Business Travels

I leave tomorrow at noon until next Wednesday on a business trip to Indianapolis......posting to come if I can.....

Restaurants - Christchurch, Canterbury (New Zealand)

Welcome Chinese Vegetarian Food was a great place to have a meal, just outside the city. Located at 2 Wharenui Road, the place looks small, but the taste of their food made it worth it....

a review to come soon.....

Compassion for the Poor....

I was at the gas station yesterday and a homeless man approached me. He asked for some change and I gave him a few quarters. He then proceeded to ask me for a cigarette. To which I said "no" and then told him I felt it was odd that someone who had no money for food would be smoking, since cigarettes are SOOO expensive. He replied "shut up, you have NO compassion for the homeless!" and walked away.

I took great offense to that since I have had a long history with trying to HELP the homeless. I have always felt that I was one of the few people out there who would argue that the homeless are NOT there by choice and that this country NEEDS compassion for them. This entire country has a bad image of the homeless and for this guy to say that TO ME made we really wonder whether or not most people are right.

more to come soon....

Eating Out....

Well, Andy asks a good question about eating out. It is true that pretty much ANYWHERE in the world a vegetarian can get a meal at an Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Nepalese, or Japanese restaurant. In the case of Indian, they do not use many animal products, but they do use Butter and other Dairy based sauces; so vegans need to be sure to ask for NO cream sauce or butter in their meals. Thai food is pretty heavy on the Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce as they give the sauces (apparently) a good sodium jolt. If you go to a Thai place you HAVE to ask for NO fish or oyster sauce. Some places I have found know what vegetarian means and will automatically leave those products out. (Especially Asian places; if you say you are Buddhist, Jain, or Hindu they know to leave out all animal products) So, when I travel I tend to not say vegetarian, but Buddhist and all the places know what that means; even if they do not speak English. Vietnamese places also tend to have Chicken Stock as bases for their sauces and soups, so if eating at a Vietnamese place, be sure to ask if the sauce is vegetarian (which there are some). (Also be sure to ask them about fish sauce) Tibetan and Nepalese tend to fall alongside with Indian since they are both steeped in religions that accept vegetarianism.

It is generally a good idea to forgo American, French, German, or Latin cuisine. Whereas there are some places in these genres that have SOME veggie cuisine, they are all based on meat; even sauces. The only thing on an "American" menu that is good would be a veggie burger, but beware where it is cooked.

The exception to that rule would be Mexican. Most Mexican places know about lard and if you ask, most places have beans that have not been cooked in lard. Even in Mexico it was not hard to get a bean and rice burrito, or veggie fajitas, or a veggie quesadilla.

Italian Cuisine is relatively vegetarian friendly. Most chains like Olive Garden use Vegetable Stock for their Minestrone, but beware of Chicken Stock in soups elsewhere, including Minestrone (which is mildly humerous since Minestrone soup is known as a vegetarian soup; some people do not count the Stock as part of the soup....so ASK before eating). Also beware of Chicken Stock in their sauces; always ask if the sauce is vegetarian.

Recipes - Tofu and Sweet Potato Masala

my own take on an Indian dish....

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA.....number 4

Cafe Sunflower is another wonderful veggie meal if you are in the ATL. This one is more on the north side, located at 5975 Roswell Rd. It is a fully vegetarian restaurant and MOST of their stuff can be made vegan. It is a little hard to find, but is in a strip mall behind a BP Station; the Hammond Springs Shopping Center. Their menu is fresh and innovative, with most of the traditional favorites. Their "Starters" include Spaghetti Squash Cakes, Sandy Spring Rolls, Basil Rolls, Dumplings, Potstickers, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Hummus; among others. Their "Salads" are varied, but the best one is called "Garden Steak Salad" which includes homemade Soy Pepper Steak. The menu also lists which items are Dairy Free and which are Wheat free. In the "Entrees" section they have some of the favorites; Spicy Pad Thai Noodles, Sweet and SOur Soy Chicken, Black Bean Burrito, Soy Burger, Chili, and a Quesadilla. Their Entrees also include Stuffed Mushrooms, Jamaican Black Bean Cakes, Baked Samosas, Lasagne, Fettuccine, Stuffed Acorn Squash, and several Stir Fries. For dessert they have several cakes; some of which are vegan and they have Soy Ice Cream. This place was not as good as Soul Vegetarian, Harmony, or Green Sprout, but it still makes for a good meal if you are in the area. 404-256-1675 www.cafesunflower.com

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA....take 3

Harmony Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant is another great place in the ATL. It is located in what is known as the "Orient Center", 4897 Buford Hwy Suite 109; technically in the city of Chamblee (on the North side of ATL). It is an interesting amalgam of Asian Shops, Grocery Stores, and Restaurants; including a few veggie places, but I only tried Harmony. This place's menu is HUGE and I cannot begin to explain how many items are on it. They have ALL the traditional vegetarian Chinese items like Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso's Chicekn, Beef with Broccoli, and Sweet and Sour Tofu. In their Appetizer section are all the mainstays (Spring Roll, Fried Tofu, Dumplings, etc..), but with some noteable new items such as Fried Stuffed Eggplant, Chinese Pizza, Curry Pockets, and Fried Chicken (I got that and it was soooo good). They break their menu into the type of soy-based meat you want; Beef, Chicken, Soup, Seafood, Pork, Lo mein, Hot Pot, Fried Rice, Noodles, and "Chinese Vegetarian Specialties". I would highly recommend the Chicken with Cashew Nuts; it was very tasty and the mock meat was different than any I had tasted. The vegetables were cooked just right, which is to say, NOT for very long. The sauce was light enough to not be overly heavy, but had enough taste to satisfy me. I think everyone should check out the Orient Center for sheer intrigue, but also for some great food. 770-457-7288

Comments and Questions

Andy has been kind enough to post some Comments to which I can respond. I welcome anyone's questions and/or comments. Please feel free to ask questions and even point out where you might think my philosophy falls short. Thanks!

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA cont....

Green Sprout Vegetarian Cuisine is another great place in metro Atlanta. Located at 1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite D, it is a Buddhist-run vegetarian Chinese restaurant. It reminded me a lot of Yuan Fu in Rockville, MD. It is a clean looking place with friendly staff and an amazing menu; it is completely vegan possible (some dishes might have eggs, but they know about being vegan and easily make anything vegan). Their appetizers shine; I had their Curry Spring Roll, and their Fried Bean Curd. Other Appetizers include Scallion Pancake, Cold Vegetarian Duck, Stuffed Zucchini, Chicken Drumsticks, and Seaweed Tofu Roll (but they have MANY more). They have different sections for whatever mock meat you like; Vegetarian Chicken, Vegetables, Vegetarian Beef, Vegetarian Pork, Vegetarian Seafood, Sweet and Sour, and Fried Rice and Noodles. I had their Lemon Chicken, which was excellent. Other selections in the Chicken portion were Moo Shu Chicken, Chicken with Honey Walnuts, Chicken with BBQ Sauce, and Mongolian Chicken. Some selections in the Beef portion were Beef with Broccoli, Beef with Tomato and Basil, Asparagus with Beef, and Basil Beef with Crispy Portobello Mushrooms. Some examples of the Pork and Seafood portions were Pork with Tofu in Szechuan Sauce, Twice Cooked Pork, Kung Pao Squid, Fish Filets with Crispy Bean Curd Skin, and Seafood Casserole with Tofu. All in all, this place was great and a spot where even carnivores will enjoy the veggie cuisine. I recommend this place to anyone near Downtown Atlanta. www.greensproutga.com 404-874-7373

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA

The Soul Vegetarian is a restaurant at the top of my list for Best in the country. It has locations in more cities, like Washington DC, but the main one in Atlanta is unbelievably good. That location is 879-A Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW. It is run by a group of Old Testament followers known as "Black Hebrews". They have a literal view of the Biblical Story of Creation and of the "Fall". They believe that in a perfect world ALL peoples are vegetarian and point to several passages in the Old Testament to prove their view that meat-eating was brought on because of the "Fall" of Humanity. As for food, this place rocks. They make their own Gluten, which they call Kalebone. They prepare it in a traditional Southern way, with Collard Greens, Mashed Potatoes, Cornbread, etc... I got a BBQ Kalebone steak which was phenomenal! They also produce homemade Soycream; they have several flavors, but it is BETTER than Ice Cream. I highly recommend this place whenever you are near the 5 Points area of Atlanta; or if you are near Howard University in Downtown Washington DC. Apparently they now have restaurants in Chicago, Charleston, and Tallahassee. Another plus is that they take their time; do not expect rapid service as they believe being laid back and "going with the flow" are virtues. They do not preach, but will talk at length about their Religious decision to forego meat if you ask. GO HERE!!!!!!!! www.soulvegetarian.com 404-752-5194

Rise Against.....

Went to see Rise Against last night and it was awesome. My only concern was that they were not political enough. (Actually that was Kelly's problem with the show) However, I think it is a good thing because it does not immediately turn people off; it actually brings people into their music by simply putting on a great Rock show instead of preaching. Their music is really thoughtful and socially responsible, but you could not tell from their live show; it was just kick ass heavy rock music. I am also very pleased to see the turnout for them; sold out first night and packed the second night. The message they bring is one in which ALL Americans should believe; Social Equality, Compassion for Animals, and Political Discourse. For anyone new to them, a good example would be their video for "Ready To Fall" which can be viewed on Youtube. Anyone who plays Guitar Hero already knows about "Prayer of the Refugee" which was on Guitar Hero 3 and "Re-Education Through Labor" which is on the new Guitar Hero World Tour. Some people might say that they have sold out and no longer listen to them because of the fact that they are MUCH more melodic now and significantly less screaming than their first 3 albums. I like the older material, but the newer stuff is much better. The message they try and present is much more palatable now and you can understand his singing, whereas before you could not understand much of what he was saying. I highly recommend their album "The Sufferer and the Witness", which is almost flawless. Also, their album "Siren Song of the Counterculture" is mostly good. Their NEW album "Appeal to Reason" is growing on me and I bet that it will be great in my eyes after a few more listens. Rise Against is a rock band that happens to be vegan, not the other way around; all vegans should find some comfort in the fact that there IS someone out there trying to push OUR point of view.
"We are the angry and the desperate
The hungry and the cold
We are the ones who kept quiet and always
Did what we were told
But we've been sweating while you slept some calm
In the safety of your home
We've been pulling out the nails that hold up
Everything you've known

Don't hold me up now
I can stand my own ground
I don't need your help now
You will let me down, down, down, down......"
-Prayer of the Refugee

Compassion on the Road....

My brother Josh was in a bad car accident on Friday night. I was struck by how compassionate some of the people involved were, but also how UNcompassionate some of them were. It was a 3 car accident with one person completely at fault and 2 (Josh included) not at fault. The guy driving the other car 'not at fault' was unbelievably nice about it and actually was not injured; which was definitely lucky. He and Josh bonded, as did the Tow Truck driver and several passing cars. However, the car 'at fault' never once came over to ask if Josh and the other guy were OK and I feel that is terrible. The person driving that car was obviously not paying attention; even though that stretch of Arapahoe is known as a bad section. So, I ask for a greater sense of compassion while driving nowadays. Speed is not the issue, simply looking out for everyone else on the road is the key. Please take extra care when driving to have a 100% consistent view of what is occurring out there. If you are in an accident that involves injuries, PLEASE do the compassionate thing and find out if everyone is OK. The compassion shown by the passing motorists, the 'other' car, and the tow truck drivers gives me Hope for Humanity. The UNcompassion shown by the car at fault leaves me wondering if people really are compassionate at heart.

Restaurants -Denver....Watercourse....

We went to Watercourse again last night and, once again, it proved itself to me as being one of the best veggie restaurants in the country. I ventured away from my usual entrees and tried their veggie burger (tempeh burger) and I will admit that it IS the best veggie burger ever made!!! Also, we learned that they now make Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls; so we will definitely have to try them sometime soon. I still have yet to have a bad meal at this place.....

KFC introduces "Unchicken"

well...a victory of sorts....KFC has agreed to start marketing a Vegetarian (yes, not vegan; except in SOME locations for some reason) Chicken sandwich and nuggets. It is only available in Canada right now and is cooked in the same oil as the chicken; so some might be turned off for that fact alone. However, PETA is working with KFC to get seperate fryers and more options and hopefully by the time it makes it to the States, it will be vegan. Apparently you can ask for it vegan and they'll give it to you in a wrap without the Mayo. I look forward to seeing this take hold in the States, but won't hold my breath since McDonald's has had a veggie burger in Europe for many years and we have yet to see it here. I am not a huge fan of PETA, but I commend their efforts over 5 years to get KFC to update their practices; both with veggie food and with better conditions for its chickens. As with Burger King's addition of a veggie burger (which, by the way, is now called "BK Veggie by Morningstar Farms") I am unsure of whether or not I would actually patronise KFC. I like the fact that they are branching out, but I think I need to see way more cooperation from the Corporate Giants that own KFC, Burger King, McDonald's, etc... before I begin to buy stuff from them. People in Canada seem to be responding well and that is a very good sign. There is a decent amount of literature out there for anyone with further questions, but it seems that it is now available in all 461 KFC stores all over Canada.
http://www.kypost.com/content/middleblue3/story.aspx?content_id=8fb4e87a-9481-4f02-a2a4-671ca8b0a280

Restaurants - Evanston, IL (Chicago)

one of the best places I have ever eaten.....

Blind Faith Cafe is located at 525 Dempster St in Evanston. It calls itself "A Natural Alternative" and is a restaurant and bakery. First glance was great as this place looks fantastic, but it was so busy that we got Take Out instead of eating in. We got two of their appetizers; Seitan Fingers and Tofu Satay, both of which were excellent. Other appetizers include Potstickers, Grilled Tofu "Crab" Cakes, Guacamole, Pizza of the Day, and Hummus. Their selection of Entrees is possibly the best I have ever seen. It was REALLY difficult to decide on which dish to try. I had the Mongolian Seitan (Seitan, Broccoli, Red Bell Pepper, and Scallions in a Spicy Mongolian Sauce over Brown Rice), but they also have Seitan Marsala, Seitan Fajitas, Lemon Seitan, Bibim Bop (Grilled Seitan with veggies and more), Enchiladas Verde, Teriyaki Grilled Tofu, Thai Peanut Noodles, Black Bean Burrito, and a Macrobiotic Plate. They have a nice selection of Salads too. Also, they call them "Small Dishes" and are great too; Jerk Tempeh Sandwich, Barbeque Seitan Sandwich, Blind Faith Burger, and Chili Plate are just a few examples. They have a seperate section for Breakfast foods too; Tofu Scramble Eggs (can be vegan), Pancakes, Hash, Chilaquiles (all can be vegan), and Omelettes too (obviously not vegan). Definitely check out their Desserts too, which change daily and are mostly vegan! I highly recommend this place to anyone in Chicago; it is not too far north of the city. www.blindfaithcafe.com 847-328-6875

"Vegetable" - Broccoli

Broccoli is actually part of the Cabbage family. I LOVE me some broccoli on just about anything.
Broccoli is high in vitamin C and soluble fiber and contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties including diindolylmethane and selenium. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anticancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled more than ten minutes. A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. It is also very high in Vitamin K.

This is per 100 grams....a typical serving for us would be about 3 times these estimates...

Carbohydrates 6.64 g
Sugars 1.7 g
Dietary fiber 2.6 g
Fat 0.37 g
Protein 2.82 g
Water 89.30g
Vitamin A 3%
- β-carotene 3%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.071 mg 5%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.117 mg 8%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.639 mg 4%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.573 mg 11%
Vitamin B6 0.175 mg 13%
Folate (Vit. B9) 16%
Vitamin C 89.2 mg 149%
Calcium 47 mg 5%
Iron 0.73 mg 6%
Magnesium 21 mg 6%
Phosphorus 66 mg 9%
Potassium 316 mg 7%
Zinc 0.41 mg 4%

Restaurants - Boston, MA cont...

In the heart of downtown, near Boston University is a great Buddhist run vegetarian place.

Buddha's Delight Vegetarian Restaurant is located at404 Harvard St and another one located at 5 Beach St in Chinatown. This was a great looking place, traditional paintings and sculpture with a very vegetarian friendly philosophy. I do not even know where to start because this place has an incredible amount of food; and it is unique compared to most other vegetarian Chinese places. However, I will attempt to talk about their Appetizers first; Wheat Gluten Spring Rolls, Tofu "Chicken Fingers", Crispy Dumplings, Vietnamese Bean Cakes, Fried Wontons to name a few. They have tons of Soups and Salads and won't even go there for now. Their Specialties range from basic vegetable dishes to vegetarian Lobster; yes, veggie-Lobster. The entrees are amazing, I recommend a few; Velvet Tofu "Chicken", Sliced Tofu "Chicken" with onions, Ginger Gluten "Chicken" and Tofu-Ki, Moo Shi "Pork" Tofu, Sweet and Sour "Pork" Tofu, Large Tung Ting "Shrimp" and Large Wheat Gluten, and Tofu "Chicken" Lo Mein. The House Specialties are where this place shines the most. A few great examples of their Specialties are "Lamb" Tofu Stir fried with vegetables, "Beef" with Broccoli, Triple Taste Delight ("Shrimp", "Beef", and "Pork") with Oriental vegetables, BBQ Gluten with tomato, and "Duck" with onion and tomato. If you like Noodles, then they have a TON of Noodle options. Also, they have great Lunch Specials. I did not visit the one in Chinatown, but the one on Harvard St was absolutely Amazing!


DISCLAIMER: Just found out this place closed!!!!!! now it is My Thai Vegan Cafe..... www.mythaivegancafe.com

Well...California has SOME Compassion....

by passing Proposition 2, California redeemed itself in my eyes...
I know it was a very controversial Proposition, but it made sense and I am glad to see that most Californians agree that it is a good idea that Chickens, Pigs, and Veal Calves can actually turn around in their cages. It'll cost the industry a lot of money to retrofit, but they should not have put Compassion aside for profits in the beginning; if you ask me. I watched the Oprah episode about this and felt that the Meat Industry was lying and spewing hateful speech upon what they called "Animal Lovers". All in all, the decision rested with the people and they found it to be absurd that Pigs live their whole lives in cages where they cannot even turn around. Hopefully this will make ALL meat-based industry take a new look at their compartmental cages.

No Compassion in California

California banned Gay Marriage?....sounds to me like the compassionate side of Californians got lost on election day.....
One of the most compassionate things voters could have done was grant Gay Couples the ability to devote their lives to each other in front of their God. I disagree with most people about the rules of Marriage as it pertains to Public Life. While it is true that Marriage is a Religious Institution, it has become a Secular Institution over the years and laws that govern Secular Institutions should take over. Gays being allowed to marry will also NOT desecrate the Institution of Marriage, like most Christians like to say. 55% of all Marriages currently end in divorce anyway, so 55% of Heterosexual people are desecrating the Institution already. Christians have always been good at scaring people into accepting things, especially when talking about Gays. The fact is, under the US Constitution, Gays should be allowed to marry. Marriage is allowed by THE STATE, so should the Constitution rule instead of the Bible? Hello Seperation of Church and State! The most used argument from the Christians is that "Marriage is between a Man and a Woman". However, the argument falls flat once Marriage became a Secular Institution as well. Also, the argument that it will defame Marriage as we know it is totally false. Where were the traditionalists when The Bachelor started? Is not going on TV to find Marriage against the tenets of Traditional Marriage? Why was there not some HUGE outcry from the Christians about it? In fact, some Christian groups have said they accept The Bachelor and other shows like it on TV.

The US Constitution guarantees Rights to ALL. If specific Religions want to exclude Gays from their Marriage, then fine. However, this should NOT have anything to do with a Secular Marriage, guaranteed under our Constitution.

Californians showed their ability to vote on FEAR-based propaganda. If you're against Gay Marriage, DON'T MARRY A GAY PERSON!

Restaurants - Boston, MA

The first place I visited here was west of downtown, in the town of West Newton.

Life and Light Vegetarian Chinese Cuisine is a small place located at 115 Elm St in West Newton. Do not be fooled, the food is magnificent and their choices are incredible! The menu is chock full of goodness (and vegan!), starting with the Appetizers; Spring or Summer Rolls, Fried Tofu, Fried Wontons, BBQ Ribs, and Veggie Chicken Skewers to name a few. Their Entree section and House Special section are both varied and immense. In the Entree section, some great choices are (but not ONLY these) Sweet and Sour Veggie Pork, Veggie Chicken with Almonds, Veggie Curry Chicken, Szechuan Spicy Veggie Fish, and Hunan Veggie Pork. In the House Special section, I would recommend any of these (even though I only had 2 of them); Gluten with Brown Sauce, Veggie Chicken with Lemon Flavor, Kung Pao Veggie Squid, Crispy Veggie Fish, Veggie Beef with Broccoli, Veggie Shrimp with Snow Peas, and Sea World with Saute Sauce. If you are not sure about the veggie meats, then they do have a Vegetable and a Tofu section. In the Tofu section they have choices such as Home Style Tofu, Spicy Tofu, Pressed Beancurd with Ginger Strips, Emerald Tofu, Sunshine Tofu, and Tofu with Brown Sauce. You can also get any vegetable you like in their Vegetable section. Also included on the menu are Moo Shi (Veggie Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Pork, or Beef), Noodles, and Fried Rices. I highly recommend this place for anyone in the greater Boston Area. 617-630-8101

Restaurants - Tucson, AZ cont...

Guilin Chinese Restaurant is located at 3250 E Speedway. It labels itself as "Your Healthy Choice" and is a traditional Chinese place with a seperate Vegetarian/Vegan section of their menu. They will use NO oil if you like as well. I was impressed by this place and ate there 3 times. It is a nice looking place, pretty large and busy. Apparently there are a TON of vegans that frequent this place; according to the waitress. On their "Vegetarian Menu" they have quite an impressive array of items. Appetizers include Veggie Dumplings, Spring Rolls, Fried Eggplant, Fried Pumpkin, Fried Yam, and Fried Tofu; but there are more. They had a special appetizer when I was there; Veggie Chicken Drumsticks. They have some great soups too; Corn and Tofu, Seaweed, Hot and Sour are just a few. They breakup the menu into sections; Tofu Dishes, Vegetable Dishes, Noodle/Pasta/Fried Rice, Vegetarian Chicken/Beef/Pork/other, and Vegetarian Shrimp and Fish. In the Tofu section were Kung Pao Tofu, Fresh Tofu and Chinese Greens, Shredded Baked Tofu with Veggies, Szechuan Tofu, and Fresh Tofu Skins with Chinese Greens are just a few examples. The Vegetable section includes pretty much ANY vegetables you could want; as does the Noodle section. The other sections had some great choices, all of which I had were amazing! Kung Pao Veggie Chicken or Beef, Almond or Cashew Veggie Chicken or Beef, Sweet and Sour Veggie Chicken, General Tso's Veggie Chicken or Beef, Gluten Flowers with Vegetables in a Brown Sauce, Mongolian Veggie Chicken or Beef, and Veggie Chicken with Black Bean Sauce to name some. I am not a huge fan of the Vegetarian Seafood, but if you were so inclined, they have Kung Pao Veggie Shrimp, Moo Shu Veggie Shrimp, Veggie Shrimp with Broccoli, and Veggie Fish Filet with Chinese Greens are just a smattering of their choices. I HIGHLY recommend this place for anyone in the Tucson area. http://www.guilintucson.com/ 520-320-7768

Election is Over...YAY!

wow...finally we can stop hearing about the Election....
Compassion won over fear, so, for the first time in a long time, I am actually excited for what the next 4 years will bring....
However, this campaign was way too long and way too dirty for my tastes, hence the reason I am super excited that it is over. The rest of the world is breathing a sigh of relief, as is most of this country. The world recognized the importance of choosing Hope, Compassion, and Change over the same old fear-mongering tactics of the past 8 years. Finally the USA agreed with 99% of the world in this regard. Finally we had an undisputed Election. Finally we have an intelligent person as President. I have never been a Democrat because I do not like Party Politics, but I can say that I am proud to have Barack Obama as my President. He definitely is the 'breath of fresh air' this country has sorely needed for years. My only hope is that he does not get bogged down in all the of the crap of which this country has become part. His acceptance speech was magnificent and only gives us more Hope that he will deliver on at least MOST of the promises. It was an historic election for sure, but I found it phenomenal since Compassion ruled the day. No more fear mongering, no more hate speech, no more illegal wars. Yes, I said it; our war in Iraq is illegal when looking at the Geneva Convention and other World Law, but we skirted the legality and obviously have been paying the price for 8 years. Hopefully Barack will end it in a timely fashion (how about January 21st?).
I am finally NOT pissed off at our electorate. I am finally NOT pissed off at the Democrats for choosing such painfully terrible candidates (hello John Kerry and AL Gore!). I am hopeful for the future in this country now for the first time, possibly, ever.

Recipes- Pumpkin Cupcakes

mmmmm....chocolate chip pumpkin cupcakes.......

This recipe is another one taken from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/3 cup Oil
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 cup Soy Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 and 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup to 1 cup Chocolate Chips
top with Cinnamon Icing (to follow the recipe)

1. Preheat oven to 350; line muffin pan with liners
2. In a medium bowl, stir together pumpkin, oil, sugar, soy milk, and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stri together with a fork- don't use a hand mixer, as it will make the batter gummy. Once well combined, fold in chocolate chips.
3. Fill liners 2/3 full. Bake for 22-24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Cinnamon Icing

1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Soy Spread (melted)
1 tablespoon Soy Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1. Place sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add the margarine (Earth Balance), soy milk, can vanilla and stir with a fork until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to use. The mixture should look opaque and honey brown. If it is glistening a lot or looks too liquid, add more sugar.

Restaurants- Tucson, AZ

Tucson is a very vegetarian friendly place and I found a couple great places and a few moderately good ones. I was excited to go there because they had a vegetarian restaurant that was interested in franchising, so I figured it was worth a shot to try; maybe I would like it so much that I would buy a franchise! Not so, the food was decent, but not great.

Lovin' Spoonfuls is that vegetarian restaurant (mostly vegan). It is located at 2990 N. Campbell, Suite 120; right near the University of Arizona. The menu looked delectable on-line and I was REALLY excited to try it out. I arrived really late on a Tuesday night and needed some food quick so I drove there before going to my hotel. I have to say that the Golden Nuggets appetizer was the one bright spot. It was simply soy chicken batter fried, so it cannot be bad; really, anything deep fried is usually good. As for entrees, I did visit here twice thinking I was unlucky the first time; however, both entrees I got were not that great. The food was decent, don't get me wrong, but from the descriptions of the food, I was expecting a lot more. I tried their Pepper Steak (Triple colored peppers, onions and "beef" in a savory brown sauce served over organic brown rice) which, by the definition should have been excellent. I found that the sauce was watery, the "beef" was chewy, and the peppers were overcooked. Then, the next time I chose the Country Fried Chicken Platter (Crispy fried soy chicken with savory stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and steam grilled vegetables) and found that only the "chicken" was good, but the potatoes were bland and the vegetables were, again, overcooked. I ended up getting ONLY appetizers for lunch one day; at least those were good. I liked the Tempura "Shrimp" and the Spring Rolls. I still think this place was a great find since it is hard to find veggie food, but it could be a LOT better. They had some good desserts, but even those were not GREAT; too healthy tasting, maybe not enough sugar. They also serve breakfast, which looks really good, but I never did get to try it. Good place for a quick bite, but don't rely on this place for your dinner. http://www.lovinspoonfuls.com/ 520-325-7766

Restaurants- Las Vegas, NV cont...

We found this place on-line, but it was hard to find when walking around the Strip. It was way too hot to have been walking around, but once we found this place, it was completely worth it.

Komol Restaurant labels itself as "Authentic Thai and Vegetarian Cuisine" and is located at 953 E. Sahara Ave; a large Strip Mall center and hard to find (not 100% vegetarian). Their menu is enormous and has a specifically vegetarian section which is about half of the entire menu. They have pretty much ANY dish you can think of in the realm of Thai food. The staff was courteous and informative about their vegetarian options. They have a ton of appetizers; Spring Rolls, Fried Tofu, Crispy Spinach, Fried Sweet Potato, Vegetarian Sa-Tay, and Vegetarian Tod-Mun to name a few. They have a bunch of Salads, Soups, and Noodle Soups; Tofu Soup, Veggie Seaweed Soup, Rice Noodle Soup, Bean Thread Noodle Soup, Vegetarian Papaya Salad, Laap Tofu Salad, Hot and Sour Salad, and Bean Thread Noodle Salad to name a few. Their entrees are really where they shine, however. The choices are amazing and it was very hard to choose ONE dish to try; we have eaten here twice and have totally different dishes each time. Several Veggie Curries start the entrees, Tofu Panang/Gluten Panang, Tofu Chili Mint, Gluten Chili Mint, Garlic Tofu, 2 kinds of Sweet and Sour Tofu/Vegetables, Tofu Ginger, Orange Tofu, Cashew Tofu, Tofu with Chili Paste, Hot and Spicy Tofu/Gluten, and Kung Pao Tofu are just some of the amazing choices. All dishes can have Gluten added to them; I thought the combination of Tofu and Gluten with their sauces was excellent. They also have really inexpensive Lunch Specials. www.komolrestaurant.com 702-731-6542

Restaurants- Breckenridge, CO

Rasta Pasta is another great place if you are trying to eat in the town of Breckenridge. It is located just across the street from My Thai at 411 South Main St. It is also home to the Breckenridge Burrito Company, so you can get some great pasta OR a burrito. The menu is great because you can tell them you want it "Vegan with Tofu" and they will makle ANY of their pasta dishes vegan. I had the Spicy Jammin and it was excellent. It is a traditional pasta and vegetables with a Carribean flare; meaning they use Jerk spices and other spices not typically used with pasta. Kelly got a dish that had Sun Dried Tomatoes and Grapes as part of the sauce and it was sweet and excellent. If you want a burrito, the Vegetarian Burrito looked awesome. They are very knowledgeable about veganism, so do not fear Chicken Stock or Cheese. Apparently even the Garlic Bread is vegan, and it was really good. The House Salad that came with the dishes had an interesting dressing on it; which was vegan. I still prefer My Thai, but it was way too busy; so this place is a great alternative. www.rastapasta.net 970-453-PIMP (yes, that is actually their number)