lemon pepper tofu & white bean spread sandwich

with shredded carrots, red onion, and sprouts, on homemade bread
a typical lunch around these parts...

eggplant with chinese peanut dressing

steamed white eggplants with spicy chinese peanut dressing (peanut butter, vinegar, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt, chili paste, ginger, cilantro) and cilantro stems
from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

Pizza!

It seems that others, upon discovering that one is vegan, often lament the sadness that must be life without pizza.

Allow me to quote Dan Piraro from an old VegNews magazine:

As an Italian American, I know a little about pizza. My grandparents immigrated to America from Sicily at the turn of the century with little more than the clothes on their backs, too many children and a pizza recipe. I grew up eating my grandmother's pizza — real Italian pizza — and guess what? It didn't have cheese on it. Yes, you read that correctly — Italian pizza does not always have cheese. Furthermore, it doesn't always have meat, either.

Anyhow, they only wish that *their* cheesy pizzas were this good. It was loaded with zucchini, mushrooms, olives, artichokes, peppers, 'homemade' seitan, and some fennel. It isn't yet baked in the foto, of course. Really, we would recommend using slightly fewer toppings in order to bake everything well into the middle — but once you start, it's hard to stop!

In conclusion: yes, vegans eat pizza. :)

chocolate cordials

New Years toasts: Venezuelan almond liqueur in tiny Belgian chocolate cordial cups (a Christmas gift from Renate's parents)
one of the best drinks I've ever eaten :)

stuffed chilis & ragda patties

Whole jalapeño chilis stuffed with spices, then fried in a chickpea flour batter, with tamarind and mint sauces.


Ragda patties (Indian potato patties) with white pea masala, topped with tamarind chutney and fried noodles

Both from Sukhadia's, in Manhattan.

Blueberry Scones

It's time to start planning New Year's Day brunch!

senegalese fried tofu & plantain gnocchi

Senegalese crisp-fried tofu (in lieu of fried chicken) over fried plantain gnocchi and baby bok choy, with dijonnaise sauce
From A Bistro, in Brooklyn.
One of the tastiest meals I've ever had... honest!

kale & kasha latkes

A tasty Hanukkah experiment - kale, kasha, and potato latkes
(not pictured: horseradish topping)

breakfast tacos

for lunch!
a roadside treat on a recent trip to Austin, Texas.


fried potatoes, beans, peppers, and onions


the fried avocado special on the right!

Indian cauliflower greens

Don't throw out those cauliflower greens! Just cut the leafy parts off of the stalks and sautee them for around a half hour with your favorite seasonings, and they're really tasty.
These greens were added to fried onion, garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek, urad dal, salt, whole red pepper, and a dab of brown sugar, then sauteed till soft.

veggie pita

I apologize for the horrible photo (the restaurant was lit with bright red lights!) but this pita sandwich was too good to not post. It's from Pita Saha, a great little student joint here in Syracuse. Their menu clearly lists which sandwich fillings and sauces are vegan (along with vegan appetizers like stuffed grape leaves, salads, spinach turnovers, etc.)

I got my pita with all the veggies: lettuce, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, and some other ones I'm forgetting, and I asked for plenty of tahini sauce. This really hit the spot, and for a shade under $4 was a great reward after a long day of research and writing in the library.

Watermelon with Bittersweet Chocolate Shavings

On the eve of an ice storm, I want to remember this summertime dessert courtesy of Vegetables Italian Style, by Viana LaPlace. Watermelon pieces are mixed with brandy and sugar and then chocolate shavings are sprinkled on top.