No-new groceries check-in

I’m still three days away from pay day and I have bought zero new groceries, true to my goal.

Gotta say, I’m quite impressed with my own pantry-stocking skills. And the beginning of CSA season was admittedly a great help.

I cheated financially and went to dinner with a friend and got drinks with more friends last Friday night, but those were plans made before I knew I’d be strapped for cash. But because I’m using some creativity in the kitchen, I’ve still been spending very little.

Here are some highlights:

What I ate today

Boom.

OK so this photo is really crappy – I’m pretty sure my phone’s camera lens is totally scratched up and jacked, but whatever.

But: Happy Herbivore Light and Lean Thai tacos with Vegan With a Vengeance garlic kale topped with tahini dressing. Made almost entirely from leftovers.

I even ate it at my kitchen table instead of on my couch.

Vegan and dating

For the first time in my life, I’m vegan and single.

When I went vegan, I was in a long-term relationship with a man who didn’t really understand my transition, but supported it, anyway. It was all I could have asked for. We made it work. He kind of despaired when I moved miso and tofu into his fridge, but he let it happen. And I got him hooked on nooch.

Once I asked him if he’d have gone for me if I were vegan when we first met. Not sure if he was joking or not, but he expressed doubt that he would have continued pursuing me if I were vegan right off the bat.

Then again, he said he was only gonna give this chick who lived in Mount Vernon one date and end it, but I won him over with my charm.

Now I navigate the single life with this lifestyle. I don’t think it’s an integral part of my personality in that it’s something I’m going to talk about or use to rule out potential partners. It’s not important to me that I date another vegetarian or vegan because there are perfectly good people who can share the rest of my values and perhaps learn from what I have to bring to the relationship. I have ruled out a man whose dating profile read, “If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, I don’t understand you because you’re missing out on a lot in life.” I just ask for open-mindedness and in exchange I won’t try to convert you to my team.

Making it work

Traveling/being on the go/dining out with friends must be navigated more conscientiously as a veghead.

But I’ve come across some nice options and accommodations during my recent hectic few weeks.

First: Safeway is actually pretty all right.

I don’t often shop at Safeway anymore except for its gas station. I feel I find more options that fit my needs at local chain markets. But maybe I haven’t looked in the right places.

What vegans eat

I always love vegan food porn where I can peep what other people eat, like what Bianca at Vegan Crunk does now and then.

So I’ll offer up my own food porn. Captured by my crappy cell phone camera. Sexxxxxi.

I’ve had so much fun with my new cast iron skillet. My first dish was Isa’s Ohama yakisoba. My new love in life is udon noodles. So chewy and satisfying.

I’m still trying to stay on the breakfast train, with varied results. I’m not the most consistent. But I tested out the Isa Does it chickpea scramble for something new. Thumbs up!

My parents helped me celebrate my first vegan birthday with a delicious cake from Bearded Ladies in Olympia. Funfetti with blackberry frosting. Sweet, but not too cloying. Dense yet moist. Such a perfect cake.

For my birthday with my family I asked to go to Darby’s Cafe in downtown Olympia so that I would have hippie stuff to eat and the rest of my family could have an omni dinner. I love this place! This is the Spice World burger with a blackened vegan patty, avocado, jalapeno, Daiya and other veggies. Complete with a heap of shoestring fries.

I typically forsake three-course meals for something that all goes together in a bowl or on a plate. But this one, courtesy of Happy Herbivore Light and Lean, was so easy! Lemony asparagus, mashed potatoes (which I topped with barbecue sauce) and meatloaf bites covered in marinara.

Kale and tofu rice bowl with curry peanut sauce from Isa Does It. I could have straight drank up this sauce.

Got to use my new toy I got for my birthday! Blasted Isa’s cheddary broccoli soup from Isa Does It.

Cheddary! With Happy Herbivore Light and Lean drop biscuits.

I spent a few days in Darrington for work, near the site of the Oso landslide that killed dozens. Clif bars and veggie burgers got old, so I stopped by the Mount Vernon Safeway to grab veggies and hummus to eat in the car during the final hour of my trip home.

Boyfriend and I discovered Razzi’s Pizzeria in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, which is omni but has separate menus for those who are vegan and gluten-free. I got a calzone with Daiya mozzarella, pesto and sundried tomatoes. It was actually good! New place for the man and I to go and both be fulfilled.

I’ve been pinching pennies here and there with baked potatoes. I like to top mine with salsa, hot sauce, homemade vegan sour cream and plenty of nooch. Scallions if I have fresh ones handy.

Like Chinese takeout

Loved the meal I made last week that stretched into a few more meals’ worth of leftovers.

Thug Kitchen’s winter vegetable stir fry

-Adjustments: ended up probably doubling the tamari, rice vinegar and chili paste (read: Sriracha) to amp up the flavor. Should have done the same with the orange juice.

-Sometimes served topped with more Sriracha.

-I’ve never cooked with fennel before and I loved this gingery, fennel-y dish. So good.

Budget Bytes’ basic bok choy

-Adjustments: used asparagus instead because Metropolitan Market didn’t have any bok choy (damn you, Metro!). Also cooked the asparagus in veggie broth instead of oil (I’m about oil reduction/elimination wherever possible), but still finished it off with toasted sesame seed oil for some clutch flavor.

-‘Twas still delicious.

Both these dishes paired well together hot or cold. Maybe if I had a miso soup along with them it’d be a grand ole dinner, but I have my limits on motivation and clean pans.