Note – I use the word ‘vegan’ in my historical ramblings to refer to folks who ate only plants – but please remember that the word ‘vegan’ itself was not used until 88+ years ago – in 1944. Pioneer Vegan William Horsell, London, c.1857 (1) Vegan London We are a part of an old tradition! There were actually vegan ‘meet-ups’ & ‘pot-lucks’ being held in London 150+ years ago. We are…
This tofu recipe has a mild but delicious flavor that can be paired with a variety of other flavors and ingredients. My favorite ways to eat it are in a whole-wheat wrap with shredded cabbage and peppers or on top of a great big salad with slivered almonds and a sesame dressing. Black Tea & Soy Marinated Tofu Servings: 3 Serving Size: 4 pieces Calories: 116 Fat: 6 Ingredients: 1…
A very common belief these days is that it costs too much to be a vegan or vegetarian. That’s kind of like saying living in California is outrageously expensive – all too true if you live in Malibu, but not quite the case in Lancaster or Bakersfield. The reality is that eating healthy veg friendly food doesn’t have to cost a whole lot. Here are some of the best ways…
Our members have spoken – the City of Brotherly Love is a great place to go veg. Philly is famous for its food, but most of it isn’t very animal friendly. The good news is that there are some great vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the city, and they get rave reviews from their customers. With 22 restaurants listed on HappyCow, Philadelphia cooks up some unique food, and the chance…
Last week I went to Wal-Mart to buy a candy thermometer. While wandering around the kitchen ware section, I happened across an aisle filled with canning supplies i.e. glass mason jars and lids. Included in this aisle were 2 lb. plus cans of non-vegan dried eggs, meat, and pancake mix. Also included were dried fruit, vegetables and surprise-surprise, vegetarian meat. The meat included beef, taco meat, chicken, and bacon. With…
Agar-agar is a vegan substitute for gelatin. Traditional gelatin is made with powdered cow hooves. Agar-agar is made from dried red algae. As with traditional gelatin, this vegan substitute has a neutral flavor and does NOT taste like seaweed. According to the Science et Technologie au Service de la Creation Culinaire, a Japanese innkeeper in Kyoto named Tarozaemon Minoya discovered the gelling aspects of this seaweed during the 17th century.…
It is enormously tragic, that the defenseless, the harmless and the gentle sentient beings from whom we might have learned so much, who would have trusted us, and by whose acquaintance our lives could be so much enriched, are rewarded with imprisonment, torture and slaughter. I am often reminded of, and haunted by, a post to the HappyCow blog on July 30, 2011 from Alisa Rutherford-Fortunati. The piece, entitled “Bruno: A New…
It’s that time of the year to shower your loved ones with kisses, roses, chocolates, and fancy dinners. Even if you aren’t in a relationship you can take your best friend or yourself out for a night on the town and a lovely meal at one of these restaurants. We polled our Facebook fans and asked if you could take your sweetheart anywhere in the world for Valentine’s Day where…
This 274 page book is a collection of the 120 most popular recipes from the first two years of posts to my Valley Vegetarian blog. There’s nothing fancy here, just plain good home style cooking that appeals to everyone without regard to specific diet. The recipes tend toward comfort food with a taste of Ojai. Many have been published in the Ojai Valley News under the header Chef Randy. All…
As far as the United States is concerned I think Los Angeles has the most vegetarian and vegan restaurants by far. It’s also the home to many of the finest and diverse ethnic foods. They’ve got it all! Here are HappyCow’s top-rated ethnic restaurants in Los Angeles. Shojin 333 S Alameda St Unit 310 (at 3rd St, in Little Tokyo Square 3rd floor above supermarket) Los Angeles, California 90013 213-617-0305 For gourmet,…
I was wondering how to fix a healthy burrito that would satisfy my tastes as well as those of my vegan friends. “It would even be better”, I told my wife, “if I could make it without flour tortillas so my gluten-free friends could enjoy it too”. I had already decided to use a quinoa filling but needed something to replace the tortilla. My friend, Kris, shared his fresh collard…
There’s nothing like saying “I love you Dad” like taking your pops to a delicious, yet healthy vegetarian restaurant where you know he will be satisfied without the heart-clogging animal foods that he might usually eat. These top 6 places to take dad on Father’s Day feature restaurants that will fit the needs of any dad around. 1. Gracias Madre 2211 Mission St (at 18th St, in Mission District) San Francisco…
Austin is one of the most hip, exciting, environmentally-friendly and progressive cities in the US. You’ll find farmer’s markets every weekend, people commuting on bike, green certified buildings, food trailer parks, community gardens, and of course some of the tastiest vegetarian food on the planet. My recent weekend getaway to Austin included some of my favorite spots as well as some new finds. Beets Cafe 1611 W 5th St, Ste…