One Year later: The Truth, Part 1 July 12, 2008

Wow! Time flies when you’re having fun. So I’ve been saying for over a year now (on this blog) that “It’s easy being vegan!” What I haven’t been saying is change is hard. I figure after one year it’s time to come clean.

Changing from an omnivore diet to a vegetarian diet is pretty simple. Most people are accepting of vegetarians and food is readily available almost everywhere. But going all the way — that is, vegan — can be a difficult change and most people like change as much as throwing up. I am one of those people. I am expert on resisting change. Case in point, it took me 19 years to commit to the vegan way.

There are so many reasons why people don’t go vegan as soon as they learn the horrors of animal cruelty. Some are social. Some are food-related. Some are health-related. Some are fashion-related. All are fear-based. Here is what I have learned over the years.

Change
A lot of people are afraid of what others will say. Who cares what other people say! The reason they make derogatory comments is because they are afraid that if you change, they will also have to change. See, it’s a vicious cycle… the more I become me, the more you must become you, and the more “they” must become themselves. But, isn’t this a good thing? If we all stayed the same, life would be so boring. We would all be overgrown, adult babies still sucking our thumbs. Part of being human is changing and growing — that just can’t be denied. Shouldn’t we all be living the lives we believe in anyway? Why not come out of the vegan closet and embrace who you really are?

Others don’t want to give up cheese. All vegans have heard this a million times, if not more. Instead of saying, “I could never give up cheese,” why not give up cheese and see what it’s like before you decide. Try some vegan cheese substitutes. Try soy ice cream. Try soy cream cheese and sour cream. There are excellent products on the market. You may actually feel better eating the soy products. You may enjoy improved digestion and fewer colds as well as other health benefits. Who knows what can happen! If you can’t stand it, then you can say, “I gave up cheese but was miserable. I must eat dairy cheese.” At least give it a go before you decide your fate.

There are those who don’t want to wear ugly shoes. Not all vegans buy there shoes second-hand or at Payless. Not all vegan shoes are made for hippies. Great vegan shoes come in all price ranges these days. The same goes for bags, purses, clothes, outerwear and so on. Check out the shopping links on the right side of this blog for terrific vegan shopping options. You will not be disappointed.

For others, health is a concern. How will I get enough protein? Will I wither away to nothing while eating just lettuce leaves? No and no. There are many medical doctors who promote a vegan diet. Go to Dr. Fuhrman’s site and you will find a wealth of information. It’s easy to be a healthy vegan if your diet consists of a wide variety of foods, and, of course, whole foods are the healthiest. Even professional athletes are discovering the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Check out this recent article on ESPN.com. Inform yourself. Read health-related web sites and books, and talk to a nutritionist. No matter what your diet preference, you are in charge of your health.

So if you are one of those people who are inspired by vegans and haven’t made the switch, perhaps you could consider what change means to you and why you are resisting this change.

to be continued…

If you enjoyed this post, click here to get free updates by email.

Crack Wraps July 2, 2008

Crack wraps are the vegan alternative to crack cocaine. Okay, I’m kidding, but they are addictive. No one can eat just one, which is why my friends and I came up with the name, Crack Wraps. They are super easy to make and require only four ingredients. Basically you make this yummy vegan cream concoction, spread it on a tortilla, roll it up, and, voilá – Crack Wraps.

The magic ingredient is this secret product called Chic-kettes. It’s not really a secret, but it’s not easy to find either. Chic-kettes is a faux chicken product made by Worthington. It comes frozen and pre-cooked. It tastes great in soups, stir fry, casseroles, or straight-up, sliced on a sandwich with some Veganaise.

While not carried by the average grocery store, it can be special ordered by health food stores. In the Chicago area, Chic-kettes can be found at the following locations:

Kramer’s Health Food in the Loop
JD Mills in Evanston
Highland Health Foods in Highland Park

Crack Wraps are tasty, bite-size treats that are great appetizers even the pickiest omnivore will embrace. I recently took them to a party of mostly omnivores and received positive feedback in this regard.

 

Crack Wraps
1 bag tortillas (Try flour, chili, or whole wheat flavors)
Vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup salsa
Chic-kettes (Special order from natural or health food stores. Made by Worthington.)
 
Let cream cheese sit out for an hour or so before making wraps. Once the cream cheese has softened, mix it with the salsa. Ground up about half a roll of Chic-kettes in a food processor. Mix Chic-kettes in with cream cheese mix. If mixture is too thick, add a bit of salsa. Spread a thin layer of mixture on a tortilla and roll up. Refrigerate wraps prior to serving so the cream cheese can solidify again. Just before serving, cut roll-ups in slices.

Serves approximately 4-6 as an appetizer or finger food at a picnic.

 
If you don’t have any Chic-kettes, one of the LightLife Smart Deli faux meat slices would also be tasty. For this substitution, you wouldn’t need to ground it up. The slices could be spread on top of a layer of cream cheese and salsa instead.

Now a quick word on vegan cream cheese. I always use Tofutti Cream Cheese, but the store didn’t have enough when I made the Crack Wraps recently, so I tried the new Follow Your Heart brand cream cheese. The taste were very similar, so either brand works for this recipe. The biggest difference between the two was price. The Tofutti was about a buck less than the FYH brand. Either way, it’s good to know us vegans have options!

If you enjoyed this post, click here to get free updates by email.

“Green” Your Emails June 25, 2008

Save the Earth tip: Remind everyone you know to save paper by adding the following line to your email signature:

        Please consider the environment before printing.

 

If your email program can handle rich text or html, then you can use the complete signature. The picture of the tree that is being used is actually the letter P using the Webdings font. If your email cannot handle rich text or html (gmail, for instance.), then simply use the sentence only without the webdings character. Either way, it’s a nice, gentle reminder to save some trees.

It’s easy and straightforward, so why not do it today and then pass this on to your family, friends and colleagues.

Asparagus Risotto from Lisa’s kitchen June 16, 2008

Now is the perfect time to buy fresh asparagus from your local farmer’s market. Why not pick some up and try this tasty recipe from Lisa’s kitchen? Enjoy!

  Asparagus Risotto from Lisa’s kitchen
Adapted (and veganized) from a recipe in the New York Times

Time 45 minutes
Serves 6-8

1 pound asparagus, peeled, trimmed and cut into one-inch-long pieces, tips reserved
4 to 6 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Earth Balance “butter”
1/3 medium red onion, diced
11/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add half the asparagus stalks and cook until quite soft, at least 5 minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water. Put cooked asparagus in a blender or food processor and add just enough water to allow machine to puree until smooth; set aside.

2. Put stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put oil and 1 tablespoon smart balance in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine, stir, and let liquid bubble away. Add a large pinch of salt. Add warmed stock, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time stock has just about evaporated, add more.

4. After about 15 minutes, add remaining asparagus pieces and tips, continuing to add stock when necessary. In 5 minutes, begin tasting rice. You want it to be tender but with a bit of crunch; it could take as long as 30 minutes total to reach this stage. When it does, stir in 1/2 cup asparagus puree. Remove skillet from heat, add remaining Earth Balance and stir briskly. Risotto should be slightly soupy. Serve immediately.

Summer road trips June 2, 2008

Gas prices are high, but I hope that won’t stop you from a little travel this Summer. My last road trip was to visit my parents in Indiana, which is definitely NOT the most vegan-friendly place on the planet. Despite that, I still find plenty of vegan food to sustain me when I visit.

What always surprises me the most about being vegan is that the people who I think are going to be the least likely to support my vegan lifestyle tend to be the ones who are the most considerate and interested in my good health.

My dad and step-mom are always very accommodating and want to make sure I get enough good food. Why this is surprising to me is that my dad is a hunter, and for whatever reason, I believe in my heart he “gets” why I am vegan, and my step-mom was so excited about finding a “vegan burger” on the menu at Cheeseburgers in Paradise, of all places, that she couldn’t wait to take me there for dinner.

Nonetheless be prepared when traveling. Know your options in advance and be flexible. Are you driving? Taco Bell and Subway are good options for road trips. For instance, I know when I visit my parents, who live in different cities, that there aren’t any vegetarian restaurants, so I have researched online veg-friendly restaurants in both areas. Also, I always bring food with me and stop by the grocery at the first chance when I visit my family. 

In my opinion, it’s just best not to make a big deal out of it, but I refuse to suffer. I always make sure vegan food is available whenever I travel, but know I will certainly encounter delightful surprises along the way. Being vegan is good Karma. You never know where a delicious piece of vegan chocolate cake will pop up.

If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email.

Raw Food 101 May 16, 2008

(Note: The term, diet, in this post does not refer to a weight loss plan, but a way of eating.)

Everywhere I turn lately, I run into information on the raw food craze — from reading about a newly-turned raw foodist finally finding her ideal body weight to an article touting the health benefits of a raw diet. I have even heard of someone who rid herself of chronic fatigue syndrome by moving to an all raw diet. Raw food is popping up everywhere. All over the country there are new raw restaurants, “uncook” books, raw food meetups and potlucks, and raw food speakers and demonstrations. It’s even happening right here in Chicago.

My first foray into raw foods beyond a typical salad or piece of fruit was a few years ago when I went with my veggie dinner club to Karyn’s Raw in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The food was surprisingly delicious but I wasn’t sold on eating this way all the time. About another year passed before I tried another newly opened raw restaurant, Cousin’s IV, in Chicago.

It wasn’t until a raw food demonstration and tasting by Cousin’s chef, Mehmet Ak, that I began to truly appreciate raw food. He was so excited about raw foods and perhaps it was my desire to eat healthier, but I was ready to explore the raw food world. I wanted to know more about the miracles of raw food. Nutritionally raw food is superior to cooked food because nutrients are lost when food is cooked. When you eat raw, your body gets to enjoy more of the nutrients and digestion is easier for the body. Typically my diet is about 60% raw. I eat fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch on most days.

What was 40% more raw food going to do for me, I wondered? So I called up Cousin’s IV and placed an order for a one month box program — fresh, ready-made raw, all vegan meals I could pick up every three days for one month. The first change I noticed was that I loved having fresh, healthy meals available all the time. I was enjoying having someone “cook” for me, and I was eating healthier. There were no processed foods on my table. I started to envision myself as a wealthy woman with a personal chef. I was so happy and grateful. And, then reality hit me like a slap in the face.

I began to notice that I was not finding my true body size. How could I when I was eating so many nut cheeses and desserts? There seems to be nuts in almost every entree or dessert I ate. You see, when you blend cashews in a high-powered blender, you get this yummy, creamy consistency. I know nuts in moderation are healthy. I also know they are high in fat. Yes, high in good fat, but fat is fat. Unfortunately, my thighs do not distinguish between good and bad fats, and they were getting bigger — seriously. My jeans were tight. Period. No, not because of my period, silly. Because I was eating too much of something, and I believe it was the nuts.

I also noticed I had been getting canker sores a lot, and not just one at a time. I had a mouth full of canker sores — up to four at once. This had never happened to me before and to put it bluntly — it sucked. At first I attributed the canker sores to stress at work, but then I did some research. Apparently, this had happened to others eating all raw food, but I couldn’t find any scientific reason for the cause. The most reasonable explanation seemed to be that the canker sores were related to the detoxification process that occurs when switching to an all raw diet. Nonetheless, the canker sores were awful and went away as soon as I returned to my normal vegan diet — a mixture of raw and cooked foods.

Now it isn’t my intention to dis’ an all raw diet altogether. I really enjoyed the food. I also know I cannot eat so many nuts. Lesson learned. There are some proponents who suggest eating all raw food helps the body to renew its cells, so that where cooked foods sustain the human body and keep it alive, raw foods slow the aging process. I interpret this to mean, I can eat to survive or eat to thrive. I am by no means an expert, but if I can thrive and experience more vitality as I age then I would choose this road. I continue to want to add more raw foods to my diet and explore this lifestyle. I do believe that the closer we eat to the Earth, the more natural and healthier it is. For now, my happy compromise is to eat raw and cooked unprocessed foods as much as possible, and to avoid as many prepackaged, processed foods as I can. Moderation is key and this seems sustainable.

If you are interested in exploring the raw food world, especially in Chicago, here are a few suggestions:

• Attend a raw food meetup in your area. The Chicago Raw Food Community hosts a monthly potluck. The food is amazing. These people know how to “uncook.”
• Check out an uncookbook, such as Ani Phyo’s Raw Food Kitchen. Try the Wakame Hemp Power Slaw. Delicious! You can also watch her raw food demonstrations on YouTube.
• Visit a local raw food restaurant, such as Karyn’s Raw or Cousin’s IV in Chicago, or Borrowed Earth Cafe in Downer’s Grove. The Chicago Diner also offers a couple of raw entrees regularly now in addition to their cooked menu.
• Sign up for a raw foods preparation class regularly offered at various Whole Foods locations throughout the Chicago area. 

Chicago City Council Reverses Ban on Foie Gras May 15, 2008

by Jennifer Martin

Foie gras (pronounced “fwah grah”), a gourmet liver dish, made the news in 2006 when the Chicago City Council passed a resolution to ban it from local restaurants. That decision was met with widespread jeering, particularly in the press. On Wednesday, the Chicago City Council unfortunately reversed the ban under pressure from Mayor Daley. It will be left to us animal lovers to spread the word about why people of good conscience, including meat-eaters, avoid this dish.

Foie gras, French for “fatty liver,” is a dish made by force-feeding ducks and geese massive amounts of grain. Their livers expand to up to 10 times their normal size, causing painful and sometimes fatal injuries that have long been documented by avian veterinarians and pathologists. Birds are known to choke or bleed to death after force-feedings; many suffer fractured bones from the weight gain.

While Chicago restaurant owners insisted that an outright ban on foie gras was extreme, what many didn’t realize is that foie gras has been banned in more than 15 countries, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany and Italy. The injuries that foie gras birds suffer are considered too extreme to justify a rare and expensive dish that is enjoyed by only a few people. In a Zogby poll, 79 percent of Illinois residents supported a ban on foie gras when told about how the dish was made.

The great news is, dozens of restaurants around Chicago, and nationwide, have pledged to keep foie gras off their menus. They include famed chefs Charlie Trotter and Wolfgang Puck. Beyond this, many major grocery store and gourmet food chains have taken foie gras out of their stores. To see a list, go to nofoiegras.org and click on “Endorsements.”

If you visit these restaurants or stores, tell them you’re specifically there because they’ve taken the humane step of banning foie gras. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool in changing the world for the better. Ultimately, market forces will eliminate this cruel dish from our menus.

Guest writer Jennifer Martin is a freelance journalist in Chicago.

It’s easy being vegan! pauses for a brief commercial break… April 25, 2008

…or to be precise, a short public service announcement.

 Foster parents needed for homeless cats in Chicago

My good friend, Lisa, who has generously volunteered her time on behalf of homeless animals for years is looking for cat foster parents. In an effort to help her make some new connections, I am posting information on how Chicago residents can get involved.

 Details

The kitties are various ages and sizes. Some need foster situations where there are no other animals; others would be fine in foster homes where there are already existing pets (cats and/or dogs). There are singles and pairs, younger cats, adults — you name it, she’s got it. 

 A few names and descriptions:

Cricket—front declawed, white with black spots
Bobby—front declawed, white with black spots, excellent appetite
Flapjack—a very friendly orange and white male, FIV+
Little Black Cat—shy
Smoke #2—longhaired gray, very sweet
Cali the Calico—extremely friendly and outgoing

If you or someone you know might be interested in fostering a cat(s) in the city of Chicago, you can contact Lisa via email at eward@spencerstuart.com.

Caring for Mother Earth April 21, 2008

 First the rhyme…

13 steps you need to know
to make this world forever go

Recycle paper from a tree
to keep your breath forever free

Keep faucets off while brushing teeth
h2o doesn’t need to flow

Burn less coal, wood and oil
greenhouse gases make us boil

Stop unwanted letters and mail
so this Earth will never fail

Snip plastic six pack rings
save gulls and terns from the sting

Clean up trash by the road
so we won’t see any mold

Use detergents that are clean
flowing phosphates can’t be seen

Save some energy and pay less fees
turn water down to 130 degrees

Don’t go with the flow
Short showers keep us in tow

Ozone depletion through CFC’s
avoiding foam peanuts is the key

Carpool to work everyday
to keep our gas here to stay

Go shopping with a canvas bag
avoiding plastic is no gag

Toxins add to hazardous waste
buy non-toxic to have good taste

Simple things to save the Earth
it’s no trend, it’s the birth
~Christine (1991, Poetry 101)

 Now the lesson behind the rhyme…

In 1991, I was a student at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. For the first time, I learned about Earth Day that year. I attended an Earth Day festival on campus, photographed and wrote about the festival for one of my last projects in journalism school, and wrote a couple of poems for my Poetry 101 class. I wanted to do my part to care for Mother Earth, so I started recycling, a step in the right direction.

Earth Day was a big deal that year, but now it’s 17 years later and once again it’s a big deal. So my question for all of you is this: Is caring for Mother Earth going to be another trend that comes and goes, or are we all going to commit to doing our part — always? What can you commit to on an ongoing basis? What is “sustainable” for you? Recycling? Going vegan? Buying less stuff? Saying no to plastic water bottles? Small steps are good. Do what you can but do something, and keep doing it — day in and day out.

In the past year I began saying no to FREE bottled water at work and started bringing my own reuseable water bottle. I began consistenly bringing my own reuseable bags to the grocery and other stores. I also changed out the majority of lightbulbs in my home to environmentally-friendly compact fluorescent bulbs. I would love to hear steps you have taken to protect the Earth and what you plan to do going forward. Post a comment below and share your ideas! We are all in this together.

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd. Happy Earth Day!

 And now another poem from 1991…

For Earth Day ‘91 (and now 2008 and beyond)
Take the Earth to borrow
for your lifetime

Climb the high mountains
     see for miles
Swim in clear blue oceans
     guided by wild dolphins
Walk on hot sands
     smelling cactus flowers
Camp in great forests
     crowded with Redwoods too tall to climb
Run in wide open fields
     green grass growing past your knees
Bicycle on neverending trails
     feel the wind on your face, the sun on your back

See it
touch it
be with it
don’t break it

What is here today
may become shattered hopes of Mother Earth
destroying the future of 
unknown generations
invited to share
this one Earth with
you

Take good care of her.
~ Christine (1991, edited 2008).

Eatin’ vegan in Hill Country. Yee Haw! April 9, 2008

Being vegan and traveling can sometimes be a beautiful thing. My recent trip to Austin, TX, was one of those times. VegNews wrote up Austin a couple of years ago, and Happy Cow lists many vegan and veg-friendly restaurants in the area. Armed with this vital info, my boyfriend and I hopped a plane to Austin to escape what seemed like a never-ending Chicago winter (until last weekend, of course!). Our flight departed on schedule and once we landed on-time (yes, on-time — practically a miracle in my opinon.), we took a 50 cent bus ride into town. (Seriously, the bus fare is only 50 cents. Is it really 2008 in Austin?) We dropped our bags at a 4-star hotel (where we landed a great deal on priceline.com) and headed out for margaritas.

The next morning we awoke to sunny skies and temps rising to a near perfect 78 degrees by the afternoon. Our first trip together was going swell. I began thinking our luck was about to run out, but it had only just begun! We headed out to rent bicycles. We decided to forgo a car so we could ride bikes all weekend on the bike path around Town Lake. Plus, it turns out Austin has a good public transportation system with local buses and trolleys. (No car necessary. It turned out to be a very “green” trip.) We rode bikes all day and took buses to dinner at night — one vegan feast after another.

Recommendations:

Town Lake Hike and Bike Path: It’s not really a lake, but a 10-mile loop bike and running path. It’s just as crowded on the weekends as the Chicago Lakefront path, but still worth it. If you take a break and sit by the water, you will see turtles, ducks, swans, and other wildlife enjoying life in Austin.

Rent bicycles at the Bicycle Sport Shop. You’ll be in and out in a jiff, so you can have more time for riding.

Visit Casa de Luz for a macrobiotic vegan brunch, lunch, or dinner buffet. The menu is healthy and delicious. We went for lunch and then back again for Saturday brunch. You will leave full and very satisfied, but not feeling guilty because all the food was truly healthy. While you’re there you can check out their tiny macrobiotic store or even take a yoga class.

From downtonwn Jump on the #7 bus and head to Mother’s Cafe and Garden, a vegetarian restaurant with a lot of vegan options. This restaurant reminds me of Blind Faith in Evanston but with more vegan choices. (Did you hear that Blind Faith? We want more vegan options.) We enjoyed two meals at Mother’s: dinner and Easter brunch. Very tasty.

The Whole Foods market in downtown Austin is unlike any Whole Foods I have ever seen. They have an entire prepared foods counter of just vegan foods: half are cooked, half are raw. We had some amazing raw “tuna” that I pray they bring to a Chicago location very soon. I tried to take a picture of the sign above the counter as proof of this vegan wonderland but was stopped by an employee who asked me if I had a permit. Please! If I was trying to steal secrets, I know about better tactics than whipping out my camera in broad daylight. Haven’t they heard about the vegans who go around with hidden cameras in their bags filming at factory farms? Nonetheless, you must go visit when you’re in town. It’s a huge store — 80,000 square feet! We stopped by to pick up goods for a picnic in Pease Park. Yet another nice bike ride and much quieter except for all the people playing Frisbee-golf. Never knew such a sport existed!

We met non-vegan friends at Manuel’s for a very good dinner where we ate vegan enchiladas filled with spinach and mushrooms, topped with a verde sauce. I was prepared to just eat chips and gauc and call it a day, so it was a nice surprise to be able to enjoy good meal at a non-veg restaurant.

Austin is the live music capital of the world, so we set out to hear some acoustic guitar at the Cactus Cafe in the student union on the University of Texas campus. I’m no expert on music but it was good. Probably a little more subdued then other options around town, but right up our alley.

Saving the very best for last…
Dhaba Joy is this tiny little cafe near U of T. It’s connected to a cool toy store, where I picked up a fun book, Porn For Women. (Hold on…it’s not what you think! It’s a very silly book. Check it out.) It’s not really a place you would think of for dinner, but that’s when went and it turned out to be my very favorite. I had a tempeh “chicken” salad sandwich with a side of mac and “cheese”. I couldn’t have been happier, but I love sandwiches and a side of somethin’ yummy. As we ate dinner, I stared longingly at the baked goods on display at the counter. Hmmmm. (I know I should have been staring longingly into my boyfriend’s eyes, being our first trip and all, but how could I when there were cupcakes calling out to me.) I knew there was no way I had room for a cupcake right then. I also knew we would be back. How could we not? They had a cupcake called Love, and that’s just how I feel about cupcakes. (If you know me, you also know this to be completely true.) So off we went to the Cactus Cafe to listen to music. As soon as the music stopped, we were on our way back for cupcakes and Oatscreme (soft-served “ice cream”). The Love cupcake was like a Hostess cupcake except better because it was vegan. Yum. Yum. Yum. The Oatscreme was also very good, but my heart was with the cupcake. It’s a good thing we didn’t go there until our last night in Austin, because I would have wanted to eat every meal here.

If you ever go to Austin, you must go to Quack’s for vegan chocolate truffles. The chocolatiest vegan goodness I may have ever had. Whenever I eat something unbelievably good, my thought process go likes this, “Damn, this is good. How is this possible?” This was one of those moments. Eat one there. Take one to go. You will be glad you did.

I don’t know yet where the next trip will be, but I can’t wait to discover another vegan wonderland.

Soul Veg East available in your ‘hood? April 8, 2008

Did you know there are several shops around town that sell tasty, vegan Soul Veg treats like its mac and “cheese” or jerk tofu wraps, (two of my farvorites)? The following stores sell refrigerated Soul Veg pre-packaged entrees, side dishes, and dinners:

Newleaf Natural Grocery, 1261 W. Loyola Ave., Chicago
True Nature Foods, 6034 N. Broadway, Chicago
Ethical Planet, 1110 Davis, Evanston
J D Mills Health Foods, 635 Chicago Ave., Evanston
Southtown Health Foods 2100 W 95th St., Chicago
Barnes and Noble bookstores on the University of Chicago and DePaul University campuses also carry Soul Vegetarian East foods. The Univeristy of Chicago has four cafes carrying Soul Veg foods, as well.

 

Vegan Fast Food April 7, 2008

Ever since Veggie Bite opened on the South side I was always a tad jealous. So close, yet so far away for us Northsiders. Veggie Bite is now open in Wicker Park making it a little more equal opportunity for all of Chicago. Woo hoo!

Where: 1300 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622
When: Mon-Fri 11AM-10PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-10PM

The Chicago Diner Turns 25! March 30, 2008

Who: The Chicago Diner. Meat free since ‘83!

What: Birthday celebration including specials and prizes

When: Wednesday, April 2, 11AM-10PM

Where: 3411 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60657

Why: Enjoy some of the best vegan food in town

Not sure of your way around the kitchen? March 30, 2008

Empower yourself and learn how to cook. Just like any other skill, once you learn the basics, it just takes practice. And yes, time, but it’s worth it when you can feed yourself healthy and tasty vegan food easily. Before you know it, you’ll be a highly skilled vegan cook and know what’s what in your own kitchen.

There are several cooking schools, restaruants, and other businesses around town that offer vegan cooking classes. I suggest taking hands-on classes, but it can be interesting to watch demonstrations too. Besides taking vegan cooking classes, it’s also a good idea to learn proper knife skills as a starting point. Check out the class schedules at some of the following places for more information. Enjoy and happy cooking!

Cooking Schools
The Chopping Block in Lincoln Square and River North
Fundamentals of Vegan Cooking on May 5 at the Lincoln Square location. Knife Skills offered several times a month for $40–one of the least expensive knife skills classes in town. I took this hands-on class years ago and recommend it for anyone who wants to use knives more efficiently in the kitchen.

Heat and Spice Cooking School in Uptown
Learn how to cook vegan Thai, Indian, and Mexican cuisines. I have taken the vegan Thai class and highly recommend the chef and the food. Spicy and delicious!

Cooking Fools in Wicker Park
Currently no vegan classes on the schedule, but this is where I learned to make seitan. Call and ask for a vegan class! Perhaps they will add one to there schedule.

The Wooden Spoon in Andersonville
Currently no vegan classes on the schedule. Call and ask for a vegan class.

Raw Food Preparation
Cousin’s Incredible Vitality on West Irving Park
Interested in the raw food movement? Learn how to prepare raw food and become a certified raw food chef. Check the website for upcoming classes.

Cru Cacao
This raw food catering company also teaches raw food preparation in your home.

More Classes
Lakeside Cafe in Rogers Park
No classes are currently scheduled. Check their website in the future because this local veg restaurant offers inexpensive vegan cooking classes on a wide variety of topics.

Whole Foods
Class schedules vary by location, but I have often seen vegan cooking classes offered. Some demonstrations are even free.

Cooking Shows on TV
Christina Cooks: Check your local television schedule. (It is on Saturday afternoons on my local PBS station.)

Delicious TV Totally Vegetarian with Chef Toni Fiore
Check local listing for TV schedule.

Lights out. March 28, 2008

Join millions around the world this Saturday, March 29, from 8-9PM for World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour. Save energy and turn off your lights for one hour. You don’t have to sit in the dark, but be sure to light vegan-friendly candles made from soy available locally at Ethical Planet in Evanston.

Earth Hour originally started in Sydney, Australia, last year, and is going global this year. As well it should. Consider it a pre-Earth Day ritual. After all, Earth Day is every day, but officially April 22 this year.