From the monthly archives: August 2009
River House Creperie
West Seattle
Rive House is a darling little creperie right off the West Seattle Bridge that offers a vegan gluten-free batter as a base for all their sweet and savory crepes. I opted for a simple strawberry and banana crepe rather then fine-tuning one of their many dairy-based options. Although my crepe was scrumptious I am now convinced, having also tried Atlas Cafe‘s vegan crepe, that maybe it’s quite difficult to capture crepe-bility as both have been too akin to pancakes.
Hillside Quickie’s Cafe
Capitol Hill
Hillside has a growing family taking root in the Pacific Northwest. With sandwich shops in the University District and Tacoma and a small cafe in Capitol Hill, Quickie’s also recently opened a vegan bistro (see Plum below). A friend and I popped into the cafe on the Hill for a savory bite after those sweet, sweet crepes. But when there’s vegan cake, I’m going to have to try it. We opted to share a heaping slice of peanut butter banana cake and their delicious vegan Reuben. As not the hugest fan of peanut butter (I know, I know) but a huge fan of the banana-baked treat, the cake pleased me fine. The Reuben is always a pleaser, especially when one’s craving some salt- thin layers of wheat meat, tomatoes, red onion, sauerkraut and vegan thousand islands. Yum.
Plum Vegan Bistro
Capitol Hill
The latest member of the Quickie’s family at just about a month old, Plum is more of a upscale eatery than its sister soldiers. This great space has a lot of tasty sounding options but requiring some wicked sustenance I chose the hearty scramble of the day from their breakfast menu. The name of the game at Plum is savory saltiness. And I mean that in a good way. My scramble was super satisfying and flavorful and with a side of thick, smeared French-toast-tasting toast, a perfect balance.
The seitan steak, greens and grits was also very good though I’d prefer a firm grain to the wet, granule-y grits as the seitan was super tender.
What’s a brunch without the potatoes? Plum’s Cajun spuds were delectable but skip the accompanying aioli if you’re trying to avoid a sodium headache.
Thrive
University District
“Welcome to the fullest expression of your physical magnificence” the website says. So right there you get the vibe of of Thrive, a raw juice bar and cafe in the University District. You got to love the energy of those raw foodies. We strolled in brimming from the carb fest at Plum but yet with enough room to swallow 12 oz. of beet, apple, carrot and the good energy from the beaming employees. The great space has tons of info on the raw food lifestyle as well as some bulk and pantry staples and some yummy-looking desserts.
Mighty O
West Seattle
Rive House is a darling little creperie right off the West Seattle Bridge that offers a vegan gluten-free batter as a base for all their sweet and savory crepes. I opted for a simple strawberry and banana crepe rather then fine-tuning one of their many dairy-based options. Although my crepe was scrumptious I am now convinced, having also tried Atlas Cafe‘s vegan crepe, that maybe it’s quite difficult to capture crepe-bility as both have been too akin to pancakes.
Hillside Quickie’s CafeCapitol Hill
Hillside has a growing family taking root in the Pacific Northwest. With sandwich shops in the University District and Tacoma and a small cafe in Capitol Hill, Quickie’s also recently opened a vegan bistro (see Plum below). A friend and I popped into the cafe on the Hill for a savory bite after those sweet, sweet crepes. But when there’s vegan cake, I’m going to have to try it. We opted to share a heaping slice of peanut butter banana cake and their delicious vegan Reuben. As not the hugest fan of peanut butter (I know, I know) but a huge fan of the banana-baked treat, the cake pleased me fine. The Reuben is always a pleaser, especially when one’s craving some salt- thin layers of wheat meat, tomatoes, red onion, sauerkraut and vegan thousand islands. Yum.
Plum Vegan BistroCapitol Hill
The latest member of the Quickie’s family at just about a month old, Plum is more of a upscale eatery than its sister soldiers. This great space has a lot of tasty sounding options but requiring some wicked sustenance I chose the hearty scramble of the day from their breakfast menu. The name of the game at Plum is savory saltiness. And I mean that in a good way. My scramble was super satisfying and flavorful and with a side of thick, smeared French-toast-tasting toast, a perfect balance.
The seitan steak, greens and grits was also very good though I’d prefer a firm grain to the wet, granule-y grits as the seitan was super tender.
What’s a brunch without the potatoes? Plum’s Cajun spuds were delectable but skip the accompanying aioli if you’re trying to avoid a sodium headache.
ThriveUniversity District
“Welcome to the fullest expression of your physical magnificence” the website says. So right there you get the vibe of of Thrive, a raw juice bar and cafe in the University District. You got to love the energy of those raw foodies. We strolled in brimming from the carb fest at Plum but yet with enough room to swallow 12 oz. of beet, apple, carrot and the good energy from the beaming employees. The great space has tons of info on the raw food lifestyle as well as some bulk and pantry staples and some yummy-looking desserts.
Mighty O
Call me a wuss but I can barely eat one Mighty O. Somewhere about halfway through my sugar intake level is maxed out. But, given the satisfying texture and appearance of the sexy Mighty O, I cannot stop there. Mighty O is the real deal: real fried and gluttonly glazed vegan donuts… not mere circular vegan cakes. These two below were straight off the cooling rack and skimmed from an order fresh! The kind clerk sympathized with our only slightly hyperbolic devastation of having arrived to an empty display case near closing time.
Heirloom Salad a la host/most
Heirloom Salad a la host/mostThick heirloom tomato slices, fresh basil, avocado, sea salt, cracked pepper and olive oil.
A Sailor’s Breakfast
A Sailor’s BreakfastWatermelons that take it personally, tangelo-sized mission figs, orange-sized tangelos and a pineapple-sized pine apples.
P.C.C. Natural Market
P.C.C. Natural MarketFremont
After much resistance, having had one too many veggie pizza slices that were not more than a pile of sloppy veggies on wet bread, I finally agreed to try P.C.C.’s signature vegan slice. With my friend’s vegan cred on the line, I was pleasantly surprised! The thin crusted-slice had layers of green pesto and marinara topped with artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms and olives. So good. Back it up with an Oogave soda and you’ve got the perfect quick meal.
Central Cinema
Central CinemaCentral District
When I heard it through the grapevine that Central Cinema had veg-friendly pigs in a blanket at their cafe, I knew I had to go. But this was no hack job! Central Cinema delivered a huge apple-sage Field Roast weiner wrapped in fresh, soft seasoned and oiled bread. It was an unbelievable snack that went great with their curry popcorn and local beers.
Food Co-op
Food Co-opPort Townsend
Port Townsend is a lovely, sleepy harbor town across the Puget Sound and north of Seattle. It has a wonderful co-op with a great selection of veg and raw fare. Given their retail prices were much cheaper than in my New York City, I opted to try some raw snacks for the sustenance during the double-feature at the Wheel In Motor Movie drive-in. They also have a great juice bar to compensate for the nary vegan breakfast options in town.
Bleu Bistro
Bleu BistroCapitol Hill
Bleu is a dark lil bistro with a huge menu of vintage cocktails and plenty of private curtain-surrounded seating. Eventually arriving at the food section of their long menu after discussing bacon’s kinda-recent and definitely odd emergence in cupcakes, chocolate bars and high-end gourmet food, I had to hop on the bandwagon and choose the Vegetarian B.L.T. I never liked bacon: the crispy texture nor the salty taste! But the faux-bacon strips (with the “realistic” red stripes) gave me a sense of the appeal, I suppose. Facon was piled high, like an inch thick, and could have used a bit more L. and T. to water down the salt factor. But there was some apple sauce for dipping that did the trick.
Bacon tom-foolery at Central Market in Poulsbo. Bacon chocolate bars need to know there place.
Bacon tom-foolery at Central Market in Poulsbo. Bacon chocolate bars need to know there place.
I had to write a film review for An Inconvenient Truth for my Topics in Environmental Health course. It was easy to write because I had a lot to say about the film, mostly about the huge hole it has in it which was recently brought to light again by Moby.
I cannot abstain from criticizing the An Inconvenient Truth for leaving out a very important environmental topic: our dietary choices. Though the film focuses a good portion of time talking of fuel efficient vehicles and how American standards of efficiency are embarrassingly low, a United Nations’ report (2006) concluded that the world’s demand for meat is responsible for approximately 40% more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined. Given this overwhelming statistic it is clear to me that adopting to an even part-time vegetarian-based diet far exceeds the impact of putting a greener vehicle on our congested roads. And yet this fact is not revealed where it may have its biggest impact… on an open mind that is ready for change. The film also ends with a series of suggestions on how a concerned viewer may reduce their carbon impact. By excluding dietary choice from this segment, viewers miss yet another opportunity to have a real impact on their carbon intake. As a strict vegetarian of over 10 years, I have experienced firsthand how difficult and even bizarre vegetarianism seems to the mass majority. Despite all its health and environmental benefits, vegetarianism still has many public negative connotations. It is unfortunate that these myths will prevail still, when so much is at stake.
Source/Further Reading: United Nations, Food And Agriculture Organization. (2006). Livestock’s Long Shadow, Environmental Issues and Options. Retrieved August 23, 2009 here.
Me and my vegan Twinkies… and stained spouse-sweeper, Confederate-inspired belt buckle and undersized jeans.
Plenty of cheap beer was a necessity. Here is an extra large “Danish Lager Beer”
Southern fried tofu from FoodSparrow with a veganaise aioli.
CandyPenny chomping on my Red Lobster bun
Tator tots and smart dog on picks! To the right, “real” pigs in a blanket: gasp!
CandyPenny‘s delicious Ambrosia! Vanilla pudding, Dandies, coconut and pineapples.
Not picture due to too many cheap beers:
Allison’s Beer Cheese Soup
Kris’s Ice Cream Cake trifle
French ladies’ Funfetti cupcakes
Tapping into my inner low-brow for a White Trash Dinner extravaganza, I kicked up the zing on some vegan Twinkies by piping them with Southern Comfort-infused buttercream! My oh my, how I love me a themed dinner party. With friends busting out the denim cut-offs and mesh hats, crafting appropriate playlists and locating buckets for Southern fried tofu, I knew I had to step up my game. Barefoot in the kitchen, I replaced the vanilla extract with a couple of teaspoons of whiskey for some sweet grain euphoria.
After the canoe pan ate my first attempt using VCTOTW‘s golden vanilla cake base, attempt number two used Jennifer of Vegan Lunch Box fame’s recipe. Jennifer is a food artist, to say the very least, and her recipe is more thorough than Maude Lebowski’s doctor.
Finally, the golden delicious cakes emerge from the pan in their entirety, save for a destroyed couple that needed immediate disposal in my mouth. With equal parts white flour and sugar, these cakes were way sweet.
After a few false starts, I was piping like a pro. Although I opted for only two cream entrance points, I was sure I was inflating them adequately…
…but it turns out I kind of skimped. But they are sure to be a crowd pleaser, I’m sure!
Had I not wanted to allow for internet searchers to easily find these vegan Red Lobster cheese and garlic biscuits, I would have called these my “Holy Sh*t Motherscratcher Ever-Lovin’ Biscuits”… or some such name that adequately expresses my great excitement about them. Many, like me, have fond memories of chomping on Red Lobster‘s complimentary cheese and garlic biscuits back in the day. I remember hitting up RL with the family for special occasions. You know, ‘cuz Red Lobster is a classy joint. So it’s potent and early-on food nostalgia that lead me to attempt to veganize the biscuits. And with this weekend’s White Trash dinner party on the horizon and holding some leftover Teese, I brought it on.
I should say that this great vegan feat would not be possible without Teese, who so instilled hope and excitement in the vegan cheese market. Chicago Soydairy, if you were a person you would be filing a restraining order against me.
Okay, so let’s get to the biscuits! I used Vegan Brunch‘s herbed whole wheat drop biscuits as a guide for these but will post the tweaked recipe below. I normally don’t like typing out Isa’s complete recipes in my blog postings because I think everyone should buy her books… but this is a special case!
Vegan Red Lobster Cheese & Garlic Biscuits/Holy Sh*t Motherscratcher Ever-Lovin’ Biscuits
2 cups white flour
5 tsp baking powder
1 garlic clove-minced
2 tsp fresh parsley-chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
3 TB cold Earth Balance vegetable shortening
3 TB cold Earth Balance soy margarine
1 cup soy milk
1 cup sharp cheddar Teese (I shredded half and diced the rest into tiny cubes)
1) Preheat oven to 450. Grease a baking sheet.
2) In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, minced garlic, parsley, rosemary and salt.
3) Using your hands, cut in shortening and margarine until you get a crumby texture.4) Add the milk and mix until incorporated. Stir in Teese until equally distributed.
5) Drop dough on greased baking sheet, making about 10-12 biscuits.
6) Bake for 15-18 minutes, until biscuits are lightly brown
7) Let cool for a few minutes on a cooling rackFinishing touch:
8) Mix 2 softened TBs of Earth Balance margarine with 2 tsps of fresh parsley, a tsp of garlic powder (from a garlic mill, if you have) and a pinch of salt. Use a pastry brush to coat the tops of each biscuit with the buttery mixture.
The result: Amazing!
The result: Amazing!
Bon Jovi/Tesla, Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, 1987: I was 9. Let’s keep this in perspective.
Faith No More, Roseland Ballroom, NYC, 1992:
Ozzy Osbourne, Paramount Theater at MSG, NYC, 1993
Built To Spill, Tramps, NYC, 1997
Unwound/Blonde Redhead, Kill Rock Stars/CMJ Festival, NYC, 1997
Elliott Smith, Time Cafe, NYC, 1998
Modest Mouse, Knitting Factory, NYC, 1998
Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Crocodile Lounge, Seattle, 2000
Akron/Family, Union Pool, Brooklyn, 2009
The National, Pitfork Music Festival, Chicago, 2009
Considering I have travel 9,000+ miles for vegan food (see my blog reporting in Thailand) I suppose I can venture to 74th street and 2nd avenue for Slice. Slice, which has been on my radar since its opening years ago, is a special parlor of pizza- one that offers the elusive Daiya vegan cheese as an option on its pies as well as gluten-free crusts and lots of veggie toppings. My slice: the thin herb crust, marinara and Daiya: was indeed perfect, just as Slice’s menu and philosopy promises. It was warm and absolutely delicious, split into their characteristic 4 triangles for easy eating. The Daiya was melted thoroughly and retained its texture and temperature, no small feat for a vegan cheese. It stretched and chewed like dairy cheese but far lighter and cleaner. It is an amazing product indeed. And I will return to Slice soon for more.
A friend of mine recently asked me if I ate Good n’ Plenty, the pink and white coated licorice candy. I had to tell her no and why and, in doing so, managed to help push her finger down on the “w” key, as in “Ewwww…”, long enough to maybe instill a pink and white boycott.
Good n’ plenty, like many popular candies, contain an ingredient called Carmine. It’s listed as a coloring and that is accurate . However, it is more accurate to say that Carmine is a “natural” coloring that is derived from boiling cochineal beetles. Yes, the resulting resinous glaze gives a deep color and lustre few consumers can pass up! Here is a bit more on the harvesting process (source):
“The insects are carefully brushed from the cacti… and placed into bags. The bags are taken to the production plant and there, the insects are then killed by immersion in hot water or by exposure to sunlight, steam or the heat of an oven. It is to be noted that the variance in appearance of commercial cochineal is caused by the different methods used during this process. It takes about 70,000 insects to make one pound (454 gm) of cochineal. The body of one coccineal is said to contain between 18-20% of carminic acid.The part of the insect that contains the most carmine is the abdomen that houses the fertilized eggs of the coccineal. Once dried, a process begins whereby the abdomens and fertilized eggs are separated from the rest of the anatomical parts. These are then ground into a powder and cooked at temperatures in excess of 212 F to extract the maximum amount of color. This cooked solution is filtered and through special processes that cause all carmine particles to precipitate to the bottom of the cooking container. The liquid is removed and the bottom of the container is left with pure carmine.”
So much to my friend’s surprise she had been scarfing down insect by-products! Ew indeed. And even grosser, bugs are in many candy products. Ingredients lists that say “natural color“, “added color“, “artificial color” may very well include boiled bug by-products. Additionally, “confectioner’s glaze“, “food glaze“, “resinous glaze” and “pharmaceutical glaze” are all bug-acquired coatings and, therefore, not vegan.
Below is a running list of products with buggy by-products/non-vegan candies that I’ll update when necessary, Please comment if you know of any others!
- Atomic Fireball
- Hershey’s Good n’ Plenty
- Hershey’s Good n’ Fruity
- Hot Tamales
- Jelly Belly jellybeans
- Lemonheads
- Maraschino cherries
- Mike & Ike
- Non-pareils and sprinkles
- Red Hots
- Sugar Babies
- Tropicana grapefruit juice
- Willy Wonka Gobstoppers
- Willy Wonka Runts
- Willy Wonka Nerds
- Yoplait strawberry yogurt
Flying in and out of Pittsburgh to embark upon a vegan eats road trip, CandyPenny and I had a list of potential hot spots to check out in Pittsburgh, Akron and Columbus. Hoping to make the most of 3 days on the road, we had to push our caloric intake to the max! Luckily for me, nursing a summer cold and sore throat, excess energy intake helped me with a quick recuperation. Here is what we ate in between long stretches in the Chevy Cobalt:
Quiet Storm in Pittsburgh is a large yet cozy living room serving hearty grub with many vegan options. I had the Nothin’ Fancy: tofu scramble, potatoes and toast with a side of veggie sausage and a dollop of soy margarine. The scramble had a unique flavor but was a bit dry. In fact, the entire dish, though tasty, was all a bit dry and would have benefited from some vegetable or sauce incorporation. But it is called Nothin’ Fancy after all! I’d happily return to Quiet Storm to check out another option.
After my savory brunch, it was time for some sweet. We hit Oh Yeah! Ice Cream & Coffee for some sugar. Oh Yeah! is an ice cream parlor that offers Temptation soy ice cream from my favorite Chicago Soydairy. Once you pick your flavor, you can choose from the huge selection of interesting swirl-ins posted on their chalk board, many nostalgic, like Corn Pops and Nilla Wafers; many healthy, like Super Green Super Food, flax seed and hemp protein and many simply disgusting, like bacon and turkey jerky. And best yet, your ice cream concoction can be atop a huge vegan Belgium waffle if you so desire. And we desired… we chose the vanilla swirled with real pineapple on top of their cinnamon massive waffle.
Moving onward to Akron, Ohio with great speed, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, we were sure that Vegiterranean, The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde’s vegan restaurant, was going to be a sure highlight of our trip! We arrived at the desolate downtown Akron when the blazing August day was meeting dusk. A beautiful pink-grey surrounded our table outside. The restaurant was on the bottom floor of a building of luxury apartments, one of which Chrissie apparently lived in. There was a lively crowd of patrons sipping cocktails and having dates around us. The menu, being all vegan, was overwhelming with many delicious-sounding options. I ordered the Italian Fritto Gardein Scallopini, herbed, battered and fried Gardein cutlets served with “Chrissie Fries” and mustard greens. I had never had Gardein cutlets and, considering the price of the dish, I was figuring them to be more mind-blowing then the processed soy protein patties they were. Deep fry them and glaze them with a sweet Asian-style stir fry sauce and you lose the Italian flair. The greens were fresh and tasty but the fries, which the menu promised would be the best fries I’d ever tried, were simple garlic fries with a bit of rosemary. The fresh complimentary bread was very good, as was CandyPenny’s Vichyssoise. So I was a bit disappointed in my meal, yes, but more so at the indifferent server’s attitude once he realized we wouldn’t be ordering the four course meals plus drinks. Though I am happy such a place exists, especially in Akron, Ohio, I had hoped for more.
Akron’s saving grace was Mustard Seed Market, which we serendipitously stumbled upon after our G.P.S. unit wackily configured the closest health food store as like a million miles away. Mustard Seed Market had it all: samples (i.e. breakfast), vegan cakes and cupcakes, a restaurant upstairs, organic produce, etc. Their aisle signage even dropped the v-bomb (below)! They also had a bunch of products that haven’t even hit New York City yet. After some fantasies of courting the store’s buyer, we filled up our water bottles and headed to Columbus, ready for some more food.
Super-duper vegan Ohio highlight was Columbus’s Pattycake Bakery in the Clintonville section of Columbus. This all-vegan bakery was just as adorable and delicious as their website, bookmarked for months and drooled over often, would indicate. The counter and blackboard displayed way too many scrumptious items for our short visit to the area. I chose the beautifully-decorated strawberry mousse cake and a whoopie pie to go.
Moist delicious cake plumed with real strawberry infused frosting. So pritty and so good.
Oh my whoopie pie! This tasted and felt exactly like a devil dog.
Having our dessert first, we next hit Whole World Natural Restaurant for simple and yummy veg fare. The place has been around since 1978 and surely continues to thrive thanks to its healthy and natural hippie fare. I ordered the housemade broccoli burger on the housemade bun. Notice the theme? So fresh and delicious was my brown rice and broccoli patty on warm, soft whole wheat bread that I kind of regretted asking for the vegan cheese on top, which was Follow Your Heart, as its flavour and texture dominated. The chips and a pickle “deluxe” options wasn’t a bargain at an extra $2.
Our final meal back in Pittsburgh, the one that had us dropping off the Cobalt without a drop of gas left, barely making our flight back to J.F.K., was at Kaya. Taking a bit of a detour and the 25-mph back roads between Columbus and Pittsburgh we had worked up a huge appetite. We hit Kaya with only meager expectations but were blown away. This Caribbean fusion spot in downtown Pittsburgh’s Strip District had a menu of wonderful ingredients and flavors we wished we’d have free range of, given their limited vegan selections, however our dishes knocked our socks off. I began with corn and lentil beignets with a green curry sauce. This could have been a stand-alone meal; it was that satisfying. But my entree, Jamaican green curry vegetables with saffron rice was thee best curry I ever had. Add this delicious food with great service and a waitress who drops the v-bomb first, and you got a great end to a vegan journey in the Ohio Territory.
Moist delicious cake plumed with real strawberry infused frosting. So pritty and so good.
Oh my whoopie pie! This tasted and felt exactly like a devil dog.
Having our dessert first, we next hit Whole World Natural Restaurant for simple and yummy veg fare. The place has been around since 1978 and surely continues to thrive thanks to its healthy and natural hippie fare. I ordered the housemade broccoli burger on the housemade bun. Notice the theme? So fresh and delicious was my brown rice and broccoli patty on warm, soft whole wheat bread that I kind of regretted asking for the vegan cheese on top, which was Follow Your Heart, as its flavour and texture dominated. The chips and a pickle “deluxe” options wasn’t a bargain at an extra $2.
Our final meal back in Pittsburgh, the one that had us dropping off the Cobalt without a drop of gas left, barely making our flight back to J.F.K., was at Kaya. Taking a bit of a detour and the 25-mph back roads between Columbus and Pittsburgh we had worked up a huge appetite. We hit Kaya with only meager expectations but were blown away. This Caribbean fusion spot in downtown Pittsburgh’s Strip District had a menu of wonderful ingredients and flavors we wished we’d have free range of, given their limited vegan selections, however our dishes knocked our socks off. I began with corn and lentil beignets with a green curry sauce. This could have been a stand-alone meal; it was that satisfying. But my entree, Jamaican green curry vegetables with saffron rice was thee best curry I ever had. Add this delicious food with great service and a waitress who drops the v-bomb first, and you got a great end to a vegan journey in the Ohio Territory.
After a glorious gorgeous day at sea on the soft-sanded and low-key Brighton Beach, Coney Island’s quiet cousin, my new eclair “canoe” baking pan was finally utilized by way of cheddar and chive corn dogs. Sun-tired and hungry, CP and I pulled these dogs together using the Blue Ribbon corn bread winner from the Iowa state fair (recipe here), some shredded Teese I had been saving since Chicago’s Pitchfork Festival and the chive trimmings of my very own chive plant. Luckily Chicago Soydairy‘s Teese has a long shelf life. 
It grated easily and incorporated nicely into the thick batter, so gummed with flax-egg mixture. My chives, infused with the Brooklyn attitude of my fire escape, speckled the batter and dogs deliciously although next time I’d opt for scallion. After the batter was divided into the pan, in we popped the veggie-weiners for a nice savory surprise prize. The result: picture perfect little corn dogs! For dessert, vanilla coconut milk ice cream sundaes with thick chocolate ganache, ripe banana, warm strawberry sauce, toasted coconut and chocolate sprinkles. Delish!
★★Because Chicago Soydairy featured this post on their new recipe blog, Go Vegan Go!, here is my update with the full recipe, adapted from this original recipe from Dana Sly:
Teese and Chive Corn Dogs
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
6 Tbsp. water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup grated sharp cheddar Teese (and more for sprinkling on top!)
1/2 cup diced chives
3 or 4 veggie dogs, cut in half
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside the gumminess.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
4) Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.)
2) Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside the gumminess.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
4) Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.)
5) Stir in your grated Teese and chives and mix until distributed evenly.
6) Spoon into a canoe baking pan and poke in the veggie dog halves. You’ll need to push them to the center of the batter… or not!
6) Spoon into a canoe baking pan and poke in the veggie dog halves. You’ll need to push them to the center of the batter… or not!
7) Sprinkle with leftover Teese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
8) Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
8) Cool on wire rack 10 minutes.
9) Serve with the condiment/s of your choice!
In my elementary, middle and high school education I excelled more in the language arts and humanities. I wrote my way out of atrocious grades, learning early that one writing assignment could compensate for a term’s worth of lacklusterness. As a tight-lipped introverted wallflower extraordinaire or, later, the queen of truancy, the voice I expressed through writing had always been my saving grace. It still is now in many ways at Columbia, my job and my personal life.
But alas, I did very poorly in high school, barely graduating because of gym deficiencies, way too many absences and horrid grades in my science and math classes. In my senior year I was taking college level fine art and 10th grade math. In science, I was even further behind, much to the frustration of my 2-year chemistry teacher Ms. Riew. But I pulled through, spending my junior and senior years with the underclassmen in my math and science classes and, finally, passing the state regents exams.
English, history, psychology, sociology: these disciplines are conveyed through language and, in many ways, story telling. But math and science were foreign languages to me, languages expressed in technical terms and enigmatic mathematical code, languages I could not master because I could not experience them (or didn’t realize I was). Math and science instruction during that time was not the media-rich, inquiry-based active learning that happens now in good science classrooms. It was not connected to me in a way that was clear and discernible. Combine that with the egocentricity of adolescence, and I became a science/math drop-out.
As years passed I left the confines of viewing the world through me, myself and I and began to see the patterns of human behavior as symptoms of much larger forces inspired by the mysterious simplicity and routines within nature and biology. This mind frame seemed to evolve purposefully as a sort of coping mechanism. It helped me through the ebb and flow of my life as I had the habit of taking myself and my failures very seriously. So science became everyday as my natural curiosity hunted for reason, logic and consequence under the complex and seemingly random. I wondered all the time and found great pleasure in deconstructing that which I had taken for granted: my breath, my feelings, my relationships with other life. The me in these inquiries was just a humble beginning in which to enter the expansive and far more interesting realms of biology, neuroscience, ecology, biochemistry, etc. *Nerd alert*: There seemed to be something romantic about being so helpless to these giant forces.
Yadda yadda yadda, so Radiolab, a podcast put out by WNYC, has perfected science narrative. Combining the mystery and romance of science phenomenon with language and story telling, Radiolab delivers science in its most penetrating state: not watered down, not dry, but infused with the human experience: passion, curiosity, humor, emotion. Each episode is an exploration of a single topic (sleep, stress, time, choice, love, laughter, etc) and includes commentary from leaders in the field, amongst other inspiring and fascinating anecdotes that affirm and illuminate while simultaneously shrinking us to our natural state: simple machines in the grand schemes of science and nature.
Vegan Reporting By Location
