number of days in a year.
Me: That and it's the Whole Foods brand.

There are multiple things I love about road races. The endorphins, the free bananas, the silly wardrobes people wear, cheering from strangers. But one of my favorite things about road races is old people.

Old people are the best. Every single road race I’ve ever run in has had some old marathon looking man in all fluorescent garb jogging at a snail’s pace. The entire time he smiles and tells me that I’m “doing a great job”, “keep up the nice work”, “just around the corner and you’re home free”.

Really? Shouldn’t I be telling you this?

If I had the breath to answer back I would. But usually I just smile and keep running. They just seem so nice.

The only person that has ever trumped an old person in my running “career” (career used loosely here) was a very intimidating woman in New Jersey. It was my first road race and a half-marathon. It was raining. I was tired. I didn’t know the course. I didn’t really train. I had wayyyy to many clothes on. It was mile 12. My feet were inching toward the finish line and out of nowhere a woman on the curb started yelling like a drill sergeant. I thought she knew somebody, so I didn’t really react until I realized she was staring right at me.

“Your body is going to tell you to stop, but your mind, your mind needs to tell you to just keep running!”

She sounded angry and soulful all at the same time. So I listened to her. I just kept going. And going. Until I reached the end. She really was my savior. It was a different approach from the old people, but effective just the same.

Second, Mo is the new addition to the Maine Beer Company line. Yay! I haven’t tried it yet, but it has been reported by a random taste-tester (Joe) that the pale ale is particularly hoppy. I just wanted to make vegans and all Maine Beer Company fans aware.

Third, I made it to Zapoteca in Portland, Maine this past Thursday for dinner. It was awesome. They have an entire Vegetarian and Vegan menu with about 5-6 different dishes. The best part is that you don’t have to call ahead. They just have the menu ready, all the time! It’s awesome.

I am going to recommend Zapoteca for the next business dinner. It’s hip, meaty, veggie, and filling. I will say that the atmosphere is a bit loud and I wish there were more art on the walls. The light fixtures were interesting, but the walls were literally blank. It just felt like for the type of full food being presented that the atmosphere would contain a bit more warmth.

Anyway, check it out if you’re looking for something new. Cheers.

Lastly, who knew The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book was so amazing? Probably everyone. I know I’m behind on this trend. I purchased this book about 2 years ago and it has been lying dormant on my bookshelf waiting for a reader. So finally I have answered the call this weekend. The first part of the book I found hard to read. The plot lines seemed fragmented. After page 70 I was hooked. Reading is what I will be doing for the remainder of the evening to savor every last bit of Sunday.

But really, it's good.

Have a nice start to the workweek.

Thanks,

Danie

Top-notch (vegan) Business Dinner at 555

2012-03-03T12:41:00.000-05:00

This past Wednesday a few business partners from Boston were in Portland and decided to take the advertising group out to dinner, which turned out to be one of the best business dinners I have ever experienced.

I have gone to multiple events in Portland, and surprisingly, a lot of chefs are not that willing to help vegan diners. It can be really difficult to find a quality restaurant that will equally satisfy both the omnivore and herbivore. I was actually dreading going to 555 until I saw on their menu to call ahead for vegan meal accommodations.

I’m not writing a full restaurant review because I was gravely unprepared for the evening to blog. Also, I had enjoyed most of my courses before I convinced myself to take pictures. I always think it's rude to bust out the iPhone in the midst of dinner. Our group of eight people indulged in a 7-course meal at Five Fifty-five in Portland, Maine. I will say that if you ever want to impress a vegan client and you have a large group, 555 is a great place to go.

First, I was the only vegan and/or vegetarian of the bunch and felt like my vegetable dishes had just as much consideration as the meat dishes. Second, when we arrived the atmosphere was quiet and our table was strategically placed on the second floor. Third, every meal option was unique and paired with a complimentary wine.

Another thing that made the dinner so interesting, and something I think they only do for large groups, was that they presented the “feast of forty flavors”. Which is a list with all of the noted ingredients. After each course you go through your list and select the different items you thought you tasted. It’s fun and interesting and actually kind of hard for a food commoner. The list is more extensive with meat options.

The service was great, the food was delicious, and overall it was a wonderful business dinner. I highly recommend 555.

I honestly liked it so much that Joe and I are planning to make reservations for Petite Jacqueline during Maine Restaurant Week, since it is owned by the same people as 555! The menu is not usually vegan friendly as it highlights most traditional French food, but it did note that their will be vegan options for restaurant week. I really hope it has the same quality and pleasing atmosphere. Can't wait!

Thanks,

Danie

Hearty Vegan Fare at Cafe Indigo….Concord, NH

2012-02-26T12:39:00.002-05:00

Cafe Indigo

www.cafeindigo.com

128H Hall Street, Concord, NH

Oh, how I wish Café Indigo was closer to Portland, Maine because I would go, probably too much for my own good. Sarah, my best friend from Providence College, and I decided that it had been way too long since we had seen each other. So we met in Concord at Cafe Indigo and stayed for 2 1/2 hours catching up on life!

It was a windy day yesterday driving through New Hampshire and the sky was like a floating painting. The clouds were picturesque above the tree line.

These are the picturesque clouds:

MY Experience

Rating: 5 of 5

The atmosphere is pretty quiet with soft music in the dining area. It's not your typical cafe. It's a bakery, lunch shop in a commercial building with the food prep area in the back. When you first walk in there is a freezer with vegan dinners and veggie patties, etc. There’s also a fridge and a bakery counter to buy goods and order food.

The specials are listed on a small chalk-board by the counter where you place your order and then seat yourself, much like Local Sprouts. There’s a plethora of tables for parties of two, but also a few larger tables to accommodate bigger parties. They have colorful artwork on the walls that make it a warmer feel.
Both of the times I've stopped at Cafe Indigo the staff has been extremely helpful. There is a younger woman that works the counter who is sparky and attentive.

My Food

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

So the greatest thing about Café Indigo is a vegan diner can eat virtually everything on the menu.

Appetizer

There aren’t appetizers listed on the menu, but I’m sure if you wanted something first you could ask. I actually like the fact that there aren’t appetizers because my meal was filling and Cafe Indigo is a place where you need to get dessert.

Entree

Sarah ordered the Homade Veggie Burger and thought it was delicious. I was persuaded to go for The Rachel, their vegan ruben, and I’m happy I did. I will say that the veggie burger had a more organic, earthy taste to it comparative to The Rachel. It tasted like something you would want during the summer right off the grill. It was comprised of rice and black beans, along with other veggies.

The Rachel was also delicious and consisted of a seitan patty, which made it a pretty hearty sandwich. Seitan = lots of protein. The coleslaw and special sauce were also very tasty. Both dishes were served with blue tortilla chips.

When I go back I will probably try the ToFishy or Falafel Burger. (We are going to Burlington in May so I will be back soon!!)

Dessert

I think this is the category where they get major points.

Since Café Indigo is most known for their Carrot Cake, and it’s sold at the Portland Whole Foods, I decided to try their other baked good options. I purchased two cookie bars, one chocolate chip and one oatmeal raisin. Much to my surprise I found the chocolate chip fabulously sweet, a bit too sweet. Don’t worry, I still ate it. Sarah loved her chocolate chip cookie bar as well. The oatmeal raisin cookie bar was basically like I had died and gone to heaven. It was so good.

Last year when Joe and I were traveling to Burlington, we planned a detour to Café Indigo. We picked up a classic Whoopie Pie, which I also highly recommend. They also have, cupcakes, regular cakes, carrot cake and more!

Drinks

Sarah and I both had water. There was the option for organic soda, but we skipped it for the H2O.

Cookie bars.

Carrot Cake at Whole Foods

Below is the most updated menu on their site. They also have a brunch menu listed, but for some reason my computer couldn't download the image.

Art credit: Cafe Indigo

MY Logistics

Rating: 4.6 of 5

Ranking this category is actually kind of funny because I actually drove two hours from Portland, Maine. Sarah was driving up from Massachusetts and had about an hour to drive.

I’m giving this category a 4.6 because unless you know exactly where the location is, it’s a bit hard to find. Once you know where it is it’s as easy as Vegan Pie. It's actually pretty close to the highway exit from I-93.

The café is located in a commercial park. Use your GPS to find the address and once you enter the parking lot take an immediate left. Follow the road until you see the Café Indigo sign on your right. Once you’re in front of the cafe there is more than enough parking.

For one veggie burger with chips, one vegan Rueben with chips, 3 cookie bars and one pumpkin whoopie pie the bill came to about $25.00. There is a tip jar by the counter which you will want to include in the total price because of the extra effort the staff puts in.

Overall

Rating: 4.73 of 5

I think the vegan dessert is the best thing about Cafe Indigo. That being said, I haven't gone enough times to really find my "favorite" food. It's a Cafe, so you're not going to find elaborate vegan dishes, just hearty fresh fare. For me, it's the perfect place to stop or order from on the way to something else. If you're around Concord, you're lucky, because it would be a good place to find cheap food when you're too lazy to cook. Stop by Cafe Indigo if you get a chance and make sure you look for their sweets at Whole Foods!

AND as a bonus, Sarah gave me this purse from bungalow 360. I thought it was adorable.

Thanks,
Danie

Photo Files: A Classic Vegan Valentine

2012-02-18T10:17:00.000-05:00

Vegan Heart Chocolates from Rose City Chocolatier - I definitely was not expecting these. They're dark chocolate made with beet sugar. Delicious! It looks like they have Corporate Gifts on their site too! So far my favorite one is the Coconut Chocolate right below the red heart shaped piece above.

Joe and I wen to Figa for dinner. It was a great night out and a place we had wanted to try for a while. The atmosphere has a small neighborhood type feel. He ordered the fish and I got the Black Bean Cakes with Tomatillo Salsa Verde. The sauce was pretty amazing. The menu is meat oriented, however, they seem to be accommodating to veg and gluten free diets. Prices are normal for Portland, Maine and can be a bit on the expensive side. They also have homemade sorbet on the menu but I saved it until next time so I could enjoy a piece of my vegan chocolate heart.

Thanks,
Danie

Vegans are Everywhere

2012-02-16T17:22:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it gets lonely in the vegan world when you are the only person that chooses not consume or use anything animal in your family, business team and/or social circle. I even forgot how comforting it is to have someone share in my veggie opinions every now and again. I’m not complaining. I know that the choice to surround myself with carnivores is my choice alone.

Yesterday, while I was having my blood drawn as part of annual check-up, a younger-looking nurse commended me on being vegan. She stated, “I wish I could be vegan. But I really just love dairy.” Then she started listing all of the diseases that I decrease the risk of acquiring because I follow a vegan diet.

It was really flattering, especially for me – a person that doesn’t push, but truly believes in the ideals of veganism. Thank you for not rolling your eyes or pronouncing that my lifestyle is anything less than healthy.

On another note of loneliness, I receive the Wall Street Journal every morning at work. Today as I was browsing through the paper pages I noticed an article titled, The Delivery Guy Who Saw Lin Coming. I’m not a basketball fan, but I will be attending a Big East game this weekend thought the article looked interesting. The article states that Ed Weiland, the 51-year-old FedEx delivery guy who lives in Oregon, “Saw Lin Coming” after the stars time at Harvard.

Silly me, vegans are everywhere.

My Paper Heart & Weekend Catch Up

2012-02-15T22:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I celebrated a makeshift Valentine’s Day. It was makeshift because to avoid the couples out to dinner in Portland, I will actually be celebrating Valentine's Day on Thursday. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Portland's food scene – it happens to be a food mecca and restaurants are packed most of the time. Check out the Food Map.

The postponement of my cupid day holiday did not go over well with the ladies in the office. I showed up to work in a full black outfit and was immediately attacked with a pink heart and matching paperclip to be worn the remainder of the day. Practically a feelgood scarlet letter. (See photo below).

My Paper Heart - Go Team.

I’m hoping for easy sailing to a table set for two on Thursday. Missing the Valentine’s crowd and beating the Friday night rush. Whichever way you celebrated Valentine’s Day, I hope if was lovely and full of, well, love.

So, clearly I haven’t blogged in a while. Why? I don’t have a good excuse. The best thing I can conclude is that I was in PJ’s for 90% of the weekend watching this show. I can’t even mention the name because it’s so addicting. I want to watch it right now and I can’t because I have to blog and do other important things! Ugh. I’ll give you a hint. There are maids, butlers and a family with three young girls that all have English accents. Thank you, PBS. Thank you.

The other exciting thing I did this weekend was my taxes. Just kidding. Was book a trip to Vegas. Oh Vegas, a place I never actually thought I would go. A place I never really wanted to go except to check something off my bucket list. Which is exactly what I’m doing. I thought Yosemite or Key West or Austin and landed on…Vegas.

Hello sunshine and pool bar and fun sparkly dresses.

A little Google search will tell you that the owner of Wynn hotels is a VEGAN. Or is according to most of the articles via the web. All of the restaurants in his hotel offer a vegan option, which I am super excited about. There was a brief moment after booking the flight that I was seriously considering which granola bars I would be packing each day for this trip. Now thanks to Steve Wynn and Tal Ronnen I have found myself in a Wynn-Win situation.

More to report on Vegas as it gets closer.

The last thing I will share with you tonight is general applause for Starbucks. I would like to thank Starbucks for finally bringing The Two Mom’s in the Raw Bars up to good packaging standards in their stores. I had given up on these bars for about year due to the air in the packaging - which made the bars stale.

This morning as I ordered ice coffee, I reached down and randomly grabbed the bar hoping it would be edible. To my surprise it was actually soft! It may be a fluke, but I really hope it’s not. The bars are Vegan and one of the only bars I like not made with dates. But seriously, what’s with all the darn dates in vegan bars?

Dates make my mouth swollen and I feel like semi-crying every time I eat a bar that has it as the main ingredient. It’s unfortunate because I enjoy the taste of Larabars. All of the Larabars have dates. Boo to dates.

That is all for now. Have a wonderful evening!

Thanks,

Danie

A Few of my Favorite Things

2012-01-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Hello friends and a happy weekend to you. Just wanted to share a few of my favorite things. One is random, but if you've been a consistent reader you've probably picked up by now that sometimes I post random things.

My theory is, life isn't all about the veggies.

1. TJ's Soyaki. It's a fabulous veggie-tofu stir-fry addition. I like it because it has more flavor than just plain soy sauce, but doesn't have an overbearing taste. Add rice and a Circus Boy and you've got a fine Friday night meal.

2. Urban Decay vegan palette, make-up and eye-sticks are pretty awesome. I received this from a close friend for Christmas last year and I use it pretty much every day. The eye sticks seem to last forever. I own a purple and black one - and a black glitter version. They clearly mark all of their vegan options on their site and sell products at Sephora.

The other great thing is that they keep their vegan consumers up to date. For instance, the eye primer in the product below was traced back to production and found not to be vegan. I visited their site and the information was clearly listed in red.

3. Audra Mae (this is the random one). I'm going to bet she's not vegan.

Sometimes I forget how great live music is. I went to see Matt Nathanson with a few friends in Portland, Maine. Luckily we got there for the opening act because I thought she was amazing.

Is it a tad ironic that I'm listing a song called Milk & Honey on this blog? Possibly, however her voice has so much body to it that you should listen to her sing. If you don't soy milk jokes I suggest you skip the first part of the video (and learn to laugh a little). Life is too short not to appreciate the talents of others.

4. Recipes from Co-workers. Yum. Never underestimate the thought of a generous co-worker. That's why you have office scanners. In addition to copying the regular reports and such.

Thanks,

Danie

Love it. Local Sprouts Cooperative…Portland, Maine

2012-01-19T23:44:00.001-05:00

This post is so overdue I don’t even know how to explain my life.

Local Sprouts Cooperative

www.localsproutscooperative.com

649 Congress St. Portland, ME 04101

Let’s begin. Local Sprouts Cooperative is probably one of the best places to eat in Portland if you’re looking for veggie, local, organic and utterly fulfilling meals. They serve food that is not only delicious but local (hence the name), which makes every Mainer feel good.

I truly appreciate the menu at Local Sprouts because it’s one of the only places where Joe and I can go out to eat and not feel like either one of us is going to compromise taste. He has plenty of meat options and I have plenty of vegan friendly goodness.

Local Sprouts is also home to Bomb Diggity Bakery, which supplies the Café with vegan and traditional treats. Check out their site for more information and to see their Vegan options.

MY Experience

Rating: 4.75 of 5

One of the best things I love about Local Sprouts is that I could feel comfortable at any point of my day. It's the type of atmosphere where being chill is necessary, even on a Friday night. I can walk in with my work clothes, with my running clothes, with no make-up or baseball hat and the staff would still be congenial and willing to answer my questions.

Place your order at the counter and seat yourself. The employees will bring out the food when it's ready. The room can be packed at times, so finding a place to sit requires a little bit of strategy depending on the influx of people. They have tables that seat 2-6 people and a bar.

Live music also makes the atmosphere that much more enjoyable. Check out their calendar.

My Food

Rating: 5 out of 5

Oh! The choices… Salads, soups, sides, sandwiches and more! Depending on the season they offer a variety of vegan choices. I’ll also let you in on a little secret, LC doesn’t skimp on the amount food they serve per plate. I have always received gracious portions and end up taking food home or saving it for later.

Appetizer

I had the small side salad, which was actually pretty big and most definitely tasty. Made mostly of leafy greens, it had a traditional salad ambiance.

Entree

Joe ordered a meat sandwich. He loved it. We actually realized that the last time he went there he ordered the same exact sandwich without realizing it.

I enjoyed Sesame Tofu Stir-fry with seasonal vegetables over Rice. The meal was a lot of food, but tasted wonderful. For veggies it had carrots, broccoli, onions and much more (I can't even remember the diversity supplied in the dish). I would definitely order it again.

Dessert

I picked up a Bomb Diggity Vegan Whoopie Pie for the road, because let’s face it, when you find a good Vegan Whoopie Pie (which is basically never) you should buy it and eat it.

So that's exactly what I did.

Drinks

We both ordered a can of Baxter Brewing Co.'s Amber Road Beer. All of Baxter's Beer is listed on Barnivore as vegan, so feel free to enjoy! Yay!

My small salad. My full meal was the first picture!

Drinks.

Joe's sandwich the last time we went to Local sprouts.

My tempeh sandwich when we went there before, with rice and veggies. Order your food and take it to go.

MY Logistics

Rating: 4.75 of 5

If you live near downtown Portland you may be able to walk. Local Sprouts is located between The Portland Museum of Art and Longfellow Square. Parking can be hard to find. Street parking is available if you’re lucky!

For a salad, a meat sandwich, a Sesame-tofu feast, two Amber-licious beers and a Whoopie Pie we paid about $35. We actually used a LivingSocial $10 Coupon and paid $25 - so that was a score.

Overall

Rating: 4.83 of 5

Local Sprouts is a great place to go for lunch or dinner if you’re looking for affordable and delicious vegan food. You’re also supporting Maine farmers, which I think is a great thing.

So, if you’re looking for a great to enjoy food, support a community-focused business and hear some live music, make sure you get to Local Sprouts!

Thanks,

Danie

Coexist Football-Birthday Party Recap

2012-01-15T17:09:00.000-05:00

"Let's just have people over to watch the Pat's game on Saturday." Was the response I got from my boyfriend Joe when I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday.

Yes! Wings and beer! (And veggie platters….oh my.)

In the effort to make it a party with equal veggie opportunities we started planning the food list. Mostly of traditional finger food, but also some new stuff. Everyone invited decided to graciously bring more items, which left a plethora of food staring at me at 1:30a.m. while picking up the apartment.

Luckily the game was at 8p.m., because I spent most of my day feeling like this girl. I tried to make a homemade family recipe from Joe's grandmother for the cake and it was an epic fail. So epic that at the end of the second try I thanked Betty Crocker for her fine box cake skills, decorated it to the best of my ability and went on my way (like five hours after I started). I will master the original recipe one day...

Thank You, Betty.

Equal opportunity food zone. Veggie platter, puppy chow and pizza rolls.

The other successful items that I meshed together are posted below! Vegan Puppy Chow and Pizza Bread Rolls. Yum.

Lastly, I got the All-Star decorations from target. They're pretty sweet. Oh and of course, the Pat's won so a Super Bowl party may be in my future.

Thanks,

Danielle

Simple Vegan Puppy Chow & Green Pepper and Onion Bread Rolls

2012-01-15T17:03:00.001-05:00

I remember puppy chow from pasta parties back in high school. Seriously, so yummy. It's also fairly sugary, so I try to make it for special occasions only. Pizza rolls are fair game for basically any Friday night. Enjoy!

VEGAN PUPPY CHOW

1 Cup Organic Unsalted Peanut Butter

1 1/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Vegan Chocolate Chips (I use Trader Joe's!)

1/4 Cup (Or 1/2 Stick) Earth Balance

6 Cups (1 box) Nature's Path Organic Heritage Bites
3-4 Cups Powdered Sugar (I use Whole Foods Sugar - mentioned on their food blog, that it is vegan.)

1 Large Paper Bag (Like a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's bag)

Process

STEP 1: Melt peanut butter, chocolate and Earth Balance in a small sauce pan on medium heat.

STEP 2: Pour the Heritage Bites into a large mixing bowl. When wet ingredients are completely melted, stir into dry cereal. Mix until every piece is completely covered.

STEP 3: Place cereal into a paper bag and add powdered sugar. Make sure the bag is completely closed and shake until all the pieces are covered. Add more sugar as needed. Place in freezer until ready to serve.

GREEN PEPPER AND ONION PIZZA ROLLS

1 Portland Pie Pizza Dough (Found at Hannaford Supermarkets) or you can make your own, just be cautious of the necessary cook time and judge accordingly

1/4 Cup Pastry flour

3/4 Cup Pizza Sauce
1-2 Cups Chopped Green Pepper

1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion

1/4 Cup Shredded Fresh Basil

2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Process

STEP 1: Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. On a flat surface sprinkle 1/4 cup pastry flour. Roll out dough in a long rectangular shape until dough is about 2-3 cm thick.

STEP 2: Place ingredients on bread, keeping in mind that you will roll the dough from the horizontal side of the rectangle. Spread sauce, add green peppers and onions. Add the basil to top third of the bread roll.

STEP 3: Roll dough evenly across until it's completely folded, usually 2-3 times. Place on baking pan (usually line mine with non-stick tin foil) and brush olive oil over the top of the bread roll. Bake for 13-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

I recommend that you check the center of the bread roll to ensure that the dough has cooked entirely. If not, slice the roll in a couple places and put back into the oven let cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Let the bread sit for another couple minutes and slice. You can also warm up the extra pizza sauce for dipping!

Thanks,

Danie

Holiday Hodgepodge and 6 Things To Note

2012-01-10T00:33:00.000-05:00

A final holiday recap post and a few things to note. I realize this post is probably overdue, however I actually made a conscious effort not to turn on my laptop for an entire week. The work phone was also shutdown. The iPhone remained ready for action, as it was a necessary tool to uphold my responsibility of attempted Words With Friends domination.

It was a failed attempt in some cases, but I held my head high and continued matching necessary vowels and consonants.

My holidays were split between Rhode Island, Illinois, and Maine – in that order. While I was traveling here and there I noted a few things that I would like to share. (Rhyming is not one of them…)

1. If all else fails, bring a veggie plate.

My relatives are lovely, especially around the holidays. They do try to accommodate me in every part of dining and I offer to help. But there is no denying it. They like meat. They devour cheese. Quinoa is about as appetizing to them as the slab of cod fish is to me. I have tried to make more gourmet food only to sit laughing at the expressions of faces at the moment of indecision.

This year I decided to buy hummus and make a veggie plate. It’s not exactly vegan creative, but it is popular. Simple is sometimes the best option.

2. Boys will be boys.

The presents before they were seriously violated.

Toys! Chaos! Toys!

Just let the chaos happen.

We tried to make the present distribution civilized, we really did. With a house full of 20 people waiting to see the enlightened expressions on the kids faces, it only five minutes into the gift giving that my cousins and I realized we needed a game plan. Sorry, should have marked out a game plan. At that point it was too late and the remaining space between the boys and the sea of gifts under the tree had been permanently breeched. There were three boys, ages 5-1 that were going to tear through the presents whether we liked it or not.

3. New Year's Resolutions are great. Life-style changes are better.

I reached my two-year mark of being vegan on January 1, 2012. It wasn’t a New Year's resolution from 2010, it was changing my way of thinking and my habits. New Year's resolutions are hard to live by because they designate such a short time of your life! Choose health for life, not just for a year.

Here are some tips for getting started.

4. Have faith in your host (or multiple people catering to your vegan needs).

This year I had the pleasure of visiting Illinois for Christmas. Traveling can be a bit stressful at the holidays, especially when you’re the only vegan visiting a 5-person non-vegan family. My flight was FULL on Southwest from Providence to Chicago on Christmas morning. I definitely was not expecting the crowd.

The family that I was visiting this Christmas was more than welcoming to the vegan lifestyle. They made sure they gave me options at every meal over a three day period. Here are some samples:

Vegan Cinnamon Muffins
Tofu-Veggie Scramble
Salad
Roasted and Stacked Portabella Mushroom
Moroccan Couscous
Bread Rolls
Apple Crisp and More!

I was super grateful for the extra effort that was placed in creating “Danie-Friendly” Dishes.

5. Go for a Walk.

It’s peaceful and fresh air helps you think. When the holidays get too overwhelming, bundle up and go for a walk. I took the pictures from a swing set, because we stumbled upon a school and who doesn't love the swings!

6. Read The Hunger Games Trilogy.

I think this series let me hit my book quota for 2011 in the last week of December.

I know this one is random, hear me out. The Hunger Games, Have you read it? OMG I’m obsessed. (That’s appropriate because of the genre and age group right? Maybe that’s never appropriate…I apologize).

I’m not usually a Tween-reading book gal. I read up to the third book of Harry Potter, which became redundant, and haven’t touched the Twilight series because the craze of screaming fans, not the vampires, scared me away.

While waiting for my flight from Providence I opened the first book of The Hunger Games and was immediately captivated. I even avoided sitting next to a nice older gentleman on the plane because I knew he would try to pursue conversation and the three hour flight to Chicago really isn’t that much time! (Does this make me a bad person?)

I finished the first book in one day. The second book, Catching Fire, I finished on the flight home and I lucked out. We were suspended in the air for 40 minutes from Hartford to Providence because the wind was too intense for us to land. High winds = more reading time.

The third book, Mockingjay, I purchased on New Years Day and read it in about three days sporadically. As I was buying the last book in Target I thought, “If anyone see me, I’ll just pretend I’m buying it for my 11 year old cousin”. But now that I’m confessing my love to you, I guess there was no real point of concocting that plan in the first place.

My favorites were the first two books, the characters are believable and you feel for Katniss (the heroine) after you realize the reality of her world and what she sacrifices.

The actual Hunger Games are a lottery of children from 12 districts in which they are forced to battle to the death each year in return for more food for their districts. The Capitol runs The Hunger Games as reminder of the strength and control they hold from the last war. I’m not going to give you a full book review because the books are easy to read and interesting. I also don't want to spoil it if you haven't read them yet. If you’re looking for something new I highly recommend the Hunger Games Triology.

And the first movie comes out in March… I will be going.

Lastly, for those of you that made a New Year's Resolution to transition to a plant based diet in 2012, I wish you the best of luck. For everyone else, veggies and meat-eaters alike, I wish you the best personal health for the upcoming year.

Thanks,
Danie

Hipstamatic-Holiday Love

2012-01-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

Hipstamatic, so fun.

It has taken me a week, but I'm finally at full force since the holidays. Go team. The holiday season rarely feels like a vacation. I hope you had a nice start to 2012! I celebrated 2 years of being vegan on January 1st, so my New Years was pretty fabulous.

I will a have more extensive post up shortly.

In the meantime, take a look at some of my favorites from the holidays. They're not traditional images of Christmas trees or sweaters with reindeers or presents…. I think of them more of the silent, but essential moments.

BabyCakes NYC Apple Pie Recipe

Joe & Ernie

She's crazy… we must be related.

Fluff is spent from the commotion.

Thanks,
Danie

The Snow that Forgot to Stick

2011-12-24T07:29:00.000-05:00