A little while back I reviewed the stellar cookbook “Veganomicon”. One of the authors- Isa Chandra Moskowitz- has a couple other celebrated books under her belt. Theres “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World” as well as “Vegan with a Vengeance”…this woman is blessed with magnificent talent. Along with being so skilled shes also very sweet…after I reviewed her book she emailed me a lovely personal “thank you” for my efforts. That gesture won me over. I already respect and applaud Ms. Moskowitz, but now I like her. Jesus…a thrice published celebrity vegan chef that’s polite as well? Unbelievable. (more…)

I’ve been looking for a great vegan/vegetarian restaurant that would take me on as an apprentice. I wanted to work in a kitchen under the guidance of a brilliant chef. As an apprentice,  I was hoping to be exposed to things I haven’t seen before, learning through a genuine experience as opposed to a classroom environment. Well, I found exactly what I was seeking at a local restaurant that is… I can not emphasize this enough- AMAZING. I mean this in every capacity. Firstly, the food is imaginative, delicious, tasty and just altogether flooring. (more…)

Getting home from my apprenticeship (more on that later), I find myself unsurprisingly hungry. A beer and good food fast is the first order of business… well, maybe the beer comes in first, followed by food. Tacos. Done deal… quick, convenient and easy. There never seems to be a time when I don’t have the ingredients around my kitchen.. beans and veggies- shells are the only things I have to double check. Spontaneity in the stuffing is what makes it so simple, I use whatever I have. I’ve sampled just about every taco filling imaginable…some good, some bad…all worth trying. Starting out, I chop up red bell pepper and zucchini. Placing the pieces onto a cookie sheet I add frozen corn, drizzle on some olive oil and toss these together. From there they go in a 350 degree oven to roast for 25-30 minutes. With the veggies roasting, I move to the next step. (more…)

It’s been a loooong time since Ive had cauliflower. Weird thing is… I love cauliflower (that’s not the weird part) but for some reason or another I’ve been ignoring it at the market. I miss it. When I finally brought some home I had planned on roasting it in the oven with some olive oil and herbs… a simple and tasty way to prepare it. But, decided to go a different direction because 1. I haven’t had it in awhile, making this a special occasion… meaning I should do something “special” with it, and 2. I was craving Indian food (as I do every day it seems). I started throwing some spices together and added some garbanzos for a punch of protein. Within 30 minutes I had a spicy lil dish that I happily wrapped up in some warm naan bread. (more…)

I don’t really get the egg salad sandwich…just the words egg and salad together- not appealing. Its a gloopy amorphous mess that I generally want no part of. Maybe its the idea of cold egg? Or the weird putty consistency?  It just gives me the creeps. What ever be the case I’ve long kept it on my list of shit that I don’t like to eat. That is, until I made it vegan and suddenly I like it a lot. All the reasons I had for being disgusted by it prior are no longer issues and this way its actually good! For me, a person clearly biased against egg salad to say that I found a version that I like is a pretty big deal. That needs to be acknowledged.  Its good because it holds its form much better with the tofu substitution and it doesn’t smell funny- that’s a bonus. I failed to mention that one in my dislike of egg salad- it smells funny…this version doesn’t. It makes a helluva sandwich, great as a spread for crackers and its quick to put together. Go at it. (more…)

A tasty beans & rice dish with a cold beer and a fresh salad does the body good. Especially when it starts to get ugly out- this food draws me back to time spent baking on beaches. Sifting warm sand through my fingers, the heat of the sun hitting my shoulders…the smell my skin gives off as it resigns to sunburn, the salty ocean. It pains me to think of it as we descend in to the cold misery that is a Seattle winter. When in Mexico, I make this quite a bit- throwing in whatever vegetables (or fruit- sweet mango is delicious here) are ripe and scooping it up into a fresh tortilla. In this recipe I combine some finely chopped veggies with a good amount of spices and black beans. (more…)

I wanted an Asian noodle dish but I wanted something new. Wasn’t interested in a curry or a peanut sauce…I wanted variety…ingredients that I hadn’t worked with before. I was seeking a dish that was savory and light with a good amount of vegetables- nothing greasy or heavy. This is what I came up with. Ive never worked with hijiki but I have seen it used in noodle dishes in the past so I went for it. (more…)

“Vegans don’t get enough protein.” or “I don’t feel strong eating vegan.” or  “I’m really athletic, I really need the meat in my diet.”

Really? Hmmm..

I thought this was an interesting, informative article that dispels some of the common myths in relation to the vegan diet. In other words, it stomps out some of the ridiculous bullshit that I hear way too often… I’m hoping posting this will grant me the luxury of saving my breathe in the future.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri/080616

Enjoy.

The tofu in this recipe acts as a delicious, cheap, nutritious, vegan substitute for paneer and does a damn fine job at it. Paneer is an Indian fresh cheese that is delicate and mild in flavor- it adds richness and density to traditional dishes. No doubt that its tasty and serves a purpose but here it is seamlessly replaced- you have my word that it will not be missed. I used tofu alongside red lentils and a myriad of spices, making a gorgeously seasoned Indian dish. Eat it atop rice or accompanied with warm naan bread. Its beautifully simple & quick to put together- the result being an entree that is surprisingly so very good. As soon as I had a bite I knew that this was something that I would be preparing time and time again. I paired it with a cool cucumber & avocado salad and garnished the whole thing with fresh cilantro. (more…)

One of my favorite restaurants is putting on a dinner to benefit the Obama campaign. The food is consistently great and the cause is well worth shelling out the money for. Really now…McCain as president? Not a big fan of the Republican party myself-I don’t really benefit from their politics (nor do a lot of people that I know)…you know, me not being a wealthy white man and all. Support this wonderfully conscious business, support change in government and indulge in delicious food with the confidence that this is cash very well spent. Here are the details…get in there and reserve your spot…

Dinner for Obama

Wednesday, Oct. 22 5pm-8pm

Portage Bay Cafe (map)
391 Terry Ave. N.
Seattle, WA

(206) 462-6400

$75 Donation. Space is limited-call for reservation.

 *** Additionally, congratulations and celebration are very much in order- Portage Bay is opening up another restaurant in Ballard this February! Lucky, lucky Ballard folks- a Portage Bay Cafe of your very own…***